npnp

Languages: English | Chinese

Normalize Pin Net Pad (npnp) is an LCEDA/EasyEDA downloader and Altium library exporter written in pure Rust.

npnp searches LCEDA/LCSC components, downloads upstream EasyEDA source data and 3D models, and exports Altium-compatible schematic and PCB footprint libraries.

Features

• Search LCEDA/LCSC components by keyword, part name, or LCSC ID.
• Download 3D models as STEP or OBJ/MTL.
• Export raw EasyEDA symbol and footprint JSON for inspection.
• Export Altium schematic libraries (.SchLib).
• Export Altium PCB footprint libraries (.PcbLib).
• Embed STEP models into PCB libraries when upstream STEP data is available.
• Batch export many LCSC IDs from a text file.
• Export either one file per component or merged library pairs.
• Resume non-merged batch exports with checkpoint files.
• Retry transient LCEDA/EasyEDA request failures automatically.

Requirements

• Rust toolchain for building from source.
• Network access to LCEDA/EasyEDA APIs when searching, downloading, or exporting.
• Altium Designer is recommended for final visual verification of generated .SchLib and .PcbLib files.

Install Rust from https://rustup.rs/ if you do not already have it.

Build From Source

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/linkyourbin/npnp.git npnp
cd npnp

Build a debug binary:

cargo build

Build an optimized release binary:

cargo build --release

Run the test suite:

cargo test

Run formatting before publishing or sending a pull request:

cargo fmt

Run a compile check without producing a release binary:

cargo check

Run From Source

When running through Cargo, put -- before npnp arguments:

cargo run --quiet --bin npnp -- --help

Show ready-to-run examples:

cargo run --quiet --bin npnp -- --prompt

Show the package version:

cargo run --quiet --bin npnp -- --version

Run any command from source:

cargo run --quiet --bin npnp -- <COMMAND> [OPTIONS]

Example source-run search:

cargo run --quiet --bin npnp -- search C2040 --limit 5

Run As A Binary

After cargo build --release, the Windows binary is:

.\target\release\npnp.exe

Show help from the built binary:

.\target\release\npnp.exe --help

Show ready-to-run command examples:

.\target\release\npnp.exe --prompt

Show the version:

.\target\release\npnp.exe --version

Run a command with the built binary:

.\target\release\npnp.exe <COMMAND> [OPTIONS]

If npnp.exe is on your PATH, use it directly:

npnp --help

npnp --prompt

npnp search C2040 --limit 5

Install Locally

Install the current checkout as a local Cargo binary:

cargo install --path .

Verify the installed binary:

npnp --version

Uninstall the local Cargo-installed binary:

cargo uninstall npnp

The tool is published to crates.io. Users with a Rust development environment can install it with:

cargo install npnp

Command Overview

Top-level help:

npnp --help

Ready-to-run examples:

npnp --prompt

Help for a specific command:

npnp <COMMAND> --help

Available commands:

• search
• download-step
• download-obj
• export-source
• export-schlib
• export-pcblib
• bundle
• batch

Command: search

Search components by keyword, LCSC ID, manufacturer part, or broad text.

Usage:

npnp search <KEYWORD> [--limit <LIMIT>]

Examples:

npnp search C2040 --limit 5

npnp search RP2040 --limit 10

npnp search TYPE-C --limit 20

Options:

• --limit <LIMIT> controls how many search rows are printed. Default: 20.

Output includes the search result index, display name, LCSC ID when available, manufacturer, and whether a 3D model is listed.

Search Result Indexes

Most export/download commands accept --index <INDEX>. The default is --index 1.

Use this workflow for broad searches:

npnp search TYPE-C --limit 20

Then export the exact row you want:

npnp export-schlib TYPE-C --index 3 --output schlib --force

When <KEYWORD> is an exact LCSC ID like C2040 and --index is left at 1, npnp prefers the search result whose LCSC ID exactly matches the keyword. Explicit non-default indexes still select the requested search row.

Command: download-step

Download a STEP file for the selected component result.

Usage:

npnp download-step <KEYWORD> [--index <INDEX>] [--output <DIR>] [--force]

Examples:

npnp download-step C2040 --output step --force

npnp download-step RP2040 --index 1 --output models\step --force

Options:

• --index <INDEX> selects the search result row. Default: 1.
• --output <DIR> sets the output directory. Default: step.
• --force overwrites an existing output file.

Typical output layout:

step/
  <footprint-or-component-name>.step

Command: download-obj

Download OBJ and MTL files for the selected component result.

Usage:

npnp download-obj <KEYWORD> [--index <INDEX>] [--output <DIR>] [--force]

Examples:

npnp download-obj C2040 --output obj --force

npnp download-obj RP2040 --index 1 --output models\obj --force

Options:

• --index <INDEX> selects the search result row. Default: 1.
• --output <DIR> sets the output directory. Default: obj.
• --force overwrites existing OBJ/MTL files.

Typical output layout:

obj/
  <component-name>.obj
  <component-name>.mtl

Command: export-source

Export raw EasyEDA symbol and footprint source JSON files only.

Use this command when you want to inspect upstream payloads before generating Altium libraries.

Usage:

npnp export-source <KEYWORD> [--index <INDEX>] [--output <DIR>] [--force]

Examples:

npnp export-source C2040 --output easyeda_src --force

npnp export-source RP2040 --index 1 --output debug\easyeda_src --force

Options:

• --index <INDEX> selects the search result row. Default: 1.
• --output <DIR> sets the output directory. Default: easyeda_src.
• --force overwrites existing source JSON files.

Typical output layout:

easyeda_src/
  <component-name>_symbol_easyeda.json
  <component-name>_footprint_easyeda.json

Command: export-schlib

Export a pure Rust Altium schematic library (.SchLib).

Usage:

npnp export-schlib <KEYWORD> [--index <INDEX>] [--output <DIR>] [--force]

Examples:

npnp export-schlib C2040 --output schlib --force

npnp export-schlib RP2040 --index 1 --output out\schlib --force

Options:

• --index <INDEX> selects the search result row. Default: 1.
• --output <DIR> sets the output directory. Default: schlib.
• --force overwrites an existing .SchLib file.

Current schematic export includes:

• Symbol body and graphics.
• Pins.
• Multipart symbols when present in source data.
• Metadata records such as Designator, Comment, Description, and parameters.
• PCB footprint implementation links when footprint data is available.

Typical output layout:

schlib/
  <component-name>.SchLib

Command: export-pcblib

Export a pure Rust Altium PCB footprint library (.PcbLib).

Usage:

npnp export-pcblib <KEYWORD> [--index <INDEX>] [--output <DIR>] [--force]

Examples:

npnp export-pcblib C2040 --output pcblib --force

npnp export-pcblib RP2040 --index 1 --output out\pcblib --force

Options:

• --index <INDEX> selects the search result row. Default: 1.
• --output <DIR> sets the output directory. Default: pcblib.
• --force overwrites an existing .PcbLib file.

Current PCB export includes:

• Pads.
• Tracks, arcs, regions, and footprint primitives mapped from EasyEDA data.
• 3D STEP model embedding when a usable upstream STEP model exists.
• Empty 3D body output when no usable STEP model is available.

Typical output layout:

pcblib/
  <component-name>.PcbLib

Command: bundle

Export a source bundle for one selected component.

The bundle command writes EasyEDA source JSON files, a STEP file when available, and a manifest JSON file that records the selected component and generated artifacts.

Usage:

npnp bundle <KEYWORD> [--index <INDEX>] [--output <DIR>] [--force]

Examples:

npnp bundle C2040 --output bundle --force

npnp bundle RP2040 --index 1 --output out\bundle --force

Options:

• --index <INDEX> selects the search result row. Default: 1.
• --output <DIR> sets the output directory. Default: bundle.
• --force overwrites existing bundle files.

Typical output layout:

bundle/
  <component-name>_symbol_easyeda.json
  <component-name>_footprint_easyeda.json
  <footprint-or-component-name>.step
  <component-name>_bundle.json

The STEP file appears only when the selected component has an upstream 3D model.

Command: batch

Batch export Altium libraries from a text file containing LCSC IDs.

Usage:

npnp batch --input <FILE> [--output <DIR>] [--schlib] [--pcblib] [--full] [--merge] [--library-name <NAME>] [--parallel <N>] [--continue-on-error] [--force]

Short input flag:

npnp batch -i ids.txt --output batch_out --full --force

The input parser extracts IDs in the form C<number> from arbitrary text. It accepts lowercase IDs like c2040, deduplicates repeated IDs, and preserves first-seen order.

Example ids.txt:

C2040
C12074
C569043

Export both schematic and PCB libraries, one file per component:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output batch_out --full --parallel 4 --continue-on-error --force

Export only schematic libraries:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output batch_schlib --schlib --parallel 4 --continue-on-error --force

Export only PCB libraries:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output batch_pcblib --pcblib --parallel 4 --continue-on-error --force

Export both targets using explicit flags instead of --full:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output batch_out --schlib --pcblib --parallel 4 --continue-on-error --force

Write one merged .SchLib and one merged .PcbLib:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output merged_out --merge --library-name MyLib --full --continue-on-error --force

Write only a merged schematic library:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output merged_schlib --merge --library-name MySchLib --schlib --continue-on-error --force

Write only a merged PCB library:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output merged_pcblib --merge --library-name MyPcbLib --pcblib --continue-on-error --force

Batch options:

• --input <FILE> or -i <FILE> is required.
• --output <DIR> sets the output directory. Default: batch.
• --schlib exports schematic libraries.
• --pcblib exports PCB libraries.
• --full exports both schematic and PCB libraries.
• --merge writes one merged library per selected target instead of one file per component.
• --library-name <NAME> sets the merged output filename prefix.
• --parallel <N> sets concurrent jobs for non-merged batch export. Default: 4.
• --continue-on-error keeps processing remaining IDs if one ID fails.
• --force ignores checkpoint skips and overwrites existing outputs.

Non-merged batch output layout:

batch_out/
  .checkpoint
  schlib/
    <component-a>.SchLib
    <component-b>.SchLib
  pcblib/
    <component-a>.PcbLib
    <component-b>.PcbLib

Merged batch output layout:

merged_out/
  MyLib.SchLib
  MyLib.PcbLib

Checkpoint behavior:

• Non-merged batch exports create .checkpoint in the output directory.
• Completed IDs are written to .checkpoint.
• Later runs skip completed IDs unless --force is used.
• Merged batch exports rebuild the merged output and do not use the non-merged checkpoint layout.

Recommended Workflows

Exact LCSC ID workflow:

npnp search C2040 --limit 5
npnp export-schlib C2040 --output out\schlib --force
npnp export-pcblib C2040 --output out\pcblib --force

Broad keyword workflow:

npnp search TYPE-C --limit 20
npnp export-schlib TYPE-C --index 3 --output out\schlib --force
npnp export-pcblib TYPE-C --index 3 --output out\pcblib --force

Source inspection workflow:

npnp export-source C2040 --output inspect\easyeda --force
npnp bundle C2040 --output inspect\bundle --force

Batch verification workflow:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output generated\check --full --force --continue-on-error

Merged library verification workflow:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output generated\merged_check --merge --library-name MyLib --full --force --continue-on-error

Merge Output Screenshots

The imgs/ directory stores screenshots generated from merged-library output produced by npnp.

These examples come from a merged export workflow such as:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output generated\merged_check --merge --library-name MyLib --full --force --continue-on-error

Overview:

Schematic library screenshots:

PCB library screenshots:

License

npnp now uses the closest standard license to the current project intent: PolyForm-Noncommercial-1.0.0 in LICENSE.txt.

• Non-commercial use, research, evaluation, and personal experimentation are allowed.
• Commercial use, paid redistribution, paid service use, or use inside a commercial workflow requires separate permission from the author.
• If you redistribute the project, keep the license text and required notices.
• The PolyForm license does not legally require pull requests. This project still asks anyone publishing modified versions to mention the original npnp project and, when possible, send changes back as a pull request.
• This is source-available and non-commercial, not an OSI open-source license.

Notes On Generated Files

• Output filenames are sanitized for Windows-unsafe characters.
• Existing files are preserved unless --force is passed.
• STEP embedding depends on upstream LCEDA/EasyEDA model availability and payload quality.
• If a footprint opens without a 3D body, the upstream STEP model may be missing, invalid, or not linked from the selected component.
• The generated libraries should be opened in Altium Designer for final visual verification before production use.

Troubleshooting

No valid IDs found in batch input:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output batch_out --full

Check that ids.txt contains values like:

C2040
C12074
C569043

Wrong component exported from a broad keyword:

npnp search <KEYWORD> --limit 20

Then pass the desired result row:

npnp export-schlib <KEYWORD> --index <ROW> --output schlib --force

Existing output was not overwritten:

npnp export-pcblib C2040 --output pcblib --force

Resume or rerun a non-merged batch export:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output batch_out --full --continue-on-error

Force a full non-merged batch rebuild:

npnp batch --input ids.txt --output batch_out --full --force --continue-on-error

Network/API issues:

• Confirm that the machine can reach LCEDA/EasyEDA APIs.
• Retry later if LCEDA/EasyEDA is temporarily unavailable.
• npnp automatically retries transient request failures such as timeouts, connection failures, rate limiting, and server-side 5xx responses.