Introduction to Eeschema

Description

Eeschema is a schematic capture software distributed as a part of KiCad and available under the following operating systems:

• Linux

• Apple macOS

• Windows

Regardless of the OS, all Eeschema files are 100% compatible from one OS to another.

Eeschema is an integrated application where all functions of drawing, control, layout, library management and access to the PCB design software are carried out within Eeschema itself.

Eeschema is intended to cooperate with PcbNew, which is KiCad’s printed circuit design software. It can also export netlist files, which lists all the electrical connections, for other packages.

Eeschema includes a symbol library editor, which can create and edit symbols and manage libraries. It also integrates the following additional but essential functions needed for modern schematic capture software:

• Electrical rules check (ERC) for the automatic control of incorrect and missing connections

• Export of plot files in many formats (Postscript, PDF, HPGL, and SVG)

• Bill of Materials generation (via Python or XSLT scripts, which allow many flexible formats).

Technical overview

Eeschema is limited only by the available memory. There is thus no real limitation to the number of components, component pins, connections or sheets. In the case of multi-sheet diagrams, the representation is hierarchical.

Eeschema can use multi-sheet diagrams in a few ways:

• Simple hierarchies (each schematic is used only once).

• Complex hierarchies (some schematics are used more than once with multiple instances).

• Flat hierarchies (schematics are not explicitly connected in a master diagram).