Circuit drawing/simulation software

[Youkai]

I know it must exist somewhere but I can't find the thread with suggestions of circuit drawing software. Can someone please point me to it?

I would like to start planning my project's circuit and want to be able to share diagrams here to get help/advice. It would be great if the software could do some kind of checking on the circuit to confirm it is valid but that's not a requirement.

[Sudo_apt-get_install_yum]

Not sure what thread your talking about but for a circuit simulator I use LTSpice (free to use), works really well. To design the schematic and PCB layout I use Eagle (they have a free ware version)

You can also export the Eagle schematic directly to LTSpice with makes it quite convenient!

[Kappes Buur]

I had been using Eagle and DesignSpark, but now I work with KiCad.
I find it much easier to work with.

[rstofer]

For simulation, LTspice is hard to beat.  The good news is that this forum allows .asc file attachments to posts.  If you have an issue, just attach the file to a post.

OTOH, there is a VERY active LTspice group on groups.yahoo.com with some VERY knowledgeable people.  There are actually two groups but one is just a repository for design files.  Ultimately, subscribe to both...

I don't have a good schematic editor.  I use ExpressPCB to build my boards so I use their editor.  It links the schematic to the pcb file which if very helpful when routing traces.  This software does not have auto-routing and I am still using the older 'classic' version.  The new version doesn't link the files and that is fatal in my view.

My projects are quite modest.  For the more complex stuff, I usually use a demo board for the FPGA or MCU and then design a daughter card for the specific IO.  I don't want to get in the business of reinventing the wheel.

[bob225]

Eagle works well and is free (limit on board size) I use Fusion 360 design software so Eagle (under Autodesk) software is very easy to use, it does have its quirks

[Distelzombie]

I hate that is a "Yahoo" group that has the most knowledge or whatever, but LTspice is really great!

[rstofer]

I hate that is a "Yahoo" group that has the most knowledge or whatever, but LTspice is really great!

I agree!  The thing is, the major players at that forum are VERY knowledgeable.  In fact, the term 'VERY' doesn't begin to cover it.  If there was an 'uber geek' club for LTspice, those fellows would be charter members.

[Distelzombie]

Is there something about yahoo that we mere mortals don't understand? There has to be a reason why they are not at stack exchange.

[Ian.M]

LTspice has been around since late 1999, and the Yahoo group since October 2002.  (see http://ltwiki.org/index.php5?title=LTspice_Genealogy_-_The_Heritage_of_Simulation_Ubiquity )  Stack Exchange was only launched in 2011, by which time the LTspice Yahoo group had been running for nearly ten years.  With that sort of community history and mass of resources they'd be crazy to move unless either Yahoo's quality of service declined dramatically, or their terms and conditions became too unreasonable.

[Electro Fan]

Don't know if this might be a relevant solution but just in case:
http://kicad-pcb.org/

[rstofer]

Is there something about yahoo that we mere mortals don't understand? There has to be a reason why they are not at stack exchange.

Inertia, I suspect.  Yahoo Groups has been around for a very long time and works reasonably well.  Why change?

I don't view stackexchange.com as an improvement.

[Distelzombie]

LTspice has been around since late 1999, and the Yahoo group since October 2002.  (see http://ltwiki.org/index.php5?title=LTspice_Genealogy_-_The_Heritage_of_Simulation_Ubiquity )  Stack Exchange was only launched in 2011, by which time the LTspice Yahoo group had been running for nearly ten years.  With that sort of community history and mass of resources they'd be crazy to move unless either Yahoo's quality of service declined dramatically, or their terms and conditions became too unreasonable.

I like how they invented cancer. xD You're right. Inertia.

[Youkai]

Thanks for the notes everyone. I'll look into them. 

[JTY]

Bit late of a reply, but if you prefer an open source option, there is ngspice, http://ngspice.sourceforge.net/

As well, wikipedia has a listing of simulation software, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_free_electronics_circuit_simulators

[rachaelp]

You can also export the Eagle schematic directly to LTSpice with makes it quite convenient!

No need to export EAGLE to LTSpice, since 8.4 it has had ngspice built in so you can simulate directly in EAGLE.

Best Regards,

Rachael

[Sudo_apt-get_install_yum]

You can also export the Eagle schematic directly to LTSpice with makes it quite convenient!

No need to export EAGLE to LTSpice, since 8.4 it has had ngspice built in so you can simulate directly in EAGLE.

Cool I had no idea you could simulate directly in Eagle!

[Distelzombie]

Yea, but they're not even there to answer questions. I meant.