productize/kicad-automation-scripts repository overview

⁠KiCad automation scripts

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

⁠Instalation

⁠Using Docker

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-scriptskicad-automation-scripts

Or fetch it from Dockerhub⁠:

docker run --rm -it -v <path to a kicad project>/kicad-project productize/kicad-automation-scripts

⁠Installation on your own machine:

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

⁠Installation on Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt-get install -y kicad python python-pip xvfb recordmydesktop xdotool xclip

⁠Usage

In the Docker image or on a system with all required dependencies installed you can use the following commands:

⁠Export a schematic to PDF or SVG

python -m kicad-automation.eeschema.schematic export /kicad-project/<some-schematic>.sch <build_dir> <svg or pdf> <all-pages (True or False)>

⁠Run ERC:

python -m kicad-automation.eeschema.schematic run_erc /kicad-project/<some-schematic>.sch <build_dir> <svg or pdf> <all-pages (True or False)>