| For years I have struggled to draw electronic circuit diagrams with drawing packages such as SuperPaint and Claris Works. Creating the electronic symbols was tedious and actually linking them together with lines was almost impossible to do with any accuracy. The printed result was barely acceptable and, due to the limitations of such applications, any attempt to export the drawing resulted in a screen resolution bitmap image at 72dpi. I would have to print the sketch, scan it into PhotoShop then save it as GIF or TIFF. Very tedious.
So, if you need to design Electronic or electrical circuits quickly and easily you will be delighted with a program that I discovered in November 1999. It took only a few minutes to download on my 33.6 modem so there's no need to worry about tying up your telephone line for hours. The application is called DesignWorks Lite and is available for Power Macintosh and iMac from Capilano Computing who are offering a new lightweight version of DesignWorks for free download. DesignWorks Lite is easy to install and uninstall and it is yours to try out for 30 days! Once you have tried the package, you can register on-line for only $39.95! (about 25)
Download DesignWorks Lite and you can do all of these things:
* Draw, save, edit and print complete, professional circuit diagrams using powerful features like bussing, multi-level Undo/Redo, and automatic gate packaging.
* Use the library of common 74XX and discrete symbols provided or create your own libraries using the built-in symbol editor.
* Collect, view and print out the free circuit diagrams (listed later in this review).
* Send compact circuit diagram files to friends or colleagues over the 'net. They can get their own free copy of DesignWorks Lite to view, edit and print the circuits from the web site at:
http://www.dsgnwrks.com/html/dwmlite.html
DWL is very easy to use. When you launch it, you see a blank "sheet" on your screen. You can open the symbol library files which then float in a small window. Begin by selecting a category of symbols from the drop-down list (e.g. "discrete"). Choose the actual symbol you need by double-clicking on its name in the list. Now when you move the mouse you'll find the symbol "clinging" to the cursor. Position it on the screen then click to place it. Continue to do this until you have placed all the symbols of that type. Pressing space bar removes the clinging symbol and you can choose another.
As you place it, each symbol acquires a device name and a sequential number (R1, R2 and so on). Some components are available with values already attached; for others you have to type the values manually after placement or, alternatively, you can create your own library of symbols with individual values. All of this is much easier to do than to explain in writing!
The nicest feature is that of drawing-in the connections between the components. You simply click on a component pin and drag the cursor to the next connection point. A line appears as if by magic and any right angle bends can be dragged around and modified very easily. Connection points to other lines appear automatically when you drag a line to another.
You can also type ordinary text, in any available font, in order to add labels, titles and notes.
Once you have paid for your copy, you get a registration number which allows you access to the Capilano Web Site symbol library where other users have provided libraries that they have developed. There are even symbols for Industrial Controls so you can use DesignWorks to create schematics for the industrial power field. You could easily create a few symbols for drawing flow charts and PERT diagrams to impress your boss!
Free Schematic Archive!
An archive of schematics for DesignWorks users is available. The archive features cookbook circuits, tube audio equipment and more, all in DesignWorks file format.
Check out the Free Schematic Archive...
Several schematics have been added from the Ampage archive of tube music and audio gear, as follows:-
Silvertone 1484 Preamp, Fuzz Box, Marshall 100W Power Amp, Fender Tweed Deluxe Guitar Amp
Other audio, music and miscellaneous schematics include:
Audio Mixer, MIDI to TTL, MIDI Primer (text file), Tube Tone Control Amp, Adjustable Power Supply, Telephone Off-hook Detector, Transistor Organ, Alternating LED Flasher, Transistor Hartley RF Oscillator
There are Op Amp Applications schematics:
Bandpass Filter, Differential Amp, High Pass Filter, Low Pass Filter, Square Triangle Wave Generator, Stereo Panning Circuit
If you design circuits for a living then DesignWorks Professional is your best choice for productive and easy-to-use electronic circuit schematic drawing tools. It features full hierarchical design, standard and custom netlist formats, extensive symbol libraries, SPICE circuit simulation and much more. All this has got to be worth the US$495 asking price (around 330) with discount if you take delivery over the Web.
Martin T. Pickering B.Eng. |
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