PCB Layout Programs

[Qiaozhi]

There is some electronic software available in Ubuntu.
As you can see below, Eagle is supported. There are a few other packages, but I've never tested them.

[WM6]

The only down side to this program is that it is pin limited to 300 pins/pads or you can get a fully functional 30 day trial.

Cheers Mick

Hi Mick

If you ask DipTrace tim for non-profit (Lite) licence you can get 500 pin/pads version for free too.

Contact tim from this site:

http://www.diptrace.com/nonprofit.php

[simonbaker]

Hi Mick

If you ask DipTrace tim for non-profit (Lite) licence you can get 500 pin/pads version for free too.

Contact tim from this site:

http://www.diptrace.com/nonprofit.php

That a little better, thanks for the tip!

-SB

[Tepco]

This discussion about PCB software is interesting, Sprint obviously winning the race, but i have one orthodox, and maybe stupid idea (or perhaps not at all that bad...)

Long time ago, in medieval days of 386 machines and WIN95, one program was particulary popular, Protel design system. Whit 8 floppy disks installation package (6 for schematic part, 2 for PCB). Well, 2.88Mb for PCB part, les than typical MP3 song or ringtone?!? From this description, you may expect some outdated incapable obsolete software whit minimum features. In fact this is probably the best and most versatile PCB editor EVER. Later versions came, Protel 98, Altium DXP (this time DVD installation), very advanced, now you have to spend entire week to accomplish one afternoon task, except if you are designing PC motherboard or something. And all the time i had very little opportunity to design some "normal" electronics, it was either RF-microvawe, or some analog or power conversion circuitry when auto routing is useless and everything must be done manually. Often i made schematic month after circuit is finished and went into production. So i reversed "engineering" process completely, and naturally fell in love whit PFW. I have working versions of about any PCB software, but i'm not going to change this one any time soon.

This software cannot be "installed" on XP, even W98 need some tricks, but if installed version exists, no need for that. Here i placed the file:

http://www.4shared.com/file/4fHsuDvj/ADVPCB.html

Unpack, copy to any folder (or don't have to, you can run it from USB stick or even CD), click PFW.EXE and you are in business. I also added some example boards, to demonstrate program versatility (will unpack to about 15MB), some are for MDs, more i will post. BWCC.DLL is necessary if you don't have it on your system already.

Rules of engagement (survival):

1.Read help file
2.Play whit Options/display, preferences/layer/settings, Current /(...) etc. original settings are not best ones.
3.Make your own part library, name components in some logical order, it is easy to create parts, you can steal some from existing PCBs.
4.Get familiar whit powerful "global editing" feature.
5.Print and learn keyboard shortcuts for different functions.
6. Design whatever you want, and fast!

Good for SMD, composite or final artwork output, ground plane, fast...
To hell whit Eagle, Sprint, Easy etc, whit my best recommendations, best regard.

[simonbaker]

This discussion about PCB software is interesting, Sprint obviously winning the race, but i have one orthodox, and maybe stupid idea (or perhaps not at all that bad...)

Long time ago, in medieval days of 386 machines and WIN95, one program was particulary popular, Protel design system. Whit 8 floppy disks installation package (6 for schematic part, 2 for PCB). Well, 2.88Mb for PCB part, les than typical MP3 song or ringtone?!? From this description, you may expect some outdated incapable obsolete software whit minimum features. In fact this is probably the best and most versatile PCB editor EVER. Later versions came, Protel 98, Altium DXP (this time DVD installation), very advanced, now you have to spend entire week to accomplish one afternoon task, except if you are designing PC motherboard or something. And all the time i had very little opportunity to design some "normal" electronics, it was either RF-microvawe, or some analog or power conversion circuitry when auto routing is useless and everything must be done manually. Often i made schematic month after circuit is finished and went into production. So i reversed "engineering" process completely, and naturally fell in love whit PFW. I have working versions of about any PCB software, but i'm not going to change this one any time soon.

This software cannot be "installed" on XP, even W98 need some tricks, but if installed version exists, no need for that. Here i placed the file:

http://www.4shared.com/file/4fHsuDvj/ADVPCB.html

Unpack, copy to any folder (or don't have to, you can run it from USB stick or even CD), click PFW.EXE and you are in business. I also added some example boards, to demonstrate program versatility (will unpack to about 15MB), some are for MDs, more i will post. BWCC.DLL is necessary if you don't have it on your system already.

Rules of engagement (survival):

1.Read help file
2.Play whit Options/display, preferences/layer/settings, Current /(...) etc. original settings are not best ones.
3.Make your own part library, name components in some logical order, it is easy to create parts, you can steal some from existing PCBs.
4.Get familiar whit powerful "global editing" feature.
5.Print and learn keyboard shortcuts for different functions.
6. Design whatever you want, and fast!

Good for SMD, composite or final artwork output, ground plane, fast...
To hell whit Eagle, Sprint, Easy etc, whit my best recommendations, best regard.

I have an old MathCad which is an amazing program, runs on MS-DOS and Windows 3.1 (and I have it running on Win XP).

But it would be neat if someone would make an "inexpensive" tablet PC run old MS-DOS/Windows programs, and you could dedicate the tablet to one program you use most. I'd like to have MathCad running on a tablet so I could play with equations for long time comfortably, like pencil and paper. Your program sounds like a good candidate for dedicated tablet also.

Those old programs were so efficient you wouldn't need a super-power expensive processor.

-SB

[porkluvr]

i will post. BWCC.DLL is necessary if you don't have it on your system already.

The suspense is killing me. So, why don't you post BWC.DLL, already?

[Qiaozhi]

The suspense is killing me. So, why don't you post BWC.DLL, already?

You can download it here -> http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/dll-files.shtml?bwcc

[der_fisherman]

Finding good Schematic/PCB Software

Hi All,

I only just found this blog, even though I was quoted on it!!

Eagle has to my mind only one REAL drawback, its difficult to "get into", but once you achieve that (Porkluvr may support me on that point) its really really good. There are easier programs around, but none are as complete.....eventually everything becomes second nature.......but it takes a few days of concentrated effort to get there and a lot of help file reading.

Eagle has HUGE libraries and you can design components yourself if needed, or modify one for your needs. The libraries get regularly updated and added to by users all over the world....all for free, just download.

I have heard that KicCAD is good, but I haven't used it.

I recently started to learn Fritzing, it may eventually be better for some things than Eagle, though it does also produce Eagle compatible schematics and PCBs It can take a tested Breadboard layout and convert it to many different board types. It can even be used to convert a breadboard design to SMD and makes an SMD board design.

I have only scratched the surface. It is a free Open Source program. You can find it here :-

http://fritzing.org/

It is also multi language.

There are many tutorials, some on YouTube, use the name "fritzing" as a search argument on YouTube.

Fritzing can produce schematics and many different PCB styles even without Eagle. For many, Eagle will not be needed ever.......but ....just.....in.....case!!!!

I personally don't really care which software we use, but the one we pick should be free or reasonably priced, it must allow a PCB to be designed from a schematic. When a change is made to the schematic, this must be reflected in the PCB with little or no extra work, versions must be stored and kept for back reference, the only program that I know and use that does that is Eagle.....So I see Fritzing as a useful extra as it is Eagle compatible.....that sort of completes the package.

I don't know of another program like Fritzing, that allows a Breadboard design to be so easily converted in a professional package like Eagle. Many here on Geotech use breadboards for development and testing.....its a great system and having it compatible to Eagle is I find a great plus point.

I propose those two programs, Eagle lite will probably do it for most stuff, though I have a full version for private usage myself.

You can check it out in English here:-

http://www.cadsoftusa.com/downloads/freeware/?lang=de

Eagle V6.0 Schematic + Layout + Autorouter (Its a good and well tried Autorouter!) costs $125 in the USA. Older versions can be found on the internet much cheaper, 5 works great, 6 is not a requirement.

I would still be most interested to hear of any other packages with such a complete cover of all our needs, from Breadboard to many PCB types......hopefully we have a wider choice that will suit us completely......I am keen to learn more.....

Regards

Andy

PS. I almost forgot, Eagle can drive a CNC machine for making a quick PCB, it also produces all the correct files for the component part outlines on the PCB and the files for drilling as well.......

[Merc]

I have been using Kicad for some time. I like using it under Ubuntu Linux. Very stable platform. It took a while to figure it out. I found a tutorial online that helped. It has a lot of the most common parts built-in, but I usually end up making some parts for a project. It exports gerber files which I then run through DeskPCB to generate the isolation paths for my CNC machine. DeskPCB runs under Wine on Linux just fine. I recently discovered a Linux program for trace isolation named Visolate. I'm still figuring it out. Not much in the way of documentation.

Merc

[der_fisherman]

I have been using Kicad for some time. I like using it under Ubuntu Linux. Very stable platform. It took a while to figure it out. I found a tutorial online that helped. It has a lot of the most common parts built-in, but I usually end up making some parts for a project. It exports gerber files which I then run through DeskPCB to generate the isolation paths for my CNC machine. DeskPCB runs under Wine on Linux just fine. I recently discovered a Linux program for trace isolation named Visolate. I'm still figuring it out. Not much in the way of documentation.

Merc

Firstly, many thanks for taking the time and trouble to inform us about your take on KICAD, as we actually need you and more other people to actively add to our collective knowledge of schematics and PCB CAD etc.. Because eventually, I hope we can collectively vote on a product (or completely compatible products) that will allow us to track and document all our projects on Geotech.
The aim being to make sure that whatever level of schematic, its easy to find and use......
As you are already aware through my recent post is that Eagle is also not easy to learn either at first, though the help files do a really good job. Eagle's big PLUS are the library files which are simply HUGE and cover almost every component ever designed......and are added to daily as new components are brought onto the market and used by various companies, who are nice enough to donate them back onto the CADSoft website for anyone to download for free.....
Many thanks again, I hope more people take the time to join us with their opinions in this matter and hopefully a few more different softwares to be considered....so come on Guys (and Gals) step up to the mark and help us all.
Regards
Andy

[WM6]

As you are already aware through my recent post is that Eagle is also not easy to learn either at first, ...

.... and at second too.

I am trying it several times, but never stay with it. To masochistic user interface.

If you like it Andy, enjoy.

[der_fisherman]

Comparison of Eagle and KICAD

.... and at second too.

I am trying it several times, but never stay with it. To masochistic user interface.

If you like it Andy, enjoy.

I hear you and know that you are right, but even KICAD needs a long learn period and if you don't really "go at it" for a couple of weeks, just using it once and then again a month later will not help you at all.....
I stuck with it because:-
1) the free version is more than "big enough" for all of our PCBS
2) Once a schematic is drawn and built and tested, you can convert to say SMD by clicking on each component and changing it to the SMD equivalent (if available or leave it as a normal one) and remaking the PCB. It even allows a mix of components....and reducing the size of our boards (not that they are big!) to even smaller may become an aim for us here eventually.
3) Fritzing is Eagle compatible and is very helpful in converting a Breadboard layout to first an Eagle compatible schematic, which can make an Eagle PCB layout.....and its free. Plus there is a PCB manufacturer that makes Fritzing PCBs at a very reasonable price. Frtizing is not KICAD compatible.
I will try and do a comparison table for us all, but don't rush me.
If there are any other products that should be included please let me know.
regards
Andy

[WM6]

Agree, my KICAD experiences are prety the same as with Eagle.

And it is true that main weakness of most user friendly PCB designers are part libraries. But in world of hobbies we can survival with some missing parts.

[der_fisherman]

Agree, my KICAD experiences are prety the same as with Eagle.

And it is true that main weakness of most user friendly PCB designers are part libraries. But in world of hobbies we can survival with some missing parts.

There is a very good comparison of most of the packages around on the Fritzing website at:-
http://fritzing.org/about/comparison/
Take a look and see what you (and everybody else too) think! KICAD comes out quite well except for the documentation and compatibility to other needed programs like Breadboards for example.
Maybe I need to change my mind......
Regards
Andy

[MAURICE]

Diptrace-Eagle libraries

Hi to all.
The question of large libraries in Diptrace is to import Eagle libraries into Diptrace.
This I have successfully done and it works well.
By that I mean the imported pattern ( footprint ) corresponds with the corresponding schematic symbol. It works well , be careful not to try and import all eagle libraries else library becomes to large. I have also done this in Pulsonix but have dropped this program.
It is very stable but extremely difficult to create a new part ( I gave up ) and went back to Diptrace.
Best Regards
Maurice.