[sdiy] Dip Trace: [not] free and worth every penny

[Tim Ressel]

I found it, thanks for that. It turns out I opened the wrong file 
somehow. the files do match.

Sorry, folks. I didn't mean to start a PCB flame war. I was just 
venting. I'm sure Dip Trace is a great package.

--tr


On 9/5/2017 4:18 PM, Tom Wiltshire wrote:
> The tool *will* tell you if the schematic and the PCB are the same, if you ask it. There’s a menu option where you can cross-check the PCB against any schematic you like. The schematic you started from is the obvious choice, of course…It’s on the same menu as DRC checks.
>
> I don’t find the consistency not being “enforced” an issue. If I find I need to change something (perhaps swap some op-amps around to make the layout easier) I go back to the schematic, make the changes, then go back to the PCB and "update the PCB from the associated schematic” (it’s called something like that). Other packages might do that particular thing easier, but it isn’t difficult.
>
> I totally agree about different styles and different people, but I think people often overlook how much of the way they think about this stuff has been shaped by the tools they’re using. I’ve seen people hunting endlessly in a new bit of software for some feature that their old software used to have, and they’ll say things like “a more modern package must be able to do Y, surely!” But of course, there’s more than one way to skin a cat, and package X might not need to do Y at all.
>
> In the end, everything is hard when you don’t know how it works, and everything is easy once you’re comfortable with it.
>
> T.
>
> ==================
>         Electric Druid
> Synth & Stompbox DIY
> ==================
>
>> On 5 Sep 2017, at 23:27, Tim Ressel <timr at circuitabbey.com> wrote:
>>
>> It's true that there are strong opinions about PCB packages. Some hate Eagle, others love it. I believe it has to do with the interface fitting our style. I like eagle; we get along fine. I don't get along with Dip trace. That's between me and DT.
>>
>> The issue of having no enforced consistency between schematic and layout is a deal breaker for me. My current task is a good example. The schematic and PCB do not match. The tool did not tell me about this. I had to burn some time before I could be sure of what I was seeing. Now I have to wait for the designer to get me matching files.
>>
>> --Timbo
>>
>>
>> On 9/5/2017 3:02 PM, sleepy_dog at gmx.de wrote:
>>> from what I gathered so far, diptrace can't do this kind of thing as it doesn't have a project which links the schematic and PCB in a "live" kind of way (it does for DRC of course). The Layout file seems to incorporate the schematic internally
>>> And it can be updated when changes were done - it does store which schematic file it was last associated with, which can also be changed, but there is no "live link".
>>> (by File -> Update from schematic)
>>> That's something that I also don't like about diptrace. But it doesn't have a UI from 1983, something which makes eagle very unpleasant for me ;) Even DT lacks some features, I'd not want EAGLE full version for free... But that's my taste.
>>>
>>> Well. What works is if your nets are named meaningfully, you'll see what the net name is in schematic if you hover over it.
>>> And in layout, you can select the net by name from the net list to the right. (if the right side bar isn't there, hit Ctrl+2). Roughly the center partition of the sidebar has a "design manager", and the right-most button that looks like a wire selects to list the nets in there.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Am 05.09.2017 um 23:17 schrieb Tim Ressel:
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> Does anyone have Dip Trace chops?  I am forced to use it to troubleshoot someone else's design. As far as I can tell, DT sucks. I can't find a way to highlight a schematic net and have it show up on the layout. Is there a way? To get around I highlighted R10 but in the layout it shows a different value than in the schematic.
>>>>
>>>> Eagle has spoiled me I guess...
>>>>
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>> -- 
>> --Tim Ressel
>> Circuit Abbey
>> timr at circuitabbey.com
>>
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>

-- 
--Tim Ressel
Circuit Abbey
timr at circuitabbey.com