jp@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Jefferson Provost) (08/09/90)
Greetings, I'm looking for some software for the Mac that will, given a schematic diagram, produce a printed circuit layout. Good shareware or public domain stuff would be ideal. Any info would be appreciated, Thanx, Jeff Provost (jp@unix.cis.pitt.edu)
apn@Apple.COM (Alex Novickis) (08/11/90)
In article <26953@unix.cis.pitt.edu> jp@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu (Jefferson Provost) writes: >Greetings, > >I'm looking for some software for the Mac that will, given a schematic >diagram, produce a printed circuit layout. > > >Good shareware or public domain stuff would be ideal. > >Any info would be appreciated, > >Thanx, > >Jeff Provost >(jp@unix.cis.pitt.edu) If you find some shareware stuff let me know :-) :-) However, in the meantime, I'll tell you what I have used and some of the prblems..... I have Douglas CAD (from Douglas Electronics) and provides a reasonable layout program and an autorouter that is for the most part useless. If you are not autorouting, or don't mind large PCB's ( in which case you can sucessfully use the autorouter) than that would be OK. For schematic entry and simulation I use designworks from capilano... Excellent product, a few bugs here and there.. but otherwise excelent. If you want to get a real autorouter, than one is available from VAMP, inc. called TrailBlazer. However, their (Vamp's) schematic entry system does not TrailBlazeer.... It's good. .. very good.. Fast, does multilayer if you want. provide the functionality that I need... I wish real-world software was simple... Ahhh.. what a fool I am!! SO... here's my mac solution for PCB's: Designworks for entry and simulation ----- Enter schematic ----- maybe do some simulation ( mostly digital, although spice is available) ----- generate net list/report for router Use VAMP Trailblazzer layout ---- place parts ---- autoroute ---- generate gerber file ---- photoplot at your local photoplotter ( where else ?) ---- drop it off at the board shop. Ok, so, you ask... what does modern automation cost ? Designworks is about $1200.00 Douglas cad ( which I no longer use ) about $500 Spice ( I don't have this yet, as I don't do much analog that I need to simulate) $4500 Vamp's entry system is $1250.00 and the autorouter option is VAMP's trailblazer is $4995 So...automation is not cheap. -- Alex P. Novickis, Real Time systems demi-guru. (W) 408-370-4541 ALINK:alex.n (PAGE) 989-6678 UUCP:{amdahl,claris,pyramid,sun,decwrl,well,ubvax,ames}!apn@apple.com,apn@nonvon "I think... I think it's in my basement. Let me go upstairs and check"-Escher.
fmgst@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Filip Gieszczykiewicz) (08/11/90)
Greetings. A possibility: ($0.02 worth) On Simtel, in one of the MS-DOS subdirectories, you should find a program called PCB.ZIP. Once un-zipped, it becomes a collection of C and ASM files. The ZIP file consists of an autorouter, a viewer, and a plotter modules. The autorouter should be compiled without modification but the viewer and plotter files will require porting. It's designed for the IBM but if you are into software, you could port it to MAC. The software is shareware. Take care. P.S. It works well for large boards but seems to choke on small boards with lots of components - even using double sided boards and plate-through holes... -- _______________________________________________________________________________ "The Force will be with you, always." It _is_ with me and has been for 10 years Filip Gieszczykiewicz "A man without a dream is like a fish without water." FMGST@PITTVMS or fmgst@unix.cis.pitt.edu "My ideas. ALL MINE!!"