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From: D Yuniskis on 19 Jan 2010 16:17
Hi,

As a side-comment to the schematic preferences thread
(hopefully not another lengthy thread :> ), I'm curious
as to what folks use as an offpage connector symbol.

Given that I prefer these to be *at* the edges of the schematic
*and* given that the signal name will be "outboard" of it,
I try to use very narrow symbols. And, since it is common for
other such "offpage" symbols to be located immediately above
and/or below, I try to keep the height of this symbol to
"one intersignal spacing unit" (IsSU? :> ).

I also like to show direction of signal flow in the symbol.

This has led me to a set of six (<frown>) symbols:
Output Right
Input Right (blech!)
BiDir Right
and the corollaries for "Left". (I.e., left and right refer
to the edges of the page at which it is most appropriate to
place these symbols).

For unidirectional signal flow, I use a pair of "concentric"
(wrong word) arrow heads. E.g., >> or <<. These can be spaced
close enough (horizontally) together that they occupy very little
space on the page (i.e., 1 IsSU square).

For BiDir signals, I use one of each arrow head (< + >).
Since BiDir symbols should occupy the same amount of space
(an arbitrary but desirable condition I impose), I overlap these
together.

If they don't overlap much (or, at all), you end up with a
diamond (<>) or an X (><). I compromise and end up with
an assymetrical "stacked pair of X's" -- sort of like a
slice out of a DNA helix.

This is intentionally assymetric -- you could shift one or
the other arrow head to obtain better symmetry throughout the
X
X
but then placing two or more of these BiDir symbols above each
other ends up looking like *needlepoint* (can't see where one
signal begins and the previous one ends!)

Other techniques?
From: Phil Hobbs on 19 Jan 2010 16:43
On 1/19/2010 4:17 PM, D Yuniskis wrote:
> Hi,
>
> As a side-comment to the schematic preferences thread
> (hopefully not another lengthy thread :> ), I'm curious
> as to what folks use as an offpage connector symbol.
>
> Given that I prefer these to be *at* the edges of the schematic
> *and* given that the signal name will be "outboard" of it,
> I try to use very narrow symbols. And, since it is common for
> other such "offpage" symbols to be located immediately above
> and/or below, I try to keep the height of this symbol to
> "one intersignal spacing unit" (IsSU? :> ).
>
> I also like to show direction of signal flow in the symbol.
>
> This has led me to a set of six (<frown>) symbols:
> Output Right
> Input Right (blech!)
> BiDir Right
> and the corollaries for "Left". (I.e., left and right refer
> to the edges of the page at which it is most appropriate to
> place these symbols).
>
> For unidirectional signal flow, I use a pair of "concentric"
> (wrong word) arrow heads. E.g., >> or <<. These can be spaced
> close enough (horizontally) together that they occupy very little
> space on the page (i.e., 1 IsSU square).
>
> For BiDir signals, I use one of each arrow head (< + >).
> Since BiDir symbols should occupy the same amount of space
> (an arbitrary but desirable condition I impose), I overlap these
> together.
>
> If they don't overlap much (or, at all), you end up with a
> diamond (<>) or an X (><). I compromise and end up with
> an assymetrical "stacked pair of X's" -- sort of like a
> slice out of a DNA helix.
>
> This is intentionally assymetric -- you could shift one or
> the other arrow head to obtain better symmetry throughout the
> X
> X
> but then placing two or more of these BiDir symbols above each
> other ends up looking like *needlepoint* (can't see where one
> signal begins and the previous one ends!)
>
> Other techniques?

I use bigger things with the signal name inside--arrow directed outwards
for outputs, inwards for inputs, like this:


/------------
< CONV_CLOCK |----- and
\------------

*-------\
---| DONE >
*-------/

Cheers

Phil Hobbs
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal
ElectroOptical Innovations
55 Orchard Rd
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510
845-480-2058

email: hobbs at electrooptical dot net
http://electrooptical.net
From: D Yuniskis on 19 Jan 2010 17:13
Hi Phil,

Phil Hobbs wrote:
> On 1/19/2010 4:17 PM, D Yuniskis wrote:
>>
>> As a side-comment to the schematic preferences thread
>> (hopefully not another lengthy thread :> ), I'm curious
>> as to what folks use as an offpage connector symbol.

>> Other techniques?
>
> I use bigger things with the signal name inside--arrow directed outwards
> for outputs, inwards for inputs, like this:
>
> /------------
> < CONV_CLOCK |----- and
> \------------
>
> *-------\
> ---| DONE >
> *-------/

Yeah, but that implicitly limits the length of a signal name.
I opted for small symbols (so they don't consume much lateral space)
which lets me dynamically rearrange the space adjacent to the
symbol for a lengthier name, etc. :-/
From: Phil Hobbs on 19 Jan 2010 17:13
On 1/19/2010 5:13 PM, D Yuniskis wrote:
> Hi Phil,
>
> Phil Hobbs wrote:
>> On 1/19/2010 4:17 PM, D Yuniskis wrote:
>>>
>>> As a side-comment to the schematic preferences thread
>>> (hopefully not another lengthy thread :> ), I'm curious
>>> as to what folks use as an offpage connector symbol.
>
>>> Other techniques?
>>
>> I use bigger things with the signal name inside--arrow directed
>> outwards for outputs, inwards for inputs, like this:
>>
>> /------------
>> < CONV_CLOCK |----- and
>> \------------
>>
>> *-------\
>> ---| DONE >
>> *-------/
>
> Yeah, but that implicitly limits the length of a signal name.
> I opted for small symbols (so they don't consume much lateral space)
> which lets me dynamically rearrange the space adjacent to the
> symbol for a lengthier name, etc. :-/

Nah, I do it in pencil--the name can be as long as my ruler. ;)

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal
ElectroOptical Innovations
55 Orchard Rd
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510
845-480-2058

email: hobbs at electrooptical dot net
http://electrooptical.net
From: Tim Wescott on 19 Jan 2010 17:41
On Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:17:24 -0700, D Yuniskis wrote:

> Hi,
>
> As a side-comment to the schematic preferences thread (hopefully not
> another lengthy thread :> ), I'm curious as to what folks use as an
> offpage connector symbol.
>
> Given that I prefer these to be *at* the edges of the schematic *and*
> given that the signal name will be "outboard" of it, I try to use very
> narrow symbols. And, since it is common for other such "offpage"
> symbols to be located immediately above and/or below, I try to keep the
> height of this symbol to "one intersignal spacing unit" (IsSU? :> ).
>
> I also like to show direction of signal flow in the symbol.
>
> This has led me to a set of six (<frown>) symbols: Output Right
> Input Right (blech!)
> BiDir Right
> and the corollaries for "Left". (I.e., left and right refer to the edges
> of the page at which it is most appropriate to place these symbols).
>
> For unidirectional signal flow, I use a pair of "concentric" (wrong
> word) arrow heads. E.g., >> or <<. These can be spaced close enough
> (horizontally) together that they occupy very little space on the page
> (i.e., 1 IsSU square).
>
> For BiDir signals, I use one of each arrow head (< + >). Since BiDir
> symbols should occupy the same amount of space (an arbitrary but
> desirable condition I impose), I overlap these together.
>
> If they don't overlap much (or, at all), you end up with a diamond (<>)
> or an X (><). I compromise and end up with an assymetrical "stacked
> pair of X's" -- sort of like a slice out of a DNA helix.
>
> This is intentionally assymetric -- you could shift one or the other
> arrow head to obtain better symmetry throughout the X
> X
> but then placing two or more of these BiDir symbols above each other
> ends up looking like *needlepoint* (can't see where one signal begins
> and the previous one ends!)
>
> Other techniques?

Most of the schematic editors I've used distinguish an innie from an
outie, at least graphically (if not as part of a hierarchical schematic
editor that even does some rules checking, like no nets with all inputs,
no nets with two alway-on outputs, etc).

--
www.wescottdesign.com
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