All library changes are not getting updated in schematic

[Kalle Hyvönen]

I have a custom component in my schematic, if I modify the component with library editor and re-save the library, all the changes are not getting updated to the schematic where the component is used. More specifically the value and reference field do not get updated. The pin changes do get updated but if I move the value or reference fields they do not get updated. Closing and opening eeschema does not help, the only thing that seems to help is deleting the component from the schematic, removing the library, and re-adding the library and component.

To reproduce this create a new component with the library editor, add it to a schematic, edit the component and move the value or the reference field, save library. Result is that in the schematic the value and reference field stay in the same place as before.

I'm using KiCad 2012-03-24 BZR 3477 on Ubuntu 11.10, 4GB memory, geforce (G92) 8800GTS, g++ version 4.6.1-9ubuntu3, wxwidgets version 2.8.11.0-0ubuntu10.

[Sven D (sven-d)]

A "Reset to Library Defaults" in the Edit Component Window updates the reference and value of the component in EESchema.

Application: Eeschema
Version: (2012-apr-16-27)-stable
Build: wxWidgets 2.8.12 (no debug,Unicode,compiler with C++ ABI 1002,GCC 4.7.0,wx containers,compatible with 2.6)
Platform: Linux 2.6.32-5-686 i686, 32 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
Options: USE_PNG_BITMAPS=ON
         KICAD_GOST=OFF
         USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
         USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
         USE_BOOST_POLYGON_LIBRARY

[Nik (nikbowdler)]

I can confirm this.

Graphic lines, pins etc update, but not field data.

Deleting and replacing components in the schematic is not efficient when you have hundreds of parts to update.

[Nik (nikbowdler)]

Can a function similar to the Pcbnew "Change footprints" be added, ie. allow the option to single or global update of a schematic component to the latest library definition? This would be a significant productivity improvement.

[Wayne Stambaugh (stambaughw)]

Not with the current design which is dependent on library ordering.
There is no way to guarantee that the correct library component will be
loaded into the schematic. This will be fixed during the next
development cycle.

On 7/7/2015 5:09 AM, Nik wrote:
> Can a function similar to the Pcbnew "Change footprints" be added, ie.
> allow the option to single or global update of a schematic component to
> the latest library definition? This would be a significant productivity
> improvement.
>

[ikletti (ikletti)]

Somehow related, but the contrary of Post #3:

Changes to the graphics of a schematic symbol do not get updated in the schematic.

Deleting the component an placing a new instance from the library also places the "old" version, although the updated graphics can be seen in the part preview. (see attached screenshot, the already placed GND pin should have the same length as in the preview).

- Closing and restarting Eeschema does not help.

- Closing and restarting Kicad does not help.

It seems like the schematic symbol is pulled from some mystery cache, even after deleting the *-cache.lib file in the project folder before restarting Kicad.

All of this happens with a project-specific library, the symbols in there are copied over from the shared libraries in /usr/share/kicad/library and modified to project needs.

I'm running the latest stable release on Kubuntu 14.04 (Version 4.0.0-2.201511301920+6191~38~ubuntu14.04.1-stable)

[Wayne Stambaugh (stambaughw)]

It's probably related to this:

https://answers.launchpad.net/kicad/+question/187619

If it's not, please respond. If it is, the fix is simple and this bug
report is a duplicate. This will be fixed during the next development
cycle.

On 12/2/2015 6:17 AM, ikletti wrote:
> Somehow related, but the contrary of Post #3:
>
> Changes to the graphics of a schematic symbol do not get updated in the
> schematic.
>
> Deleting the component an placing a new instance from the library also
> places the "old" version, although the updated graphics can be seen in
> the part preview. (see attached screenshot, the already placed GND pin
> should have the same length as in the preview).
>
> - Closing and restarting Eeschema does not help.
>
> - Closing and restarting Kicad does not help.
>
> It seems like the schematic symbol is pulled from some mystery cache,
> even after deleting the *-cache.lib file in the project folder before
> restarting Kicad.
>
> All of this happens with a project-specific library, the symbols in
> there are copied over from the shared libraries in
> /usr/share/kicad/library and modified to project needs.
>
> I'm running the latest stable release on Kubuntu 14.04 (Version
> 4.0.0-2.201511301920+6191~38~ubuntu14.04.1-stable)
>
>
> ** Attachment added: "Screenshot of part preview with updated graphics"
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/kicad/+bug/968139/+attachment/4528533/+files/Screenshot_CircuitPro_2.4_StepAndRepeat_Text_Fehler.png
>

[ikletti (ikletti)]

My problem indeed seems to be a duplicate of question #187619

I made a few more attempts at finding a workaround and found that, when moving my project library to the top in the order of available libraries, my own symbols take precedence over the one in the "global" libraries.

Using unique identifiers as suggested solved the problem for the time being. Thank you.

I updated question #187619 with the link to this bug report.

[Peter Taylor (ptaylor.us)]

I create library symbols for specific parts (fields include footprint, manufacturer part number, part values, etc) and so it would be extremely helpful to at least have the option of updating schematic symbol field values from the library. Also an option to do a schematic level global replacement of one library part with another. This is not the same issue that ikletti mentions.