LTspiceIV librairies management

[steph_tsf]

hello,

attached you will find a file containing BJT models commonly used in audio power amplifiers. In order to see it at work, you need to open the C:\Program Files\LTC\LTspiceIV\lib\cmp directory. Over there, start backuping the original "standard.bjt" file, renaming it "standard.bjt.original". Then, copy the "my_own_npn_pnp_bjt_v400.lib" (that's the file I'm providing) in the directory, and rename the file "standard.bjt", in effect replacing the original standard.bjt file.

Start LTspiceIV, and you will see that you can pick-up and select all those new transistors upon drawing the schematic. Right click on the BJT symbol for picking-up a new transistor.

How to share ?
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When you've done your .asc schematic containing your own BJT transistors, you may want to share it. Are you going to ask the recipient to replace his own "standard.bjt" file. No, of course. What you do is to send the "my_own_npn_pnp_v400.lib" file along with the .asc schematic, to the recipient. Your .asc needs to contain the following spice directive : ".include my_own_npn_pnp_v400.lib".
This way, the recipient WILL BE ABLE TO RUN the simulation, without needing to replace his "standard.lib". That's comfortable, and safe.

What if we share ?
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LTspiceIV may report warnings saying that there are two different models for your BC556B BJT : one from your "standard.bjt" file, and another from the included "my_own_npn_pnp_bjt_v400.lib".
The question is : what model got actually used ?

Sharing the ability to run, is not upgrading
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What's stated above doesn't mean that the recipient will be able to pick-up and select an alternate transistor, from the new set. When the recipient will right click on the BJT symbol, LTspiceIV will only display the transistor listed in his own "standard.bjt" file.
So, for being ABLE TO SELECT a transistor from the new list, the recipient will need, like the sender, to replace his "standard.bjt" file by the upgraded one.

Upgrading method - a suggestion
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A viable solution is to have everybody upgrading by using a new, common, shared "standard.bjt" file to be manually placed in the C:\Program Files\LTC\LTspiceIV\lib\cmp directory.
I'm proposing here "standard.bjt" revision 4.00 (the 4 because it is introduced on LTcadIV).
At the moment, standard.bjt version 4.00 lacks american transistors and japanese transistors.
Can somebody make the list of the most wanted american and japanese transistors ? I'll manage to include them.

See attached .zip file.

Thanks
Steph

 

[steph_tsf]

version 4.01 here, attached. Many useful BJT spice models, easy to select. The voltage, current and manufacturer data will appear in LTspiceIV selection window (right-click on the symbol to pick-up another transistor).

 

[steph_tsf]

The Yahoo LTspice Group just took position, advising a scheme for upgrading the BJT library :

Yahoo! Groups

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Re: [LTspice] Re: how to avoid overwriting standard.bjt ?

Helmut's advice is the best : don't mess with the supplied lib files.

* Instead, make a file called, for example, myparts.lib
* Place it in the .\lib sub directory - .\lib\myparts.lib
* Put all of your special .models and .subckts in it
* It will Not get erased upon update
* Put - .include ..\lib\myparts.lib into your project .asc
* Now, when you sim, do it from a project directory one level down
* ie. .\LTspiceIV\myproject\myproject.asc
* Never worry about your models getting stepped on!

Al D.

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Everybody agreeing ?
No objections ?

 

[steph_tsf]

Will this method avoid LTspiceIV generating warnings about duplicate model definitions, like a BC556B found in the "standard.bjt" file, and another BC556B found in "myparts.lib" ?

 

[Lee Knatta]

Everybody agreeing ?
No objections ?

Me:
Yes.
No.

I do it this way since it is the easiest to do and I don't feel comfortable replacing the libraries provided by LT.
An update of LTSpice might overwrite the modified library.

Will this method avoid LTspiceIV generating warnings about duplicate model definitions, like a BC556B found in the "standard.bjt" file, and another BC556B found in "myparts.lib" ?

No. LTSpice complains and I don't know which model it used for simulation.
Any ideas how to solve this issue? (Other than what you proposed.)
My idea is to rename the foreign model.

 

[aster]

Well, modifying the standard files provides the most user friendly way of working because the new devices can be used as easy as the built-in devices, but you have to do the work of updating these files again whenever you update program. To avoid this disadvantage, I myself am using a python script to do all the updating automatically.