kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Kaspar Bumke <kaspar.bumke@xxxxxxxxx>]

> Once the new format becomes the default, footprint libraries will be saved as a directory of footprint files.  In other words, a footprint library is defined as a directory of footprint files where each footprint file contains a single footprint.  I still have to implement the footprint library table so that we can fix the search order issues in Pcbnew.  Once that is in place, we will make the new file format, footprint library format, and hopefully nanometre internal units the default for for Pcbnew.

I see, so the preferred sharing method will probably be zip files with
a single folder. Is there anything else that will unify the footprints
except being in the same directory (and having a reason for being
lumped together)? Like a common index file or something?

What I would love I guess, is some documentation on the new format as
I am working on a library sharing site. I have started with using the
old format and have begun making a convenient way for people to select
multiple footprints and then download them as one file. It would be
really good to be able to make sure the work I am doing now won't be
obsolete when KiCAD switches format.