Software tool

Software design tools

Some people still build circuits without ever using any software tools. For complicated circuits, software design tools can save a lot of time.

This section is being reorgnized and expanded, it may be a bit messed up for a few days.

The design tools fall into several classes:

Schematic Capture

Listed in Class as SchCap

PCB Layout

Listed in Class as PCB, generally includees a footprint editor to make new parts.

Circuit Simulation

Listed in Class as CirSim.

Other

Other tools that do not fall in the classes above

Suites

"Suites" that combine schematic capture, component editor for the components used in schematic capture, circuit simulation, PCB layout, autorouter, and footprint editor for the footprints used in PCB layout. A suite can be nice as you need draw the circuit only once.

Quite often people mix-and-match tools -- using a schematic capture from one suite to generate pretty schematics and a netlist, then importing the netlist a third party Specctra autorouter, then importing the result into a PCB layout program from another suite for the final manual clean-up and design rule checking. For this to work the tools must have compatible import and export tools.

(Is there another place for listing stand-alone tools such as a switching power supply "wizard" and a RF analysis tool? -- yes as this section is not limited to suites [anymore] )

Links

In no particular order:

Class	Name	Platform	License	AutoRouter	Comments
*PCB	Liquid PCB	Linux, Win32	GPL	no	Liquid PCB wiki at SourceForge Liquid PCB is a computer aided design application for designing printed circuit boards. You are not restricted to straight tracks and 45º angles, you can draw tracks any way you like. The tracks will move and bend as required to maintain your design rules. It is open source, and still in the Alpha stage.
*PCB	gEDA	Linux, *BSD	Free, OSS	autorouter	This may be the goto open source tool for schematic capture through PCB. Generally does not run on Windows. There are no restrictions on the package to cripple it for a paid version. Boards may be very big. Would be nice to have a full review sometime. gEDA wiki includes schematic and PCB for makeing gerbers etc...
*PCB	McCAD EDS Lite	MacOSX, Win32	Free demo max 200 pin	autorouter	Free demo version available for download, 200 pin limit
*PCB	McCAD EDS SE	MacOSX, Win32	"free"?	autorouter	Free with book, "Apple I Replica Creation". Supports 750 pins, 11"x17" sheet size, 6-8 data layers. <tangent>(any useful tips in this book for those who want to build a CPU from scratch?) <reply>No, there are not. The book is more entry-level. - Tom Owad</reply></tangent>
*PCB	FreePCB	Win32	GPL	can use FreeRoute	PCB Design Software
*SchCap	TinyCAD	Win32	LGPL	n/a	Schematic Drawing Software. TinyCAD wiki.
*tbd	KiCad	BSD, Linux, MacOSX, Win32	GPL	autorouter	http://www.lis.inpg.fr/realise_au_lis/kicad/ EDA suite ; KiCad wiki. Free and open-source.
*SchCap *PCB	Express SCH/PCB	Win32	Free use crippleware	?	ExpressPCB's propietatary free schematic capture & PCB layout designer locking you to use ExpressPCB for manufacture explicitly. Manufacture in 3 business days of two boards for ~100 USD.
*PCB	Protel DXP	Win32		autorouter	independent Protel users FAQ; Protel users wiki
*tbd	Eagle Eagle Links	Win32, Linux	Free use crippleware		( Russ Hensel says>> ) I have been kicking around as a hobbyist for a while and Eagle seems to be the main hobbyist circuit/pcb cad program. It supports schematics and board layout with an auto-router. The free version can easily support 2 dual op amps with wide traces and a one sided board. There is quite a lot of info on the Internet and many projects supply eagle files. There is also a $125 non profit version supporting larger boards. It then gets expensive. Eagle is not really easy to learn: cut for it would be copy in almost any other program. It probably deserves a page or more of its own. ( << end RH ) http://cadsoft.de/ Eagle tutorial from Sparkfun Eagle tutorial (makezine)
*tbd	DipTrace		Crippleware		250-pin Freeware or Purchase more advanced versions
*tbd	WinQcad		Crippleware		Demo with max 499 pins available for download
*tbd	Rimu Schematic and Rimu PCB	Win32	Payware		Schematic & PCB design for MS-Windows
*tbd	SuperCAD and SuperPCB	Win32			Mental Automation schematic & PCB for MS-Windows
*tbd	autotraxeda.com				AUTOTraxEDA needs MS-NT, won't work on MS-W98/ME. User forums have shown a certain lack of satisfaction with the program.
*tbd	holophase.com/dleval	Win32	Crippleware		Circad's DOS version is free for non-commercial use.
*tbd	geda.seul.org	BSD, Linux, MacOSX	GPL	autorouter	xNIX Electronic Design Automation project has Schematic capture with PCB CAD.
*tbd	vutrax.co.uk/pricing	Win32		autorouter	Vutrax for MS-Windows. Free for under 256 component pins.
*tbd	interactiv.com				Electronic Workbench, 400 USD for 500 pins. Includes schematic capture and simulation, virtual instruments and PCB layout. Said to be stable.
*tbd	Harry Eaton's PCB	BSD?, Linux?, MacOSX?, Win32	GPL	autorouter	PCB design program which can work under any POSIX compliant operating system like Linux (or BSD under API compability layer). Have Gerber and PostScript output options.
*tbd	labcenter.co.uk				They have a lite version "PIC bundle" ~149 USD includes schematic + simulation + pcb layout. You can write pic code for your pic schematic design and simulate. Even multi-pic, keypad, lcd display. Right now it can only simulate PIC16x83, PIC16x84 (lite version limited to 1k program code). Working on more pic modules. Will not produce Gerber or Excellion drill files. Only dxf, bmp, hpgl, tiff output (not sufficient!).
*tbd	ivex.com		Payware		Winboard PCB Layout, now calcentron.com.
*tbd	illuminated.com.au	Linux, Win32, DOS			Draftcad, Schematic Capture and PCB Design
*tbd	winqcad.com	Win32, Linux+Wine			MicroCad
*tbd	"PCB ARTIST"	Win32	?		schematic + layout. Seems to lock you into using Advanced Circuits for manufacture (?).
*tbd	PCB123	Win32	?		schematic + layout. Seems to lock you into using Sunstone for manufacture (?).
*tbd	ProSchematic	Win32	"free trial"	no	can make schematics that look almost like photographs of a solderless breadboard.
*CirSim	Spice	Various	Various	na	The generic term for many simulation programs.
*CirSim	LTSpice	Windows	free	na	A free version of Spice from Linear Technology. Draw the schematic and see its simulations. Many components. Seems to be very popular. Should ( will ) have a page here of its own.
* PCB	PCB 3.0
* PCB	VeeCAD			autorouter	VeeCAD Stripboard Editor
* CirSim	Qucs
* CirSim	Java Breadboard Simulator[1][2]
* SchCap, PCB	Fritzing			autorouter
* CirSim	GarlicSim	Windows, Linux	mostly LGPL2.1		If you want to write a circuit simulator or a microcontroller simulator, GarlicSim may be a nice starting point.

(Some of this information in this table came from the list of software design tools at the Massmind).

A SourceForge search for "schematic" lists dozens of tools. Other than the ones already listed above, what tools in that list are useful for open circuits?

Is there any way to objectively compare these tools? How well did they do at the PCB Top Gun contest ?

Timing diagrams:

• GTKWave Electronic Waveform Viewer http://intranet.cs.man.ac.uk/apt/projects/tools/gtkwave/
• TimingTool http://www.timingtool.com/

When you want to post a picture of a schematic or timing diagram on a web site, should you use JPEG or PNG? I hope these 2 pictures answer your question:

• http://www.ninechime.com/gallery/sketch/StopJPEGing.jpg
• http://www.ninechime.com/gallery/sketch/StopJPEGing.png

---

Further reading

• Techniques
• hardware tools
• Even though PCB part of a stripboard circuit was more or less "finished" years ago, some people use the above schematic and PCB layout tools to design and document the parts placement for new gadgets built on stripboard.
• A similar list of software tools at RepRap: CAD software for electronics lists tools that people working on the RepRap project have found useful. (Have we already listed all those tools here?)