Author Topic: Free circuit simulator ?  (Read 11190 times)

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Offline AlanS

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #25 on: March 31, 2019, 09:20:12 am »
Maybe try compressing a favorite LTspice cheat sheet (in a way that works for you)?
Here's one from U of T http://www.eecg.toronto.edu/~ali/spice/LTspice/LTSpiceShortGuide.pdf
Afrotech has a 3 part series too:


This is also a good place to go...……… https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/getting-started-with-ltspice/all
 

Offline BravoV

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #26 on: March 31, 2019, 09:29:59 am »
Since you asked here in this forum, and assuming you plan to ask/discuss here, then LTSpice.

I'm not saying its a de-facto standard, but its just the common lingo here, especially in this forum.

Offline Ian.M

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #27 on: March 31, 2019, 09:47:18 am »
... Not just here.   LTspice was very popular for sharing circuits in the sci.electronics.* newsgroups as its free like beer, not limited to student/non-commercial use, and its schematic symbol and non-encrypted model files are all plain ASCII text, so could be easily posted inline in a medium that didn't really support attachments.   As USENET waned and web forums like this grew in popularity, the greybeards brought their expertise and preference for LTspice with them.

If you cant 'drive' LTspice well enough to run other people's sims and tweak them a bit, you'll miss out on a lot here.   Even rabid Windows haters and FOSS aficionados should compromise their ethical stance enough to install it under WINE!
« Last Edit: March 31, 2019, 09:52:51 am by Ian.M »
 

Offline Cnoob

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #28 on: March 31, 2019, 10:02:37 am »
I use EveryCircuit on a 10inch Android tablet.
I tested the free version using a single transistor amp, built it on a breadboard and their performance roughly matched.
So I brought the full version which was only a few pounds.
It's limited in circuit space but it's handy to have.

I also have LT spice.
 

Offline newbrain

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #29 on: March 31, 2019, 10:10:17 am »
 Another vote for LTspice, here.

I suspect the interface feels unintuitive to most people for a simple reason:
The vast majority of GUI based programs use an object-action paradigm,  one select the object e.g. a component or wire) then decides what to do with it (e.g. move, rotate, copy).

That capacitor, I want to move it over rhere.

In LTspice, it's the opposite,  first one picks up the action, then the object.

I want to move that capacitor over rhere

Once this 'clicks in' the program is easy to drive.
Nandemo wa shiranai wa yo, shitteru koto dake.
 

Offline vk6zgo

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #30 on: April 01, 2019, 12:36:09 am »
As an old fart, what annoys me is that people constantly draw schematics with LTspice that do not follow the conventions of normally drawn ones.

Inputs on the right side, top, or bottom, bits of circuitry hanging out like barnacles.
OK, that's really the fault of the user, but other things like showing ac sources as DC generators with "ac" written on them are just plain dumb!

Little "noobs" keep coming up with silly circuits which won't work in the real world, (things like Op Amps with resonant LC networks in their feedback loop), & LTspice will either work, or will not give any clue as to what the user has done wrong, so they come on here, expecting us to sort it out for them.

I thought, "Maybe I'm a nasty old turd, & I'm unfair to LTspice", so I decided to download it & just try some simple circuits.
It was just as clunky as I had suspected--- took ages to work out how to draw the simplest schematic, & don't get me started on running tests!
If they went out of their way to put obstacles in the way, they couldn't have done better.!

If I can build the real thing & test it in less time, I'd say that is a fail for a simulator.

And as I've said before----"Get off my lawn!"( I'm thinking of making that my signature!) ;D
 

Offline TheNewLab

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #31 on: April 01, 2019, 02:22:12 am »
I thought, "Maybe I'm a nasty old turd, & I'm unfair to LTspice", so I decided to download it & just try some simple circuits.
It was just as clunky as I had suspected--- took ages to work out how to draw the simplest schematic, & don't get me started on running tests!
If they went out of their way to put obstacles in the way, they couldn't have done better.!

And as I've said before----"Get off my lawn!"( I'm thinking of making that my signature!) ;D

So what what circuit simulator do you like?  I am only a hobbyist.


 Played a little bit around with LTSpice because a saw Afrotechmods teach three episodes on it.. yes, these do have a bit of a  learning curve. However, I am starting simple. in time become more proficient from using it.

I have come to like KiCAD. SO many YTs on KiCAD. I can do a search and quickly come up with a solution
 how about Dip Trace?



Now I'm learning the KiCAD most recent version..using .Linux

and


Both are free. both have ability to download and add extra libraries... for me as a hobbyist, I have no desire to pay for an app. That said, I am curious what your preferred circuit simulator is

 Addicted and too curious in this hobby.
« Last Edit: April 01, 2019, 02:30:30 am by TheNewLab »
 

Offline Wimberleytech

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #32 on: April 01, 2019, 02:41:51 am »
As an old fart, what annoys me is that people constantly draw schematics with LTspice that do not follow the conventions of normally drawn ones.

Until now, I did not believe in reincarnation.

You are Bob Pease!

LTSpice is great!
 

Offline DimitriP

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #33 on: April 01, 2019, 09:22:39 am »
Quote
As an old fart, what annoys me is that people constantly draw schematics with LTspice that do not follow the conventions of normally drawn ones.

That's like blaming the pen for spelling mistakes or spoons for obecity or guns for deaths.

....and if you started correcting every violated schematic convention, every thread would have 10 extra pages added to it and worse, most of it would be people calling you names for not being welcoming and helpful :) 




   If three 100  Ohm resistors are connected in parallel, and in series with a 200 Ohm resistor, how many resistors do you have? 
 

Offline Zero999

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #34 on: April 01, 2019, 10:06:22 pm »
As an old fart, what annoys me is that people constantly draw schematics with LTspice that do not follow the conventions of normally drawn ones.

Inputs on the right side, top, or bottom, bits of circuitry hanging out like barnacles.
OK, that's really the fault of the user, but other things like showing ac sources as DC generators with "ac" written on them are just plain dumb!
Yes, but it's possible to draw decent schematics using LTSpice. I like to think I do a reasonable job, even though it's not every schematic I do is perfect.

Quote
Little "noobs" keep coming up with silly circuits which won't work in the real world, (things like Op Amps with resonant LC networks in their feedback loop), & LTspice will either work, or will not give any clue as to what the user has done wrong, so they come on here, expecting us to sort it out for them.
Yes, been there and done that, but they'll soon find out.

Quote
I thought, "Maybe I'm a nasty old turd, & I'm unfair to LTspice", so I decided to download it & just try some simple circuits.
It was just as clunky as I had suspected--- took ages to work out how to draw the simplest schematic, & don't get me started on running tests!
If they went out of their way to put obstacles in the way, they couldn't have done better.!

If I can build the real thing & test it in less time, I'd say that is a fail for a simulator.
Well duh, it takes time to learn anything new. It probably would've been the same for me the first time I used LTSpice, if it wasn't for the fact I did so to simulate and modify someone else's schematic.

It does amuse me when old gits moan about how crappy simulation is, yet if it didn't exist, then they wouldn't be using the Internet and have access to the great variety of modern ICs. SPICE was instrumental in the development of more powerful computers and analogue ICs. It's just not possible to build an IC to test a circuit idea, hence the need for simulation!

Quote
And as I've said before----"Get off my lawn!"( I'm thinking of making that my signature!) ;D
Where the heck does that come from? Is it a reference to one of Dave's videos, which I've missed, as I don't watch much EEVblog?
 
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Offline lordvader88Topic starter

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #35 on: April 01, 2019, 11:09:20 pm »
Ok I'll try some of the suggestions thanks.

In the meantime I have learned a few more LTS basics, and managed to make some sort of amplifier and do basic AC analysis, so that's good.
 

Offline Wimberleytech

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #36 on: April 02, 2019, 12:12:33 am »
Quote
And as I've said before----"Get off my lawn!"( I'm thinking of making that my signature!) ;D
Where the heck does that come from? Is it a reference to one of Dave's videos, which I've missed, as I don't watch much EEVblog?

No, it is more of an American meme I think (not sure where he got it).  I have heard it for years.  Old curmudgeon hollering at kids playing in his(the curmudgeon's) yard.

All of us old farts are not the same...I am an exception and I see other good-ole farts on this forum too.
 

Online rstofer

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #37 on: April 02, 2019, 12:23:15 am »
I suspect the interface feels unintuitive to most people for a simple reason:
The vast majority of GUI based programs use an object-action paradigm,  one select the object e.g. a component or wire) then decides what to do with it (e.g. move, rotate, copy).

I use LTspice HOWEVER...

The GUI is trash because the menu buttons don't scale with screen resolution.  With a 3000x2000 screen even scaled to 300%, the buttons are still virtually invisible.  Buttons like 'Move' are VERY hard to find. There's little contrast and the button is less than 1/8" even on a 27" monitor.  It is almost impossible to use on my 13" Surface Book.

With a 1920x1080 display the program is fine.

Nobody else seems to have this problem.  Probably because they don't size objects in terms of pixels.

So, I use LTspice but only if I am desperate!  It's a great tool but not on my main system. When I'm really desparate, I run it on another machine.
 

Offline Cliff Matthews

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #38 on: April 02, 2019, 12:30:01 am »
Have you tried right-click running it with any Windoze compatibility options? *not that I'm likely to get a 4k rig anytime soon :(

edit - From my old MCSE debugging days (>20 years back) I recall various dialogue DLL's that are shared by a lot of 'standard' programs. I just Googled 'LTspice windows interface scaling' re: LTspice and found two related links (if one cares to fiddle..)
1) https://designspark.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/214031765-Why-do-the-software-icons-look-so-small-on-my-4K-screen-
2) https://community.spiceworks.com/how_to/137758-4k-dpi-scaling-issues-solved

It could be nothing curable, M$ wants vintage-ware to just go away (even if it is good, and especially if it's free).
« Last Edit: April 02, 2019, 02:51:43 am by Cliff Matthews »
 

Offline Old Printer

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #39 on: April 02, 2019, 01:35:35 am »



Quote
And as I've said before----"Get off my lawn!"( I'm thinking of making that my signature!) ;D
Where the heck does that come from? Is it a reference to one of Dave's videos, which I've missed, as I don't watch much EEVblog?
[/quote]

It's a continuing line throughout a movie, Gran Torino, from 2008 by Clint Eastwood. He plays a disgruntled hugely prejudiced Korean war vet surrounded by neighbors of the wrong ethnicity which is pretty much anything not white. He is verbally crude and abusive to most everyone, but has a bit of a human streak he is afraid you might see. An old curmudgeon for sure. Good Movie :)
 

Offline DimitriP

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #40 on: April 02, 2019, 05:19:50 am »
Quote
The GUI is trash
What is trash is running "ungodly" resolutions on puny monitors. Or "ultrawide" that are barely 10 inches tall.



   If three 100  Ohm resistors are connected in parallel, and in series with a 200 Ohm resistor, how many resistors do you have? 
 

Offline 0culus

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #41 on: April 02, 2019, 07:54:24 am »
I'm just doing hobby stuff, and I lost the older, simple nice looking sim I had, and LTspice is way over the top for now.

I hate online sim's in priniclpe, so what free programs are easy/look good/have common transistors, opamps already included ?

I tried 2-3 freeware sim's over this past year, and I don't remember their names, and I didn't like them. If I place a BJT and resistors, and even a GND, it should work without having to read a damn manual do run the sim, not give BS errors.

It took me all of half an hour the other day to grasp the basics of LTSpice, after never having used it. Sometimes you just have to embrace the suck and RTFM (Read the Fine Manual :) ). Lots of useful info...
 

Online tggzzz

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #42 on: April 02, 2019, 08:43:56 am »
As an old fart, what annoys me is that people constantly draw schematics with LTspice that do not follow the conventions of normally drawn ones.

WHAT       iS!.......... gnorw
thAt




With?

Can ye knot reed?
There are lies, damned lies, statistics - and ADC/DAC specs.
Glider pilot's aphorism: "there is no substitute for span". Retort: "There is a substitute: skill+imagination. But you can buy span".
Having fun doing more, with less
 
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Offline newbrain

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #43 on: April 02, 2019, 08:46:04 am »
The GUI is trash because the menu buttons don't scale with screen resolution.  With a 3000x2000 screen even scaled to 300%, the buttons are still virtually invisible.  Buttons like 'Move' are VERY hard to find. There's little contrast and the button is less than 1/8" even on a 27" monitor.  It is almost impossible to use on my 13" Surface Book.
That's strange. I use a 27" WQHD display (2560x1440) and the interface size follows the scaling setting in Windows 10 (see the attached pict for 100%, 150% and 175%).

M$ wants vintage-ware to just go away (even if it is good, and especially if it's free).
I tend to disregard any post containing M$, but honestly this is  :bullshit:.
If there's one thing that Windows strives to do is keeping backwards compatibility. Even to the point of being a hindrance.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2019, 02:08:54 pm by newbrain »
Nandemo wa shiranai wa yo, shitteru koto dake.
 
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Offline Zero999

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #44 on: April 02, 2019, 09:00:40 am »
I suspect the interface feels unintuitive to most people for a simple reason:
The vast majority of GUI based programs use an object-action paradigm,  one select the object e.g. a component or wire) then decides what to do with it (e.g. move, rotate, copy).

I use LTspice HOWEVER...

The GUI is trash because the menu buttons don't scale with screen resolution.  With a 3000x2000 screen even scaled to 300%, the buttons are still virtually invisible.  Buttons like 'Move' are VERY hard to find. There's little contrast and the button is less than 1/8" even on a 27" monitor.  It is almost impossible to use on my 13" Surface Book.

With a 1920x1080 display the program is fine.

Nobody else seems to have this problem.  Probably because they don't size objects in terms of pixels.

So, I use LTspice but only if I am desperate!  It's a great tool but not on my main system. When I'm really desparate, I run it on another machine.

Tools → control panel → operation → toolbar icon size
 
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Offline macboy

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #45 on: April 02, 2019, 01:26:39 pm »
I suspect the interface feels unintuitive to most people for a simple reason:
The vast majority of GUI based programs use an object-action paradigm,  one select the object e.g. a component or wire) then decides what to do with it (e.g. move, rotate, copy).

I use LTspice HOWEVER...

The GUI is trash because the menu buttons don't scale with screen resolution.  With a 3000x2000 screen even scaled to 300%, the buttons are still virtually invisible.  Buttons like 'Move' are VERY hard to find. There's little contrast and the button is less than 1/8" even on a 27" monitor.  It is almost impossible to use on my 13" Surface Book.

With a 1920x1080 display the program is fine.

Nobody else seems to have this problem.  Probably because they don't size objects in terms of pixels.

So, I use LTspice but only if I am desperate!  It's a great tool but not on my main system. When I'm really desparate, I run it on another machine.

"Move" button, what Move button? Move is F8, obviously!  There's a button?
F6 to copy, F5 to delete. F7 to lift and move (separate from connecting wires when moving). F9 to undo. F3 to draw wires. Basic components all have shortcuts too, R, L, C, G, etc.  Control-R to rotate and Ctl-E to flip.  I would find it very annoying to have to move the cursor away from where I am working, just to click some silly button.
 

Offline StillTrying

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #46 on: April 02, 2019, 02:29:37 pm »
"I would find it very annoying to have to move the cursor away from where I am working,"

So would I, that's why I put the tool bar at the bottom, you can move it almost anywhere, even on top of the schematic.
.  That took much longer than I thought it would.
 

Offline Zero999

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #47 on: April 02, 2019, 02:49:35 pm »
I work with the schematic in the middle of the screen so whether the toolbar is at the top or bottom makes no difference to how far I have to move the mouse.

I think the keyboard shortcuts could be easier to discover. They should be on the pop-up when the cursor is placed near the tool bar.
 

Offline StillTrying

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #48 on: April 02, 2019, 02:55:24 pm »
I think the keyboard shortcuts could be easier to discover.

Yes, they're listed under 'Edit', and others.
.  That took much longer than I thought it would.
 

Offline Zero999

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Re: Free circuit simulator ?
« Reply #49 on: April 02, 2019, 02:58:49 pm »
I think the keyboard shortcuts could be easier to discover.

Yes, they're listed under 'Edit', and others.
But the edit menu isn't used regularly by most users for them to discover them, because most tools can be found on the toolbar.
 


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