What do you use to draw schematics for documentation and reports? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: TheUnnamedNewbie
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 11:05:34 am
content: I am interested in what tools/workflows others use.Note: I am not asking "what tool should I use for schematic design". I'm also not asking "what is the best schematic design tool". I am not interested in schematic capture for PCB design purposes, or to create a netlist in general. This is also why I didn't put it in the general PCB/EDA/CAD section. I know some people just use screenshots from the PCB software but that, in my opinion, just doesn't look acceptable in any documentation meant for outside of the design team.I myself usually draw of schematics for documentation and papers etc. in a vector-graphics program. I used to use Inkscape, but I got too fed up with it's issues (instability, some features that are missing, a pain in the ass to work with in general, ...), and went out and got myself Adobe Illustrator. As for symbols, I use my own 'library'. Depending on the target I will change my symbols a bit; for more public and general stuff I will use the 'correct' symbol for MOSFETs, for academic work the one originally created by Razavi.Here is an example of a schematic I made from a text on RF power amplifiers:So what do you guys use?

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 11:09:56 am
content: I use Kisscad for documentation:http://ludens.cl/Electron/kisscad/kisscad.htmlBeware: unforgiving, learning curve, obtuse. But when you get going it's fast and powerful. You can drive it entirely from the keyboard too. Output is really good. I really like it. It's by Manfred Mornhinweg XQ6FOD

author: donmr
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 03:39:15 pm
content: Inkscape

author: CopperCone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 04:19:39 pm
content: Dremel the schematics into fleshYou can later make the forth necronomical volume of the art of electronics that deals with using circuits to rise the dead for your army of darkness

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 05:17:30 pm
content: CopperCone for president!

author: jmelson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 06:27:41 pm
content: I'm still using Protel 99 SE, and it makes pretty nice schematics, as well as being the schematic entry I use for PC board design. On occasion, I use the SPICE-based simulator in it, also.Jon

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 06:40:17 pm
content: There's an export DXF in Cadence. Maybe try that.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 06:41:18 pm
content: I usually use TinyCAD, which can export in EMF that can be imported in a lot of publishing software and get rendered as vector graphics. If I need a specific intermediate format, I use Inkscape and export it to SVG or EPS. Downside, it's Windows-only.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 06:45:08 pm
content: Quote from: Alex Eisenhut on May 21, 2018, 06:40:17 pmDiptrace has DXF export too.It will also save BMP and JPG from the Print Preview screen, doesn't look too bad...

author: jbb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 07:18:00 pm
content: These days I use Microsoft Visio, which works OK. Not great, but OK.Tips for civilising Visio:Turn on the gridGo into the grid properties andset the grid to 'Fixed'. This is critical to avoid snap problems.Choose a reasonable grid size (2mm seems to work well for me.f you want to put a drawing in a Word document, you can (in Word) say Insert Object >> Visio Drawing. Then right-click on the drawing and say 'Open'I used to use JFIG (which is a Java implementation of XFIG) and got nice results but you have to be really disciplined. I used my own component library which had been tweaked to be as small as possible while still being clear. I had to fit everything into 3.3 inch columns (for IEEE papers).

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 09:10:49 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on May 21, 2018, 05:17:30 pmHe's better qualified than Trump, I'll give you that.*Cough*Me, Altium of course -- e.g.https://www.seventransistorlabs.com/Images/AltiumDiscreteFlybackSch.pngI'm quite particular about my schematic library and drawing style. (I know UnnamedNewbie already knows this, I'm posting for the benefit of others to bask in the aesthetic glow of my symbols.)That includes limited block diagrams, circuit snippets, waveforms and such:https://www.seventransistorlabs.com/Images/AltiumFigures.pngNot as practical as some other methods, but alright when it is.Tim

author: archnemesis
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 10:10:36 pm
content: DigiKey has this toolhttps://www.digikey.com/schemeit/project/It's.... okay

author: blackdog
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2018, 11:58:49 pm
content: Hi,I use S-Plan for al my schematics.Website of the maqkers.https://www.electronic-software-shop.com/lng/en/electronic-software/splan-70.htmlSome examples...It can export to different picture formats, but better read the documentation.Kind regards,Bram

author: djnz
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2018, 03:09:32 pm
content: Tried XCircuit? It has its learning curve, but can produce good quality output.

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2018, 03:46:23 pm
content: I use Illustrator - generally I open the designer's PDF of the schematic in Illustrator and manually edit.OP, Would you mind sharing your Illustrator library of electronic objects?

author: Gary350z
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2018, 04:16:09 pm
content: Use DipTrace, then print to PDF:

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 23, 2018, 01:47:18 pm
content: http://draw.iofor internal use, technical documentation, and presentations.But not so much for circuits (though it does have most common symbols), as much as for system documentation in general.Oh, andhttps://sequencediagram.org/to explain protocols, communication, API use, data life cycles, etc. Nothing fancy, but certainly works well enough to let you explain yourself.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2018, 02:00:03 pm
content: Quote from: Gary350z on May 22, 2018, 04:16:09 pmAlso, from the Print preview screen you can save directly to .bmp or .jpg format.As a bonus, it's trivially easy to make your own custom parts or symbols.

author: TheUnnamedNewbie
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2018, 06:38:51 pm
content: Quote from: rdl on May 23, 2018, 02:00:03 pmBut neither .bmp or .jpg are vector formats. Does it save the PDF print version as vector format?

author: Wimberleytech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2018, 08:37:39 pm
content: I wrote a textbook once and I drew all of the figures in Adobe Illustrator (what the publisher wanted).Now I use Visio. I have my own stencils containing the elecectronic symbols I like (many I created). Still using 2007 version and have not reason (that I know of) to change.

author: TheUnnamedNewbie
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2018, 08:41:31 am
content: Quote from: Wimberleytech on May 23, 2018, 08:37:39 pmWhat made you switch from Illustrator to Visio? (cost?)

author: Wimberleytech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2018, 10:03:00 am
content: Quote from: TheUnnamedNewbie on May 24, 2018, 08:41:31 amThere were several reasons, and cost was one but probably the main driver. Illustrator is very precise and is a standard format that will be reproduced just as it was drawn. However, it is not the most user-friendly for schematics, which was most of my drawing. I started using visio where I worked to align with the others in the office--fell in love with the UI, stencils and such. For work, I did not have to send stuff to a publisher, I just needed schematics for reports, powerpoint, etc. Visio is perfect for that.I still keep an old copy of Illustrator installed because sometimes I want to use old book figures that are still in ai format (or eps).

author: Wimberleytech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2018, 10:06:54 am
content: Quote from: blackdog on May 21, 2018, 11:58:49 pmImpressive! Appears to borrow from Visio concepts...I am tempted...but do I need another piece of drawing software???

author: Gary350z
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2018, 03:02:47 pm
content: Quote from: TheUnnamedNewbie on May 23, 2018, 06:38:51 pmYes the PDF is a vector format. Its very impressive when enlarged; see below.Remember it's free for the base version.

author: stefan_k133
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 24, 2018, 03:03:20 pm
content: Another vote for XCircuit (http://opencircuitdesign.com/xcircuit/index.html). It saves its file in PostScript and therefore it could be processed further in other graphics software or included in documents. The book "Lessons In Electric Circuits" by Tony Kuphaldt (http://www.ibiblio.org/kuphaldt/electricCircuits) used it for illustrations.