KiCad Tutorial - Create a Schematic Symbol in Kicad 

Great video. I make my schematic symbols match the data sheet as you did and get mercilessly criticized for doing this! I like doing it this way because it makes it easier to see the best way to orient the IC and how difficult it will be to route while putting the schematic together. There might be general interest in a video on maintaining the file structure where everything goes. I don't have problems creating schematic or footprint components, but keeping them available for other projects which are based in different folders is a nightmare!

Spectacular tutorial! You know exactly how much detail to give. Thank you!

These are excellent and well presented tutorials.

Thanks, Great tutorial. Very clear and concise.

Thank you so much. Very well made tutorial.

Very useful video. Much easier to understand than some of the other tutorials I've seen. Big thumbs up. I'll be looking through the rest of your videos for more of the same. I just began using KiCad for Linux. Really dislike that one cannot edit existing default libraries, only create new ones we then can edit.

Excellent work thank you!

Awesome. Thanks Keri.

hey, i was looking for a free kayak... and wound-up with a free kicad and love it... great relaxing and informative kicad video... thanks...:)

Thanks for a great video. I already know all of this, but not on Kicad 🙂

Thanks you very much for explaining how to do this easily i was stuck on my project ,when I could not find library I needed and footprint. Back on track again.✋🌟

Great Video!

Very clear, Thanks

Awesome ❤

Thank you! Saved my night :)

Great video, thanks!

Very useful video.I was trying to create a symbol for last 2 months,viewed 5 youtube video but could not do it,now it is clear to me .Long leave Keri.

Very Nice Job! Some topics you may want to consider: (a) Complex symbols (such as microprocessors) that have hundreds (or thousands) of pins... I have found that having multiple bodies are extremely useful (not to mention readable) and the copy-and-paste functions are critical to building these symbols in a reasonable amount of time. (b) Re-structuring the symbol may help the designer keep the wiring "neat" on the design - (i) Vcc/Vdd to Top, Ground Below - unclutter the schematic. (ii) Signal In on the left, signal out on the right - keeps design flow readable (iii) Support components (crystals, bypass components, reference diodes and the like) off to quadrants (I happen to like the upper left for crystals to let the designer know these are important) - again for both signal flow and to let my PCB designer know these are really important (iv) Differential lines paired and kinda broken out (two pins then a space) to differentiate them. I'm looking forward to seeing the video on PCB footprints.. Cheers!!! and keep up the good work!!

This tutorial series is amazing, thanks so much for it. I love the intellectual honesty with admitting your mistakes and correcting them in the video. There's a little mistake you missed, the label on pin 6 is supposed to be VBG. Otherwise, great work!

Very good and complete tutorial, thaks very much. 👍

This is brillantly taught, now I gotta watch your vid about creating your own footprint :) Thanks :D

thank you keri

Like! Thank you.

Vote up, nice video clip, thanks for sharing :)

I love you. thanks

Thank you!! I knew I was doing SOMETHING wrong lol.

Loved your character I wish I had someone in my class like you to explain things

Very nice video

Omg u helped me a lot!!!

can you make a vidoe on making a through hole footprint. I see smd but no through hole

Creating schematic symbols the way they appear in the data-sheet gets really messy, very quickly when you start working with larger footprint chips (e.g. a TQFP100 Micro like the STM32F1 variants. It is appropriate to follow the practice of grouping pins by functions ( Or in case where multi-functional pins are a norm, again most Cortex M series micros, create a symbol that is specific for the project ).

i love you

Can I use KiCad to create wiring diagrams? Can I create components using this technique and connect each device?

Hello Keri, I hope you are well. Recently I downloaded Kicad to my PC, I created a folder, when I double click to open it, the following appears: Could not use OpenGL, falling to software rendering. The same, the folder opens and I can work well in it when I click on accept. Do you think you know what happens? Thanks and greetings from Caracas-Venezuela

Good video, still helpful, but an update to ver 7 would be appropriate as things have changed somewhat.

Digi Key has a complete library of symbols of all their parts that I downloaded and thought I installed but can't find it anywhere. I need help finding it, adding other symbols, specifically Vacuum Tube symbols, and don't know where to go for help. Can you help?

Keri if I have drawn one circuit in one project. How to simply copy and paste that circuit from one sheet to another sheet?? I couldn't find it anywhere on the internet. Please reply!!

When I designed two seperate components, one stuck to the grid and the other did not. I also want them to be proportionally sized to each other. How can this be done?

How do you connect 2 components diagonally in schematics?

Do ypu have the datasheet?

In most cases, matching the symbol layout to the physical pin layout doesn't create the most readable schematics. I find a better way is to identify and group together inputs, outputs, power supplies and grounds and then to draw them: Inputs on the left Outputs on the right Power supplies on the top Grounds on the bottom As always, YMMV, however this tends to result in schematics with signals that 'flow' from left to right across the page. Further groupings, eg. data lines and address lines makes it easier to 'bus' these together for further ease of reading.

the problem is when they "upgrade" programs they change it so much that the tutorials don't work any more

CAUTION: Using custom symbols/footprints makes your schematic/layout NOT portable in KiCAD. Your design will be viewable ONLY on YOUR computer where the details of the custom library location and content are consistent with the saved file. You will NOT be able to share a design between work and home, for example.

the schematits distract me

fast forward intro & crap music...