freestompboxes.org

Hey, I was wondering if there is some software for creating an internal layout of pedals. I've been googling this forever, but it just gives me advice on how to order my pedal chain lol. I've seen some designs that seem to do this and have pots, battery, jacks, footswitch all to real size to see how everything will fit. Anyone know which software I'm talking about?

do you mean PCB layout software?
https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewforum.php?f=21

mattlee0037 wrote:Hey, I was wondering if there is some software for creating an internal layout of pedals. I've been googling this forever, but it just gives me advice on how to order my pedal chain lol. I've seen some designs that seem to do this and have pots, battery, jacks, footswitch all to real size to see how everything will fit. Anyone know which software I'm talking about?

I just use the Linux "Dia" program. It allows me to do on the screen just what I used to do with graph paper. I use a graph paper background, scaled for 1mm per square. I draw the outline of the panel, then I have a library of shapes of pots, switches, sockets, LEDs and so on that I can drop on to the panel area to lay them out.

You could probably do something similar with Microsoft "paint" if you spent a bit of time defining your shapes.

Some of the Cad programs do this 3D trick,,,,,,,,,, BUT you do have to input/make the circuit and define parts first so no free lunch.

I don't know of any software that can read your mind as to how and where you want it to look.

I have used mictester's idea for a basic look of what I want something to look like. (time consuming)

You could try "inkscape" but again you will have to spend the time and effort to make each part before you place it.
But gives no reference to wiring whereas cad programs keep a reference to ALL connections.
Phil.

I saw Google SketchUp used for stompbox building:
- SketchUp Plugin Auto-Generates 3D PCB Models from Eagle File (on FSB)
- Stompbox components by Peter le Roux
- Beginner's Course in Sketchup, Modeling a 125B Guitar Pedal Enclosure:

Vector images for pedal parts here, switches, jacks, led's,pots, enclosures etc. Use Inkscape and these to design your layout.

http://www.ontheroadeffects.com/vectorpack/

Thanks a ton guys! I'll have to try both inkscape and google sketchup, but to davent: how do I import the vectorpack into inkscape and what file format would I use?

I use this:

davent wrote:Use Inkscape

And this:

mictester wrote: I use a graph paper background, scaled for 1mm per square. I draw the outline of the panel, then I have a library of shapes of pots, switches, sockets, LEDs and so on that I can drop on to the panel area to lay them out.

Works nicely.

mattlee0037 wrote:Thanks a ton guys! I'll have to try both inkscape and google sketchup, but to davent: how do I import the vectorpack into inkscape and what file format would I use?

All you need to do is start Inkscape, go to Open, click on the Vectorpak pdf., a window will pop up and you select the page of the Vectorpak you want- click open.

If you want other pages for the same document you're working on, you go to Import select the page from the Vectorpak- Open etc.

Once the page is open in your doc you need to ungroup the page then go back and group the individual components on the page, each knob, switch, component is made up of many little pieces you need to make into one piece for ease of handling in your doc.

With the Vectorpak imported/open save as a .svg file, the standard Inkscape file format.

dave

Spent the last couple days working with both google sketchup and inkscape and they are a ton of fun to play with. Not sure which will become my standard. Sketchup seems to be really easy for working with enclosure, but I can see inkscape being much more useful for enclosure graphics.