Software-help
From Circuitopedia
Contents |
Open Circuit Library: An online circuit-entry tool
Current Wiki Setup
In the current nice and easy setup of Circuitopedia, one can enter circuit information in text, equations and images in a Wiki framework. A structure is mantained by use of templates for categories and circuits. To add information is as easy as editting a Wiki. (The entry of schematic is still problematic.) The imposed structure assures comfortable scaling-up.
Given the advantage of ease of editting, the wiki-based approach has a few disadvantages.
- There is non-standardized entry of information, as in the way schematics, equations, netlists, scripts for specification measurements, etc. are stored. This makes it hard to link this information directly to CAD tools for say, netlisting, simulation, modeling, optimization, etc. Manual steps will be needed to take this information to CAD software.
- Secondly, annotation and reference to heirarchy in the current setup is not ideal (See Hierarchy). The current setup is not easy to maintain and also does not contain complete information about the hierarchical decomposition of the circuit.
- Also, in the current model, schematic entry is not easy.
Java based Circuit Entry tool
The need for standardized entry of circuit schematic, knowledge and annotation of hierarchy, one needs to create a structured library for this. For instance, this could be XML representation of circuit schematics, models, annotation of hierarchy in XML tags, netlisting capability from schematics and standards to store other information. This would be the way in which data is stored, which could then be easily linked up with CAD software.
To facilitate this, we need a circuit entry tool which could capture this information online from the user. In such a tool, one would be able to enter schematic by building it graphically, use already existing libraries entered by other users, annotate hierarchy and use sub-circuits from the library. The user will be able to enter all other information in standardized ways in the tool, which will be stored in a database on Circuitopedia. This information could then easily tied with the CAD software.
This tool will solve the issues with the current Wiki model.
Pictoral Depiction of Concept
See circuitopedia-structure.pdf for a pictoral depiction of current and proposed Circuitopedia structure.
Team for tool design
We are looking for help for design of the proposed java-based circuit entry tool. We already have a starting point for it which comprises of a partially working java-based schematic entry tool. We want to put together a team to work on this tool as an Open Source Project. If you are interested to be a part, kindly send a mail to software [at] circuitopedia.org. Please include your name, profession, university/company and specific interest.
