VeeCAD - Simple Automation

Jack Schmidling

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Simple Automation
Sep 15^th, 2013 at 4:10pm

I have made a lot of progress since last posting. Have 3 projects running on strip boards and really like them.

I have given up on the schematic to VeeCad as just too complicated for my old brain and just used the simplified method and shuffle things around till it works.

My hangup is all the details required to automate the process just don't make much sense for onezy twozy projects.

All one should really need to say is Point A goes to Point B, C to D, etc. What difference do all the nitty gritty details of the part make. All that one needs are generic part outlines and that a strip board is used.

I make up such a list from the schematic and use this to check the layout and the assembled board with a meter.

Aside from that, half the parts I use, I can't find VeeCad compatible devices.

Seems like a computer could do this layout without all the other details and save a vast amount of time.

Is there anything out there like this?

js

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Roger Lascelles

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Re: Simple Automation
Reply #1 - Sep 16^th, 2013 at 8:08am

Welcome, Jack!

Sorry to answer with questions, but I need more info so I can help..

Question 1 : You say, "... half the parts I use, I can't find VeeCad compatible devices". Do you mean you can't find TinyCAD symbols, or you can't find VeeCAD outlines? Can you please name a couple of the parts you can't find?

Question 2 : You say, "... a computer could do this layout without all the other details". Do you mean, you want to specify the connections (nets) only, without a schematic? In that case, you can make a netlist in a text editor - and I can show you how. But you'll still need the "nitty gritty details" of the component and package names, plus a list of which pin connects to which pin.

Question 3 : Do you want a program that provides a "bin of parts" you can wire together, and doesn't worry about if it's wired up correctly, then yes, there are other programs for that - quite a few. These are the equivalent of the Simplified Method you have been using. Google for "stripboard editor programs".

Comment : Jack, I can see you are finding it hard. As long as you are happy to post on the forum, I will do my best to give useful answers.

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Jack Schmidling

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Re: Simple Automation
Reply #2 - Sep 17^th, 2013 at 6:27am

[quote author=3F3A3337305E0 link=1379257839/1#1 date=1379315295]Welcome, Jack!

Sorry to answer with questions, but I need more info so I can help..

Question 1 : You say, "... half the parts I use, I can't find VeeCad compatible devices". Do you mean you can't find TinyCAD symbols, or you can't find VeeCAD outlines? Can you please name a couple of the parts you can't find?

I think at this point, the answer is I can't find TC symbols partly because somewhere I read that the only ones that work are the ones provided by Veecad for TC.

I am attaching a schematic for the part I just finished along with my layout for it. I left off the ICSP stuffand the external resonator The relay would not fit on my board. Also a divider instead of the contrast pot.

I can't find a PIC 16f628 so I substituted a gereric 18 pin DIP, I can't find an LCD display but I guess a 16 pin SIP would work. About all I found was a transistor, switch and resistor.

Question 2 : You say, "... a computer could do this layout without all the other details". Do you mean, you want to specify the connections (nets) only, without a schematic? In that case, you can make a netlist in a text editor - and I can show you how. But you'll still need the "nitty gritty details" of the component and package names, plus a list of which pin connects to which pin.

I think that is what I want to do. There has to be some sort of schematic involved but frequently I just reproduce projects like this one and don't bother with one.

The pin to pin list I do anyway but I don't understand why the list needs more than the footprint and pin numbers. The schematic needs to know PNP/NPN but the board layout doesn't. So, just what details does it need?

Question 3 : Do you want a program that provides a "bin of parts" you can wire together, and doesn't worry about if it's wired up correctly, then yes, there are other programs for that - quite a few. These are the equivalent of the Simplified Method

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Jack Schmidling

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Re: Simple Automation
Reply #3 - Sep 17^th, 2013 at 6:32am

Is there a word limit here? It won't let me put my response on one msg.

Question 3 : Do you want a program that provides a "bin of parts" you can wire together, and doesn't worry about if it's wired up correctly, then yes, there are other programs for that - quite a few. These are the equivalent of the Simplified Method you have been using. Google for "stripboard editor programs".

I think that is what I am doing now. I want something that optimizes the board space and comes up the X's and links more or less from my list. I assume that is what this program does.

Comment : Jack, I can see you are finding it hard. As long as you are happy to post on the forum, I will do my best to give useful

I had to write this in my emailer as the board kept moving my text to the end and deleting your words.

Anyway, I will appreciate any help you can give me. I really like the strip boards and VeeCad is a big help in laying them out but it can do much more.

This is the source of the project...

http://embedded-lab.com/blog/?p=1378

One other thing. How do I make a emailable copy of a layout. I had to do a screen capture, edit and jpg it.

Thanks,

Jack

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Jack Schmidling YaBB Newbies Offline Your message here... Posts: 23	Re: Simple Automation Reply #4 - Sep 17^th, 2013 at 6:40am I forgot the attachments. js Actually, I don't any way to attach. The schematic is on the web link provided in the previous. js
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Roger Lascelles

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Re: Simple Automation
Reply #5 - Sep 17^th, 2013 at 1:15pm

Thanks for your informative reply.

SYMBOLS: The internet is flooded with TinyCAD symbols that have errors, are incomplete, weird, very large, or have package or pin names different to VeeCAD.

The library problem seems huge to beginners, who ask on forums for symbols. It turns out this is not an issue, once you can make your own symbols. To make a PIC16f628, I would duplicate another similar PIC16xxx part in the library and alter some of the pin names. The idea is to develop your own "additional" library, adding two or three new parts on every project. Or just use the DIP18 generic part, as you did.

INFORMATION VEECAD NEEDS

Designator (eg. R2), so it can identify the component.
Package(ie. Outline) (eg. DIP18), so it knows what shape to choose from its library.

for the layout as a whole, VeeCAD needs to know:

Names of pins that are supposed to be connected together. (eg. R1 Pin 1 connects to C5 pin 2). And those pin names must match the pin names in the VeeCAD outline.

As you rightly say, the "Value" (eg. NPN or BC557) has no significance to VeeCAD. VeeCAD stores it to help jog your memory during layout, and for the Bill of Materials report. It can be blank if you like.

A QUICKER WAY: You regret the time and fuss of entering all the information correctly, especially since you often don't need a schematic.

Because human beings are adapted to process visual information, I think that a schematic is the most accurate way of communicating a circuit to the computer.

One alternative is to write the netlist information with a text editor. If you inspect a Protel .NET file, you will get the idea. See the VeeCAD help file topic "Reference -> Protel Netlist Format". Very hard to get right.

Another alternative is for me to add a netlist entry form into VeeCAD. I have used such a form, and it was tedious and error prone.

MORE IN NEXT POST

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Roger Lascelles

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Re: Simple Automation
Reply #6 - Sep 17^th, 2013 at 1:32pm

continued from previous post..

EMAILING OR POSTING A LAYOUT
On this forum, the VeeCAD project file is very useful - other VeeCAD users can open it by double-clicking the attachment icon in your post or email. VeeCAD has a Graphic Copy feature - see the help file topic "Using VeeCAD -> Graphic Copy". After copy, you Paste into an editor like Windows Paint, where you can save a file. Otherwise, Print Screen is similar.

WORD LIMIT
Max 2000 characters. Look for a counter underneath the text entry box.

ATTACHING FILES
To add files to your post - look for the the "Browse" button at the bottom of the form.

Circuit CAD is a factory. You tool up, and crank out the circuits. If you make only a couple of circuits ever, all the work of learning and setting up is not justified. If you are going to keep building circuits, then it will be worth the hassle you are having at present. The good part is that you understand the process. The bad part is you don't like the hassle.

I'm hoping that you will persevere and find the barriers melt away.

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Jack Schmidling

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Re: Simple Automation
Reply #7 - Sep 17^th, 2013 at 3:40pm

Thanks for the push. I will persevere and learn to do it right and post questions as they come up.

But first, I need to understand what the end result is going to be. Reading one of the help files, it looks like netlist just dumps a bunch of parts on the board and I still have to place them, the links and breaks manually and then just use the program to check it for correctness. This is not what I had in mind.

Am I missing something?

js

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Jack Schmidling YaBB Newbies Offline Your message here... Posts: 23	Re: Simple Automation Reply #8 - Sep 18^th, 2013 at 12:42am Here is a snag I just came up with. Most of the symbols I placed on a new drawing don't seem to have any serious existence. When I click on them, the only dialog I get refers polygons and lines. The resistor, cap and transistor allow names and attributes. js
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Roger Lascelles

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Re: Simple Automation
Reply #9 - Sep 18^th, 2013 at 10:22am

WHAT YOU GET OUT OF VEECAD

VeeCAD won't complete your layout in a single mouse click, because it can't know where you want to put components like your display and controls. However, if you place the "fixed" parts - those that can't change shape - VeeCAD will cut the board tracks, add wire links and place the "fill in" parts like resistors and axial capacitors. How well this works varies with actual circuit and your initial placement. Many users depend on this "autoroute" feature.

VeeCAD gives you certainty. You build large circuits, check for track shorts and then power up - and the thing works.

VeeCAD gives you a good looking layout, because you don't have to add untidy board modifications when you discover a mistake.

VeeCAD lets you refine your layout. You can move parts and blocks of parts, slide parts together, generally tweak the layout, so your layout is more compact. It turns out to be nice to have a tool that helps you know what connects to what, and where the current will flow.

TINYCAD SYMBOLS IN PIECES

If these symbols are from the VeeCAD supplied libraries, then TinyCAD is misbehaving. If the symbols came from the internet, then anything is possible - perhaps the symbols are pictorial only and not used to make a netlist.

HI

I enjoyed your website at http://schmidling.com . I see that you are a resourceful person with a range of skills, and you haven't stopped learning. Nice to know who is at the other end of your posts. I'm 15 years your junior, and caught the end of the vacum tube era in the 1960s. I like working with my hands, and would rather work on something interesting, than buy something ready made.

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HELLI

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Re: Simple Automation
Reply #10 - Sep 18^th, 2013 at 11:36am

Hi Jack,
Yes, Veecad does dump all your components in a pile. Where it does score is making sure that the things that are supposed to be connected, are and the things that are not supposed to be connected, are not.
When I use stripboard I usually want the pieces to be as small and compact as possible and it helps with that as I can move and juggle the components around without putting them in holes.
Regards,
Hamilton

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Jack Schmidling

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Re: Simple Automation
Reply #11 - Sep 19^th, 2013 at 8:03pm

Thanks for the background. I think I understand it better now. I just need to figure out how to fit it into my MO.

And Roger, thanks for the comments on the web site. It is sort of the story of my life which I have tried to make as interesting as possible.

I didn't realize that you were the author of the program until yesterday and I congratulate you on a fantastic product even though I only understand about half of it.

One annoyance that I wonder about, actually two, relate to the board size and display.

Neither of the boards I have used fit into the mins for the board size and it would be nice if the outline would fit exactly. The first was 19 x 33 and the new ones I just bought are 25 x 40.

This leads to the other issue, unless I am missing something, the only way to see the hole numbers is either printing or in the print appearance mode. I spend half my layout time counting holes and don't understand why they are not on the basic layout.

Also, starting at zero may feel good to a mathematician but it has lead me into several errors. When one counts holes in a row, one expects the number to agree with the number of holes. 0/0 may satisfy Descart but there really is a hole there and it should be called number 1 not 0.

Other than that, I love it.

Jack http://schmidling.com

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Roger Lascelles

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Re: Simple Automation
Reply #12 - Sep 20^th, 2013 at 7:54am

Jack,

MINIMUM BOARD SIZE

I'll look into the minimum board dimensions, and see what is possible.

HOLE COUNTING

Too much hole counting doesn't sound right. Did you remember to use sticky label "rulers" along the board edges?

The fastest way to build your board is right at the computer. You move the mouse to any component pin, read the (x,y) coordinates at the bottom left corner of the window, then use your sticky label rulers to locate that spot on your board.

You say the first hole "should be called number 1 not 0". If VeeCAD starts measuring at "1", your sticky label ruler will go 1, 11, 21 .. , instead of 0, 10, 20 like other rulers, and users will complain to me. It helps to think in terms of measuring distances or spaces between holes, instead of counting holes.

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Re: Simple Automation
Reply #13 - Sep 20^th, 2013 at 10:51am

Hi Jack,
The min board size can be set as low as you want BUT it must be done before you put components on the board. If you have components on the board you can only set the board size to where there are no components.
Set the board size big to start with, lay out your circuit, squeeze it to the minimum you can and then set the board size and you can then trim off the excess board where there are no components.

The only problem I have with this is that I have a CR2032 battery that hangs out over the size of the board and VeeCAD doesn't let me trim to only where the connections are. I would need to create a footprint for the battery as a semi-circle to be able to trim the board to the minimum.
Hamilton

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Jack Schmidling YaBB Newbies Offline Your message here... Posts: 23	Re: Simple Automation Reply #14 - Sep 20^th, 2013 at 3:04pm [quote author=3431383C3B550 link=1379257839/12#12 date=1379660059]Jack, Did you remember to use sticky label "rulers" along the board edges? News to me and not a word in the help list. Please elaborate. js
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