Features Reference

This document provides a detailed reference for the advanced tools available in the Schematics Editor.

1. Wiring and Connectivity

The Schematics Editor features a sophisticated connectivity engine specifically designed for electrical and logical diagrams.

Manhattan Routing (Wire Tool)

The Wire tool (W) uses Manhattan routing, which ensures that connections only use horizontal and vertical lines with 90 or 45-degree bends.

• How to use: Click a starting point, click to add anchor points, and double-click to finish.
• Smooth Bends: Toggle the Smooth button in the toolbar to switch between sharp 90-degree corners and 45-degree chamfered bends.

Tracing and Highlighting

Use the Wiring accordion in the toolbar to analyze your diagram's connectivity:

• Trace Mode (Toggle Switch): When ON, selecting a wire or component will highlight every connected element in real-time, allowing you to verify complete circuit paths.
• Highlight Components: Automatically highlights all symbols on the canvas to distinguish them from background geometry.
• Show Connections: Renders a temporary "netlist" overlay showing logical connections between pins.

2. Arrangement and Layers

Layer Management

Open the Side Panel and select the Layers tab to manage the depth and visibility of your diagram.

• Tree View: View all elements as a hierarchical list.
• Visibility (👁): Toggle the visibility of individual elements or groups.
• Locking (🔒): Prevent accidental transformation of background elements.
• Ordering: Elements at the top of the list render in front of those below.

Grouping logic

• Group (Ctrl+G): Combines selected elements into a single movable unit.
• Ungroup (Ctrl+Shift+G): Breaks a group back into its component parts.
• Nested Groups: The editor supports infinite levels of grouping for complex component management.

3. Precision and Measurement

The Measurement System

Select Measure (📏) in the bottom toolbar to configure the diagram scale.

• Units: Switch between Pixels, Metric (mm, cm, m), and Imperial (in, ft, yd).
• Scale Calibration: Set a custom scale (e.g., 100px = 1m).
• Measurement Tool: Once calibrated, clicking and dragging on the canvas will display real-world distances in the status bar.

4. 3D View Transformations

A unique feature of the Schematics Editor is the ability to view and present 2D vector diagrams in 3D space.

• Tilt/Pitch: Tilts the diagram towards or away from the viewer.
• Yaw: Rotates the diagram sideways.
• Zoom Slider: Adjusts the overall scale while maintaining the 3D perspective.
• Reset View: Instantly returns the canvas to a flat, 2D orientation at 100% scale.

All 3D transformations are visual only and do not affect the underlying X/Y coordinates of your components. Exporting to SVG will save the 2D representation, while exporting to HTML will preserve the interactive 3D capabilities.