Troubleshooting

First record the version in the Kobee Studio header, the full KiCad version and your operating system. This page covers stable 1.4.1; unreleased 1.5 behaviour and known validation limits are described in development scope.

The plugin does not appear

1. Confirm you installed a PCM package, not the GitHub Source code ZIP or a footprint library.
2. In PCM, confirm the installed package is Kobee Studio and installation has completed.
3. Open an actual board in PCB Editor.
4. Fully quit and restart PCB Editor after first installation.
5. Check Tools → External Plugins. If the menu action exists, the remaining issue may only be toolbar visibility.
6. Open Preferences/Settings → Action Plugins, enable Show Button for Create PCB Artwork and refresh plugins.

Use the stable catalogue URL. Remove duplicate obsolete catalogue entries. Do not delete your personal library to repair action discovery.

PCM offers the wrong version or cannot find the package

Check whether the repository URL ends in /main/repository.json or /testing/repository.json. Refresh the catalogue and confirm the package version before installing. A testing stream can differ from the public stable release.

If repository access is unavailable, install the exact release’s attached Kobee-Studio-…-pcm.zip through Install from File…. Do not unzip it. Include the precise URL and PCM error when reporting an access problem.

The editor will not launch

Wait for KiCad’s first-run isolated plugin setup to finish, then restart PCB Editor. Check for a second old manual installation and remove duplicates through their original installation method rather than deleting unrelated KiCad data.

Capture any plugin or Python error text. Report the installation route and exact versions. Stable 1.4.1 includes Windows IPC responsiveness fixes; comparing against an earlier release can give a different result.

The preview is blank or shows an error

• Enter valid content: an empty payload or unsupported character can prevent rendering.
• Check that Symbol only has a symbol selected.
• Use Fit to rule out an out-of-view drawing.
• Read the validation message and check recent numeric edits, pin counts and code payloads.
• Try a simple TEST label with a bundled font and Front silk only. This separates a basic renderer problem from a custom font/asset problem.

An old preview may remain while new input is invalid. Correct the error before using the placement action. If a simple default fails, include the exact message and settings in a bug report.

A control seems to be missing

Check the selected tool, left-hand section and form scroll position. Controls are conditional: subtitle settings need Title + subtitle, icon settings need a symbol mode, and some shape parameters apply only to particular shapes.

If you saw Graphics, Variables, Fonts or Board Tools in a development screenshot, they are not all available in stable 1.4.1. Use the version map before looking for an installation fault.

Text looks wrong or a glyph is missing

Try a bundled typeface and plain ASCII text to isolate the issue. Not every font contains electrical, mathematical or language-specific characters. Increasing text height cannot add a missing glyph.

At small physical sizes, a light face or dense counter can disappear during fabrication. Use heavier, simpler lettering and check the actual exported geometry. The development font manager has separate install/repair controls; see fonts.

SVG upload is rejected

Stable 1.4.1 accepts a strict filled-geometry profile. Convert strokes and text to paths, close open contours, remove unsupported effects/external content, and export Plain SVG. Use an even-odd geometric cutout for holes.

Do not bypass the validator by changing only the filename. Simplify the source and compare it to the SVG preparation instructions. The broader development importer supports more source constructs, but that is a separate version.

A custom symbol or quick label disappeared

Check the selected scope and asset type. Project items require the correct saved board/project. Check Data & backup → Bundled visibility for a hidden shipped item. A personal backup does not substitute for project-side data.

If a custom SVG was deleted, placed geometry can remain while regeneration fails. Restore the original asset from the correct backup. Back up current data before performing a replacing library restore.

Reopening creates a fresh label instead of editing

Select one whole Kobee Studio artwork footprint, then launch the plugin. Do not select just its internal polygon or the electrical component underneath. Confirm the saved content appears before applying changes.

A manually altered or metadata-stripped footprint may no longer carry usable generation settings. Keep the visible geometry and compare against a board backup rather than overwriting it repeatedly.

Artwork is on the wrong layer or looks mirrored

Review Place artwork on, not only Preview layer. Turn off unintentional targets. Bottom previews use a front-view mirror, so inspect the real bottom side in 3D before adding another mirror operation.

If the board view and manufacturing output differ, check silkscreen subtraction against mask openings. See layers and fabrication.

A header legend does not line up

Stable pitch is 2.54 mm, single-row. Verify the electrical footprint’s pitch, row count, pin-1 end and orientation. Check one label per pin, then align the first and last positions. Measure the real plug envelope if the labels are obscured after assembly.

A different pitch requires the development Connector Overlay tool or a different artwork approach. Scaling the completed 2.54 mm footprint can change text and clearances as well as pitch.

A code does not scan

Check the exact payload and supported format. Make the code larger, shorten the payload where possible, preserve quiet zones and keep components/graphics out of the scan area. Check export clipping, polarity, surface glare and contrast. Test with the scanner expected in use.

A scan from a computer display does not establish a manufactured PCB result. Keep a physical-sample check in the production workflow; see codes.

The editor is slow or stops responding

Try a smaller/simple item on a saved board copy and note the exact action that becomes slow: launch, typing, preview refresh, placement or native KiCad properties editing. Reduce complex SVG detail and compare to a bundled symbol. Avoid repeatedly clicking Place while it is processing.

The development checkout contains additional native-edit and geometry hardening, but that does not make it a published stable fix. Provide a minimal board and reproduction when reporting a performance problem.

A restore replaced data I wanted

Library restore is an exact replacement, not a merge. If you made a pre-restore archive, restore that copy after saving the current state separately. PCB undo does not restore personal library files. For future changes, export before restoring or resetting.

Report a useful problem

Provide the full KiCad/Kobee/OS versions, stable or testing channel, precise steps, expected and actual behaviour, error text, and a minimal board/settings example. Remove private board information before posting publicly. Include a screenshot when layout, mirroring or clipping is the issue.

Support and feedback has the source and issue links.