Editor Requirements
You need a schematic editor to produce a netlist file for VeeCAD to import.
VeeCAD accepts netlist files in these formats :
- Protel : Produced by Altium, Protel, TinyCAD, Target3001, Multisim7,
Rimu Schematic, Electronics Workbench, CircuitMaker,
Eagle with ULP script
and many others.
- Tango : Produced by Orcad Capture, DipTrace and many others.
- Orcad PCB2 :Produced by KiCAD and others.
- EasyPC-Generic : As produced by Easy-PC. In EasyPC V11 select
"Reports / Generic Netlist / Run", with "Include Components" checked.
- UltiCap : For UltiCap DOS and Ulticap Windows. Requires export of the
Component Placement File also.
Contact the author if you require another format added to VeeCAD.
Netlist
A netlist file fully defines a circuit, since it contains the designator
and footprint name of every component; and a list of connected pins for every
net. When importing the netlist, VeeCAD creates all required components, and
stores connection information for error checking.
Free Editors
- TinyCAD Schematic Editor
- Decent multi-sheet schematic editor for Windows.
- Simple interface, good looking schematics.
- TinyCAD library and TinyCAD tutorial included in VeeCAD install package.
- See the TinyCAD Guide for information.
- http://tinycad.sourceforge.net
- KiCad Schematic-PCB
- Eagle Layout Editor
- Freeware version for non-commercial use with schematics limited to to single sheet, plus commercial versions.
- Transfer your schematic to the PCB editor, then using this
ULP script,
export the Protel net format which VeeCAD supports.
- http://cadsoft.de/
- DipTrace Schematic-PCB
- Freeware version for non-commercial use with full schematic functionality and PCB limited to 250 pins, plus commercial versions.
- Exports the Tango net format which VeeCAD supports.
- http://www.diptrace.com/
Affordable Commercial Editors
Choosing a Schematic Editor
- A schematic editor produces drawings for printing or the internet, and
generates the netlists which control PCB or VeeCAD layouts.
- An editor will assist you for many years, so choose it well.
- Your favourite schematic editor does not have to be the one provided with
your PCB editor.
- Free or Lite editions of commercial editors are often licenced only for
personal use or may not export a usable netlist.
- TinyCAD and KiCAD can be used commercially for free.
- Schematic editors in simulators like LTSpice, Livewire, Crocodile Physics
etc cannot act as your general editor since they omit important component
information and hit limitations such as single page, inflexible or fixed
component libraries, limited or no netlist.
- KiCAD and Eagle have Linux versions. Users have run DipTrace under Linux/Wine.
TinyCAD requires the JET database and is not so suited to Wine.