Electronics > Altium Designer

Simulation consumption

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PlainName:
I'm looking at moving to Altium for simulation, since I'm using that for designing PCBs. Previously I've run stuff up in Proteus so perhaps I'm spoiled or, hopefully, I'm just missing how to accomplist stuff...

First, I want to embed the simulation output - the chart - in the schematic, so I can document what the signal at whatever point should look like. A lengthy google and a fair amount of time pressing this, selecting that, and the best I can manage is to print to a virtual printer then insert that as a graphic. With Proteus you place a chart object and the simulation plots to that. Easy peasy.

Next, there are two states of the circuit and I want to capture each. So that means changing a component value (or input signal) and resimulating. Trouble is that I seem to be only able to have one simulation chart for the project, named <project>.sdf. Can't even save that as a different name so I can re-run the simulation into a new chart.

Those are the biggies at the moment. Haven't found how to rename the traces ('NetU1_3') to something meaningful ('Output'), but that's minor...

alexwhittemore:

--- Quote from: dunkemhigh on May 12, 2021, 10:34:48 pm ---First, I want to embed the simulation output - the chart - in the schematic, so I can document what the signal at whatever point should look like. A lengthy google and a fair amount of time pressing this, selecting that, and the best I can manage is to print to a virtual printer then insert that as a graphic. With Proteus you place a chart object and the simulation plots to that. Easy peasy.

--- End quote ---

Not sure what the virtual printer stuff is about, but I'd go so far as to say your only option is to screenshot the output waveform and paste in a static .jpg, which I think is what you're getting at. Are you saying Proteus allows you to embed dynamically-updating simulation output on the schematic? Altium will show you DC operating point outputs directly in schematic, but that's it, and I don't think you can persist that or anything.


--- Quote ---Next, there are two states of the circuit and I want to capture each. So that means changing a component value (or input signal) and resimulating. Trouble is that I seem to be only able to have one simulation chart for the project, named <project>.sdf. Can't even save that as a different name so I can re-run the simulation into a new chart.
--- End quote ---

That .sdf file can contain multiple charts in all sorts of formats whichever way you want them presented. Though I'm no expert on setting that up. I usually just plot all the waveforms I'm interested in on one chart, and it'll auto-add axes to that chart if necessary.


--- Quote ---Haven't found how to rename the traces ('NetU1_3') to something meaningful ('Output'), but that's minor...

--- End quote ---
Pretty sure the only way to do that is to actually rename the net in schematic with a net label. (One of my altium pet-peeves is that you CANNOT rename nets without a label, which really clutters your schematic in some circumstances)

PlainName:

--- Quote --- option is to screenshot the output waveform and paste in a static .jpg
--- End quote ---

Yeah, the printing is another way of doing that. I use Fineprint, so any printer output is intercepted and I can then save as pdf, image, delete pages, add letterheads, and then actually print or dump. Saves a ton of paper and ink :)


--- Quote ---Are you saying Proteus allows you to embed dynamically-updating simulation output on the schematic?
--- End quote ---

Yep. Attached is a print of a 555 circuit (missing pulse detector) showing two charts: top is from signal injector putting in a squarewave, bottom is the injector putting in a custom waveform. These charts are set to not auto-update (since I don't want one changing when I alter the input paramaters to generate the other), but the default is to auto-update.

And I realised the custom signal is pretty cool to use, so included a screen cap of that. Just click where you want a transition and it joins the dots then output that waveform. Really very nice indeed.


--- Quote ---That .sdf file can contain multiple charts in all sorts of formats
--- End quote ---

Ah, I need to look into that a bit closer then. Could be a good part of the solution I'm after.


--- Quote ---Pretty sure the only way to do that is to actually rename the net in schematic with a net label.
--- End quote ---

Sounds logical now you say it. I renamed the probe and anything that was changeable about it, but not the net. Duh.

Thanks for your help  :-+

alexwhittemore:
Huh, interesting feature! I can imagine that being useful.

T3sl4co1l:
A tiny note: use PNG, it's lossless and compresses better on line drawings anyway.

No, there's no automated way to embed that; Altium is primarily a graphical and netlist system, the simulation feels rather tacked on honestly (not sure when it was added, did PCAD have SPICE?).

Whereas others, the simulation is more front-and-center; Multisim (formerly Electronics Workbench) started as simulation I think.  Maybe Proteus had a similar trajectory.



--- Quote from: dunkemhigh on May 12, 2021, 10:34:48 pm ---Can't even save that as a different name so I can re-run the simulation into a new chart.

--- End quote ---

You can rename the chart itself!  It won't overwrite differently named charts.  Check the menus or right-click in the chart area.

Tim

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