What software to draw schematics?

Yes, but if most people like me (strictly hobby stuff) use Eagle, there still seems to be little point in using something else as long as it will work for what I want.

For a minute there I thought you were making a point about the iPhone.

Reply to
George
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The ASCII format is the default for LTSpice (SwitcherCAD SwCAD III), and you can just select it from the File|Open menu to pen the schematic and view it. For an ASCII file posted on usenet, you must select the text, and copy and paste into a text file with .ASC extension.

The component and line moves are a little tricky, but they can be cleaned up once you get used to the way it works. They have a "Drag" function that usually maintains connectivity. It even works with group moves. This is a serious shortcoming with many schematic editors I have evaluated. It's one reason I chose PADS over Eagle, Protel, Kicad, and Electronics Workbench.

I am thinking about making a converter between LTspice and PADS. I already made a converter from Futurenet to PADS, but it has only limited function.

Futurenet was made Public Domain about 15 years ago, when DATAIO abandoned it, and they sent me their latest version on a dozen 3.5" floppies. It's really an excellent schematic editor, but it runs on MSDOS and it has mostly a keyboard interface. But it has DRC and can export netlists that can be read by some PCB programs (or can be converted). I made a FN2PADS utility that did the job when I was still using Futurenet. I can email the program files if anyone is interested. It does not have a direct print feature (unless you have an ancient dot matrix printer), but it can plot in HPGL format, which then can be read by many CAD programs like TurboCAD, and from there you can print or create PDFs.

If you get a version of PADS Logic before their 2005 releases, it does not require the dongle to run. The newer versions are limited, but I think they still serve as a viewer, and you might even be able to print. Mostly they disabled output commands, particularly SAVE, but I think there is a "back door" where you can export ASCII if you do it using a VB script or an external program such as my "PADSplus" that accesses the automation interface.

Paul

Reply to
Paul E. Schoen

On Sat, 8 Mar 2008 10:49:52 -0800, "Bob Monsen" wrote:

LT Spice has a schematic editor built in, and its native "save" file format is ascii. People often paste that into text-only newsgroup posts, in place of "ascii art" schematics.

Here's one I did today:

Version 4 SHEET 1 880 680 WIRE -736 112 -752 112 WIRE -704 112 -736 112 WIRE -576 112 -624 112 WIRE -144 112 -576 112 WIRE 48 112 -64 112 WIRE 208 112 112 112 WIRE 272 112 208 112 WIRE 448 112 352 112 WIRE -576 144 -576 112 WIRE -752 192 -752 112 WIRE 448 192 448 112 WIRE -224 224 -352 224 WIRE -144 224 -224 224 WIRE 48 224 -64 224 WIRE 176 224 128 224 WIRE 208 224 208 112 WIRE 208 224 176 224 WIRE -352 256 -352 224 WIRE -576 272 -576 224 WIRE -400 272 -576 272 WIRE -576 288 -576 272 WIRE -400 320 -432 320 WIRE 448 352 448 272 WIRE -752 384 -752 272 WIRE -576 384 -576 352 WIRE -432 384 -432 320 WIRE -352 384 -352 336 FLAG -752 384 0 FLAG -432 384 0 FLAG -352 384 0 FLAG 176 224 OUT FLAG -224 224 AMP FLAG -576 384 0 FLAG -736 112 GEN FLAG 448 352 0 SYMBOL res -48 96 R90 WINDOW 0 0 56 VBottom 0 WINDOW 3 32 56 VTop 0 SYMATTR InstName R1 SYMATTR Value 46.5 SYMBOL res -48 208 R90 WINDOW 0 0 56 VBottom 0 WINDOW 3 32 56 VTop 0 SYMATTR InstName R2 SYMATTR Value 50 SYMBOL ind 32 240 R270 WINDOW 0 32 56 VTop 0 WINDOW 3 -9 54 VBottom 0 SYMATTR InstName L1 SYMATTR Value 235µ SYMBOL cap 112 96 R90 WINDOW 0 0 32 VBottom 0 WINDOW 3 32 32 VTop 0 SYMATTR InstName C1 SYMATTR Value 0.1µ SYMBOL res -608 96 R90 WINDOW 0 0 56 VBottom 0 WINDOW 3 32 56 VTop 0 SYMATTR InstName R3 SYMATTR Value 3 SYMBOL voltage -752 176 R0 WINDOW 3 -377 104 Left 0 WINDOW 123 -249 11 Left 0 WINDOW 39 0 0 Left 0 SYMATTR InstName V1 SYMATTR Value PULSE(0 1 10u 1n 1n 100u 300u 2) SYMATTR Value2 AC 1 0 SYMBOL res 368 96 R90 WINDOW 0 -18 51 VBottom 0 WINDOW 3 32 56 VTop 0 SYMATTR InstName R4 SYMATTR Value 50 SYMBOL e -352 240 R0 SYMATTR InstName E1 SYMATTR Value 1 SYMBOL cap -592 288 R0 SYMATTR InstName C2 SYMATTR Value 16p SYMBOL res -592 128 R0 SYMATTR InstName R5 SYMATTR Value 1k SYMBOL voltage 448 176 R0 WINDOW 3 -392 128 Left 0 WINDOW 123 -1359 11 Left 0 WINDOW 39 0 0 Left 0 SYMATTR InstName V2 SYMATTR Value PULSE(0 0.25 200u 1n 1n 50u 300u 2) SYMATTR Value2 AC 1 0 TEXT -1072 224 Left 0 !;ac dec 20 1000 100k TEXT -1040 128 Left 0 !.tran 0 500u 0 TEXT -496 192 Left 0 ;10 MHz equiv BW TEXT 96 352 Left 0 ;Gen2 simulates reflection TEXT -984 352 Left 0 ;Main step generator

You could cut this out of this post, save as CIRCUIT.ASC, and LT Spice would open it, display as a schematic, and run it.

John

Reply to
John Larkin

I thought you were talking about ascii schematic drawings... :)

Thanks, Bob Monsen

Reply to
Bob Monsen

"BobW" wrote in news:b9GdnbSKLKASF03anZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Bob,

After left clicking for the last end point, just right ckick to stop.

ExpressPCB is great for good looking schematics, easy to make custom components, and FREE.

Ken

Reply to
Ken Moffett

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