What software to draw schematics?

[JeffM]

stan wrote:

You could also give the free/student version of pspice a try.

Going that route, rather than using the crippleware version

of software that is increasingly poorly supported,
he could get a free copy of LTspice.

 

[Peter Bennett]

On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:08:54 -0600, George <gh424NO824SPAM@cox.net>
wrote:

Is there a good, small freeware program for XP for drawing
schematics? I don't need to route boards, so I wouldn't need that
function. But it would be nice if it had a library of standard
symbols.

If you don't intend to produce PC boards, (or generate netlists or do
electrical rule checks) then almost any general CAD program that
allows you to create re-usable symbols or blocks can be used - your
first few drawings may take some extra time as you build a component
library, but you'll soon have all the symbols you commonly need built
(and they'll be built the way _you_ want them).

Even after using professional ECAD program with a large component
library (Protel/Altium) for many years, I still find I have to build a
new component or two for each new job.


--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca

 

[stan]

Rich Webb wrote:

On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:08:54 -0600, George <gh424NO824SPAM@cox.net
wrote:

Is there a good, small freeware program for XP for drawing
schematics? I don't need to route boards, so I wouldn't need that
function. But it would be nice if it had a library of standard
symbols.

Kicad http://kicad.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page and
gEDA http://geda.seul.org/wiki/ are both FOSS apps that include
schematic capture. Both also include netlist generation and PCB layout
that you may not use BUT since they are intended to do real boards
they both have rule checking capability that you may not find in pure
drawing programs and which may be useful in warning you about
interconnection errors.

Kicad is a little easier to install under Windows. There is a Windows
port for the gEDA toolset but it's happier under Linux/Mac.

You could also give the free/student version of pspice a try. It has a
windows installer and the usual windows handholding.

 

[Eeyore]

George wrote:

Is there a good, small freeware program for XP for drawing
schematics? I don't need to route boards, so I wouldn't need that
function. But it would be nice if it had a library of standard
symbols.

Most of the commercial CAD pacakages have limited versions available
free of charge.

Otherwise you could try ExpressPCB's software
http://www.expresspcb.com/ExpressPCBHtm/Free_cad_software.htm

or one of the several freeware packages.

Graham

 

[John Larkin]

On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:08:54 -0600, George <gh424NO824SPAM@cox.net>
wrote:

Is there a good, small freeware program for XP for drawing
schematics? I don't need to route boards, so I wouldn't need that
function. But it would be nice if it had a library of standard
symbols.

LT Spice draws decent schematics.

John

 

[YD]

Late at night, by candle light, George <gh424NO824SPAM@cox.net> penned
this immortal opus:

Is there a good, small freeware program for XP for drawing
schematics? I don't need to route boards, so I wouldn't need that
function. But it would be nice if it had a library of standard
symbols.

TinyCAD is good for schematic capture, it comes with a rather well
rounded library of common parts. However, it won't export to any
common CAD formats. OTOH it exports net lists.

A9CAD is pretty nice for electrical and mechanical drawings, saves
*.dwg and *.dxf but the free version doesn't make libraries.

DraftChoice for Windows is another option, it's abandonware by now so
just ignore the nags. Makes libraries and exports *.dxf.

- YD.

--
Remove HAT if replying by mail.

 

[BobW]

"George" <gh424NO824SPAM@cox.net> wrote in message
news:VqWzj.62510$Ft5.7279@newsfe15.lga...

Is there a good, small freeware program for XP for drawing
schematics? I don't need to route boards, so I wouldn't need that
function. But it would be nice if it had a library of standard
symbols.

The one from www.expresspcb.com will do nicely. You'll need their ExpressSch
package. I don't know if you need to download the pcb package, too.

The only odd thing is getting used to clicking then hitting the spacebar to
end a wire connection.

Bob

 

[JeffM]

Rich Webb wrote:

Kicad is a little easier to install under Windows.

True, though understated.

There is a Windows port for the gEDA toolset

Actually, no.

I had some old bookmarks to earlier Windows binaries of gEDA,
but those pages no longer exist.
The versions were so out of date that they were deleted (I'm
guessing).

Getting someone to put together a Windoze installer these days
seems to be a once-bitten--twice-shy thing.
Windoze weenies take a lot more hand-holding
and are very vocal and insistant that they get help;
Because of the relative cluelessness of those users,
releasing Windows binaries seems to simply hurt the brand.

It *is* possible for Windows users to build gEDA themselves:
http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:WTdypZlJUk4J:www.geda.seul.org/download.html+There.is.no.supported+Stuart.Brorson+depending.upon.your+Windows+only.works+Last.update+gEDA-is-free-*-*-*-*-*+your.*.*.expertise+theoretically.possible+*.*.yourself+version+ahvezda+distribution.and+2007+missing.dependencies+*-*-*-despair+Linux
"Words to the Wise" at the bottom.

but it's happier under Linux/Mac.

I thinks it's more that users of Unix-like OSes are simply more

clueful
and more easily contented with works-in-progress software.

since they are intended to do real boards
they both have rule checking capability
that you may not find in pure drawing programs

That can't be emphasized enough.

 

[BobG]

On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:08:54 -0600, George <gh424NO824S...@cox.net
wrote:

Is there a good, small freeware program for XP for drawing
schematics?
===========================

tinycad?

 

[Rich Webb]

On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:08:54 -0600, George <gh424NO824SPAM@cox.net>
wrote:

Is there a good, small freeware program for XP for drawing
schematics? I don't need to route boards, so I wouldn't need that
function. But it would be nice if it had a library of standard
symbols.

Kicad http://kicad.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page and
gEDA http://geda.seul.org/wiki/ are both FOSS apps that include
schematic capture. Both also include netlist generation and PCB layout
that you may not use BUT since they are intended to do real boards
they both have rule checking capability that you may not find in pure
drawing programs and which may be useful in warning you about
interconnection errors.

Kicad is a little easier to install under Windows. There is a Windows
port for the gEDA toolset but it's happier under Linux/Mac.

--
Rich Webb Norfolk, VA

 

[George]

Is there a good, small freeware program for XP for drawing
schematics? I don't need to route boards, so I wouldn't need that
function. But it would be nice if it had a library of standard
symbols.

 

[Paul E. Schoen]

"John Larkin" <jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote in message
news:vah1t315eub9d3rpo0eemh10lksa43ne2t@4ax.com...

On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:08:54 -0600, George <gh424NO824SPAM@cox.net
wrote:

Is there a good, small freeware program for XP for drawing
schematics? I don't need to route boards, so I wouldn't need that
function. But it would be nice if it had a library of standard
symbols.


LT Spice draws decent schematics.

I fully agree, and it is possible to post the ascii file in usenet so
others can evaluate the circuit and modify as needed. But it does not have
a good library of TTL and general purpose analog ICs, other than what they
sell. But for just drawing a schematic, it is as good as any, with the
bonus of being able to simulate operation.

I use PADS Logic for schematics, and it is good if you want to do large
designs and generate netlists and use component libraries for PCBs. It can
be hard to use for a beginner, but they have a free version of their entire
package that will work for small designs. You can get it at www.mentor.com.

Paul

 

[George]

Thanks very much for the suggestions.

Does each program have its own proprietary file format? For
example, I ran across some project documentation that has everything
in Eagle format. Is an Eagle .sch file the same as an ExpressPCB
..sch file? In other words, are there any standards for this, or are
the formats for each different?

At the risk of being ungreatful, it seems to me to be less than
totally useful to require installing a particular program just to
view a schematic. Such as in this example:

http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/download.html

Anyway, my intended output would probably be .gif or .jpg files, but
I can see where it might be useful to at least have available a
format that someone else could take further and produce boards from
if they wanted to. So maybe something like Eagle Light or
ExpressPBC would be the way to go. Not sure whether TinyCAD would
do that.

 

[John Larkin]

On Fri, 7 Mar 2008 16:39:57 -0500, "Paul E. Schoen" <pstech@smart.net>
wrote:

"John Larkin" <jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote in message
news:vah1t315eub9d3rpo0eemh10lksa43ne2t@4ax.com...
On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:08:54 -0600, George <gh424NO824SPAM@cox.net
wrote:

Is there a good, small freeware program for XP for drawing
schematics? I don't need to route boards, so I wouldn't need that
function. But it would be nice if it had a library of standard
symbols.


LT Spice draws decent schematics.

I fully agree, and it is possible to post the ascii file in usenet so
others can evaluate the circuit and modify as needed. But it does not have
a good library of TTL and general purpose analog ICs, other than what they
sell. But for just drawing a schematic, it is as good as any, with the
bonus of being able to simulate operation.

I've spent the last hour or so running sims in LT Spice, and the
schematic editor is OK. It does have the annoying feature that it can
leave line segments dangling and doesn't move parts very
intelligently. The ascii format is indeed cool.

I use PADS Logic for schematics, and it is good if you want to do large
designs and generate netlists and use component libraries for PCBs. It can
be hard to use for a beginner, but they have a free version of their entire
package that will work for small designs. You can get it at www.mentor.com.

I use PADS Logic for official schematic entry, and it's the best
schematic editor I've ever seen. It's very smart, moves everything
right, and never leaves anything dangling. The resulting schematics
also look great, on the screen or printed. I sure wish it could copy
and paste between sheets, without the silly "group" thing.

PADS can ascii-out a schematic, too.

John

 

[JeffM]

George wrote:

Does each program have its own proprietary file format?
[...]In other words, are there any standards for this,
or are the formats for each different?

Very topical:

http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.design/browse_frm/thread/afc5007ff80f869a/591354e47bc759d4?q=Heh+*-magic-tool-*-*-*-*+file.extension+left-to-the-industry

Anyway, my intended output would probably be .gif or .jpg files,

The longer you keep it in vector format, the more flexible it will be.

Stay away from JPEG completely.

So maybe something like Eagle Light

If you are planning to use other people's libraries,

EAGLE is the WORST choice you could make;
others have found their labors unusable (DRM):
**The Downside of EAGLE** by Markus Zingg
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.arch.embedded/browse_frm/thread/f794e82d26b59e18/d7cf4149edb93ac7?q=*-*-website+reuse+paying.*+*-I-will-switch+cracked-*+*.would.not.help.*+zzz+after-*-*-version-*+copied+*.*.unlock.*.designs+*-*-*-*-exchange-*-*-*-*-third-party+reused+qq+*-*-single-bit-*-*-*-*+useless+*-*-*-projects-could-no-longer-be-opened

 

At the risk of being ungreatful, it seems to me to be less than
totally useful to require installing a particular program just to
view a schematic. Such as in this example:

http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/download.html

well you can just view the exported PNG schematic here
http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/parts.html

limor

 

[George]

JeffM says...

If you are planning to use other people's libraries,
EAGLE is the WORST choice you could make; others have
found their labors unusable (DRM):

Well, I found this summary of what's out there:

http://www.fritzing.org/development/market-overview

And it appears to confirm what I've noticed elsewhere - that
Eagle is probably the most widely used among the
occasional-use/hobbiest crowd where I would be.

I installed TinyCAD, but didn't really like the layout much.
So I may try Eagle Light, and at least I'll see what others'
Eagle schematics look like.

 

[George]

ladyada@gmail.com says...

At the risk of being ungreatful, it seems to me to be
less than totally useful to require installing a
particular program just to view a schematic. Such as
in this example:

http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/download.html

well you can just view the exported PNG schematic here
http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/parts.html

limor

Thanks very much. Obviously I had missed that. I apologize
for, uh, being ungreatful. And not being very observant.

And thanks for all the projects.

 

[Bob Monsen]

"John Larkin" <jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote in message
news:77a4t3dq27kpel6u47itcnobgpnvjt38aj@4ax.com...

I've spent the last hour or so running sims in LT Spice, and the
schematic editor is OK. It does have the annoying feature that it can
leave line segments dangling and doesn't move parts very
intelligently. The ascii format is indeed cool.

Is this some kind of external program? I remember Jon something wrote an
LTSpice to ascii translator. Or, is it built in now? If so, how to I access
it?

Thanks,
Bob Monsen

 

[George]

JeffM says...

If, OTOH, you look at the trend of *new* users, the
trend is moving in the **open source** direction. Most
folks don't like the notion of *changing the rules down
the road* as Cadsoft has done surreptitiously.

e.g. KiCAD doesn't have the size/layers limitations of a
demo AND IT DOESN'T LOCK YOU OUT OF YOUR FILES.

Yes, but if most people like me (strictly hobby stuff) use
Eagle, there still seems to be little point in using
something else as long as it will work for what I want.

Maybe you've used Windoze so long that you are used to
being treated like a thief. I find that most people
don't like that sort of behavior. Giving money/support
to companies/people who treat you badly seems foolish to
me.

For a minute there I thought you were making a point about
the iPhone.