Which is the best circuit design program?

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I would say the best and most professional is Altium, although not free, far from free.

But... look into https://circuitmaker.com/About , its community based/kinda open source development. So its great if you're not paranoid about people stealing your stuff, although the chances of anyone being even remotely interested in random PCB designs is pretty slim.

Designspark is ok, I use (currently) the paid big brother EasyPC version https://www.numberone.com/. Designspark is a dumb-down version of it, I'm not sure how "dumbed down" though to be honest.
 
Cicero said:
Designspark is ok, I use (currently) the paid big brother EasyPC version https://www.numberone.com/. Designspark is a dumb-down version of it, I'm not sure how "dumbed down" though to be honest.
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Hi C,
I'll let my friend know, thanks for the comparison.

(Just beefed up the tracks and added a programming connection to my circuit Kicad)
C.
 

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Just a quick note with Eagle. Although it is free to use, if you plan on using it in a commercial sense (i.e sell your PCB's) then you would need to buy a subscription. About £10 to £60/month.
I think CircuitMaker by Altium does allow you to have 1 private project before releasing others into opensource oblivion.
 
Hi D,
Nothing commercial, only fun.
C
 
camerart said:
Hi,
Blimey, it's long! I haven't tried Eagle, but with so many recommendations here, I can't believe it's as bad as he says.
C.
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I think he summed it up nicely with this statement.

you don't know what you don't know
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Quoted again to emphasize. If you have never really used a good Cad tool, then you really would have no idea if a bad tool was bad. I use to use Mentor Graphics and this tool was lightyears ahead of Eagle in terms of features, but then again there is a big price difference as well.
 
I've been on an exercise evaluating packages for work. Some higher end packages won't even let you evaluate their product without going on a training course !

So far Kicad is in the lead for schematic software. We already use Sprint Layout for PCB work although sPlan is also in the running for schematic. Still got to spend some days wtih the other packages but at a cost of many £k per year per user, they aren't a favourite.
 
picbits said:
I've been on an exercise evaluating packages for work. Some higher end packages won't even let you evaluate their product without going on a training course !
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Which tool requires a training course in order to evaluate? I will be sure to avoid that one.
 
I purchased a varient of Target 3001 www.ibfriedrich.com/en/index.html, but don't currently have a Windows system. I did get it to run under Wine.

One of the reasons I liked it was because of some support for reverse engineering PCB's.

I also liked PADS for creating footprints.

KiCAD made me seasick.
 
Hi K,
When Kicad made you seasick, was it before the newer system? I also didn't find it easy, but once you remember how the files are used, it becomes easier.
If you equate it to spending the hours to learn Kicad, instead of the money to pay for a paid system, does this add up?
C.
 
I think the biggest issue was everything was keyboard driven with not an easy way, for me, to equate the commands.

I'd say I have a learning disability, of sorts, because I learn most stuff Kinestecically whic is described as how you might learn to ride a bike or repitition.
Icons (visual) and verbal methods fail by themselves. Memorizing that the "R-key" does this would depend on associations, like R is Rotate, but ti Z was rotate all bets would be off. CTRL-C and CTRL-V have been learned by repetition.

When I tried Ki-Cad it was an older interface. Making the footprints seemed to be the stumbling block. I actually tried Easytrax (DOS), Diptrace, KiCAD, Eagle (missing vital stuff like outline. EasyEDA *web-based - free, schematic schematic generation only, the pitiful Digikey Skeme-it (schematic only) and Target3001 briefly. I also tried Altium (evaluation trial) and that was messy.

The same is true for CAD programs. Claris CAD (Mac) was very easy. Vecttorworks (Mac/PC), the successor to MiniCAD (Mac) was easy. The layer concept introduced later was harder to grasp, but I loved the package (can't afford it now) AUTOCAD was a nut case too. BricksCAD looks like a promising CAD package. I didn't know of the tutorial when I did the evaluation

I ned the ability to import DWG files from an "embedded" drawing e.g. www.polycase.com/vm-boot-series where the manufacturer provides the PCB dimensions. In this case the sides are curves.

And the ability to do reverse engineering starting from a PCB photo and stuffing diagram. In most cases only generating of the schematic. At present I only need single sided surface mouny and thru hole capability.
 
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Hi K,
I have a similar problem. Words mean something else the next time you look at them! It takes a lot of effort doesn't it. I need to write key words in CAPITOLS, which helps me scan the text. some on the forums, don't have much patience for this, so I try to avoid it, and I am getting better. E,G, In Kicad, I now know the 'R' button, and now use it all of the time. I sometimes use CTRL_C and V too. Keep trying.
Cheers, C.
 
jamesanderson said:
Different people have different ideas regarding the best circuit program creation.

________________________________________
Here is the best ways from my life
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Hi J,
I see you are new to the forum, welcome.

If you re-check my question, I was asking for anyone who has used different programs, and compared them. Only after comparison, can anyone choose in the first place, or they just choose from recommendations, perhaps by someone who has only tried one prorgam.
C.
 

I disagree with this premise again.

Everyone using a layout program is using it in different ways. A feature important for one user may be a feature that another user doesn't even know exists.

Also, users have different ways of thinking and learning. What is intuitive to one user may be totally baffling to another.

Without understanding what you need, this question is the same as:

What's best? Pepsi or Coke.
 
Hi J,
If you use your example: Which is better Pepsi or Coke, coupled with my question. The answer maybe: I've tried both Pepsi and Coke, also Tea and I prefer Tea. Hopefully this would bring out those programs with features that another user doesn't know exists.
Have you compared any programs? If so please let us know which ones.
C.
 
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