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Schematic drawing — Parallax Forums

Schematic drawing

Mike2545Mike2545 Posts: 433
edited 2009-01-09 22:36 in General Discussion
I have made some circuits using the Basic stamp 2 and would like to draw a digital schematic of them.
Does any one know of a good program to use?

Thanks Mike2545

Comments

  • ZootZoot Posts: 2,227
    edited 2009-01-08 03:07
    Eagle freeware -- cadsoft.de

    Express PCB -- expresspcb.com

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. -- HST

    1uffakind.com/robots/povBitMapBuilder.php
    1uffakind.com/robots/resistorLadder.php
  • science_geekscience_geek Posts: 247
    edited 2009-01-08 03:14
    i also would agree with eagle, sparkfun has some nice tutorials on getting started, there is also a company referenced(kind of) by sparkfun that you can have make pcb's using eagle cad,
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2009-01-08 03:50
    One of those two (I can't remember which) produces the ugly brown and green schematics that have been the bane of this forum. I highly recommend DesignWorks Lite. It's not free ($39), but it's easy to use and produces non-ugly schematics.

    Free is not always best.

    -Phil
  • John BondJohn Bond Posts: 369
    edited 2009-01-08 12:52
    What about TinyCAD

    http://tinycad.sourceforge.net/

    Its intuative, easy to learn and FREE. I find it fun to use.

    I found Eagle didn't think the same way I did and this frustrated the $#!T out of me (Uchtung domkoff, when Eagle you are using, twice you are to click the mouse button!!! LOL). TiniCAD is much more fun. I was using it within 60 minutes of downloading the zip file. Everything is where you expect it to be. everything works the way you expect it to.

    It exports both Protel netlists (to design you PCB from) and Spice files (to simulate your circuit)

    The down side, you dont get 245 000 component libraries, only the common components. It is very easy to design your own components though. I was doing this within 3 hours.

    It is a real sweat little program and is very popular in England and Australia.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
  • PhilldapillPhilldapill Posts: 1,283
    edited 2009-01-08 19:08
    I use eagle. Eagle seems to be somewhat of a standard since many companies accept Eagle files alone. This is much easier since you don't have to do the technical conversion to gerber file format. Plus, when you submit the Eagle file, you can visually verify that what you are sending is correct, instead of sending them a file full of only numbers. Eagle also has a very large library(sometimes TOO large).

    I think this is that "ugly" program Phil is refering to... It may be ugly, but it's very functional.
  • ZootZoot Posts: 2,227
    edited 2009-01-08 19:26
    To come full circle -- I recommended Eagle and expressPCB for specific reasons (not necessarily because they are the "best"):

    Eagle --

    Eagle is both free and paid. While limited in size and pin count for the "free" version, it *still includes an auto-router for making PCB files from schematics*. The exports are commonly accepted at board houses all over. It is also available for most platforms.

    Eagle has a *vast* user contributed library of components, pad arrangements, etc., including just about every component sold by Parallax.

    expressPCB --

    There are a lot of projects (by JonnyMac and others) that include expressPCB format schematics and boards -- there is something really useful about opening up a working project with an editable schematic, board, and code.

    The software is TIED TO THEIR BOARD SERVICE. However, it's extraordinarily easy to use and will let the novice user go right to boards w/o too much fuss. The libraries are minimal (but sometimes having fewer choices makes it easier to find items) but Prop and Stamp components are available, and JonnyMac has posted SX components.

    Certainly there are "better" programs -- I think the most important considerations are library size (if there is a need) and user "comfort" with the application. What may be "intuitive" to one user, may not to another.

    Phil -- the app you posted looks interesting, especially because I'm interested in something small and tidy to use on my Mac -- but their site is unclear -- they have a "Professional", a "Design Works", a "Lite" and a "Free". Only some seem to available for Mac but in their feature comparison they don't actually list all the software they actually have for download. Are you using the actual "Lite"? The "Free" seems to be a demo version of that software. The have a separate board program it looks like?

    Also, both Eagle and expressPCB have dark print on white background for schematics; board presentation varies depending on user preferences; if I remember both are "negative" board images by default.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. -- HST

    1uffakind.com/robots/povBitMapBuilder.php
    1uffakind.com/robots/resistorLadder.php
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2009-01-08 20:37
    Zoot,

    I use the "Lite" version on WinXP.

    I just downloaded the "Lite" version to my iMAC G5 (1.8GHz PowerPC/OS X 10.3) to try it. There are some differences to the look and feel from the Windows version (e.g. floating tool palettes, no drag-and-drop), but the general feature set and user interaction are about the same. It doesn't seem quite as snappy on the Mac, but that may just be a difference in processor speeds. Although the screen image on the Capilano website hints that it's a Mac Classic (OS 9) application, it appears to be a native OS X program when running on my iMac.

    -Phil
  • ZootZoot Posts: 2,227
    edited 2009-01-08 20:53
    Thanks. Elsewhere on their site they mention that the app is "now OSX compatible" but it's not presented that way on the download page, per se.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. -- HST

    1uffakind.com/robots/povBitMapBuilder.php
    1uffakind.com/robots/resistorLadder.php
  • Curtis BrooksCurtis Brooks Posts: 38
    edited 2009-01-08 22:20
    With ExpressPCB, after you have made the initial purchase of one of their packages, you can purchase your board files from them that can be used by different board houses if you want them mass produced.· The component library is minimal but creating components are very easy and I found out from a different post here that there is a yahoo support group that exchanges user designed components.
  • ZootZoot Posts: 2,227
    edited 2009-01-08 22:39
    What's the link for that group?

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. -- HST

    1uffakind.com/robots/povBitMapBuilder.php
    1uffakind.com/robots/resistorLadder.php
  • Mike2545Mike2545 Posts: 433
    edited 2009-01-08 23:30
    I give a thank you to all who replied to this seemingly simple question.

    Now I have some work of my own to do. I'll probably try all of the free ones first and if I don't like them I can always purchase one of the others. I'm sure to find one of them that will suit my needs.

    Thanks again.
  • Curtis BrooksCurtis Brooks Posts: 38
    edited 2009-01-09 03:14
    Zoot,

    Here is the link http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/expresspcb/.

    I found it in the forums from a response to the post by Mike green about custom components in ExpressPCB.
  • heichheich Posts: 26
    edited 2009-01-09 22:36
    Another option is kicad

    www.lis.inpg.fr/realise_au_lis/kicad/

    I've been using it since 3 years ago. -I never needed anything else-
    GPL Licensed (free)
    It has Schematic, PCB and Module/Libraries editors, 3d viewer -Also you can make your own 3d shapes with Wings 3D-
    Supports multi-layer and unlimited-size designs, Autorouting capabilities,...
    Exports to PDF, PS and Gerber.

    Runs on Windows and Linux.

    Anyway, for me, it´s the best option.

    Best Regards
    Hector
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