I have been tinkering with SPICE simulators for several weeks and I am still a dope. My options are limited because I use only Linux and can't afford a Windows license just to run one application. Most of the spicers are just for Windows. Qucs-s is interesting because it is OS independent. KiCad works on Linux and has a concept of simulation but I am no wiser after doing the beginner tutorials. I also did the NgSpice command line simulations but I could find no practical applications.
I installed Wine but it failed because of a missing ntdll.
I see interesting posts with simulations and wonder what tools were used to create them.
I installed Wine but it failed because of a missing ntdll.
I see interesting posts with simulations and wonder what tools were used to create them.
ngspice runs on linux as you discovered. I use it. ng does have a primitive plot tool. It also can output a simulation run to a file and you can do whatever you want with it. I don't use KiCad, are you sure it cannot interface with ng? I'd be pretty surprised if the Qucs is usable if it is OS independent. The Independent usually means java, which is not going to be fast for things like moderate/large transient simulation.
KiCad can call Ngspice and graph the results on Linux. The GUI is somewhat buggy. I have run only trivial tests so far.
I write special-purpose simulators as part of my hobby.
Ed
I write special-purpose simulators as part of my hobby.
Ed
I am also using Linux (EndeavourOS) and running LTSpice and PSpice using Wine. I have also tried ngspice, but I am now using mainly LTSpice. I am keen to better know QSpice (if I can get it work...).
I had some luck today. I modified the KiCad8/sallen-key demo to be a simple amp instead of a low pass filter. There is an option to print the NgSpice commands. I believe I can do something useful with KiCad spice.. fingers crossed.
Hi @knutn .. SPICE software tools are a bit of a mess. For example, the TI forum only offers TINA-TI for simulation, they don't support other SPICE tools.. They don't support old but good xx5532 or RC4580. There is a hot replacement TLV9362 (only SMD) but the model is HSPICE an unreadable text format.
IMO there is duplication of effort with many SPICE variants. For example, every tool needs to convert the ancient SPICE text into a modern robust form. That converter should be in a library that every developer could use and improve.
IMO there is duplication of effort with many SPICE variants. For example, every tool needs to convert the ancient SPICE text into a modern robust form. That converter should be in a library that every developer could use and improve.
When I was referrrng to PSpice, it was from Cadence (OrCAD). I have used LTSpice some years now, for analogue circuits it is quite sufficient.
Microsoft is getting heavy handed about forcing you to sign up for an MS account in order to use Win11 etc. So, I may soon be forced to use Linux more than I do now. But so far, the freeware and cheap-ware apps on Windows do real work relatively efficiently that very few Linux apps do. It is worth mentioning that millions of people are still using old versions of Windows. Perhaps the need to use the latest version is over hyped. Just use 3rd party security. Windows app store is also full of crap software. Fortunately, given the huge user base, there are other people figuring out how to tame MS marketing crap. I have a couple "referb" W10 machines that came with Win10, and an Win7 laptop that perhaps I should have let update to Win10 when it was free. But what I should have done was clone my copy of win7 first. A 250G SSD is only about $20 and old machines need to be upgraded to SSD anyway. The referb machines were about $200, which means not much more than a copy of Windows. You can buy new modest Windows machines for a similar price, and a modern modest machine is probably faster than an old expensive machine.
I use LTSpice because it works well and is well supported, and a lot of people are using it so I can read their files. I have an old PSpice file that I wanted to convert, but I have not found any software that can do that, and it's not worth the trouble to write my own. I have a printout so it's relatively easy to re-enter my circuit. Some people are still using Micro-Cap, but the last version is now a free download so you can use that to view their designs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_free_electronics_circuit_simulators
I use LTSpice because it works well and is well supported, and a lot of people are using it so I can read their files. I have an old PSpice file that I wanted to convert, but I have not found any software that can do that, and it's not worth the trouble to write my own. I have a printout so it's relatively easy to re-enter my circuit. Some people are still using Micro-Cap, but the last version is now a free download so you can use that to view their designs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_free_electronics_circuit_simulators
>>I use LTSpice because it works well and is well supported, and a lot of people are using it .....
Correct me if I am mistaken but TI wants everyone to use TINA-TI which is only for Windows. It follows that TI imposes the need for MS account. And they are not inclined to support 5532 and other old PDIPS so we need to plan for SMD-only designs or not bother with simulation.
Correct me if I am mistaken but TI wants everyone to use TINA-TI which is only for Windows. It follows that TI imposes the need for MS account. And they are not inclined to support 5532 and other old PDIPS so we need to plan for SMD-only designs or not bother with simulation.
I'd say it is pretty safe to continue W10 IF you don't use it to access the web. No explorer, no email. If your router supports it, block it from the internet. Personally I have never used it and have always been strictly *nix with a bit of VMS in the early 80's.
Surprised pspice is not compatible format. I thought all spices use essentially identical syntax. I've seen extensions of course, but the base is ancient. I know Dolphin had a sim that was mixed mode and read a spice/hdl format, the spice was spice though.
Surprised pspice is not compatible format. I thought all spices use essentially identical syntax. I've seen extensions of course, but the base is ancient. I know Dolphin had a sim that was mixed mode and read a spice/hdl format, the spice was spice though.
While I was hunting for a ngspice 5532 model or library, (still looking), I saw one TI entry for HSPICE.
Key points about HSPICE:
Key points about HSPICE:
- Accurate Simulation:
HSPICE is known for its accuracy in simulating analog circuits and is considered an industry standard for this purpose
Unlike SPICE, which is an open-source simulator, HSPICE is a commercial product owned by Synopsys according to a forum thread on EDABoard.
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