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

[Perrow]

Then I must be misinterpreting something.
For instance, I have traces in layers 1 and 2.
I thought it would let me select say, all the traces in Layer 1, while leaving the traces in Layer 2 alone (not selected).
It just has "Lock" and "Select All".

Oh, I thought you meant that function, I can see now that you're after another, don't know if that's possible, I only work single sided.

[CodeMonk]

The main bit of the layer property does what I need it to do.
When I export the trace mask, each layer is in a separate file.

[bancika]

I like to draw schematics with this app. But to draw a pot I mess around with the line tool to make an arrow pointing to a regular resistor. Is there an easier/better way to do this?

Cheers.

pot is on the to-do list

[garcho]

I can't get the over-sized white solder pads underneath the black traces regardless of changing layers and sending back, etc. At this point I "fix" it in inkscape but I wish I could just do it all in DIYLC. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? Awesome program bancika, bravo!

[Kipper4]

Stupid newbie question coming up guys head for the hills or help your choice!!!!!!!!!!


When i open a perf or eyelet board my pots dont fit to the eyelets. So I guess i'm using the wrong eyelet (grid spacing or something)
What is a std setting please?
I was under the impression it was 0.1" the default setting but yey the pots dont fit.

Thanks to those who stick around and answer. Looking forward to some help.
Rich

[garcho]

Try this: export to PDF; open the file; right click or control click on the document when Adobe opens; choose 'Document Properties'; under 'Print Dialog Presets' there's a 'Page Scaling' pull down menu; change it from 'Default' to 'none'; print. It should be to scale.

[GGBB]

Stupid newbie question coming up guys head for the hills or help your choice!!!!!!!!!!


When i open a perf or eyelet board my pots dont fit to the eyelets. So I guess i'm using the wrong eyelet (grid spacing or something)
What is a std setting please?
I was under the impression it was 0.1" the default setting but yey the pots dont fit.

Thanks to those who stick around and answer. Looking forward to some help.
Rich

Both board types allow you to set the spacing - just double-click them.  You can also make the setting default by using the checkbox.  The pot component also has a lug spacing setting.

[Kipper4]

Something wierd happened.
Instead of moving the componants i moved the board and it all clicked into place
However i use 18mm pots and the default pot is 1" so if i change the body to an 18mm what lugs size or spacing should i use (5mm)
I'll get the hang of this eventually.
Sorry for this. I need to be less English with this sorry stuff.

[deadastronaut]

hmmm i see what you mean.

i use maplin 16mm pots a lot (pricey, but nice quality) ..i measured the lug spacing using calipers 4.15mm spacing.

as you can see the IC, tranny fits as they should, ad have always used this board spacing ...but pots. hmmm....never noticed this as i do off board wiring, but interesting anyway...

[Perrow]

I can't get the over-sized white solder pads underneath the black traces regardless of changing layers and sending back, etc. At this point I "fix" it in inkscape but I wish I could just do it all in DIYLC. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? Awesome program bancika, bravo!

I'd do my layout normal.

Then make a copy of all traces and pads and move them to the side or even a new file (temporarily).

Change the size and color of the traces and pads and add a background.

Then export the created ground plane separately, and join them together in inkscape.

Then file a bug report with bancica

[GGBB]

Lug/pin spacing on typical stompbox DIY 16/17mm pots like Alpha is 0.2inch.  Rich - I would keep spacing for everything in inches not millimeters.  IC pins are always spaced at 0.1 inch so you need to match your board to that (no choice with perf, vero), and then your other components to the board.

EDIT:  Of course, if you're just drawing diagrams, you can do it any way you like.

[GGBB]

I'd do my layout normal.

Then make a copy of all traces and pads and move them to the side or even a new file (temporarily).

Change the size and color of the traces and pads and add a background.

Then export the created ground plane separately, and join them together in inkscape.

Then file a bug report with bancica

I do basically the same thing, but I have a java program that takes my DIYLC file and creates 4 separate files for each of the white and black traces and pads which I then open in DIYLC and export to PDF.  This allows me to have each in a separate group when I import into Inkscape, so that I can easily fix the alignment problem between pads and traces.  I just use the background of one of the imports as the ground plane.

[Kipper4]

Thanks guys i'll check that out tommorow.
Rich

[Kipper4]

just tried it
try this
pot diameter 0.6"
lug size 0.07"
spacing 0.2"

seems like a reasonable fit for me
now can i save this as a new componant?

Edit:
the reason i wanted them to fit as best i could is because i use the straight lugs from our thai friends and push them into the perfboard holes and make them onboard pots.
once the pots are tightend in the holes they hold the circuit board in place too.
Now on my 50x70mm boards with three pots i can get it inside a 1590B.
Which means if i cut the boards 10 holes down they will fit height wise.
I find i can make most distortion layouts squeeze into this perf size (10x18 holes)
Taking away the need for offboard wiring. For the pots at least.
and it means i can get a battery in the enclosure too.
I hope this makes sense!!!!!!!!!! It made sense in my head when i wrote it

[GGBB]

now can i save this as a new componant?

Right-click on it and choose Save as Template.

[Kipper4]

Already done thanks GGGB.

[doctortropico]

pot is on the to-do list

Great, thanks.

Five star app.

[CodeMonk]

I can't get the over-sized white solder pads underneath the black traces regardless of changing layers and sending back, etc. At this point I "fix" it in inkscape but I wish I could just do it all in DIYLC. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? Awesome program bancika, bravo!

This is the way I do it :
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=44838.msg905324#msg905324
Maybe this will help.
BTW...on step #4, i've kept things at 1.0mm as opposed to smaller sizes. Makes it much easier to double check before etch and in most cases seems to have little if any effect on a good ground plane (at least with the boards I have done).

[garcho]

Thanks, that's great, that's how I make my boards too. I just wish that one bug was fixed so I don't have to use another program. DIYLC gets so close, it's just that one thing with the pads...

[bancika]

which thing exactly?