What CAD-software is with open .sch format ?

[peacemaker]

Hi, All

I have almost released my old idea: PCB reverse-engineering tool

What CAD-software could you suggest to export to ?

 

[amorosik]

I think it's a very useful tool for an electronics expert

 

[peacemaker]

It needs to find where to export to.
My first app generation of 2001 used Protel99SE CAD-software.
But now it needs something modern...

 

[Coldrestart]

Most PCB export files are in the Gerber format.

Gerber format - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[peacemaker]

Gerber format

Yes, but it's final output to production.
But reverse-engineering is for respawn of the editable source files, for next development.

 

[Coldrestart]

Depends of the software tool used, eachone has it's own file format.
Some software allows to import .dxf / .dwg / .svg /.grb files.

 

[rabbitBUSH]

How do I open a .sch file?
The . SCH file can be opened in various PCB design applications. These applications include Altium Designer and Autodesk EAGLE. If you can't access any of these applications, there is another way to view the PCB schematics in .

For what it worth at this stage found this link . . .

 

[rabbitBUSH]

I used to use Fritzing but thats gone south somewhere, have vaguely tried EasyEDA and KiCad.
Don't have any idea whether those meet your question about which to export to . . . #7 link might give some ideas though.
For the life of me I can't at this time of night recall what format my buddies use to send to production houses - Gerbil? maybe that's in #4.

 

[peacemaker]

Altium Designer and Autodesk EAGLE

EasyEDA and KiCad

Fritzing

I used Altium Designer, and know that its text .sch-files format is rather hard to understand, and depends on the library files. And anyway it's proprietary non-public formats.
But as i could check - the open-source software it is Fritzing and KiCad.
Thanks for ideas, it needs to check them.

upd.: ooops ! Easyeda is also with open ASCII file format ! https://docs.easyeda.com/en/DocumentFormat/2-EasyEDA-Schematic-File-Format/

 

[rabbitBUSH]

Whatever this stuff means is beyond me
I know its beyond your original question - but I remember that I once had the URL to a site which listed a hell of a lot of file formats with byte offsets and blah blah...but having looked for it over the past couple have not refound it ... it was useful back then....

 

[rabbitBUSH]

Easyeda is also with open ASCII file format !

glad someone in the world can understand that : What hectic stuff that is.......

 

[peacemaker]

I have solved this task - to export the info into .sch of Altium designer
Components are abstract shape, but the main task is solved: the components with pins, names and their nets are imported into a vector eCAD software to edit further.
Will try to export to KiCAD too.

 

[peacemaker]

KiCAD is also supported

 

[Cableguy]

All that's left is "connecting the dots"!!!
Well done!!

 

[peacemaker]

connecting the dots

Do you mean visually in the app ? Hmm, indeed !

 

[Cableguy]

I was meaning in the exported schematics, but while defining then on a over layer of the photos, yeah, do an Highlight on them!

 

[peacemaker]

in the exported schematics

Nets are created by the net labels, without wires. Drawing wires is the most hard and creative work, i guess, human-aided only

 

[Cableguy]

Nets are created by the net labels, without wires. Drawing wires is the most hard and creative work, i guess, human-aided only

I don't really think so... wires are just defines the same way as components. If I remember correctly, A "simple" connection between 2 points is a "wire", and several wires with common points become a "net"... I think you have just done the hardest part... if each "endpoint" connection has a name, then is just a matter of really connecting them with the wire definition.
The user would then just re-place the components as it pleases him, and the wire network will follow the components.

 

[peacemaker]

connecting them with the wire

1) It's really hard work. In the video i showed moving the component by the mouse when the net labels are static - the wires are automatically drawing by the CAD, but it's stupid drawing when all wires are easily crossing one to other and making short circuits. Wires drawing is hard due to each wire should not be crossing other wires and objects. And it must be clear to understand by human what and where is connected.

2) But it's surprize that formats of Altium and KiCAD - are so different. I thought initially that first is most complex and non-logical, but in result - KiCAD's open documented format is more long, hard to use in the .sch software generation.

 

[Cableguy]

The wires crossing each other are NOT a problem as they are not connecting each other... crossing wires that are indeed connecting each other are represented with a dot at the crossing/connecting point.
From what I remember from Protel/Altium, the connections are represented as a list of points, like Pad1 > IC1_Pin2 > R1_1
With that info the cad software creates the wires himself