Symbol Editor

To open the Symbol Editor Window, press the pink transistor (K shape) with pencil button. This will popup the symbol library editor and the symbol editor. A new symbol may then be created and named in the symbol library. This symbol may be created in an existing file or create a new symbol file. Its is not a good idea to put new symbols in the SuperSpice installed symbol files as they will be overwritten on an updated install.

Alternatively, a new symbol may be created by right clicking in a symbol folder and using the "New Symbol" menu item

Existing symbols may also be edited. Right click on the symbol name in the Symbol folder, and use the menu item "Edit Symbol". Double-clicking in the symbol in the Symbol preview window will also bring up the symbol editor.

To start drawing lines use either the blue wire button (w), or the yellow line button, or use the component menu. Place pins with the yellow pins button, or use the component menu.

There are 4 types of pin, left, right, up and down pointing. These pins have two locating regions, which get outlined when you mouse over them. At the pin end there is a small rectangle region. Double click (or press “q”) on this pin end region or length to popped up the setup dialog window to set the pin id, pin name and number. Along the length of the pin is the region that you grab with the mouse to move the pin. PIN ID's must be set, starting at 0, the number and name of the pins may if desired.

The pin id must be in the same order that any model file expects the nodes to be if the symbol is attached to a model or subcircuit. A pin id cannot be missed out. These pin ids will be used for the pin id in the final symbol, shown in the symbol properties pin tab. The pine may be numbered and named once the component is placed on a schematic.

For symbols attached to hierarchical schematics the complication of pin id scan order usually be ignored, as the schematic and the symbol are linked together by their pin names.

Automatic Pin generation

As pins are added, default pin ids will be generated starting at 0.The numbering may be reset using the black "RP" toolbar button. There is also a black pin setup button to name and number all pins in one dialog window. Note, these pin numbers are not the pin id's.

Example:

A subcircuit statement might be:

.SUBCKT OpAmp INVERTING NONINVERTING OUT VCC VEE

......

......

.ENDS

The text after the subcircuit name OpAmp (they can be numbers as well) are the pins, they are in a certain order. INVERTING is the first, NONINVERTING is 2nd etc, in this example. When numbering ids in the Symbol Editor, the id number must correspond to the appropriate subcircuit pin. e.g. in this case, the output pin OUT of the symbol must be numbered as ID=2. That is Pin ID=0 corresponds to the first pin, Pin ID=1, corresponds to the second pin in the list.

When the symbol is complete, if the symbol has not already created and named, press the lib button, or menu components/lib. Select the symbol tab and either create a new symbol file, or create a new symbol in an existing file using the appropriate buttons. Rename the symbol to that desired in the text box upwards from the 'Open Schematic' button.

Select the appropriate attached model/subcircuit/schematic type button. The symbol must be connected to a model, subcircuit, schematic or voltage/current source. Select the model tab and select a model or subcircuit from the lists. The actual model, subcircuit or attached schematic may be changed later after the symbol is placed on the schematic via the symbol properties dialog. The type cannot be later except via the symbol library manager.

Press the save button (ctrl s) to save the symbol. Saving does two things, after checking for any errors. It creates/saves the compiled symbol in the symbol_file_name.ssm file, as a real symbol along with the other symbols in that file. It also creates/saves the symbol as a raw symbol description in a symbol_name.sym file. This symbol_name.sym file can be reloaded and edited or copied to other symbol_names.sym files. Selecting other symbols in the library and pressing OK will load any existing *.sym, if available and found.

It may help to keep the grid size to 2 and wire grabbing distance to 1 (dble-clk on page) when drawing fine details like pin letters, but make sure pins are on the same grid as the schematic grid. If this has been done, do not change the grid back to the default until after the symbol is finished. the schematic grid is identified by the different colored grid dots.

If any drawing has been at a finer grid resolution DO NOT RESET BACK to a courser grid resolution as finer stuff will get scrambled when zooming or moving the whole symbol in the editor.

Symbol Model Type

The symbol model type must be set by popping up the symbol manager "Sy". See the section Symbols for Models/Subcircuits/Schematics.

Stick Font Labels

Fixed position Stick Font Pin Labels may be placed on the symbol by using the clipboard feature. Pres the CLP button that is usually docked on the right of the main window to select a leter or number for the construction of the labels. New labels may be drawn and in the symbol editor and saved for later use by, mouse selecting the drawn font and pressing the CLP button.

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