Software for protoboard layout and design

[MathWizard]

I usually make stuff on what I might call through-hole, ring-pad protoboard. And just looking around, IDK which freeware software can do the following

Choose a board size, like 4*6cm, with say 14*20 holes, spaced at 2.54mm, and even be the 2-sided / via-hole type. Maybe it could do breadboards too. Even just choosing hole spacing would be enough, it doesn't have to be only X*Y cm or anything.

And then just place common sized parts, like 1/4W or 1W resistors, or maybe with a given size like 2.3mm diameter * 6.5mm length resistors, or TO-92 transistors, etc. And add some wires, and standard connectors or headers too, or potentiometers, etc.

Just the most common sizes of regular parts would be great, and I don't care if it can't electrically simulate anything. I just want to quickly try different layouts. Top-view only would be just fine too, for most stuff. I don't need 3D rotation, or Minecraft levels of freedom.


Now sometimes I've put SMD parts on such protoboards as well, so that be a real bonus if it could do that too.

[Hawaka]

LochMaster might be what you are looking for. I have used it back when I was in school. Pretty good for what it does. Last time I tried the free version, it was fully featured with the exception to be able to save.

https://www.electronic-software-shop.com/elektronik-software/lochmaster-40.html

[tggzzz]

The selling point of protoboards is the informality, ease and speed of constructing a one-off prototype - in which case CAD feels like overkill

Personally I just use manhattan, wiring as I go.

[Ian.M]

VeeCAD can do most of what you want.   Import a netlist from your choice of several schematic editors (including KiCAD, your best choice if you also want to design proper PCBs), and it assists you with placing parts and routing their connections on the chosen (user customizable) board size and pad layout.  On stripboard it can even autoroute!

[jpanhalt]

I use Eagle for my protoboards.  I suspect KiCAD and any modern program can be used for the same purpose.

What you seem to be asking is how to get a background on which components can be moved about for you to test route.  In Eagle, I simply created a footprint and device for that.  Add the footprint to your schematic.  Then when you pull up the board dialog, it will be there along with all your components and airwires. Best of all, your have checking to be sure all components are connected as shown in the schematic.

My version of Eagle is limited to 2 layers and size, but neither seem to be limiting based on the original post. Through several iterations I have used various rules to stay within those constraints.

EDIT: I have tried to drag and drop an image of a recent project board done that way.  I see it printed in B&W.  Now replaced with a color snippet.

[Doctorandus_P]

Quite a long while ago I had an interest in Lochmaster, but because it did not have a (netlist) connection between the schematic and the "PCB" layout, my interest was very short lived.

These days I use KiCad, and also use it for Vero / matrix board. Before I used KiCad, it happened quite a lot that I ran out of space on the matrix board halfway though a project, or discovered too late that the location of some of the parts were not well chosen.

So I don't agree with tggzzz at all.

With KiCad you can first draw a schematic. Making an electronics project without a schematic is just too error prone and cumbersome. And when you have a schematic (and assigned footprints), then you can use the PCB editor for the footprint placement planning. So just set the grid to 2.54mm for easy alignment and compatibility with the matrix board. You can also make use of the ratsnest for this. If you want to use a breadboard, or other PCB's that already have a "partial" track layout such as the good old Elex prototype boards (See below), then you can also easily draw this, and for example save it as a template project.

You can use the colors of several copper layers to resemble wire colors on your matrix board. You can also use net highlighting both for the initial soldering, and for later bug hunting. There are a lot of ways in which KiCad ( or any other "real" PCB design program) can help by planning one-offs on Matrix board.

When doing such a project, I usually do not draw all the tracks in the PCB editor, but mostly do the footprint placement planning. And even with the cheap PCB services of these days, doing one-offs on matrix boards is still a valid option. Apart from the delays of ordering a PCB, there is also the time needed to design the PCB itself. By doing this only partially, you save quite a lot of time, and this offsets the extra time needed for manually soldering the wires on the Matrix board.

And of course you can also combine it. You can draw sections you know as a PCB project, and then add an experimental area, and order that as a PCB. Then you could create something like this: https://www.olimex.com/Products/ARM/ST/STM32-P152/ But overall I do not like that system much. I would rather have a "universal" microcontroller module, and then add a second PCB for the "experimental area". I do like the breadboard compatible breakout boards for uC's. I do not use the atrocious "arduino" boards which do not have a 2.54mm compatible pinout. (But it is possible to put headers on such a PCB, and then bend the pins a bit and solder them to a section of matrix board. But even though it's possible, using an uC in dip compatible format is much easier, and more compact too.

[tggzzz]

These days I use KiCad, and also use it for Vero / matrix board. Before I used KiCad, it happened quite a lot that I ran out of space on the matrix board halfway though a project, or discovered too late that the location of some of the parts were not well chosen.

So I don't agree with tggzzz at all.

I agree that you/I can run out of space on a matrix board, and that it is a pain. I'll add that planning tracks between components is another, arguably more significant, pain.

I draw a different conclusion to you, i.e. that while matrix boards seem appealing, when you start to use them they become more of a pain than I expected. Hence I rarely use them, since I find manhattan and other techniques end up being more flexible.

There are many commercial alternatives to conventional matrix boards, which in some cases can be highly beneficial. For examples, see https://entertaininghacks.wordpress.com/2020/07/22/prototyping-circuits-easy-cheap-fast-reliable-techniques/ and see if any appeal to you.

Making an electronics project without a schematic is just too error prone and cumbersome.
...
When doing such a project, I usually do not draw all the tracks in the PCB editor, but mostly do the footprint placement planning. And even with the cheap PCB services of these days, doing one-offs on matrix boards is still a valid option. ...

Yes, agreed.

For "small" circuits a paper and pencil schematic is often sufficient.
For "large" circuits with a CAD schematic, it is often easier to go straight to PCB.
Some commercial products can bridge the gap; see the examples referred to above..
Yes, those statements are necessarily ambiguous!

[free_electron]

fritzing ?

[ledtester]

I'd have a look at VeroRoute:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/veroroute/

Can import netlists from a TinyCAD, gEDA, or KiCad schematic , or specify the netlist graphically.

[MathWizard]

Well thanks, I tried LochMaster, and that is about what I envisioned. For today's small project, I did a bit in LM, but then gave up and just started doing it freestyle on the protoboard anyways. But that program can be useful, even if I can't save it (in the demo version).
 
I'm sure I've installed KiCAD before, but never had a real project in mind, and never got anywhere with it. The 3D viewer looks cool, and yeah having a real schematic and netlist can be good too.

Same for VeeCAD, I've heard of it or asked a similar question before and downloaded it, but never used it yet.

I also have a program, I think called BoardView, with full computer motherboard schematics in there. But I've never tried making my own circuits there.

I could have tried drawing it on paper too. I made the circuit in LTSpice, and I did some layout work below the circuit too. I guess in th end, it all seems like even more work, than just free-styling it like I normally do.

I rebuilt a whole stereo PCB just freestyle once (but right I used LTSpice a lot too), and I'm still using it now, but god help me if I need to fix certain sections of it.

Now I'm looking at what I made so far in-real life, and I don't like where it's going. I have ton's of protoboards, and bags of cheap resistors, I might start over with all 1k resistors as placeholders, and on a bigger board.

Yup, it's an art form for sure.