SuperSpice - Readme file
© 1996 - 2019, AnaSoft Ltd., All rights reserved, unauthorized duplication prohibited

web:	 http://www.anasoft.co.uk
support: spice@anasoft.co.uk

Last modified 1st January 2019

This readme file contains information that may help the user in running SuperSpice.
It is supplied with no charge, "AS IS" and with "NO WARRANTY" (see below). Whilst 
very effort is made to ensure accuracy, no guaranty is given that this information 
is correct. No guaranty is given that features described here will be implemented 
in the future.


				SUPERSPICE GENERAL HELP NOTES

INSTALL NOTES

1 This version of SuperSpice is most likely compatible with the last, but you may
  need to delete all old SuperSpice Installed files prior to installing a new version. 
  Specifically the files described below, in the user directory. No guaranty is 
  given that old versions of schematics, and associated files can be read by a later 
  version of SuperSpice. Crashes can occur if a newer version of SuperSpice reads 
  older version files. Text files, should generally, be compatible across versions. 
  Main SuperSpice schematic files (*.sss) might not be compatible, but so far all releases
  have been. 


Turn Off UAC (user account control) , Run SuperSpice as Administrater, Set User write permissions on c:\ProgramData and/or C:\All Users\AnaSoft\

Windows 8 and 10 M.S have yet again changed what can access what. File permissons on the "ProgramData" folder must be set so that the 
program and user is allowed to write to that directory. Symtoms of write issues is the inablity to save any of the example schematics. 
To do this, right click on the c:\ProgramData folder and select "Properties" and then select the "Security" Tab. Change permissions 
with the "Edit" button. Select "Users" and set the check boxes to allow full write access.

It may also be necessary to turn off UAC (user Account Control) and run as Administrator. This is strongly recommended in order to ensure all files are saved in the location 
that they were actually saved to. This is a deliberate bug in Windows, under the disguise of user protection. File get written to a "VirtualStore" location.
It is also recommended that the "hide extensions for known file types" be disabled. Again, a deliberate effort by Microsoft to confuse the user.


FILE STRUCTURES

2 SuperSpice will use or create a subdirectory in the standard Windows "Application Data" directory 
with subdirectories  \Default, \Examples and \System
  
e.g. c:\ProgramData\[AnaSoft]\SuperSpice\Default\


[AnaSoft], may be  different  depending on if you saved to a directory other then the default  

&The "Application Data" directory may be different on Windows &, Vista or XP. Consult your computer administrator 
for more information on the location of these directories.


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The password file "SuperSpice.pwd" is contained in the SuperSpice.exe main program directory


  SuperSpice.pwd - Main password file that sets program features. Must be in the SuperSpice.exe directory.
                   This file must be kept and produced on request as proof of license purchase.
 

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

  When SuperSpice quits it will use/create/update 10 or more files, in the \Default directory:

  SuperSpice.ssi - main initalising file containing setup and location info for the other files
    		       must be in this directory.
  SuperSpice.sdb - (database) location of model and symbols list files currently used by SuperSpice	   
  SuperSpice.sml - last list of model libraries loaded
  SuperSpice.ssl - last list ofsymbol libraries loadedcan 
  SuperSpice.skl - last list of circuit subsection libraries loaded
  SuperSpice.scb - (clipboard) saved last clipboard data
  SuperSpice.ssm - (symbol) internal symbol data, info such as component default label positions
                   User made symbols will have the same .ssm extension for their file names
		   Copied from exe directory if not already existing in \Default directory
  
  SuperSpice.lib - (model/lib) basic spice internal lib text file. 
                   Copied from exe directory if not already existing in \Default directory
		   Manufactures spice model files will have this extension (.lib) or .mod

  SuperSpice.sff - Last Fantastic filter setup file
  SuperSpice.sef - Last Electronic equations setup file
  SuperSpice.sym - Default Symbol Editor document name


The above files will all be overwritten if a new install is instigated.

  Other files:

  afilename.sss - SuperSpice Schematic files. These are the main schematic files that SuperSpice
                  makes on saving the circuit.
  afilename.cir - These are the XSpice/Spice3 compatible text netlist files which XSpice reads
  afilename.out - XSpice/Spice3 output file. Can be text or binary. 
  afilename.ssd - Signal data setup info, keeps signal data between runs, will be regenerated if deleted.
  afilename.ssg - Graph setup data, keeps graph data between runs, will be regenerated if deleted.
  afilename.sws - Project Workspace for the schematic, will be regenerated if deleted.
  afilename.sym - SuperSpice raw symbol data generated in the symbol editor. 
  afilename.ssp - Pin name and order data for automatically generated symbols current version.
  afilename.log - XSpice engine log. Useful circuit debugging info
  manyfiles.lib - Various model and circuit netlist files.
  manyfiles.scl - Clipboard and circuit section files


BUG HELP

Crashing in SuperSpice is very rare. In the unlikely event that this occurs the following may be tried.

Delete SuperSpice.ssi prior to running SuperSpice to reset most options to factory installed values

3 - If a crash occurs and SuperSpice keeps crashing on reruning, you can delete some or all
    of these files. Deleting SuperSpice.ssi will boot SuperSpice in its basic state, preventing 
    loading of any other suspect files, including last workspace. It will not delete any other files.

    Try below first. Most common crashes may be due to loading a bad spice output file. 

   a) If the crash is due to loading a bad spice data file (*.out) delete this file so 
      SuperSpice wont load it on startup. Also try deleting the data state setup file (*.ssd) 
      and graph state setup file (*.ssg). These files contain info on graph signal setups (colours,
      presently selected signals etc.)

4 - Delete SuperSpice.ssi from .\defaults\ to reset GUI to its initial state.

5 -  FIle locations

SuperSpice installs files in two main locations. These are, a "Program Files" directory and a 
"Program Application directory". 
These locations are different depending on operating systems, e.g. XP, Vista, Windows 7. 

The typical default installation path for the SuperSpice.exe executable and its associated files are:

64 Bit version on 64 Bit machines:        C:\Program Files\AnaSoft\SuperSpice
32 Bit versions on 64 bit machines:       C:\Program Files (x86)\AnaSoft\SuperSpice
32 Bit version on 32 Bit machines:        C:\Program Files\AnaSoft\SuperSpice

The typical default installation path for the SuperSpice system data files executable and its associated 
files are:

Windows 7/Vista:          C:\ProgramData\AnaSoft\Default
                          C:\ProgramData\AnaSoft\Examples  
                          C:\ProgramData\AnaSoft\Default\System

The program files are never modified after installation. The program data files are changed by SuperSpice 
as needed every time SuperSpice is ran.The actual locations of these directories may be obtained by viewing 
the "Program Options" (blue toolbar PO button), SpiceEngine\Program Folders tab.On some systems it may be 
necessary to change the file permissions for the C:\ProgramData\AnaSoft\ folder so that users can write to 
that folder. e.g. when running the examples. 

If it is desired to move SuperSpice to an alternative location that does not use two separate main folder trees, 
the allusrappdata.tst file in the SuperSpice.exe folder can be renamed/removed. SuperSpice looks for the presence 
of this empty file to know to look for SuperSpice system files in the Windows Application Data Folder.  If this 
file is not found by SuperSpice, SuperSpice will look for these folders local to its own folder. Then all SuperSpice 
files can be moved to say:

C:\Spice\SuperSpice\
C:\Spice\SuperSpice\Default\
C:\Spice\SuperSpice\Examples\
C:\Spice\SuperSpice\System\

      


