Comparing PCB/Schematic CAD software - features and productivity (DipTrace etc)

Peter Jakacki

It's five in the morning here and I am up and doing up some new schematics etc using my old Protel99SE which although getting long in the tooth does everything I need it to do but I run it from WinXP in VirtualBox. The whole WinXP environment can be easily backed-up and cloned onto other PCs which mostly run Linux but could just as easily run Win10 or OS X.

But for the sake of compatibility and modern platform use I'd like to use some of the more "modern" ones and I keep getting drawn back to DipTrace. So I also downloaded the new 3.0 beta copy onto my Win10 laptop with the intention of getting serious since the new beta has some extra features I'm interested in including customized keyboard shortcuts.

Now that last bit is what makes my Protel99SE so productive, if I want to place the symbol for the P2 I just type P(lace) P(art) P16X32 and it's done. Same goes for the P1 of course expect it would be P P P8X32A-Q44 for instance.

However in DipTrace it becomes a contorted menu navigation after locating the correct library and knowing which one that is in the first place then clicking and dropping the part. How about a simple resistor? NOT simple!

The PCB side in DipTrace looks good though and I have always recommended DipTrace in the forums over the years as the other good "feature" is that hobbyists or cautious buyers can just use it as is with reasonable limits.

Bob Lawrence (VE1RLL)

At least you can import Eagle library's into Diptrace.

On the weekend I tried PCBWEB(free) and imported a Prop 1 Eagle Library into it . I wanted to try it because it's integrated with Digikey for parts.

Heater.

Seems to me that whatever schematic capture / PCB layout program you choose, you have to invest a considerable amount of time into learning it's foibles and work flows.

As such, I would rather invest my time into learning how to get an Open Source solution working. Which, today, is KiCad, http://kicad-pcb.org/.

KiCad has support from CERN and others so it is serious business.


Disclaimer: Back in the day I did a few years work on CadStar by Racal. A brilliantly capable and easy to use system for only £10,000 a seat! Still available: http://www.zuken.com/en/products/pcb-design/cadstar

hatallica

I found Dip Trace to be intuitive, the learning curve steep, and the support decent. Others seem to find it frustrating. I can only conclude that we are using the same tool in wildly different ways.

Your description of placing a resistor sounded very foreign to me. You may wish to experiment with the toolbars (View -> Toolbars) ... specifically the Components toolbar. Getting to just about any library and component is a breeze that way. That must have been one of the first things that I set up years ago, because I forgot that there was any other (contorted) way!

Peter Jakacki

It's the DipTrace schematic that leaves a lot to be desired. Placing a resistor is a slow menu scroll scroll scroll and select land-pattern (already) etc. Schematics need to have some specification of footprint for auto-placement in pcb but the exact footprint isn't always determined at schematic time, it may need to be shrunk so we go from 0805 to 0603 or less.

BTW, I've designed and made pcbs my whole life. I've made them with Dalo pen and bare laminate etched with Ferric Chloride through to creating my own digital methods on the first Macs and getting Linotype prints to neg or $$$$$ laser printers at the time. But Protel has been my main pcb cad to date. There are exorbitant packages out there for corporations and there are ones that aren't fit for hobbyists. DipTrace holds some promise if they can improve the bit between the design and the designer, the UI.

Rayman

I'm big into Eagle right now.
It's not the most intuitive, but you can get it for free.
This is nice because I can post files that anyone can see for free...

What's really nice is that Sparkfun posts the Eagle files for many of their products.
This lets me basically cut and paste to use most of the parts I need...

Also, it seems to be a very recognized program.
For example, Simblee only posted their module footprint in two formats: Altium and Eagle.

Also, Newark supports/sells Eagle and has made a big library of parts...

hatallica

Peter Jakacki wrote: »

It's the DipTrace schematic that leaves a lot to be desired. Placing a resistor is a slow menu scroll scroll scroll and select land-pattern (already) etc. Schematics need to have some specification of footprint for auto-placement in pcb but the exact footprint isn't always determined at schematic time, it may need to be shrunk so we go from 0805 to 0603 or less.

As previously stated, you are going out of your way to use the most inefficient process. You cannot blame the tool for that. Using the toolbars, there is hardly a component that I cannot get to in 3 rapid clicks.

Changing patterns is quite simple from both the Schematic and PCB tools. Changes can be applied to one component, multiple selected components, or all components of the same type (i.e. RES0805 to RES0603).

I do not intend to provide a tutorial, and I am sincerely not qualified to do so. You may find value spending a few minutes on the DipTrace forum where more seasoned users reside.

Peter Jakacki

So you have wasted one hundred words to tell me that when ten more words would tell me how you do it in that one tiny little instance I quoted????? Is that how some forums work?