Cad Program for Schematics?

Why those formats; none of them are vectorand so are useless for making Gerbers for a PCB. If you want to fiddle with a freebie for smapp production runs, try:

See my notes and links to some 60 ECAD programs at

Terry Pinnell Hobbyist, West Sussex, UK

you can save to those file formats with any program if you use "ALT -PRT SCREEN" to copy into the windows clipboard then paste into a freeware paint program like paintshop.

Remove "HeadFromButt", before replying by email.

You left out autocad, they have a library for electronics ?

He also left out Etch-A-Sketch.

Some of the non-electronic guys here use VISIO. There are numerous collections of templates - they're called something else in VISIO - available for free on the Web, including electronic schematic symbols.

Bob

Will it generate a partlist and netlist?

Nope, just graphics as far as I know. You will need a real schematic capture package to generate a usable netlist. I haven't looked into it for a number of years, but the ECAD vendors used to practically give their schematic packages away to lure new users into their camp, planning to sell them the pricey stuff - PCB layout, autorouters etc - down the road.

Bob

Track down a copy of PSpice Schematics. IIRC *none* of the versions require a key... only PSpice (the simulator) looks for the key/license.

...Jim Thompson

For Linux freaks, there is always gEDA

which is included in Terry's list.

------- Bill Sloman, Nijmegen

If you just want to draw a schematic, you can look at Linear's free spice program. The schematics it makes are not bad to look at. It will output a spice net list for the circuit.

You can convert to a graphics format by printing to one of those converting printer drivers.

I didn't say I wanted a PCB Program, I have one and it generates Gerber Files. But when I draft up a Schematic to post on my site or send to a friend, I have to Print it and than Scan it. I find some of the fine Detail gets lost in the scan.

I want a SIMPLE program Only for Schematics, that generates a standard Viewable Format! Could care less if it has symbols, I prefer to make my own.

I didn't think this question was so hard!

Take care......Gary

I believe I saw a download for schematics on the Cadence web site a month or two ago.

Mark

Now *there's* a twist for you... Cadence is abandoning support for Schematics.

...Jim Thompson

I think he might be less concerned about making PCBs and more concerned with drawing schematics for strictly visual purposes. In this case, visio is actually a good option. Otherwise almost any CAD program will do the trick.

Depending on what version of windows you have, you can capture the screen to either the clipboard or, for example, Paint Shop Pro.

I think ALt-PrtSc, (or Shift, or Control- or Control-Shift, or whatever) will put the screen on the clipboard, and you can paste it into any image viewer. I've done this with OrCad, both ways. (i.e., using PSP's capture function, as well as the PrtSc-> clipboard method.)

You might have to do it in segments and splice them together, but I'm sure you'll figure it out. :-)

Good Luck! Rich

Gary Lecomte wrote:

PSpice Schematics allows you to make your own symbols. I currently have hundreds.

...Jim Thompson

When I need a graphic I can't save I use the freeware shell for Ghostscript & Ghostwrite from

Schematics?

CadSoft EAGLE. Free version does 1-page schematics.

I use Screen Ripper 32 for JPG/GIF/BMP screen capture / conversion.