Schematic Programs (Mac)

Started by Radamus, December 20, 2008, 03:19:41 AM

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Radamus

Hello. I did a search and found several topics that are similar, but they are all a year or so old, so I thought a new one would be best.

Anyway, I'm looking for a schematic drawing program for Mac. I have solve elec and eagle, but solve elec does not seem to have all of the parts available, and Eagle is way too complicated.

Are there any more complete, yet still comprehensive schematic drawers? With all of the modifications on this website, it would be a lot easier for me if I could make a neat copy of the whole thing with mods, rather than try to improvise. If anyone has a recommendation, that would be great. I'm looking for some sort of freeware. My design needs are not so intense that I need some huge design suite, but I do need capacitors and IC's, which solve elec seems to have left out for whatever reason.

Thanks
Conrad

Radamus

I did some looking around externally and I found this article. From what I can tell, every program seems to be a pay program except for one or two. Here's the link: http://www.mactech.com/articles/mactech/Vol.20/20.05/ElectronicHardware/index.html

I downloaded Electric, which is the last on the list. It seems functional, but I don't know yet. If anyone else wants to try it out and let me know what they think, that'd be cool. None of them seem to be as visually appealing to look at as some of the schematics I've seen floating around here.

I guess that's what I have to live with for being so cheap, but if I wasn't cheap, would I be so concerned with making effects pedals?

eurekaiv

IMO you should spend some time figuring out Eagle.  It's complicated at first (whoever designed this application thought nothing about user experience), but once you get the hang of it its not too difficult to use.  The tutorials on http://gaussmarkov.net are extremely helpful and there are others around too if you google them.  Plus, it has the added advantage of being able to transfer any schematic you input directly to a board layout so moving from drawing up schematics to doing your own layouts is a relatively seamless transition.

davent

Hello,

Jschem  is suppose to work on the Mac and will import ExpressPCB files. A really easy piece of software to learn and is a freeware program.  http://dhost.info/jschem/

If you need a tube component library for it you can get one at the Hoffman amp forum. http://www.el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=590.0

dave
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Radamus

Davent, that program seems to be really good. I'm not sure why it wasn't posted anywhere else. I haven't given up on Eagle yet, but I don't want to just assume that one program is better than another.