Drawing schematics on a computer?

[unrealdave]

{Mod edit: As requested, split from http://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/...p?tid=4853}

Has anyone got any tips on drawing circuit diagrams?

I am driving myself nuts trying to use paint and get straight lines - I have a bunch of jpg's for the symbols but putting them together is going to take all day. I s there a package I could get that's cheap (or free)?

[ppppenguin]

There are several free schematic packages. I've not used any of them but have heard good reports on Kicad and the one that RS make available FOC.

Professionally I've used Orcad for many years but might well not choose it now if I was starting from scratch. Back in 1988 it was a bargain at about £600. The first (relatively) affordable scheamtic package. Running with VGA graphics on a 286 it was a PITA but just so much easier than pen and paper. And it allowed you to extract a bill of materials and PCB netlist which was a revelation to those of us used to manual methods.

[pwdrive]

I've used inkscape in the past, snap to grid, nodes and all that kind of stuff, straight lines no problem and spot on, worked very well, drew my own circuit symbols, R's, C's, L's, Valves etc and saved them in a file to be copied and pasted into the circuit drawing as needed.

If? I can find an example of what I did I'll post it up.

Lawrence.

[pwdrive]

Hopefully this link will work, the circuit is for a regenerodyne receiver I designed and built as a prototype, all done with inkecape drawing software which was free.

http://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/...p?tid=3289&highlight=inkscape

Lawrence.

[unrealdave]

OK I think I am away with inkscape - I tried the rs one but there were problems running it on my pc - snap to grip and the rest seems ideal for my needs.

Unfortunately I now have to do stuff - while I have been sitting here I have been informed the windows need cleaning - the garden needs doing and I am always on the pc or messing with radio's - bless 'em .........

[pwdrive]

If I remember correctly the inksape files are SVG, I converted them to PNG to post them on this forum, can't remember whether or not if I did that conversion from within the inkscape program or whether I used a separate online converter, whichever ways it couldn't have been too complicated 'cos I'm a software dummy and managed to do it ok.

Good luck.

Lawrence.

[unrealdave]

You can save from within - easily! This was a great tip thank you - thanks Jeff for your suggestion also but this is much more me. I have already done the first stage much easier than with paint

I have lots of valve type symbols (anyone want them let me know) that go great with this little program so as soon as I am allowed I will produce a circuit diagram for the neutralising set I am working on. Must go to the garden!

[AlanBeckett]

You should be listening to the Cricket on TMS  

Seriously, I'm put off by the need to generate Symbols. It seems silly to have lots of people generating there own Valves, Resistors, Capacitors, Coils etc.
Is it possible to Post them, or Package them up for distribution?

Alan

[pwdrive]

I seem to remember I did the inductor symbols in that inkscape/regenerodyne link I posted by drawing part of a circle (it might have been an ellipse) then pulling/ stretching it to get the right shape, once that was done I made several copies of it and joined them all together to make the inductor symbol, it took a while but once done it was saved into my circuit symbols file for use as and when, another way is to plonk a load of ellipses connected to each other in a stack.

Lawrence.

[ppppenguin]

One advantage of using a dedicated scheamtic capture program is that most components will already have symbols available in the libraries. There are also 3rd party libraries around. For example I found some valve symbols for Orcad that somebody had made. Another is that you can often move components around and the wiring will follow, though sometimes very inelegantly. If you're doing digital designs then the facilities for combining signals into buses are essential.

Most other benefits of dedicated scheamtic capture programs aren't so relevant for enthusiasts. BOM extraction isn't useful unless you're buying parts for manufacture. Netlisting isn't useful unless you're designing a PCB.

PS: Might it be a good idea if a moderator split this thread and put all the useful schematic capture stuff in a more relevant place?