Hi, everyone. As MCLs Forum website is growing bigger by day I thought now is a good time to ask around what some of you use to create nice Schematic Diagrams. The reason for asking is because I am still searching for a simple yet efficient soft that allows you to even create custom symbols but is not necessarily tied in (packaged) in a bundle like for instance KiCad is. What I like as reference is how MCL makes his drawings. The strong points that I’m looking for here are: 1. the junctions/nods are clearly marked with an oversized black circle to avoid confusion. 2. the ability to create your own custom made symbols and perhaps have your own library. 3. the ability in software to be able to (when required) place symbols as close as you want against another symbol and not being restricted to do so. I find it extremely frustrating when there is a restriction in software that literally stops you from doing it. In other words You can only place components incrementally to certain designated spacing (all by design in software|). Now that to me is a big minus. 4. the ability to create a schematic from start to finish and print it without showing a square frame around it like Kicad does. 5. The ability to nicely label/title your drawing with the desired Font size and style and exactly where you precisely want and how you want. Again, I find it frustrating when you are literally forced (in soft) to only use certain fonts and sizes and you can only place the label in certain established place and again you can only place it at a certain distance from the actual drawing itself. So the bottom line is that I’m looking for a total flexibility no frills ! and, ” if possible” a stand alone soft that isn’t bundled with another. Now some of you are probably asking (at this point) why “so finicky” ?, why one would need such a deep flexibility ? Well, the short answer is the following: I would really like to restore (basically recreate from scratch! ) some of the older by now and unobtainable commercial schematics that as you all know, are often scanned copies and are not always clear enough or have “typos” on them (some of which are actually littered with mistakes!) and are mostly scanned in a hurry and at low resolution so, when trying to zoom in, it all becomes a “mushy pie” there and, creates more confusion than clarity. So I would like to be able to restore/re-create them in every little detail and a close as possible to the original. So spacing, font styles, components placing and size is paramount to me.
Perhaps, this is an opportunity to ask MCL if he would want reveal what soft he actually uses to make such a nice schematics ?
KiCAD can do all that.
When in doubt use a microcontroller.
@wilhelm tnx. I’ve tried KiCad some years back when it saw aversion 4 or 5 (cannot remember exactly) But it was buggy and it kept crashing on me (randomly now and then) regardless of that what machine or specs I’ve tested it on. Sometimes trying to save a project it wouldn’t allow me to save it for some reason. Closing and opening the programme would solve the problem but that meant loosing my already done work without being able to save it. (again, probably a bug). And still couldn’t draw certain things the way I wanted it to. It also seemed extremely cluttered with way too many options and the learning curve quite step. So I have abandoned it after about 2-3 months of using it almost daily. Now that is at version 7 (or so) I might give it another chance but still, would like to try some other options out there. Tnx. I know that MCL is using and old and obsolete soft for PCB making called Trax Maker 2000 that requires a Win 98 or 2000 to run it but, I’m not so sure if he uses the same soft bundle/package to draw the schematics with or perhaps…. some other software ?
And today version 8 Release Candidate 3 was released.
When in doubt use a microcontroller.
Whooo! Good timing! And good for me to give it another go then. Ta… 🤩
I use KiCad. Never had a problem with that. The learning curve is not too step.
@egil-hansen I’ll give a it go to the latest version to see.. Tnx for the reassurance. 👍
I used Eagle and later Fusion360, which took it over. Recently I gave KiCad a chance, and it is massive difference. For some reason, I get much better components support, and creating my own models for new ones is a breeze.
The only downside is, I cannot design enclosure in the same program.
@aleksander Tnx. For enclosures Solidworks is a pretty… “Solid choice” 😉
Hi, everyone. As MCLs Forum website is growing bigger by day I thought now is a good time to ask around what some of you use to create nice Schematic Diagrams. The reason for asking is because I am still searching for a simple yet efficient soft that allows you to even create custom symbols but is not necessarily tied in (packaged) in a bundle like for instance KiCad is. What I like as reference is how MCL makes his drawings. The strong points that I’m looking for here are: 1. the junctions/nods are clearly marked with an oversized black circle to avoid confusion. 2. the ability to create your own custom made symbols and perhaps have your own library. 3. the ability in software to be able to (when required) place symbols as close as you want against another symbol and not being restricted to do so. I find it extremely frustrating when there is a restriction in software that literally stops you from doing it. In other words You can only place components incrementally to certain designated spacing (all by design in software|). Now that to me is a big minus. 4. the ability to create a schematic from start to finish and print it without showing a square frame around it like Kicad does. 5. The ability to nicely label/title your drawing with the desired Font size and style and exactly where you precisely want and how you want. Again, I find it frustrating when you are literally forced (in soft) to only use certain fonts and sizes and you can only place the label in certain established place and again you can only place it at a certain distance from the actual drawing itself. So the bottom line is that I’m looking for a total flexibility no frills ! and, ” if possible” a stand alone soft that isn’t bundled with another. Now some of you are probably asking (at this point) why “so finicky” ?, why one would need such a deep flexibility ? Well, the short answer is the following: I would really like to restore (basically recreate from scratch! ) some of the older by now and unobtainable commercial schematics that as you all know, are often scanned copies and are not always clear enough or have “typos” on them (some of which are actually littered with mistakes!) and are mostly scanned in a hurry and at low resolution so, when trying to zoom in, it all becomes a “mushy pie” there and, creates more confusion than clarity. So I would like to be able to restore/re-create them in every little detail and a close as possible to the original. So spacing, font styles, components placing and size is paramount to me.
Perhaps, this is an opportunity to ask MCL if he would want reveal what soft he actually uses to make such a nice schematics ?
I use Kicad. It was my first software for this thing so was a bit confused at first but once I got over the bump it’s a breeze. At first I struggled a lot just finding the parts I wanted to use. But then I realized how easy it is to create custom components (symbols and footprints) or just modify existing ones. And then designing pcb’s is a lot of fun!
To the second part of your question about recreating older schematics. To me that sounds more like a graphic design job than working with a schematics software. Using something like Adobe Illustrator or something like that. Designing your own symbols from scratch, using an old scan as a layer to trace over, etc, etc. And you’ll have all the freedom you need as it’s not trying to make you follow any rules. I mean you’re actually not creating a real digital schematic, you’re just “drawing” one. The GND symbol doesn’t know it’s a symbol for ground, it’s just a few lines with a specific width and length in a group.
@wilhelm cool! I’m on 7 and waiting for what comes next. I also used Eagle, Protel99SE and Altium Designer, but KiCad is my favorite because it’s widely adopted in the industry, it’s free and open source, and cross-platform, works on Debian like a charm.
If all I am doing is documenting something I already have, I use QCad. Previously I used an old copy of Autosketch (Wonderful program BTW) but am concerned that one day Autodesk will figure out a way to make it not work any longer.
Also use KiCad, mostly to learn how it works. Haven’t done any real board design and such, yet!
Jim Korman
So far I have tried KiCad and Fusion360.
From a greenhorn’s perspective, Fusion360 is where I landed – it seemed easier to learn and as was mentioned above, I can integrate case designs nicely.
It’s included as part of my work package, but the hobby version would do me fine, honestly.
Either of these seemed the best and easiest from a new electronic-interested person’s point of view.
I’ve used both to produce printed-at-home etched boards and send-aways to manufacturers.
Fusion is fun, but I always need to make/source footprints and symbols. They have a ton, but your typical stuff mainly.