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

[bancika]

Good news: Not only did I fix that but two new components are available: pots and wire for offboard connections.
For wire I was trying to make it look more like "real" wire, i.e. to bend instead of being straight like jumper.
Check out and tell me what you think.   

[stm]

Hi Bancika, the additions are fine.

The pots need a fix to match actual pot pin spacings, since even 16mm pots have the three pins with one free pad in between, thus covering 5 grid elements instead of 3.  So if you move horizontally you'll have PIN1-free-PIN2-free-PIN3.

The wires look realistic, but in some cases they tend to bend too much near the end. Great addition though!

Also, don't forget to update the release date in the "About" dialogue, as it is not possible to find the version of the actual installation.  The online update search function is great!

Cheers.

P.D.  After some thought I think the pots are intended to be used as external components to be wired, not actual PCB components.

[stm]

A problem I found with wires is that when you save a design with some wires and you reopen, the wires are drawn on the screen, but do not appear listed on the explorer view.  Adding new wires continue correctly with sequential numbering, however you cannot select/delete them anymore.

[bancika]

Oh yeah, I didn't try to measure real pot
I'll enlarge it. As for wire I'll have to change something, increase minimum level of "bending" and decreas maximum level.
Also, I'll check that listing bug you mentioned
Cheers

[bancika]

it's fixed now I hope
Uploading it...

[stm]

Nice!

[Emnitec]

This software is growing to be outstanding...! The bugs are quickly fixed (even if new ones comes..but, hey..! It's software). I've searched, but I found nothing about possibilities of donating some $$ to bancika? Just to show that we appreciate the developement....

Anyway, thanks for the excellent software!!

/Emnitec

[RLBJR65]

This software is growing to be outstanding...! The bugs are quickly fixed (even if new ones comes..but, hey..! It's software). I've searched, but I found nothing about possibilities of donating some $$ to bancika? Just to show that we appreciate the developement....

Anyway, thanks for the excellent software!!

/Emnitec

Open the program and look in the lower left corner under the HELP section. There is a link there if you care to make a donation.

[Emnitec]

Hmm....right in front of my eyes.... 

Thanks RLBJR65!


/Emnitec

[bancika]

Speaking of donations, those parts you sent me are great RLBJR65. I made modded Ross comp with those CA3080A and now MrEQ with CD4049...working great
Cheers

[psw]

Hey there Bancika...and all the folks contributing to the development of this program here

GrEaT sTuFf...

This program really is easy and useful. I previously used stripboard magic and it is a shocker and nowhere near as nice and easy to do what I want to do, as this software really is...

I have used it a little bit lately on the sustainer thread over at projectguitar.com and will be using and recomending it more in the future.

A couple of questions...
...how do you download new features...do you have to uninstall the whole thing and download again to get updates??? (off board components sound cool...(you do have a 4PDT toggle switch I hope!!...also LED's)...
...It has frozen on me a few times now, thankfully it has not lost anything, the explorer part kind of goes blank...I think it is after quite a few alterations (moving components around and such), but on small circuits, nonetheless...possibly a bug!

Otherwise, as I say, didn't loose anything, was able to close it, reopen and find it again and all was well, but it has happened a few times now.

But, hey....the development speed is staggering and it makes it so easy to draw something up and email or post it on the net within minutes.

I'd love to see you do something similar with schematics. This thing is so easy to use, it would be great if you could use it to design circuits, not just lay them out, with the same kind of interface.

Anyway...enough from me...will be spreading the word and I hope it does well for you as a promotional tool or whatever, I'm sure we will be seeing a lot of designs with the storm watermark below it from now on turning up all over!

pete

[pyrop]

Hi Bancika,
Great addition there with the pots & wire. This thing is getting cooler by the day.
Now for a couple of new bugs sorry!
1.When adding a new pot the taper option is blank.
2.Once a pot has been placed you can't change it's value.
Also corresponding numbers on the pot lugs would be useful & could ease some confusion for some.

pyrop

[bancika]

thanks guys!
psw, with big layouts it takes some time to render board, so maybe that's the problem. give it a second or two.
pyrop, will fix them. tnx

Cheers 

[RLBJR65]

[RLBJR65]

Bancika new stuff works great for me Except for the pot taper prob. pyrop mentioned.

One q is there any way to move the board down a bit farther below the project name and  title? That will make it easier to use the off board components.

I'm glad you found a good use for some of those parts! IMO the CA3080A sounds better than the 3080E in the Ross comp. Also looks cooler.

Pyrop, just saw your diode comp drop in board I did 1 on perf awhile back, found some tiny little brad (wire) nails at a hobby store about 1/2" long, that worked great for pins.

[bancika]

RLBJR65, board cannot be moved...yet
psw, I forgot to reply to your question. To update you don't have to uninstall previous version. Just install latest into same folder...it will update necessary files.
Cheers

[Roobin]

Like the way the wires curve n stuff. Do you think it necessary or even possible to create a grid off board to organise pots, switches and stuff? It would just make it all easier when placing them.

[bancika]

Actually, there is light gray grid already, from first or second version (we are at 13 now)

[Roobin]

Oh, so there is. It's just that ive got my screen brightness a bit up - i hate grey bars and straining my eyes.

[stm]

A suggestion for better handling of external components and parts list might be to have two separate pages or tabs:  one for the layout alone (ideally centered on the screen), and the other for the title and parts list exclusively.  This would placing components around the board and allow seeing the parts list in larger designs.

Though these ideas might sound good I'm afraid such an implementation might require major surgery.

Finally, it should be possible to edit wire/pads/tracks colours after they are placed.