DesignSpark PCB version 3 landed on DesignSpark today!
In just over a year we have had over 100,000 downloads of our award winning tool! 100's a day download DesignSpark PCB, the world most powerful and easy to use free PCB Design Tool.
This latest version of DesignSpark PCB incorporates schematic capture, PCB layout, auto-router and Gerber outputs. Version 3 sees the addition of an interface to industry standard simulation tools, design calculators and grouping functions.
Yes DesignSpark PCB is a Windows based application, and yes we know that some of you Open Source and Mac guy's would like a version for you. Please bear with us on this... "Mordor wasn't built in a day!" as they say...
If you are a Linux user, such as Ubuntu, we do have many DesignSpark PCB users suceesfully running on Wine, and we see no reason why version 3 won't give you the results.
Happy Designing! and don't forgot about the PCB sketchup software we have that works with DesignSpark PCB, which enables you to turn your 2D PCB Design into a 3D representation
zdeno
It is really Nice Software! But, as I was using Orcad 10.5 I used to have few very helpfull features. From my first observations:
1) I miss spreadsheet editor of component properties, where I can edit all properties of all components in design in one place as values, description, footprints etc. If design contents a lot of components it is very hard to edit every one individually. If I decide to change footprint from 0805 to 1206 in all design, in spreadsheet editor I can do it in one step (e.g. copy-paste).
2) I didn't find any function for searching component in design (e.g. I want R4 and in a big design it is impossible to find it).
3) I miss connect design with PCB - specifically if I select component e.g. R4 in design, I want to be also selected component R4 in PCB. It is only way to have a full control over creating PCB.
But, I really very appreciate you created such software which is really FREE!!!
Thanks a lot.
Zdenko Janoska
ChC
So as many, I thing it would be a good idea to have also a Mac OSX version.
fever2tel
Were there any small changes to all the little bugs, or any small work flow enhancments? That is what I am more concerned about.
LateDev
Are there any plans to make this hierarchical ?
Having used many different PCB layout tools over the years, It is the one thing I miss, and find the rest quite intuitive given that most PCB schematic/PCB layout tools have a common base.
Happy to see it has Back Annotation, which is a great boon, since the footprints for a lot of IC's are completely different to the schematic outline.
Brom
We have had a lot of interest and feedback from users who want to use DesignSpark PCB under non-Window's operating systems. Please visit the following link for more information. To explain the ratings, Platinum is the top award.
Platinum
An application can be rated as Platinum if it installs and runs flawlessly ‘out of the box’. No changes required in winecfg.
Hope this helps to explain a little more. Thanks Pete for taking the action to get them updated. Best regards
Brom
arhi
V3 don't want to install under WINE :( V2 installed and worked perfectly under WINE (the only thing that didn't work was 3d view)
yibbidy
I'm new to DesignSpark, where do I find libraries and examples?
BTW, just installed it on my Mac using Crossover and it seems to work fine. Just need to give it a good test run.
Shaun
Pete Wood
I believe you are referring to the links on the Wine website? I have sent a mail to them to update the link. If you download from there you will get ver 3.
To be sure you get the correct version, please download from our site here
andi.reinbrech
Where can I download it? The Setup.exe linked on the site is for version 2.02 :-(