KiCad BOM Wizard Plugin

Author

Ronald Sousa hashdefineelectronics.com

Twitter: @Opticalworm @HashDefineElec

Project Information

• Repository: github.com

• Project Page: hashdefineelectronics.com

• Forum: kiCad.info

• Coding Standard

Description

This is the repository for KiCad_BOM_Wizard. This KiCad plugin can be used to create custom BOM files based on easy configurable templates files. The plugin is writing in JavaScript and has been designed to integrate into KiCad’s BOM plugin manager.

The Idea for this plugin came from our need to generate BOM that are specific to of our clients needs. for example, some of our clients require their product to have document traceability due to their product ATEX certificate requirement. With KiCad_BOM_Wizard, We simply made a template that the output file includes the document number, project revision, and manufacture notes.

By default, KiCad_BOM_Wizard comes with two templates, one will generate a stand along HTML file and the other will generate a CSV file. They are both include to simplify the use of plugin and can be used as an example by those who want to make their own templates. The latter could be due to needing to have your own company or project logo.

KiCad_BOM_Wizard works by scanning through all of the template files and replacing any of the Short Codes with the data that is associated with it. It will then output all of the data it has collected including the file structure into one file based on the order that it finds the short codes.

For example, if the KiCad_BOM_Wizard finds the short code in template.conf then it we replace it with the KiCad project root sheet title. KiCad_BOM_Wizard will also group and sort all components together that have same parts value, the same starting designator reference prefix and the same fields value.

For example, if your project component list consist of;

R1 10K, R2 100K, C1 10pF and R3 10K

then it would be grouped like this;

| Ref | qty | value | |----|-----|-----| |C1 | 1 | 10pF | | R1 R3 | 2 | 10K| | R2| 1 | 100K|

For more details on how to use and make your own template that KiCad_BOM_Wizard can use, please visit the Project Homepage.

Video Instructions

Installation

nodeJs

The following serves as a quick reference.

Debian/Ubuntu Linux:

sudo apt-get install nodejs npm

Mac OSX using Homebrew:

brew install node

Installing nodejs on other systems:

NodeJS.org

Installation KiCad_BOM_Wizard via npm (prefer method)

npm install -g --production kicad_bom_wizard

Using KiCad_BOM_Wizard

Kicad BOM Plugin Manager Command Line:

MAC OSX Note!

there have been reports that `node` wont run in KiCad BOM generator unless its full path has been specified.
If you have this issues, try replacing `node` with `PATH_TO_NODE/node` where PATH_TO_NODE is your system absolute path to node.

- It might this: `/usr/local/bin/node`

Here's where it was first repoted: kiCad.info

For HTML BOM

kicad_bom_wizard "%I" "%O.html"

This is the same as

kicad_bom_wizard "%I" "%O.html" "HTML"

This is the same as

kicad_bom_wizard "%I" "%O.html" "SCRIPT_ROOT_DIR/Template/HTML"

For CSV BOM

kicad_bom_wizard "%I" "%O.csv" "CSV"

This is the same as

kicad_bom_wizard "%I" "%O.csv" "SCRIPT_ROOT_DIR/Template/CSV"

Using your own template BOM

kicad_bom_wizard "%I" "%O.html" "Path_To_Your_Template_conf/Your_Template"

Or if you are using the plugin template directory to store your template. "SCRIPT_ROOT_DIR/Template/"

kicad_bom_wizard "%I" "%O.html" "Your_Template"

• Where "%I" in the input kicad xml file and "%O" is the output directory and name for the BOM. This must include your file extension.
• If you are using the script directly and not by npm install, then you will need to replace kicad_bom_wizard with node "SCRIPT_ROOT_DIR/KiCad_BOM_Wizard.js".
• You may have to replace node with nodejs

List of short codes

for template.conf:

<!--TITLE-->                        inserts the root sheet title.
<!--DATE-->                         inserts the root sheet date.
<!--DATE_GENERATED-->               inserts the date and time the Kicad net file was created
<!--COMPANY-->                      inserts the root sheet company name
<!--REVISON-->                      inserts the root sheet revision value
<!--COMMENT_1-->                    inserts the root sheet comment 1
<!--COMMENT_2-->                    inserts the root sheet comment 2
<!--COMMENT_3-->                    inserts the root sheet comment 3
<!--COMMENT_4-->                    inserts the root sheet comment 4
<!--TOTAL_NUM_OF_PARTS-->           inserts the number of parts used in the design
<!--TOTAL_NUM_OF_UNIQUE_PARTS-->    inserts the number of unique parts used in the design. Note, if two similar parts have different fields then it will be register as unique
<!--CLASS_HEADER_TAG-->       inserts the table headers
<!--BOM_TABLE-->                    inserts the complete generated BOM table

for headers.conf:

<!--HEADER_ROW-->         inserts the column title
<!--HEADER_CLASS_REF_TAG-->        insert the tag for the part reference. HeadRefTag
<!--HEADER_CLASS_QTY_TAG-->        insert the tag for the part qty. HeadQtyTag
<!--HEADER_CLASS_VALUE_TAG-->        insert the tag for the part value. HeadValueTag
<!--HEADER_CLASS_VALUE_TAG-->        insert the tag for the part value. HeadValueTag

for group.conf:

<!--GROUP_ROW_DATA-->       inserts the group of parts row data
<!--GROUP_CLASS_TAG-->    inserts the group class name. format "group_" + "part ref prefix"
<!--GROUP_TITLE_TEXT-->    inserts the group title. the part ref prefix

for row.conf:

<!--ROW_PART_REF-->            inserts the list of parts reference designator
<!--ROW_PART_QTY-->            inserts the number of parts grouped together
<!--ROW_PART_VALUE-->          inserts the part value
<!--ROW_PART_FOOTPRINT-->      inserts the part footprint.
<!--ROW_PART_FIELDS-->          inserts the generator parts fields
<!--ROW_CLASS_ODD_EVEN_TAG-->    returns RowEvenTag on even rows or RowOddTag for odds rows.
<!--HEADER_CLASS_REF_TAG-->         insert the tag for the part reference. HeadRefTag
<!--HEADER_CLASS_QTY_TAG-->         insert the tag for the part qty. HeadQtyTag
<!--HEADER_CLASS_VALUE_TAG-->         insert the tag for the part value. HeadValueTag
<!--HEADER_CLASS_FOOTPRINT_TAG-->         insert the tag for the part footprint. HeadFootprintTag

for fields.conf:

<!--FIELD_CLASS_TAG-->    inserts the fields class name
<!--FIELD-->              inserts the field value

Notes for Contributing

If you find issues with the code that you want to contribute a fix for or even just wanting to improve the project there are a few things you need to do before you submit your pull request or patch.

• Make sure that you run the install command to make sure hat you have all the tools to test this project.

num install

• run the Lint: this project uses javascript standard pacakge to ensure a consistent coding style is maintained. before submitting your code make sure that you run the lint command and fix any error that it highlights.

npm run lint

• Run the test: This will both check if the program runs and also regenerate the Meter.csv and Meter.html files. You should also check these files for any obvious issues.

npm run test