Many novices don't seem to get it. In electronics we speak a different language, and they need to learn it. That language is the SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM. We see so many many many posts where people begin with something like "I'll try to describe this circuit as accurately as possible..." when all that is required is an accurate schematic diagram. So elegant, so easily understood, so useful, so to-the-point. ( Sigh) I wish there were more we could do to encourage inclusion of a schematic in posts. Can the bulletin board software be modified to specifically ask for a schematic diagram for any new thread?

Originally Posted by RadioRon

Many novices don't seem to get it. In electronics we speak a different language, and they need to learn it. That language is the SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM. We see so many many many posts where people begin with something like "I'll try to describe this circuit as accurately as possible..." when all that is required is an accurate schematic diagram. So elegant, so easily understood, so useful, so to-the-point. ( Sigh) I wish there were more we could do to encourage inclusion of a schematic in posts. Can the bulletin board software be modified to specifically ask for a schematic diagram for any new thread?

I totally agree. Also I often didn't post replies at time because I couldn't respond with a schematic and knew I couldn't express it accurately enough with just words. I downloaded a free schematic drawing package from expresspcb and can now draw simple schematics for posting.

http://www.expresspcb.com/ExpressPCB...d_software.htm

So perhaps members can post their favorite schematic drawing program as an encouragement to newcomers to select one and start this most fundamental form of communication electronic circuit information.

Lefty

There is a sticky post:
This is how to add your schematics to your posts.
But then there are those who never read the FAQ or google before posting, so why are we surprised. I guess, as a group, we could take the stand of, "No schematee, no helpee." when confronted with, "The base bone is connected to the resistor bone, the resistor bone is connected to the V+ bone..... Why does it smoke?"

hi all,
I'll like this thread, It is very difficult for me to explain my idea because I'm not an English speaking person, so with the use "schematic" I can express my idea. . I agree to use schematic, but schematic are not supported in "attach file".
I downloaded the "ExpressSCh" and create sample schematic, I just drag single
IC then save. Now I want to upload my Sample schematic with the file extension " .sch ", surely it it will not accept in file attachment, but I want to upload as "original file" so you can edit my schematic using "ExpressSch".

I got a crazy idea, I rename the "sample.SCh" to "Sample.txt" and upload,
it was accepted and download it again and Rename sample.txt to sample.sch
then open in "ExpressSCH" it works!!. As I suggest why not, to use common Schematic Creator. hey, if you want to try, download the "sample.txt" and rename to "sample.sch".

In ExpressSch you can do this:
Click EDIT Copy Schematic Bitmap to the clipboard.
Then you can paste it into Paint or any other graphics program and save it as a PNG or GIF file.

Hi RadioRon,
Remember when you were a noobie? I can't remember when I was one but a few noobies recently called a schematic "snakes and ladders". Noobies can't "read" a schematic so they don't use one.

Originally Posted by Pommie

Maybe people could use AACircuit to draw schematics and insert them like this,

Code:

   o----o-----------o
   |    |           |                Phasenverschiebung = 0°
   |   .-.         .-.
   | R1| |       RC| |
   |   | |         | |     C2                    rBE
   |   '-'         '-'                       re= --- || RE
   |    |           |      ||                     ß
  ---   |           o------||----------o
   -    |           |      ||
   |    |         |/
   |    o-----o---|                    UA
   |    |     |   |>
   |    |     |     |      ||
   |    |     |     o------||-----o
   |    |     |     |      ||
   |   .-.    |    .-.
   | R2| |CB --- RE| |     C1
   |   | |   ---   | |            UE
   |   '-'    |    '-'
   |    |     |     |
   o----o-----o-----o-------------o----o
(created by AACircuit v1.28.6 beta 04/19/05 www.tech-chat.de)

or,

Code:

  .---o----o------o---o---------------o---o----o------------o12-15V
  |   |    |  22uF|+  |               |   |    |
 .-.  |   .-.    ===  |              .-.  |    |    .-------o
 | |<-'   | |    /-\  |              | |  |    |    |   .---o
 | |5k    | |5k6  |   |              | |  |    |\   |   |
 '-'      '-'     |   o--.           '-'  |  _ o o  o  /o
  |        |     ===  |  |            |   |   )|      /
 .-.       |     GND  | ---100n   LED V   -   )|     /
 | |       |          | ---           -   ^  _)|    o
 | |6k2    |          |  |            |   |    |    |
 '-'       |          | GND           '---o----o    '-------o
  |        |       2|\|7                       |
  o-----------------|-\ LM741      ___       |/
  |        |        |  >-------o--|___|--o---|
  |        o---o----|+/ 6      |   22k   |   |>  BC547
  |        |   |   3|/|4       |         |     |
 .-.       |   |     ===       o---.    .-.    |
 | |       |   o---. GND       |   |    | |5k6 |
 | |2k7   .-.  |   |   ___    _V_  |    | |    |
 '-'     KTY10 |+  '--|___|--|___|-'    '-'    |
  |       | | ===      47k   220k        |     |
  |       '-' /-\                        |     |
  |        |   |                         |     |
  |        |   |                         |     |
  '--------o---o-------------------------o-----o------------o GND
(created by AACircuit v1.28.6 beta 04/19/05 www.tech-chat.de)

Mike.

Argh...those can always be so hard to read. I'd say ExpressPCB or Eagle will do fine; if people are serious enough about electronics they'll install it.

LTspice from Linear Technology is a free spice simulator, but I also sometimes use it for just drawing schematics. It has many more symbols built in than those shown below, and you can add your own. It's not the greatest freehand drawing tool, but this should illustrate that it is possible to add your own symbols.

There are some electronic symbols using those, and under paint one can make up a circuit schematic. I attached a zip file for common use. this is courtesy someone else and not my original. little experience is needed perhaps to derive at the schematic, and any enthusiast can make within 15 minutes, his /her first diagram. thereafter it would be child's play.

I use LTSpice of lots of schematics and sometimes I use OpenOffice Draw which also does a good job.

It is nearly 2008. ASCII schematics from the 80's are obsolete.

I press the PRT SCRN key then paste an image into Microsoft Paint program. Then I save it as a very clear small PNG file type, not as a mega-bytes size bitmap.

I don't like schematics that are a negative and I don't like the ones that are covered in dots (the measles).

People who post schematics as a very fuzzy JPG file type should be hanged or shot.