Moving Schematic Pins on ICs

[paulca]

I'm a Kicad newbie, so be gentle!

I have a circuit an ATMega328-P in it.

However I want to move the XTAL1 XTAL2 and RESET pins to the left side of the component.

When I edit the component it is of course in the Atmel library which I don't want to edit.

So I loaded it from the Atmel library, switched the working library and saved the component into the project library.  Then I moved the PINs.

It doesn't work.  It shows as having the pins swapped in the component editor, but when I place it in my schematic the pins have moved back to default.

There is also an issue with it loading the ATMega168A instead.  What I believe is going on here is that the 328 inherits or is an alias for the ATMega168 as they have the same pin out.  So when I am editing the 328p the changes are not used in the schemtic or it's getting confused.

Is there a way around this?  Is there any easier way to switch pins to the other side of a component?

[alexanderbrevig]

Just make your own symbol for it takes a few minutes, plus a few more for your first part.

It's not hard and you get to do what you want.
You can edit the existing one and save to your own library

[paulca]

You can edit the existing one and save to your own library

That's what I tried to do, but it fails to show any changes made to it.  I tried restarting the app too.  Maybe I can delete the .cache or something.

I created my own schematic symbol for the DS1302 RTC which was fun, but the ATMega328 has a lot more on it and the atmel library one has all the finer details filled in.

If I load, edit and save the 328P the changes do not apply and when I edit it "EDIT->Edit in libary editor" the editor opens the ATMega168 instead.

If there was a way to somehow free it from it's association.

I couldn't see anything to do with aliases while editing the lib file either.

[Jorpy]

You can edit the existing one and save to your own library

That's what I tried to do, but it fails to show any changes made to it.  I tried restarting the app too.  Maybe I can delete the .cache or something.

I created my own schematic symbol for the DS1302 RTC which was fun, but the ATMega328 has a lot more on it and the atmel library one has all the finer details filled in.

If I load, edit and save the 328P the changes do not apply and when I edit it "EDIT->Edit in libary editor" the editor opens the ATMega168 instead.

If there was a way to somehow free it from it's association.

I couldn't see anything to do with aliases while editing the lib file either.

Does it have the same name?
KiCad doesn't handle components with similar names, even if they are in different libraries.

[fable]

What version of KiCad do you use... I tried it and it works no problem. I'm using 4.0.7

[whalphen]

Edit the component and save it to your own library.  Be sure to give it a different name.  Then, hover over the component on your layout, press E to edit the component, and use the Change Footprint button to change it to your new footprint.
 

[paulca]

It's version 4.0.4 and I was giving it the same name.  I'll try and rename it tonight when I get in from work.

On libraries....  I tend to try and create one library for the project and keep/move anything custom to that.  I'm not sure I want to start creating new libraries with individual components.  Though there might not be anything wrong with that.

Ideally I would then use a text editor to collect components I might use in other projects and have a personal shared library.

[donotdespisethesnake]

If you create your own version of a standard part, make sure your own library is higher up the list than the standard library. KiCad v4 takes the first version it finds.

If a part has aliases you don't want: find the base part, delete the aliases, then rename and save the part to your own library.

[whalphen]

There's no need to create individual libraries.  Just use 'Set Active Library'  (leftmost icon) to select the one you want to use before you save it.  KiCad library management tools can be confusing.  I think it's the weakest functionality in KiCad.  But, once you get used to its quirks, it's not so bad.  The development team is promising some significant improvement with version 5.

[paulca]

I renamed my version "328P" and it worked fine.

Thanks for the help!

[Nusa]

I tend to add my initials to things I create. That way not only are they unique, I'm never in doubt as to which copy I'm picking, and whose fault it is.

[saike]

If you are only experimenting with Kicad it might be worth downloading one of the nightly builds which are soon (maybe) to become Version5 of the software.
A lot of improvements, especially in the library system have happened since V4.x

[salfter]

You can edit the existing one and save to your own library

That's what I tried to do, but it fails to show any changes made to it.  I tried restarting the app too.  Maybe I can delete the .cache or something.

Does it have the same name?
KiCad doesn't handle components with similar names, even if they are in different libraries.

KiCad loads the first symbol that matches the name.  In the schematic editor under Preferences -> Component Libraries, have a look at this:



R is defined in both proper-passives (with the ANSI symbol for a resistor) and in device (with the IEC (?) symbol).  Since proper-passives is higher up the list, its definitions are prioritized.  If you want to override a stock symbol, this is one way you can do it...but you should probably not move pins around if you do as this could lead to broken nets if your modified symbol goes missing at some point.

[bson]

Yeah, grab the latest nightly.  Much of the library editing is totally reworked and VASTLY easier to use.  As in, create a library, then add components to it, or import from another library and edit.  It will also automatically prompt if you want to add it to the current project or globally.  (I'd recommend against globally though.  Ever.)

There are many other improvements too, for example the gerb viewer is totally redone and actually usable (though bare bones).