KiCAD library for Python¶

This package provides support to generate and manipulate schematic symbols and layout footprints for KiCAD.

Note

Most of the documentation here is directly stolen from the KiCAD fileformat documetation.

This documentation is a work in progress. Feedback and revisions are most welcome!

KiCAD is an opensource EDA program.

Easiest way to install is to use pip:

$ pip install canopen

KiCAD symbols¶

Symbol types¶

Examples¶

Types used in symbol classes.

API¶

Generic¶

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Representation¶: Symbol representation.

Specific¶

KiCAD symbol types.

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Bold¶

Text element bold.

off = 0¶: Normal

on = 1¶: Bold

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Direction¶

Pin direction (flipped in opposition to KiCAD documentation).

down = 'U'¶: Down

left = 'R'¶: Left

right = 'L'¶: Right

up = 'D'¶: Up

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Electric¶

Electric pin type.

bidirectional = 'B'¶: Bidirectional

input = 'I'¶: Input

not_connected = 'N'¶: Not connected

open_collector = 'C'¶: Open collector

open_emitter = 'E'¶: Open emitter

output = 'O'¶: Output

passive = 'P'¶: Passive

power_input = 'W'¶: Power input

power_output = 'w'¶: Power output

tristate = 'T'¶: Tristate

unspecified = 'U'¶: Unspecified

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Field¶

Symbol field type.

document = 3¶: Document field

footprint = 2¶: Footprint field

manufacturer = 4¶: Manufacturer field

model = 8¶: Model field

name = 1¶: Name field

power = 10¶: Power field

reference = 0¶: Reference field

temperature = 7¶: Temperature range field

tolerance = 6¶: Tolerance field

value = 5¶: Value field

voltage = 9¶: Voltage field

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Fill¶

Element fill.

background = 'f'¶: Background

foreground = 'F'¶: Foreground

none = 'N'¶: None

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Flag¶

Flag normal or power symbol.

normal = 'N'¶: Normal symbol

power = 'P'¶: Power symbol

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.HJustify¶

Field horizontal justify.

center = 'C'¶: Center

left = 'L'¶: Left

right = 'R'¶: Right

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Italic¶

Text element italic.

off = 'Normal'¶: Normal

on = 'Italic'¶: Italic

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Orientation¶

Field orientation.

horizontal = 'H'¶: Horizontal orientation

vertical = 'V'¶: Vertical orientation

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Representation

Symbol representation.

both = 0¶: Both

morgan = 2¶: Morgan

normal = 1¶: Normal

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Shape¶

Pin shape.

Note: Add ‘N’ before characters, to create an invisible pin.

clock = 'C'¶: Clock

clock_low = 'CL'¶: Clock low

falling_edge_clock = 'F'¶: Falling-edge clock

input_low = 'L'¶: Input low

inverted = 'I'¶: Inverted

inverted_clock = 'CI'¶: Inverted clock

invisible = 'N'¶: Invisible

line = ''¶: Line

non_logic = 'X'¶: Non logic

output_low = 'V'¶: Output low

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Style¶

Field style.

bold = 'NB'¶: Bold

italic = 'IN'¶: Italic

italic_bold = 'IB'¶: Italic and Bold

none = 'NN'¶: None

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Units¶

Symbol units swappable or locked.

locked = 'L'¶: Locked

swappable = 'F'¶: Swappable

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Visibility¶

Field visibility.

invisible = 'I'¶: Invisible

visible = 'V'¶: Visible

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.Visible¶

Symbol pin name/number visible.

no = 'N'¶: Not visible

yes = 'Y'¶: Visible

class pykicadlib.symbol.types.VJustify¶

Field vertical justify.

bottom = 'B'¶: Bottom

center = 'C'¶: Center

top = 'T'¶: Top

Symbol elements¶

Symbols consist of multiple elements. These are well known elements like lines, circles and arcs. Additionally elements are added, the help construct symbols out of element primitives.

Examples¶

Here is a simple example:

>>> element = pykicadlib.symbol.elements.Rectangle(10, 10, 20, 20, 5, pykicadlib.symbol.types.Fill.none)
>>> print(element)
S 10 10 20 20 0 1 5 N

API¶

Alias¶

Field¶

class pykicadlib.symbol.elements.Field(type_, x, y, value)¶

Component field.

Parameters:

type (types.Field) – Type of Field
value (str) – Value of Field text
x (int) – X coordinate
y (int) – Y coordinate
size (int) – Text size
orientation (Orientation) – Text orientation
visibility (Visibility) – Text visibility
hjustify (HJustify) – Horizontal text justify
vjustify (VJustify) – Vertical text justify
style (Style) – Text style

__str__()¶: Return Field in KiCAD format.

type = None¶: Type of Field

x = None¶: X coordinate

y = None¶: Y coordinate

value = None¶: Value of Field text

size = None¶: Text size

orientation = None¶: Text orientation

visibility = None¶: Text visibility

hjustify = None¶: Horizontal text justify

vjustify = None¶: Vertical text justify

style = None¶: Text style

class HJustify¶: Field horizontal justify.

class Orientation¶: Field orientation.

class Style¶: Field style.

Type¶: alias of pykicadlib.symbol.types.Field

class VJustify¶: Field vertical justify.

class Visibility¶: Field visibility.

Graphics¶

class pykicadlib.symbol.elements.Arc(x, y, radius, start_x, start_y, end_x, end_y, start_angle, end_angle)¶

Arc with center at x/y and radius.

Parameters:

x (int) – X coordinate
y (int) – Y coordinate
start_x (int) – Start X coordinate
start_y (int) – Start Y coordinate
end_x (int) – End X coordinate
end_y (int) – End Y coordinate
start_angle (int) – Start angle (?..?)
end_angle (int) – End angle (?..?)
radius (int) – Arc radius
thickness (int) – Thickness of outline
fill (Fill) – Fill type
unit (int) – Unit index
representation (Representation) – Representation type

__eq__(other)¶: Compare Arc instances.

__str__()¶: Return Arc in KiCAD format.

x = None¶: X coordinate

y = None¶: Y coordinate

radius = None¶: Arc radius

start_x = None¶: Start X coordinate

start_y = None¶: Start Y coordinate

end_x = None¶: End X coordinate

end_y = None¶: End Y coordinate

start_angle = None¶: Start angle

end_angle = None¶: End angle

thickness = None¶: Thickness of outline

fill = None¶: Fill type

bounds¶

Element boundary.

Type:	Boundary

class Boundary(x1, y1, x2, y2)¶

Element/symbol boundary class.

Parameters:	x1 (int) – X1 coordinate y1 (int) – Y1 coordinate x2 (int) – X2 coordinate y2 (int) – Y2 coordinate

class Fill¶: Element fill.

class Representation¶: Symbol representation.

priority¶

Element priority.

Type:	int

class pykicadlib.symbol.elements.Circle(x, y, radius)¶

Circle with center at x/y and radius.

Parameters:	x (int) – X coordinate y (int) – Y coordinate radius (int) – Circle radius thickness (int) – Thickness of outline fill (Fill) – Fill type unit (int) – Unit index representation (Representation) – Representation type

__eq__(other)¶: Compare Circle instances.

__str__()¶: Return Circle in KiCAD format.

x = None¶: X coordinate

y = None¶: Y coordinate

radius = None¶: Circle radius

thickness = None¶: Thickness of outline

fill = None¶: Fill type

bounds¶

Element boundary.

Type:	Boundary

class Boundary(x1, y1, x2, y2)¶

Element/symbol boundary class.

Parameters:	x1 (int) – X1 coordinate y1 (int) – Y1 coordinate x2 (int) – X2 coordinate y2 (int) – Y2 coordinate

class Fill¶: Element fill.

class Representation¶: Symbol representation.

priority¶

Element priority.

Type:	int

class pykicadlib.symbol.elements.Pin(x, y, name, number)¶

Pin at x/y with name/number.

Parameters:

x (int) – X coordinate
y (int) – Y coordinate
name (str) – Pin name
number (str) – Pin number
length (int) – Pin length
direction (Direction) – Pin direction
name_size (int) – Pin name size
number_size (int) – Pin number size
electric (Electric) – Electric type
shape (Shape) – Shape type
visible (bool) – Visibility
unit (int) – Unit index
representation (Representation) – Representation type

__eq__(other)¶: Compare Pin instances.

__str__()¶: Return Pin in KiCAD format.

x = None¶: X coordinate

y = None¶: Y coordinate

name = None¶: Pin name

number = None¶: Pin number

length = None¶: Pin length

direction = None¶: Pin direction

name_size = None¶: Pin name size

number_size = None¶: Pin number size

electric = None¶: Electric type

shape = None¶: Shape type

visible = None¶: Visibility

priority¶

Element priority.

Type:	int

bounds¶

Element boundary.

Type:	Boundary

class Boundary(x1, y1, x2, y2)¶

Element/symbol boundary class.

Parameters:	x1 (int) – X1 coordinate y1 (int) – Y1 coordinate x2 (int) – X2 coordinate y2 (int) – Y2 coordinate

class Direction¶: Pin direction (flipped in opposition to KiCAD documentation).

class Electric¶: Electric pin type.

class Fill¶: Element fill.

class Representation¶: Symbol representation.

class Shape¶

Pin shape.

Note: Add ‘N’ before characters, to create an invisible pin.

class pykicadlib.symbol.elements.Polygon¶

Polygon.

Parameters:	thickness (int) – Thickness of outline fill (Fill) – Fill type unit (int) – Unit index representation (Representation) – Representation type

__eq__(other)¶: Compare Polygon instances.

__str__()¶: Return Polygon in KiCAD format.

thickness = None¶: Thickness of outline

fill = None¶: Fill type

points = None¶: Outline points

priority¶

Element priority.

Type:	int

bounds¶

Element boundary.

Type:	Boundary

add(point)¶

Add point to polygon.

Parameters:	point (Point) – Point to add

remove(index)¶

Remove element from polygon.

Parameters:	index (int) – Index of point to remove

class Boundary(x1, y1, x2, y2)¶

Element/symbol boundary class.

Parameters:	x1 (int) – X1 coordinate y1 (int) – Y1 coordinate x2 (int) – X2 coordinate y2 (int) – Y2 coordinate

class Fill¶: Element fill.

class Point(x, y)¶

Point helper.

Parameters:	x (int) – X coordinate y (int) – Y coordinate

class Representation¶: Symbol representation.

class pykicadlib.symbol.elements.Rectangle(x1, y1, x2, y2)¶

Rectangle from x1/y1 to x2/y2.

Parameters:	x1 (int) – X1 coordinate y1 (int) – Y1 coordinate x2 (int) – X2 coordinate y2 (int) – Y2 coordinate thickness (int) – Thickness of outline fill (Fill) – Fill type unit (int) – Unit index representation (Representation) – Representation type

__eq__(other)¶: Compare Rectangle instances.

__str__()¶: Return Rectangle in KiCAD format.

x1 = None¶: X1 coordinate

x2 = None¶: X2 coordinate

y1 = None¶: Y1 coordinate

y2 = None¶: Y2 coordinate

thickness = None¶: Thickness of outline

class Boundary(x1, y1, x2, y2)¶

Element/symbol boundary class.

Parameters:	x1 (int) – X1 coordinate y1 (int) – Y1 coordinate x2 (int) – X2 coordinate y2 (int) – Y2 coordinate

class Fill¶: Element fill.

class Representation¶: Symbol representation.

fill = None¶: Fill type

priority¶

Element priority.

Type:	int

bounds¶

Element boundary.

Type:	Boundary

class pykicadlib.symbol.elements.Text(x, y, value, size)¶

Text at x/y with value, size, angle and multiple style options.

New format since 2.4?

Parameters:

x (int) – X coordinate
y (int) – Y coordinate
value (str) – Text value
size (int) – Text size
angle (int) – Text angle
italic (Italic) – Text italic style
bold (Bold) – Text bold style
hjustify (HJustify) – Horizontal text justify
vjustify (VJustify) – Vertical text justify
unit (int) – Unit index
representation (Representation) – Representation type

__eq__(other)¶: Compare Text instances.

__str__()¶: Return Text in KiCAD format.

x = None¶: X coordinate

y = None¶: Y coordinate

value = None¶: Text value

size = None¶: Text size

angle = None¶: Text angle

italic = None¶: Text italic style

bold = None¶: Text bold style

hjustify = None¶: Horizontal text justify

vjustify = None¶: Vertical text justify

bounds¶

Element boundary.

Type:	Boundary

class Bold¶: Text element bold.

class Boundary(x1, y1, x2, y2)¶

Element/symbol boundary class.

Parameters:	x1 (int) – X1 coordinate y1 (int) – Y1 coordinate x2 (int) – X2 coordinate y2 (int) – Y2 coordinate

class Fill¶: Element fill.

class HJustify¶: Field horizontal justify.

class Italic¶: Text element italic.

class Representation¶: Symbol representation.

class VJustify¶: Field vertical justify.

priority¶

Element priority.

Type:	int

KiCAD library for Python¶

KiCAD symbols¶

Symbol types¶

Examples¶

API¶

Generic¶

Specific¶

Symbol elements¶

Examples¶

API¶

Alias¶

Field¶

Graphics¶

Helper¶

KiCAD footprints¶

Indices and tables¶