XCircuit

XCircuit is a design tool that allows you to create electric circuit models and takes advantage of the PostScript language in order to save the files for publishing. It is a useful tool for the users who need to create circuit designs or other 2D schematics.

You can use this tool to create complex circuits by starting with basic drawing elements such as lines, circles and rectangles. You can join, rotate and flip objects in order to create the desired circuit design and export it to a PostScript file.

An important feature is the ability to build and reuse the circuit elements by storing them into a library. Immediately after the installation you can take advantage of the included library to quickly create models and customize the database with new models.

The program is optimized for quick operations and supports multiple keyboard shortcuts or “macros” for inserting shapes and editing the circuit model. Thus, operations such as rotating or flipping an object can be performed with one keystroke.

As most schematics require annotations and text notes, the XCircuit application provides you with multiple text formatting settings. You have the option to insert special characters and format the text as subscript which comes in handy when explaining certain components.

After getting used to the interface and the keyboard macros, the application is easy to use and requires insignificant resources when creating schematics. Although it does not include an extensive documentation, you can read the online tutorials and use the sample files to get started.

If you are looking for a program that can create schematics and other designs, XCircuit is a reliable alternative. Even if you are not building electric circuit models, the program’s tools are flexible enough to be used for other designs.