KiCad

Eagle plugin for reading footprint libraries

Asked by Michel Belanger

Hi,

I am using Kicad BZR 5026 (July 2014).

I tried to import an external footprint library from an Eagle 6.0+ format and it failed. I did report the bug.

My question is does Eagle plugin is actively supported?

Regards

Michel

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Solved by:
Dick Hollenbeck
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Best Dick Hollenbeck (dickelbeck) said : 		#1

On 08/03/2014 09:41 AM, Michel Belanger wrote:
> New question #252559 on KiCad:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/kicad/+question/252559
>
> Hi,
>
> I am using Kicad BZR 5026 (July 2014).
>
> I tried to import an external footprint library from an Eagle 6.0+ format and it failed. I did report the bug.
>
> My question is does Eagle plugin is actively supported?
>
> Regards
>
> Michel
>

20:27:36: Failed to open 'G:\Kicad_project\Library\SparkFun-Eagle-Libraries-master' for
reading (error 0: the operation completed successfully.)
20:27:36: Failed to retrieve file times for
'G:\Kicad_project\Library\SparkFun-Eagle-Libraries-master' (error 0: the operation
completed successfully.)

========================================

Clue: the file that is trying to be opened is
'G:\Kicad_project\Library\SparkFun-Eagle-Libraries-master'

which was placed in quotes to make it clear.

Turns out this is not a file, yet the Eagle plugin, unlike the KiCad plugin, needs a file.
 (Granted, the KiCad plugin needs a dir.) But these are plugin specifics of an
abstraction called a "library path". For Eagle, use a full and actual filename, not a path.

You have to point your fp-lib-table to the actual *.lbr files, once for each *.lbr file.

Attached is the sample fp-lib-table.for-eagle

Notice there is a separate row for each library, and in the case of Eagle, this is the
*.lbr file.

Also it is suggested that you read the chapter in the pcbnew manual on the fp-lib-table
concepts. The concepts are important. Simply getting it to work should not be
satisfactory. Understanding how it works is my firm recommendation.

Revision history for this message
Michel Belanger (belanger-3) said : 		#2

Hi Dick,

Thank you for you answer it solved my case.

However I did not find the equivalent information in the manual that you provided here. I made a search for fp-lib-table in pcbnew.pdf and could not find the detailed concept of this table as you did here. I went on the web etc.. and spent several days to figure out where to store user specific files and get organised. I my mind I did not properly aligned Library Path with File name but with a Folder instead. It is now understood!

I think that the piece of details you gave me here should be included in the manual. I also understand that this past year Kicad changed its library concept, so it is understandable that a few pieces of information might not be up to date. The fact that the official release is a year old, "Getting Started with Kicad" was written in 2011 and pcbnew.pdf was release this month does not help either. I use kicadwinbuilder to get an up to date version of Kicad. For a newbie, such as me, it is not an easy task to figure out where things are, what folders are useful, etc..

It is my personal opinion, the documentation would benefit a global description of where things are, and how to setup a typical Kicad installation including User specific data, what to back and where etc.. Section 2 of Kicad.pdf should be more elaborate on this aspect.

I love the concept of Kicad and you provide a wonderful development and supporting job!

Regards

Revision history for this message
Michel Belanger (belanger-3) said : 		#3

Thanks Dick Hollenbeck, that solved my question.

Revision history for this message
Dick Hollenbeck (dickelbeck) said : 		#4

On 08/04/2014 07:02 AM, Michel Belanger wrote:
> Question #252559 on KiCad changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/kicad/+question/252559
>
> Status: Answered => Solved
>
> Michel Belanger confirmed that the question is solved:
> Hi Dick,
>
> Thank you for you answer it solved my case.

> It is now understood!

This understanding takes you well beyond the mere satisfaction of getting it to work, no?

> I think that the piece of details you gave me here should be included in
> the manual.

I agree, and assumed it was in there. Are you sure you looked at the one currently
checked into the "docs" repo?

I think the community would welcome your help in embellishing it if its not adequate.

Your English seems more than adequate.

I won't be adding it.

Hopefully the environment variable discussion is in there or will be also.

Dick