list

The kilm list command scans a specified directory (typically your main KiCad library directory) and lists the symbol (.kicad_sym) and footprint (.pretty) libraries it finds in the symbols and footprints subdirectories. This is useful for verifying the contents of a specific library directory, independent of KiLM’s own configuration.

Usage

kilm list [OPTIONS]

Options

Option	Description	Default	Example
--kicad-lib-dir TEXT	Path to the KiCad library directory to scan	KICAD_USER_LIB environment variable	--kicad-lib-dir ~/kicad-libs
--help	Show help message and exit	-	--help

Behavior

1. Determines Target Directory: Uses the path provided via --kicad-lib-dir or falls back to the KICAD_USER_LIB environment variable.
2. Scans Directory: Scans the target directory (top-level only).
3. Identifies Libraries:
   • Looks for files ending in .kicad_sym to identify symbol libraries.
   • Looks for directories ending in .pretty to identify footprint libraries.
4. Prints Lists: Outputs separate lists of the symbol and footprint library names found.

Examples

List Libraries in Default Directory: Scans the directory specified by the KICAD_USER_LIB environment variable.

kilm list

Expected Output (example):

Available Symbol Libraries:
  - 74xx
  - Connector
  - Device

Available Footprint Libraries:
  - Capacitor_SMD
  - Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm
  - Resistor_SMD

List libraries in specific directory:

kilm list --kicad-lib-dir ~/my-kicad-libraries

Expected Output

Available Symbol Libraries:
  - 74xx
  - Connector
  - Device
  - Memory
  - Transistor

Available Footprint Libraries:
  - Capacitor_SMD
  - Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm
  - Package_SO
  - Resistor_SMD

Error Handling

Common Issues

• Environment variable not set: Command fails if KICAD_USER_LIB is not set and no directory is specified
• Directory not found: Command fails if the specified directory doesn’t exist
• Permission denied: Command fails if unable to read the directory
• No libraries found: Command shows empty lists if no valid libraries are detected

Error Examples

# Environment variable not set
KICAD_USER_LIB= kilm list
# Error: KICAD_USER_LIB not set and not provided

# Directory doesn't exist
kilm list --kicad-lib-dir /nonexistent/path
# Error: Directory '/nonexistent/path' does not exist

Integration with Other Commands

pin Pin libraries to KiCad's favorites list

unpin Remove libraries from KiCad's favorites list

status Check current KiCad configuration status

setup Configure KiCad to use listed libraries

Typical Usage Patterns

Verify library contents before setup:

# Check what libraries are available
kilm list --kicad-lib-dir ~/kicad-official-libs

# Pin specific libraries to favorites
kilm pin --kicad-lib-dir ~/kicad-official-libs -s Device -f Package_SO

# Configure KiCad to use all libraries
kilm setup --kicad-lib-dir ~/kicad-official-libs

Compare library contents:

# Compare two library directories
kilm list --kicad-lib-dir ~/project-libs
kilm list --kicad-lib-dir ~/company-libs

Library Types Detected

Symbol Libraries

• File extension: .kicad_sym
• Purpose: Contains schematic symbols for KiCad
• Example: Device.kicad_sym, Connector.kicad_sym

Footprint Libraries

• Directory extension: .pretty
• Purpose: Contains footprint definitions for PCB layout
• Example: Capacitor_SMD.pretty, Package_SO.pretty

Notes

• Independent operation: Works without KiLM configuration, scans directories directly
• Top-level scanning: Searches only the symbols and footprints directories for library files
• Sorted output: Results are displayed in alphabetical order
• Cross-platform: Uses appropriate path separators for Windows/macOS/Linux
• Performance: Efficient scanning of large directory structures