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What is the best way to search the hundreds of existing footprints for a particular arrangement of pins? Just a 3-pin symbol, nothing complicated.

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John Woodgate
Keep trying

You typically search for the device, then you may see several footprints
with various names with e,b,c, b,c,e, 1,2,3, etc against then indicating
the different pinouts.

However if you don't care about the actual device just find a device in
the same package, then copy it's footprint to your own lib and modify as
required.

Andy



On Fri, 23 Aug 2024 15:20:29 +0100
"John Woodgate" <jmw@...> wrote:

What is the best way to search the hundreds of existing footprints for a
particular arrangement of pins? Just a 3-pin symbol, nothing complicated.

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Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying


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Thanks, Andy, but to find 'a device in the same package' seems to me to be a step further away from searching through footprints for the one I hope is there. The part is a preset resistor, not a transistor.

isn't there a screen that shows descriptions and images of footprints?

However if you don't care about the actual device just find a device in
the same package, then copy it's footprint to your own lib and modify as
required.

-- 
OOO - Own Opinions Only
Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying

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-- 

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Best Wishes

John Woodgate

Keep trying

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Thanks, Brian. KiCad calls preset resistors 'potentiometers', which is perhaps better, but 2 terminal parts do exist which are not pots. I think 'preset pot'? is the best description. Your tip to open the Browser is exactly what I was looking for. It's a bit hidden under the 'View' tab. The option to choose the number of pins is on another screen, one that's full of tiny text which i have a problem to read.

Hi John,

?

I’m not sure what a preset resistor is, but I’m willing to learn.

?

When I want to see what is all available, I open the footprint editor and hit View/Footprint Library Browser

?

?

If you hit this button, you can see the 3D model- if one has been assigned to it…
Then you can click your down arrow to flip through the different footprint.

I could have sworn there was a filter where you could enter a terminal number and limit your results to just those footprints.? I don’t see it now- I found it quite helpful.

?

?

Hope it helps,

Brian

?

Brian German

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of John Woodgate
Sent: Friday, August 23, 2024 10:45 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [kicad-users] Searching for an existing footprint

?

Thanks, Andy, but to find 'a device in the same package' seems to me to be a step further away from searching through footprints for the one I hope is there. The part is a preset resistor, not a transistor.

isn't there a screen that shows descriptions and images of footprints?

On 2024-08-23 15:27, Andy wrote:

However if you don't care about the actual device just find a device in

the same package, then copy it's footprint to your own lib and modify as

required.

-- 

OOO - Own Opinions Only

Best Wishes

John Woodgate

Keep trying

?

Virus-free.

This email and any attachments may contain information that is proprietary, privileged, or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please do not review the email and please delete it.

-- 
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Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying

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-- 

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Best Wishes

John Woodgate

Keep trying

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Thanks, Brian. When I look at the Properties of the part, I see it's called 'Trim-potentiometer', which is also a good name. The pin count filter works for me, under 8.0.4.

Hi John,

?

Ah yes, 'potentiometers' I am far more familiar with.

?

In Schematic Editor, I ran into the Assign Footprint tool, which has the ‘pin count’ filter, but I sure couldn’t get it to work.? Maybe someone else has wisdom on this?

(Using v8.0.4)

?

?

Glad you found what you needed!

(Editing footprint is quite simple once you get into it- I rarely use a provided footprint now without doublechecking it and modifying it in some way- then saving it to my own library (which I name with a ‘1-Battery holder’, for example) so they appear before the built-in libraries)

?

Kind regards,

Brian

?

Brian German
Sr. Technical Content Developer

DigiKey

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of John Woodgate
Sent: Friday, August 23, 2024 11:29 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [kicad-users] Searching for an existing footprint

?

Thanks, Brian. KiCad calls preset resistors 'potentiometers', which is perhaps better, but 2 terminal parts do exist which are not pots. I think 'preset pot'? is the best description. Your tip to open the Browser is exactly what I was looking for. It's a bit hidden under the 'View' tab. The option to choose the number of pins is on another screen, one that's full of tiny text which i have a problem to read.

On 2024-08-23 17:17, Brian via groups.io wrote:

Hi John,

?

I’m not sure what a preset resistor is, but I’m willing to learn.

?

When I want to see what is all available, I open the footprint editor and hit View/Footprint Library Browser

?

?

If you hit this button, you can see the 3D model- if one has been assigned to it…
Then you can click your down arrow to flip through the different footprint.

I could have sworn there was a filter where you could enter a terminal number and limit your results to just those footprints.? I don’t see it now- I found it quite helpful.

?

?

Hope it helps,

Brian

?

Brian German

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of John Woodgate
Sent: Friday, August 23, 2024 10:45 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [kicad-users] Searching for an existing footprint

?

Thanks, Andy, but to find 'a device in the same package' seems to me to be a step further away from searching through footprints for the one I hope is there. The part is a preset resistor, not a transistor.

isn't there a screen that shows descriptions and images of footprints?

On 2024-08-23 15:27, Andy wrote:

However if you don't care about the actual device just find a device in

the same package, then copy it's footprint to your own lib and modify as

required.

-- 

OOO - Own Opinions Only

Best Wishes

John Woodgate

Keep trying

?

Virus-free.

?

This email and any attachments may contain information that is proprietary, privileged, or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please do not review the email and please delete it.

-- 

OOO - Own Opinions Only

Best Wishes

John Woodgate

Keep trying

-- 
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Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying

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Hi John, just learn how to make your own footprints. It is dead simple. Just take any simple footprint, rename it and save it to your own library. Then move the pads, resize the pads and change the contour lines in the silkscreen and optionally fab and courtyard layes. Or just go to the Digikey or Mouser website, they have schematic symbols, footprints and 3D models of most of their parts. If not, there are probably tons of youtube videos how to make Kicad footprints.

Reinier.

Another name for a preset resistor is a trimmer potentiometer, usually
shortened to trimpot. It's one of those potentiometers you use a
screwdriver to set, and then you leave it alone unless further trimming
is required.

Regards,

Robert.

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Thank you, Reinier.

You make it sound simple, but for someone who has never done it successfully, it is not simple.? I have tried and failed too often. There are many steps and questions:

1. How to make a library, what filename to use and where to save it?
2. Moving a pad is fairly easy, but how to know what to re-size it to?
3. How to change the contour lines? Are they lines or rectangles or circles? Some appear to be polygons made of individual lines, so are very difficult to change.
   

I can't use YouTube videos because I am too deaf to understand the sound. It's not a loudness problem, the people talk too fast and not clearly enough.I will certainly look at Digikey and Mouser, but I am in England, so many of their parts are simply too costly to buy in small quantities.

Hi John, just learn how to make your own footprints. It is dead simple. Just take any simple footprint, rename it and save it to your own library. Then move the pads, resize the pads and change the contour lines in the silkscreen and optionally fab and courtyard layes. Or just go to the Digikey or Mouser website, they have schematic symbols, footprints and 3D models of most of their parts. If not, there are probably tons of youtube videos how to make Kicad footprints.

Reinier.

Op 23-8-2024 om 16:20 schreef John Woodgate:

What is the best way to search the hundreds of existing footprints for a particular arrangement of pins? Just a 3-pin symbol, nothing complicated.

-- 
OOO - Own Opinions Only
Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying

Virus-free.

-- 
OOO - Own Opinions Only
Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying

It's actually very easy.. just start simple
Like many things once you actually get it right you wonder what all the
fuss is about. :-)



1. Library, just the same as any other directory, store it wherever you
want. Then you select that directory and then save the library into it.
Call the library whatever you want; mine are called
g0poy-footprints g0poy-components

The main thing to remember is to select the correct working directory.
You then just add your directory and libs to the kicad search


2. pad, that's a matter of reading the datasheet and starting from there
for example, you may want to extend the pads to make hand soldering
easier

3. Yes that's a pain you usually have to redraw them

YouTube.
There is a very good caption function , but even more useful is the
playback speed. Nudge it down too 75% and things sound a lot better in
many cases. You do get issues with poor audio at times, but there are
lots of videos to try, so you can usually find something.

The comment about digikey etc is that the sites has many of the
footprints available for download, you don't have to buy anything -
however at least one of them has a UK site I think it's mouser, and I
have used them. (I'm in east London)

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You can probably find the find the parts you want in Farnell too, as well as Digikey an Mouser, from whom you can also buy components in the UK, although Farnell is much quicker, and sometimes cheaper. (I still even use Farnell in France, although the stock is mostly held in their Leeds warehouse.) Farnell has ECAD files (schematic symbols, footprints and 3D models) for a large percentage of the components they stock, including lots of trim-pots. What specific parts do you want?

To download the ECAD files, you will have to create a profile on . Almost all the major component retailers use this, which is run by SamacSys and based in the UK. It seems to have by far the most files available. If they don't have the ones you want, you can request that they create them. My experience is that they do this generally in 24hrs or less. Farnell's ECAD files link takes you straight to the login dialogue, but prefixed by "farnell.", but the same login profile will work for all retailers.

To use KiCad effectively, you have to learn how the library system works, and how manage to manage it, even if you never make any symbols and/or footprints yourself.

KiCad deals with schematic symbols and PCB footprints differently. For symbols, each library is one file and may contain many symbols. For footprints, each library is a separate folder, with individual footprint files of type "kicad_mod". Footprints are easier to deal with.

To create a personal footprint library, as opposed to one of the supplied "standard" libraries, you can create it yourself in Windows Explorer.

1. Decide where you want to keep it, and then simply create a new folder.
2. Give it a name, e.g.: "MyFootprints.pretty". Don't forget the ".pretty" bit. KiCad will not see it unless it has that naming format. If you download a lot of footprints, you might want to catalogue them separately into types along the same lines as the "standard" libraries.
   
3. Then from the top level KiCad application: Preferences > Manage Footprint Libraries. When you click on that, you will get a list of currently available libraries. There are two types: Global Libraries, which can be accessed by any KiCad project, or Project Specific Libraries that are in the current project folder.
4. To add a new global library to your list, click the "Global Libraries" tab and click on the folder icon (tooltip "Add Existing").
   
5. This will open an Explorer dialogue, in which you can navigate to "MyFootprints.pretty" that you just created. Highlight the folder, and click [Open].

That's it. "MyFootprints.pretty" will now by visible from the pcb and footprint editor apps. Any ECAD files that you download should initially be placed in that folder. Almost always, they are zipped, so you will have to extract what you need from the zip. Footprints, which have the .kicad_mod file suffix will now be available from the footprint chooser.

--

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I agree about 'once you get it right', but only if you record the steps? that worked.

I have a folder called 'Ultrasonic filter KiCad'. Can I put the 'Footprints library' folder in it? I tried that before and it didn't seem to work, but I don't know how to 'add it to the KiCad search'.

Thanks for the other advice.

It's actually very easy.. just start simple 
Like many things once you actually get it right you wonder what all the
fuss is about. :-)



1. Library, just the same as any other directory, store it wherever you
want. Then you select that directory and then save the library into it.
Call the library whatever you want; mine are called
g0poy-footprints g0poy-components

The main thing to remember is to select the correct working directory. 
You then just add your directory and libs to the kicad search 


2. pad, that's a matter of reading the datasheet and starting from there
for example, you may want to extend the pads to make hand soldering
easier

3. Yes that's a pain you usually have to redraw them

YouTube.
There is a very good caption function , but even more useful is the
playback speed. Nudge it down too 75% and things sound a lot better in
many cases. You do get issues with poor audio at times, but there are
lots of videos to try, so you can usually find something.

The comment about digikey etc is that the sites has many of the
footprints available for download, you don't have to buy anything -
however at least one of them has a UK site I think it's mouser, and I
have used them. (I'm in east London) 

On Sat, 24 Aug 2024 10:33:40 +0100
"John Woodgate" <jmw@...> wrote:

Andy

-- 
OOO - Own Opinions Only
Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying

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Thanks, Tony. Yes, I have occasionally been able to buy from Mouser and Digikey without paying the huge devilry charges. I have found a solution to the trimmer pot: I have some with the same layout as TO-5. Now I'm looking for the footprint of Alps RK11K114, which is a spindle pot, the filter frequency control. I have found the dimensions from Mouser., but obviously I will try to follow up your extensive advice about Farnell and ECAD.

You can probably find the find the parts you want in Farnell too, as well as Digikey an Mouser, from whom you can also buy components in the UK, although Farnell is much quicker, and sometimes cheaper. (I still even use Farnell in France, although the stock is mostly held in their Leeds warehouse.) Farnell has ECAD files (schematic symbols, footprints and 3D models) for a large percentage of the components they stock, including lots of trim-pots. What specific parts do you want?

To download the ECAD files, you will have to create a profile on . Almost all the major component retailers use this, which is run by SamacSys and based in the UK. It seems to have by far the most files available. If they don't have the ones you want, you can request that they create them. My experience is that they do this generally in 24hrs or less. Farnell's ECAD files link takes you straight to the login dialogue, but prefixed by "farnell.", but the same login profile will work for all retailers.

To use KiCad effectively, you have to learn how the library system works, and how manage to manage it, even if you never make any symbols and/or footprints yourself.

KiCad deals with schematic symbols and PCB footprints differently. For symbols, each library is one file and may contain many symbols. For footprints, each library is a separate folder, with individual footprint files of type "kicad_mod". Footprints are easier to deal with.

To create a personal footprint library, as opposed to one of the supplied "standard" libraries, you can create it yourself in Windows Explorer.

1. Decide where you want to keep it, and then simply create a new folder.
2. Give it a name, e.g.: "MyFootprints.pretty". Don't forget the ".pretty" bit. KiCad will not see it unless it has that naming format. If you download a lot of footprints, you might want to catalogue them separately into types along the same lines as the "standard" libraries.
   
3. Then from the top level KiCad application: Preferences > Manage Footprint Libraries. When you click on that, you will get a list of currently available libraries. There are two types: Global Libraries, which can be accessed by any KiCad project, or Project Specific Libraries that are in the current project folder.
4. To add a new global library to your list, click the "Global Libraries" tab and click on the folder icon (tooltip "Add Existing").
   
5. This will open an Explorer dialogue, in which you can navigate to "MyFootprints.pretty" that you just created. Highlight the folder, and click [Open].

That's it. "MyFootprints.pretty" will now by visible from the pcb and footprint editor apps. Any ECAD files that you download should initially be placed in that folder. Almost always, they are zipped, so you will have to extract what you need from the zip. Footprints, which have the .kicad_mod file suffix will now be available from the footprint chooser.

--

Regards,
Tony

On 24/08/2024 11:33, John Woodgate wrote:

Thank you, Reinier.

You make it sound simple, but for someone who has never done it successfully, it is not simple.? I have tried and failed too often. There are many steps and questions:

1. How to make a library, what filename to use and where to save it?
2. Moving a pad is fairly easy, but how to know what to re-size it to?
3. How to change the contour lines? Are they lines or rectangles or circles? Some appear to be polygons made of individual lines, so are very difficult to change.
   

I can't use YouTube videos because I am too deaf to understand the sound. It's not a loudness problem, the people talk too fast and not clearly enough.I will certainly look at Digikey and Mouser, but I am in England, so many of their parts are simply too costly to buy in small quantities.

-- 
OOO - Own Opinions Only
Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying

Record the steps - no one does that :-)

The footprints library, providing you are talking about YOUR personal
footprints library then yes put it anywhere.

Don't get confused with the huge numbers of libs that kicad downloads
into it's footprint library.

(You will see these in the global list as well)

Fire up kicad
select preferences

there are two lists that you can use

Manage footprint libraries
Manage Symbol libraries

Select whatever one you need, in this case footprints.

You will get a tabbed window, one tab is global and the other is project
specific.

I think you need to access the project specific via the preferences
option when the project is open, however I very rarely use this, so I
might be wrong. Adding my libs to the global section is what I do.

Select +
give it a nickname
then navigate to your own library
and select it. That's about all there is to it

For convenience you can also move a lib up and down the list which makes
selecting it easier if it's at the top of the list.


Andy


On Sat, 24 Aug 2024 11:59:33 +0100
"John Woodgate" <jmw@...> wrote:

I agree about 'once you get it right', but only if you record the steps?
that worked.

I have a folder called 'Ultrasonic filter KiCad'. Can I put the
'Footprints library' folder in it? I tried that before and it didn't
seem to work, but I don't know how to 'add it to the KiCad search'.

Thanks for the other advice.

On 2024-08-24 11:42, Andy wrote:

It's actually very easy.. just start simple
Like many things once you actually get it right you wonder what all the
fuss is about. :-)



1. Library, just the same as any other directory, store it wherever you
want. Then you select that directory and then save the library into it.
Call the library whatever you want; mine are called
g0poy-footprints g0poy-components

The main thing to remember is to select the correct working directory.
You then just add your directory and libs to the kicad search


2. pad, that's a matter of reading the datasheet and starting from there
for example, you may want to extend the pads to make hand soldering
easier

3. Yes that's a pain you usually have to redraw them

YouTube.
There is a very good caption function , but even more useful is the
playback speed. Nudge it down too 75% and things sound a lot better in
many cases. You do get issues with poor audio at times, but there are
lots of videos to try, so you can usually find something.

The comment about digikey etc is that the sites has many of the
footprints available for download, you don't have to buy anything -
however at least one of them has a UK site I think it's mouser, and I
have used them. (I'm in east London)

On Sat, 24 Aug 2024 10:33:40 +0100
"John Woodgate"<jmw@...> wrote:

Andy

--
OOO - Own Opinions Only
Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying


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Agreed - no-one does that.

I found that Under Windows, KiCad creates a folder 'KiCad' in Documents, which has? folders for each top version (e.g. 8.0) and in there are folders for footprints, symbols and other things, so I've used that.

Record the steps -  no one does that ?

The footprints library, providing you are talking about YOUR personal
footprints library then yes put it anywhere.

-- 
OOO - Own Opinions Only
Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying

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Farnell doesn't have the part, but Componentsearch lists it, so I asked it to build the footprint, which it flatly refused with a big red banner! I wonder what the problem is.

Thanks, Tony. Yes, I have occasionally been able to buy from Mouser and Digikey without paying the huge devilry charges. I have found a solution to the trimmer pot: I have some with the same layout as TO-5. Now I'm looking for the footprint of Alps RK11K114, which is a spindle pot, the filter frequency control. I have found the dimensions from Mouser., but obviously I will try to follow up your extensive advice about Farnell and ECAD.

You make it sound simple, but for someone who has never done it successfully, it is not simple.? I have tried and failed too often. There are many steps and questions:

1. How to make a library, what filename to use and where to save it?
2. Moving a pad is fairly easy, but how to know what to re-size it to?
3. How to change the contour lines? Are they lines or rectangles or circles? Some appear to be polygons made of individual lines, so are very difficult to change.
   

I can't use YouTube videos because I am too deaf to understand the sound. It's not a loudness problem, the people talk too fast and not clearly enough.I will certainly look at Digikey and Mouser, but I am in England, so many of their parts are simply too costly to buy in small quantities.

-- 
OOO - Own Opinions Only
Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying

-- 
OOO - Own Opinions Only
Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying

开云体育

Funny, I found the ALPS ALPINE RK11K11410KA on Farnell UK - they have 96 in stock at ?2.23 at 1off. Is this not what you want?

They also have the full complement of PCB files, which I have downloaded. If you still want to use this, I'll send you the KiCad files to your private email.

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Ah, That is the log (audio) version. I looked for the linear version, but obviously the footprint is the same, so I'll take up your kind offer of the files.

Funny, I found the ALPS ALPINE RK11K11410KA on Farnell UK - they have 96 in stock at ?2.23 at 1off. Is this not what you want?

They also have the full complement of PCB files, which I have downloaded. If you still want to use this, I'll send you the KiCad files to your private email.

--
Regards,
Tony

On 24/08/2024 17:21, John Woodgate wrote:

Farnell doesn't have the part, but Componentsearch lists it, so I asked it to build the footprint, which it flatly refused with a big red banner! I wonder what the problem is.

On 2024-08-24 12:10, John Woodgate wrote:

Thanks, Tony. Yes, I have occasionally been able to buy from Mouser and Digikey without paying the huge devilry charges. I have found a solution to the trimmer pot: I have some with the same layout as TO-5. Now I'm looking for the footprint of Alps RK11K114, which is a spindle pot, the filter frequency control. I have found the dimensions from Mouser., but obviously I will try to follow up your extensive advice about Farnell and ECAD.

-- 
OOO - Own Opinions Only
Best Wishes
John Woodgate
Keep trying