Hi Frank,
the cover drawings are done with the free IRFANVIEW program. First I make a copy from a suitable Lectron Info Card or a template. Unnecessary symbols / description etc. can be deleted and new symbols like circles, squares, triangels, and rectangles can be placed via the EDIT menu function “show paint dialog”. The connections with lines (best: 4 pixel) and the values and / or connection names / numbers with the text “A” feature. The soldering points are done with the “brush” symbol (12…15 pixel). Here a template for 27 x 81 mm:
Important seems to be the reduction to 16 colors and save – after a couple of actions are successfully done – to a PNG format. I had the bad effect that sometimes the program suddenly stops… may be that my downloaded version had some bugs. If I have copied symbols, graphics or the like into the image I have immediately to go back to 16 colors (!) and set the contrast (no light gray in my drawing) higher + SAVE.
Meanwhile I can rotate the new “card” to get the right direction of text if no sufficient space is in the horizontal position.
This is only a sample to show some actions I had done outside the “cover”:
After having completed the card it may look like this:
…here I integrated at least a photo to show the possible / required connection blocks for a complete function.
The next step is to cut out the cover drawing and paste it into an empty PNG file (menu: create new – empty – image) and print this cover with the wanted size, e.g. 28.5 x 82.5 mm (including the thin frame).
I collect several new “covers” to a total printout in A6 size printed with my old HP deskjet 882C and copy these all with my even older Canon Laser Copier on A6 photo paper 230g.
To make these new covers resistable to water, fat and other bad influences I laminate it with adhesive transparent foil (used for book covers etc.) – the best but rare to get is foil with a matt surface. It will look like an original cover… After all I glue the cutout onto the block cover and about 10 minutes later I can cut the black frame off – ready!
Hope that helps,
G.
- This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Guenther.