Software

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DIY Layout Creator 3.x beta

The latest and greatest multi-platform Java version. This one is still under development but will be backwards compatible with the previous two versions and offer better performance and higher flexibility. It’s got it’s own site now where you can grab the latest version report a bug or suggest new feature. The address is diylc.org.

DIY Layout Creator 2.x beta

Multi-platform Java version. Note that files created with version 1.x cannot be opened with this version. At this point, I would NOT encourage anyone to download or use 2.x beta because it’s just too buggy and slow compared to 3.x. Once I add all the components into 3.x, version 2.x will be officially retired.

Download version 2.x

DIY Layout Creator 1.x

This piece of software is great utility for everyone who draws board layouts, either for PCB, Perfboard or Stripboard. It has simple yet very effective interface which makes job much easier. Placing a component on board takes only 2-3 mouse clicks! You need to click on source and destination hole and program will place component between them. Placing polarized components is the same, but then you need to take care about hole order because program takes source hole for positive and destination hole for negative side. It’s similar with IC: pin 1 goes in source hole and last pin goes to destination hole. When working with PCB layouts you can set width of each trace and solder pad! Also, there’s “Print PnP” which gives printout ready for transfer on blank board (laser printer required).

Download version 1.x
Download complete layout collection for version 1.x

Note: files created in 1.x versions can not be opened in 2.x version. I’m working on the brand new version that should take care of that.

DIYLC 3 is profiled with YourKit!
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Comments
118 Responses to “Software”
  1. digthisbigcrux says:

    i was wondering if in the new version you are working on if there was a way to make it so that if you click and drag a trace it doesnt drag the whole trace but just that point and stretches/angles the trace. if that makes sense.

  2. Bancika says:

    It has to do with compatibility with Vista. I wrote DIYLC 1 long before Vista was released. If you’re not after old layouts from the gallery you could try Java version. It works on any machine with Java installed.
    Cheers

  3. muhd85 says:

    Hi bancika, thanks for replt earlier. Well the problem still persist. i tried both the compatibility mode above and all the rest. Still no luck. Btw im using windows vista home premium. Nt sure whether thats the problem. Any other method that i could try?

  4. muhd85 says:

    Hi this my 1st time installing diy layout creator v1.x . after installing it, i open and it pop a window saying no active document. when click “ok” it still keep popping up, this will not allow me to use the program with this matter. Is there any wrong?

    • Bancika says:

      Hi, try to run the app in compatibility mode. Right click on the EXE file -> Properties -> Compatibility -> choose windows XP or 98.
      That should solve the problem.
      Cheers,
      Bane

  5. JMFahey says:

    Hi Bancika.
    I have just drawn a Layout using your excellent Layout Creator, but used version 1 (Windows only) Want to upload the layout to Project Library but it sends me to your old Storm Software address.
    I don’t want to upgrade to the Java version.(Old timer, he he)
    Any suggestions? Thanks a lot for your great work.
    It was amazing to see it being born step by step and your interaction with the masses.
    JMFahey (Argentina)

    • Bancika says:

      Hi,
      there’s no upload mechanism on the new site so it’s ok to use the old one. I’ll update the zip file periodically with new layouts. The new java version will have a library on it’s own.
      Cheers,
      Bane

  6. Alvarez says:

    In mac if you are having trouble exporting you can always cmd/shift/4 and select the area you want to screenshot and bullseye the layout and it saves a screenshot of your selected area. Just a quick workaround

  7. wrangler says:

    Hey, thanks for writing this software. I use Eagle CAD for PC boards, but I’m dyslexic when trying to lay out perf boards. I just can’t visualize them :)

  8. When i like its ergonomic design. very handy andshaveso excellent.

  9. Kleuck says:

    Sorry for the multiple posts, but it may be interesting for Lenny users to konw that to excecute jar files, they can install “jarwrapper” package.

  10. Kleuck says:

    Arg, can’t launch it :(

  11. kleuck says:

    I’m glad there is a multi-platform version to use under Debian (multi language would be great :) )

  12. Bancika says:

    Thanks for the comments Paul. The first two versions were mostly oriented towards pedal builders, thus .1″ grid that matches perf and vero board hole spacing. I wanted the new version to be friendlier to amp builders. The idea to make grid spacing configurable sounds great. Thanks!

    Bane

  13. Paul Fawcett says:

    Bane,

    Thanks for the offer – but I was able to get very satisfactory results from using the MacOS X screen capture as PNG, then into GIMP for scaling and printing. So all is well, and I’m drilling and soldering my PCB today!

    I’m really looking forward to the new version, let us know on AX84 when it’s ready for testing! One more comment while its on my mind- in inches mode, grid divisions should be in eighths or sixteenths instead of tenths…
    Thanks again for the great software, it saved a LOT of time relative to doing this in Canvas or Illustrator.

    Cheers,

    Paul

  14. admin says:

    Sorry to hear about that. I’m aware of size issues and undo issues, but not printing and export. If it’s any consolation I could try to export your layout to image and send it back to you. New version of DIYLC is under development from the scratch and those annoyances will be fixed.

    Best regards,
    Bancika

  15. Paul Fawcett says:

    Hi Bane,

    Just spent quite awhile playing with DIY 2.x beta. In fact, did a fairly ambitious layout with it, and was quite impressed.. And then was heartbroken to find that (at least on MacOS X) it apparently won’t export an image (never writes the file), and the print preview shows only an empty page (haven’t tried on a printer, but assume nothing there either, as printing to pdf comes up blank). Is this a known problem? I’d really like to be able to print/use my nice new layout!
    Other bugs worth reporting….it won’t remember the layout size (or cm or inch mode) between saves. It reverts to standard. Strangely, the undo feature will also always undo the layout size back to default as well as undoing the last action. A feature request would be to make it understand the ” symbol as inches in the dialogues.
    Many thanks,

    Paul

  16. Mario says:

    Hi, I’ve tried tu use DIY 2.x with Ubuntu 9.10, but i can’t see the icon in the Library Frame.
    How I can Fix it?
    Thanks :)

  17. Sebastien says:

    Very Nice. Thank you very much!

  18. admin says:

    It’s not very easy, but you could try to play with xml files in library folder. Take one that looks the closest to the thing you need, duplicate the file and edit it using the text editor. App will install the new component automatically
    Cheers

  19. Nice program. Using it under Linux right now. Wondering how to add components to the library because as a radio enthusiast I need things like coils, trimmer capacitors and so on.

  20. ses says:

    DIY Layout Creator 2.x appears to be broken.
    ? ? ?

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  • About

    The idea behind this site is to share my experience with Do It Yourself approach to guitars, amplifiers and pedals. Whether you want to save a couple of bucks by performing a mod or upgrade yourself instead of paying a tech, or want to build your own piece of gear from scratch, I'm sure you will find something interesting here. Also, this is the home of DIY Layout Creator, a free piece of software for drawing circuit layouts and schematics, written with DIY enthusiasts in mind.