Re: Directory for custom symbols

#160573

The most important aspect of ensuring that all models, symbols, and subcircuits are checked in to the version control system is that it also ensures that everyone can always know that the specific version used for any simulation is known, can be replicated, and any variations understood and tracked. That knowledge is invaluable.

I would argue that there is value in having the central sim-server only run simulations on files that it checks out of the master repo. Works very well for software projects. Every piece of the work is exactly known. No tweaks ever sneak into a project.

Donald.

Sent from Proton Mail Android

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-------- Original Message --------
On 5/22/25 09:54, Jeff Kayzerman wrote:

Thanks eewiz that clears things up!

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Thanks Tony, we have really good redundancy and resiliency so it's unlikely the share drives would go down but I get your point and that's a good idea about using SVN. SVN complicates things a little bit because what I'm trying to accomplish is less about syncing between EE's machines and is actually about syncing to a remote server. I built them a system where they have a web app that they can drag and drop a zip file that contains the .net files and all symbols, models etc... which gets sent to a server cluster to be executed. This process works well and some EE's are using it and just accept that they need to include any dependencies not in the standard library into the folder that they zip. But of course others complain about this... so if they can get a centralized location that LTspice on each machine reads from it makes it easier (theoretically). Doing this in svn would mean they have to commit any and all new changes to symobls/models and then when the server that picks up the job needs to do an svn update prior to running the job. It's not a significant code change just requires some additional setup.

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There will also need to be training on svn and there will be organizational push-back around adopting it I'm sure.

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Thanks though, will discuss with the team and see if the benefits of version control is worth the extra effort.

Re: Deactivate on Circuit or part of the circuit in LTspice

#160572

On Thu, May 22, 2025 at 10:35 AM, <oerni@...> wrote:

It would be sufficient if subcircuit hierarchical blocks could be avoided from loading and inclusion into netlist per switch which can be controlled by a floating point parameter....(but keeping them as schematics to be opened still by double-click)
I solved it workaround wise in a way that I created a subckt with names 0.999 for used and 0.001 for unused....for example I can use .PARAM FILTERS=0.001 or .PARAM FILTERS=0.999 to turn them ON+OFF (also via .STEP)

Out of nothing but my curiosity - why does it need to be a floating point parameter?? Would integers (0 and 1) have worked?

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If their meanings were ON and OFF, then values of 1 and 0 would seem to be more appropriate, since there is precedent already for those values to equate with the binary values TRUE and FALSE.

Andy

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Re: Deactivate on Circuit or part of the circuit in LTspice

#160571

In a reply to a rather old set of messages thread, <oerni@...> wrote:

I got them working after one week of work even without any reply on my request here about a week or two ago...Many thanks for all your help.

Where was that request for help?

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Was it the question on the 6th of May about Vlad's special Filters?? Vlad himself is the best and might be be the only expert on them.? I have not seen them discussed here much, which suggests there are not many others who have used his Filters and understand how they work.

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Unfortunately, Vlad has made himself scarce in this group for a couple of years.? (We hope he will return soon.)? He tells people a way to contact him directly, in his Filter docs.? Did you try contacting him, and did he respond?

?

Andy

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Re: Deactivate on Circuit or part of the circuit in LTspice

#160570

开云体育

On 22/05/2025 16:35, oerni via groups.io wrote:

Searching the internet for this feature brings many wishes but not one good solution. Now I go to matlab which has this feature available. Sorry guys.

If you're desperate for an application more like LTspice where is possible, check out Qucs. This has been a feature for a long time.

Most of us will find various other ways to work around this. The easiest being to simply delete the unneeded section(s), run the analysis, and then "Undo".

If you want to ignore a block of components, temporarily short all internal nodes to 0, then they will be excluded from the netlist without throwing an error.

If you just want to reduce the size of the .raw file, use the .SAVE directive to be selective about the analysis results that you are interested in, and disregard the rest. The .raw file can be drastically reduced by this action.

--
Regards,
Tony

Re: Deactivate on Circuit or part of the circuit in LTspice

#160569

It would be sufficient if subcircuit hierarchical blocks could be avoided from loading and inclusion into netlist per switch which can be controlled by a floating point parameter....(but keeping them as schematics to be opened still by double-click)
I solved it workaround wise in a way that I created a subckt with names 0.999 for used and 0.001 for unused....for example I can use .PARAM FILTERS=0.001 or .PARAM FILTERS=0.999 to turn them ON+OFF (also via .STEP)
In the subcircuit file .SUB I just placed the netlist output from LTSPICE for my schematic which needs to be turned ON/OFF.
I keep the original schematic with all its wires and ports as a way to still edit the schematic in LTSPICE....but every time I edit it, I have to copy the netlist again into the subcircuit which contain 0.001 and 0.999.
I did not manage to use strings, not even for the latest LTspice version.....maybe someone knows how this would work.
On my .ASY symbol I make the "spicemodel" visible and I put {FILTERS} for it....depending on the value of FILTERS, either the complete model or a nearly empty dummy is loaded.
But this does not allow to double click on the symbol to edit the underlayed schematic. I have to open and edit it manually, copy manually the new netlist into the subcircuit, but then I can turn ON+OFF parts even in higher hierarchical blocks and downpass the FILTERS parameter down to the subcircuit....and I can step my simulations with and without the huge digital filters. I got them working after one week of work even without any reply on my request here about a week or two ago...Many thanks for all your help.
Unfortunately I have 108 inputs, each with two huge digital filters out of a filter chain....and there are usages which don't need the filters and can simulate in seconds while everything with filters takes 15min. till it delivers plots and automated measurements but most of the times I end the LTspice task afterwards as it does not react on inputs anymore after simulation with about 10GB .raw file. But it works and I can see details in the created logfile.

Searching the internet for this feature? brings many wishes but not one good solution. Now I go to matlab which has this feature available. Sorry guys.

Re: Directory for custom symbols

#160568

Thanks eewiz that clears things up!

?

Thanks Tony, we have really good redundancy and resiliency so it's unlikely the share drives would go down but I get your point and that's a good idea about using SVN. SVN complicates things a little bit because what I'm trying to accomplish is less about syncing between EE's machines and is actually about syncing to a remote server. I built them a system where they have a web app that they can drag and drop a zip file that contains the .net files and all symbols, models etc... which gets sent to a server cluster to be executed. This process works well and some EE's are using it and just accept that they need to include any dependencies not in the standard library into the folder that they zip. But of course others complain about this... so if they can get a centralized location that LTspice on each machine reads from it makes it easier (theoretically). Doing this in svn would mean they have to commit any and all new changes to symobls/models and then when the server that picks up the job needs to do an svn update prior to running the job. It's not a significant code change just requires some additional setup.

?

There will also need to be training on svn and there will be organizational push-back around adopting it I'm sure.

?

Thanks though, will discuss with the team and see if the benefits of version control is worth the extra effort.

Re: Directory for custom symbols

#160567

开云体育

On 22/05/2025 03:02, Jeff Kayzerman via groups.io wrote:

Thanks Tony, I am indeed talking about a network drive that is mapped to all engineers computers as the "M:" drive. I am not an EE, I am a software dev helping them out with some automation so I don't fully understand how all of this works.

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Does it make sense to have a top level directory in the M: drive, "LTspice Common" (or something to that extent). Then under that have some folder structure where there is one folder for "models", "symbols", "libraries" etc... and those directories are flat with just files.

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Then which paths go into which boxes in control panel? Obviously symbols would go into "Symbol Search Path[*]". Libraries goes in "Library Search Path[*]". Models, .dio, anything else all needs to go into the top "User Libraries Directory"? Just guessing here.

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Since you're an "Software Dev", you'll understand the complications involved when users are creating, sharing, using and updating remote files. For that reason, I suggest you don't use the simple mapped M: drive on all users' machines.

I (mostly) don't have multiple users sharing LTspice libraries etc. and other documents, but I do have multiple machines. For this and other reasons, I use a change control system (Subversion) on my central server, and all other machines have the Subversion client. In this scenario, you don't require mapped network drives, you keep synced copies of the shared resources on each machine. This has the advantage that all (well, nearly all) files are still available if (when) the server isn't available, which otherwise wouldn't be the case, and everyone's work would stop. A perfect case of single point failure.

In that situation, each machine has local copies of "user files" in the locations previously discussed in this thread, and listed in Settings (formerly Control Panel) > Search Paths. So, no wheels need inventing. Machines could be set up to e.g.: "svn update" in the morning and "svn commit" in the evening. (Other change control options are available.)

The other advantage with a change control system, is the built-in capability to easily revert to a previous version if someone messes up any particular file(s), which then causes issues.

I'm sure as a software dev, you're used working this way, but hardware engineers not so much...

--
Regards,
Tony

Re: Directory for custom symbols

#160566

Hello Jeff,

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The following hierarchy mirrors LTspice's native file hierarchy.

The mirror hierarchy makes browsing LTspice's native files and my user files look similar.

It simplifies finding LTspice's standard.bjt and my user.bjt so they can be compared in a text editor.

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I set up mine somewhat similar to this:

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The lib\cmp folder holds the user.??? files only.

The lib\sub folder holds all model files and libraries of model files and must, for now, ramain flat.

The lib\sym folder holds all symbols and has been reported to be hierarchical from LTspice v24.1.8 forward.

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All for now

eewiz

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Sent:?Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 9:02 PM
From:?"Jeff Kayzerman via groups.io" <jkayzerman@...>
To:[email protected]
Subject:?Re: [LTspice] Directory for custom symbols

Thanks Tony, I am indeed talking about a network drive that is mapped to all engineers computers as the "M:" drive. I am not an EE, I am a software dev helping them out with some automation so I don't fully understand how all of this works.

?

Does it make sense to have a top level directory in the M: drive, "LTspice Common" (or something to that extent). Then under that have some folder structure where there is one folder for "models", "symbols", "libraries" etc... and those directories are flat with just files.

?

Then which paths go into which boxes in control panel? Obviously symbols would go into "Symbol Search Path[*]". Libraries goes in "Library Search Path[*]". Models, .dio, anything else all needs to go into the top "User Libraries Directory"? Just guessing here.

?

Thanks

Re: Directory for custom symbols

#160565
Edited

Libraries are Models.? Same thing, but Library implies a few models together in each file.

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Somewhat separate from that (but not entirely) are the "standard.*" and "user.*" model files (or libraries).? Those are limited to (libraries of) a certain kind of model of specific devices only.? (e.g., transistors and diodes -- whereas other libraries of models can represent complete integrated circuits as well as individual transistors and diodes.? It's a SPICE thing that these differ at all.)

?

Andy

Re: Directory for custom symbols

#160564

Thanks Tony, I am indeed talking about a network drive that is mapped to all engineers computers as the "M:" drive. I am not an EE, I am a software dev helping them out with some automation so I don't fully understand how all of this works.

?

Does it make sense to have a top level directory in the M: drive, "LTspice Common" (or something to that extent). Then under that have some folder structure where there is one folder for "models", "symbols", "libraries" etc... and those directories are flat with just files.

?

Then which paths go into which boxes in control panel? Obviously symbols would go into "Symbol Search Path[*]". Libraries goes in "Library Search Path[*]". Models, .dio, anything else all needs to go into the top "User Libraries Directory"? Just guessing here.

?

Thanks

Re: plotting group delay multiplied by frequency

#160563

On Wed, May 21, 2025 at 01:03 PM, Kendall Castor-Perry wrote:

... (though it was momentarily confusing that the value axis was on the left, with a meaningless phase number on the right, presumably because everything the viewer plots is complex).? ...

As you probably know, you can turn off that right axis, after it has been plotted.? And yes, it is because everything there is technically complex.

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Andy

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Re: plotting group delay multiplied by frequency

#160562

Thanks Frank and everyone else who chipped in, sorry to be slow in replying.? In the end I managed to get my head around the issue by plotting phase multiplied by frequency, which works fine (though it was momentarily confusing that the value axis was on the left, with a meaningless phase number on the right, presumably because everything the viewer plots is complex).? As it happens, the insight I was looking to test turned out to be wrong.? I though there might be something useful in a highpass filter which had flat phase*frequency in a working band, but there was not.? It's going to niggle for a while but I have pushed it down the list.? Feature request though - why not support differentiation for more arguments, like phase?? You have to manage this carefully through regions where both im() and re() disappear but hey, just interpolate through those points, I do in my own routines...? thanks again all.

Re: Directory for custom symbols

#160561

Yes, "Simulation Library Search Path" is not recursive. Only the symbol search paths are.

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Best Regards,

Mathias

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On Wed, May 21, 2025 at 05:08 PM, eetech00 wrote:

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LTspice 24.1.8, the "Simulation Library Search Path [*]:" doesn't appear to be recursive.

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I have multiple paths defined for use by multiple computers to use shared libraries on a NAS.

For example,? my "Simulation Library Search Path [*]:" contains multiple paths:

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.........

S:\ltc\lib\sub\CD4000

S:\ltc\lib\sub\74HC

.........

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When it was mentioned in this thread that the paths were recursive, I change this to a single path to test:

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S:\ltc\lib\sub

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LTspice can no longer find the subcircuit definitions.

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Maybe I'm misunderstanding its use?

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Re: Directory for custom symbols

#160560

On Wed, May 21, 2025 at 12:43 AM, Mathias Born wrote:

Yes, it is recursive. This was changed precisely to address your use case. Simply update to LTspice 24.1.8. You'll find the help also improved accordingly.

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Best Regards,
Mathias

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LTspice 24.1.8, the "Simulation Library Search Path [*]:" doesn't appear to be recursive.

?

I have multiple paths defined for use by multiple computers to use shared libraries on a NAS.

For example,? my "Simulation Library Search Path [*]:" contains multiple paths:

?

.........

S:\ltc\lib\sub\CD4000

S:\ltc\lib\sub\74HC

.........

?

When it was mentioned in this thread that the paths were recursive, I change this to a single path to test:

?

S:\ltc\lib\sub

?

LTspice can no longer find the subcircuit definitions.

?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding its use?

?

Re: Tabs in Waveform window

#160559

开云体育

On 21/05/2025 15:56, Andy I via groups.io wrote:

Sorry, I meant to write "File > Save Plot Settings As ...".? It is there but not obvious at first.

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But the other one to open a new Plot Settings file is missing.

Yes, you're right. It's just the "Open Plot Settings File..." that is missing from the Right-click File menu. However, the Ctrl-O keyboard shortcut does work, provided it hasn't been changed. I can't remember what all the installation default V24 keyboard shortcuts are, but I remember I didn't like some of them, and reverted to my old settings.

--
Regards,
Tony

Re: Tabs in Waveform window

#160558

Sorry, I meant to write "File > Save Plot Settings As ...".? It is there but not obvious at first.

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But the other one to open a new Plot Settings file is missing.

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Andy

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Re: Tabs in Waveform window

#160557
Edited

On Wed, May 21, 2025 at 08:08 AM, Tony Casey wrote:

However, I just realised there is a problem with floating plot windows: when in use, there is no way to access the "Save Plot Settings As..." and the "Open Plot Settings File..." menu options, you can only reload and save one plot settings file. This needs reporting.

That might be partially taken care of already.

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With the floated plot window, you can right-click in the plot window, then from the pop-up menu, choose File > Save Plot Settings. or File > Save Plot Settings As, or File > Reload Plot Settings.? But there is no choice to Open a different Plot Settings File, as one had from the Plot Settings main menu tab.

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Andy

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Re: Tabs in Waveform window

#160556

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On 21/05/2025 13:18, J.C.A. Dekkers via groups.io wrote:

Thank you too and I am using that feature right now. From one of my previous lives I used a simulator where you can tabulate the output panes, which is quite useful since you can bundle results per subject.

In case you haven't come across it before, you can save any number of plot settings in separate .plt files, that define different plot configurations.

However, I just realised there is a problem with floating plot windows: when in use, there is no way to access the "Save Plot Settings As..." and the "Open Plot Settings File..." menu options, you can only reload and save one plot settings file. This needs reporting.

--
Regards,
Tony

Re: Tabs in Waveform window

#160555

Hi Andy,

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Thank you too and I am using that feature right now. From one of my previous lives I used a simulator where you can tabulate the output panes, which is quite useful since you can bundle results per subject.

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Regards,

Jacco

Re: Directory for custom symbols

#160554

On Wed, May 21, 2025 at 06:49 AM, eewiz wrote:

In addition to any symbol/library base folders there are also the standard.??? files.

For example, the standard.bjt file for transistors and standard.dio, .mos, .ind, .cap, .res and .bead files for those other parts.

All of those standard.??? files are just text files.

No, some of them are binary files.? Only the .bjt, .dio, .jft, and .mos ones are text, but those are the ones you are most likely to want to customize.? The others are binary files but can be edited inside of LTspice.

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Andy

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