Designing/graphing a CarPC - what software?

**Paracelsus** · 05-09-2008, 01:44 PM

Browsing this forum I have seen quite a few nice "blueprints", schematic sketches, project design from various members.

What sort of program is suggested for that? Any good ones that are freeware, not terrible feature overloaded and make a job like that easier than MSPaint

?

**2k1Toaster** · 05-09-2008, 01:50 PM

good and freeware for graphic design or CAD layout is a contradiction in itself.

free -- MSPaint
good -- Photoshop

free -- Google 3D
good -- AutoCAD

**Tidder** · 05-09-2008, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by 2k1Toaster

good and freeware for graphic design or CAD layout is a contradiction in itself.

free -- MSPaint
good -- Photoshop

free -- Google 3D
good -- AutoCAD

What about GIMP? It's good and free...

And something I looked at once before was a proggy called QCad, it's an opensource AutoCAD clone, it worked pretty good, and sports compatibility with AutoCAD files.

**DarquePervert** · 05-09-2008, 03:34 PM

I think I did my diagram in PaintShop Pro.
It's just as good as PhotoShop and easier to use, IMHO.

**Paracelsus** · 05-09-2008, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by 2k1Toaster

good and freeware for graphic design or CAD layout is a contradiction in itself.

I would not put it like that. GIMP is very much up to par with Photoshop.

But what I was getting at is not exactly a graphical design program, i.e. not something you would use to to design an circuit board or a complicated machine. That is total overkill and the bloat I referred to in my OP. Useful features for sure, but unneeded in this case and therefore only confusing and adding to the learning curve.

I was more like thinking of something that enables you to create a "flowchart" style layout, i.e. place object, describe, set relations to other with arrows, etc.

But I think I found something that works the way I want (free), so it's all good.

Thanks anyway for suggestions.

**Bugbyte** · 05-09-2008, 05:39 PM

PowerPoint would work well for that need.

**2k1Toaster** · 05-09-2008, 05:42 PM

If you want to just do flow charts, then instead of PowerPoint, use Visio from the same Office bundle.

**HiJackZX1** · 05-10-2008, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by DarquePervert

I think I did my diagram in PaintShop Pro.
It's just as good as PhotoShop and easier to use, IMHO.

I used photoshop for mine........... 3D wise, I had something from autodesk, but never got into it.... 2D worked for me.

**Tidder** · 05-10-2008, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by Paracelsus

I was more like thinking of something that enables you to create a "flowchart" style layout, i.e. place object, describe, set relations to other with arrows, etc.

But I think I found something that works the way I want (free), so it's all good.

Thanks anyway for suggestions.

Are you gonna share with the rest of us as to what you've found?

**Paracelsus** · 05-10-2008, 06:13 PM

Sorry, I didn't initially because the software is in german, and from what I gathered most people here are US or UK bound. On second check of the website I notice they seem to have an english version of it too.

Look at this:
Short description: http://www.inforapid.de/html/knowledgemapeng.htm
Examples: http://www.knowledgemaps.info/indexeng.htm
Download link: http://www.inforapid.org/2008demo/english/ikmsetup.exe

It is a commercial software, but they offer an older version free of charge to private end users.

The advantage I see in this over graphing something in Photoshop et al is that it allows me to graph the components of the system, add annotations (open questions, specifications, etc.) etc and modify it with more ease than a graphical design software would offer in this regard.

It is probably a lot like the Visio office component software that was suggested, but I am not buying Office. Nor would I consider pirating it. I just don't like installing huge bloatware when I just need a certain bit of functionality.