I have been using EagleCAD to make schematics and then switching over to board view, and they have worked fine, but yesterday I underwent a very big schematic, and I found it annoying connecting all of the GNDs, my question is, is there a plug-in or another Board making software that connects all of the GNDs for you?
In need of new board making software.
- Thread starter No0bert
- Start date
Hmm, a older post with no answers.
What exactly is the problem with the grounds? Is this with ICs or with discrete components? It is just that if you are building a big schematic, you will still have to connect the 5V lines as well. And all the other wires. Connecting the grounds might be 5% of the task of drawing an entire schematic. Or am I missing the point?
I tend to put all the chips on the schematic, invoke all the power supply pins and put them all in a group next to each other. Then just put a couple of wires across for 5V and 0V and join them all up. Maybe 5 secs per chip.
Probably not the answer you wanted, but it still beats the chore of wiring up physical ground wires on a prototype.
What exactly is the problem with the grounds? Is this with ICs or with discrete components? It is just that if you are building a big schematic, you will still have to connect the 5V lines as well. And all the other wires. Connecting the grounds might be 5% of the task of drawing an entire schematic. Or am I missing the point?
I tend to put all the chips on the schematic, invoke all the power supply pins and put them all in a group next to each other. Then just put a couple of wires across for 5V and 0V and join them all up. Maybe 5 secs per chip.
Probably not the answer you wanted, but it still beats the chore of wiring up physical ground wires on a prototype.
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Mycroft2152
Senior Member
Doc,
Some pcb software, like DIPTRACE, allows you to create a symbol for +V and Gnd and logoically connect them. This is done without any visble wires on the schematic. Another optoin would be to "hide" the visible wires of a net.
Overall, this makes for a cleaner looking schematic.
See attached jpg
Myc
Some pcb software, like DIPTRACE, allows you to create a symbol for +V and Gnd and logoically connect them. This is done without any visble wires on the schematic. Another optoin would be to "hide" the visible wires of a net.
Overall, this makes for a cleaner looking schematic.
See attached jpg
Myc
Attachments
But when I was making this schematic:
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l303/_Corrupt_/laser-2.png
I found it annoying, by the way, how do I do the supply thing DR Acula?
Also is there a way to make all the wires on the board make the shortest (length-wise) route possible?
EDIT: I figured it out nevermind thanks guys
the "rats nest" button and the "auto" button I feel dumb
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l303/_Corrupt_/laser-2.png
I found it annoying, by the way, how do I do the supply thing DR Acula?
Also is there a way to make all the wires on the board make the shortest (length-wise) route possible?
EDIT: I figured it out nevermind thanks guys
the "rats nest" button and the "auto" button I feel dumb
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Looks like you found the ratsnest and autorouter. Then there is reversing the autorouter. Go up 7 buttons from the autorouter button, and then click that button, then click the traffic light button at the top of the screen in the middle.
BTW there are a huge number of mistakes on the schematic. At least 20 then I stopped counting. I presume this is just a rough draft to get the hang of things. If you have found the mistakes post a new drawing. There are lots of junctions you need to place (little green circles) to definitely join wires. And pots with wipers not connected (they won't change in value the way you have them wired) And supply and ground are joined?? And the input to the regulator is probably not connected. Q3 round the wrong way. R9, R12 have no value. R8 possibly not connected. Op amp has no power supply pins connected.
Eagle also has an annoying habit of sometimes not joining to devices even when it looks like it is. I like to grab each component and move it a bit to test it has all its wires attached.
Re the supply, go into the parts list, go down to supply2, and select a supply, eg 0V, and connect it to anywhere on your 0V. Now if you select that 0V again (eg from the supply list, or by copying it), and put it somewhere else on the drawing, it will really still be connected to 0V. But you don't have to have a line joining them. Then you can do that for 5V and other voltages.
Another trick with eagle - some chips (like the picaxe ones) have the power supply pins on the standard pinout. But some chips (eg 74xx digital chips, many op amps) don't have power supply pins. You need to click the "invoke" button (above the T) then click your chip part and up come the other bits of the chip like other op amps or gates or the supply pins.
BTW there are a huge number of mistakes on the schematic. At least 20 then I stopped counting. I presume this is just a rough draft to get the hang of things. If you have found the mistakes post a new drawing. There are lots of junctions you need to place (little green circles) to definitely join wires. And pots with wipers not connected (they won't change in value the way you have them wired) And supply and ground are joined?? And the input to the regulator is probably not connected. Q3 round the wrong way. R9, R12 have no value. R8 possibly not connected. Op amp has no power supply pins connected.
Eagle also has an annoying habit of sometimes not joining to devices even when it looks like it is. I like to grab each component and move it a bit to test it has all its wires attached.
Re the supply, go into the parts list, go down to supply2, and select a supply, eg 0V, and connect it to anywhere on your 0V. Now if you select that 0V again (eg from the supply list, or by copying it), and put it somewhere else on the drawing, it will really still be connected to 0V. But you don't have to have a line joining them. Then you can do that for 5V and other voltages.
Another trick with eagle - some chips (like the picaxe ones) have the power supply pins on the standard pinout. But some chips (eg 74xx digital chips, many op amps) don't have power supply pins. You need to click the "invoke" button (above the T) then click your chip part and up come the other bits of the chip like other op amps or gates or the supply pins.
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