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Toolbar reference
The only arcs which can be drawn are the arcs which represent one quarter of an ellipse. Arcs are for annotating your designs only, they are ignored by all the special tools.
Arc segments are now part of the polyline tool. See the section on “Adding Text and Annotations” for full details.
To draw an arc select the starting point with the left mouse button. Then move or drag to the ending point and click again with the left mouse button. If the arc bows the wrong way, then draw the arc in the other direction or select the other arc type (either arc in or arc out) from the toolbar menu or context menu.
You may change the width of the line the arc is drawn with or the color of the fill of the arc by using the tool dialogue normally displayed in the top right hand corner of the drawing.
Arcs can be edited as part of a polygon or polyline.
Ellipses are only used to annotate designs. They are ignored by all the Special tools.
The only ellipses that can be drawn are those which can be enclosed by a rectangle with its edges parallel to the edges of the design.
To draw an ellipse you must start by moving to one corner of the rectangle that will enclose the ellipse (this rectangle is not actually displayed). Click with the left mouse button. Now as you move or drag the mouse the ellipse will be shown. Once the ellipse is in the correct position click again with the left mouse button.
You may change the width of the line the arc is drawn with or the color of the fill of the arc by using the tool dialogue normally displayed in the top right hand corner of the drawing.
Polylines and polygons are provided to annotate your diagrams only. For the most part, they are ignored by all the special tools.
These tools are new to TinyCAD version 1.80.00, and are described fully in the “Adding Text and Annotations” section.
Rectangles are only used to annotate designs. They are ignored by all the Special tools.
To draw rectangles, select the tool on the Toolbar. Then go to the position for one of the corners of the rectangle. Click with the left mouse button. Now as you move or drag the mouse the rectangle will be shown. Once the Rectangle is in the correct position click again with the left mouse button. You may change the width of the line the arc is drawn with or the color of the fill of the arc by using the tool dialogue normally displayed in the top right hand corner of the drawing.
Text is used only to annotate designs, it is ignored by the special tools. Do not confuse the text tool with the label tool, which produces electrically active net names.
It is often required to have bars over the letters in the text. This can be done by placing the ` character before each letter that needs a bar over it. If a whole word needs to have a bar placed over it then each letter in that word must have a ` before it.
Type the text you wish to add in the dialogue box. As you enter text a rectangle will appear next to the mouse, indicating the size and position of the text.
Move this rectangle with the mouse to where you wish to place it and click with the left hand button.
You can cancel entering text by clicking with the right mouse button.
Text can be edited once placed. To do so select Edit Item on the Toolbar. Then click with the left mouse button on the text to be edited. A window will appear with the original text in it. You can now alter it as necessary. When finished either click with the left mouse button on something else to edit, or click with the right mouse button.
Text can be re-sized once placed by using the handles displayed around the item or by using the tool dialogue normally displayed in the top right hand corner of the drawing.
Click with the left mouse button in the place you wish to start the line. Move to where you wish the line to end and click with the left hand button again. A bus segment will be placed and a new bus segment is now started from this point.
To stop drawing click with the right mouse button, and you may start a new bus from a different point. Clicking with the right mouse button again will select the Edit Item option in the edit menu.
Normally the bus is locked to 90 degree positions. In this mode two line segments are displayed at once. However, only one segment is placed at a time when you click with the left mouse button. You must click once more to place both the bus segments.
You may also lock to 45 degree angles only, or have no locking at all. This can be selected from the edit window. When these options are used, only one bus segment at a time is displayed.
If you find when you try and place two bus segments in rapid succession and find that only one is placed, then the cause is properly due to the double click speed of the mouse being setup so that it is too slow. Go to the Control Panel and alter the double click speed faster. (See the Window's Manuals for more details).
Buses cannot be edited, but they can be moved, dragged or deleted.
Buses can be repeated.
Bus entries are used to show the connection of a wire to a bus. There are two types of bus entry, allowing for connection into the bus from any possible direction.
To place bus entries, select this option in the menu, then move the bus entry to the point you wish to place it. Place it by clicking with the left mouse button.
When you have finished placing, either select a new tool or click with the right mouse button. This will select the Edit Item in the Edit menu for you.
Bus Entries cannot be edited, but they can be moved or deleted.
Bus Entries can be repeated.
A Bus Name placed across a Bus to indicate the nature of the Bus. This could be the number of conductors in the bus or the name of the Bus.
It is often required to have bars over the letters in a Bus Name. This can be done by placing the ` character before each letter that needs a bar over it. If a whole word needs to have a bar placed over it then each letter in that word must have a ` before it.
Type the name of the bus in the dialogue box. As you enter text a rectangle will appear next to the mouse, indicating the size and position of the text.
Move this rectangle with the mouse to where you wish to place it and click with the left hand button.
You can cancel entering text by clicking with the right mouse button.
Bus Names can be edited once placed. To do so select Edit Item on the Toolbar. Then click with the left mouse button on the text to be edited. A window will appear with the original text in it. You can now alter it as necessary. When finished either click with the left mouse button on something else to edit, or click with the right mouse button.
This option allows you to move parts of the design around. The connections by wires are not preserved when this option is used. If you wish to keep the connections use the drag block option.
Select the area you wish to move by drawing a rectangle around it. Start the rectangle by clicking with the left mouse button. Click again with the left mouse button again when the rectangle covers the area you wish to move.
The area selected will be highlighted. You can now move this area around the design. Place it by using the left mouse button.
You can cancel the move by clicking with the right mouse button.
This option allows you to move parts of the design, keeping the connections made by wires. All wires and buses that pass into the selected area to be moved will keep their ends outside the selected area fixed in place. All connections to symbols by wires will also be preserved.
This allows for objects to be moved around the design without affecting how they are connected.
Select the area you wish to drag by drawing a rectangle around it. Start the rectangle by clicking with the left mouse button. Click again with the left mouse button again when the rectangle covers the area you wish to drag.
The area selected will be highlighted. You can now drag this area around the design. Place it by using the left mouse button.
You can cancel the drag by clicking with the right mouse button.
This option allows you to make another copy of part of the design to be placed somewhere else in the design.
Select the area you wish to duplicate by drawing a rectangle around it. Start the rectangle by clicking with the left mouse button. Click again with the left mouse button again when the rectangle covers the area you wish to copy.
The area selected will be highlighted. When you move the mouse you will find that the original copy remains and you have a duplicate copy that can be placed anywhere in the design. Place this copy by using the left mouse button.
You can cancel the duplication by clicking with the right mouse button.
This option allows you to rotate and mirror (flip) a selected area of the design. This makes it very easy to correct the mistake of placing a component the wrong way round, as it and all its connections can be rotated.
Select the area you wish to rotate by drawing a rectangle around it. Start the rectangle by clicking with the left mouse button. Click again with the left mouse button again when the rectangle covers the area you wish to delete.
The area selected will be highlighted.
A dialogue box will now give you options to rotate the block clockwise or anti-clockwise, by clicking on the <<< and >>> buttons. You can also select the flip button which will mirror the block.
Once you have finished rotating the block click with either the left hand or right mouse button.
This option allow you to delete objects in the design.
To delete an item first select the Edit Item tool. Select the item to delete by clicking on it with the left mouse button. The object will turn gray to indicate it has been selected. You may instead of selecting a single item with the edit tool select a group of items. These too may be deleted.
Now select this option on the toolbar menu to delete the item.
You may undo the deletion by using the undo option in the edit menu.
This option enables editing of objects already placed in the design. You may also use this tool to move objects in your design and to delete objects in your design.
Once this option has been selected then clicking with the left mouse button on an object in the design will select that object. To show it has been selected it will be shown in light gray.
If there is more than one editable object under the mouse pointer, then clicking again with the left mouse button in the same place will cause a different object to be selected. Keep clicking with the left mouse button until the object you wish to edit is selected.
If the object is editable, then a dialogue box associated with the object will be shown enabling you to change it. For example, if you click on a text object then a dialogue box will appear with the text in it. You may then change the text in the dialogue box.
End editing an object by clicking with the right mouse button in the design window, or by selecting a new object to edit using the left mouse button.
You may also move objects that are selected. To do this hold down the left mouse button on a selected object. Now move the mouse, with the left mouse button held down. The object will be moved with the mouse. To finish release the left mouse button.
You may delete any selected object by using the delete item option on the toolbar.
You may copy any selected object to the clipboard by selecting the Copy or Cut options in the edit menu. Once a selection has been copied to the clipboard it may be pasted into another application (such as Microsoft Word), or pasted back into the design.
To select groups of objects you may drag a rectangle around the objects to be selected. Any object within the rectangle will be selected. Once it has been selected you may delete, move, copy or cut the object. To drag the rectangle, place the pointer in an area of the design where there is no object. Hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse. The rectangle will be created. Release the left mouse button to select the objects within the rectangle.
Junctions are normally automatically placed for you. You do not need to use this tool.
When two wires meet, a junction indicates that they are electrically joined. This information is used by the special tools to generate net lists and check the electrical rules. When two wires meet or cross it is assumed they are not joined unless a junction is placed at the crossing point.
To place a junction select this option, then move the junction to the location in the design where you wish to place it and then click with the left mouse button. When you have finished placing, either select a new tool or click with the right mouse button. This will select the Edit Item in the Edit menu for you.
Junctions cannot be edited, but they can be moved or deleted.
Labels indicate a connection to the wire which runs beneath them. Any two wires with the same label name above them are considered to be connected.
This can be useful when two parts of a circuit need to be connected but are a long way apart on the diagram, or one point needs to be connected to a large number of others.
It is often required to have bars over the letters in the label. This can be done by placing the ' character before each letter that needs a bar over it. If a whole word needs to have a bar placed over it then each letter in that word must have a ' before it.
Type the text you wish to add in the dialogue box. As you enter text a rectangle will appear next to the mouse, indicating the size and position of the text.
Move this rectangle with the mouse to where you wish to place it and click with the left hand button.
After placing a label, if the text has a number on the end of it, it is automatically incremented or decremented depending on the Name Increment or Name Decrement option selected in the Repeat Directions menu (in the Edit menu).
You can cancel entering text by clicking with the right mouse button.
Labels can be edited once placed. To do so select Edit Item on the Toolbar. Then click with the left mouse button on the text to be edited. A window will appear with the original text in it. You can now alter it as necessary. When finished either click with the left mouse button on something else to edit, or click with the right mouse button.
Labels can be re-sized once placed by using the handles displayed around the item or by using the tool dialogue normally displayed in the top right hand corner of the drawing.
No connects indicate that the symbol, wire or power item is not connected to anything else, and should not be connected to anything else. The electrical rules checker will indicate an error if an input is unconnected unless it has a no connect joined to it. Place no connects on any unused input or output to avoid this error and indicate that it is intentionally left unconnected.
To place a no connect select this option, then move the cross to the location in the design you where wish to place it and then click with the left mouse button. When you have finished placing, either select a new tool or click with the right mouse button. This will select the Edit Item in the Edit menu for you.
No connects cannot be edited, but they can be moved or deleted.
Power objects are use to show where power is connected to the design. All power objects should have a value, which is the value of the power it provides (such as 5V, GND, 0V etc.). All power objects with the same value are considered connected to one another; even if they have different shapes.
You should connect wires to the power items at the end of their pins, otherwise they will not considered to be connected.
Certain symbols are automatically connected to power without the connection being shown (for example the 7400, although no power pins are shown, it is automatically connected to VCC and GND). When using these symbols, you should make sure you use the same power supply names as the symbols otherwise the symbol will not be correctly connected to the power supply.
To place power items in to your designs select power from the Toolbar. Then in the dialogue box select the orientation of the power item, it's shape and it's name. Place the power item by clicking with the left mouse button.
A range of shapes is provided, and you may use any name. Bars may be added over letters in names in the same manner bars can be added to text and labels, that is by placing ` before each letter which requires a bar over it.
Once you have finished placing power items click with the right mouse button or select a new tool.
Power items can be edited. To do so select Edit Item in the Edit menu. Click with the left mouse button on the end of the power item's pin. You can now change it's name, orientation and shape. When finished either click with the left mouse button on something else to edit, or click with the right mouse button.
Power items can also be move and deleted.
Wires are used to indicated connections on the circuit diagram. If you wish to use features such as the electrical rules checker or net list generation then you must use wires for this purpose. If you use lines instead of wires to join up points on a diagram then these tools will not work!
Click with the left mouse button in the place you wish to start the wire. Move to where you wish the wire to end and click with the left hand button again. A wire segment will be placed and a new wire segment is now started from this point.
If you prefer you can drag wires instead of using the clicking and then moving. Simply drag with the left mouse button from the starting point to the ending point. If the ending point is a symbol, another wire or a power item then the wire will automatically snap to it and terminate at that point.
A wire will automatically snap to a placed symbol or another wire when moved close to it. If you click with the left mouse button now, the wire will end at the snapped point. You can turn this off by using the settings dialogue in the Options menu.
When placing wires junctions will automatically be added when required.
To stop drawing click with the right mouse button, and you may start a new wire from a different point. Clicking with the right mouse button again will select the Edit Item option in the edit menu.
Normally the wire is locked to 90 degree positions. In this mode two line segments are displayed at once. However, only one segment is placed at a time when you click with the left mouse button. You must click once more to place both the bus segments.
You may also lock to 45 degree angles only, or have no locking at all. This can be selected from the edit window. When these options are used, only one wire segment at a time is displayed.
If you find when you try and place two wire segments in rapid succession and find that only one is placed, then the cause is properly due to the double click speed of the mouse being setup so that it is too slow. Go to the Control Panel and alter the double click speed faster. (See the Window's Manuals for more details).
Wires cannot be edited, but they can be moved, dragged or deleted.
Wires can be repeated.
The zoom tool enables you to easily enlarge the view of the design. Once selected you may enlarge the view by clicking with the left mouse button, and reduce the view by clicking with the right mouse button.
The position of the mouse pointer, when you zoom in, is moved to the center of the window.
This gets rid of the current design. All drawings in the current design are removed. If the current design has not been saved then you are asked to confirm before the design is lost.
This option opens a previously saved design for editing or printing. If there is already a design being edited it will be lost. If the current design has not been saved then you will be asked to confirm before continuing.
This option saves the current design, its page set up and the design details are all saved in a single file. If the design has already a file name associated with it then it will be saved using this file name without prompting. If the design has never been saved then you will be prompted for a new file name before it is saved.
This option enables you to move parts of the design which have been selected to the clipboard. Once it has been moved to the clipboard you may use paste to re-insert them into a different part of the design, and may paste again and again to duplicate a part of the design.
To select objects in the design use the edit item option on the toolbar.
You may also paste into other Windows applications such as Microsoft Word.
This option takes a previously copied or cut part of a design and enable you to place it into the current design.
Once this option has been selected the pasted design will be displayed at the mouse pointer. To paste it in click with the left mouse button, to cancel click with the right mouse button.
This option enables you to copy parts of the design which have been selected to the clipboard. Once it has been copied to the clipboard you may use paste to re-insert them into a different part of the design, and may paste again and again to duplicate a part of the design.
To select objects in the design use the edit item option on the toolbar.
You may also paste into other Windows applications such as Microsoft Word.
Use this option print to any installed the windows printer.
If the drawing is larger than the paper size of the printer, then it is split up over as many pages as it takes to print the design in tiles.