A bunch of scripts to automate KiCad processes using a combination of the KiCAD Python library and UI automation with xdotool.
This work is based in big parts on Scott Bezek's scripts in his split-flap display project. For more info see his excellent blog posts.
Currently tested and working:
- Exporting schematics to PDF and SVG
- Exporting layouts to PDF and SVG
- Running ERC on schematics
Build the docker image and run it:
docker build -t kicad-automation .
docker run --rm -it -v <path to a kicad project>/kicad-project -v`pwd`:/kicad-automation-scripts kicad-automation
Or fetch it from Dockerhub:
docker run --rm -it -v <path to a kicad project>/kicad-project productize/kicad-automation-scripts
If you want to use these scripts directly on your system, you should be able to get it to work by installing the folowing dependencies:
This tool has the folowing dependencies:
- KiCad
- python
- python-pip
- xvfb
- recordmydesktop
- xdotool
- xclip
The Python dependencies (excluding KiCad) are listed in [eeschema/requirements.txt][eeschema/requirements.txt] an can be installed with
pip install -r eeschema/requirements.txt
sudo apt-get install -y kicad python python-pip xvfb recordmydesktop xdotool xclip
In the Docker image or on a system with all required dependencies installed you can use the following commands:
python -m kicad-automation.eeschema.schematic export --all_pages --file-format (pdf or svg) /kicad-project/<some-schematic>.sch <output-dir>
python -m kicad-automation.eeschema.schematic run_erc /kicad-project/<some-schematic>.sch <build_dir> <svg or pdf> <all-pages (True or False)>