45 degree wires in schematic?
45 degree wires in schematic?
Didn't find anything about this in a search of the forums... Is there any way to place a wire on a schematic at a 45 degree angle? I find that sometimes this is just the "right" thing to do, to make the schematic look good and to make it easy to read, but I haven't found any way to do it in DipTrace. It's interesting that I have a lot of flexibility in layout to place traces at angles and around curves, but not so with wires in schematics (as far as I can see at the moment).
One example of a situation where I'd want to do this is a "star ground" connection, where several wires should come together at a single point.
One example of a situation where I'd want to do this is a "star ground" connection, where several wires should come together at a single point.
Cheers,
Tom
Tom
Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?
It is not possible to place wires on a schematic at a 45 degree or any angle. We will consider this option for future versions.
Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?
Please don't consider this option. A schematic isn't supposed to look like the PCB, it's supposed to be easy to follow what is connected to what. A bunch of 45 degree lines intersecting any straight ones would make the schematic a complete mess to read.
Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?
There should then be an option for turning the ability to run 45 degree lines on and off, but there should not be a prohibition from using 45 degree lines, if that's what the user wants.RDC wrote:Please don't consider this option. A schematic isn't supposed to look like the PCB, it's supposed to be easy to follow what is connected to what. A bunch of 45 degree lines intersecting any straight ones would make the schematic a complete mess to read.
I indeed do want my schematic to be easy to follow: I want it to document my design as completely as possible. One of the things I want to show clearly is a star ground. I can put a note by some grounds that they should be a star connection, but having all the ground traces on the schematic come together in one point makes it very clear what is required. Another thing that happens occasionally is that a balanced transformer output needs to be "criss-crossed" to connect to (say) a balanced IC input. The way the schematic components are built, the pin connections just aren't right for direct connection, if the pins are assigned so the PC layout is straightforward. In such a situation, it's much clearer that symmetry should be maintained if 45 degree traces are used in the schematic, rather than all rectilinear traces.
Adding this feature (with the switch) does not keep you from doing schematics YOUR way, but NOT adding it keeps me from doing them MY way.
Cheers,
Tom
Tom
Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?
Fair enough as an option, that's by default turned off.
As far as having to criss-cross anything that isn't in the layout you need to do it with straight lines though, that's why there is a component editor, and pin numbers can be shown as well.
As far as having to criss-cross anything that isn't in the layout you need to do it with straight lines though, that's why there is a component editor, and pin numbers can be shown as well.
Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?
Um, but I don't want to have to have multiple component symbols for the same part. Consider a differential-output op amp that drives an ADC differential input. Because the board layout is a lot cleaner with one pairing than with the other, the pin connections are dictated; or perhaps it's because the polarity has to be a certain way. I may want the schematic components to look as much like the diagrams in the data sheets for the part as possible, to avoid confusion. This may lead to a need to have the connections on the schematic cross over. Sure I can do it with rectilinear lines, but the pair crossing at 45 (with no dot, no connection between them) makes it clear that there's a symmetry that should be preserved in the layout.RDC wrote:Fair enough as an option, that's by default turned off.
As far as having to criss-cross anything that isn't in the layout you need to do it with straight lines though, that's why there is a component editor, and pin numbers can be shown as well.
I think a reasonable way to keep the option "turned off by default" is to require holding down some key on the keyboard when you want 45 degrees. That's similar to holding the shift during a move to force a rectilinear (up/down or left/right only) move. I'll be among the first to say that the 45 degree thing is something I want rather seldom, but when I do want it, it's for good reason.
Cheers,
Tom
Tom
Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?
I'd like to see the 45 degree thing implemented.
Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?
I've been evaluating DipTrace as a replacement schematic capture program to my beloved P-CAD 2004 and like much of what I see. I am an old Orcad user (from its DOS days), and Accel EDA, Protel, P-CAD and Altium user for the last 20 some years. A key feature I like in a schematic capture program is that of the ability to draw 45 degree wires. These often serve to illustrate a specific type of connections as others have mentioned. However, from this comment thread I see that 8 years hence it is still something not featured in DipTrace. I really cannot imagine that it's hard to implement; so the question is why not?
Not all schematics lead to PCB implementations. Often schematics are indicative of wiring diagrams for other segments of a system where 45 degree wires provide more information to the user. Other programs I have recently evaluated (such as KiCad) allows them sort of, after a fashion...
Not all schematics lead to PCB implementations. Often schematics are indicative of wiring diagrams for other segments of a system where 45 degree wires provide more information to the user. Other programs I have recently evaluated (such as KiCad) allows them sort of, after a fashion...
Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?
We will consider the list of features to implement including 45 degree wires in schematic when we finish our current tasks. Thank you for the suggestion.
Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?
It would be helpful not to limit the schematic wire angles to 45 degrees. For some analog designs it is not unusual to indicate a single point connection for multiple wires. So having a selectable snap, or no snap, for the angles would be preferred.