KiCad Package Manager

This is a package manager for KiCad symbols, footprints, 3d models, simulation files, and hierarchical sheets.

Goal

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

Installing KPM

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.

How to Install a Package

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"
	}
}

How to Create a Package

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>

Writing Commands

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)

Usage

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

kpm.json

{
	"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"
	}
}

Refresh Symbols and Footprints

After updating your libraries, the symbols/footprints in your schematic files won't have the latest changes. Do this to synchronize them:

• In eeschema, click Tools > Update Symbols from Library..., then save
• In pcbnew, click Tools > Update Footprints from Library..., then save

(If we can find a way to do this within kpm, that would be awesome.)

Package Directory Structure

/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