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

[bloxstompboxes]

You'll also notice it tries to save some of the files from the cloud on your PC with two asterisks in the filename. It then fails to save without an indication why. Removing the * in the filename will allow it to save properly.

[bancika]

Good point. I'll remove special characters from the name

[bancika]

Just deployed a new version. Below is the change log and you can grab it from here https://github.com/bancika/diy-layout-creator/releases

[New Feature] Terminal strip component added
[New Feature] Battery schematic symbol added
[New Feature] Glass diode component added
[New Feature] SMD capacitor and resistor added
[Improvement] Tube, transistor and potentiometer symbols can be rotated
[Improvement] Added percent text box next to the slider for editors like Alpha or Scale
[Improvement] Better object line representation when zoomed in
[Improvement] Increased maximum zoom range from 200% to 300%
[Improvement] Improved pentode symbol without the suppressor grid

[bancika]

public opinion needed. With the growing list of components, the old toolbar becomes less than ideal way to browse through the component library and find what you need quickly. I've been working on an alternate way of using components (see below). It's a tree-list on the left, organized into categories with Recently Used at the top. There's a box that you can use to narrow down the list of components and you can press "Q" at any time to jump to that box, so it's very easy to find components even without the mouse. Right click on a components opens a context menu with "Select All" (of the type) and any available templates for the component.

Any comments? I think it's neat and seems to be improving my workflow...and with most monitors in wide-screen format these days, there's more horizontal real estate on the screen, so this leaves more space for the drawing.

Btw, don't worry I left the old toolbar and there's configuration in the menu so you can toggle between the toolbar and the tree, so everyone can use whatever they like.

[snarblinge]

looks really good

[Johnfreeth]

Version 3.33 seems to work well - Thanks

I also like the new layout.

[bancika]

Cool, 100℅ of the public agrees with the proposed change:)

I'll probably release a new version this week wit this change and a handful of new components and improvements. I want to make it more powerful for guitar wiring diagrams, there's need for such a tool.

Cheers

[GGBB]

First - thanks so much Branislav for continuing to improve and support this tool. It has been an important part of my DIY pedal life and I wouldn't want to have done without it.

I've noticed two problems in 3.33.

First, you appear to have changed (removed) the scaling applied to lines when zooming. Looks very nice on components, but it also affects traces which is not so nice since it affects how I judge where I can run traces. Export to PDF is not affected.

Second, backwards compatibility is lost. Files saved with 3.33 can't be opened in 3.31 even if not changed, just saved. 3.32 files work fine in 3.31. An error message is displayed. I can post or send you the log file if you want - first lines of error are:

11:26:05,061  WARN [SwingWorker-pool-1-thread-2] ProjectFileManager - Could not open with the new xStream, trying the old one
11:26:05,124 ERROR [SwingWorker-pool-1-thread-2] Presenter - Could not load file
com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.reflection.AbstractReflectionConverter$UnknownFieldException: No such field org.diylc.components.passive.TrimmerPotentiometer.display

I'm guessing this might be unavoidable, but maybe you can suggest an edit for the diylc file?

[bancika]

Hi,

You are right about the traces, it wasn't an intentional change. I was aiming only at component outlines. I'll change that back and include in tomorrow's release. I've bundled some cool guitar-related items and finally got to add open switchcraft-style jack, among other things.

As for the backward compatibility...it impossible to make progress with the limitation of backward compatibility. You can open 3.32 file in 3.33 but often not the other way round. That's how every piece of software works (word, corel, photoshop). In some cases it will work, but when you use a feature introduced in a later version, the old version will fail to load it. And I'm fine with it, simple upgrade fixes the issue In this particular case, if you delete node labeled display under TrimmerPotentiometer component(s) it should work, this is added in the new version...but why bother with that?

I am concerned about the reversed case and I try to make sure to keep the compatibility with files created with older versions.

Cheers,
Bane

[GGBB]

Thanks again. Also noticed with the scaling is that the resistor colour bands stay thin. Minor quibble, but I wish they were scaled like they used to be so they get wider at higher zooms (easier to read).

[bancika]

yes, also fixed.

[bancika]

Hot off the press, the last release in 2016. You can find it here https://github.com/bancika/diy-layout-creator/releases/tag/v3.34.0

[New Feature] Searchable component tree instead of the old toolbar (can be changed back from "Config" menu)
[New Feature] Open 1/4" Switchcraft-style jack added
[New Feature] LP-style switch added
[New Feature] P-90 pickup in both "dog ear" and "soap bar" variations added
[New Feature] Telecaster bridge pickup added as a variation of single coil pickup
[New Feature] Mini humbucker pickup added as a variation of Humbucker pickup
[Improvement] X-axis coordinates for all perfboards are now numberical
[Improvement] Improved trace cut rendering to look more realistic
[Improvement] Improved guitar pickup rendering to look more realistic
[Bug Fix] Using unicode characters (like micro character) in template names breaks the whole config file
[Bug Fix] Fixed broken links in the Help menu
[Bug Fix] TriPad board didn't show coordinate labels even when configured to do so

Let me know what you think and happy new year! 

[Johnfreeth]

Looks good - thanks for all your effort

[bancika]

had to do a patch release because of the stupid bug I introduced, but managed to squeeze in some new stuff too.
Grab it from here https://github.com/bancika/diy-layout-creator/releases/tag/v3.35.0

[Bug Fix] Cannot type "q" letter in any of the boxes around the app
[New Feature] Mirror selection horizontally and vertically
[New Feature] Ability to set a default template for component type (grey "pin" icon in the template popup)
[Improvement] Default focus on "Text" field for label
[Improvement] Consolidated popup menu items with "Edit" menu
[Improvement] Renamed menu actions for renumbering to be clearer

[bancika]

more updates https://github.com/bancika/diy-layout-creator/releases/tag/v3.36.0

[New Feature] Ability to quickly save a group of components as a building block and use it later
[New Feature] Show/hide rulers
[New Feature] Show/hide the grid
[Improvement] Ability to type in hex value in color editor
[Improvement] Ability to rotate tube sockets for arbitrary angle and change color
[Improvement] Flip tube schematic symbols
[Improvement] Renamed "template" to "variant" as it is describes the meaning more closely
[Improvement] Applying a variant/template shouldn't affect component placement
[Improvement] Improved rotation and mirroring of multiple components at the same time
[Improvement] Improved resistor rendering to look more realistic
[Improvement] Editable single coil pickup pole pieces (rods or rails) and pole piece color
[Improvement] Editable humbucker pickup pole pieces (rods or rails) and pole piece color
[Improvement] Editable P90 pickup pole piece color
[Bug Fix] Component type gets selected while expanding folders in the component tree

[GGBB]

[New Feature] Ability to quickly save a group of components as a building block and use it later

Awesome!

[Improvement] Improved resistor rendering to look more realistic

Any way to switch back to the old display (I think you said earlier you would make this an option)? Labels sometimes extend outside the body and over the color bands (try 100k)  - doesn't look nice IMO - even if I make the body as long as possible (EDIT: 7.6mm long x 2.5mm wide body with .3" lead spacing) - which is bigger than I'd like - with 5 band display).

Thanks for your hard work!

[bancika]

I'll add in the next rel

[GGBB]

I'll add in the next rel

Thank-you!

[davepedals]

First of all, excellent program... Thanks very much!  Not sure if I'm doing something wrong or not, but when I do a PCB layout with an ic, it is not sized correctly when printed out. edit: Just downloaded latest version. How do I get it to render at correct size?  My render is huge and incorrect. Thanks.

A few ideas... A Trimpot correctly sized with the tripod type legs instead of straight in-line legs. Edit again: I now see this was done.

Perhaps a transistor socket ?
An android version sure would be sweet, although I imagine that would be tough to realize .


Seriously I could use some help – I'm trying to do some PCBs but of course they render out too large. How do I fix this problem, or at least how much should they be reduced in the graphics program?

[bluebunny]

[facetious]

Feature request: 3D please.     (because of this!)

[/facetious]