Software for block diagrams

Jun 07, 2006 15 Replies

Any recommendations for software that can be used to sketch block diagrams of circuits? Doesn't have to be fancy - usability is more desirable than lots of features.



Cheers,


Melodolic Spielberg

I use the generic drawing functions in my schematic editor, has the advantage that I can easily throw in electrical symbols in boxes or whatever. Many schematic editors have block diagram like symbols ready made.

Worth noting that most EDA packages have evaluation versions with limited capabilities such as size of board, number of pins etc., should not be any problem if you want to make a block diagram.

If anyone says "Visio", dismiss him IMMEDIATLY as an IDIOT.

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Thanks for that.

I hadn't thought of Eagle - is block.lbr available for download somewhere?

Melodolic Spielberg

Yup, I recently got the freebie version of Eagle. I'm just having a look through the libraries to see if it has something suitable.

Melodolic Spielberg

"EAGLE" , properly written, is all caps (Easily Applicable Graphical Layout Editor).

Nah. It took me a few minutes to make an assortment of generic boxes with X inputs and Y outputs. Just slap together something that suits you. I also use symbols from existing libraries.

I forgot to mention in the previous thread that EAGLE can export in DXF, making graphics rather portable.

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Paint Shop Pro, then? ;-)

Cheers! Rich

Hi,

I have tried to find EAGLE. I found EAGLE 4.16 for LINUX and MAC, but even though I read it is supposed to be available for WINDOWS I cannot find it. Does anyone know where it can be found, are my eyes worse than my optometrist say they are, or is there some other strange deed going on?

Anyone's help will be Greatly Appreciated.

Thank You,

Wayne

Check the EAGLE download page at

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in the program download section. You are looking for eagle-win-eng-4.16r1.exe.

James T. White

You are a Kind Soul Sir. I got it. I got the manual and tutorial as well. I will go back shortly and look over the libraries..

You have been a Champ.

Thank You,

Wayne

Apart from EAGLE, I find myself using ExpressPCB/SCH a lot and it is freeware

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Cheers, Monica

I'll try to remember that (but suspect I might not :).

Aye, you're probably right. I was originally after some prog dedicated to the task, but EAGLE is probably as much a prog as such a thing anyway.

Yup, I started making a library for myself to hold components I couldn't find - copied existing ones and modified them.

I had a look but couldn't see something to do that, and DXF didn't come up in the help, either.

Melodolic Spielberg

Thanks - I'll give it a whirl.

Melodolic Spielberg

As I mentioned in a previous post, EAGLE can export in DXF (a nearly universal format). It also prints camera-ready artwork.

Properly categorized, it would be called *promo-ware*. (or lock-in-ware or crippleware). Yes, they give it away, but it is intended to get you to send the files that it produces to them so that you will pay them to fabricate your PCBs.

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It was never intended to be interoperable at any other level. Getting it to print requires you to jump thru hoops:

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Trying to import the graphic into another document or otherwise use it outside the ExpressPCB app? Good luck on that. It seems like a terrible candidate for what the OP wants to do.

D'oh. The EXPORT command will give you bitmaps. When I created a vector-based file, I downloaded a user-created script. Maybe it comes with the main download now.

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better Powerpoint, I used it even for schematics plans on my site :-)

-- Regards , SPAJKY ® mail addr. @ my site @

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4y - "Tualatin OC-ed / BX-Slot1 / inaudible setup!"

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