DEX eval by free_electron

[DEX]

For PCBs, I find most PDF datasheets specify both metric and imperial.

Sometimes you will see a dimension as 2.54 mm/1.27. This is a dead giveaway that it was originally 0.1”, 0.05”

Often I switch between mm and inches when designing footprints. Here the units buttons on the Part Builder help.

For schematics/PCBs, DEX decouples the scale for sheet content from page border/title block/reference. You can show the page border in PCBs but it is off by default.
Page border/title block/reference is fixed at 1:1 unit for printing.

Page content scale can be changed. This allows you to add more content to an A4 sheet. So instead of going to A3 and having the border/title block shrink when printing to an A4 only printer, you can keep the page border/title block/reference size constant.
A side effect of this is that you can say design panels that are larger than A4.

P.S. I used DEX to layout my office furniture. Adjusted scale to room size printing to A4, Created rectangles/polygons for furniture (can define furniture in mm or inches or both) and moved/rotated them.
Dimensions work to content scale.

Attached 1 schematic at 1:1, seconds at 1:2

Change scale using the sheet properties panel with nothing selected.

[DEX]

Schematic grid units are irrelevant.

I take your point, but it's annoying when you end up with a random mix of units. Most software doesn't let you specify imperial for the schematic and metric for the PCB, at least not without manually setting it each and every time. It also makes in-house standards more annoying because they have to specify all the schematic limits (minimum font size etc.) in imperial units and all the PCB limits in metric, and then someone reading them who only uses metric day-to-day won't have any real idea how big a 0.3" font is going to be on a sheet of paper, or if they could print an A3 schematic using such fonts on A4 and still read it etc.

To print a schematic where the spacing prints on 2.5mm grid instead of a 0.1" (2.54mm) grid, set the scale to 2.54/2.5. Print borderless and set print scale to 1:1.

[ElektroQuark]

Really miss the evaluation.

[CatalinaWOW]

I've only scanned this thread, but think that there are some points of view that are being missed here.  I am a retired electrical engineer whose professional duties did not require any schematic entry or any of the other tasks/tools associated with PC design.  I therefore did not power up the learning curve on any of the high dollar packages.  I did have hobby use for these activities and looked into a large number of cheap/free EDA packages, starting in the mid-90s with PADS.  When Autotrax and then Dex came along they were the first ones that clicked for me, and I have used them for about ten years.  That is not to deny it's warts.  There are many.  But it is very usable for hobby style design activities (Single or double sided boards with occasional 4 layer, varying density, up to about 4 inches by 8 inches and up to the low hundreds of components).  I wouldn't feel bad recommending DEX to small shops whose primary activity is not pwb design.  People who do schematic capture/PWB design full time or who routinely do boards with dozens of high pin count ICs would be well advised to get the tools from the big guys.

Many of the objections I have seen in the thread are due to differences in the UI from what the reviewer is used to.   It is a little like someone saying that Photoshop is bad because is doesn't work the way GIMP does (or visa versa).  Or that Excel is no good because it is different from Lotus 123. 

What made it click for me might not be right for others.  The following describes my situation and some of why it works for me so that others can see if it has any meaning to them.    I have been doing one or two boards per year over the last decade.  This means I go back up the learning curve for each board.  Most of the GNU stuff requires a fairly complex workflow that I had trouble picking up so they were out.  Eagle's interface was ok for me, but not great, and Eagle's free version is very limiting.  Eagle gets pricey (in hobbiest terms) quickly as you add capability.  None of other dozen or so free ones had an easy to learn interface.   Everyone, pro or amateur fights parts modeling (well some of the pro's get to farm that out to another department).  Even with Eagle's enormous library I was always needing to model my own parts (and still do now that DEX has imported the Eagle libraries).  So the fact that the part modeling works pretty well for me is important.  The only thing I usually have trouble with is generating a really sharp 3D view.  Finally, I grew up with arc overs on schematics.  I know it doesn't conform to today's standards, but my schematics are for my use and that is the way I want them.

[tautech]

Welcome to the forum.

There has been some interest in this thread going by the large number of viewers seen on some days.
That should have translated into many recent downloads of DEX one would think. I have, but as yet not got on with any examination of it.
If DEX has the functionality and usability that some report, we would be keen to see more feedback and some examples of finished work.
Feel free to post some. 

[Iliya]

The best way to see what AutoTRAX can do for you is try it yourself.

Reviews are fine, but they all have a bias and some are wrong, e.g. Amazon reviews. The first one or two always seem from the seller, most 1 stars are simple ‘it came in a bust package’ type reviews and I think some may be from a competitor.

So I suggest you grab a copy, fire it up and judge for yourself

You will download the installer executable which contains the full version of the program.
The installer does not need a password.
You do not need to enter any personal details to download or use AutoTRAX.
You will not be sent any emails because of the download.
There are absolutely no limits, except for non-commercial use.

http://kov.com/Download

[nctnico]

It would be nice if you can take & post some screenshots of your journey... At this moment I don't know what to think of DEX.

[Wytnucls]

Doesn't work for me anymore.
Locked up the computer while doing a search for a part. Ctl-Alt-Del to recover.
Restarted the computer, launched app, locked up again with partial screen.
Deleted app, restarted computer, re-installed the program, but it still hangs on start-up.
What gives?

[Iliya]

Doesn't work for me anymore.
Locked up the computer while doing a search for a part. Ctl-Alt-Del to recover.
Restarted the computer, launched app, locked up again with partial screen.
Deleted app, restarted computer, re-installed the program, but it still hangs on start-up.
What gives?

Not sure.

Try deleting...

C:\Users\XXX\AppData\Roaming\AutoTRAX Software\DEX\Settings

where XXX is you.

Also see the manual entry.
http://kov.com/manual/index.html?disaster-recovery.htm

[Wytnucls]

Thanks. Deleting settings worked. Back in business...

[Wytnucls]

Managed to put something together, using auto functions as much as possible.
Made an LM3914 from scratch to power 10 LEDs:

[Iliya]

I have now tasked myself to expanding the help and storing all my ideas tips there.
I am updating the online first. So this is work in progress.

The bit I am doing is about creating parts.

http://pcb.software/manual/index.html?creating-parts.htm

You may need to refresh you browser cache.

I have created a wiki for DEX
http://wiki.pcb.software/index.php?title=Main_Page

There is also a forum at: (I dumped the Yahoo one)
http://www.pcb.software/

[nctnico]

@Wytnucls
I don't like the way the schematic look and that board looks poorly routed. How is the manual routing?

[c4757p]

Managed to put something together, using auto functions as much as possible.
Made an LM3914 from scratch to power 10 LEDs:

With or without meatballs?

[free_electron]

Managed to put something together, using auto functions as much as possible.
Made an LM3914 from scratch to power 10 LEDs:

With or without meatballs?

exactly ...

[c4757p]

New feature request: intensity-graded display, so I can get a graphical feel for the number of lines per pile

[Iliya]

Managed to put something together, using auto functions as much as possible.
Made an LM3914 from scratch to power 10 LEDs:

With or without meatballs?

If you don't like jumpers turn them off.

[Monkeh]

Managed to put something together, using auto functions as much as possible.
Made an LM3914 from scratch to power 10 LEDs:

With or without meatballs?

If you don't like jumpers turn them off.

Turning them off would not seem to resolve the problem of nets stacked on top of nets.

[c4757p]

Managed to put something together, using auto functions as much as possible.
Made an LM3914 from scratch to power 10 LEDs:

With or without meatballs?

If you don't like jumpers turn them off.

I like my spaghetti with meatballs!

[Iliya]

Managed to put something together, using auto functions as much as possible.
Made an LM3914 from scratch to power 10 LEDs:

With or without meatballs?

exactly ...

You could try it with this slightly expensive pasta from Altium. Comes complete with dangling strands.

QED

[Iliya]

Managed to put something together, using auto functions as much as possible.
Made an LM3914 from scratch to power 10 LEDs:

With or without meatballs?

If you don't like jumpers turn them off.

Turning them off would not seem to resolve the problem of nets stacked on top of nets.

They are nodes aka linear circuit analysis.
Nets are on PCBs.
Altium et. al. does not use nodes. Nodes cannot have dangling connections.
See the altium tracks.

Solution. Move em!

[c4757p]

They are nodes aka linear circuit analysis.
Nets are on PCBs.
Altium et. al. does not use nodes. Nodes cannot have dangling connections.

Oh, well in that case, I suppose the ungodly massive pile of wire pasta is A-OK.

[Monkeh]

They are nodes aka linear circuit analysis.
Nets are on PCBs.
Altium et. al. does not use nodes. Nodes cannot have dangling connections.

Semantics. You seem to like playing these games.

[rsjsouza]

I started a few releases ago, and after free_electron's assessment about the auto-wiring, I decided to give it a go. I had the same issue as him and could not disable the auto-wiring. Unchecking this option from either the add wire or bus ribbon menu did not work. I then found a post in this thread that mentioned an overall settings menu at the top of the window. I then found the button "View/Hide Settings Panel" and found the auto wire settings under the tabs "All Schematics" and "Schematic". Disabling it in both tabs was not effective, even after restarting the program. 

It then occurred to me to create a brand new schematic - the settings finally took place. Perhaps the settings were tied to the previous schematic file, but I can't be certain.

After all that, I wanted to draw a simple astable oscillator, and unfortunately could not draw the nicely angled wires as it is typical of this circuit configuration (e.g. shown at this link). Therefore, a question to Iliya: how can this be done?

Similar thing for parts: how to rotate them at 45° angles? This would be useful for the full wave bridge rectifier circuits.

By the way, despite the glitches, congratulations to you on the massive undertaking to make the software work so well.

[Iliya]

They are nodes aka linear circuit analysis.
Nets are on PCBs.
Altium et. al. does not use nodes. Nodes cannot have dangling connections.

Semantics. You seem to like playing these games.

Semantics matter. It's not a game. Do the theory.