How do I get VCC and GND pins on a PCB using an Eagle schematic?

Question

I've just started learning EAGLE and I've been trying to make a PCB to mount some LEDs on. I read through a few online tutorials, and I believe I have (correctly?) made the schematic in EAGLE.

But when I error check, it gives me 2 warnings. There is only one pin on net VCC. One is where the VCC connects to the net and the other where the same net connects to the resistor. I can't seem to find any information on what the issue is or how to fix it.

When I switch to the board layout, I only have the resistor and the two LEDs. How am I supposed to get the VCC and GND pins on the board? Are they even supposed to be there? All the tutorials I've found online include some part with included voltage and ground pins so the entire package shows up on the schematic.

Answer 1

If you want VCC and ground pins, you need to add components for those. The VCC and GND symbols you have are ports. Any pins connected to VCC are considered connected to each other, and the same goes for GND. This tutorial shows an example of a DC jack component that provides an off-board connection for VCC and GND:

Answer 2

The Vcc and Gnd symbols just assign names to those nets - they don't represent any real component.

If you need something to connect an external power supply to, you need to place a connector, with its pins connected to the Vcc and Gnd nets. For single wire connections, I make a suitable schematic symbol with one pin, and use a single pad as the PCB footprint.

Answer 3

You need to put some kind of connector, or at least a solder point, for these kinds of things. One package that is relatively easy to use for such things is the PINHEAD library of 0.1" connectors

This is the device PINHD-1X5 from the pinhead library. I used named nets and labels to connect things to it.

Answer 4

Another option is to use the component called SOLPAD. As the name suggests, it creates a solder pad in the board.

You can find it in the library with the same name, and there's various pad sizes you can choose.

Answer 5

You can name the connecting wires in your diagram to VCC and the autorouter will attempt to connect them all together.

I also use the plane technique, I draw a polygon on the lower layer of the board and then name it GND, I draw another on top and name it VCC.

You have to create through-hole connectors for SMD devices but just by running ratsnest function, it connects VCC and GND for through hole devices.

This, of course, implies double-sided boards and has the advantage of creating a capacitor between VCC & GND planes, it's also known to reduce RF emissions from boards.