Ban Fritzing

ahahah, thanks! 8)

That is a good looking schematic. Didn't think that was even possible in Fritzing.
Too small to read as posted, but looks very well organized.

yea you can actually make a decent schematic, hardly anyone ever does though.

the work process for fritzing is

make it on the breadboard
recreate it in fritzing on its breadboard
whine why it doesnt work and get frustrated when no one can read it
give up OR...
click a button make a schematic, spend a little time and effort to make it nice and neat
click a button to make a PCB file that only works with fritzings convenient service, spend some time to make it nice and neat (and there's the sell they hope to hook you with)

CrossRoads:
That is a good looking schematic. Didn't think that was even possible in Fritzing.

Hmmm, sorry, maybe i didnt explain me right.
I do use Fritzing a lot, but then when i am "finnish" the i try to make a schematic. for the schematic i use Eagle...

i don't think Fritzing is a tool for every job, but it has it's nice uses
:wink:

As a fellow muso, but most definitely one of diminished ability compared to your good self bogus, I like your musical analogy. Fritzing is not as elegant as Eagle, but it still does augment the process of learning electronics 8) By the way, I think that your Eagle circuit diagram is very well executed,

Pedro.

thanks!

Hey, let's make an Arduino Super Instrument to play music together over the internet!!!
then we can mix music and electronics! :wink:

boguz, I like the way you think. Who needs Madison Square Garden when you've got the Internet right at your fingertips XD

XD

And for another perspective; this topic has been around for a while

http://ruggedcircuits.com/blog/?p=225#comment-24

It's like saying ban Arduino because noobs use it.

Osgeld:
this is one of the last hand drawn schematics I published a few years ago, its hard enough as a schematic, can you imagine it as a frizting diagram?

http://cheesefactory.us/filecenter/ttl_binary_clock.pdf

Hmm, just curious - what was the purpose of diode D1 doubling the Zener?

Man, I'm sorry I missed this discussion. Looks like a good debate -- and I love a good debate! :smiley:

I know it's old, but I can't help it... gotta toss in my two cents. Schematics are great for explaining the layout of a circuit. Fritzing diagrams are great for showing how that circuit can be, should be, or is physically wired up or breadboarded. Those are different purposes, and they're both useful.

Either diagram can be misused, as if often the case when one describes a circuit by posting a Fritzing diagram. Unless the viewer is expected to re-breadboard the design, a schematic would be more helpful there. (I agree with others here, if you're going to learn electronics, learn to read/write schematics. It's NOT hard.)

OTOH, if a schematic is posted and looks good, often a photo of the breadboard can help track down wiring errors. If the Fritzing diagram accurately portrays the real-life breadboard (and, granted, that's a big IF), it would be just as useful as a real photo. Perhaps more, in fact, as it should be more clear due to lighting, components blocking other components or their connections, etc.

On a related note, I have actually used PCB design software to create a virtual perfboard, along with a bunch of custom PCB components that are to-scale models of the real pieces. Then, I can test arrangements before I start plugging in physical components. On a screen, I can copy/paste sections, trial a few alternate layouts without running out of board space, there's no worry about bending legs or running out of 0.4" jumpers, or having to mess with soldering/desoldering (for perfboard vs. breadboard) if I change my mind.

SirNickity,
We, and me (OP) are also sorry you missed this. I never thought that my off hand comment would stir such fervent debate. It even filtered through to the Fritzing page on Facebook
so I had better watch out those guys are gunning for me ]:slight_smile: You make some valid points, and that is what is good about discussions like this - you get to hear others viewpoints, which can be aspects of things that you never even thought about.
Pedro.

On a related note, I have actually used PCB design software to create a virtual perfboard, along with a bunch of custom PCB components that are to-scale models of the real pieces.

That's what eagle does for you when a card is layed out.
For example, this 72 LED clock board I have been playing with to test the fit of 14 WS2803 chips driving 6 RGB LEDs each.

I assume you are "a paid up member" of Eagle to be able to fit those fourteen chips on one board

CrossRoads:

On a related note, I have actually used PCB design software to create a virtual perfboard, along with a bunch of custom PCB components that are to-scale models of the real pieces.

That's what eagle does for you when a card is layed out.

Forgive my lack of Eagle keenness -- is there any significance to "card" here? How is it different than opening any old PCB software and defining your board dimensions, then trying to squeeze your parts in there? Is it automated or something?

Not any different than what you are describing here, no. I think there are software plug-in kind of things also for making 3D views. I have not bothered, sticking with just 2D (top down) views.
The nice part is the rubber-banding of signals, helps tremendously during layout for PCBs. I use expresspcb for laying out packages when I wirewrap a card to make sure all the components I want will fit ok. Capture the layout of a 80x100mm card with the holes mimicking a perfboard, it is really nice for that.
I stopped using expresspcb for actual boards because of a lack of pcb symbols for the more complex packages; for the lack of clear rubberbanding; for the lack of having footprints tied to electrical symbols; for the lack of automated routing. Eagle was difficult to start with due to the sheer number of choices for parts. After a while you can settle into a smaller subset so things are more readily found. Eventually I had created enough symbols for parts that I didn't have to look it up every time when I needed one and now I can crank one out lickety split - the WS2803 being an example.
The real killer was the lack of places to have inexpensive PCBs made. 3 boards with no silkscreen and no solder mask for $51 is no bargain, not when you can get 10 much larger boards (10cm x 10cm) for $24.90 with full up silkscreen & solder mask. And there are a lot of places that take eagle's standard gerber files. So I converted and have not used expresspcb for pcbs. It is nice for putting a schematic together quick for discussion in the forum. I can do that just as quickly in eagle now too.

On a related note, I have actually used PCB design software to create a virtual perfboard, along with a bunch of custom PCB components that are to-scale models of the real pieces. Then, I can test arrangements before I start plugging in physical components. On a screen, I can copy/paste sections, trial a few alternate layouts without running out of board space, there's no worry about bending legs or running out of 0.4" jumpers, or having to mess with soldering/desoldering (for perfboard vs. breadboard) if I change my mind.

hehe... yeah, ExpressSCH produces a prettier diagram than Eagle. :wink: That's just personal preference though.

In PCB, I've built up quite a library of parts myself. In fact, I hardly use any stock symbols -- even for the parts it has in its (limited) library. Mine fit better, being sized to the exact parts I order. I assume I'll probably do the same with any software I move to later.

Although! I did find a package (Robot Room Copper Connection) that will import or convert ExpressPCB files to Gerber for you. WOO! :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: Haven't tried it yet but I will. Oh I will. Yessss.... ]:smiley:

It's still crappy :smiley:

(no offense to OP)

Haha -- I still think that's likely to be more easy to follow than a picture of the same setup on someone's desk.

And still worse than a schematic if the purpose is to describe a circuit, rather than how a circuit is realized.