Hi there!
Wanted to ask if any of you know (and of course use) other progs to design their PCBs/schematics than Eagle?
I worked with eagle now for a little bit and I just dont like it to much. The controlling of this thing is just way to complicated and there has to be some better solution than that. :-/
Or you just step into the discussion and tell me, why you think Eagle is great! 
Hi there!
Wanted to ask if any of you know (and of course use) other progs to design their PCBs/schematics than Eagle?
I worked with eagle now for a little bit and I just dont like it to much. The controlling of this thing is just way to complicated and there has to be some better solution than that. :-/
Or you just step into the discussion and tell me, why you think Eagle is great!
Well, if you use GNU/Linux (or other *NIX OS), the best choice is pcb. It is free and open-source and to be found at: http://bach.ece.jhu.edu/~haceaton/pcb/ (Screenshot: http://bach.ece.jhu.edu/~haceaton/pcb/pcb_screen.gif)
If, as I expect, you run an M$ OS, you have the following alternatives:
Qcad , which is available in a free version (limitations: 499 pins & some printinglimitations) @ http://www.winqcad.com/ I have not used this software yetā¦
Protel (http://www.protel.com/) is a big alternative to Eagle, but for most people far too pricey. The old version (99SE) is beeing sold for ~8000US$ at the moment, for people with an old operating system 
So if you are filthy rich, in which case send me an PM and I will give you my paypal account details, buy Protel, if you dont like Eagleā¦ ;D
So, why not learn to love Eagle? Why? Because mainly most people use it, and so a lot of designs are in the Eagle-native format and you can get a lot of support here. I dont think, if this is your problem, that other software are easier to use! It is CAD, it *has* to be difficult.
I hope you have 3 interesting alternatives now, if you still want to dump Eagle.
/Edit Da formating 8)
Well, if you use GNU/Linux (or other *NIX OS), the best choice is pcb. It is free and open-source and to be found at: http://bach.ece.jhu.edu/~haceaton/pcb/ (Screenshot: http://bach.ece.jhu.edu/~haceaton/pcb/pcb_screen.gif)
If, as I expect, you run an M$ OS, you have the following alternatives:
Qcad , which is available in a free version (limitations: 499 pins & some printinglimitations) @ http://www.winqcad.com/ I have not used this software yetā¦
Protel (http://www.protel.com/) is a big alternative to Eagle, but for most people far too pricey. The old version (99SE) is beeing sold for ~8000US$ at the moment, for people with an old operating system So if you are filthy rich, in which case send me an PM and I will give you my paypal account details, buy Protel, if you dont like Eagleā¦ ;D
So, why not learn to love Eagle? Why? Because mainly most people use it, and so a lot of designs are in the Eagle-native format and you can get a lot of support here. I dont think, if this is your problem, that other software are easier to use! It is CAD, it *has* to be difficult.
I hope you have 3 interesting alternatives now, if you still want to dump Eagle.
/Edit Da formating 8)
Look at this one: LayoPCB
The site is in Dutch which you probably donāt understand. Donāt try to, just go to the downloads section. When you go to the downloads section and click Layo PCB, youāll see 4 links. The 2 last ones are the english versions (one as .exe, one as .zip).
The free version is the same as the full version, except for the fact that the free version only can make 200 component boards maximium. These components come from the included library. But you can make as much holes and viaās as you want to, so you can cheat and make boards with more components. It works pretty easy and fast, so check it out. I first used Layo PCB and after that Eagle and didnāt like the way Eagle worked. I think Layo is better. But LayoPCB (freeware version) doesnāt have as much functionality as Eagle.
Donāt try the āfreewareā Layo Electro, because it has got an āsaveā limitation. Itās a program for making shematics, but what good is it if you canāt save your work.
Look at this one: LayoPCB
The site is in Dutch which you probably donāt understand. Donāt try to, just go to the downloads section. When you go to the downloads section and click Layo PCB, youāll see 4 links. The 2 last ones are the english versions (one as .exe, one as .zip).
The free version is the same as the full version, except for the fact that the free version only can make 200 component boards maximium. These components come from the included library. But you can make as much holes and viaās as you want to, so you can cheat and make boards with more components. It works pretty easy and fast, so check it out. I first used Layo PCB and after that Eagle and didnāt like the way Eagle worked. I think Layo is better. But LayoPCB (freeware version) doesnāt have as much functionality as Eagle.
Donāt try the āfreewareā Layo Electro, because it has got an āsaveā limitation. Itās a program for making shematics, but what good is it if you canāt save your work.
on www.olimex.com (Bulgarian PCB service & stuff co)
there is a list with more tools, direct link:
http://www.olimex.com/pcb/dtools.html
greetz
on www.olimex.com (Bulgarian PCB service & stuff co)
there is a list with more tools, direct link:
http://www.olimex.com/pcb/dtools.html
greetz
Phew, much stuff to check out. Thnx! I`ll try a few ones (first - naturally - the free ones)
@Poeleq: Yeah, thats true! Those people seem to dislike ānormalā people to understand that stuff to easily (e.g. other CAD/CAM programs!).
/edit: again @Poeleq: Yeah, a dammit Maxihard user. Ć ;D
/2nd edit: OMG!! @DriftZ: THESE ARE MANY LINKS! I had no idea that there are SO many PCB Progs around out there! WOW!
Phew, much stuff to check out. Thnx! I`ll try a few ones (first - naturally - the free ones)
@Poeleq: Yeah, thats true! Those people seem to dislike ānormalā people to understand that stuff to easily (e.g. other CAD/CAM programs!).
/edit: again @Poeleq: Yeah, a dammit Maxihard user. Ć ;D
/2nd edit: OMG!! @DriftZ: THESE ARE MANY LINKS! I had no idea that there are SO many PCB Progs around out there! WOW!
Iāve been feeling some annoyances with Eagle myself. It IS prety powerful for software that has such a capable free version, but little things like āUndoā being Alt-Backspace (how the hell is that better than Ctl-Z???) and the fact that it totally fubared the last 3 board designs I saved and refused to reopen them, oh, and it only runs intermittently on my Linux desktop (my main box) 4/5ths of the time having a licensing problem, Iām feeling a little put out.
Thanks for the alternatives list!
Iāve been feeling some annoyances with Eagle myself. It IS prety powerful for software that has such a capable free version, but little things like āUndoā being Alt-Backspace (how the hell is that better than Ctl-Z???) and the fact that it totally fubared the last 3 board designs I saved and refused to reopen them, oh, and it only runs intermittently on my Linux desktop (my main box) 4/5ths of the time having a licensing problem, Iām feeling a little put out.
Thanks for the alternatives list!
I like eagle - using it on XP hereā¦Iāve just managed to create my first board even 
prior to eagle, being from design background, I used illustrator and photoshop for pcb work 
I like eagle - using it on XP hereā¦Iāve just managed to create my first board even prior to eagle, being from design background, I used illustrator and photoshop for pcb work
Iām just making my first PCB: A Bankstick Selector. Check the design concepts for more.
And I am actually doing it with eagle again. If you get used to it (and all that key commands) and learn it (YES! I DID read the tutorial) itās pretty fast.
But anyhow Iāll try the other progs, too. I already tried Layo1, but didnt like it to much. Itās without schematic. And so: If the things get a little more complicated you are dammed to make some mistakes.
Iām just making my first PCB: A Bankstick Selector. Check the design concepts for more.
And I am actually doing it with eagle again. If you get used to it (and all that key commands) and learn it (YES! I DID read the tutorial) itās pretty fast.
But anyhow Iāll try the other progs, too. I already tried Layo1, but didnt like it to much. Itās without schematic. And so: If the things get a little more complicated you are dammed to make some mistakes.
mm I though eagle was goodā¦ but very very expensive (the autorouter is very badā¦). Well, the size limitation isnāt a problem, usualyā¦ but I want to make a board for 32 switch, 32 led, and DIN/DOUT moduel for my lcā¦ so I started it, and the first half of the PCB fit into the eagle limitationā¦ but not the other. After trying to find a good way to make 2 pcb, I decided to make one, and use an eagle crack (yes I know, itās bad.. but $125 for this software, for a non profit license is too exepnsiveā¦ as I said, the router is useless). So I did it, design the second half of the boardā¦ save it.. and when I reopened it, it say that my board Iāve been saved using an illegal copyā¦ so? I lost everthing! nw I am very very angry against cadsoftā¦ I canāt find a good free oneā¦
I would delete this message if I were youā¦ talking about cracking in an open forum with your IP and everythingā¦ I dont knowā¦ :
but anyway: Yeah, you really gotta fight with that 80x100 limitation. Shittyā¦ :P