Our KiCad Library

Symbols, footprints and 3D models we use for our own boards: displays, connectors, logic, LEDs, sensors, and more.

Setup 🔧

Nothing in here uses absolute or relative paths. Every file the library refers to goes through the LRV_CUSTOM_LIBS variable, so you can clone the repo wherever you want.

Clone it, then go to Preferences → Configure Paths in KiCad and add LRV_CUSTOM_LIBS pointing to your clone. This is the part that is set per machine.

Add the libraries themselves per project, in the Project Specific Libraries tab of each dialog:

• Preferences → Manage Symbol Libraries: ${LRV_CUSTOM_LIBS}/symbol/LRV.kicad_sym
• Preferences → Manage Footprint Libraries: ${LRV_CUSTOM_LIBS}/footprints/LRV

Because both entries use the variable, the resulting sym-lib-table and fp-lib-table stay machine independent. Commit them with the project, and everyone else only needs LRV_CUSTOM_LIBS set on their own machine.

Everything is build using KiCad 10. Older versions may still work, but we can't guarantee it.

Use with Part-DB 📦

We manage our components in Part-DB and use KiCad's HTTP library to place parts straight from it. This is convenient but optional, the library also works without it.

The config file is not in the repo, since it usually carries an API token. If you run your own instance, you can generate it with:

./scripts/init-partdb-lib.py

The script asks for the Part-DB URL and an API token (User Settings → API tokens), tests the connection and writes symbol/Part-DB.kicad_httplib. That file is gitignored. 🔑

If your instance allows anonymous access, leave the token prompt empty, or pass --no-token.

Entering parts.example.com is enough, the API path is added automatically.

Add the result in Manage Symbol Libraries as ${LRV_CUSTOM_LIBS}/symbol/Part-DB.kicad_httplib.

Options

• --force overwrites an existing config file
• --url and --token skip the prompts, as do PARTDB_URL and PARTDB_TOKEN
• --no-token configures anonymous access
• --skip-check writes the file without testing the connection
• --help lists everything

Requires Python 3.8 or later. On Windows: python scripts\init-partdb-lib.py.