DIY Layout Creator - software for easy drawing PCB, vero and perfboard layouts

[Perrow]

Is there a way to still show the "default" boxes? I wanna change properties for the default components.

[bancika]

that's described recently, 2 or 3 pages back

[hannibal827]

So I'm using v3.18 in Windows 7.  There are some issues.

The "select all" and "select all components of this type" functions are spotty.  Sometimes you can drag or edit the selection, and sometimes you can't.  I don't know why this isn't consistent, but it isn't consistent.

The "paste" function could use more user control.  Whenever I paste a component, it is pretty much superimposed on the selected component, and then I have to ctrl+drag to "unstick" it from everything connected to that original component.  Being able to determine *where* I paste something would be an improvement.

Also: what is the BOM function supposed to do?  Is it supposed to list the component values for you in DIYLC, or is it supposed to create a separate .txt or csv file with the BOM?  I have tried "Create BOM" from the file menu and selecting "BOM" from the component menu.  Nothing ever happens, and for my trouble, I get this annoying reminder in the status bar: "Failed to draw components: BOM1, BOM2,...etc."

I mean, it's mostly great software, and I'm grateful for it, but a more comprehensive user manual would be nice, or at least a heads-up if there are some features that just don't work in some platforms.

thanks.

[bancika]

I did start documenting everything in the beginning, but people just don't want to read manuals and they would still ask the same questions I covered in the doc. And I don't want to spend time writing something for 5% of the users or less if I can spend it improving the app for 100% of the users. So I gave up.
Bare in mind that I'm one guy making this app in my free time and for free, not a company that does it for profit. I just cannot afford time to do extensive testing and documentation. I'm a software professional and know that you need as much time for testing as you need for development and as much for documentation. If I followed the book, progress would be super slow. So bugs will occur here and there. That's why I setup a page for bug reporting and feature requests (diylc.org, links also available from the app, Help menu), but only 2 or 3 people go there and report stuff. And you can always go there to see the list of open issues, but nobody does. People find it easier to post their wishes on forums where it's hard for me to remember everything, hard to track down posts because of the sheer size and finally hard for you guys to realize when something is done (as opposed to getting an email from google when an issue is resolved).

Sorry if it sounds like ranting, but if it's going to be "perfect", people will have to chime in. In this particular example, issues you reported are not known, so filing them would be of great help, together with app log for "failed to draw.." bug, there's probably an explanation there. As far as paste improvement, I'm open to ideas, it sounds like a good thing to improve. That's the natural flow how issues are reported, documented and tracked. Not me writing a wiki with all known issues across all known platforms  that nobody will read anyways

Cheers

[snarblinge]

hmmmm should have posted in that bug error report place... Sorry bancika, still all working now, i.m all flash and up to date. love your work...

[bancika]

mac issue has been fixed in 3.19, so no need to file that.

Good thing about being a one man show is that everything you guys submit will be reviewed and in most cases resolved (unless I strongly disagree with suggestions which is rare), sometimes even the same day. Try requesting a change or bug fix from Microsoft

[hannibal827]

Just downloaded ver. 3.20, and the BOM function and multiple-component editing work fine.

Sorry I provoked a rant earlier.  Like I said, I am grateful to have this software.  Thanks for all your hard work, bancika.

[bancika]

v3.21 has even more important fix - users with java 7 lose all configuration changes and component templates when they turn the app off.

btw, it wasn't rant, I'm sorry if it sounded like that. I just tried to explain my situation and set realistic expectations. Documentation is always Achilles's heel of open source projects and that's the best place for non-developers to support the project.

cheers

[digi2t]

bancika,

I recently suffered a HD crash, but I managed to recover some DIYcreator files. Unfortunately, I believe they may have been corrupted. I try opening them and I get an error, and this in the log;

12:51:18,352 DEBUG [main] DIYLCStarter - Java version: 1.7.0_07-b10 by Oracle Corporation
12:51:18,352 DEBUG [main] DIYLCStarter - OS: Windows 7 6.1
12:51:18,352  INFO [main] DIYLCStarter - Starting DIYLC with working directory C:\Users\Dino\Documents\Layout creator\DIYCREATOR_3_21
12:51:18,773  INFO [main] ConfigurationManager - Initializing configuration
12:51:18,789  INFO [main] Presenter - installPlugin(ToolBox)
12:51:18,804  INFO [main] Presenter - Loading component types.
12:51:19,319  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectGUIComponent(org.diylc.swing.plugins.toolbox.ComponentTabbedPane, 1)
12:51:19,366  INFO [main] Presenter - installPlugin(FileMenuPlugin)
12:51:19,366  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(New, File)
12:51:19,382  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Open, File)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Save, File)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Save As, File)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Separator, File)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Export to PDF, File)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Export to PNG, File)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Print..., File)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectSubmenu(Trace Mask, icon, File)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Export to PDF, Trace Mask)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Export to PNG, Trace Mask)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Print..., Trace Mask)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Create B.O.M., File)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Separator, File)
12:51:19,397  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Exit, File)
12:51:19,413  INFO [main] Presenter - installPlugin(EditMenuPlugin)
12:51:19,413  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Undo, Edit)
12:51:19,413  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Redo, Edit)
12:51:19,413  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Separator, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Cut, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Copy, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Paste, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Separator, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Select All, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Edit Selection, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Delete Selection, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Group Selection, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Ungroup Selection, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Send Backward, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Bring Forward, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Separator, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Save as Template, Edit)
12:51:19,428  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectSubmenu(Renumber Selection, icon, Edit)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(X Axis First, Renumber Selection)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Y Axis First, Renumber Selection)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectSubmenu(Expand Selection, icon, Edit)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(All Connected, Expand Selection)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Immediate Only, Expand Selection)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Same Type Only, Expand Selection)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Separator, Edit)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Edit Project, Edit)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] Presenter - installPlugin(ConfigPlugin)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Anti-Aliasing, Config)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Auto-Create Pads, Config)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Auto-Edit Mode, Config)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Continuous Creation, Config)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Export Grid, Config)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Hi-Quality Rendering, Config)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Mouse Wheel Zoom, Config)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Outline Mode, Config)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Snap to Grid, Config)
12:51:19,444  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Sticky Points, Config)
12:51:19,460  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectSubmenu(Theme, icon, Config)
12:51:19,475 DEBUG [main] ConfigPlugin - Found theme: Blueprint light
12:51:19,475  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Blueprint light, Theme)
12:51:19,491 DEBUG [main] ConfigPlugin - Found theme: Blueprint
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Blueprint, Theme)
12:51:19,491 DEBUG [main] ConfigPlugin - Found theme: Dark
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Dark, Theme)
12:51:19,491 DEBUG [main] ConfigPlugin - Found theme: Light
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Light, Theme)
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Chassis, Lock Layers)
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Board, Lock Layers)
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Trace, Lock Layers)
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Component, Lock Layers)
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Text, Lock Layers)
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] Presenter - installPlugin(LayersMenuPlugin)
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(User Manual, Help)
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(FAQ, Help)
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Component API, Help)
12:51:19,491  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Plugin API, Help)
12:51:19,506  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Submit a Bug, Help)
12:51:19,506  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Separator, Help)
12:51:19,506  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(Donate, Help)
12:51:19,506  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectMenuAction(About, Help)
12:51:19,506  INFO [main] Presenter - installPlugin(HelpMenuPlugin)
12:51:19,506  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectGUIComponent(org.diylc.swing.plugins.statusbar.StatusBar, 3)
12:51:19,506  INFO [main] Presenter - installPlugin(StatusBar)
12:51:19,553  INFO [main] Presenter - installPlugin(CanvasPlugin)
12:51:19,569  INFO [SwingWorker-pool-1-thread-1] UpdateChecker - Trying to download file: http://www.diy-fever.com/update.xml
12:51:19,584  INFO [main] MainFrame - injectGUIComponent(org.diylc.swingframework.ruler.RulerScrollPane, 0)
12:51:19,662  INFO [main] Presenter - installPlugin(FramePlugin)
12:51:19,662  INFO [main] Presenter - installPlugin(AutoSavePlugin)
12:51:19,662  INFO [main] Presenter - createNewFile()
12:51:19,678  INFO [main] Presenter - loadProject(New Project, true)
12:51:19,709  INFO [AWT-EventQueue-0] ConfigurationManager - Saving configuration
12:51:19,865 DEBUG [main] TemplateDialog - Found 2 templates
12:51:19,865  INFO [main] Presenter - loadProjectFromFile(C:\Users\Dino\Documents\Layout creator\DIYCREATOR_3_21\templates\eyelet.diy)
12:51:19,865  INFO [main] ProjectFileManager - loadProjectFromFile(C:\Users\Dino\Documents\Layout creator\DIYCREATOR_3_21\templates\eyelet.diy)
12:51:19,896  WARN [main] ProjectFileManager - Could not open with the new xStream, trying the old one
12:51:19,912  INFO [main] Presenter - loadProject(New Project, true)
12:51:19,912  INFO [main] Presenter - setZoomLevel(0.17520805957074026)
12:51:20,162  INFO [SwingWorker-pool-1-thread-1] UpdateChecker - 0 updates found
12:51:22,205  INFO [AWT-EventQueue-0] ConfigurationManager - Saving configuration
12:51:24,093  INFO [main] DIYLCStarter - Injecting default properties.
12:51:27,228  INFO [AWT-EventQueue-0] ActionFactory - OpenAction triggered
12:51:33,234  INFO [AWT-EventQueue-0] ConfigurationManager - Saving configuration
12:51:33,234 DEBUG [SwingWorker-pool-1-thread-2] ActionFactory - Opening from C:\Users\Dino\Documents\Foxx Guitar Synth\Foxx Guitar Synth.diy
12:51:33,234  INFO [SwingWorker-pool-1-thread-2] Presenter - loadProjectFromFile(C:\Users\Dino\Documents\Foxx Guitar Synth\Foxx Guitar Synth.diy)
12:51:33,234  INFO [SwingWorker-pool-1-thread-2] ProjectFileManager - loadProjectFromFile(C:\Users\Dino\Documents\Foxx Guitar Synth\Foxx Guitar Synth.diy)
12:51:33,266 ERROR [SwingWorker-pool-1-thread-2] Presenter - Could not load file
org.xml.sax.SAXParseException; lineNumber: 1660; columnNumber: 22; An invalid XML character (Unicode: 0x0) was found in the element content of the document.
   at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.DOMParser.parse(Unknown Source)
   at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.jaxp.DocumentBuilderImpl.parse(Unknown Source)
   at org.diylc.presenter.ProjectFileManager.deserializeProjectFromFile(Unknown Source)
   at org.diylc.presenter.Presenter.loadProjectFromFile(Unknown Source)
   at org.diylc.swing.ActionFactory$OpenAction$1.doInBackground(Unknown Source)
   at org.diylc.swing.ActionFactory$OpenAction$1.doInBackground(Unknown Source)
   at org.diylc.swing.gui.MainFrame$3.doInBackground(Unknown Source)
   at javax.swing.SwingWorker$1.call(Unknown Source)
   at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask$Sync.innerRun(Unknown Source)
   at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(Unknown Source)
   at javax.swing.SwingWorker.run(Unknown Source)
   at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)
   at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)
   at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)


Any chance of recovery, or is it a lost cause.
Thanks,
Dino

[bancika]

in theory, you could, but I don't know what the damage is...you can try to delete part of the XML that's causing problems.
XML has <components> tag that lists all components, just delete one around those corrupted lines...if it's truncated you'll have to add the proper ending to the file

  </components>
  <groups/>
  <lockedLayers/>
</org.diylc.core.Project>

[bancika]

in theory, you could, but I don't know what the damage is...you can try to delete part of the XML that's causing problems.
XML has <components> tag that lists all components, just delete one around those corrupted lines...if it's truncated you'll have to add the proper ending to the file

 </components>
 <groups/>
 <lockedLayers/>
</org.diylc.core.Project>

[digi2t]

in theory, you could, but I don't know what the damage is...you can try to delete part of the XML that's causing problems.
XML has <components> tag that lists all components, just delete one around those corrupted lines...if it's truncated you'll have to add the proper ending to the file

 </components>
 <groups/>
 <lockedLayers/>
</org.diylc.core.Project>

I have zero knowledge insofar as programming is concerned. Would it be possible for me to email you a file for your perusal? PM me if so.

Cheers,
Dino

[garcho]

great program, liking it more and more, thanks!

[Perrow]

Is there a way to change the default size of the workspace? I usually clip the workspace to just leave a centimeter or so around my project, but as I rarely end up with something bigger than say 10 cm squared it would be nice to start there for every new project.

[makaze808]

Hi, I download the zip for the new version, it appears in my download folder, I unzip with win-zip to my desktop, I click on the icon, it says can't find jar.

please help, I'm going insane, now on try 50+.

[makaze808]

Had to unzip the whole folder at once, that worked, thanks.

[bancika]

Is there a way to change the default size of the workspace? I usually clip the workspace to just leave a centimeter or so around my project, but as I rarely end up with something bigger than say 10 cm squared it would be nice to start there for every new project.

default checkboxes work for projects too...

[Jdansti]

I'm a software professional and know that you need as much time for testing as you need for development and as much for documentation. If I followed the book, progress would be super slow.

Cheers

mac issue has been fixed in 3.19, so no need to file that.

Good thing about being a one man show is that everything you guys submit will be reviewed and in most cases resolved (unless I strongly disagree with suggestions which is rare), sometimes even the same day. Try requesting a change or bug fix from Microsoft

This reminds me:

In the 90's I managed a state of the art air monitoring program at a notorious hazardous waste site. Our monitoring system had custom software that my boss (who was the owner of the company) wrote to collect, calculate, display, and report real-time data via spread spectrum radio modems from remote gas chromatography stations located around the site.  I quickly learned that if I needed a software change, not to say, "could you just make it do this or that?" as if all he had to do was take a few minutes to add or change a line or two of code.  I learned that software changes have to be properly thought through, developed, documented, and implemented.

Hats off to you for doing this. Thank you! 

[tca]

Hi, I do like this software, specially the vero builds! I'm going, in the next days, read the docs in order to contribute some drawings to it.
Started reading the component API (http://code.google.com/p/diy-layout-creator/wiki/ComponentAPI). I know how to program in C, LISP and a bit of Javascript,  I think I can manage some Java.

I'm thinking about the following:

1. add stereo and mono 1/'4' jacks
2. alpha pots
3. 9V panel plug
4. some boxes layout, I like the 1590B boxes. It would be coll to test how everything fits inside!
5. and, of course, 3pdt switchs

Great work! Cheers.

[deadastronaut]

^ cool...

i'd like the 1590b/1590bb templates in this too../ eddyystone and hammond though..(eddystone for us UK folk. .)

and 1/4 jacks...

these are scaled if they are of any use for diylc...i use this a lot in inkscape for planning out a box..very handy.

http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=47294