Schematic Drawing Software

[Legion]

I'm looking for a good schematic drawing program that is NOT free. I'm not interested in KiCAD or Eagle.

I'm not looking for circuit simulation or PCB layout. Just a clean, easy to use UI. My number one ask is that it doesn't break things down into parts. So if I want to put a resistor down I just want to select a resistor symbol, specify a resistance value and maybe a power rating and be done. Basically I want to avoid having a list of 10000 parts for a given component and just have a single button in a toolbox for each one. This only holds for basic components, I understand adding ICs would be a little more involved.

[Weez]

If you don't care about simulation, then maybe just use a CAD program?

You might have to draw your own symbols, but you'll only have to do it once.

Quite a few options out there...could even use Photoshop, but you'd have to set up actions to avoid monotonous drawing/labeling.

I have an art program called ArtRage which lets you create "stencils" of whatever you want.  I've been meaning to give it a go for schematics, just haven't gotten around to it.

[zapta]

Vision is not free and doesn't support simulations and layout.

[Legion]

Vision is not free and doesn't support simulations and layout.

Do you have a link to their website? I'm not getting anything in Google.

[Lightages]

I am a little confused. You want something that is NOT free. You also want a program that has the simplest of symbols such that you will be limited on the end? I don't think such a beast exists. The closest you will get with your simple needs, I think, is TinyCad. The list is pretty accessible and it is very easy to use and get going, but wow, it has a big flaw, it is free! 

[Andy Watson]

Last time I used either Eagle or Kicad they both had the facility to disable and/or select their component libraries. Recently I've started to use a local, project specific library in Kicad to avoid the trauma of searching through endless lists of components.

[Legion]

I am a little confused. You want something that is NOT free. You also want a program that has the simplest of symbols such that you will be limited on the end? I don't think such a beast exists. The closest you will get with your simple needs, I think, is TinyCad. The list is pretty accessible and it is very easy to use and get going, but wow, it has a big flaw, it is free! 

The not free thing might have been over the top. I didn't enjoy using Eagle or KiCAD and figured other free offerings would be similar. Also thought most people would avoid recommending paid software even if it's good in favor of free software.

So, free is ok, but I care more about being simple to use and polished than cost.

[T3sl4co1l]

I have a library of symbols I use by pasting into Windows Paint.

It's freely available, but you could send me money to fix that. 

Tim

[rdl]

I fought with Eagle for a long time. It's like the developers were from another planet. I tried Diptrace and I'm never going back. Creating your own parts, schematic symbols and footprints is so easy it's almost trivial.

[Rerouter]

While free, ExpressPCB was one of the packages i started on, its not fancy, just polished, you can rip apart and change pins easily, and export the whole thing to BMP whenever you like, (or print to PDF with external software)

Its component list is only about 500 long, with the connectors at the start, the passives and discrete active devices at the end, with the logic chips and op amps (and a few micros) packed in the middle so its easy to ignore,

and to top it all off, there library uses the actual part names, so if you search for a 741, you will find the op amp with no fuss,

I've now since moved to kicad, and i do miss the rip apart and remake of schematic items right on the page,

[PeterZ]

Hello! My first post here, hopefully helpful.
I have been using the SPlan for quite some time and i love the simplicity and intuitive operation of that software:
http://www.abacom-online.de/uk/html/splan.html
The price is very reasonable (~50EUR), there is a free demo version with saving/printing disabled.

[sleemanj]

Fritzing has quite a simple take on schematic editing like that.

[Legion]

I fought with Eagle for a long time. It's like the developers were from another planet. I tried Diptrace and I'm never going back. Creating your own parts, schematic symbols and footprints is so easy it's almost trivial.

Just grabbed Diptrace a few minutes ago. I like it so far.

[zapta]

Vision is not free and doesn't support simulations and layout.

Do you have a link to their website? I'm not getting anything in Google.

Oops, it was a typo, here is the link

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/visio/

Edit, some visio/electronics related links

http://www.rfcafe.com/business/software/visio-stencils/visio-stencils.htm

http://www.rfcafe.com/business/software/visio-stencils/images/visio-stencils-sample-drawing.gif

http://flylib.com/books/en/2.332.1.181/1/

http://pitelspot.com/?p=700

[zapta]

I have a library of symbols I use by pasting into Windows Paint.

It's freely available, but you could send me money to fix that. 

Tim

Paint is a bitmap program, not as useful as object oriented program where you can move, scale, delete, set output resolution, etc.

[rollatorwieltje]

I like LTSpice for quick schematics. The generic parts are under hotkeys, like R for resistor, D for diode etc.

Diptrace is ok when you also want to do a PCB layout. It has some generic parts as well.

[Rigby]

I have a library of symbols I use by pasting into Windows Paint.

It's freely available, but you could send me money to fix that. 

Tim

Paint is a bitmap program, not as useful as object oriented program where you can move, scale, delete, set output resolution, etc.

true, but if that stuff isn't important, paint actually works kind of ok, I guess.  people still draw schematics on paper.

[GreyWoolfe]

true, but if that stuff isn't important, paint actually works kind of ok, I guess.  people still draw schematics on paper.

yup, on DaveCad even!

[krish2487]

From what I can interpret from the OP's requirements, he wants a software that does schematic layout like a SLD.

Autocad electrical springs to mind.

For a free alternative you can have a look at Qelectrotech. It does a decent job. Just compile the binaries yourself to get the latest libraries for the components.

[HackedFridgeMagnet]

I have used LT spice for schematics too.
Not the most beautiful but it is very quick when you get the hang of it.

[KJDS]

The only one I don't curse at much when using is Orcad. Everything else gets shouted at if I'm doing a big schematic, either because they are too complex for my RF oriented brain or because they are too limited.