Vero/strip/prototye board layout designer for Linux - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: WaveyDipole
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2018, 01:12:49 pm
content: Does anyone know of a layout designer program for veroboard, stripboard or plain prototype board on Linux? I have found VeeCad for Windows, but nothing so far on the Linux platform.

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2018, 01:33:25 pm
content: If I remember correctly Fritzing support those boards.http://fritzing.org/home/Alexander.

author: WaveyDipole
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2018, 02:56:53 pm
content: Thanks for your suggestion. I just downloaded and ran fritzing but sadly it seems to be another unusable program like VeeCad. Unfortunately, neither seems to do anything useful. VeeCad allows me to import a netlist from either LT-Spice or KiCad, but all components are U shaped and it seems that the symbols cannot be changed. Fritzing complains about a missing parts bin. I have installed the fritzing-parts package so the files are installed on my system. Having Ok'ed the errors that come up on startup, I can at least have a look around the GUI, but can't actually do anything. From what I can see, it seems to support breadboard, but not stripboard, perfboard or Veroboard, although I have seen examples of the later online.I can't find any support for VeeCad, but at least Fritzing seems to have a forum I thought might be worth a try.UPDATE1: I couldn't sign up to the Fritzing forum because the Captcha does not work! This is probably the reason:https://tppwebsolutions.com/resolve-the-recaptcha-v1-is-shutdown-message/It seems that they haven't even noticed that they have been getting no signups since March!UPDATE2: for anyone chancing upon this thread, I have now found a workaround for the issue with the missing core.fzb file message when running on Linux. Here is what i had to do:Code:sudo apt install fritzingsudo apt install fritzing-partscd /usr/share/fritzingln -s /usr/share/fritzing/parts/bins binsFor some reason, although the package fritzing-data is installed by default, fritzing-parts which is also essential to the proper running of the program, is not.At this point a launcher (desktop icon) can be created on the desktop, pointing to the program executable at /usr/bin/fritzing.Next switch to the directory where launchers is stored:Code:cd ~/DesktopNow edit Fritzing.desktop and add the following line:Code:Path=/usr/share/fritzingWhile there, to get a nice icon also add:Code:Icon=fritzing_iconSave the file. Fritzing should now start normally from the launcher.Explanation:The part bins data is installed in /usr/share/fritzing/parts/bins. On startup, Fritzing is looking for various program components including the parts bins in a path relative to the startup directory. However it looks for the parts bins in bins/... instead of parts/bins/.... So the above steps create a symlink in /usr/shared/fritzing called bins and maps it to /usr/shared/fritzing/parts/bins, which is the actual bins path. A launcher is then created to start the program and /usr/shared/fritzing is manually added as the startup path. It should also be possible to create a startup shell script and cd to /usr/shared/fritzing prior to starting the program.BTW, it seems that I have the latest version, 0.9.3b, which is dated 2016, so it seems there has not been another release for two years. Now that I have it running, I will have a play with it, but wouldn't this now be considered abandonware?

author: BradC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2018, 02:21:40 pm
content: Quote from: WaveyDipole on September 26, 2018, 01:12:49 pmI know this is *way* late. I played with VeeCad on Windows and even bought a license. I've run Linux on the desktop exclusively since 1996, but use various versions of Windows in VM to do stuff like this. I went back to a 2B pencil, a stainless ruler and graph paper for Vero layouts.If I could find a decent Vero layout software (and even better one that could work with an Altium schematic in any form) I'd pay $$$ for it, but I've never found anything vaguely useful.

author: 0xdeadbeef
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2018, 02:35:33 pm
content: It may sound stupid, but I used OpenOffice/LibreOffice Calc the last time I did a veroboard.

author: DrAlx
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 20, 2019, 11:30:24 am
content: I know this is an old thread, but you can give my software a try.https://sourceforge.net/projects/veroroute/It's ready compiled for Linux Mint 18.3 64 bit. If you have another linux version, you can install the Qt Creator package and compile it yourself.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2019, 10:18:35 pm
content: Now it has been revived...Why not simply use KiCad (or another PCB program) and set the grid to 0.1" and then use the bottom layer for only horizontal traces that mimick strip board and the top side for "wire bridges"?

author: spongle
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2019, 05:22:24 pm
content: Or just make a PCB like it's after 1970?I can't get my head around someone understanding schematic capture and how to export a netlist, but still wanting to use veroboard.

author: Flenser
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2019, 02:11:59 pm
content: This Hackaday articlehttps://hackaday.com/2019/02/14/the-future-of-fritzing-is-murky-at-best/links to an interesting presentation done at FOSDEM discussing the abandonware status of Fritzing

author: Flenser
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2019, 02:17:19 pm
content: QuoteSelect the breadboard viewScroll down the "Core Parts" window until you get to the "Breadboard View" sectionDrag the stripboard option out into the main windwoThen in the "Inspector" window you can customize the number of rows and columns for your stripboard

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 19, 2019, 05:42:21 pm
content: I would just juse KiCad for this.First draw the schematic, and when drawing the PCB just limit yourself to a grid of 0.1" and horizontal tracks.As a guide you can print the PCB mirrored and use some water sulable glue to glue it to your stripboard and then cut the tracks where needed.Then wash the paper of, dry the PCB and start soldering.You can also print the silk screen and glue it to the top side of the PCB.

author: calli
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2019, 07:49:54 pm
content: Sorry to revive that zombie again.I tried numerous programms the last days to get some more structure in my boards. However the EasyEDA fails at stripboard, use the same trick just routing under horizontal and via vias over side vertical but at some point it wont let me connect the up/downside with vias anymore.So I installed 1GB KiCAD and ok, its a typical CAD but I can use it. havn't got that net(?) thingy, leaving me with many power raisl showing errors "Pin connected to other pins, but not driven", but I thought I can figure out later. So now trying a "PCB"What do I need to setup so that I can do this? Trace width? Is there a roule to route under side only horizontal? How to do the connections? Vias? Or pads?I mean I could use any graphics program (I did something with Blender.org) but I don't want to lose the possibility to have the scheamatics and all automatic checks and a big parts library...Or even try Fritzing again? But with the latest changes tehre.. I don't know...:-( V´Carsten