[PLUG] Kicad help needed

[Erik Lane]

That sounds to me like you're actually creating a plated hole, if the drill
size is larger than the finished size. I'd first double check that.

On Sat, Jul 14, 2018, 5:24 PM Denis Heidtmann <denis.heidtmann at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Thanks to the advice given to me here I have made progress on this
> venture.  I managed to figure out the library stuff.  I figured out how to
> make an array of unconnected footprints.  I have done some routing.
> Great.
>
> Now I am trying to create an unplated hole .125 inches in diameter with
> .050 inches clearance to the solder mask and any copper.  I found numerous
> references to this on line, but do not know the magic yet.  Starting with a
> mounting hole in the provided library should be the easiest, but I cannot
> figure out how to edit them--I cannot see the hole size in the footprint
> editor, so do not know how to change the hole size.  I created a few of my
> own footprints which had a .125 inch hole, but when I check the
> gerber/drill file they had a .150 inch hole.
>
> So some more clues would be gratefully appreciated.
>
> -Denis
>
>
> On Thu, Jul 12, 2018 at 2:35 PM, Denis Heidtmann <
> denis.heidtmann at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Erik,
> >
> > Thanks for the offer.  I will let you know if I do not undo the logjam in
> > a reasonable time.  Paul has offered some very helpful suggestions which
> I
> > hope will get me where I need to be.
> >
> > -Denis
> >
> > On Thu, Jul 12, 2018 at 10:14 AM, Erik Lane <eriklane at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> I'm out of town for the next ten days or so, but over I'm back if you
> >> still
> >> need help with this I can meet you somewhere. I live in Vancouver, so
> >> would
> >> usually prefer something North of the river, unless he can coordinate
> with
> >> some other errands in running over there.
> >>
> >> I'm by no means an expert, but have used various versions of KiCad to
> make
> >> a fair number of boards and custom footprints.
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Erik
> >>
> >> On Wed, Jul 11, 2018, 9:52 PM Denis Heidtmann <
> denis.heidtmann at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> > I am afraid I must be very dense or stupid.  I cannot find a way to
> find
> >> > out what $KIPRJMOD is set to.  Is this not a variable that I should be
> >> able
> >> > to determine the valve of, either using set, printenv, or echo?
> Setting
> >> > that question aside, you say "The /libs/footprints.pretty part can be
> >> > anything you like, as long as it corresponds to an actual directory
> >> > structure within your project directory."  What is my project
> directory?
> >> > It seems my project is not a directory; it is a file.
> >> >
> >> > The file fp_lib_table resides in the same folder as the .pro, and it
> >> > contains:
> >> > (fp_lib_table
> >> >   (lib (name Mounting_Holes)(type KiCad)(uri
> >> > "$(KISYSMOD)Mounting_Holes.pretty")(options "")(descr ""))
> >> >   (lib (name socketbd)(type KiCad)(uri
> >> > "$(KIPRJMOD)/socketbd.pretty")(options "")(descr ""))
> >> > )
> >> >
> >> > Some of this may not matter since kicad has tools dealing with the
> >> > intricacies of the file structure.  I do not know if the other
> problems
> >> I
> >> > am encountering are related to directory-related errors or not.
> >> >
> >> > I have been trying to create a 1/8" ID hole without any Cu and a
> >> clearance
> >> > to the solder mask and the ground plane.  I keep getting an error
> >> stating
> >> > "Error: the pad is not on a copper layer and has a hole" in one
> instance
> >> > and something else that I cannot get to repeat at present about
> needing
> >> the
> >> > hole and the pad to be the same size, which they are.  These questions
> >> are
> >> > likely due to vagaries of kicad requirements for NPTH pads and not
> >> library
> >> > issues, but since I cannot seem to save what I have done, I will blame
> >> > anything.
> >> >
> >> > I intend to go to the Clinic this Sunday in the hopes that someone
> there
> >> > can set me on a correct path.
> >> >
> >> > Thanks for reading this rambling complaint.
> >> >
> >> > -Denis
> >> >
> >> > On Tue, Jul 10, 2018 at 2:39 PM, Paul Mullen <pm at nellump.net> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > > On Tue, Jul 10, 2018 at 02:18:05PM -0700, Denis Heidtmann wrote:
> >> > > > The issue I expect to encounter is choosing the new file and the
> >> > > > file name.  It seems kicad has rules (kept secret) for directory
> and
> >> > > > file names.
> >> > >
> >> > > I don't think it cares about the directory name.  Footprint files
> need
> >> > > a .kicad_mod suffix, though.
> >> > >
> >> > > To KiCad's PCB editor, pcbnew, the directory is the library, and the
> >> > > files are footprint modules within the library.  pcbnew has a tool
> for
> >> > > adding new footprint libraries,  Preferences->Manage Footprint
> >> > > Libraries... (the actual name may differ between versions).
> >> > >
> >> > > The tool will create a file in your project named fp-lib-table.
> >> > > Alternatively, you can create the file yourself.  It should look
> >> > > something like:
> >> > >
> >> > >     (fp_lib_table
> >> > >       (lib (name "My Custom Footprints")(type KiCad)(uri
> >> > > "$(KIPRJMOD)/lib/footprints.pretty")(options "")(descr "My custom
> >> > > footprints!"))
> >> > >     )
> >> > >
> >> > > $KIPRJMOD is automatically set, and points to the directory
> containing
> >> > > your design's .pro file.  The /libs/footprints.pretty part can be
> >> > > anything you like, as long as it corresponds to an actual directory
> >> > > structure within your project directory.
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > --
> >> > > Paul Mullen
> >> > > _______________________________________________
> >> > > PLUG mailing list
> >> > > PLUG at pdxlinux.org
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> >> > >
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