The Schematic view is ProtoPulse’s full circuit capture editor. It operates on a grid-snapped canvas with coordinate readout, Manhattan (right-angle) wire routing, and a complete set of schematic primitives — component instances, nets, power symbols, net labels, and no-connect markers. Every change is validated in real time by the Electrical Rule Check engine.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/wtyler2505/ProtoPulse/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
The schematic canvas
The canvas uses a fixed grid (default 50 mil) for component and wire placement. A live coordinate readout in the toolbar shows the cursor position. Pan by clicking and dragging with the middle mouse button or holding Space; zoom with the scroll wheel. Each schematic belongs to a circuit design and can span multiple hierarchical sheets. The active sheet name is shown in the sheet panel on the left.The schematic toolbar
The toolbar runs across the top of the canvas. Each tool changes the cursor mode:| Tool | Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Select | Escape | Click and drag to select components or wires |
| Place component | A | Open the component picker, then click to place |
| Draw net | W | Start drawing a wire from any pin or existing wire |
| Power symbol | P | Insert a power symbol (VCC, GND, +3V3, etc.) |
| No-connect | X | Mark a pin as intentionally unconnected |
| Net label | L | Place a named label to connect nets across the schematic |
| Add sheet | — | Insert a hierarchical sub-sheet |
Placing component instances
Press A to open the component picker
A search dialog appears. Type a part name, reference designator, or category (e.g., “resistor”, “ESP32”, “74HC595”).
Select the part and click to place
The component follows the cursor. Click to place it on the canvas. Press Escape to cancel. The placed component gets an auto-assigned reference designator (R1, U1, etc.).
Drawing nets with the Net Drawing Tool
Press W to activate the net drawing tool. Click on any component pin to start a wire. The router automatically uses Manhattan (horizontal/vertical) segments. Click again to place a corner; click on another pin to terminate the net.- Wires that share the same net name are electrically connected even if they don’t visually touch.
- A filled dot (junction) appears where three or more wires meet.
- Wires crossing without a junction are not connected.
Power symbols
Press P to place a power symbol. Power symbols are special net labels used for supply rails. Common symbols include:- VCC / +5V / +3V3 — positive supply rails
- GND — ground reference
- VBAT — battery positive
- VBUS — USB bus power
Net labels
Press L to place a net label. A net label assigns a name to a wire. Any wire anywhere in the schematic (or sub-sheets) with the same label name is electrically connected. Use net labels to:- Avoid long wires crossing the canvas
- Connect signals between hierarchical sheets
- Name important buses (SPI_MOSI, I2C_SDA, etc.)
No-connect markers
Press X to place a no-connect marker (an X symbol) on a pin that is intentionally left unconnected. This tells the ERC that the unconnected pin is expected, suppressing the “unconnected pin” warning. Always mark unused MCU I/O pins with no-connect markers.ERC — Electrical Rule Check
The ERC runs automatically and updates as you edit. Open the ERC Panel (bottom of the schematic view) to see the current findings. The ERC checks for:| Rule | Severity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Unconnected pin | Warning | Pin has no wire and no no-connect marker |
| Shorted outputs | Error | Two output pins connected to the same net |
| Conflicting drivers | Error | Power supply and output on same net |
| Missing power pin | Warning | Component power pin not connected to a supply |
| No-connect on connected pin | Info | No-connect marker on a pin that is actually wired |
Net Class Panel
Open the Net Class Panel to define routing rules for named net classes. Each class carries:- Clearance — minimum gap to adjacent copper (in mils)
- Trace width — default trace width for this class
- Via diameter — via pad diameter
Hierarchical Sheet Panel
For complex designs, break the schematic into multiple sheets. Open the Hierarchical Sheet Panel (left sidebar) to:- Add a new sub-sheet
- Navigate between sheets
- Declare hierarchical ports — named pins on a sub-sheet that connect to the parent sheet
All sheets in a design share the same component library and net namespace. A net label “SDA” on sheet 1 connects to “SDA” on sheet 2 automatically.
Breadboard & PCB
Translate your schematic to physical PCB layout.
Design Validation
Run DRC and ERC to catch errors before manufacturing.
Export Formats
Export to KiCad, Eagle, SPICE, Gerber, and more.
AI Assistant
Let the AI wire up your schematic from a description.