DIY Layout Creator - software for easy drawing PCB, vero and perfboard layouts

[hairyandy]

One other weirdness, I created the RM layout on my IBM Thinkpad and it's fine.  The program also works on my Powerbook in Win98Se on VirtualPC but all of the black (the component names and outlines) on all of the components is transparent rather than black.  I assume it's a language bug that gets translated differently or maybe that black doesn't need to be defined in Delphi to work in XP but does with other/older OS's?  It's kinda weird but still usable i guess...

[Gilles C]

I just found a bug related to diodes.

When I place a diode, it says first "click on cathode hole" then click on "anode hole", but it places the bar to indicate the cathode at the wrong end.

I just didn't noticed when I entered the diodes today, but tonight while I was checking my circuit a last time, I realised that all the diodes were the wrong way.

The funny thing is that I only noticed one diode at first, and and it's only when I tried to replace it the correct way a few times without success that I found out about the problem, and noticed that the other diodes were also all wrong...

Also, now that I want to replace some diodes by LEDs, I realise that a LED component would be very useful. In fact, I really need it because I use LEDs on pcbs quite often.

Added: Ok, I think there is a bug with the "replace" function with the jumpers. It just adds a new jumper without erasing the original one.

Gilles

[bancika]

Ok, I'll fix both bugs and try to add LED component.
About transparent names, I think I realized what could be the problem. It's the same problem that users had before with some other thing. What's your color pallete on that computer (8bit, 16bit, 24bit, 32bit?)
Tnx

[hairyandy]

Ok, I'll fix both bugs and try to add LED component.
About transparent names, I think I realized what could be the problem. It's the same problem that users had before with some other thing. What's your color pallete on that computer (8bit, 16bit, 24bit, 32bit?)
Tnx

It's a G4 Powerbook so I assume it's 32-bit.  I'd be surprised if it wasn't.  I have a feeling that it's a Windows 98 thing since that's what is running in VPC.  It's no big deal but it would be cool for it to work right so I can do layouts when I'm on the road.  I never bring my Thinkbook out with me because the Mac is just easier to have on the road and it's waaaaaayyyy lighter...

[Gilles C]

Mine is 32 bit too but on Win XP.

Btw, I did a test in 16 bit, and the black letters were kind of too transparent, hard to read. So that could be the problem indeed...

Thanks for the LEDs coming and all,

Gilles

[bancika]

Ok, so we located problem. I'll fix that transparent text thing...

[hairyandy]

Ok, so we located problem. I'll fix that transparent text thing...

Hey Bancika, don't bother with the transparent thing.  I went back and checked and sure enough, Windows 98 in VPC defaulted to 16-bit color and when I changed it to 32-bit everything was fine.  I was sure that it was set at 32-bit but when I checked I was wrong, sorry!  I've been building and fixing computers for years and sometimes I still forget that they're only as smart as you tell them to be!   

Thanks again for the great program...

[bancika]

The thing is: I'm using black color as transparent when drawing components. COmponent is drawn inside black rectangle and all black pixels are declared transparent. So I put text color to be only one bit lighter than "real black" so that it's not made transparent. When you switch to less than 24bit there's no difference between those colors because they are very similar and program "sees" text black also.
I'll make background to be some awfull pinkish gayish color I'm sure won't be used anywhere else...

[bancika]

I need your opinion on LED's; I ran out of colors, what do you think

also design wise, should I draw them like this or something else?
Tnx

[calpolyengineer]

I like having them drawn like that, my only request is that the flat side be a little more obvious. Just cut a little more off of that side of the circle and it will be fine.

-Joe

[bancika]

Well, at first it was flat more but the thing is when you have component with two digit name (like D33) it won't fit. So edge of text overlaps.
Don't know what to do Maybe make them little bigger overall?

[rockgardenlove]

How about ribbon connectors and sockets/pins for offboard wiring.

[Gilles C]

I don't really mind about the transparent thing, except to see when there is a cut track under the component.

I'm not sure about the color though.

The flat side of the Led is ok for me.

Gilles

[rockgardenlove]

Oh, and I'd LOVE provisions for onboard pots

EDIT:
And jacks

[Gilles C]

Not trying to influence you about how the LEDs should look, but I was playing with the circuit a bit to check how I would do a LED component, and came up with this kind of LEDs. They are a bit too colorful compared to the rest of the circuit, but I wanted to see how they looked with a double circle instead of a simple circle. Btw, I begin to like the color you use...

I was also wondering about the ordering of the components in the part list that is not correct after a few replaces done. Is there something easy that can be done?



This is where I stopped with the circuit, waiting for a LED component. You can still see the wire for the Led that wasn't deleted after a replace.

Btw, I just realised that I didn't really need a second line for the Credits. I can just add a line of text somewhere.

Gilles

[bancika]

I've changed LEDs to look much like yours, fixed jumper bug, etc. You can expect new release today

[JimRayden]

Ooh, what about grouping the component list, so it'd say "R3, R15: 100k" instead of both of them spearate. Or perhaps an option of selecting both modes.

-----------
Jimbo

[bancika]

Hmm...I don't think it's worth it 
I added resistor calculator, parent "thing" so now when you move component that auto-created solder pads, new pads are created and old erased.

[Gilles C]

While waiting for a LED component, I made a new layout tonight.

I noticed that the trimmers don't appear in the list of components.

At first I thought it was because I renamed it R4, but it doesn't appear even as VR1

Gilles

[hairyandy]

While waiting for a LED component, I made a new layout tonight.

I noticed that the trimmers don't appear in the list of components.

At first I thought it was because I renamed it R4, but it doesn't appear even as VR1

Gilles

I noticed that today as well.  I just used the text tool to add it down below as a description.