Tips and Tricks for DIPTRACE
Here are some tips and tricks provided to me by Mycroft and another that I have "found" today for myself.
TEXT ALIGNMENT - COMPONENT EDITOR:
To place text more accurately and aligned closely with the component pins.
The easiest way to adjust the text placement is to change the grid size to something like 0.001", move the text then change the grid size back to a standard 0.10" or 0.05" grid.
SCHEMATICS - MULTIPLE-PART COMPONENTS:
The standard DIPTRACE supplied libraries contains some components such as logic gates and the IDC type headers listed as 2 x 7 and 2 x 8 in male and female. If selected, they show up okay as a PCB footprint, but when placed only one half of the connector is shown on the schematic with each insertion.
Two options to place the parts.:
1. placing multiple symbols and then identifying as part 1 and part 2 in the properties.
2. To place all parts on the schematic simultaneously, you will find in the upper left corner of the schematic editor is a check box, "Place all Parts"
That will automatically put all the parts of a component on the sheet at one time, otherwise YOU CAN select which part from the box above.
SCHEMATIC COMPONENTS – STEREO SOCKET:
In the Mycroft schematic symbols library, note that one of the pcb patterns for the stereo jack was meant to be a generic footprint, just a 3 pin header.
There is a separate component symbol for the pcb mount jack that Rev_Ed uses.
ADDING AN INVERT (NOT) LINE:
When adding the text for pin labels to an IC, the standard invert line can be added over the text (such as typical OE or RESET functions) by preceding the text with the
~ character. If only a portion of the text requires the invert line then place another
~ character at the end of the portion to be inverted if mid-text.
This also works with ordinary text for notes etc in the Schematic portion of the DPTRACE package.
It is described for IC pin labelling on Tutorial page 92 (where I found it after discovering it by accident.