Vhrd.Tech KiCad library

Configuration

• Preferences - Manage Symbol Libraries - Folder down - KiCad (.kicad_sym)
  • Select all files from symbols
• Preferences - Manage Footprint Libraries - Folder down - KiCad (...)
  • Select all folders from footprints
• Preferences - Configure paths
  • Set VHRD_3DMODEL_DIR to 3dmodels folder
  • Set KICAD_USER_TEMPLATE_DIR to templates folder if you want to use project templates

Checking boards: kilib

tools/kilib is a small Rust CLI (MIT) that knows how KiCad finds libraries. just install builds it and puts kilib on PATH.

• kilib check PATH... reads every .kicad_sch, .kicad_pcb, .kicad_sym and .kicad_mod under the paths and checks that each symbol (lib_id), Footprint field, footprint and 3D model resolves on this PC. It uses the global sym-lib-table and fp-lib-table and the "Configure Paths" variables of the KiCad config folder (KICAD_CONFIG_HOME, else ~/.config/kicad, the newest version), each project's own tables, ${KIPRJMOD}, the environment (which wins, as in KiCad) and the older KICAD6..9_3DMODEL_DIR falling back to the newest set. It exits 1 with the list of what does not resolve; --json gives the same as JSON. --config-dir, --sym-lib-table, --fp-lib-table and --var NAME=VALUE check against another PC's setup.
• just check-boards runs it on the hw checkout beside this one (or VHRD_BOARDS_DIR) and skips with a note where there is none.
• kilib setup --dry-run shows what kilib setup would write into this PC's KiCad config. The library rows go through ${VHRD_LIBRARY_DIR} (this checkout) and ${VHRD_VENDOR_LIBRARY_DIR} (the private vendor library, --vendor-dir). They come from a rename map's [libraries.symbol] and [libraries.footprint] tables (--map migrate/2026-11.toml), or else from the library folders found. They replace every vhrd_* and VHRD_* row. The variables are VHRD_LIBRARY_DIR, VHRD_VENDOR_LIBRARY_DIR and VHRD_3DMODEL_DIR (--models-dir), each only when given, plus VHRD_TEMPLATE_DIR and KICAD_USER_TEMPLATE_DIR for the drawing sheets. Every other row and setting stays as it is. It refuses while KiCad runs.
• Shell completion: source <(COMPLETE=bash kilib) (or zsh, fish).

KiKit

Install KiKit for panelization support: Installation

Install just to create shortcuts for various commands like: just panelize: Just

Panelization Examples Panelization Docs

Arch

sudo pacman -S python-kikit