On 09/11/2010 10:37 PM, Peter Gammie wrote: > Fair enough. I'm not too bothered about the command line stuff, but > perhaps you expect a shiny GUI?
Of course I expect a GUI. And forward and back anotation. And common commands between the schematic and layout editor. You know, standard stuff for computers for the last 10 years or so. Now Eagle (and maybe KiCAD - memory's fuzzy now) does have a command line. You could get away with not using the mouse if you really wanted to. I do use a few command line commands for things like turning layers on and off and stuff like that. It's faster than navigating the GUI. > I'd almost be happier drawing > schematics by writing a program... You can definitely do that in KiCAD if you like. The drawing and layout files are ASCII text files. Syntax similar to SPICE. > > Also how do these programs go for maintenance? I imagine (in my > naivete) that you design a board, get it fabbed and then find out it > has a layout or circuit issue. How hard is it to adjust the schematic > and redo the board? In Eagle it's simple. If you need to move a component on the board or change package type, you just do it. If you need to delete or add a component, you do that in the schematic editor. In the case of deleting parts, the forward annotation rips up the part and as much of the connecting trace as is safe. When adding a part, the footprint is deposited at the lower left of the page outside the board outline with rubber bands connecting it to the circuit. You simply drag it to wherever you want it. In Eagle, a Part is a combination of the schematic symbol and one or more board footprints. A part can be specific, say a 2N2222. It would have an NPN symbol for the schematic and one or more footprints for the different packages that type of transistor comes in. A part can be generic. An NPN transistor associated with all the common footprints. One can add a value to a generic part after it's laid down. I could make an NPN be a 2N3904 by simply changing the "value" field. Generally for parts that get used a lot, one does a specific part. Generic parts are saved for infrequently used items and items such as capacitors and resistors where hundreds of values share the same symbol and footprint. Eagle and KiCAD automatically connect nets (names given to wires on the schematic) so one doesn't have to draw long wires or buses unless he wants to. Makes the schematics much cleaner looking and saves a lot of labor. John -- John DeArmond Tellico Plains, Occupied TN http://www.neon-john.com <-- email from here http://www.johndearmond.com <-- Best damned Blog on the net PGP key: wwwkeys.pgp.net: BCB68D77 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
