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Thread: CAD program for schematics

  1. #1
    Administrator N8YX's Avatar
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    CAD program for schematics

    What's a nice, fully featured, free one?

    I have a number of hand-drawn schematics which I would like to share with the homebrew crowd but I don't think you folks would relish the idea of deciphering my hand-drawn chicken scratchings.
    "Everyone wants to be an AM Gangsta until it's time to start doing AM Gangsta shit."

  2. #2
    Whacker Knot WØTKX's Avatar
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    I tend to prefer regular CAD programs for that, but then you have to build a "library" of schematic parts.
    That being said, Google Sketchup is pretty damn good. I have Sketchup Pro, as I dabble in 3D.

    Here are a couple of other choices, that I have heard about, but not used:

    http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawik...?title=TinyCAD

    http://www.expresspcb.com/expresspcbhtm/download.htm
    "Where would we be without the agitators of the world to attach the electrodes
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  3. #3
    Orca Whisperer PA5COR's Avatar
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    "If the Republicans will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop
    telling the truth about them." - Adlai Stevenson (1900-1965)
    “I’m not liberal/conservative, I’m anti-idiotarian.”
    At some point in the last 20 years, the left moved to the center, and the right moved into a mental institution

  4. #4
    Orca Whisperer kf0rt's Avatar
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    I've used the expresspcb software. It's decent for smaller projects (including PCB layout). I'm not sure if it'll handle multi-page schematics, though.

  5. #5
    Administrator ad4mg's Avatar
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    I'm weak on schematics (I can draw the living hell outta piping ISO's in AutoCad), but I've toyed with TinyCad. Awesome software, hard to believe it's free!
    QAnon / GOP Republicans mentally lack the necessary intelligence to even tell a decent lie (Ex: A cabal of Satanic, cannibalistic pedophiles run a global child sex trafficking ring and conspired against former President Dotard dRUMPf during his term in office... Jewish space lasers, etc.). What in the hell makes anyone believe these melon heads can actually govern?

  6. #6
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    I've used Qcad and Pcad. Qcad I got about 12 years ago and it was like $30. I used it for designing the MarketMinder prototypes from start to finish. Pcad was free. Not sure if it's even still available. Linux comes with some CAD software that I've dinked with and seemed pretty decent. Haven't used CAD software in a while so can't remember any names offhand.

  7. #7
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    I guess there is a different QCAD available now. This is the one I used: http://www.free-downloads-center.com...12-5-2362.html

    Looks like P-CAD is obsoleted as well: http://www.altium.com/community/down...gacy_p-cad.cfm

    Oh well. Sorry I can't help you more, but I did find the Linux packages I was thinking of: Kicad and Geda.

  8. #8
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    I use Eagle PCB ( http://www.cadsoftusa.com/ ). Their free download lets you do single sheet schematics (and small PCBs). There is also special hobbyist pricing, for non-commercial uses, that expands on the free download capabilities. Commercial users pay quite a bit more for their license.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by kf0rt View Post
    I've used the expresspcb software. It's decent for smaller projects (including PCB layout). I'm not sure if it'll handle multi-page schematics, though.
    I've never used the free expresspcb software. It might be good for schematics; but, if you follow through with a PCB layout, I believe you are locked into using their board manufacturing service.

  10. #10
    Orca Whisperer kf0rt's Avatar
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    I've heard good things about Eagle.

    Kind of got hooked up with ExpressPCB because of their 3-board deal. 3 boards for $59, express delivery. They're a specific size (pretty small), but seemed to be the best deal going for the kind of stuff I've played with. Use it more for PCB layout than schematics, so it doesn't solve Fred's question.

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