Installing and using ngspice - an opensource simulator

[hvogt]

ngspice-30 is available
Download: ngspice - Browse /ng-spice-rework/30 at SourceForge.net
Install: Ngspice circuit simulator - Downloads (ngspice nightly and others)

[astx]

Thx for information and many thx for developing this top piece of software!


Happy new year and best regards, Toni

[astx]

Just compiled and tested the ngspice version v30. Works!
Attached the redone SOA plot. In the zip file a small tool to calculate the soa data from the SOA lines ex log log plot from datasheets. (preliminary to demonstrate the correct formulas: "calculate_soa_data_from_log_log_plot.pl").

BR, Toni

[astx]

... just tested this python scripts to be able to work with ".wav" files as input/output:

GitHub - Ttl/spice-audio-tools

Works (note: you need a xspice enabled ngspice)! There are many other opensource tools to convert or view the wav files in/from any format you need ...
Have attached 2 wav files with 900mV pp ripple from my power supply simulation for your experiments. Note: european 50/100Hz !

Having fun with ngspice, Toni

P.S.: a small perl utility to generate SOA lines from only a few points ex log log scale from datasheet is in development. Maybe tomorrow ...

[astx]

Originally Posted by keantoken

...

BTW, pcb-rnd is a fork of pcb which is more capable more actively developed. pcb has stagnated.

Puuuh, first look of release 2.1.0 was nice ... but it's really buggy ... e.g. placed a component. couldn't select for remove ... suddenly could select and remove, leaves mask holes after removal ...
Sometimes less is more.
Of course it has nice features too:

• rotating text not only 90 degree
• more layer properties.

but I have drawn all my pcb's with "pcb".
"pcb" is still actively maintained - in the last months more actively.

But I will keep "pcb-rnd" because it can read other pcb drawings and maybe I will use it if I ever need 4 layer pcb's.


Thx, Toni

[hvogt]

Did you ever consider using KiCad (KiCad EDA)?


In its recent stable release (5.0.2) it allows drawing pcbs, enter a schematic, and it integrates ngspice for simulation.

[astx]

Thx, yes, I have tested it, but I have so many schematic projects, pcbs and utilities for automating geda, pcb design I haven't the need to switch over.
If there is a KiCAD user feel free to post examples.


BR, Toni



BTW: how to select only a subset of data from a tran run for e.g. linearize v(output)?

[astx]

The ultimate combined simulation test ... That makes really fun

For test I have changed several parameters - look for "v1_level" and "compose" and "alter" strings in the "combined .....ngspice"

It is really nice to get so much data from one stepping run without any mouse click...

Originally Posted by astx

...
BTW: how to select only a subset of data from a tran run for e.g. linearize v(output)?

Have solved myself the question using a sample from our new member hvogt (ngspice developer!) - from ngspice forum.

Have fun, Toni

[astx]

If someone wants to edit the schematic some extra symbols are needed ...

BR, Toni

[astx]

Attached an example for device stepping using different opamps.
The example shows how to use include files, save data for later evaluation.

Be warned that fft results of opamps are not very reliable!
To run the simulation you need ngspice 30 with 2 unofficial patches (developed by astx).

Hopefully the patches / functionality (included in the zip file) will find the way into the next ngspice release...

Have fun, Toni