Circuit maker program?

[Togo]

I would like to get some help with circuits but am looking for a program to put them together with so I can show them here. Thanks for any help

 

[(*steve*)]

Do you want to know how to capture the circuit diagram so you can post it here?

I draw them on paper and scan them. Someone else here uses the paint program that comes with Windows. There are also a large number of programs dedicated to this task.

It really depends on WHY you want to do it. I hand draw and scan because it's the fastest way for me to get a quick diagram to show someone.

 

[Togo]

I'm doing it because they are homework questions and the instructor is not being helpful. Thanks - I'll draw them and scan them in manually

 

[(*steve*)]

You could google for something, but beware that many tools, especially those with PCB drawing packages attached, may not allow you to print your results because they want you to order stuff from them. Having said that, they may allow you to print the circuit diagram, just not the PCB layout.

I googled for "Circuit schematic software"

 

[Laplace]

While I draw most schematics using the TurboCAD drafting program, don't overlook the very capable drawing program that is a part of OpenOffice.org 3. You would have to spend several hours drawing the basic symbols you want to use (resistor, capacitor, transistor, mosfet, ground, switch, etc.) but after that you just copy and paste the symbols onto the drawing grid, then connect them with drawn lines. Alignment is easy with grid snap. Export your circuit to a bitmap or png image. One quirk is that export is still limited to screen resolution (96 dpi) so to get something good to print at 300 dpi you need to make the drawing 3X the final paper size. OpenOffice.org is free to download and use.

 

[davenn]

You would have to spend several hours drawing the basic symbols you want to use (resistor, capacitor, transistor, mosfet, ground, switch, etc.) but after that you just copy and paste the symbols onto the drawing grid, then connect them with drawn lines. Export your circuit to a bitmap

which is exactly what I have done with MS paint it works a treat as many on here have seen exmples when this subject has come up in the past.

once again I will link to some of my work.......

http://www.sydneystormcity.com/harris23.htm

http://www.sydneystormcity.com/23cm to 1.2cm Xverter.gif

one thing I appreciate with MSPaint is that I can vary the size of the symbols to allow me to cram a bit more onto a single page.
The printed and onscreen results are so much better than many of the cad/simulation program views which look really messy.

cheers
Dave

 

[audio_junkie]

which is exactly what I have done with MS paint it works a treat as many on here have seen exmples when this subject has come up in the past.

once again I will link to some of my work.......

http://www.sydneystormcity.com/harris23.htm

http://www.sydneystormcity.com/23cm to 1.2cm Xverter.gif

one thing I appreciate with MSPaint is that I can vary the size of the symbols to allow me to cram a bit more onto a single page.
The printed and onscreen results are so much better than many of the cad/simulation program views which look really messy.

cheers
Dave

Nice work!

 

[(*steve*)]

Nice work!

Normally I look a posts that just say something like this and delete them as spam (as it's often the mark of a spammer getting his post count up before he strikes).

But in this case, I can totally understand why you posted that message.

davenn has amazed me more than once before with what he has turned out of a tool that is usually considered to be the poor cousin of almost all drawing packages.

It just goes to show what you can achieve if you understand your tools properly.

 

[rob_croxford]

I agree with davenn - Paint (already installed with windows) is my favorite tool for drawing circtuirs and wireing diagrams. It takes a little bit of fiddleing and a little frustration but as the program is so simple you will be proficiant in a matter of hours.

However if it is simple circuit diagrams you could download a trial software that will allow you to create circuits however wont allow u to save them. Once you have created the circuit simply use the "print screen" function on your computer and you will be able to paste them here.

LIVEWIRE is a good software for this - http://www.new-wave-concepts.com/ed/livewire.html

 

[davenn]

thanks guys

To Togo, the original poster ( whome hasnt responded again, and to anyone ... you are welcome to take a chunk of any of my online bitmap images and then use the symbols to create your own schematics in MSpaint, no point reinventing the wheel sprinkled throughout my web site, there are several other schematics, pick on the .bmp ones NOT the .gif ones

cheers
Dave

 

[Togo]

thanks guys

To Togo, the original poster ( whome hasnt responded again, and to anyone ... you are welcome to take a chunk of any of my online bitmap images and then use the symbols to create your own schematics in MSpaint, no point reinventing the wheel sprinkled throughout my web site, there are several other schematics, pick on the .bmp ones NOT the .gif ones

cheers
Dave

I read all the posts and wanted to avoid MS Paint because it seems like less work to draw by hand and scan it in. Was hoping there would be a solution like a small program designed for posting circuit schematics online but I guess not. Thanks for the advice.

 

[(*steve*)]

Ah! I knew I had this link somewhere. I went looking on the site but couldn't find it. However I had sent it to someone

Take a look at this.

It's not small, and probably not simple, but it does claim to be both free and full featured. It's supplied via RS, but is another company's product. I suspect it comes pre-loaded with links to RS's catalogue and is thus an effort to redirect sales t them, but there's no reason why you'd have to use it that way.

 

[davenn]

I read all the posts and wanted to avoid MS Paint because it seems like less work to draw by hand and scan it in. Was hoping there would be a solution like a small program designed for posting circuit schematics online but I guess not. Thanks for the advice.

the problem with drawing by hand and scanning is the unreadability of the resulting schematic. NOT in all cases, but the huge number of hand drawn ones I have seen posted on various forums over the years and then other members trying to decypher
the hirogliphics can be a nightmare.

as least using something totally free like MS-Paint ( believe me it is quick to use after a bit of practice) at least you end up with a schematic that looks close to professional and that everyone can read easily !

dont dismiss its value so quickly

Dave

 

[MattyMatt]

One little program I used to use, and still do from time to time... is Google Sketch up. I am checking out DesignSpark (Steve's Post) currently... we shall see how that works... looks really cool.

And Davenn... I gotta tell you... you work some serious magic with MS paint... I have an artist friend that does some amazing stuff in that program, but nothing NEARLY as precise as that..... cool beans man!

 

[BobK]

LTSPICE from Linear Techonologies has a very easy to use schematic capture program, is completely free, and you can simulate the circuit after you draw it!

Bob