Microcap to Kicad

[techninja80]

Does anyone know a good workflow from microcap to kicad. I would like to somehow transfer the netlist from microcap to kicad. I am unable to get the only format both of them can read to work which is the PADS file format. If anyone know of any converters, or scripts that can make the changes needed for kicad to read what Microcap is spitting out I would greatly appreciate it.  The basic idea is. I would like to simulate the circuit, and then be able to move it to kicad for board modeling without having to redo the entire circuit from scratch.

[jonpaul]

Hello we have both KiCAD and MicroCap (magnetic and circuit desinger)

b Microcap is from 1982!

The auhor has sadly passed away,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-Cap

so, the code and conversion would requite a very experienced programmer who can solve this.

AFIK, no simple off the shelf exists.

Just do it manually, should be easy if you know both programs


Jon

[Doctorandus_P]

KiCad can create a PCB from a set of Gerber files. It's far from perfect, mostly because a lot of information is simply not present in Gerber files, but it is useful, and much better then nothing. You get about 80% of the PCB in a few minutes of preparation and conversion.

For the rest, you can import "background" graphics both in the Schematic and PCB editors in KiCad. I have reverse engineered some (simple) PCB's from loading photographs into the PCB editor, and I once also used a JPG of a hand drawn schematic as a background picture in KiCad's Schematic editor and put real symbols and wires on top of it. You can scale such pictures to the "actual" size in KiCad, and it is a time saver.

[xvr]

The basic idea is. I would like to simulate the circuit, and then be able to move it to kicad

You can simulate circuit directly in KiCAD - it has builtin Spice simulator now.

[Benta]

You can simulate circuit directly in KiCAD - it has builtin Spice simulator now.

"Now?" It has had simulation as far back as I've used it.

[janoc]

You can simulate circuit directly in KiCAD - it has builtin Spice simulator now.

"Now?" It has had simulation as far back as I've used it.

Then you didn't use it for very long 

The simulator support came sometime around 2018, in KiCAD 5.

[tooki]

Hello we have both KiCAD and MicroCap (magnetic and circuit desinger)

b Microcap is from 1982!

The auhor has sadly passed away,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-Cap

The wiki page doesn’t say the author died.

[janoc]

Hello we have both KiCAD and MicroCap (magnetic and circuit desinger)

b Microcap is from 1982!

The auhor has sadly passed away,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-Cap

The wiki page doesn’t say the author died.

I believe he retired and closed the company (Spectrum Software) down 5 years ago. I think I have also seen news that he has passed away recently.