kicad-ci/README.md

Dependencies

• Kicad 6
• git-lfs

Setup

1. Fork or clone and change origin remote-url.
2. Checkout dev (branch off dev if desired)
3. Rename/move files to match project name (make sure to update for CI too)
4. Lock the file you want to edit, see Locking
5. Start editing.

Locking

All kicad files are read-only by default, the file will need to be locked to your ssh key/gitlab account for it to be writable. This can be done using lock.sh {file name}. Once you are done editing the lock can be released using unlock.sh {file name}.

Lock/unlock can only be done if there are any branches that aren't merged into dev (excluding main).

CI

Edit lines 41 & 42 of .gitlab-ci.yml to match the naming/structure of your project/s. You can add as many kicad projects as you like, as below:

  - DIR: 'proj1'
    SCHEM: 'proj1.kicad_sch'
  - DIR: 'proj2'
    SCHEM: 'proj3.kicad_sch'
  - DIR: 'proj3'
    SCHEM: 'proj3.kicad_sch'

The following will be produced on any commit to dev & main branches or any commit on branch that has an active MR with said branches:

• DRC & ERC
• Step files

The following will be produced only on commits to main or commits on dev if it has an active MR with main:

• JLCPCB compatible gerbers
• PDFs of Schematic & PCB
• BOM

Currently there are some ERC errors to do with buses (https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/issues/13285), so the docker image used for CI will be run on an older version to avoid them.