KiCad

Preferred pin Numbers or Names? (library consistency)

Asked by Radek Z

An NPN links correctly to TO92-EBC (a footprint in shared/discrete). Reading netlist into Pcbnew causes Pad_not_found.
Changing footprint pad numbers to Numbers solved this case.

A 7805 regulator has pin Names in field for pin numbers. Linking to footprint TO-220 causes the same error, solvable.
Solved by changing schematic symbol.
(in previous distro of Kicad, there was a correct fotprint TO220-78XX)

My goal is to rely on libraries, free to share but always consistent.
What is preferred way to maintain libraries - named pads, numbered pads or footprints accepting both?

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Radek Z
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Revision history for this message
Dick Hollenbeck (dickelbeck) said : 		#1

On 08/05/2013 04:46 PM, Radek Z wrote:
> Question #233445 on KiCad changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/kicad/+question/233445
>
> Description changed to:
> An NPN links correctly to TO92-EBC (a footprint in shared/discrete). Reading netlist into Pcbnew causes Pad_not_found.
> Changing footprint pad numbers to Numbers solved this case.
>
> A 7805 regulator has pin Names in field for pin numbers. Linking to footprint TO-220 causes the same error, solvable.
> Solved by changing schematic symbol.
> (in previous distro of Kicad, there was a correct fotprint TO220-78XX)
>
> My goal is to rely on libraries, free to share but always consistent.
> What is preferred way to maintain libraries - named pads, numbered pads or footprints accepting both?
>

Imagine that the people maintaining the libraries were all just like you. Now ask
yourself the question, which one of you is going to actually maintain the libraries?

Yeah, I can hear it now, "the other one".

Actually some folks do spend their valuable time maintaining libraries, but it is
typically done in the library branch. Without much trouble, you could join the library
maintainer's mailing list and probably get commit access. This way the other one could
actually then help solve what is a large problem.

There will likely not be any specific help on libraries coming in this forum, other than
this message. You can also ask for help on the yahoo user's list.

Dick

Revision history for this message
Lorenzo Marcantonio (l-marcantonio) said : 		#2

On Mon, Aug 05, 2013 at 09:46:00PM -0000, Radek Z wrote:
> My goal is to rely on libraries, free to share but always consistent.
> What is preferred way to maintain libraries - named pads, numbered pads or footprints accepting both?

In my libs I keep two different packages: one with numbers (the base
one) and others with letters. So I have a *huge* quantity of SOT-23
modules:P

However it greatly help in routing and troubleshooting, so I guess it's
worth the effort.

--
Lorenzo Marcantonio
Logos Srl

Revision history for this message
Radek Z (radex) said : 		#3

Thank you! A good ruleset to start found here (propably more to read):
https://lists.launchpad.net/kicad-lib-committers/msg00007.html