KiWay Plugins for KiCAD

A collection of powerful plugins for KiCAD, designed to automate documentation and analysis.

List of Plugins

1. KiWay Extract Pins (v2.0.0)

A comprehensive documentation and analysis tool.

• Extract Pins: Generate CSV/Markdown/JSON pinouts from any component
• Signal Flow: Trace connections between components (Source → Destination)
• IC Analysis: Generate charts of all pins and their destinations for specific ICs
• Diagrams: Create self-contained SVG block diagrams and flow charts
• Automation: Full CLI interface for scripting

Installation

Method 1: Manual Installation (Recommended)

Due to extraction issues with KiCad PCM on some Windows systems, manual installation is currently the most reliable method.

Steps:

1. Download the latest release: extract_pins_plugin-2.0.0.zip

2. Extract the zip file - you'll see a folder named kiway.extract.pins

3. Rename the folder from kiway.extract.pins to kiway_extract_pins (replace dots with underscores)

4. Copy the renamed folder to your KiCad plugins directory:

   • Windows: %UserProfile%\Documents\KiCad\9.0\3rdparty\plugins\
   • Linux: ~/.local/share/kicad/9.0/3rdparty/plugins/
   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/kicad/9.0/3rdparty/plugins/

5. Restart KiCad

6. Verify the plugin appears in Tools → External Plugins → Extract Component Pins with GUI

Method 2: Plugin Manager (Experimental)

Note: PCM installation has known extraction issues on some Windows systems.

1. Open KiCAD Plugin and Content Manager
2. Click Manage Repositories → Add
3. Add Repository: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wayri/KiWay/main/pcm/repo.json
4. Save and select "KiWay Plugin Repository" from dropdown
5. Install KiWay Extract Pins

If the plugin doesn't appear after PCM installation, use Method 1 (Manual Installation) instead.

Documentation

• Extract Pins Plugin Documentation
• Developer Wiki