###Converting from Eagle to KiCad.

• Quick Introduction Video
  Recommended video player Firefox 46+ with VLC video player plugin

• The following 5 ulp (eagle user script file) and one ulp include file, work together or stand alone to convert Eagle sch/pcb version 6.xx*(7.xx maybe?)* file(s) and any version of Eagle lib(lbr) to KiCad sch/pcb and lib/mod files.

• The Programs will do

  • Eagle multi sheet sch to KiCad multi sheets.
  • Global and local net labels for multi sheets.(This is a real nasty bit of hacking!)
  • Multi part gates.
  • Build KiCad PCB modules and SCH libs from Eagle SCH.
  • Make project director to store all the converted files.
  • And basic error checking.
  • Eagle 6.xx PCB files can be directly imported to KiCad.
  • Eagle LBRs(any version of Eagle libs or size ) can be converted to KiCad lib/mod using eagle-lbr2kicad-1.0.ulp see
  • Eagle Lib conversion for more details.
  • Converts Vias to Pads, which helps with KiCad's flood fill, when Vias have no connections.
  • Documents fills over SMD pads on Eagle Layer 155,156
  • Documents on layers 150,152,153,154 of (Eagle) the unconnected Vias and tracks.
  • The examples director contains a number of converted schs/boards.

• By using the following ulps a consistent link from the SCH to PCB is maintained so forward and backward net-list annotations work under KiCad!

WARNING KiCad vias and tracks don't retain NET information from Eagle when they are not connected to a PAD!,** So KiCad flood fill will not connect to them !!! There is an option to convert and document on layers 150,152,153,154 of (Eagle) the unconnected Vias and tracks which will make finding and fixing the problem much easier.**

###Installing.

• Download the zip file, (click on the button on the bottom right of this page. Download ZIP) And unzip using your favorite zip program to your target directory OR if your prefer git:

    	git clone https://github.com/lachlanA/eagle-to-kicad.git  
  

• WARNING: The ULP's filename will conflict with Eagle ULP's filenames so
  DO NOT install them in Eagle's ULP directory.

• There are 5 ulps and one ulp include file that have been hacked together.
  renumber-sheet.ulp ........................ stage 1: Add missing number(s) to parts Prefix.
  fix_via_hack.ulp .............................. stage 2: Converts unconnected Vias to Pads.
  eagle6xx-sch-to-kicad-sch.ulp .... stage 3: Build sch and project files, etc
  exp-lbrs.ulp ....................................... stage 4: Extract libs from eagle SCH/PCB
  eagle-lbr2kicad-1.0.ulp.................... stage 5: Converts Eagle lbr to KiCad lib/mod
  eagle_to_kicad_include.inc .......... Include file used by the other 4 ULPs
  ####HOW TO RUN THE ULPS

WARNING Always backup your Eagle SCH/PCB files before running this program!

• 1: Start your Eagle program (Make sure you're using version 6.xx of Eagle)

• 2: Open the eagle SCH/PCB file you wish to convert. Make sure the eagle SCH and PCB files are both correct and pass all ERC/DRC checks in Eagle.

• 3: Next, open the top left hand File menu and select Run ULP

• 4: A file requester window will open. Select, find or type the location of the renumber-sheet.ulp ULP you downloaded from this website. We use this script to make sure all part prefix are ending in a number i.e.: R0, X1 etc. As KiCad will ask to renumber any prefix which does not end in a number. (It may do this any way, but don't worry it won't change any Prefix which have already been numbered unless you tell it to!) Keeping prefix consistent from SCH to PCB will allow netlist forward and back annotation to work in KiCad. Select OK (this will run the script). When this completes, all references without a number should have a number appended to them. Note: This number will start from the largest reference number on the SCH/PCB.

• 5: Next stage will run automatically, fix_via_hack.ulp This will check for free unconnected VIAs and convert them to PADs, this is very much a hack, as it changes the Eagle SCH/PCB files. The changed files are saved in targetdir/modified_eagle_files/
  There are 2 options: Document the VIAs/PADs by putting a > and net label name on the VIA/PAD on layer 51 for Eagle, and Dwgs.User for KiCad. Second option is to Not convert the VIAs to PADs.
  The ulp hack adds pads to the SCH file at X-Y 0.0. This may conflict with any net/part at this location, so please move the sch/PCB contents so there is no parts/nets at this location before running the script. You may getting warnings from Eagle about connecting net??? to a power plane net, just click OK, as this is normal for this script.

• 6: Next stage will run automatically
  Set the option/location of the downloaded ULP. And also Make sure you make/select a clean target directory where all the KiCad files will be put. Select OK, And with luck you should have SCH part done. The previous ULP will link automatically to exp-lbrs.ulp for the next step: If you have selected extract the KiCad lib's from Eagle SCH/PCB (The default)., this ULP will build Eagle lbr file. Note: this can be a very slow process and will
  leave the Eagle PCB editor window open when complete. Just ignore this for the moment. If this completes OK, the previous ULP will link to eagle-lbr2kicad-1.0.ulp which will convert the Eagle lbr file to a KiCad lib/mod files. The eagle-lbr2kicad-1.0.ulp window will open with quite a few options. Just select OK for the moment. And if Murphy's Law is sound asleep we should have the target directory with all the converted files, including KiCad project files. But with one exception, it will be missing KiCad PCB file.

• 7: For this, we need to Open KiCad's pcbnew program directly at the command prompt. If you make the mistake of not opening pcbnew directly, and instead chose to run it from KiCad's pcbnew menu. You will have no option for importing the Eagle 6 PCB file! Click on File->Open in pcbnew an window will pop-up, and on right side you will have a drop down menu box option, to select the type in import file. Select version 6.x XML of Eagle, and the PCB eagle file linked to the eagle SCH file we used at the beginning and press OK. After importing the Eagle PCB file, (without errors I hope). Do a SAVE AS to PROJECTNAME.kicad_pcb to the new target directory (where you saved the output from to preceding ULP's too). PROJECTNAME being the name you give to your project early on. As a helper a Dummy kicad_pcb file with the correct name has been created in the target directory which you can use to do a save-as to.

• 8: Next step is to check if the KiCad SCH and KiCad PCB are consistent for parts and nets. Start KiCad, and open the project in the newly created target directory. Open the SCH file. And if it was converted from the single SCH file, you should have the SCH file in the display. Or multi sheet SCH file you will have a number of small boxes spread across the page. Each one of those boxes being a converted Eagle sub-sheet. Click on the first one and check for errors. All being good, click on Generate Netlist, and click OK. It may ask to Annotate the SCH. If so, do the Annotation step and then come back and click on Generate netlist and Generate it.

• 9: Next click on CvPCB, this assigns the PCB footprints with the SCH parts. Most likely you will get the following warning: Some of the assigned footprints are legacy entries (are missing lib nicknames). Would you like CvPcb to attempt to convert them to the new required FPID format? (If you answer no, then these assignments will be cleared out and you will have to re-assign these footprints yourself.) Just click the yes button. And a window will open up listing all the parts and foot prints which it has assigned. Under FILE menu click Save. And then File Close.

• 10: Next Click on PcbNew button on the top menu, and the PCB should open up. Now click on the NetList and a window should open up, from there click on Read Current Net-list. All going well you should not have any extra parts added, and only a few warning's about changing net list names. And you should be done. Please check over the converted SCH/PCB as there are many things which can go wrong!. While I have tryed to catch as many conversion problem, I expect there many still waiting to be found. So check and triple check the results!!!

• NOTES: For more info on KiCad http://www.kicad-pcb.org/display/KICAD/Installing+KiCad
  As KiCad is in a process of major upgrade and enhancement, please be nice to the Development team. I think you will love the new Push and Shove router, that feature alone makes it worth while moving from Eagle to KiCad I hope the ULPs make the job a lot easier.