This is a package manager for KiCad symbols, footprints, 3d models, simulation files, and hierarchical sheets.
Create a format for distributing the following kind of KiCad features:
- Symbols
- Footprints
- 3D Models
- SPICE Simulation Code
- Sub-sheets
- Unit Tests
- Command Runner
- Plugins
Projects can be created that programmatically generate these files.
Currently Supports:
- Symbols
- Footprints
Up Next:
- Subsheets
- Command Runner
- 3D Models
Open the "KiCad Command Prompt"
pip3 install kicad-package-manager
In your KiCad project directory, run
kpm init
Then edit your kpm.json
file as needed.
Find a package you want to use:
kpm list
kpm list | grep something
kpm search something
kpm show some_package
Then edit the dependencies
list in your kpm.json
to include a package and version. Example:
{
"name": "cool-project",
"version": "0.0.1",
"author": "danroblewis",
"homepage": "http://githab.info/magic/stuff",
"commands": {
"test": "./fictional-spice-tester"
},
"dependencies": {
"kpm-jlcpcb-basic": "0.0.5",
"eurorack-parts": "0.0.1"
}
}
Create a directory, it can be a KiCad project directory or any directory. Probably put it under version control with something like git.
kpm init
This creates a kpm.json
file. Add the dependencies your package will require to the dependencies
list.
Your package will include your kpm.json
file and any of these directories if they are present:
/symbols
/footprints
/commands
/3dmodels
/plugins
/simulation
/subsheets
/tests
/commands
To build the package
kpm build
You should now have a package.zip
file in your project directory.
To upload a package to the registry, first create a ~/.kpmrc
file:
{
"name": "yourname",
"token": "arbitrarytokenonlyyouknow"
}
Then update the version in your kpm.json
file.
Then run
kpm upload
You should then see your package in the kpm search <yourpackagename>
A command is ran with kpm run <commandname> <arguments>
.
If you'd like to create a package that adds a new command to kpm
, create a file commands/__init__.py
:
def register(subparsers):
print("registering mycommand")
parser = subparsers.add_parser('mycommand')
parser.add_argument('thing')
parser.add_argument('--feature', '-f', action="store_true", required=False)
def run_command(args):
if args.command == 'mycommand':
print(args.thing)
print(args.feature)
kpm init
kpm list
kpm search jlc
kpm show kpm-jlcpcb-basic
kpm install .
To add a new package to the package index, submit a pull request
{
"name": "cool-project",
"version": "0.0.1",
"author": "danroblewis",
"homepage": "http://githab.info/magic/stuff",
"commands": {
"test": "./fictional-spice-tester"
},
"dependencies": {
"kpm-jlcpcb-basic": "0.0.5",
"eurorack-parts": "0.0.1"
}
}
After updating your libraries, the symbols/footprints in your schematic files won't have the latest changes. Do this to synchronize them:
- In
eeschema
, clickTools > Update Symbols from Library...
, then save - In
pcbnew
, clickTools > Update Footprints from Library...
, then save
(If we can find a way to do this within kpm, that would be awesome.)
/kpm.json
/symbols/
/symbols/mysymbols.kicad_sym
/footprints/
/footprints/myfootprints.pretty/
/footprints/myfootprints.pretty/myfootprints.kicad_mod
/3dmodels/
/3dmodels/something.step
/plugins/
/plugins/kicad-eurorack-tools/
/plugins/kicad-eurorack-tools/__init__.py
/simulation/
/simulation/mysim.spice
/sheets/
/sheets/mysubsheet.kicad_sch
/tests/
/tests/mytest.py
/scripts/
/scripts/mycommand.py