Unlike other EDA software tools, which have one type of library that contains both the schematic symbol and the footprint variations, KiCad .lib files contain schematic symbols and .kicad_mod files contain footprints. Cvpcb is used to map footprints to symbols.
As for .lib files, .kicad_mod library files are text files that can contain anything from one to several parts. There is an extensive footprint library with KiCad, however on occasion you might find that the footprint you need is not in the KiCad library. Here are the steps for creating a new PCB footprint in KiCad:
与其他EDA软件工具不同，其中一种类型的库包含原理图符号和足迹变化，KiCad .lib文件包含原理图符号，而.kicad_mod文件包含足迹。 Cvpcb用于将脚印映射到符号。
至于.lib文件，.kicad_mod库文件是可以包含从一个到多个部分的任何文本文件。 有一个广泛的足迹库与KiCad，但有时您可能会发现您需要的足迹不在KiCad库中。 以下是在KiCad中创建新PCB封装的步骤：
From the KiCad project manager start the Pcbnew tool. Click on the Open Footprint Editor icon editmodulepng on the top toolbar. This will open the Footprint Editor.
We are going to save the new footprint MYCONN3 in the new footprint library myfootprint. Create a new folder myfootprint.pretty in the tutorial1/ project folder. Click on the Preferences → Footprint Libraries Manager and press Append Library button. In the table, enter “myfootprint” as Nickname, enter “${KIPRJMOD}/myfootprint.pretty” as Library Path and enter “KiCad” as Plugin Type. Press OK to close the PCB Library Tables window. Click on the Select active library icon openlibrarypng on the top toolbar. Select the myfootprint library.
从KiCad项目经理开始使用Pcbnew工具。 单击顶部工具栏上的“打开封装编辑器”图标editmodulepng。 这将打开Footprint Editor。
我们将在新的足迹库myfootprint中保存新的足迹MYCONN3。 在tutorial1 / project文件夹中创建一个新文件夹myfootprint.pretty。 单击首选项→足迹库管理器，然后按附加库按钮。 在表格中，输入“myfootprint”作为昵称，输入“$ {KIPRJMOD} /myfootprint.pretty”作为库路径，并输入“KiCad”作为插件类型。 按“确定”关闭“PCB库表”窗口。 单击顶部工具栏上的选择活动库图标openlibrarypng。 选择myfootprint库。
Click on the New Footprint icon newfootprintpng on the top toolbar. Type MYCONN3 as the footprint name. In the middle of the screen the MYCONN3 label will appear. Under the label you can see the REF* label. Right click on MYCONN3 and move it above REF. Right click on REF*, select Edit Text and rename it to SMD. Set the Display value to Invisible. Select the Add Pads icon pad_png on the right toolbar. Click on the working sheet to place the pad. Right click on the new pad and click Edit Pad. You can also use [e]. 单击顶部工具栏上的New Footprint图标newfootprintpng。 输入MYCONN3作为足迹名称。 在屏幕中间将出现MYCONN3标签。 在标签下，您可以看到REF *标签。 右键单击MYCONN3并将其移至REF *上方。 右键单击REF *，选择“编辑文本”并将其重命名为SMD。 将显示值设置为不可见。 选择右侧工具栏上的Add Pads图标pad_png。 单击工作表以放置垫。 右键单击新打击垫，然后单击“编辑打击垫”。 你也可以用[e]。 ===== Pad Properties ===== 将Pad Num设置为1，将Pad Shape设置为Rect，将Pad Type设置为SMD，将Shape Size X设置为0.4，将Shape Size Y设置为0.8。单击确定。再次单击“添加垫”并再放置两个垫。 如果要更改网格大小，请右键单击→网格选择。在放下组件之前，请务必选择合适的网格尺寸。 将MYCONN3标签和SMD标签移开，使其看起来像上图所示。 放置垫时，通常需要测量相对距离。将光标放在您想要相对坐标点（0,0）的位置，然后按空格键。移动光标时，您将看到光标在页面底部位置的相对指示。可以随时按空格键以设置新原点。 现在添加一个足迹轮廓。单击右侧工具栏中的添加图形线或多边形按钮addpolygonpng。绘制组件周围连接器的轮廓。 单击顶部工具栏上的Active Library图标savelibrarypng中的Save Footprint，使用默认名称MYCONN3。 Set the Pad Num to 1, Pad Shape to Rect, Pad Type to SMD, Shape Size X to 0.4, and Shape Size Y to 0.8. Click OK. Click on Add Pads again and place two more pads. If you want to change the grid size, Right click → Grid Select. Be sure to select the appropriate grid size before laying down the components. Move the MYCONN3 label and the SMD label out of the way so that it looks like the image shown above. When placing pads it is often necessary to measure relative distances. Place the cursor where you want the relative coordinate point (0,0) to be and press the space bar. While moving the cursor around, you will see a relative indication of the position of the cursor at the bottom of the page. Press the space bar at any time to set the new origin. Now add a footprint contour. Click on the Add graphic line or polygon button addpolygonpng in the right toolbar. Draw an outline of the connector around the component. Click on the Save Footprint in Active Library icon savelibrarypng on the top toolbar, using the default name MYCONN3.