45 degree wires in schematic?

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bruhnstv
Posts: 87
Joined: 05 Jan 2012, 20:20

45 degree wires in schematic?

#1 Post by bruhnstv » 07 Jan 2013, 07:42

Didn't find anything about this in a search of the forums... Is there any way to place a wire on a schematic at a 45 degree angle? I find that sometimes this is just the "right" thing to do, to make the schematic look good and to make it easy to read, but I haven't found any way to do it in DipTrace. It's interesting that I have a lot of flexibility in layout to place traces at angles and around curves, but not so with wires in schematics (as far as I can see at the moment).

One example of a situation where I'd want to do this is a "star ground" connection, where several wires should come together at a single point.
Cheers,
Tom

Alex
Technical Support
Posts: 3897
Joined: 13 Jun 2010, 23:43

Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?

#2 Post by Alex » 08 Jan 2013, 19:35

It is not possible to place wires on a schematic at a 45 degree or any angle. We will consider this option for future versions.

RDC
Posts: 18
Joined: 26 Mar 2011, 13:17

Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?

#3 Post by RDC » 12 Jan 2013, 08:38

Please don't consider this option. A schematic isn't supposed to look like the PCB, it's supposed to be easy to follow what is connected to what. A bunch of 45 degree lines intersecting any straight ones would make the schematic a complete mess to read.

bruhnstv
Posts: 87
Joined: 05 Jan 2012, 20:20

Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?

#4 Post by bruhnstv » 12 Jan 2013, 10:12

RDC wrote:Please don't consider this option. A schematic isn't supposed to look like the PCB, it's supposed to be easy to follow what is connected to what. A bunch of 45 degree lines intersecting any straight ones would make the schematic a complete mess to read.
There should then be an option for turning the ability to run 45 degree lines on and off, but there should not be a prohibition from using 45 degree lines, if that's what the user wants.

I indeed do want my schematic to be easy to follow: I want it to document my design as completely as possible. One of the things I want to show clearly is a star ground. I can put a note by some grounds that they should be a star connection, but having all the ground traces on the schematic come together in one point makes it very clear what is required. Another thing that happens occasionally is that a balanced transformer output needs to be "criss-crossed" to connect to (say) a balanced IC input. The way the schematic components are built, the pin connections just aren't right for direct connection, if the pins are assigned so the PC layout is straightforward. In such a situation, it's much clearer that symmetry should be maintained if 45 degree traces are used in the schematic, rather than all rectilinear traces.

Adding this feature (with the switch) does not keep you from doing schematics YOUR way, but NOT adding it keeps me from doing them MY way.
Cheers,
Tom

RDC
Posts: 18
Joined: 26 Mar 2011, 13:17

Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?

#5 Post by RDC » 12 Jan 2013, 12:01

Fair enough as an option, that's by default turned off.

As far as having to criss-cross anything that isn't in the layout you need to do it with straight lines though, that's why there is a component editor, and pin numbers can be shown as well. ;)

bruhnstv
Posts: 87
Joined: 05 Jan 2012, 20:20

Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?

#6 Post by bruhnstv » 14 Jan 2013, 12:31

RDC wrote:Fair enough as an option, that's by default turned off.

As far as having to criss-cross anything that isn't in the layout you need to do it with straight lines though, that's why there is a component editor, and pin numbers can be shown as well. ;)
Um, but I don't want to have to have multiple component symbols for the same part. Consider a differential-output op amp that drives an ADC differential input. Because the board layout is a lot cleaner with one pairing than with the other, the pin connections are dictated; or perhaps it's because the polarity has to be a certain way. I may want the schematic components to look as much like the diagrams in the data sheets for the part as possible, to avoid confusion. This may lead to a need to have the connections on the schematic cross over. Sure I can do it with rectilinear lines, but the pair crossing at 45 (with no dot, no connection between them) makes it clear that there's a symmetry that should be preserved in the layout.

I think a reasonable way to keep the option "turned off by default" is to require holding down some key on the keyboard when you want 45 degrees. That's similar to holding the shift during a move to force a rectilinear (up/down or left/right only) move. I'll be among the first to say that the 45 degree thing is something I want rather seldom, but when I do want it, it's for good reason.
Cheers,
Tom

Redhouse
Posts: 56
Joined: 13 Jun 2011, 16:35

Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?

#7 Post by Redhouse » 24 Feb 2013, 12:48

I'd like to see the 45 degree thing implemented.

Buddude
Posts: 2
Joined: 29 Mar 2021, 09:11

Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?

#8 Post by Buddude » 29 Mar 2021, 09:23

I've been evaluating DipTrace as a replacement schematic capture program to my beloved P-CAD 2004 and like much of what I see. I am an old Orcad user (from its DOS days), and Accel EDA, Protel, P-CAD and Altium user for the last 20 some years. A key feature I like in a schematic capture program is that of the ability to draw 45 degree wires. These often serve to illustrate a specific type of connections as others have mentioned. However, from this comment thread I see that 8 years hence it is still something not featured in DipTrace. I really cannot imagine that it's hard to implement; so the question is why not?

Not all schematics lead to PCB implementations. Often schematics are indicative of wiring diagrams for other segments of a system where 45 degree wires provide more information to the user. Other programs I have recently evaluated (such as KiCad) allows them sort of, after a fashion...

Alex
Technical Support
Posts: 3897
Joined: 13 Jun 2010, 23:43

Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?

#9 Post by Alex » 31 Mar 2021, 19:52

We will consider the list of features to implement including 45 degree wires in schematic when we finish our current tasks. Thank you for the suggestion.

farley
Posts: 157
Joined: 15 Sep 2011, 09:28

Re: 45 degree wires in schematic?

#10 Post by farley » 01 Apr 2021, 05:06

It would be helpful not to limit the schematic wire angles to 45 degrees. For some analog designs it is not unusual to indicate a single point connection for multiple wires. So having a selectable snap, or no snap, for the angles would be preferred.

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