Introduction

If you designing electronic devices sooner or later you need a cables for connection any external modules (sensors, buttons, lights...) 🙄

➡ But for DIY or small project we can't afford it, so for documentation you can take a look at the light text-base tool Wireviz.

Installing

1) Install Python on your system (if not installed):

2) Open the command prompt (Win + R → type cmd):

cmd

Install WireViz with following command:

pip3 install wireviz

3) Download GraphViz (required for WireViz to generate graphics). 

❗ If GraphViz not installed you'll get error: failed to execute WindowsPath('dot'), make sure the GraphViz executables are on your system PATH

To make it open official site and download the latest version:

Unzip downloaded archive:

Press Win and search for Edit the system environmental variables:

Open System Properties and press on Environmental Variables:

In theSystem variables list find Path, click on it and press Edit...

Then press New and specify path to the earlier unzipped folder with software:

To verify, run:

wireviz --version

✔ Installation was successful, the installed version of WireViz is visible in the terminal.

Example

This is a simple custom cable for oscilloscope that I typically use for pin headers, wires or low-frequency signals:It's pretty clear how to make it using ordinary table, but remember, that is just example and special drawing will be much more technically correct:

Using

Open any folder and download or create (Right Click -> New -> Text Document) a .yml file there called WRD.yml with the following content:

metadata:
 
  title: BNC <-> CLIPS
  pn: DEV-CBL-001-R01
 
  authors:
    Created:
      name: Refcircuit.Com
      date: 2025-06-18
    Approved:
      name: Refcircuit.Com
      date: 2025-06-18
 
  revisions:
    A:
      name: Refcircuit.Com
      date: 2025-06-18
      changelog: Initial commit
 
  template:
    name: din-6771
    sheetsize: A3
 
connectors:
 
  X_CLIP_VCC: &clip_t # https://lcsc.com/product-detail/Banana-Connectors-Alligator-Clips_Changzhou-Amass-Elec-20-135-1_C99180.html
    pinlabels: [VCC]
    type: Test Clip Red Banana Connectors
    manufacturer: Changzhou Amass Elec
    mpn: 20.135.1
    supplier: lcsc.com
    spn: C99180
    subtype: male
    color: RD
    image:
      src: IMG/20.135.1.png
 
  X_CLIP_GND: # https://lcsc.com/product-detail/Banana-Connectors-Alligator-Clips_Changzhou-Amass-Elec-20-135-2_C99181.html
    <<: *clip_t
    pinlabels: [GND]
    type: Test Clip Black Banana Connector
    mpn: 20.135.2
    spn: C99181
    color: BK
    image:
      src: IMG/20.135.2.png
 
  X_BNC_SCREW: # https://grobotronics.com/bnc-connector-male-screw-terminal.html
    pinlabels: [VCC, GND]
    type: BNC Connector Male - Screw Terminal
    manufacturer: PRC
    mpn: 20.135.1
    supplier: grobotronics.com
    spn: 39-00011844
    subtype: male
    color: BK
    image:
      src: IMG/BNC-SCREW-TERM-MALE.png
 
cables:
 
  C:
    colors: [RD, BK] # number of wires implicit in color list
    gauge: 0.25 mm2 # also accepts AWG as unit
    show_equiv: true # auto-calculate AWG equivalent from metric gauge
    length: 0.4 # length in m
    shield: false
    mpn: UL1007-24AWG
 
connections:
  -
    - X_BNC_SCREW: [1]
    - C.C1: [1]
    - X_CLIP_VCC: [1]
  -
    - X_BNC_SCREW: [2]
    - C.C1: [2]
    - X_CLIP_GND: [1]
 

Also create an IMG folder and add the .png images of used parts there (this is optional):

Next, in the path line, write cmd and press Enter to open the terminal directly in the folder (so that you don’t have to specify the path manually):

Write the name of the script and the name of the file together with the extension, press Enter:

wireviz WRD.yml

Several files should be generated, as indicated by the message in the terminal window and the files themselves:

Let's check them, they all open and can already be used (.pdf):

Download Example

1. GitHub: https://github.com/Egoruch/WIREVIZ-BNC-CLIP-CABLE
2. Server (directly): wireviz_wiring_diagram.zip

Conclusions