hey guys i know we have some really smart guys here .. i'm fixing to have to set up a ic layout and some kinds at school said they found a program that will pretty much do it for them all they have to do is select the chip tell it what to go to and it draws the lines .... any one know what this program might be ?

By "ic layout" do you mean printed circuit, or schematic?

There is software available to help with schematics and PCB design, but industry-specific software runs into the tens of thousands per seat.  Quick Cad comes to mind, it has a partial IC database.  For that matter, any CAD program will work, just make up some templates.

As far as DIY PCB's, check out Kepro's line of pre-masked boards.  Beware:  I think their website has been hacked, Google has a warning up on it.  You can buy their boards from Digikey.  I've used Kepro's products before and they're VERY slick.  .005 traces on .005 spaces are NO problem with good artwork and clean work.

Generate your artwork either on a CAD program at 2:1 or greater and print on a laser printer, or do it with tape and mylar at 4:1 or greater.  Take it to your local small-town newspaper that still does camera work and have them reduce to 1:1 on film.  Make sure to include an X and Y axis reference dimension so the camera guy can be certain the reduction is correct.  My local paper operates a 1910 Zeiss.  The sliding lens mechanism has probably been in need of adjustment since before WWII.

For more info find the book "The Design and Drafting of Printed Circuits" by Bishop Graphics.  Old book, but the techniques are still valid for DIY.

no thats not really what i need i dont think . maybe a cad program are therea ny free ones out there ? . i have to take this digital class and where dealing with 74193's,7490's 7404's bcd counters and what not . we have to build this layout . i have the flow chart i know the order it has to be layed in . and what chip connects to another. IE mod 6 to a mod 10  and so on . 13 chips total . i was just trying to find a program that all i had to do with pick the chip place it and click on the other chip for it to wire it all togeather . some guys at school said they found one .. but will not tell anyone where they found it or what its called ......

I think you're talking about laying out a printed circuit board (PCB), ordering it, and soldering the chips to it.  If so, and you have no software, the easiest deal is from Express PCB.  www.expresspcb.com  They have free software and they'll give you 3 identical boards for $60 including shipping.

Otherwise, you can download EagleCAD for free.  It's probably what those guys in your school found.   http://www.cadsoft.de/  Much steeper learning curve, but it will generate standard Gerber files, which any place can use to make your PCBs.  Note that getting it to be green with white writing is the most expensive option, compared to a plain cheap board. 

Compare:



and



Both these options will allow you to draw a schematic and then show you how to connect the lines.  If you're talking about something other than a PCB, though, then I'm not sure...

Sound like some dork bags in your classes.

Anyways what you are looking at are PCB layouts, Printed Circuit Board Layouts
Here is what I have used in the past to make wiring schematics but they also have an easy PCB layout gig to here
http://www.expresspcb.com/index.htm

EDIT: someone beat me to it

Ohhh sweet memories...
this all brings me back to my degree thesis (last year)...

half of which dealt with PCB schematic drawing, layouting, components placing&routing and Gerber files...
It was quite a struggle at the beginning since I had NEVER operated on any type of CAD software before that, but a very nice experience indeed.

Best of luck!

Lamps from Italy,
simon79.

dont have to use  pcb . where using protoboards  something like this   http://www.philmore-datak.com/Neg%20Meth_file/RH21B.jpg

are you talking about a simulation program?  If so then what you are thinking of is called pspice.... it can be downloaded for free. just do a google search on it.

I doubt you are going to find a program that will properly lay stuff out for a protoboard. Is that the actual board you are using? If so, I don't know how you could even fit 13 chips on that one board. Since the chips can only go down the center, that really limits your design.

The other type of board I remember using for manual wiring chips was very thin and had access from both sides. Instead of each row being wired together, you stick the chips on one side and then run the wires on the other side. That was especially fun when we had to wire those manually before getting to use the wire wrapping guns.

yes thats it the pspice thanks ! . but if you looked at the link i poseted up its a double proto board

Ahhhh, I see, you wanted to simulate the board...hahhaha....yeah PSpice will do the trick

send me a pm if you need help figuring out how to use pspice... i have quite a bit of experience with it

hehe thanks . i figured it out though . only thing i did not see that it had was a Seven segment LED . but i could have over looked it . what we are building is a freqency  reader .

go on line and search for pspice libraries... if it doesnt already have the chips that you are looking for.