PSpice SCHEMATICS Users Take Note!

[Don Pearce]

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 18:31:25 GMT, Active8 <reply2group@ndbbm.net>
wrote:

I don't have a prob with the dots as far as indication of
connectivity is concerned, but I'd certainly want to turn them off
to print a schematic. I wouldn't want to have to use a separate CAD
program just to print a schem.

I also don't have a prob with the red lead indicating "not
connected", changing to blue or wire/component color when connected.
I can always move the component around to see if it's connected.

That's true, but in SS, if components are joined end-to-end without

intervening wire, there is no rubber banding. Neither does the
attached component drag with the one you are moving - they simply
slide apart. I am not going to say this is a bug, and I'm not sure I
would do it any other way.

Sometimes in Capture, I've found that the part was connected wrong -
have to cut/paste or delete it and clean up a bunch of wire
segments. IOW segments end up under the part and sometimes moving
the part will cause an unconnected lead to connect to something
hidden under it. You have to watch out for that alert triangle that
indicates something's about to connect.

Since I'm talking about printing schems, something else about SS
annoys me, whether on screen or on paper. It's that limey looking
transistor symbol with the collector and emitter leads forming a "V"
at the base instead of being separated - the way I'm used to seeing
it. If there are other graphics in SS that annoy me, I've forgotten
them.

I think that is a result of the coarse grid - the v style of depiction

isn't normal in Limeyworld either.

Overall, I could live with SS if I had to. That LTSpice GUI is the
pits to get used to, which sucks because LT is a very useful CAD for
these group discussions.

Never tried LTSpice, but I have tried Capture and despite promising

myself to learn it and like it, I returned very gratefully to PSched.

And Kevin *has* conceeded to some of your points, thus upholding his
claim of excellent customer service.

--
Best Regards,
Mike

This is very true.

d
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

 

[Jonathan Kirwan]

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 17:29:20 GMT, "Kevin Aylward" <salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk>
wrote:

Stick to writing spice engines mike, cos you know f'all else.

Did you imagine this Mike to be the Engelhardt one? Is he?

Jon

 

[Kevin Aylward]

Jonathan Kirwan wrote:

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 17:29:20 GMT, "Kevin Aylward"
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk> wrote:

Stick to writing spice engines mike, cos you know f'all else.

Did you imagine this Mike to be the Engelhardt one? Is he?

Oh... I did assume this. Looks like I could be wrong on this. If it
aint, I apologise for my tone most profusely. Mr. Engelhardt seems to
bring the worst out in me.

Kevin Aylward
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk
http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.

 

[Kevin Aylward]

John Woodgate wrote:

I read in sci.electronics.design that Kevin Aylward
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk> wrote (in
0Vx0d.15025$F73.1189@fe2.news.bl ueyonder.co.uk&gt about 'PSpice
SCHEMATICS Users Take Note!', on Sat, 11 Sep 2004:
the SS GUI is the best in the known 3 universes.

Which three are those?

Have you seen this week's 'New Scientist' article on consciousness? It
starts with your mechanistic explanation (due to Leibniz) and improves
thereafter. (;-)

I'll have to have a look.

Kevin Aylward
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk
http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.

 

[Kevin Aylward]

Don Pearce wrote:

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 18:31:25 GMT, Active8 <reply2group@ndbbm.net
wrote:


I don't have a prob with the dots as far as indication of
connectivity is concerned, but I'd certainly want to turn them off
to print a schematic. I wouldn't want to have to use a separate CAD
program just to print a schem.

I also don't have a prob with the red lead indicating "not
connected", changing to blue or wire/component color when connected.
I can always move the component around to see if it's connected.

That's true, but in SS, if components are joined end-to-end without
intervening wire, there is no rubber banding. Neither does the
attached component drag with the one you are moving - they simply
slide apart. I am not going to say this is a bug, and I'm not sure I
would do it any other way.

I agree that there is a blemish for pin to pin connections not
automatically rubberbanding when seperating. You can actully get it to
so this by connecting them first with a wire when seperated, and then
joining up the pins. The wire stays theres with a length of 0!.

The reason I have not bothered to fix this is simple. A "correct"
*simulation* schematic should *always* have at least two grid dots
separating them, ie. no direct pin to pin connections. The reason for
this is, if you want to probe the voltage on that pin, you need a wire
between them to click or place a test point on. Once you get used to
doing this, you dont give it a second thought. Its the way it wants to
be when your doing the 40 hours a week simulation bit. It is very
annoying when you realise after the fact that you want to probe that pin
voltage.

Sometimes in Capture, I've found that the part was connected wrong -
have to cut/paste or delete it and clean up a bunch of wire
segments. IOW segments end up under the part and sometimes moving
the part will cause an unconnected lead to connect to something
hidden under it. You have to watch out for that alert triangle that
indicates something's about to connect.

Since I'm talking about printing schems, something else about SS
annoys me, whether on screen or on paper. It's that limey looking
transistor symbol with the collector and emitter leads forming a "V"
at the base instead of being separated - the way I'm used to seeing
it. If there are other graphics in SS that annoy me, I've forgotten
them.

I think that is a result of the coarse grid

Symbol lines can be drawn on any grid with the symbol editor. The
fundamental reason for this drawing is because I am a shit artist. Its
why the toolbar buttons don't have graphics on them. Although, after the
fact, I think the letters are much easier to understand then graphics.

- the v style of depiction
isn't normal in Limeyworld either.

Overall, I could live with SS if I had to. That LTSpice GUI is the
pits to get used to, which sucks because LT is a very useful CAD for
these group discussions.

Never tried LTSpice, but I have tried Capture and despite promising
myself to learn it and like it, I returned very gratefully to PSched.

And Kevin *has* conceeded to some of your points, thus upholding his
claim of excellent customer service.

--
Best Regards,
Mike

This is very true.

Sure, most things are a matter of opinion and not absolute. However,
sometimes, some just haven't got around to thinking about an issue, just
because they haven't. Most of the blemishes in SS exist because I have
actually thought about them, and why they arnt as big an issue as might
be imagined. This leaves time to do the more useful things. For example,
my method of allowing placement by symbol or model is unique and very
useful. Or for example, if you use the circuits tab, you can place pre
drawn little circuit blocks just like you can place symbols. etc..., or
for example, my DeviceDesigner feature that actually calculates the
component values from required currents and voltages.

Kevin Aylward
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk
http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.

 

[Kevin Aylward]

Active8 wrote:

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 16:09:43 GMT, Don Pearce wrote:

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 15:52:28 GMT, "Kevin Aylward"
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk> wrote:

Don Pearce wrote:
On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 13:11:00 GMT, "Kevin Aylward"
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk> wrote:

- the schematic should look as much like a standard one as
possible.

Not at all. I disagree. The "standard" you allude to, isn't. We
all have our own opinions, and this is one I feel quite strongly
about. My way is *the* best way to do it. Indeed, I stole the
idea from Analog Artist. I never head anyone complain about
junction dots, and I have met many 40 hour a week i.c. designers
using AA. On the other hand, I have had complaints on not having
dots. Your the first to actually complain.

If you want to make certain that wires are joined, leave
disconnected tails colored red - set them to the normal colour
only if they are connected both ends. That way you have no
uncertainty, and no unsightly (non-standard) blobs.

This is *your* opinion, and you are certainly entitled to it. I
don't consider them unsightly in the slightest. They give solid
comfort. This is more like an issue because its not what you are
used to, not because it isn't useful.

Can you point me to a few published schematics that use dots this
way? I can certainly locate those that use them purely for wire
junctions by the cartload.

That's not really relevant. We're talking simulation schematics
here, not paper drawings. The requirements are not the same. The
dots a great visual aid when seperating the pins from wires in
order to probe current or voltage. Once you get used to it, you
never whant to go back, imo, to a dumb schematic. Again, 10,000's
use cadence analog artist that has this feature, so this *is* an
"industry standard" for simulation tools, i.e. Cadence is the
biggest cad supplier.

In SS you probe pins (current) wires (voltage) device symbol
(power). Dots make this much easier to see.


I can see we won't agree. Let's leave it there.


I don't have a prob with the dots as far as indication of
connectivity is concerned, but I'd certainly want to turn them off
to print a schematic. I wouldn't want to have to use a separate CAD
program just to print a schem.

I'll see what I can do on this.

I also don't have a prob with the red lead indicating "not
connected", changing to blue or wire/component color when connected.
I can always move the component around to see if it's connected.

Sometimes in Capture, I've found that the part was connected wrong -
have to cut/paste or delete it and clean up a bunch of wire
segments. IOW segments end up under the part and sometimes moving
the part will cause an unconnected lead to connect to something
hidden under it. You have to watch out for that alert triangle that
indicates something's about to connect.

Since I'm talking about printing schems, something else about SS
annoys me, whether on screen or on paper. It's that limey looking
transistor symbol with the collector and emitter leads forming a "V"
at the base instead of being separated - the way I'm used to seeing
it.

Send me a drawing of how you want the symbol to look, and I will add it
into the transistor list, or you could simply make one yourself with the
editor

I'll see what I can do.

If there are other graphics in SS that annoy me, I've forgotten
them.

Overall, I could live with SS if I had to. That LTSpice GUI is the
pits to get used to, which sucks because LT is a very useful CAD for
these group discussions.

Indeed I use LTSpice as a check when I get a convergance problem.

And Kevin *has* conceeded to some of your points, thus upholding his
claim of excellent customer service.

I have added quite a bit just because of feedback in the group. If a
real bug gets noticed, I usually fix it immediately.

Kevin Aylward
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk
http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.

 

[Jim Thompson]

On Fri, 10 Sep 2004 21:36:20 +0100, "Paul Taylor" <no way> wrote:

[snip]

p.s. is there an 'idiots guide' to using new subcircuits in Schematics?
e.g. if I want to use a specific op-amp subcircuit 'macromodel' that's not
in the standard libraries.
(I'm using PSpice a little more recently, and am probably one step away from
using downloaded subcircuits, but thought I'd ask while I'm here

Thanks,
Paul T

I just remembered there's also on the SED/Schematics page of my
website "SubcircuitImportByNetlist.pdf" which pictorially shows the
subcircuit symbols that are in the "SUBCKT.SLB" library that I
uploaded yesterday.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

 

[Rich Grise]

On Sunday 12 September 2004 12:13 am, Kevin Aylward did deign to grace us
with the following:

John Woodgate wrote:
I read in sci.electronics.design that Kevin Aylward
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk> wrote (in
0Vx0d.15025$F73.1189@fe2.news.bl ueyonder.co.uk&gt about 'PSpice
SCHEMATICS Users Take Note!', on Sat, 11 Sep 2004:
the SS GUI is the best in the known 3 universes.

Which three are those?

Have you seen this week's 'New Scientist' article on consciousness? It
starts with your mechanistic explanation (due to Leibniz) and improves
thereafter. (;-)

I'll have to have a look.

<AOL>
Me, Too!
</AOL>

 

[Rich Grise]

On Sunday 12 September 2004 09:33 pm, john jardine did deign to grace us
with the following:

"John Woodgate" <jmw@jmwa.demon.contraspam.yuk> wrote in message
newsm7$PBD4e0QBFw4S@jmwa.demon.co.uk...
I read in sci.electronics.design that Kevin Aylward
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk> wrote (in <0Vx0d.15025$F73.1189@fe2.news.bl
ueyonder.co.uk&gt about 'PSpice SCHEMATICS Users Take Note!', on Sat, 11
Sep 2004:
the SS GUI is the best in the known 3 universes.

Which three are those?

Have you seen this week's 'New Scientist' article on consciousness? It
starts with your mechanistic explanation (due to Leibniz) and improves
thereafter. (;-)
--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
The good news is that nothing is compulsory.
The bad news is that everything is prohibited.
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk

Same question here. Where's the 3 universes come from?. I thought there
was just the light and dark versions (Lexx).
regards

Aw, heck. I'd say that, for now, one Universe is quite enough, thank you
very much. ;-) The thing is, each person carves out their own little piece
of it, and True Freedom, for me at least, is to let Your corner of the
Universe be different from mine, if it wants to.

But within that one Universe, of course, is stuff that we don't know yet.
Universe, after all, means "everything," doesn't it?

And I can't help but tout the wonders of my Universe, because, of course,
it's better than everybody else's.[00]
<aside>
Oh, my. The vodka seems to be kicking in. I decided to take a chance,
in hopes that my pancreas can handle it, and get drunk tonight. If I
have to go to the hospital tomorrow with acute pancreatitis, I'm going
have an issue to discuss with the people who claimed that they installed
a pigtail to drain my enzymes into my stomach. I don't know if they really
did anything, because I was knocked out on some very powerful drug.

The first time I had the endoscope, the drugs had started to kick in
when the guy started shoving the thing down my throat, so when he said,
"swallow," it didn't seem to bother me that I was trying to swallow a car.
</aside>
But the idea of "a Universe" implies that there could be something else,
and as far as I can see, this boils down to semantics. How many Universes
can dance on the head of a pin?

Meanwhile, at least for tonight, I'll have to keep a very close eye on my
banter.

Thanks,
Rich

[00] For me, anyway. ;-)

 

[Clarence]

"john jardine" <john@jjdesigns.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ci2au0$7vq$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk...

"John Woodgate" <jmw@jmwa.demon.contraspam.yuk> wrote in message
newsm7$PBD4e0QBFw4S@jmwa.demon.co.uk...
I read in sci.electronics.design that Kevin Aylward
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk> wrote (in <0Vx0d.15025$F73.1189@fe2.news.bl
ueyonder.co.uk&gt about 'PSpice SCHEMATICS Users Take Note!', on Sat, 11
Sep 2004:
the SS GUI is the best in the known 3 universes.

Which three are those?

Don't think Rich watched "LEXX" lately, maybe at all.

 

[john jardine]

"John Woodgate" <jmw@jmwa.demon.contraspam.yuk> wrote in message
newsm7$PBD4e0QBFw4S@jmwa.demon.co.uk...

I read in sci.electronics.design that Kevin Aylward
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk> wrote (in <0Vx0d.15025$F73.1189@fe2.news.bl
ueyonder.co.uk&gt about 'PSpice SCHEMATICS Users Take Note!', on Sat, 11
Sep 2004:
the SS GUI is the best in the known 3 universes.

Which three are those?

Have you seen this week's 'New Scientist' article on consciousness? It
starts with your mechanistic explanation (due to Leibniz) and improves
thereafter. (;-)
--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
The good news is that nothing is compulsory.
The bad news is that everything is prohibited.
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk

Same question here. Where's the 3 universes come from?. I thought there was
just the light and dark versions (Lexx).
regards
jhon

 

[John]

"Jim Thompson" <thegreatone@example.com> wrote in message
news:t2p3k050if3d661fplfq6khnf5qeql750e@4ax.com...

On Fri, 10 Sep 2004 17:21:01 GMT, Active8 <reply2group@ndbbm.net

Correct. If they carry thru with their plan, only Capture will "talk"
to PSpice.

Hi there,

In fact, PSpice can be used from Cadence's Concept capture program. Does
anybody use this?

regards,
John

 

[Rich Grise]

On Sunday 12 September 2004 09:22 pm, Clarence did deign to grace us with
the following:

"john jardine" <john@jjdesigns.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ci2au0$7vq$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk...

"John Woodgate" <jmw@jmwa.demon.contraspam.yuk> wrote in message
newsm7$PBD4e0QBFw4S@jmwa.demon.co.uk...
I read in sci.electronics.design that Kevin Aylward
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk> wrote (in
0Vx0d.15025$F73.1189@fe2.news.bl ueyonder.co.uk&gt about 'PSpice
SCHEMATICS Users Take Note!', on Sat, 11 Sep 2004:
the SS GUI is the best in the known 3 universes.

Which three are those?

Don't think Rich watched "LEXX" lately, maybe at all.

No, in fact, I've never even heard of it. Is it a movie or something?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Mike]

On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 07:13:13 GMT, Kevin Aylward wrote:

Jonathan Kirwan wrote:
On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 17:29:20 GMT, "Kevin Aylward"
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk> wrote:

Stick to writing spice engines mike, cos you know f'all else.

Did you imagine this Mike to be the Engelhardt one? Is he?


Oh... I did assume this. Looks like I could be wrong on this. If it
aint, I apologise for my tone most profusely. Mr. Engelhardt seems to
bring the worst out in me.

Looks like you could be? Damn, that's lame. Shoot first, then apologize to
the carcass, eh?

I've been designing circuits for about the same amount of time you have. I
do know something about Spice engines, but I know a whole lot more about
circuits ("whole lot more" must have been what you meant by "f'all").

-- Mike --