The Params File
Now that you've run the script, you can update the XML parameters (.params) file to ensure that all of the signal connections are included when the script runs and they are in the correct location for the Fritzing schematic view.Â
Navigate to the parameters file. It is located in /Fritzing_Test/params. You can open the file in a text editor.
The file defaults to having the PCB solder mask for the breadboard view SVG be black (#000000). You can edit that value to be any HEX color:
<breadboard breadboard-color='#000000'>
Then, you can edit the location for the signals. Here is how the VCNL4030 signals are generated by default:
<power> <!-- left to right --> <connector signal='VCC' id='6' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN3' name='2' type='smd'/> <connector signal='VCC' id='21' package='1X06_ROUND_70' element='JP1' name='1' type='pad'/> <connector signal='3.3V' id='22' package='1X06_ROUND_70' element='JP1' name='2' type='pad'/> <connector signal='VCC' id='65' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN4' name='2' type='smd'/> </power> <ground> <!-- left to right --> <connector signal='GND' id='5' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN3' name='1' type='smd'/> <connector signal='GND' id='9' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN3' name='MT1' type='smd'/> <connector signal='GND' id='10' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN3' name='MT2' type='smd'/> <connector signal='GND' id='23' package='1X06_ROUND_70' element='JP1' name='3' type='pad'/> <connector signal='GND' id='64' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN4' name='1' type='smd'/> <connector signal='GND' id='68' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN4' name='MT1' type='smd'/> <connector signal='GND' id='69' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN4' name='MT2' type='smd'/> </ground> <left> <!-- top to bottom --> <connector signal='INT' id='26' package='1X06_ROUND_70' element='JP1' name='6' type='pad'/> <connector signal='SCL' id='8' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN3' name='4' type='smd'/> <connector signal='SCL' id='24' package='1X06_ROUND_70' element='JP1' name='4' type='pad'/> </left> <right> <!-- top to bottom --> <connector signal='SDA' id='66' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN4' name='3' type='smd'/> <connector signal='SDA' id='25' package='1X06_ROUND_70' element='JP1' name='5' type='pad'/> <connector signal='SDA' id='7' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN3' name='3' type='smd'/> <connector signal='SCL' id='67' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN4' name='4' type='smd'/> </right>
The power, ground, left and right categories correspond to how the signals will be shown in the schematic view in Fritzing. You'll notice that in the case of the VCNL4030, two of the three SCL signals are located on the left instead of the right. You can cut those two lines from the left section and paste them into the right section.
<left> <!-- top to bottom --> <connector signal='INT' id='26' package='1X06_ROUND_70' element='JP1' name='6' type='pad'/> </left> <right> <!-- top to bottom --> <connector signal='SDA' id='66' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN4' name='3' type='smd'/> <connector signal='SDA' id='25' package='1X06_ROUND_70' element='JP1' name='5' type='pad'/> <connector signal='SDA' id='7' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN3' name='3' type='smd'/> <connector signal='SCL' id='67' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN4' name='4' type='smd'/> </right>
You can also find additional signals in the unused section. You can then cut and paste any signals that you want to include from the unused section into the correct power, ground, left or right sections.Â
You can also move unwanted signals into the unused section. For the VCNL4030, you'll see that four of the GND signals have "MT1" or "MT2" as their name. These correspond with the mechanical ground pads for the STEMMA QT connectors, which you won't want as Fritzing connectors since you would never wire to them. You can move these signals to unused.
<ground> <!-- left to right --> <connector signal='GND' id='5' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN3' name='1' type='smd'/> <connector signal='GND' id='23' package='1X06_ROUND_70' element='JP1' name='3' type='pad'/> <connector signal='GND' id='64' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN4' name='1' type='smd'/> </ground> --- <unused> <connector signal='GND' id='9' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN3' name='MT1' type='smd'/> <connector signal='GND' id='10' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN3' name='MT2' type='smd'/> <connector signal='GND' id='68' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN4' name='MT1' type='smd'/> <connector signal='GND' id='69' package='JST_SH4' element='CONN4' name='MT2' type='smd'/> <connector signal='' id='11' package='FIDUCIAL_0.5MM' element='FID3' name='1' type='smd'/> <connector signal='' id='12' package='MOUNTINGHOLE_2.5_PLATED' element='U$21' name='P$1' type='pad'/> <connector signal='' id='13' package='MOUNTINGHOLE_2.5_PLATED' element='U$17' name='P$1' type='pad'/> <connector signal='VCC' id='14' package='0603-NO' element='C4' name='1' type='smd'/> <connector signal='GND' id='15' package='0603-NO' element='C4' name='2' type='smd'/> <connector signal='3.3V' id='16' package='0603-NO' element='C1' name='1' type='smd'/> <connector signal='GND' id='17' package='0603-NO' element='C1' name='2' type='smd'/>
After saving any changes to the parameters file, you can re-run the script in the command line to apply your changes:
python -m kicad2fritzing.convert
Page last edited July 06, 2026
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