Designing Schematics nicely

Hi,
A good effort with fritzy, but as Grumpy_Mike has said, it lacks numbering etc.

You might also like to try ExpressPCB, it has a good schematic editor, is not very big, is basic and does not have high overheads.

http://www.expresspcb.com/free-cad-software/

Tom..... :slight_smile:

Or KiCad :slight_smile:

The problem with a dedicated drawing package is that most times it does not have the right symbol and a newcomer is too inexperienced to draw the right one. This results in substitute symbols being used which are even more confusing.

I would recommend just a simple 2D vector drawing package.

TomGeorge:
You might also like to try ExpressPCB, it has a good schematic editor, is not very big, is basic and does not have high overheads.

It will also run under Linux using Wine.

Russell.

And make liberal use of the ground symbol, and Vcc nodes.

Check my signature for a couple of links. The key to a schematic is clarity.

Can anyone recommend a reasonably good (and preferably free) schematics application that will run on OS X?

Eagle Redirect Notice

Start with it after you figure how to get the parts in it it's down hill all the way.
It's by far the best out there. And the free one can do a lot after all not many people need boards bigger then it let's you draw and you'd have to take out a loan to buy a one time big board lol.

Thanks. I have Eagle and am starting what is looking to be a painful process of learning how to use it. I was thinking there might be another application just for drawing schematics. For example, I have used the free app on the digikey website. It's not great but it's straightforward.

Post 5 list the easiest to use sch software there is and it has great part list and is easy to make a part.
It works with wine on a mac.

But I hated eagle there's like tons of how to get started with it everyone leaves the main bit's an pieces out.
But after you get the hang of it really good adding the parts was the hard part for me but after that it was down hill run.
After all they should make it easier to load the parts you have 100 library files and can't pick a part without adding them first. Looks like it would just load them from the folder you put them in.

Or KiCad, open source alternative. It's becoming better and better.

septillion:
Or KiCad, open source alternative. It's becoming better and better.

I have used KiCad and can vouch for that comment.

But the problem remains with any package of how to find the correct symbol. That is why I think a general draw package is easier for hobby use. You can copy symbols you have used before or just draw new ones. This is especially important when you want to change the order of the pinout on an IC to make the schematic look cleaner and avoid all those unnecessary lines crossing.

I have barely ever made a symbol. Sometimes I edit one but most of the times I don't need to. That's because of the enormous amount of symbols and footprints this guy made. As well as the KiCad GitHub.

I have found Diptrace much simpler to learn than Eagle, and have already created a component in it.

It comes in Windows, Linux, and OSX versions. Free for noncommercial use, PCBs are limited to 500 pins. Email them and they will send you and upgrade to a 1000 pin limit.

Better to learn a schematic package that will also allow you to make PCBs in the future.

I created a set of slides for creating symbols in Eagle. It's not that hard once you do it a few times.

  1. Create the mechanical footprint. (pads & outline)
  2. Create the schematic symbol.
  3. Marry the 2 together.

I found it very frustrating to try to use fritzing to draw "nice" schematics; it was FAR too difficult to "neaten" a rough diagram... There are similar problems with many generic "drawing" packages; when you attach signals to a part on a schematic, you want there to be an actual "attachment" that isn't changed simply by moving the art and/or the wires...

westfw:
I found it very frustrating to try to use fritzing to draw "nice" schematics; it was FAR too difficult to "neaten" a rough diagram... There are similar problems with many generic "drawing" packages; when you attach signals to a part on a schematic, you want there to be an actual "attachment" that isn't changed simply by moving the art and/or the wires...

It can be done with a proper 2D CAD package but it's much easier using a dedicated schematic package. I tend to use the schematics part of LTSpice but that's just personal preference.

Russell.

it's great to have all the advise coming in. i have attached a small schematic i have done. would this be considered ok? have i used too many or to few Net Labels etc?

Not bad and you've definitely used appropriate net labels.

I would tend to combine all of the power supply (input jack, capacitor and regulator) into one block instead of using net labels.

The ground symbol on the left of the '328 is really clogging things up and pushing other wires around. Drag it down below the chip (the ground wire will cross under the other connections) and then rearrange 5V and the other wires to come in straighter.

The switch at the top looks like a representation of the common 4-wire tactile switch. In schematics you don't usually show all 4 wires - just the two logical pins. Having 5V flow "across" the switch looks odd.

That's pretty good for Fritzing! Well done.

Russell.