I have downloaded a .stp file of MAX14878 foot print. I tried to add it to the library through manage footprints options. It shows a table where it is added. But I am not able to find it during edit symbol fields for the project. Can anyone help me in adding an external footprint to kicad. I use version 5.1.4
Electronic – addition of external footprint to ki cad
footprintkicadpcb-design
Related Solutions
The 5.0 update changed the names of a lot of the libraries. You can either delete the old libraries so they stop giving you errors and just use the new ones (most of the footprints are still there, but under more descriptive names) or you can download the old 4.0 libraries here and re-add them.
Let's start with library setup (probably not the base issue but can't hurt).
Make your own libraries
Do not modify the base libraries included in your KiCad package. The base libraries will be overwritten by upgrading your kicad package or downloading new copies of the libraries.
Make a directory in a location that has r/w permissions for you called kicad_libraries under which you can create symbols and footprints directories.
Make a Symbol Fibrary
- Open Symbol Editor
- Right-click on the library list on the left and choose "New Library"
- Choose the
kicad_libraries/symbolslocation you made earlier - If you are creating symbols that you'll want to re-use then choose the
Globallibrary table when prompted. Otherwise chooseProject. - Now right-click on the library you created in the list and choose
New Symbolto create your new symbol.- or pick a symbol that is close, right-click on its name in the full list,
copyand thenpastethe copied symbol into your new library before editing.
- or pick a symbol that is close, right-click on its name in the full list,
Make a Footprint Library
- Open Footprint Editor
- Create your new footprint
- Or, in your case, you can import the footprint you already made
- Click on the button that looks like a library
- Choose the
kicad_libraries/footprintslocation you created earlier and specify a new library name. - Choose
Manage Footprint Librariesfrom the top menu bar. - Select either the
Global LibrariesorProject Specific Librariesin the top tab as before depending on whether you want to re-use this footprint or not. - Click the
Browse Librariesbutton and navigate to your new footprint library and selectOK
Using cvpcb to Assign Footprints
The reason your footprint isn't showing up is almost certainly due to filtering. Look at the top button bar and see which buttons are selected.
- The first button on the left filters by keywords in the schematic symbol.
- The next button filters by pin count (do the number of pins in the symbol match the pins in the footprint?)
- The next button filters by selected library in the left pane of the window.
- The final button allow filtering by type-in strings
If you unselect all buttons, you will see all footprints.
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Best Answer
".stp" is the file extension for the 3d CAD exchange format called "step": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_10303-21
KiCad footprints have the file extension ".kicad_mod".
There is not really a direct way to convert a step file into a footprint as it does not normally contain the info you would need (Step files typically represent the component not the interface to the PCB).
Your component comes in either an 8 pin or 16 pin SOIC package (wide variation). There might already be a fitting footprint in the Package_SO lib. If not then you can easily generate footprints for such parts by use of our IPC footprint generators found here (see readme.md for docu) https://github.com/pointhi/kicad-footprint-generator/tree/master/scripts/Packages/Package_Gullwing__QFP_SOIC_SO
And of course you can also directly make such a footprint directly in KiCads footprint editor https://forum.kicad.info/t/tutorial-how-to-make-a-footprint-from-scratch/11092/
Tip for the future: If you have a problem with getting some asset into any program then link to the source of your asset. For KiCad library assets the least you should provide is a link to the datasheet of your component. If the drawings of the package are separate from the datasheet then link to them as well.