ECAD on mobile device? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MrCravon
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 11, 2018, 03:42:27 pm
content: Hi,I just switched job and the new job comes with a pretty heavy commute. I'll be spending about 2.5 hours total on the buss every day. I was thinking of using this time for something productive and was wondering if anyone had some experience with ECAD on tablets. The tablet in question will most likely be an iPad Pro that i will get from work. So no surface with regular windows 10 or anything like that. The commute goes through some rural areas with bad 4G and there is also a lot of tunnels along the way so the software would preferably be local on the device not requiring a constant connection in order to work. My experience is mostly with Altium Designer and Eagle CAD on a computer. I would like to be able to make schematics, footprints and PCB layout (2-4 layers). I don't think I need any simulation. It would be a bonus if it was possible to export to Eagle CAD but definitely not a requirement.Any recommendations?

author: Pack34
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2018, 04:31:45 pm
content: Layout on a touch device is going to be a non-starter. But you might be able to just use a regular windows 10 tablet and scale-up the UI to draft some schematics.Honestly, I would just pick up a good paper notebook and a large phone or small tablet. Then just spend the time catching up on emails, reviewing data sheets and app notes, and physically drafting circuit ideas or jotting down part numbers.

author: In Vacuo Veritas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2018, 04:37:34 pm
content: Read datasheets. Relax. Life shouldn't be about cramming WORK WORK WORK into every spare femtosecond like we are CPUs.Besides, what kind of oh-so-complex designs are you working on with Eagle

author: MrCravon
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 12, 2018, 10:00:44 pm
content: It was actually my hobby projects I was hoping I would get a chance to work on while in the bus. I have a couple of projects I am doing currently when my time allows for it. I am planning to make one or two modules for a modular synthesizer. And I was going to make a daughter card for an FPGA board I have. I don't think I ever said I was working on"oh-so-complex designs". Schematics, footprints and PCB layout is pretty basic stuff for any ECAD software.I could probably use something like EasyEDA to cover what I need. But there might be a problem with the "always online" requirement.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 13, 2018, 11:51:15 am
content: CAD programs do not lend themselves to mobile use. If you are using an Apple "thing" you have already restricted your choices. CS does not work with a touch screen that much i can say so I doubt AD either. If you really want to do it you need space like a train seat and a decent laptop end of really. As suggested a good time to read up on parts.

author: spudboy488
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2018, 12:39:27 pm
content: I'm sure there are many lab/notebook apps available for iPads. Get one that allows mixing drawing and text entry.Rather than doing the actual design and layout, use your time to make the design notes, do the math, doodle sections of the circuits, etc. Basically, do your research on the commute. If you have limited layout time at home, do all your up-front stuff on the iPad and then use these note during the layout.

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2018, 06:10:45 pm
content: Advice from someone who used to do 2 hr one way commutes to work: just sleep. My morning train was departing very early in the morning (in order to make it to work on time), and the sleep I had on a train was essentially a continuation of my regular night sleep - this allowed me to get away with less sleep at home so that I would actually have some time to do something after work. Basically I slept 4-5 hrs at home + 2hr in train on the way to work + ~1hr on my way back (another 1 hr I would usually read some book, or datasheet, or something like that that I preloaded before departure).