Quick Overview

Running the examples

Use the file open menu command, or drag an [example].sss from the Windows explorer. The examples are in the .\[Installed Directory]\Examples folder. A good starting point is diffamp.sss

1 After the circuit is loaded, press the blue "R" button.

The simulation will be ran and graphs will be automatically displayed on completion. Move the mouse pointer over the waveform trace and a location box will lock onto it thereby allowing direct readout of the trace X and Y values without the complication of selection and holding down of cursors. The waveform data can be readout in the lower right docked dialog window.

Setting Up Simulation Runs

1 Setup signal generators/sources to appropriate values by double-clicking on them. See Generators for more information on this.

2 - Setup analysis type runs such as AC, DC, TRAN, NOSE etc using the setup tabbed dialog box. This is the blue "SS" button, or simulation setup menu item. After setting up the analysis types, it is possible to selectively enable/disable them using the blue toolbar buttons. See Simulation Setup for more information on this.

3 - Run the simulation by pressing the blue "R" button. This does a full netlist prior to running.

4 - Once the run finishes, plots of each run type are automatically generated in separate tabbed graph windows. Have a look at Viewing Waveforms for more information if waveforms are not immediately displayed.

5 alt-click, drag a test point to a wire or pin to display that signal, or use the graph setup dialog directly, which has a list of all the signals.

6 Whenever the Operating point, blue "OP" toolbar button has been enabled, moving the mouse over a wire or pin will display the wire voltage or pin current in the status bar at the bottom of the main window frame.

Ctrl, shift and alt keys

The program uses conventional Windows command attributes. Many commands have modifiers i.e. using the Ctrl, shift and alt keys when mouse button clicking and dragging.

Double Click

The program uses left button double clicking, with or with out the Ctrl, shift and alt keys.

E.G.

Double clicking on components brings up their properties dialog box (window).

Double clicking with ctrl on components will descend into the component schematic if possible, or start a creation process for that component. This second feature is only for symbols such as the Generic ones, not base components such as transistors.

“Q” ing

When the mouse pointer is over an object (component, label etc.) pressing the keyboard “q” button will also pop up the properties dialog box. This is the only method that can be used for some specific pin data, as clicking on a pin will put the schematic into wire draw mode.

If in doubt try it.

Standard Berkeley/Georgia Information

The program installs with the standard Spice3 manual and the standard XSpice manual (text form) have a look at them. They can be accessed from the main window help menu.

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