Circuit Maker User Manual

CircuitMaker ®
for Windows
Integrated Schematic Capture

and Circuit Simulation
User Manual
CircuitMaker 6
CircuitMaker PRO
Revision C
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of MicroCode Engineering. The software described in this document is
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MicroCode Engineering.
Copyright © 1988-1998 MicroCode Engineering, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
CircuitMaker, TraxMaker and SimCode are trademarks or registered trademarks of MicroCode

Engineering, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
MicroCode Engineering, Inc.

927 West Center
Orem UT 84057 USA
Phone (801) 226-4470
FAX (801) 226-6532
www.microcode.com
ii
MicroCode Engineering—Software License Agreement
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING LICENSE AGREEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE OPEN-

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License Agreement iii

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Disclaimer
CircuitMaker is a simulation program that, in most cases, produces results very similar to a real
life circuit. It is, however, only a simulation program and is not expected to provide exactly the
same results as a real life circuit in every instance. While MicroCode Engineering, Inc. has tried
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produce satisfactory results in all applications. CircuitMaker allows you to minimize the amount
of breadboarding required to produce a functional circuit, but it must not be used as a replace-
ment for proper breadboarding.
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License Agreement iv
U.S. Government Restricted Provisions
If this software is acquired by or in behalf of a unit or agency of the United States Government
these provisions apply. This Software:
(a) Was developed at private expense, and no part of it was developed with government funds,
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Schedule, are hereby on notice that use of this Software is subject to restrictions which are the
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License Agreement v
License Agreement vi
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker
Introduction............................................................................................1-1
Required User Background .................................................................................. 1-1
Required Hardware/Software ................................................................................ 1-1
Installing CircuitMaker ...........................................................................1-2
Installing the Hardware (HW) Keys ...................................................................... 1-2
Updating from a Previous Version ......................................................................... 1-3
Multi-User (Project) Installations .......................................................................... 1-6
Technical Support ..................................................................................1-8
About the Documentation ......................................................................1-9
Manual Conventions ............................................................................................. 1-9
Using Online Help .............................................................................................. 1-10
Watching the Online Tutorial .............................................................................. 1-11
Where to Go from Here ...................................................................................... 1-11
Chapter 2: Getting Started

CircuitMaker Basics .............................................................................. 2-1
Starting CircuitMaker ........................................................................................... 2-1
CircuitMaker Workspace ..................................................................................... 2-1
Connectivity ......................................................................................................... 2-2
About CircuitMaker Windows ............................................................................... 2-2
Anatomy of a Schematic Drawing ........................................................................ 2-3
CircuitMaker Conventions .................................................................................... 2-3
CircuitMaker Files ................................................................................................ 2-3
Accessing Tools and Features ..............................................................2-4
Task Overview ...................................................................................................... 2-4
Using the Toolbar ................................................................................................. 2-4
Using the Mouse ................................................................................................. 2-6
HotKeys .............................................................................................................. 2-7
Shortcut Keys ..................................................................................................... 2-7
Contents vii
CircuitMaker Preferences .....................................................................2-8
Changing Preferences .......................................................................................... 2-8
Restoring Factory Defaults .................................................................................. 2-8
Basic .CKT File Management ...............................................................2-9
Starting, Saving & Closing a .CKT File ................................................................. 2-9
Opening and Reopening a .CKT File .................................................................. 2-10
Reverting to Previously Saved File ..................................................................... 2-10
Chapter 3: Tutorials
Tutorial 1: Drawing a Schematic ............................................................3-1
Using the Device Selection Dialog Box ................................................................ 3-1
Selecting a Transistor .......................................................................................... 3-3
Selecting the Resistors ........................................................................................ 3-3
Selecting +V and Ground Devices ....................................................................... 3-4
Changing Resistor/Transistor Label-Values .......................................................... 3-5
Wiring the Circuit Together ................................................................................... 3-5
Tutorial 2: Simulating a Digital Circuit ....................................................3-6
Tutorial 3: Analog Analysis ....................................................................3-7
Simple Circuit Analysis ........................................................................................ 3-8
Creating a Simple RC Circuit ............................................................................. 3-10
Simulating a Simple AC Circuit .......................................................................... 3-12
Tutorial 4: More Circuit Simulation .......................................................3-13
Setting Up the Analysis ..................................................................................... 3-16
Running the Simulation ...................................................................................... 3-17
Mixed-Mode Simulation Example ....................................................................... 3-20
Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing Schematics

Drawing and Editing Tools ..................................................................... 4-1
Arrow Tool ............................................................................................................ 4-2
Wire Tool ............................................................................................................. 4-2
Text Tool .............................................................................................................. 4-2
Delete Tool ........................................................................................................... 4-2
Zoom Tool ............................................................................................................ 4-3
Contents viii
Rotate 90 Button ................................................................................................. 4-3
Mirror Button ........................................................................................................ 4-4
Grid, Title Block and Borders .................................................................4-4
Grid ..................................................................................................................... 4-4
Title Block ........................................................................................................... 4-5
Borders ................................................................................................................ 4-6
Listing and Selecting Devices ...............................................................4-7
The Graphical Parts Browser ............................................................................... 4-7
HotKeys .............................................................................................................. 4-9
Searching for Devices ........................................................................................ 4-10
Placing Devices ..................................................................................4-12
Selecting Devices .............................................................................................. 4-12
Nudging Devices ................................................................................................ 4-13
Wiring the Circuit.................................................................................4-14
Auto Routing ...................................................................................................... 4-14
Manual Routing .................................................................................................. 4-15
Quick Connect Wiring ........................................................................................ 4-16
Extending, Joining, and Cutting Wires ............................................................... 4-16
Moving Devices with Connected Wires ............................................................... 4-17
Working with Bus Wires ......................................................................4-17
Working with Bus Connection Wires .................................................................. 4-18
"Wiring" with Connectors .....................................................................4-19
Input and Output Connectors ............................................................................. 4-19
Terminal Device Power Connections ...................................................4-20
Labeling the Circuit .............................................................................4-21
Using the Text Tool to Label ............................................................................... 4-21
Changing Device Labels ..................................................................................... 4-21
Editing Devices ...................................................................................4-22
Device ................................................................................................................ 4-22
Label-Value ........................................................................................................ 4-23
Designation ........................................................................................................ 4-23
Description ........................................................................................................ 4-24
Package ............................................................................................................ 4-24
Auto Designation Prefix ..................................................................................... 4-24
Spice Prefix Character(s) ................................................................................... 4-24
Analog ............................................................................................................... 4-25
Contents ix
Digital ................................................................................................................ 4-25
Parameters ........................................................................................................ 4-26
Bus Data ........................................................................................................... 4-26
Spice Data ......................................................................................................... 4-28
Example of Using SPICE Data ........................................................................... 4-30
Exclude from PCB ............................................................................................. 4-31
Exclude from Bill of Materials ............................................................................. 4-31
Pins ................................................................................................................... 4-31
Faults ................................................................................................................ 4-33
Printing and Exporting Circuits ............................................................4-33
Printing Circuits ................................................................................................. 4-33
Exporting Circuits as Graphics .......................................................................... 4-34
Chapter 5: Digital Logic Simulation

CircuitMaker's Simulation Modes ..........................................................5-1
Devices and Simulation ........................................................................................ 5-2
Using the Digital Logic Simulator ..........................................................5-2
Digital Logic Simulation Tools ...............................................................5-3
Digital/Analog Button ........................................................................................... 5-3
Reset Button ........................................................................................................ 5-3
Step Button ......................................................................................................... 5-4
Run/Stop Button .................................................................................................. 5-4
Probe Tool ........................................................................................................... 5-4
Trace Button ........................................................................................................ 5-5
Waveforms Button ............................................................................................... 5-5
Propagation Delays ............................................................................................. 5-6
Digital Waveforms ................................................................................................ 5-7
Digital Options ......................................................................................5-8
Setting Breakpoints in a Circuit ........................................................................... 5-9
Digital Instruments .................................................................................5-9
Pulser .................................................................................................................. 5-9
Data Sequencer ................................................................................................. 5-10
Pattern Editor .................................................................................................... 5-12
Contents x
Chapter 6: Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation
CircuitMaker's Simulation Modes ..........................................................6-1
Devices and Simulation ........................................................................6-2
Overview of Analog Simulation ..............................................................6-2
Before You Use the Analog Simulator .................................................................. 6-2
Setting Up Analog Analysis ................................................................................. 6-3
Selecting Analog Simulation Mode ...................................................................... 6-3
Analog Simulation Tools ........................................................................6-3
Digital/Analog Button ........................................................................................... 6-4
Reset Button ....................................................................................................... 6-4
Step Button ......................................................................................................... 6-4
Run/Stop Button .................................................................................................. 6-4
Probe Tool ........................................................................................................... 6-5
Trace Button ........................................................................................................ 6-6
Waveforms Button ............................................................................................... 6-6
Vcc and Ground ....................................................................................6-6
Working with Test Points .......................................................................6-7
Test Point Types .................................................................................................. 6-8
Default Test Points ............................................................................................... 6-8
Exclusive Test Points .......................................................................................... 6-8
Run-Time Test Points .......................................................................................... 6-9
Running the Simulation ........................................................................ 6-11
Using the Analysis Windows................................................................ 6-11
Displaying Waveforms ....................................................................................... 6-12
Scaling Waveforms ............................................................................................ 6-13
Offsetting Waveforms ......................................................................................... 6-15
Using Measurement Cursors .............................................................................. 6-15
Setup Button ..................................................................................................... 6-15
Reset Button ..................................................................................................... 6-17
Setting Up Analog Analyses ................................................................6-18
Always Set Defaults .......................................................................................... 6-18
DC Analysis (DC Sweep) ................................................................................... 6-19
AC Analysis (AC Sweep) ................................................................................... 6-20
DC Operating Point Analysis ............................................................................. 6-22
Transient Analysis ............................................................................................. 6-21
Contents xi
Parameter Sweep Analysis ................................................................................ 6-26
Fourier Analysis ................................................................................................. 6-29
Transfer Function Analysis ................................................................................ 6-30
Noise Analysis .................................................................................................. 6-32
Temperature Sweep Analysis ............................................................................. 6-35
Monte Carlo Analysis ........................................................................................ 6-36
Impedance Plot Analysis ................................................................................... 6-41
Using XSpice for Windows ..................................................................6-43
.NET and .RAW File Output ............................................................................... 6-45
Warning Messages vs. Error Messages ............................................................. 6-46
Setting Up Analog/SPICE Variables ....................................................6-47
ASCIIOUTPUT Check Box ................................................................................. 6-47
DVCC, DVDD and DGND ................................................................................... 6-48
Integration Method ............................................................................................. 6-48
Analysis Data Saved in .RAW File ..................................................................... 6-48
Analog/Mixed Signal Instruments .........................................................6-49
Multimeter ......................................................................................................... 6-49
Multifunction Signal Generator ........................................................................... 6-50
Accessing the Signal Generator Editor .................................................................. 6-51
Editing Sine Wave Data .......................................................................................... 6-52
Editing AM Signal Data ........................................................................................... 6-54
Editing FM Signal Data ........................................................................................... 6-55
Editing Exponential Data ........................................................................................ 6-56
Editing Pulse Data .................................................................................................. 6-57
Editing Piece-Wise Data ......................................................................................... 6-58
Data Sequencer ................................................................................................. 6-59
Chapter 7: Exporting Files

Bill of Materials .....................................................................................7-1
Single Item Per Line ............................................................................................ 7-2
Multiple Items Per Line ........................................................................................ 7-3
Saving, Displaying, and Printing the Bill of Materials ............................................ 7-3
Including Attributes .............................................................................................. 7-4
Creating an Attribute File ..................................................................................... 7-4
Setting Up Export Options .....................................................................7-7
Exporting Waveforms as Graphics ........................................................ 7-8
Contents xii
Exporting Circuits as Graphics .............................................................. 7-8
Exporting a SPICE Netlist .....................................................................7-9
Exporting a SPICE Subcircuit................................................................7-9
Exporting a PCB Netlist ......................................................................7-10
What is a Net? .................................................................................................. 7-10
What is a Netlist? .............................................................................................. 7-10
PCB Netlist Requirements ................................................................................. 7-10
Exporting to Popular PCB Netlist Formats ......................................................... 7-11
TraxMaker PCB Netlist Format .......................................................................... 7-12
CircuitMaker to TraxMaker ..................................................................7-13
Run TraxMaker and Load Netlist ........................................................................ 7-14
Create Keep-Out Layer ...................................................................................... 7-14
Board Size in Mils ............................................................................................. 7-14
Automatically Place Components ...................................................................... 7-14
Chapter 8: Fault Simulation

Device Faults ........................................................................................8-1
Pin(s) Stuck High ................................................................................................ 8-1
Pin(s) Stuck Low ................................................................................................. 8-1
Pin(s) Open ......................................................................................................... 8-2
Adding Device Faults ............................................................................8-3
Enable Device Faults ........................................................................................... 8-3
Fault Label-Value ................................................................................................. 8-3
Faults and Device Pins ........................................................................................ 8-3
Internal High/Low Check Boxes ........................................................................... 8-4
Hint Message ...................................................................................................... 8-4
Fault Password .................................................................................................... 8-4
Using the Access Faults Dialog Box ...................................................... 8-5
Managing Circuit Faults ........................................................................8-6
Disable Circuit Options ........................................................................................ 8-6
Hints and Replacements ...................................................................................... 8-9
Circuit Default Values .......................................................................................... 8-9
Fault Lock Password ......................................................................................... 8-10
Creating Black Box Macros ............................................................................... 8-10
Fault Example ................................................................................................... 8-11
Contents xiii
Chapter 9: File Menu
New ...................................................................................................... 9-1
Open ..................................................................................................... 9-1
Reopen .................................................................................................9-1
Merge ...................................................................................................9-1
Close ....................................................................................................9-2
Save .....................................................................................................9-2
Save As ................................................................................................ 9-2
Revert ...................................................................................................9-2
Import > Simulate SPICE Netlist ............................................................9-2
Export ...................................................................................................9-3
Bill of Materials .....................................................................................9-3
Print Setup ............................................................................................9-3
Fit to Page ........................................................................................................... 9-4
Print Circuit ........................................................................................... 9-4
Print Waveforms ....................................................................................9-4
Preferences .......................................................................................... 9-4
Exit .....................................................................................................9-10
Chapter 10: Edit Menu

Undo ...................................................................................................10-1
Cut ...................................................................................................... 10-1
Copy ................................................................................................... 10-1
Paste .................................................................................................. 10-1
Move ...................................................................................................10-1
Delete Items ........................................................................................10-2
Duplicate ............................................................................................ 10-2
Copy Circuit to Clipboard ....................................................................10-2
Copy Waveforms to Clipboard ............................................................10-2
Select All ............................................................................................. 10-3
Find and Select ...................................................................................10-3
Rotate 90 ............................................................................................ 10-3
Mirror ..................................................................................................10-4
Straighten Wires .................................................................................10-4
Place Labels .......................................................................................10-4
Contents xiv
Set Prop Delays ..................................................................................10-4
Set Designations ................................................................................10-5
Edit > Edit Items ..................................................................................10-6
Edit Bus Connection .......................................................................................... 10-6
Edit Bus Wire Number ....................................................................................... 10-7
Edit Device Data ................................................................................................ 10-7
Edit Digital Params ............................................................................................ 10-7
Edit Run-Time Test Point ................................................................................... 10-7
Edit/Select SPICE Model ................................................................................... 10-7
Edit PROM/RAM ............................................................................................... 10-8
Edit Pulser ......................................................................................................... 10-8
Edit Multimeter .................................................................................................. 10-9
Edit Input/Output ............................................................................................... 10-9
Edit Data Sequencer .......................................................................................... 10-9
Edit Signal Generator ..................................................................................... 10-10
Edit Scope/Probe Name ................................................................................. 10-10
Group Items ......................................................................................10-10
Font .................................................................................................. 10-11
Chapter 11: Macros Menu

New Macro.......................................................................................... 11-1
Edit Macro .......................................................................................... 11-1
Save Macro ........................................................................................ 11-2
Expand Macro ..................................................................................... 11-2
Macro Lock ......................................................................................... 11-3
Macro Utilities ..................................................................................... 11-4
Save Macro ....................................................................................................... 11-4
Class Selected Device ....................................................................................... 11-5
Expand Macro ................................................................................................... 11-5
Delete Macro ..................................................................................................... 11-5
Model Data ........................................................................................................ 11-6
Macro Copier ...................................................................................... 11-6
Save ASCII Library .............................................................................. 11-7
Convert ASCII Library .......................................................................... 11-7
Update Search List ............................................................................. 11-8
Contents xv
Chapter 12: Options Menu
Auto Repeat ........................................................................................12-1
Auto Refresh .......................................................................................12-1
Device Designations ...........................................................................12-1
Arrow/Wire ..........................................................................................12-2
Cursor Tools ........................................................................................12-2
Show Pin Dots ....................................................................................12-2
Show Bus Labels ................................................................................12-3
Show Page Breaks .............................................................................12-3
Moveable Page Breaks ...................................................................................... 12-3
Show Node Numbers ..........................................................................12-3
Show Prop Delays ..............................................................................12-3
Device Display Data ...........................................................................12-4
Circuit Display Data ............................................................................12-4
Grid ....................................................................................................12-5
Title Block ...........................................................................................12-5
Border ................................................................................................12-7
Chapter 13: View & Window Menus

View Menu ..........................................................................................13-1
Toolbar ............................................................................................................... 13-1
Colors ................................................................................................................ 13-1
Display Scale .................................................................................................... 13-2
Normal Size/Position ......................................................................................... 13-3
Fit Circuit to Window ......................................................................................... 13-3
Refresh Screen .................................................................................................. 13-3
Window Menu .....................................................................................13-3
Cascade Windows ............................................................................................. 13-3
Tile Windows ..................................................................................................... 13-3
Windows ............................................................................................................ 13-3
Contents xvi
Chapter 14: Simulation Menu
Digital/Analog Mode ...........................................................................14-1
Analyses Setup ...................................................................................14-1
Digital Options ....................................................................................14-1
Pin Connections ..................................................................................14-1
Reset ..................................................................................................14-1
Step .................................................................................................... 14-2
Run ..................................................................................................... 14-2
Trace ..................................................................................................14-2
Display Waveforms .............................................................................14-2
Scope Probe ......................................................................................14-2
Display Variable Names ......................................................................14-2
Chapter 15: SPICE: Beyond the Basics

Troubleshooting SPICE Convergence ................................................. 15-1
Solving Operating Point Analysis Failures .......................................................... 15-2
Solving DC Analysis Failures ............................................................................. 15-3
Solving Transient Analysis Failures .................................................................... 15-4
SPICE Option Variables ......................................................................15-5
SPICE's Elementary Devices ............................................................15-13
Resistors ........................................................................................................ 15-13
Semiconductor Resistors ................................................................................ 15-13
Capacitors ...................................................................................................... 15-14
Semiconductor Capacitors .............................................................................. 15-15
Inductors ......................................................................................................... 15-15
Coupled (Mutual) Inductors ............................................................................. 15-16
Voltage/Current Controlled Switches ............................................................... 15-17
Independent Sources ...................................................................................... 15-17
Linear Voltage-Controlled Current Sources ...................................................... 15-19
Linear Voltage-Controlled Voltage Sources ...................................................... 15-19
Linear Current-Controlled Current Sources ...................................................... 15-20
Linear Current-Controlled Voltage Sources ...................................................... 15-20
Non-Linear Dependent Sources ...................................................................... 15-21
Contents xvii
15-22
Lossless Transmission Lines ..........................................................................
15-23
Lossy Transmission Lines ..............................................................................
15-24
Uniform Distributed RC Lines (Lossy) .............................................................
15-24
Junction Diodes ..............................................................................................
15-25
Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs) .................................................................
15-25
Junction Field-Effect Transistors (JFETs) ........................................................
15-26
MOSFETs .......................................................................................................
15-27
MESFETs (GaAsFETs) ...................................................................................
15-28
SimCodeTM Devices ........................................................................................
15-28
.NODESET Statement ....................................................................................
15-28
.IC Statement .................................................................................................
Suggested Reading ..........................................................................15-30
Chapter 16: Creating New Devices

What’s In This Chapter? ......................................................................16-1
Creating Device Symbols ....................................................................16-2
Using Symbol Editor Display Controls ............................................................... 16-3
Drawing a Symbol with the Mouse ..................................................................... 16-4
Selecting Shapes .............................................................................................. 16-5
Adding an Existing Shape .................................................................................. 16-6
Importing a Metafile Device ................................................................................ 16-7
Adding DIP, LCC, and QFP Packages ............................................................... 16-7
Editing Pin Information ....................................................................................... 16-8
Element List and Edit Buffer .............................................................................. 16-9
Element Definitions ......................................................................................... 16-10
Tutorial: Creating a Device Symbol ...................................................16-14
Expanding an Existing Macro Device ................................................16-17
Creating Macro Devices with Internal Circuitry ...................................16-19
Working with SPICE Models .............................................................16-21
Editing SPICE Models with a Text Editor ........................................................ 16-21
Editing SPICE Models in CircuitMaker ............................................................ 16-22
Editing SPICE Subcircuits .............................................................................. 16-27
Model and Subcircuit Linking Files ................................................................. 16-32
Contents xviii
Creating New SPICE Models with Parameter Passing ......................16-37
General Form (Generic Model) ........................................................................ 16-37
General Form (Alias) ....................................................................................... 16-37
Editing Digital Model Parameters .....................................................16-39
Chapter 17: Digital SimCode TM
Creating New SimCode Devices ........................................................17-2

The 74LS74 Example ........................................................................................ 17-4
Editing Device Data for SimCode Devices .........................................17-8
SimCode Language Definition ..........................................................17-10
Device Setup Functions .................................................................................. 17-10
Device Test Functions ..................................................................................... 17-10
Output Pin Functions ....................................................................................... 17-11
Expression Operations .................................................................................... 17-11
Expression Functions ..................................................................................... 17-12
Program Control .............................................................................................. 17-13
Output Text ..................................................................................................... 17-13
Debug ............................................................................................................. 17-13
SimCode Language Syntax ..............................................................17-14
#xxxxsource ................................................................................................... 17-14
CHANGE_TIME .............................................................................................. 17-15
CHANGED_xx ................................................................................................ 17-15
DELAY ........................................................................................................... 17-16
DRIVE ............................................................................................................ 17-18
EVENT ........................................................................................................... 17-20
EXIT ................................................................................................................ 17-20
EXT_TABLE .................................................................................................... 17-21
FREQUENCY (FMAX) .................................................................................... 17-23
GOSUB .......................................................................................................... 17-24
GOTO ............................................................................................................. 17-24
IF ... THEN ..................................................................................................... 17-25
INPUTS .......................................................................................................... 17-26
INSTANCE ...................................................................................................... 17-27
INTEGERS ..................................................................................................... 17-28
IO_PAIRS ....................................................................................................... 17-30
Contents xix
LEVEL ............................................................................................................ 17-31
LOAD ............................................................................................................. 17-32
MATH FUNCTIONS ......................................................................................... 17-34
MESSAGE ..................................................................................................... 17-35
MIN_TYP_MAX ............................................................................................... 17-36
NO_CHANGE ................................................................................................. 17-39
NUMBER ........................................................................................................ 17-39
OPERATORS ................................................................................................. 17-40
OUTPUTS ....................................................................................................... 17-41
PARAM_SET .................................................................................................. 17-42
PROMPT ........................................................................................................ 17-43
PWL_TABLE .................................................................................................. 17-45
PWR_GND_PINS ........................................................................................... 17-46
READ_DATA ................................................................................................... 17-47
REALS ........................................................................................................... 17-48
RECOVER ...................................................................................................... 17-50
RETURN ......................................................................................................... 17-51
SELECT_VALUE ............................................................................................ 17-51
SETUP_HOLD ................................................................................................ 17-52
STATE ............................................................................................................ 17-53
STATE_BIT ..................................................................................................... 17-55
STEP_OFF ..................................................................................................... 17-56
STEP_ON ....................................................................................................... 17-56
STRENGTH .................................................................................................... 17-57
SUPPLY_MIN_MAX ........................................................................................ 17-58
TABLE ............................................................................................................ 17-59
VALUE ........................................................................................................... 17-60
VIL_VIH_PERCENT ........................................................................................ 17-61
VIL_VIH_VALUE ............................................................................................. 17-62
VOL_VOH_MIN .............................................................................................. 17-63
WHILE ... DO ................................................................................................. 17-64
WIDTH ............................................................................................................ 17-65
WIDTH_TIME .................................................................................................. 17-66
Index
Contents xx
CHAPTER 1
Welcome to CircuitMaker
Introduction
Welcome to CircuitMaker, the most powerful, easy-to-use
schematic capture and simulation tool in its class! Thank
you for joining thousands of users who have discovered
that CircuitMaker provides the features of "high-end"
design software at a fraction of the cost.
Using CircuitMaker's advanced schematic capabilities, you
can design electronic circuits and output netlists for
TraxMaker and other PCB design tools and autorouters. You
can also perform fast, accurate simulations of digital, analog
and mixed analog/digital circuits using CircuitMaker's
Berkeley SPICE3f5/XSpice-based simulator.
Required User Background

With just a minimum of electronics theory, you can success-
fully use CircuitMaker to design and simulate circuits. For
beginners, CircuitMaker is perfect for learning and experi-
menting with electronics and circuit design. For advanced
users, CircuitMaker's powerful analyses provide a sophisti-
cated environment for testing and trying all the "what if"
scenarios for your design. Best of all, you can accomplish
more in less time than traditional prototyping methods.
Required Hardware/Software
• IBM® compatible 486 or higher PC with a hard disk drive
and a 3½” high density disk drive.
• Math coprocessor recommended (for analog simula-

tion).
• 8M RAM, 15M hard disk space (20M during installa-

tion).
• Mouse or other pointing device.
• VGA (or higher) resolution monitor (color preferred).
Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker 1-21

• Microsoft® Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0 or greater or
Windows 3.1x (requires Win32s, a set of operating
system extensions which allows some 32-bit applica-
tions to run under the 16-bit operating system).
Installing CircuitMaker
1 Start your Windows operating system.
2 If you are installing from the CircuitMaker CD, insert it
into the CD drive and skip to Step 5.
OR
If you are installing with floppy disks, insert Disk 1 into
drive A: and continue with Step 3.
3 If using Windows 95 or NT4, choose Start > Run from
the Taskbar.
OR
If using Windows 3.1x, choose File > Run from Program
Manager.
4 Type a:setup and press Enter.
5 Follow the installation instructions.
Warning: If you are reinstalling or upgrading
CircuitMaker be sure to install in a different directory to
avoid writing over some of your existing work.
If you are installing under Windows 3.1x, you will be
prompted to install the Win32s operating system
extensions.
6 Double-click the CircuitMaker icon to launch the
program.
7 If you are upgrading from an earlier version of
CircuitMaker, see the next section Updating from a
Previous Version.
Installing the Hardware (HW) Keys

Most copies of CircuitMaker sold internationally (outside
the US and Canada) come with a Hardware (HW) key for
copy protection. If your copy includes a HW key, this key
must be attached to the parallel port of your computer in

order to run the software. If you have any questions, please
call MicroCode Engineering Technical Support.
Updating from a Previous Version

While upgrading from a previous version of CircuitMaker is
a relatively painless process, you should take care when
converting custom macro libraries and simulating existing
circuits. When you load a pre-4.0 circuit file (identified by
the .CIR extension), it will automatically be converted to the
newer ASCII file format (which uses the .CKT extension).
If you have not added components to the library, simply
follow the instructions above in Installing CircuitMaker.
The new version will be installed in a new directory and you
can delete the previous directory.
If you have added new device symbols to the macro library,
see Updating 32-bit Macro Libraries or Updating 16-bit
Macro Libraries below.
If you have added new SPICE models, see Updating Model
Libraries below.
Warning: Be careful not to discard or overwrite your
previous work.
Updating 32-Bit Macro Libraries
If you are upgrading from a 32-bit version of CircuitMaker
and have created your own macro devices or symbols,
follow these steps:
1 Install the new version of CircuitMaker as described
earlier. Remember to install the new version in a different
directory to avoid writing over your existing work. Run
CircuitMaker.
2 Select Macros > Macro Copier.
3 Open the old USER.LIB file as the Copy From file.
When asked if you want to list only the user defined
devices, click Yes.
4 Open the USER.LIB file from your new CircuitMaker
directory as the Copy To file.
5 Select the first device that you have created and click on
the Copy button. Repeat for each additional device that

you have created. Each device copied will be placed in
the new USER.LIB file. You may be prompted for
information regarding the simulation mode for which a
device is intended. If the device can be used in digital
simulations, check the Digital box; if it can be used in
analog simulations, check the Analog box. If it can be
used in either simulation mode, check both boxes.
Updating 16-Bit Macro Libraries
If you are upgrading from a 16-bit version of CircuitMaker
and have created your own macro devices or symbols,
follow these steps:
1 Install the new version of CircuitMaker as described
earlier. Be sure to install the new version into a different
directory to avoid writing over your existing work.
2 Run the BTOA file conversion utility.
3 Select File > Convert Library. Open the USER.LIB file
from your previous CircuitMaker directory. Save the
new file as USERLIB.ASC.
4 Run CircuitMaker.
5 Select Macros > Convert ASCII Library. Load the file
USERLIB.ASC that you just created. Save the new file
as NEWUSER.LIB.
6 Select Macros > Macro Copier.
7 Open the NEWUSER.LIB file as the Copy From file.
When asked if you want to list only the user defined
devices, click Yes.
8 Open the USER.LIB file from your new CircuitMaker
directory as the Copy To file.
9 Select the first device that you created and click on the
Copy button. Repeat for each additional device that you
have created. Each device copied will be placed in the
new USER.LIB file. You may be prompted for informa-
tion regarding the simulation mode for which a device is
intended. If the device can be used in digital simula-
tions, check the Digital box; if it can be used in analog
simulations, check the Analog box. If it can be used in
either simulation mode, check both boxes.

Note: Importing of bitmaps and unconverted metafiles is no
longer supported for creating devices in CircuitMaker. If you
have created devices of this type, the symbol will not be
available in CircuitMaker 6 or PRO (the symbol will be
replaced by a rectangle). These symbols may be redrawn
with the Symbol Editor.
Updating Model Libraries
If you have added or modified any of the .MOD, .SUB or
.LIB files from a previous version, you must make these same
additions or modifications to the files in the new Models
directory. Since many of these .MOD, .SUB and .LIB files in
CircuitMaker 6/PRO contain new information added by
MicroCode Engineering, it is recommended that any
changes you made previously be done manually (don't just
copy your old file over the top of the new one), to avoid any
possible loss of data.
If you have created any user-defined symbols to which
SPICE models have been linked, you must remember that
each of these user-defined symbols has a corresponding
.MOD or .SUB file. Be sure to copy these files into the new
Models directory.
If you have used CircuitMaker's automatic linking feature
(accessed throught the Model Data button in Macro Utilities
dialog box) to link a symbol to a user-added SPICE model in
a .LIB file, you must do one of two things:
1 Reenter the information using the Macro Utilities dialog
box just like before.
OR
2 Copy the linking information that was automatically
placed in the .MOD or .SUB files into the new files. This
information would usually be located at the end of the
.MOD or .SUB file that corresponds to the symbol.
Updating Pre-5.0 Digital Circuits for

Analog Simulation
Digital circuits created in pre-5.0 versions of CircuitMaker
will still run in Digital Logic Simulation mode. However, if
you want to run them in Analog Simulation mode, you
should be aware of the following:

• Analog is not a free-running simulation mode.
• Analog simulations require proper use of Vcc and
Ground connections to digital devices.
• Analog simulations require designations of all devices.
• The digital devices saved in old circuits do not contain
SPICE data for simulation. These must be replaced by
new digital SimCode devices. To do this, delete the
existing devices and replace them with new devices
from the current library.
• The Pulser is a digital only device. It must be replaced
by a Data Sequencer or a Signal Generator.
• Devices which are animated in Digital Logic Simulation
mode are not animated in Analog Simulation mode.
Multi-User (Project) Installations

You can configure CircuitMaker to support “Projects” for
multiple users, each user having access to separate libraries
and preferences. Project installations are possible whether
on a network or on a stand-alone system. Each user must be
assigned a separate directory from which the CircuitMaker
preferences, libraries and circuit files can be accessed. This
same method may be used by a single user who needs to
access multiple projects, each with separate libraries and
preferences.
Note: A site license is required for network installation.
Setting Up Multiple Projects
1 Install and run CircuitMaker as described above to
initialize the default file paths, then exit.
2 Create a separate directory for each user or project.
3 Place a copy of the Cirmaker.dat file in each user’s
project directory. This file contains the Preferences data
which allows each user to specify their own circuit and
library paths and other circuit and program preferences.
4 If a user will need to make modifications or additions to
the Macros library (changes that must not affect other
users), place a copy of the USER.LIB, DEVICEDB.DAT,
SYMBOLDB.DAT and HOTKEYSDB.DAT files into that
user’s project directory. The DEVICEDB.DAT,

SYMBOLDB.DAT and HOTKEYSDB.DAT files must
always be placed in the same directory as USER.LIB.
5 If a user will need to make modifications or additions to
the SPICE models or subcircuits, place a copy of the
entire Models directory into that user’s project direc-
tory.
6 If accidental modification of files which are common to
multiple users is a concern, see your network adminis-
trator for details on how to protect these files from
modification.
7 In Windows 95/NT4, Right-click the Start button and
select Open. Browse to the CircuitMaker icon, right-click
it, and Select Properties. Click the Shortcut tab.
OR
From the Windows 3.1x Program Manager, click once on
the CircuitMaker icon to select it. In Program Manager,
select File > Properties.
8 Add the word “PROJECT” onto the string in the Target
edit field. For example:
"c:\...\cirmaker.exe" project
then click OK. This enables the Select Project dialog box
(explained later in this section).
9 Run CircuitMaker.
10 The Select Project dialog box appears, allowing you to
find the individual project directories. Browse the
directories to find one individual’s Cirmaker.dat file and
click OK.
11 When CircuitMaker has loaded, select File > Prefer-
ences, then click Directories and Files.
12 Change the Circuit Directory path to that of the project
directory. This is where that individual’s circuit files
(*.CKT) will be stored.
13 If there is a copy of the User.lib file in the project
directory, change the User Library File path to that of
the individual’s directory. This allows the individual to
make changes/additions to the Macros library.

14 If there is a copy of the Models directory in the project
directory, change the Model Directory path to that of
the individual’s directory. This allows the individual to
make changes/additions to the SPICE models and
subcircuits.
15 Click OK to exit the Directories and Files dialog box;
then click OK in the Preferences dialog box to save
these changes.
16 Exit CircuitMaker.
17 CircuitMaker is now completely configured for one user.
Repeat steps 9-16 to configure CircuitMaker for each
individual user.
Accessing a Project
1 Run CircuitMaker.
2 The Select Project dialog box appears, allowing you to
find your personal project directory. Browse the
directories to find your CIRMAKER.DAT file and click
on the OK button.
Technical Support
MicroCode Engineering, Inc. is dedicated to producing only
the finest quality software and supporting customers after
the initial purchase. If you encounter problems while using
CircuitMaker or just need general help, contact us via
phone, FAX, electronic mail or US Mail and we’ll provide
prompt and courteous support.
NOTE: Please be prepared to provide your name and

registration number (found on the back of the User
Manual, Disk 1, or the CD jacket) when contacting us.
Telephone: (801) 226-4470

FAX: (801) 226-6532
Internet: http://www.microcode.com
Email: support@microcode.com

US Mail: MicroCode Engineering, Inc.
927 West Center
Orem, UT 84057 USA
Future versions of CircuitMaker are planned so please feel

free to write and let us know what features or additions you
would like to see. Our goal is to provide a product that will
meet your needs and expectations, so feedback from you the
end user is essential!
About the Documentation

CircuitMaker comes with two manuals, a User Manual and a
Device Library Guide. This User Manual has been designed
to guide you through CircuitMaker’s many features and
simplify the retrieval of specific information once you have a
working knowledge of the product. The separate Device
Library Guide outlines the symbols and device models that
are included with CircuitMaker.
The manual assumes that you are familiar with the Windows
desktop (3.1x, 95, and NT) and its use of icons, menus,
windows and the mouse. It also assumes a basic under-
standing about how Windows manages applications
(programs and utilities) and documents (data files) to
perform routine tasks such as starting applications, opening
documents and saving your work.
Manual Conventions
The following conventions are used to identify information
needed to perform CircuitMaker tasks:
CircuitMaker PRO only Note that this manual contains information for both
CircuitMaker Version 6 and CircuitMaker PRO. Those
features described in this manual which are only available in
CircuitMaker PRO are highlighted by the banner at the left.
Step-by-step instructions for performing an operation are
generally numbered as in the following examples:
1 Choose File > Save.
This means “choose the File menu, then choose Save.”
Notes, Hints and Tips are
written in the margins for 2 Select the Arrow Tool on the Toolbar.
better visibility.

Menu names, menu commands, and Toolbar options usually
appear in bold type as are text strings to be typed:
3 Type the Label-Value: 220K.
This manual also includes some special terminology—words
that are either unique to schematic capture and circuit
simulation or have some specific meaning within
CircuitMaker. Such terms are italicized when first introduced.
Using On-line Help

You can access CircuitMaker’s on-line Help file
(CIRMAKER.HLP) in several ways.
From the Help Menu
To access Help from the Help menu,
1 Choose Help > CircuitMaker Help Topics.
2 Choose the Contents tab to see an overview of all Help
topics arranged hierarchically.
OR
Choose the Index tab, then enter a keyword to look up a
specific Help topic.
OR
Choose the Find tab to find Help topics that contain the
word you are looking for.
From a Dialog Box
To access context-sensitive Help,
1 Open a dialog box, then press F1 to display Help
specifically tailored for that dialog box.
From the Toolbar
To get context-sensitive Help about a particular device or
item you have placed in the work space,
1 Click the Help button on the Toolbar.
2 Click the item.
From the Help File Directly
Even when CircuitMaker is not running, you can view the
Help file by double-clicking its icon in the CircuitMaker
program group.

Watching the On-line Tutorial
For a quick overview of CircuitMaker, double-click the CM
Tutorial icon. The ScreenCam demonstrations illustrate the
major areas of schematic drawing and simulation.
Where to Go from Here

Once you have mastered a few Windows basics, you’ll be
ready to learn CircuitMaker. Use the following table to help
you get around this User Manual.
Topic Where to Go
CircuitMaker Basics Chapters 2, 3
Drawing and Editing Schematics Chapter 4
Simulation Chapters 5, 6
Exporting Files Chapter 7
Fault Simulation Chapter 8
CircuitMaker Menus Chapters 9–14
Advance SPICE Tips Chapter 15
Creating New Devices Chapter 16
SimCode Chapter 17

CHAPTER 2
Getting Started
CircuitMaker Basics
This chapter gives you an overview of the CircuitMaker
workspace, conventions, preferences, shortcuts, and
HotKeys. It’s a great place to start if you need some
guidance before using CircuitMaker to draw, edit, test, and
simulate electronic circuits.
Starting CircuitMaker
If you have installed CircuitMaker on your hard disk, you’re
ready to run the program.
1 Open the Start menu.
2 Choose Programs > CircuitMaker 6 or CircuitMaker
PRO.
3 Choose the CircuitMaker program.
You can also create a shortcut for CircuitMaker and
have the icon display on your desktop all the time.
CircuitMaker Workspace
When you start CircuitMaker, the blank workspace appears.
This is where you place devices that represent real life
components such as resistors, transistors, power supplies,
etc. The CircuitMaker workspace also includes the Toolbar,
Menu Bar, and special windows for circuit simulation and
testing purposes.
After placing devices exactly where you want, you simply
wire them together. The wiring lines you draw form intelli-
gent links between devices, which then allow the circuit to
be simulated, tested, and analyzed using CircuitMaker's
powerful simulator. Figure 2.1 shows the CircuitMaker
workspace filled in with the Drawing Window and several
analysis windows.
Chapter 2: Getting Started 2-33

Title Bar Toolbar
Menu Bar
Drawing Window
Analysis Windows
Figure 2.1. The CircuitMaker workspace.
Connectivity
An important feature of CircuitMaker is the way electrical
connections between the elements in your design are
recognized.
The concept of connectivity is the key to using
CircuitMaker to draw and simulate electronic circuits. The
program stores connection information for simulation, and it
is also used for creating and exporting netlists into
TraxMaker or other pcb layout programs to create a working
printed circuit board (PCB).
About CircuitMaker Windows

In addition to the Drawing window, CircuitMaker offers
several other windows, most of which display information
and waveforms for analog and digital simulations. During
simulation, the windows for the selected analyses appear,
showing waveforms and simulation data. Multiple analysis
windows can be open simultaneously; however, only one
window of each of analysis type can be open at a time.
2-34 Chapter 2: Getting Started

Anatomy of a Schematic Drawing
Figure 2.2 shows a basic schematic, including device
symbols, label-values and designations, wires, and pindots.
Device designation
Device label-value
Wire
Device symbol
Pin dot
Ground
Figure 2.2. CircuitMaker’s straightforward approach
makes it easy to identify each part of a schematic drawing.
CircuitMaker Conventions
If you are experienced with Windows applications, you
already know how to start and quit CircuitMaker, select
menus using the mouse, save your work, and locate and
organize your documents. On the other hand, CircuitMaker
has special features that are not common to other Windows
applications. These options let CircuitMaker perform some
of the special tasks unique to circuit design.
CircuitMaker Files
CircuitMaker includes a number of special purpose files in
addition to the CircuitMaker application. The following table
lists the various types of files you will use by file extension.
.CKT Schematic (or Circuit) files
.DAT Data files (HotKeys; device library classifications)
.LIB Device library files
.SRP Script files
.MOD Model files
.SUB Subcircuit files
.RAW Simulation data files

Accessing Tools and Features
This section shows you the fundamental tools and
processes used to draw schematics.
Task Overview
Using CircuitMaker involves six basic procedures: 1)
placing devices (such as resistors, transistors, power
supplies, and grounds) in the workspace; 2) repositioning
devices; 3) editing devices with precise values and param-
eters; 4) deleting devices (if necessary); 5) wiring devices
together; 6) simulating and testing the circuit.
Using the Toolbar

You can perform most CircuitMaker tasks using the buttons
on the Toolbar, which is conveniently located at the top of
the workspace.
Open Print Wire Tool Delete Tool Rotate 90°
New Save Arrow Tool Text Tool Zoom Tool Mirror
Reset Run/Stop Trace Parts Macro TraxMaker
Digital/Analog Step Probe Tool Waveforms Search Help
The table on the following page briefly describes each

button and tool on the Toolbar. Generally, a Tool lets you
apply a specific action, whereas a Button performs a general
function. For more details about the drawing and editing
tools, see Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing Schematics. For
more information about the simulation tools, see Chapters 5:
Digital Logic Simulation and Chapter 6: Analog/Mixed
Signal Simulation.

Tool or Button Lets You
Arrow Tool Select, move and edit devices, wires
and text. Also used to place wires
(when Arrow/Wire option is checked).
Wire Tool Place wires to connect devices in the
circuit (+Shift to place bus wires).
Text Tool Add text to the circuit.
Delete Tool Delete devices, wires and text (+Shift
to snip wires).
Zoom Tool Magnify and reduce the circuit (+Shift
to reduce).
Rotate 90° Rotate one or more selected devices.
Mirror Mirror one or more selected devices.
Digital/Analog Toggle between Digital or Analog
simulation mode (AND Gate = Digital,
Transistor = Analog).
Reset Initialize analog and digital simula-
tions.
Step Single-step digital simulations (Setup
in Digital Options).
Run/Stop Run and stop simulations.
Probe Tool Observe/plot data at any point(s) in
the circuit (context-sensitive).
Trace Interactively see the logic state of all
nodes in Digital simulation mode.
Waveforms Show digital waveforms (in Digital
simulation mode).
Parts Display and select devices from the
graphical parts browser.
Search Search for devices in the library by
name/number.
Macro Create a new macro or expand a
selected macro.

Help Tool Display information on devices and
wires.
TraxMaker Automatically create a PCB netlist
and launch TraxMaker.
Using the Mouse

As in other Windows applications, CircuitMaker uses the
mouse for clicking, selecting and dragging. When moving
the mouse, a corresponding selection tool (or cursor)
movement occurs on the screen.
The familiar “pointer” Arrow Tool is used for standard
Windows operations, such as choosing from menus and
dialog boxes.
You can return to the standard Arrow Tool at any time by
selecting the tool from the Toolbar, or right-clicking on the
schematic background and selecting Arrow.
Right-Click Pop-Up Menus
You can right-click (click with the right mouse button) in
different areas of the CircuitMaker workspace to open
various pop-up menus (see Figure 2.3). The items listed in
the pop-up menu vary depending on where you right-click.
The following locations and circumstances will each access
a different pop-up menu:
• Schematic background
• Device
• Wire
• Text object created with the Text Tool.
Figure 2.3. Right-click the • Group of selected items (pop-up menu depends on
mouse on different areas to types of items that you select)
access many CircuitMaker • Waveform label
features. • Anywhere else in Waveform window

HotKeys
For quick and easy device placement, CircuitMaker offers up
to sixty user-definable HotKeys that let you place com-
monly-used devices with a single keystroke.
For example, press the r key (lowercase “r”) to get a 1K
resistor. Or press b for a 10V battery. These assignments can
be changed and customized so that the parts you use most
are right at your fingertips. See Chapter 4: Drawing and
Editing Schematics to learn how to customize HotKeys.
For a list of all default HotKeys, choose Devices > HotKeys1
or HotKeys2. Figure 2.4 shows the default HotKeys1 list.
Shortcut Keys
Command key or “shortcut” keys let you select menu
Figure 2.4. Use HotKeys to commands directly. The following table lists the available
quickly select devices. You short cut keys in CircuitMaker.
can customize HotKeys to fit
your needs. Keystroke What it Does
Ctrl+N Starts a new CKT file.
Ctrl+O Lets you choose a file to open.
Ctrl+S Saves the current file.
Ctrl+P Prints/plots the current file.
Shift+Space Opens the Script Functions dialog
box.
Ctrl+Z Undo (reverse) an action.
Ctrl+X Cuts the currently selected item or
group of items to the Clipboard.
Ctrl+C Copies the currently selected item or
group of items to the Clipboard.
Ctrl+V Pastes the currently selected item or
group of items from the Clipboard.
Shift+Insert Moves the currently selected group
of items.
Ctrl+D Duplicates the currently selected item
or group of items.
Ctrl+F or End Refreshes the screen.

Esc Aborts the current operation.
Page Up Enlarges the display (zooms in).
Page Down Reduces the display (zooms out).
Delete Deletes the current selection.
Home Centers the screen around the cursor
Tab Skips to next input item in dialog
boxes.
Arrow Keys Nudges a selected device (by
pressing the Left, Right, Up, or Down
Arrow keys).
CircuitMaker Preferences
CircuitMaker stores many settings such as program and
circuit defaults. You specify preference settings using the
Preferences dialog box (choose File > Preferences) as
shown in Figure 2.5. You can use different Preference
settings or reload the factory defaults. See Chapter 9: File
Menu for more information.
Changing Preferences
1 Choose File > Preferences.
2 Make the desired changes then choose OK.
Restoring Factory Defaults

If your Preferences settings have become confused, you can
restore them to the way they were when you first started
CircuitMaker.
2 Choose Factory Settings then choose OK.

Figure 2.5. Use the Preferences dialog box to manage
CircuitMaker settings.
Basic .CKT File Management

This section explains the basic CircuitMaker file management
procedures.
Starting, Saving & Closing a .CKT File

The features you will use most often are New, Save, and
Save As.
1 Choose File > New to start a new file.
2 Choose File > Save if you’ve already established a

filename.
Or
Choose File > Save As to give the file a filename. This is
the way to copy a .CKT file.

3 Choose File > Close > Yes to save and exit a .CKT file
without exiting CircuitMaker.
OR
Choose File > Exit > Yes to exit CircuitMaker and save
your work.
Opening and Re-Opening a .CKT File

1 Choose File > Open.
2 Select the file with .CKT extension that you want to

open, then choose Open.
You can open any of the last 8 .CKT files you’ve had open.
1 Choose File>Reopen.
2 Select the file you want to reopen.
Reverting to Previously Saved File

If you made changes to a .CKT file that you don’t wish to
save, you may “revert” to the last version of the .CKT file
you saved under the same filename.
To revert to the previously saved file,
1 Choose File > Revert.

CHAPTER 3
Tutorials
This chapter covers step-by-step processes in the order you
would normally perform them. Working through the follow-
ing examples will provide a general understanding of the way
CircuitMaker works and will illustrate that there is often more
than one way of doing a task.
Tutorial 1: Drawing a Schematic

This tutorial covers the following topics:
• Using the Device Selection dialog box
• Selecting a transistor
• Selecting resistors
• Selecting a +V and ground device
• Changing resistor and transistor label values
• Wiring the circuit
Using the Device Selection Dialog Box

Drawing a schematic is as easy as pointing and clicking with
the mouse. Let’s walk through a simple example by con-
structing the circuit shown in Figure 3.1.
Vcc
+15V
RB RC
220k 870
Q1
2N2222A
Figure 3.1. This is a very simple circuit that consists of one

transistor, two resistors, a power source, and a ground.
Chapter 3: Tutorials 3-43

1 Begin by starting the CircuitMaker program and, if
New Button necessary, clearing the workspace by choosing File >
New or clicking the New button on the Toolbar.
2 Choose Devices > Browse or click the Parts button on
the Toolbar to display the Device Selection dialog box,
pictured in Figure 3.2.
Note: Throughout this tutorial, the location of a device
Parts Button in the library is indicated by its major and minor class
and its default HotKey (if applicable) using this format:
[major device class/minor device class] (default
HotKey)
Parts Search Button For example, a battery is found at [Analog/Power] (b).

You can also find devices through hotkeys in the
Devices > HotKeys1 and HotKeys2 menus. By simply
pressing a HotKey (for example, the letter “b”) you can
quickly select and insert a device into the workspace.
Figure 3.2. Use the Device Selection dialog box to pick a

device from a large library of devices. Notice that, in this
example, the 2N2222A transistor is selected.
3-44 Chapter 3: Tutorials

Selecting a Transistor
Begin the circuit by selecting the 2N2222A transistor [Active
Components/BJTs].
1 Select Active Components in the Major Device Class
Transistor
list, BJTs in the Minor Device Class list, and NPN
Trans:C in the Device Symbol list. Select the 2N2222A
transistor in the Model/Subcircuit list.
2 Click Place to select this device from the library.
You can also click the Search button on the Toolbar,
type 2n2222a, and click Find to quickly find the part.
3 Position the transistor at about mid-screen and then
click the left mouse button once.
Notice that the transistor is placed on the workspace
and no longer follows the mouse (see picture at left).
Selecting the Resistors

The next procedure involves placing two resistors.
1 Choose Options > Auto Repeat (make sure the feature
Resistor RB has a check mark next to it) or press Ctrl+R.
2 Select a Resistor [Passive Components/Resistors] (r) by
pressing the letter r on the keyboard. Notice that the
resistor is oriented horizontally.
3 Press the r key again (or click the Right mouse button)
to rotate the device 90°.
Resistor RC 4 Drag the resistor above and to the left of the transistor
and click the Left mouse button once.
This will be resistor RB. Don’t worry about the value
yet. Since you enabled the Repeat On feature, another
resistor will appear with the same orientation as the
previous one.
5 Place the next resistor directly above the transistor. This
will be resistor RC.
6 Another resistor appears. Press any key on the key-
board (except R or M) to delete it.
7 Choose Options > Auto Repeat and uncheck the Auto
Repeat feature or press Ctrl+R.

Selecting +V and Ground Devices
Now you’ll place a voltage source and change its settings.
Voltage device
1 Select a +V [Analog/Power] (1) by pressing the 1
(number one) key. Place it above resistor RC.
2 Select a Ground [Analog/Power] (0) by pressing the 0
(zero) key. Place it below the transistor.
3 Double-click the +V device using the Left mouse button
to open the Edit Device Data dialog box, pictured in
Figure 3.3.
Ground
Figure 3.3. The Edit Device Data dialog box lets you
change a wide range of device settings.
4 Change the Label-Value field to read +15V.
5 Click once on the Visible check box next to the Label-
Value field to change the black check mark to a grayed-
out check mark. This causes +15V to replace the +V on
the schematic.
6 Enter Vcc in the Designation field and click once in the
Visible check box next to it so that there is a black check
mark in it. Click OK.

Changing Resistor/Transistor Label-Values
Now try the same editing procedure on the transistor and
resistors.
1 Double-click resistor RB.
2 Change the Label-Value field to read 220k, enter RB in
the Designation field, make it visible and click OK.
3 Double-click resistor RC.
4 Change the Label-Value field to read 870k, enter RC in
the Designation field, make it visible then click OK.
5 Double-click the transistor to display the Model Selec-
tion dialog box.
Since you have already selected the model that you want
to display (2N2222A), just click on the Netlist button to
open the Edit Device Data dialog box.
6 Enter Q1 in the Designation field and make it visible.
Click OK, and then click Exit to return to the schematic.
7 If necessary, drag the devices and labels around with the
mouse to place them in convenient locations.
Wiring the Circuit Together

Now it’s time to hook up these devices into a working circuit
by wiring them together.
1 Select the Wire Tool from the Toolbar (or use the Arrow
Tool if the Arrow/Wire option is enabled).
2 Place the cursor on the emitter pin (the pin with the
Wire Tool arrow) of the transistor.
When the cursor gets close to the pin, a small rectangle
appears.
3 Click and hold the left mouse button, then drag the wire
to the pin of the Ground symbol.
4 Release the mouse button to make the connection.
If Options > Show Pin Dots is enabled, a small dot will be
placed at each connection point to verify the connection
(see circuit example on the following page).

5 Place the cursor on the bottom pin of RC, and then click
and hold the mouse button to start a new wire.
6 Drag the end of the wire to the collector pin of the
transistor and release the mouse button.
7 Connect a wire from the top pin of RC to Vcc.
8 Connect another wire from the bottom pin of RB to the
base of the transistor.
9 Finally, connect a wire from the top pin of RB to the
middle of the wire which connects Vcc to RC.
You can move device and wire positions by dragging
them with the mouse.
The completed schematic
Tutorial 2: Simulating a Digital Circuit

The best way to see how the digital simulation works is to
Open Button load an example circuit and try some commands.
1 Click the Open button in the Toolbar.
2 Select the SIM.CKT file from the list of available
circuits.
The SIM.CKT circuit contains several mini-circuits and
is useful for demonstrating CircuitMaker’s digital
simulation features.
3 Click the Run Tool on the Toolbar to start simulation.
You know that simulation is running when you see a
Hex Display showing a count sequence.
Run Tool 4 Select the Probe Tool from the Toolbar and touch its tip
to the wire just to the left of the label “Probe Wire to the
Left”.
The following illustration describes the meaning of the
letters that might appear in the Probe Tool, depending
on what part of the schematic you touch with the tool.
High State Pulse (between High

and Low States)
Low State Unknown or Tristate

Probe Tool 5 Move the tip of the Probe Tool to the Logic Switch
labeled “Toggle Switch” and click near its center. The
Logic Display connected to the output of this mini-
circuit should then start to toggle on and off rapidly.
6 Click the Waveforms Tool button on the Toolbar to open
Trace Button the digital Waveforms window. Each node in the circuit
Waveform Button that has a SCOPE attached is charted in this window.
7 Select Simulation > Scope Probe.
A new waveform called Probe displays in the Wave-
forms window. Watch what happens to this waveform as
you move the Probe Tool around the circuit.
8 Click the Trace button in the Toolbar to see the state of
every wire in the circuit as the state changes.
9 Click the Stop button in the Toolbar to stop simulation.
Stop Button
Tutorial 3: Analog Analysis

The best way to get acquainted with CircuitMaker’s analog
simulation is to build a few simple circuits, set up the
analyses, and run the simulations. This tutorial covers:
• Simple circuit analysis
• Simulating a simple AC circuit
• More circuit simulation
• Setting up the analyses
• Running the simulation
• Mixed-mode simulation

Simple Circuit Analysis
New Button Let’s begin with a simple DC circuit:
1 Click the New button on the Toolbar.
This opens an untitled circuit window.
2 Click the Digital/Analog Simulation mode toggle
button.
Digital Simulation You know CircuitMaker is in Analog mode when the
transistor icon, not the AND gate icon, is visible on the
Toolbar (see pictures at left). If the AND gate icon is
displayed (Digital mode), click the button to switch.
Analog Simulation 3 Draw the circuit as shown in Figure 3.4, using the
following devices:
• 1 Battery [Analog/Power] (b)
• 1 Ground [Analog/Power] (0 (zero))
• 2 Resistors [Passive Components/Resistors] (r)
Figure 3.4. A quick way to access the devices for this

circuit is to use the HotKey shortcuts (explained in
Chapter 2) and type the keys for the corresponding
devices.
Wire Tool
Note: Every analog circuit must have a Ground and
every node in the circuit must have a DC path to
ground.
4 Use the Wire Tool to wire the circuit together (or the
Arrow Tool when the Arrow/Wire option is enabled).
5 Choose Simulation > Analyses Setup then click the
Analog Options button to display the dialog box shown
in Figure 3.5.

Figure 3.5. The third option (selected) lets you measure
voltage, current, and power with the Probe Tool.
6 From the Analysis data saved in RAW file group box,
select the third option, Node Voltage, Supply Current,
Device Current and Power then click OK to exit Analog
Options.
This option lets you to take current and power measure-
ments with the Probe Tool.
7 Click the Run Analyses button to start the simulation.
OR
Click Exit and click the Run Tool on the Toolbar.
An interactive SPICE simulation window appears during
the SPICE data collection process showing the progress
of the simulation. When the SPICE data collection
Probe Tool
process is completed, the Multimeter Window appears.
8 Click the wire connected to the + terminal of the battery
with the tip of the Probe Tool. Notice that the letter V
appears on the Probe Tool when you move it over a wire.

The DC voltage at that node (+10V) appears in the
Multimeter Window.
9 Click the wire connected between the two resistors.
The DC voltage at that node (+5V) appears in the
Multimeter Window. SPICE data is not collected for the
Ground node in the circuit; it is always at zero volts.
10 Click the + pin of the battery or one of the resistor pins.
Notice that an “I” displays on the Probe Tool when it is
over a device pin.
The current through that device (5mA) appears in the
Multimeter Window.
11 Click directly on one of the resistors. Notice that a “P”
Stop Button displays on the Probe Tool when over a device.
The power dissipated by that resistor (25mW) appears
in the Value Window.
12 Click the Stop button on the Toolbar to stop the
simulation and return to editing mode.
Creating a Simple RC Circuit

Now let’s replace one of the resistors with a capacitor to
create a simple RC circuit where you can see the charging of
the capacitor. Transient Analysis begins its simulation in a
stable DC condition where the capacitors are already
charged. Since you want to see the capacitor charging from
time zero, you must set the initial condition of the capacitor
to 0V.
1 Using the Delete Tool on the Toolbar, delete the second
Delete Tool
resistor (the one connected to ground) and the wire
leading to it.
2 Replace the resistor with a Capacitor [Passive Compo-
nents/Capacitors] (c).
3 Select an .IC device [Analog/SPICE Controls] (I) and
connect it to the wire between the resistor and capaci-
tor.
This will set an initial condition of 0V on the capacitor
for the analysis. Your circuit should now look like the
one pictured in Figure 3.6.

Figure 3.6. By replacing the resistor with the capaci-
tor, you can create a simple RC circuit to see the
charging of the capacitor.
4 Run the simulation again by clicking the Run button on
the Toolbar.
This time the Transient Analysis window (similar to an
oscilloscope) appears.
5 Click the Transient Analysis window to select it, and
then click with the tip of the Probe Tool between the
resistor and capacitor.
Notice a diagonal line across the scope. This is actually
the beginning of the charge curve for the capacitor. Your
view of the curve is limited by start and stop times of
the Transient Analysis that were selected by default.
You now have the option of changing the Transient
Analysis settings to increase the size of the time
segment that you can view with the scope, or you can
reduce the component values so the capacitor will
charge quicker. For this example, you will change the
component values.
6 Stop the simulation by clicking the Stop button.
7 Double-click the Resistor to display the Edit Device
Data dialog box.
8 Change the Label-Value from 1k to 100, and then click
OK.
9 Double-click the Capacitor, change the Label-Value from
1uF to .001uF, and then click OK. Compare your
schematic with Figure 3.7.

Figure 3.7. Notice that the resistor and capacitor now
have different label-values.
10 Run the simulation again.
This time you will see the charge curve of the capacitor.
Simulating a Simple AC Circuit

Now let’s create a simple AC circuit using a Signal Generator
and two Resistors:
1 Click the New button on the Toolbar.
2 Draw the circuit as shown in Figure 3.8, using the
following devices:
• 1 Signal Gen [Analog/Instruments] (g)
• 1 Ground [Analog/Power] (0 (zero))
• 2 Resistors [Passive Components/Resistors] (r)
Figure 3.8. A simple AC circuit with a Signal Genera-

tor and two Resistors.
3 Use the Wire Tool to wire the circuit together (or the
Arrow Tool when the Arrow/Wire option is enabled).

4 Make sure you are in Analog simulation mode (the
transistor icon is showing on the simulation mode
button), then run the simulation.
5 Click the Transient Analysis window to select it, then
click the wire connected to the output of the Signal
Generator.
The sine wave appears on the scope.
6 Hold down the Shift key and click the wire connected
between the two resistors.
A second waveform appears on the scope.
7 Stop the simulation.
Tutorial 4: More Circuit Simulation

The next example demonstrates how to use all of the
analyses and how to take simple measurements using the
cursors in the analysis windows. Let’s create a basic 10X
amplifier circuit using a µA741 Op Amp in this configuration:
voltage gain = RF/RI
1 Choose File > New.
2 Make sure that Analog simulation mode is selected.
3 Draw the circuit as shown in Figure 3.9 using the
following devices:
• 1 Signal Gen [Analog/Instruments] (g) for Vin on

the schematic
• 2 +V devices [Analog/Power] (1) for Vcc and Vee
• 2 Grounds [Analog/Power] (0 (zero))
• 3 Resistors [Passive Components/Resistors] (r) for

RI, RF and RL
• 1 Op-Amp5 [Linear ICs/OPAMPs] for U1

Figure 3.9. A 10X Amplifier Circuit.
4 Select the Rotate 90 button on the Toolbar, which lets
you rotate devices in 90° increments.
5 Using the Rotate 90 button, rotate RL and the -12V
supply.
6 Use the Wire Tool to wire the circuit together.
7 Use the Arrow Tool to drag the devices, wires and
labels to make the circuit look clean.
8 Select the Arrow Tool and double-click the Op Amp.
9 Select UA741 from the list of available subcircuits
(located near the bottom of the list; see Figure 3.10) and
click the Select button.
10 Click the Netlist button.
11 Set the Designation field to U1, set it to be visible, and
then click OK.
12 Double-click the top +V device.
13 Set the Label-Value field to +12V and visible; set the
Designation field to Vcc and visible; set the Device field
to NOT visible then click OK.
14 Double-click the bottom +V device.

Figure 3.10. Use the Subcircuit Selections dialog box
to select a specific model, such as the UA741.
15 Set the Label-Value field to -12V and visible; set the
Designation field to Vee and visible; set the Device field
to NOT visible then click OK.
16 Click and drag the labels so they are positioned as
shown on the schematic in Figure 3.9.
17 Double-click each resistor to change both its Label-
Value and its Designation and make them visible. Set
them up as follows:
Resistor Label-Value Designation
Input 10k RI
Feedback 100k RF
Load 25k RL
18 Double-click the Signal Generator.
19 Set Peak Amplitude to 0.1V and the frequency to 10kHz.
20 Click the Wave button in the Signal Generator.
21 Enable the Source check box for AC Analysis; set
Magnitude to -0.1V and Phase to 0, and then click OK.
You can now use the Signal Generator as a reference for
the AC analysis.
22 Click the Netlist button.
23 Set Designation to Vin, Visible, and then click OK.
Note: The Label-Value field contains -1/1V which
represents the minimum and maximum programmed
voltage swings before you double-clicked on the Signal
Generator.

Setting Up the Analysis
Now that you have created the circuit, you will set up the
analyses. When you run the simulation, the results are
based on the conditions you set up.
1 Select Simulation > Analyses Setup.
2 Uncheck the Always Set Defaults for Transient and
Operating Point Analyses option so it is cleared.
By unchecking this option, you can access the Tran-
sient and Multimeter (Operating Point) Analysis setups.
When checked, defaults are used for the simulation.
3 Click the Transient/Fourier button.
4 Click the Set Defaults button for default Transient
Analysis setups and click OK.
This provides simulation for 5 cycles of the input signal
with 200 data points. For best reliability, Max Step
should be the same size as Step Time. More data points
require longer simulation time.
5 Click the Multimeter button.
6 Select the DC (Operating Point) option in the Display
group box and click OK. This sets the initial display
mode of the Value Window to DC.
Note: You must enable Transient Analysis in order to
obtain DC AVG or AC RMS values. Multimeter must be
enabled in order to use the Multimeter Window.
7 Click the DC... button.
8 Select the Enabled and Enable Secondary options in the
DC Analysis Setup dialog box. When you are finished
entering the following settings into the appropriate
fields, choose OK.
Primary Secondary
Source Name Vin Vcc
Start -1.5V 10V
Stop -.7V 14V
Step 0.01V 1V

This setup lets you sweep the voltage of Vin over the
specified range at each of 5 different Vcc levels.
9 Click the AC... button.
10 Select the Enabled option in the AC Analysis Setup
dialog box and enter the following settings into the
appropriate fields:
Start Frequency 1 Hz
Stop Frequency 1MegHz
Test Points 10
Sweep Decade
This setup lets you plot the frequency response of the
circuit. Click OK to save the settings. Click Exit to return
to the circuit.
11 Select File > Save As and save the circuit as
MYAMP.CKT (analyses setups are saved with the
circuit).
Running the Simulation

When you run the simulation, an interactive XSpice window
appears showing the progress of the simulation. By placing
Run-Time Test Points in your circuit beforehand, you can
monitor the results as XSpice collects the data (for more
information about Test Points, see Chapter 6: Analog/
Mixed-Signal Simulation).
If you don’t place any Run-Time Test Points, you will see
only a bar graph showing the progress of the simulation.
The amount of time it takes to finish is based on the analy-
ses you have enabled, the amount of data you're collecting,
the complexity of the circuit, and the speed of your com-
puter.
1 Select the Probe Tool on the Toolbar.
2 Using the left mouse button, click the wire connected to
the output of the Op-Amp with the tip of the Probe Tool.
CircuitMaker places a Run-Time Test Point on that node
and displays a dialog box.

3 Enable the AC, DC and TRAN check boxes, change the
Max. Scale of the DC graph to 15, and then click OK.
4 Click the Run button on the Toolbar to start the
simulation.
The interactive XSpice simulation window displays
showing the waveforms as the data is collected. When
the data collection process has completed, CircuitMaker
displays the analyses windows.
5 Select View > Fit Circuit to Window (or press F4) to
make the entire circuit visible.
6 Click the Multimeter window to select it (it’s in the
upper left hand corner of the screen and should say DC
in the title bar).
7 Click on any wire in the circuit (except a wire connected
to ground) with the tip of the Probe Tool. Notice that
the letter V displays on the Probe Tool when it’s over a
wire.
The DC voltage at that node will be displayed in the
Value window.
8 Click the pin of the +12V power supply.
The DC current through that supply appears in the
Value window. Notice that the letter I appears on the
Probe Tool when it’s over a pin.
You can also measure current and power on other
devices, but only if you have enabled corresponding
Test Points (see the information about Test Points later
in this tutorial).
Note: SPICE sees the current flowing into the positive
terminal of a power supply, Multimeter or Signal
Generator as positive current.
9 Double-click the Multimeter window, change the setting
to AC RMS then click OK.
Now when you click the wires in the circuit the AC
voltage or current appears.

10 Click in the Transient Analysis window to select it, and
then click the wire connected to the output of the Signal
Generator with the tip of the Probe Tool.
A green waveform appears in the Transient Analysis
window, similar to what would be seen on an oscillo-
scope.
11 Hold down the Shift key and click on the wire con-
nected to the output of the Op Amp.
A second (yellow) waveform appears in the Transient
Analysis window. A quick comparison of the two
waveforms confirms that the amplitude at the output of
the amplifier is much greater than the amplitude at the
input.
12 Click the c cursor at the far right of the Transient
Analysis window and drag it to the top peak of the
output waveform (the yellow one).
13 Click the d cursor and drag it to the top peak of the input
waveform (the green one).
The actual peak voltages appear at the top of the graph
as Yc and Yd. As you can see from the Yc and Yd
values, the peak voltage at the output of the amplifier is
10 times the peak voltage at the input of the amplifier.
The difference between the two Y cursors is shown as
c-d.
14 Click the b cursor at the top of the Transient Analysis
graph and drag it to the top peak of the first cycle of the
output waveform.
15 Click the a cursor and drag it to the top peak of the
second cycle of the output waveform.
The period (period = 1/frequency) of the signal is shown
as the difference between the two X cursors a-b. The
frequency also appears directly.
16 Draw a selection rectangle around a portion of the
waveforms in the Transient Analysis window that is of
interest to you. Do this by clicking the mouse once and
holding the mouse while you draw a box.

Reset Button Notice that when you release the mouse button, the
view zooms in on the portion of the waveform that you
selected. To restore the original view, click the Reset
button in the graph window.
17 Click the DC Analysis window to select it, then click on
any wire in the circuit.
A DC analysis waveform displays in the window, similar
to what would be seen on a curve tracer. Use the
cursors to get measurements from the waveforms.
18 Click the AC Analysis window to select it, and then
click the wire at the output of the Op Amp.
An AC analysis waveform displays in the window.
19 Click the Setup button (the left button) in the upper left
hand corner of the AC Analysis window.
20 Select Log scale for the X Grid; select Decibels for the Y
Axis, click the Show Wave Grid check box then click
OK.
The waveform now shows the response of the circuit
over the specified frequency. Use the cursors to get
measurements from the waveforms.
21 Click the Stop button on the Toolbar to stop the
simulation and return to editing mode.
Mixed-Mode Simulation Example

The following BCD counter circuit demonstrates how digital
SimCode devices can be used in analog simulation mode.
1 Choose File > New.
2 Make sure that Analog simulation mode is selected.
3 Draw the circuit shown in Figure 3.11 using the follow-
ing devices:
• Data Sequencer [Analog/Instruments]
• 74LS168A Counter [Digital by Number/741xx]
• +V [Analog/Power] (1)
• Ground [Analog/Power] (0 (zero))

• Logic Switch [Switches/Digital] (s)
• Logic Display [Displays/Digital] (9)
• Hex Display [Displays/Digital] (h).

4 Double-click the +V and enter DVCC; (including the
semicolon) in the Bus Data field to connect this device
to the Vcc pin of the 74LS168A.
5 Double-click the Data Sequencer.
6 Click the Pattern button.
Figure 3.11. BCD Counter Circuit.

7 Select Count Up and click OK.
8 Enter 20 in the Stop Address field, and then click OK.
9 Choose Simulation > Analyses Setup and make sure the
Always Set Defaults check box at the bottom of the
dialog box is checked, and then choose OK.
10 Select the Probe Tool on the Toolbar.
11 Using the Left mouse button, click on the wire con-
nected to the output of the Data Sequencer with the tip
of the Probe Tool.
CircuitMaker places a Run-Time Test Point on that node
and a dialog box appears.
12 Enable the TRAN check box and the Combine Plots
check box.

13 Set the Max. Scale of the TRAN graph to 20, and then
click OK.
14 Hold down the Shift key and click the wire connected to
the TC (terminal count) output of the 74LS168A.
CircuitMaker places a second Run-Time Test Point on
that node and a dialog box appears.
15 Again, enable the TRAN and Combine Plots check
boxes.
16 The Max. Scale should already be set to 20. Set the
Vert. Offset to 6, and then click OK.
17 Click the Run button on the Toolbar to start the
simulation.
The interactive SPICE window appears, showing
waveforms as the data is being collected. When the
SPICE data collection process is completed, the
Transient Analysis window appears.
18 Click the output of the Data Sequencer to view the clock
signal in the Transient Analysis window.
19 Click the Man button in the corner of the Transient
Xa: 20.00u
Yc: 5.400
Xb: 0.000
Yd: 0.000
a-b: 20.00u freq: 50.00k
c-d: 5.400
Analysis window to switch to manual scaling mode.
Units/Div X: 5.000u Y: 10.00
b a
A
B
20 Click the Up scale button to change the vertical scale to
C
D
10V/Div.
E
Y=10V/Div
c
F
d
21 Click the green waveform label along the left-hand edge
of the Transient Analysis window to select the wave-
form.
0 5u 10u 15u 20u 25u 30u
Ref=Ground X=5uS/Div
22 Press the Up Arrow key briefly to change the vertical

position of the waveform, moving the waveform near
the top of the graph.
23 While holding down the Shift key, click the Q0 output
of the 74LS168A.
A yellow waveform appears near the center of the
graph.
24 Click the corresponding yellow label along the left-hand
edge of the Transient Analysis window to select this
waveform.

25 Press the Up Arrow key to change the vertical position
of the waveform, moving it near the green waveform.
26 Repeat this procedure for each output of the 74LS168A.
The resulting graph should appear similar to the one
shown at the left.
You can run this same circuit in Digital Logic simulation
mode. To try it, stop the simulation, switch to digital and run
simulation. In Digital Logic simulation mode, the displays
will be animated to show the correct output.

CHAPTER 4
Drawing and Editing Schematics

Using CircuitMaker’s robust set of drawing and editing
tools, you can create simple to complex schematics quickly
and easily. This chapter covers schematic drawing and
editing tools and features.
Figure 4.1. CircuitMaker lets you search a library of

devices, place them, wire them together, and edit the
schematic drawing exactly to your specifications.
Drawing & Editing Tools

This section describes the buttons on the Toolbar that you
will use when placing and wiring components.
Wire Tool Zoom Tool
Arrow Tool Mirror Button
Text Tool Rotate 90 Button

Delete Tool
Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing Schematics 4-67

Arrow Tool
Use the Arrow Tool to select items, move items, flip
switches, select tools from the Toolbar, etc. You can double-
click items with the Arrow Tool to perform many functions,
such as editing specific devices. You can also activate the
Arrow Tool by pressing Alt+A or right-clicking the mouse in
the schematic background and choosing Arrow from the
pop-up menu. If you choose Options > Arrow/Wire, you
can use the Arrow Tool to place a wire by clicking on a
device pin.
Wire Tool
Tip: Right-click with the
Use the Wire Tool to place wires in the work area. Draw bus
mouse to access helpful
wires by holding down the Shift key when starting to draw
pop-up menus. Contents of
the wire. Refer to the sections Wiring the Circuit and
the pop-up menus will vary
Working with Bus Wires later in this chapter for more
depending on where you
information. Draw a dashed line by holding down the Alt
click.
key while drawing a wire. Dashed lines act just like regular
wires, but if they are not connected to anything, they will
not be included in a netlist. You can also activate the Wire
Tool by pressing Alt+W or by right-clicking the mouse in
the schematic background and choosing Wire from the pop-
Tip: Hold down the Alt key up menu.
while using the Wire Tool
to draw a dashed line, for Text Tool
example, around a section Use the Text Tool to place text in the circuit. Select the tool,
of circuitry to show that it click in the work area and type the text. Choose Edit > Font
is a logical block. to stylize the text or choose View > Colors to assign a
different color to text. You can alter the way multi-line text
wraps by clicking it with the Text Tool and resizing its
enclosing rectangle. You can also select the Text Tool by
pressing Alt+T or by right-clicking in the schematic back-
ground and choosing Text from the pop-up menu.
Delete Tool
Tip: Using the Text Tool, Use the Delete Tool to selectively delete items. Select the
you can add text anywhere Delete Tool, click on the item you want to delete, and the
in the schematic drawing. item is immediately deleted, except in the case of wires: If
you click and hold on a wire with the Delete Tool, the wire is
highlighted but not deleted until you release the mouse
button. If you hold down the mouse button and move the
Delete Tool away from the wire, the wire is not deleted. This
allows you to see the complete extent of the wire that will be
deleted, before you actually delete it. To delete just a
4-68 Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing Schematics

segment of wire, right-click on a wire with the Delete Tool
and choose "Delete Wire Segment", and only the segment
between the nearest corners or connections will be deleted.
Cut (or divide) a wire in two by holding down the Shift key
and clicking the wire with the Delete Tool. The wire is
separated at the contact point.
You can also select the Delete Tool by pressing Alt+D or by
right-clicking in the schematic background the mouse and
choosing Delete from the pop-up menu. Or select an item
and press the Delete key on the keyboard to delete that item.
Zoom Tool
Use the Zoom Tool to magnify (zoom in) and reduce (zoom
out) your circuit. To zoom in, select the Zoom Tool and
position it over the area that you want to enlarge. Click the
left mouse button to magnify the circuit by the selected
Scale Step size. To zoom out, select the Zoom Tool and
position it over the area you want to reduce. Hold down the
Shift key and click the left mouse button to reduce the
circuit by the selected Scale Step Size.
You can also activate the Zoom Tool by pressing Alt+Z or
by right-clicking the mouse in the schematic background and
choosing Zoom from the pop-up menu.
Another zooming method is to press the Page Up key on the
keyboard to zoom in or the Page Down key to zoom out at
any time, without using the Zoom Tool. In this case, the
zoom is centered on the position of the mouse cursor. See
also Display Scale, Normal Size/Position and Fit Circuit to
Window in Chapter 13: View & Window Menus.
Rotate 90 Button
Use the Rotate 90 Button to rotate the selected device in 90°
increments.
You can also rotate a device as you select it from the library
by pressing the r key on the keyboard or by clicking the
Right mouse button before placing the device in the circuit.
Use the Rotate 90 Button to You can also select the Rotate 90 Button by choosing Edit >
rotate a selected device in Rotate 90 or by pressing Alt+R.
increments of 90°. Notice that Note: When you rotate a device, pin names and numbers
the Label-Value remains and label values remain readable, that is, they won’t be
readable as the device rotates. upside down.

Mirror Button
Use the Mirror Button to flip the device horizontally. You
can also mirror a device as you select it from the library by
pressing the m key on the keyboard before placing the
device in the circuit. You can also select the Mirror Button
by choosing Edit > Mirror or by pressing Alt+M.
Grid, Title Block and Borders

CircuitMaker gives you many advanced schematic features
to enhance your schematic, and make precise placement
easier.
Grid
Use the Grid option to turn the alignment grid of the circuit
window on or off (see Figures 4.1a and b). The grid is useful
as an aid in precisely aligning objects. Use Snap To Grid to
place new devices (devices not already in a circuit) accord-
ing to the specified grid. It also lets you move old devices
(devices already in the circuit) according to the selected
grid, relative to their original position.
Note: When you place a device exactly on the grid, it always
remains on the grid regardless of scroll position. However,
Snap To Grid does not guarantee alignment of component
pins.
Choose Options > Grid to access the Grid Setup dialog box.
Figure 4.1a. Use the Grid Setup dialog box to turn the
alignment grid on or off.

Grid Border Title Block
Moveable Page Breaks Figure 4.1b. Use the Border, Grid, Title Block options to
enhance the appearance of your schematic.
Title Block
Use the Title Block option (see Figure 4.1b for an example) to
add a title box to the lower right corner of the page. The title
block contains the following fields: Name, Title, Revision, ID,
Date, and Page. The Name and Title fields expand in height
to handle multiple rows of text. If you leave the Name or Title
fields blank, CircuitMaker excludes them from the title block.
The title block also expands in width according to the
amount of text that you enter. You can print the title block on

the first page, on the last page, or on all pages. Additionally,
you can print the full title block on the first page and a
reduced title block (that is, one that does not include the
Name and Title fields) on subsequent pages.
Choose Options > Title Block to access the Title Block
setup options.
Borders
Use this option to quickly locate devices by displaying a
coordinate grid system around your schematic (see Figure
4.1b for an example). For example, suppose you want to find
a device that you know is located in the B-5 grid square. By
drawing an imaginary line from the letter B and the number 5
on the margins of the schematic; the intersection of these
lines locates the grid square containing the device.
To add a border to your schematic drawing,
1 Choose Options > Border to display the Border dialog
box.
2 Select Display Border On Screen to display a border
that outlines the total allowed schematic area.
3 Select Do Not Print if you don’t want to print the
border.
OR
Select Print Around Entire Schematic to print the
border so that it is only on the outside edges of the
outside pages, making a border around the entire
schematic when the pages are arranged together.
OR
Select Print Around Each Page to print the complete
border on each page of your schematic.

Listing and Selecting Devices
CircuitMaker comes with a library of several thousand
devices (see the Device Library book for a complete list of
the devices and instruments). You can select devices (or
parts) from the library using the graphical parts browser (see
Figure 4.2), HotKey shortcuts or the Device Search feature.
The Graphical Parts Browser

You can graphically browse through the parts in
CircuitMaker from the Device Selection dialog box. The parts
are listed by Major Device Class, Minor Device Class,
Device Symbol and Model/Subcircuit.
Figure 4.2. The Device Selection dialog box lets you

graphically browse and select from a library of several
thousand devices.
To list and select a device,
1 Click the Parts Button on the Toolbar.
OR
Select Devices > Browse.
OR
Press the x key on the keyboard.

2 Locate the device you want to place by first selecting a
Major Device Class, a Minor Device Class, a Device
Symbol, and if applicable, a specific model or subcircuit.
In this manual, device location is indicated as [major
class/minor class]. For example, a 2N3904 could be
found at [Active Components/BJTs].
Notice that the schematic symbol for the part you select
is shown. Use the Rotate 90 and Mirror buttons in the
dialog box to view each device in other orientations.
3 Select the Return check box if you want to return to the
Device Selection dialog box after placing a device.
4 Click Place to select the device for placement in your
circuit (or just double-click the item to be selected in the
Device Symbol list or the Model/Subcircuit list).
Notice that the device follows the mouse around the
screen until you click the Left mouse button.
Filtering Devices in the Parts Browser
The Show Analog, Digital, and Symbol check boxes in the
Device Selection dialog box (see Figure 4.2) let you filter the
devices shown to reduce the number of parts to search
through.
• Check Analog to display the devices which function in
CircuitMaker’s Analog simulation mode.
• Check Digital to display the devices which function in
CircuitMaker’s Digital Logic simulation mode.
• Check Symbol to display the nonfunctional schematic
symbols.
For example, if you are looking for digital devices to use in
Analog simulation mode, you could uncheck both Digital
and Symbol to hide all the devices which will not run in
Analog simulation mode. At least one of the three boxes
must be checked at all times.
Note that above the picture of the device symbol are the
words Digital Only Device, Analog Only Device, Analog/
Digital Device, or Schematic Only Device. This indicates
the simulation mode for which the currently displayed
device will function properly.

HotKeys
You can also select devices by pressing a predefined
HotKey on the keyboard. The Devices menu lists all
predefined HotKey assignments, and you can reassign
HotKeys to different devices as needed.
Assigning New HotKeys
You can assign sixty of your most commonly used devices
to HotKeys. This lets you quickly select these devices by
pressing the HotKey on the keyboard or by selecting the
item from the HotKey sub-menus on the Devices menus.
To assign a HotKey to a specific device,
1 In the Device Selection dialog box (Figure 4.2), display
the device for which you want to assign a HotKey.
2 Click Change to display the dialog box in Figure 4.3.
HotKeys are listed alphabetically along with the devices
that are currently assigned to them.
3 Scroll through the list to find the HotKey that you want
to assign to your selected device, and then click the
Assign button.
Figure 4.3. Use this dialog box to assign or reassign

HotKeys to devices.

Unassigning a HotKey
To remove a HotKey assignment from the list,
1 Follow Steps 1-3 from the previous section.
2 Assign a new device in its place.
OR
Assign none (at the top of the list) as the HotKey.
Searching for Devices

Click the Device Search button on the Toolbar to display the
Device Search dialog box (Figure 4.4), which lets you find all
devices that match the part number or description that you
enter. A match is found any time the search text you enter is
contained in a device’s major class name, minor class name,
symbol name, or model description. However, only the
symbol name and model description appear in the match list.
Note: The Device Search

feature is not case sensitive.
Figure 4.4. This example shows the found set after typing
the word “voltage” in the Device Search dialog box.
If a search produces items that don’t seem to match the
search text you entered, it might be because the match
occurred with the major or minor class names, which are not
displayed.
The Device Search feature accepts partial words to match
devices. For example, a search text of op would find Op-Amp
or loop. You can also use an asterisk as a “wild card.” For

example, entering 74*8 matches 748, 7408, 74LS08, 74138,
74285, and so on. If you enter multiple words as the search
text, a match for each word is found, though not in the order
you enter them. For example, typing 741 op-amp and op-amp
741 would both give the same results.
To search for a device,
1 Click the Device Search button on the Toolbar.
OR
Select Devices > Search or press Shift+X.
2 Type a device name, number, or description in the text
box, then choose Find.
3 Use the scroll bar (if necessary) to scroll through the
list. When you find the device, click it to highlight it.
4 Select Return after Place to return to the Device Search
dialog box after placing an item.
5 To eliminate the need to click the Place button when a
single match is found, select Place Single Items to
automatically place an item if it is the only match found.
6 Double-click the device or click Place to place the
highlighted device in the workspace.
OR
Click Browse to display the selected part in the Device
Selection dialog box.
The Browse button is useful to see what the device
symbol looks like and also to find other similar devices.
Note: If you modify the User Library (USER.LIB) file, expect
a slight delay the next time you search for devices in the
Device Search dialog box. The delay is caused as
CircuitMaker builds a new SEARCHDB.DAT search list file.
If for any reason the search list seems incorrect or out of
date, you can create a new search list file by choosing
Macros > Update Search List.

Placing Devices
After you have searched and found a device, you can place
the device or reselect it using a number of different options
illustrated in this section.
To place a device,
1 Select it using one of the methods discussed in the
Note: If the Quick Connect
previous section.
feature is enabled and an
unconnected device pin is 2 Press the r key or Right-click the mouse to rotate the
placed so that it touches a device into the position you want.
wire or other device pin,
CircuitMaker will auto- 3 Press the m key to mirror the device.
matically make the connec- 4 Left-click the mouse to place the device in the
tion. See the Wiring section workspace.
in this chapter for details.
Note: To repeatedly place identical devices, choose
Options > Auto Repeat or Ctrl+R.
Selecting Devices
Use the Arrow Tool to select and move devices around the
workspace. There are four different ways of selecting items
in the circuit window:
Selecting a Single Item
To select a single item, click it with the Arrow Tool. Click
anywhere else in the work area to deselect the item.
Selecting Multiple Items
To select multiple items, hold down the Shift key and click
on one or more items with the Arrow Tool. To deselect any
single item click on it a second time while still holding down
the Shift key. To deselect all items, release the Shift key and
click somewhere in the work area away from all items.
You can also select multiple items by holding down the
mouse button and dragging a selection rectangle around the
desired items. This method works especially well for
selecting switches, because clicking on a switch will not
always select it (unless you click on the outer edge of the
switch). To deselect any single item from a group of selected
items, Shift-click on it. To deselect all items, click in the
workspace away from all items.

Selecting All Items
To quickly select all items, choose Edit > Select All.
Nudging Devices
To slightly “nudge” a device in any direction, select a single
device and then press the Left Arrow, Right Arrow, Up
Arrow, or Down Arrow key (as illustrated in Figure 4.5). A
single nudge shifts the device one pixel, whether or not
Snap-to-Grid is enabled.
Note: The nudge feature does not work if you have selected
wires or multiple devices. It only works with a single device.
Figure 4.5. Use the Left, Right, Up, or Down Arrow key to
“nudge” a selected device more precisely.

Wiring the Circuit
To simulate and generate PCB netlists properly, the compo-
nents in your circuit must be correctly wired together.
CircuitMaker’s Auto Routing, Manual Routing and Quick
Connect methods are fully integrated and automatic, so you
don’t have to choose or switch between wiring modes. A
“valid connection point” for wiring is any device pin or wire.
Wiring Method How to Use

Auto Wire Routing Click and drag with the Wire Tool
from any valid connection point
to another connection point, then
release.
Manual Wire Routing Click with Wire Tool to start wire,
single-click to change directions,
then single-click on a connection
point or double-click to end wire.
Quick Connect Place or move a device with the
Arrow Tool so that unconnected
pins touch a wire or other device
pins.
The SmartWires™ Advantage
Regardless of the method of wiring you use, CircuitMaker’s
SmartWires™ feature lets you connect a wire to a device pin
or another wire without being in exactly the right place. This
ensures perfect connections every time, and eliminates any
guesswork. A user-definable connection area exists around
each valid connection point. When you place the Wire Tool
Wire Tool in a connection area, a rectangle appears highlighting the
connection point. Use the Preferences dialog box to set the
size of the connection area and whether or not to display the
rectangle. For more information, see Connection Area in
Chapter 9: File Menu.
Auto Routing
To quickly and easily Auto Route wires,
Tip: You can also draw
wires with the Arrow Tool if 1 Select the Wire Tool from the Toolbar.
you have enabled the 2 Move the tool over a valid connection point.
Arrow/Wire option on the
Options menu. Note: A valid connection point is any device pin or
wire.

3 Click and hold the left mouse button.
4 Drag the mouse to another valid connection point and
release the mouse button.
The wire automatically routes between the two points.
Auto routing requires two valid connection points. You
cannot draw a wire with auto routing that does not connect
to something on both ends. Also, you cannot draw bus
wires with the auto routing method.
The auto routing can be either Simple or Intelligent, depend-
ing on what you have selected in the Preferences dialog box.
Simple routing draws only one or two wire segments,
horizontal and/or vertical, making the shortest path without
regard for devices that might be in the way. Intelligent
routing tries to find a path which does not cross directly
over any devices. If no reasonable path can be found, the
simple method is used.
Manual Routing
Manual routing lets you freely place wires exactly where you
want them. It also lets you place “free wires” in your circuit
that are not connected to anything.
Note: To draw bus wires, use the manual routing method.
To route wires manually,
1 Select the Wire Tool from the Toolbar.
2 Move the tool to the position where you want to start
the wire.
3 Click and release the left mouse button.
The Wire Tool cursor disappears and is replaced with an
extended wiring cursor. The extended cursor simplifies
the task of precisely aligning wires with other objects.
4 Click once with the left mouse button to turn 90° or
double-click to end the wire.
5 Single-click the mouse to terminate the wire when it is at
a valid connection point (if you have enabled the Single
Click Connect option in the Preferences dialog box).

6 To cancel a wire at any time while you are drawing it,
press any key or right-click with the mouse.
Quick Connect Wiring

One of the easiest methods for wiring is to use the Quick
Connect wiring method. This feature allows you to simply
touch unconnected device pins to wires or other uncon-
nected device pins, and the connections are made automati-
cally.
To wire using Quick Connect,
1 Choose a new device from the library
OR
Nudge or click and drag an existing device with the
Arrow Tool.
2 Move the device so that the end of the unconnected
pin(s) touches a wire or other device pin(s).
3 Once placed, CircuitMaker will connect the device to
the wire or pin it is touching.
NOTE: Placing a device so that two pins are parallel over a
wire will automatically connect both ends and “insert” that
device into the wire segment (as in illustration 3 at left).
The same connection area size used by SmartWires (de-
scribed previously) is used by the Quick Connect feature.
This connection area determines how close you must be to a
wire or pin before CircuitMaker will automatically make the
connection, and can be altered in the Preferences dialog box.
By default, the Quick Connect option is always active. To
turn off Quick Connect, go to File > Preferences or Options
> Quick Connect to uncheck and deactivate the Quick
Connect option.
Extending, Joining, and Cutting Wires

Wires are fully editable and can be extended, joined, and cut.
To extend a wire,
2 Place it over the end of the wire and start a new wire to
extend the existing one.

To join two wires together,
1 Draw a wire from the end of the first wire to the end of
the second wire.
Notice that they become the same wire.
To cut a single wire into two or more separate wires,

1 Select the Delete Tool from the Toolbar.
2 Place it over the point(s) where you want to cut the wire.
3 Hold down the Shift key.
4 Click the left mouse button to cut the wire. The wire is
divided into multiple wires.
Moving Devices with Connected Wires

You can move a device that has wires connected to it
without disturbing the connection. When you select and
drag a device with the Arrow Tool, the wires undergo a
“rubberband” effect, meaning that they stretch (extend) but
remain connected to the device.
Working with Bus Wires

Bus wires are a special type of wire that contain multiple
individual wires. Each bus wire is identified by a number and
each individual wire within a bus also has a number. Bus
Bus connection wires wires can be easily identified in a circuit because they are
drawn thicker than regular wires.
To draw a bus wire,
1 Hold down the Shift key.
2 Draw a regular wire using the manual routing method
(see Manual Routing earlier in this chapter).
Note: You must hold down the Shift key before you start
a wire but you can release the key before the wire is
Bus wire finished.

After you draw the bus wire, a dialog box (shown in Figure
4.6) prompts you for a bus number.
Figure 4.6. Each bus must have a different bus number.

3 Enter a unique bus number.
Note: If two separate buses are given the same number,
they are considered to be the same bus, even though
they are not physically connected on the screen.
You can extend, join, or cut bus wires just like regular wires.
However, you don’t need to hold down the Shift key when
extending bus wires.
Working with Bus Connection Wires

Regular wires that are connected to a bus wire are called
“bus connection wires.” These wires connect to the
individual wires within the bus.
To create bus connection wires,
2 Move the tool over a valid connection point.
Note: A valid connection point is any device pin or wire
(including a bus wire). At least one end of the bus
connection wire must be connected to a bus.
3 Click and hold the left mouse button.
4 Drag the mouse to another valid connection point and
release the mouse button.
When you make the connection, a dialog box appears
asking you to assign a bus connection wire number.
5 Specify a bus connection wire number.

6 Choose Angle Connection to Top/Left if you want to
change the angle of the connection.
To edit a bus wire or bus connection wire number, double-
click it with the Arrow Tool and change the number.
CircuitMaker displays bus and bus connection labels by
default, but you can disable them by unchecking Options >
Show Bus Labels.
Wiring Bus Connection Wires Together
If you assign two bus connection wires the same number
and you connect them to the same bus wire (or to different
bus wires with the same bus wire number), they function as
though they were connected together.
“Wiring” with Connectors

CircuitMaker has Input, Output, and Terminal connectors
[Connectors/Misc] that allow you to connect points
together without using direct wires. All Input, Output, and
Terminal connectors that have the same name will operate as
though they were wired together. Double-click one of these
devices to edit its name.
Input and Output Connectors

The Input and Output connectors have different symbols
but they are functionally identical. These connectors are
sometimes a useful alternative to direct wires. The following
two examples are functionally equivalent. The second
example uses Input and Output connectors instead of direct
wires to connect the inverter outputs to the AND gate
inputs.
Figure 4.6a: Connections using standard wiring tech-

niques.

Figure 4.6b: The equivalent connections of Figure 4.6a,
using Input and Output connectors.
Terminal Device Power Connections

The Terminal connector (also called the Terminal device) can
function like the Input and Output connectors as described
previously. Additionally, the Terminal device can be used to
connect to a power bus.
For example, suppose you have several op-amps that you
want to connect to VCC in a single net, but you do not want
to run wires everywhere. In this case you can use one
normal +V device and multiple terminal devices. Wire the +V
device to one op-amp, and wire a Terminal device to the each
of the other op-amps. Enter VCC; in the Bus Data field of
the +V device's Edit Device Data dialog box (see Bus Data in
the Edit Device section later in this chapter). Enter VCC
(not VCC;) in the Terminal Name field for each of the
Terminal devices. This use of terminal devices instead of
multiple +V devices gives you a single net for the netlist
(SPICE or PCB).
You can double click on a Terminal device to edit its name.
When you click the OK button, CircuitMaker automatically
copies the Terminal Name field to the Terminal’s Bus Data
field (in the Edit Device Data dialog box) and appends a
semicolon. The Terminal Name field is also copied to the
Label-Value field.. If for some reason you want to edit the
Bus Data field or Label-Value field directly, click the Netlist
button, make the desired changes, click OK, and then click
Cancel on the Edit Terminal Name dialog box. Normally,
entering the Terminal name in the Edit Terminal Name dialog
box should suffice.

Labeling the Circuit
CircuitMaker offers several methods of labeling the circuit,
including the Text Tool and editing the device itself.
Using the Text Tool to Label

To label the circuit using the Text Tool,
1 Select the Text Tool.
2 Click in the workspace where you want to place text.
3 Resize the text box as necessary (see picture at left).
4 Type the text.
Text can be multi-lined and fully stylized. Always visible, text
may be repositioned at any time.
Changing Device Labels

Don’t confuse a device designation with a device label-
value. Figure 4.7 illustrates the difference.
Designation
Label-Value
Figure 4.7. A Label-Value is information about a device

whereas a Designation identifies the device in the circuit.
To label devices using the Edit Device Data dialog box,
1 Double-click the device.
2 If a dialog box other than the Edit Device Data dialog
box appears, click the Netlist button.
3 Type the appropriate text in the Label-Value, Designa-
tion, or Description text box.
4 Make the text visible on the schematic by selecting its
Visible check box.
You can reposition label-values, designations and descrip-
tions anywhere around the device by dragging them with the
Arrow Tool. Even if you reposition a label around a device, it
remains attached to the device when the device is moved
around the workspace. For a detailed description of these
labels, refer to the following section, Editing Devices.

Editing Devices
You can easily edit a wide range of device information
related to schematic, simulation, pcb netlists and other
purposes.
To edit a device,
1 Double-click on a device to display the Edit Device Data
dialog box shown in Figure 4.8.
Note: A different dialog box will appear when you
double-click on certain devices, so click the Netlist
button to get to the Edit Device Data dialog box.
Figure 4.8. Use the Edit Device Data dialog box to

enter or change a variety of device information.
Device
This non-editable field shows the device name as it appears
in the library menus. Use the Visible check box to show or
hide the name in the schematic. If visible, the device name
retains the same orientation as the device when you rotate it.
The label-value, designation and description, however, will
remain right-side up no matter how the device is rotated.

Note that some device names, such as “Resistor”, cannot be
made visible.
Label-Value
Use this field to enter information about the device such as
The Label-Value field has a its label (1N914, 2N3904, etc.) or its value (47K, 100U, etc.), or
tri-state Visible check box: to replace the existing Device name (that is, make the Device
not visible and the Label visible). The Label-Value can be
Label- Value dragged around the device on the schematic with the mouse
not visible. and will remain attached to the device when the device is
moved.
Label-Value is If you set the Visible check box to gray (see diagram at left),
visible. the Label replaces the Device name and retains the same
orientation as the device when rotated. Otherwise, the label-
Label-Value is value will remain right-side up no matter how the device is
visible and rotated.
retains same
Designation
orientation as
Use this field to identify the device in the circuit such as U3,
device when
CR7, RLOAD, etc. You can also make this field visible with
rotated
the Visible check box. This field must contain the device
designation in order for simulation and pcb netlists to work
properly. The Designation label may also be dragged around
on the schematic with the mouse. It will remain right-side up
no matter how the device is rotated.
This field is filled in automatically when you place the
device. See Auto Designation Prefix later in this section for
more information. See also Set Designations in Chapter 10:
Edit Menu and Device Designations in Chapter 12: Options
Menu for other features that affect device designations.
Important: Individual parts of multipart packages must be
grouped properly. CircuitMaker takes care of this automati-
cally if you use devices as they are from the library. How-
ever, if you have altered multipart packages, they must be
grouped using the Edit > Group Items command. Just
changing the Designation field is not sufficient. Each
individual part must be identified as PART A, PART B, etc.,
from the Edit Device Pin Data dialog box. See Pins later in
this chapter.

Description
Use this field for schematic reference only. You can use it to
display additional information such as custom part numbers,
tolerances, etc. This field does not affect simulation. Use the
Visible check box to make the field visible or not. You can
also drag the Description label around on the schematic with
the mouse. The Description label will remain right-side up no
matter how the device is rotated.
Package
Use this field to identify the type of physical package
(footprint) the device is in (DIP14, TO-92B, etc.). When you
are creating pcb netlists for TraxMaker or other pcb layout
programs, make sure the Package name you enter exactly
matches the name of the corresponding component footprint
in your pcb layout program’s library.
Auto Designation Prefix

This is the prefix used when CircuitMaker automatically
assigns a device’s designation (whenever you place a
device or select Edit > Set Designations). The prefix may be
up to 4 characters in length.
Spice Prefix Character(s)

This is the SPICE prefix used in conjunction with the %D
and %M flags described later under Spice Data. You would
normally use this field when linking the macro symbols you
define to the proper model selections when creating new
devices (see Chapter 16 Creating New Devices for more
information). Valid prefixes are:
Prefix Meaning
A XSpice Model
BV Nonlinear Dependent Voltage Sources
BI Nonlinear Dependent Current Sources
C Capacitors
D Junction Diodes
DZ Zener Diodes
E Linear Voltage-Controlled Voltage Sources
F Linear Current-Controlled Current Sources
G Linear Voltage-Controlled Current Sources
H Linear Current-Controlled Voltage Sources
I Independent Current Sources

JN JFETs (N-channel)
JP JFETs (P-channel)
K Coupled (Mutual) Inductors
L Inductors
MN MOSFETs (N-channel)
MP MOSFETs (P-channel)
O Lossy Transmission Lines
QN Bipolar Junction Transistors (NPN)
QP Bipolar Junction Transistors (PNP)
R Resistors
S Voltage Controlled Switches
T Lossless Transmission Lines
U Uniform Distributed RC Lines (Lossy)
V Independent Voltage Sources
W Current Controlled Switches
X Subcircuits
ZN MESFETs (N-channel) (GaAs FETs)
ZP MESFETs (P-channel) (GaAs FETs)
Analog
This check box identifies this as a device that can be used in
CircuitMaker’s Analog simulation mode. The analog
simulator can only simulate a device if there is SPICE
simulation data for that device. If you attempt to run an
Analog simulation using a device that does not have the
Analog check box checked, CircuitMaker displays a warning
message and that device will be ignored in the simulation.
When creating your own device, this box should be checked
only if you have supplied SPICE data for the device or if the
device is a macro circuit containing other analog devices
(see Chapter 16: Creating New Devices for more informa-
tion on new device creation).
Digital
This check box identifies this as a device that can be used in
CircuitMaker’s Digital simulation mode. The digital simulator
can only simulate a device if there is digital SimCode for that
device. If you attempt to run a digital simulation using a
device that does not have the Digital check box checked,
CircuitMaker displays a warning message and that device
will be ignored in the simulation. When creating your own
device, select this box only if the device is a macro circuit

containing other digital devices or was created using digital
SimCode (see Chapter 17: Digital SimCode for more on
digital device creation).
Parameters
This field stores information that affects the simulation of
certain devices. For digital SimCode devices, this field would
contain type:digital. It could then be followed by a list of
parameters which are generally set in the Digital Model
Parameters dialog box.
Some generic device models can be redefined by passing
parameters as an alias to describe a specific device. For
example, the parameter field of a crystal would contain
alias:XCRYSTAL and could be followed by a list of
databook parameters that define that specific crystal.
Generally, you enter these parameters in the Subcircuit
Parameters dialog box. See Chapter 16: Creating New
Devices for more information on parameter passing.
Bus Data
Use this field to specify which pins on the device are
connected to the power or ground buses, since these pins
are not shown on the predefined device packages. This field
holds up to 2048 characters, which is helpful when creating
devices with many power and ground pins. The general
format for this data is:
busnam[=pinnum[,pinnum,…]];[busnam=pinnum[,pinnum,…];…]
For example, on a 74LS83 the Bus Data is:
DVCC=5;DGND=12;
This means that the Vcc bus is connected to pin 5 and the
Ground bus is connected to pin 12. The bus data for a
74AC11190 would look like:
DVCC=15,16; DGND=4,5,6,7;
The order in which the buses are listed is not important.

To connect these bus pins for Analog simulation or for
creating a PCB netlist to export into TraxMaker or other PCB
layout program, each bus must be defined. There are three
devices that can be used for this purpose: +V, Ground and
Terminal. The Bus Data format for these devices is simply:
busnam;
where busnam identifies the specific bus. For example, each
Ground device, by default, contains the Bus Data GND;
which causes all of the Ground symbols to be tied together
in a single node or net.
Note: For simulation purposes, the Ground device always
equates to Spice node 0, even if the Bus Data changes.
A +V device does not contain any default Bus Data. This is
because each +V device may represent a different supply
voltage. However, the Bus Data field can also be used on
these devices to identify it as the voltage source for the
digital devices. For this example, set the Bus Data to DVCC;
or DVDD;.
In some cases it may be necessary to connect a different
voltage source (such as the output of a voltage regulator) to
the digital devices. In such cases, connect a Terminal device
to the power source and enter DVCC in its Terminal Name
field. CircuitMaker will make a connection between the
Terminal device and any bus that has the same name.
CircuitMaker will also make a connection between the
Terminal and any Input or Output connector that has the
same name. Do not use a semicolon in the Terminal Name
field. For example, DVCC is correct, but DVCC; is incorrect
for the Terminal Name field. Note: CircuitMaker automatically
copies what you enter in Terminal Name field to the
Terminal's Bus Data field and appends a semicolon.
You can short multiple +V and Terminal devices together by
Bus Data for the +V device and Terminal Name for the
Terminal device. If you short two +V devices together, you
will receive an XSpice error when you run the simulation. To
avoid this problem, remove the Spice Data and Spice Prefix
Character from all but one of the shorted +V devices.
See also Vcc and Ground in Chapter 6: Analog/Mixed-
Signal Simulation.

Spice Data
This field is used to specify the SPICE simulation data for
the device. The analog devices provided with CircuitMaker
already have default SPICE data included. If you create your
own devices to use with the analog simulation, you will need
to fill in this field yourself. You can enter SPICE data into
this field directly, or you can reference it to the other fields in
the dialog box. The percent sign (%) is used as a flag to tell
CircuitMaker to reference the already defined fields. Their
meanings are:
Name (%N)
Inserts the Device Name into the SPICE data string. This is
the name found in the library menus.
Label (%L)
Inserts the Label-Value into the SPICE data string. This
requires the first character in the Label-Value string to be an
alpha character. The label may not exceed 8 characters.
Value (%V)
Inserts the Label-Value into the SPICE data string. This
requires the first character in the Label-Value string to be
numeric. The value may be an integer (12, -44), a floating
point number (3.14159), either an integer or floating point
number followed by an integer exponent (1e-14, 2.65e3), or
an integer or floating point number followed by one of the
following multipliers:
T = 1012 u = 10-6
G = 109 n = 10-9
Meg = 106 p = 10-12
K = 103 f = 10-15
m = 10-3
If multipliers are used, they must immediately follow the
number with no spaces. Letters that are not multipliers
immediately following a number are ignored, and letters
immediately following a multiplier are ignored. For example,
10, 10V, 10Volts, and 10Hz all represent the same number and
M, MA, Msec, and MMhos all represent the same multiplier.
Note that 1000, 1000.0, 1000Hz, 1e3, 1.0e3, 1KHz, and 1K all
represent the same number.

Model (%M)
Inserts the Label-Value into the SPICE data string. If the first
character of the Spice Prefix Character(s) does not match the
first character in the label, then it inserts the first character of
the prefix at the beginning of the string. The %M is also
required in order to guarantee that the .MODEL data for this
device will be included in the SPICE netlist file for simulation.
The Label (including prefix) may not exceed 8 characters.
Subcircuit (%S)
Inserts the Label-Value into the SPICE data string. If the first
character in the label is not an X, then it inserts an X at the
beginning of the string. The %S is also required to ensure
that the .SUBCKT data for this device will be included in the
SPICE netlist file for simulation. The Label (including the X)
may not exceed 8 characters.
Designation (%D)
Inserts the Designation label into the SPICE data string. If
the first character of the Spice Prefix Character(s) does not
match the first character in the designation, then it inserts
the first character of the prefix at the beginning of the string.
Description (%I)
Inserts the Description field into the SPICE data string.
Package (%P)
Inserts the Package label into the SPICE data string.
Bus Data (%B)
Inserts the entire Bus Data field into the SPICE data string.
Named Subcircuit (%X)
Inserts the specified subcircuit into the SPICE data string. If
the subcircuit resides in a .SUB file other than the one
associated with the symbol name of the current device, the
.SUB file name where the subcircuit is located must also be
specified. For example: %XUA741 or %XUA741:OPAMP5.
Include File (%=“path\filename.ext”)
Inserts the ASCII text file filename into the SPICE data string
by using SPICE’s .INCLUDE command. Path is the same as
the current circuit unless enclosed in quote marks (“ ”).

Node (%number)
Inserts the node number for the specified pin into the SPICE
data string. Number refers to the position of the pin in the
Edit Device Pin Data dialog box. For example, the pin at the
top of the list is represented by %1, the next pin down is %2,
etc. See Pins later in this section.
Analysis Probe Name (%[ )
Inserts the output node number associated with an Analysis
Probe. For example, %[TP1] or %[+TP1] inserts the node
number associated with the + pin of the Analysis Probe that
has the name TP1. %[-TP1] inserts the node number
associated with the - pin.
Example of Using SPICE Data

The following examples show how you can use the SPICE
Data field when creating custom devices.
Example 1
If resistor R3 has a value of 27 ohms and is connected
between node 5 and ground, the SPICE data for R3 could be
written as:
R3 5 0 27ohms
However, by using a generalized form of the SPICE data, it
can be updated automatically if items such as designations
or node numbers change. For example, the items in the
above example can be substituted accordingly:
Value Description Substitution
R3 Designation %D
5 First pin node number %1
0 Second pin node number %2
27ohms Label-Value %V
Using these substitutions, the generalized form of the SPICE
Data becomes:
%D %1 %2 %V

Example 2
If transistor Q2 is a 2N3904 with its collector connected to
node 7, its base to node 4 and its emitter to node 12, the
SPICE data may be written as:
Q2 7 4 12 Q2N3904
However, you may need to enter SPICE model data into the
netlist manually. A more universal method would be to enter
the following string:
%D %1 %2 %3 %M
Example 3
If op amp U4 is an LM741 where the +input is connected to
node 3, the -input is connected to node 1, the +V pin to node
5, the -V pin to node 12 and the output to node 9, the SPICE
data may be written as:
XU4 3 1 5 12 9 XLM741
But again, a more universal method would be to enter the
following string:
%D %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %S
Exclude From PCB

Use this check box to exclude a device from the PCB netlist.
Typically, devices used for simulation purposes only
(external inputs like a signal generator, for example) would be
excluded from the PCB netlist.
Exclude From Bill of Materials

Use this check box to exclude a device from the Bill of
Materials. See Exporting a Bill of Materials in Chapter 7:
Exporting Files for more information on generating a Bill of
Materials.
Pins
Click the Pins button on the Edit Device Data dialog box to
display the dialog box shown in Figure 4.9. This dialog box
lets you edit the pin designations of the package for the
selected device and determine whether the pin designations
will be shown on the schematic.

You can specify pin numbers using up to five alphanumeric
characters. Not only can you use standard pin numbers
such as 1, 2, 3, but you can also use pin numbers such as
A1, B1, C1, A2, B2, C2.
Some device packages actually contain more than one of the
same device. For example, a 7400 Quad 2-Input NAND gate
actually has 4 gates in the same package. The pin numbers
are different for each gate. CircuitMaker groups together the
individual gates to indicate which gates go in which
package. As you place each gate in the circuit, the next
available gate is used from the previous package. If no gates
are available in the previous package, a new package is
used. You can regroup the gates as needed using the Edit >
Group Items option. Each gate in the package is assigned a
letter (A, B, C, etc.) and the pin numbers for that gate
correspond to that assignment. You can manually reassign
the pins used for a particular gate by selecting the appropri-
ate letter (PART A, PART B, etc.) for that gate with the Up
and Down Arrows in the dialog box.
Figure 4.9. Use this dialog box as a reference for pin

SPICE information.
Default pin data has already been entered for the predefined
devices. Clicking the Default Designations button restores
the pin numbers to their original default values. You can add
default pin numbers to a macro device by editing the pin
numbers while the macro is expanded and while saving the
macro.

To edit macro pin names and designations,
1 Double-click them in the Symbol Editor (see Chapter
16: Creating New Devices for more information).
The order in which the pins appear in the list is deter-
mined by the order in which you placed pins on the
device.
To edit pin designations for a specific part,

1 Double-click them in this dialog box. This does not
change the pin designations in the library.
Faults
Clicking the Faults button on the Edit Device Data dialog
box displays the Device Faults dialog box, which lets you
add fault data to the device. If the fault data has been
password protected, the Access Faults dialog box appears.
See Chapter 8: Fault Simulation for details.
Printing and Exporting Circuits

When you have finished designing your circuit, you can
print it on any Windows-selectable printer or plotter, or
export the circuit to a file and use it in documentation,
presentations, etc.
Printing Circuits
To print a circuit, choose File > Print.
If your design is larger than a single sheet of paper it will
automatically be printed on multiple sheets of paper. To see
where page breaks occur, choose Options > Show Page
Breaks.
Adjusting Print Size

There are various ways to adjust the print size of your
schematic in CircuitMaker.
· Choose File > Print Setup and select Fit to Page and
the schematic will be automatically be scaled to fit in a
single page, or choose Scale and enter the percentage
you would like the circuit scaled to.

OR
· Choose Options > Show Page Breaks and click and

drag one of the page breaks, until the circuit fits in the
page as you want it to print.
Other print options are also available, including color
printing. See Print Setup in Chapter 9: File Menu. You can
also print digital timing diagrams, analog waveforms, title
blocks, borders, and grids. See Chapter 12: Options Menu
for more information.
Exporting Circuits as Graphics

You can export CircuitMaker circuit schematics and use them
in documentation, presentations, etc. You can either save
the circuit as a graphic file, or copy and paste the circuit
directly into another software program.
Use the Export Circuit as Graphic option to save the circuit
to disk as a Windows Metafile, Device Independent Bitmap
or Device Dependent Bitmap. Use the Export Options dialog
box, described earlier, to choose the format.
To export the circuit as a graphic,
1 Choose File > Export > Circuit as Graphic. Select the
name of the file where you want to save the circuit
graphic, then choose Save.
OR
Choose Edit > Copy to Clipboard > Circuit, then open
another Windows program and Paste the circuit directly
into your document. See also Chapter 7: Exporting
Files.

CHAPTER 5
Digital Logic Simulation

One of CircuitMaker’s most powerful features is circuit
simulation, allowing you to try variations in a design and
troubleshoot it before you invest time and money in
hardware prototypes.
CircuitMaker’s Simulation Modes

CircuitMaker is one of the few simulation programs that
offers 2 distinct modes of simulation: Analog mode and
Digital mode. This gives you greater flexibility and control
over how your circuit is simulated, and each mode has
advantages depending on the type of simulations you need.
Analog Mode is the accurate, “real-world” simulation mode
you can use for analog, digital and mixed-signal circuits.
This mode will give you results like you would get from an
actual breadboard. In Analog mode, the devices function
just like real-world parts, and each individual model func-
tions like its real-world counterpart. For example, digital ICs
have accurate propagation delays, setup and hold times, etc.
Outputs of the devices see the effect of loading on them,
and nearly all the parameters of the real world are taken into
account. See Chapter 6: Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation
for more on this mode.
Digital Mode, on the other hand, is designed for purely

digital logic simulation. This mode is only used for digital
circuits, and depends solely on the logic states of the
devices that make up the circuit. Digital mode simulation still
takes into account propagation delays, but they are unit
delays instead of actual propagation delays. No power
supply is required, and the digital device output levels are
constant in this mode.
Digital electronics is the world of the computer. The binary
1’s and 0’s of the computer are actually the high and low
voltage levels of tiny electronic devices known as integrated
Chapter 5: Digital Logic Simulation 5-101

circuits. Digital logic simulation, then, becomes a relatively
simple task because of the limited number of digital states
that must be represented. CircuitMaker’s digital logic
simulator is very fast and fully interactive, meaning you can
flip switches and alter the circuit while the simulation is
running and immediately see the response.
Devices and Simulation

CircuitMaker provides four types of devices, which can be
used in different simulation modes.
Device Type Will Function In

Digital Only device Digital simulation mode only
Analog Only device Analog simulation mode only
Analog/Digital device Analog or Digital mode
Schematic Symbol only No functionality
So any Digital Only and Analog/Digital devices will
function properly in the Digital mode. To find out the
intended simulation mode for a device, read the words above
the symbol pictured in the Device Selection dialog box. Or,
refer to the Device Library book for a description of each
device and the simulation mode for which it is intended.
If you attempt to simulate a device using a simulation mode
for which the device is not intended, CircuitMaker displays a
warning message and that device is ignored, producing an
open circuit where that device is located.
Using the Digital Logic Simulator

Digital simulation is completely interactive, meaning that the
circuit responds immediately to changes from input stimulus,
and the operation of the circuit is shown in real time as it
happens on the screen. You can observe the operation of
the circuit in the following ways:
• Enable CircuitMaker’s exclusive Trace feature to show
the state of every node in the circuit simultaneously as
the simulation runs. In this mode, wires at a logic one
are shown as red, wires at a logic zero as blue, and wires
at an unknown or tristate as green (these colors may be
changed by choosing View > Colors).
5-102 Chapter 5: Digital Logic Simulation

• Connect any number of SCOPE probes to any nodes in
the circuit, so that the timing diagrams for those nodes
TP1 are shown in a separate digital Waveforms window. The
timing information is updated continuously to show
changes as they happen in real time.
• Connect any of a variety of displays and note the
conditions shown on them.
• Use the Probe Tool to probe any wire in the circuit either
during simulation or after you have stopped it. The logic
states seen by the Probe Tool can also be charted in the
Waveforms window.
Digital Logic Simulation Tools

Several buttons in the Toolbar are used specifically for
simulation. This section describes these tools.
Note: The functionality of these buttons is somewhat
different in CircuitMaker’s Analog mode. See Chapter 6:
Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation for more information.
Step Button Probe Tool
Digital Simulation icon Waveforms

Button
Reset Button Run/Stop Button Trace Button
Digital/Analog Button
Click the Digital/Analog button to choose the simulation
mode you want to use. When the AND gate icon is dis-
played, you are in Digital simulation mode; when the
transistor icon is displayed, you are in Analog mode.
Reset Button
Click the Reset button to restart the simulation. You can also
reset by choosing Simulation > Reset or by pressing
Ctrl+Q.

Step Button
Click the Step button to run the simulation for one step or
simulation “tick”. You can also choose Simulation > Step or
press F9. Use the Simulation > Digital Setup feature (see
Figure 5.1) to control the size of a step. When you click this
tool, the simulation runs for one step and then stops. This
command is handy for debugging a circuit, especially when
used in conjunction with the Trace button.
Figure 5.1. Use the Digital Options dialog box to specify

the size of a step and other digital simulation options.
Run/Stop Button
Click the Run button to start the simulation. The icon will
change to a Stop Sign. Click the Stop Sign icon to stop the
simulation (You can also choose Simulation > Run and Stop
or press F10). When the simulation is running you can’t
perform edit operations such as move and delete (if you try,
CircuitMaker will signal a warning beep). You can flip
switches with the Arrow or Probe Tool, and view or toggle
the state of a wire with the Probe Tool.
Probe Tool
Use the Probe Tool to monitor the state of any node in the
circuit or to inject a state into a node. You can also activate
the Probe Tool by pressing Alt+P or right-clicking the
mouse and choosing Probe from the pop-up menu.
To see the state of a node, either while the simulation is
running or after it has stopped, touch the Probe Tool’s tip on
a wire or device pin. The tool displays one of four messages:
H, L, P, or no letter at all. The meanings of these letters are

illustrated at left. Choose Simulation > Scope Probe
beforehand to have CircuitMaker chart the waveforms you
High State see with the Probe Tool in the Waveforms window.
To inject a state into a node,
Low State 1 Touch the tip of the Probe Tool on a wire or device pin.
2 Click the left mouse button.
Pulse (between High The state of that node changes to be opposite of what it
and Low States) was (a one becomes a zero and a zero becomes a one).
Unknown or To inject a tristate signal,

Tristate
1 Hold down the Shift key and click.
Note: In both cases, if the node is driven by some other
device, the state change is immediately overridden because
the device drives the node back to its original state.
You can also use the Probe Tool to flip switches while the
simulation is running.
Trace Button
Click the Trace button (or press F11) to turn the trace feature
on or off. Use Trace to debug your circuit or to simply
provide a convenient way of observing operation of the
circuit. Trace shows the state of all nodes within the circuit
as it runs by drawing the wires in different colors to show
the logic state of each wire. A wire at a high state is red, a
wire at a low state is blue, and a tristate wire is green.
Note: Because the wires in the circuit will be redrawn each
time they change states, turning this option on may slow
down the simulation speed.
Waveforms Button
In digital mode, clicking on the Waveforms button will open
or close the digital Waveforms window. You can also choose
Simulation > Display Waveforms or press F12. Waveforms
are described in detail later in this chapter.

Propagation Delays
The delay of a device determines how many simulation ticks
it takes for a signal to propagate from the input to the output
of the device. The default delay for all devices is 1, but you
can change this to any value from 1 to 14. You determine the
real-time value of each tick. The concept is that if one device
has a delay of one and another a delay of three, then in the
real world the second device would have a propagation
delay three times larger than the first device.
To change the delay of one or more devices,
1 Select the device(s).
2 Select the Edit > Set Prop Delays to display the dialog
box shown in Figure 5.2.
3 Enter a new value for the delay and choose OK.
Figure 5.2. Use this dialog box to change the propaga-

tion delay of one or more devices.
Choose Options > Show Prop Delays to display the propa-
gation delay of all devices in the circuit. The delay values
are shown within a rounded rectangle located near the
center of each device. Some devices (Pulsers, Logic Dis-
plays, macro devices, etc.) do not have a delay, so no value
will be shown. In the case of macro devices, the delay is
determined by the individual delay setting of each device
within the macro.

Digital Waveforms
By attaching SCOPEs [Digital/Instrument] (t) to points of
interest in the circuit, you can graph the states of these
nodes over time as the simulation runs. Choose Simulation
> Display Waveforms or click the Waveforms button in the
Toolbar to display or hide the digital Waveforms window.
An example of the waveforms window is shown in Figure 5.3.
Breakpoint check boxes
Figure 5.3. The Waveforms window lets you graph the states
of nodes over time as the simulation runs.
Before you can view timing waveforms for any node in your
circuit, you must connect a SCOPE to each node you want to
monitor, or choose Simulation > Scope Probe to monitor the
states of the Probe Tool in the Waveforms window.
Changing Waveform Order
To change the order of waveforms,
1 Point the mouse at any of the scope labels in the
waveform window.
2 Press and continue to hold down the left mouse button.
3 Move the rectangle to the desired position.
4 Release the mouse button.
Notice that the waveforms are automatically reordered in the
window. Repeat this process as often as desired in order to
position the waveforms in any order. When you save a
circuit to disk, CircuitMaker also saves the order of the
waveforms.

Digital Options
Use the Digital Options dialog box to control the size of a
step when running the simulation in single step mode, to set
the conditions for break points and to set the simulation
speed. Choose Simulation > Digital to display the dialog
Figure 5.4. Use the Digital Options dialog box to control

the size of a step and other digital simulation options.
You can define the Step Size in either ticks or cycles. A
cycle always consists of 10 ticks. A tick is the smallest unit
of delay for the digital simulator. It takes one tick to perform
a single step of the simulation for all devices.
Adjust X Magnification to view a larger or smaller section of
the waveforms in the digital Waveforms window. By default,
the magnification is set to 8. A smaller value zooms out, a
greater value zooms in.
Use Simulation Speed to control how fast the simulation
runs. This could be useful, for example, if the simulation is
running too fast to view the states of a seven-segment
display. Setting this field to a lower number slows down the
simulation so you can view the changes of the display.
Another method of slowing the simulation would be to run it
in single step mode or set breakpoints.
Use the Breakpoint and Conditions options in conjunction
with the waveforms window to set breakpoints. The follow-
ing table illustrates the results of various combinations of
settings.

Combination Result
Level-And All break conditions must be met
before the simulation stops.
Level-Or Any one of the break conditions
stops the simulation.
Edge-And The simulation stops when the proper
edge occurs on all of the specified
waveforms.
Edge-Or The simulation stops if a transition to
any of the specified conditions
occurs.
Setting Breakpoints in a Circuit

Use the breakpoint check boxes in the digital Waveforms
window (see Figure 5.3) to set breakpoints in a circuit.
To set a breakpoint,
1 Click once in the small breakpoint check box to the left
of a SCOPE’s label in the Waveforms window to fill the
bottom portion of the square indicating a break on zero
condition.
2 Click a second time to fill the top portion of the square
indicating a break on one condition.
3 Click a third time to return the square to its empty state
indicating no break condition.

Digital Instruments
This section introduces two digital instruments: the Pulser
and the Data Sequencer.
Pulser
The Pulser [Instruments/Digital] (p) is a digital pulse
CP1Q1 generator which provides a continuous stream of highs and
CP2Q2 lows. In the pulse format, time high, time low, and trigger
mode are individually programmable for each Pulser in the
circuit.
To edit the Pulser settings,
1 Double-click the Pulser with the Arrow Tool to display
the dialog box shown in Figure 5.5.
2 Change the number of simulation ticks for which the
pulse will stay high and low, the format of the pulse
(normal or inverted), and whether the pulser is in free
run or external trigger mode.
Figure 5.5. Use the Edit Pulser dialog box to change

pulse ticks and set free run or external trigger mode.
3 Select External Trigger to use the Pulser as a program-
mable one-shot.
In the External Trigger mode, the CP1 and CP2 inputs serve
as rising and falling edge trigger inputs, respectively. If
either pin receives a trigger pulse then the outputs of the
Pulser will go active on the next simulation tick and remain
active for Pulse High ticks. You can retrigger the Pulser in
this mode so additional trigger pulses occurring before the
completion of the cycle will cause the active time to be
extended for another cycle.

Data Sequencer
You can use the Data Sequencer [Instruments/Analog] (G)
Data 8 device in both digital and analog simulation modes. Also
Seq 7
6 known as a Data or Word Generator, it allows you to specify
5 up to 32767 8-bit words which can be output in a defined
4
3 sequence. Since there is no limit to the number of Data
CP1 2
CP2 1 Sequencers that you can use in a circuit, you could place
several in parallel to create a data stream of any width.
Double-click the Data Sequencer with the Arrow Tool to
display the dialog box pictured in Figure 5.6.
Figure 5.6. Use the Edit Data Sequencer dialog box to edit
stimulus for your circuits.
Start Address is the address of the data that outputs first
when the simulation begins. Stop Address is the address of
the data that outputs last before the sequence repeats. Use
Use External Clock to make the CP1 and CP2 inputs rising
and falling edge clock inputs, respectively. If pins are
clocked, the Data Sequencer advances to the next address.
Digital Simulation Mode Only
The Present Address option indicates the address of the
data that is output next if the circuit is not reset or modified.
The Tick Increment specifies how many simulation ticks
occur before the output is advanced to the next address
when the external clock is disabled.

Analog Simulation Mode Only
Low Level and High Level indicate the output voltage levels.
Step Time is the length of time that the outputs remain at
each address when the external clock is disabled. Clock
VTH is the voltage threshold level at which the external
clock pins cause the outputs to advance to the next address.
Pattern Editor
You can type data directly into the Data list box in the Data
Sequencer dialog box. However, when creating a large
pattern this method becomes time consuming. Choose the
Pattern button on the Data Sequencer dialog box to display
the dialog box shown in Figure 5.7. The Pattern Editor helps
you to create large, complex patterns quickly.
Figure 5.7. Use the Pattern Editor to help you quickly

create large, complex patterns.
The Pattern Editor not only lets you to enter predefined
pattern sequences, it also lets you specify which rows
(addresses) and columns (bits) are affected. For example,
you could fill just one column with a count up sequence to
produce a stream of ones and zeros on a single output. Or
you could fill rows 23-67 with ones in just 5 columns and fill
the same rows with a repeating Shift 0 Left in the other 3
columns.

The Increment field indicates how many rows will contain
the same data before the next change in pattern. For example,
with an increment of 3, a Shift 1 Left pattern shifts on every
third pattern row.
You can set the maximum pattern size for each Data Se-
quencer. This lets you create small patterns for several Data
Sequencers without allocating large amounts of memory or
creating large circuit files. The Max. number of pattern lines,
by default, is set to 32, but can be increased as needed to as
many as 32767. It can never be smaller than the Stop
Address. When you increase the maximum number of
pattern rows, the new rows are filled with zeros. If you
decrease the maximum number of pattern rows, any pattern
data that was stored in the upper addresses is lost perma-
nently.

CHAPTER 6
Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation
One of CircuitMaker’s most powerful features is circuit
simulation, allowing you to try variations in a design and
troubleshoot it before you invest time and money in
hardware prototypes.
CircuitMaker’s Simulation Modes

CircuitMaker is one of the few simulation programs that
offers 2 distinct modes of simulation: Analog mode and
Digital mode. This gives you greater flexibility and control
over how your circuit is simulated, and each mode has
advantages depending on the type of simulations you need.
Analog Mode is the accurate, “real-world” simulation mode

you can use for analog, digital and mixed-signal circuits.
This mode will give you results like you would get from an
actual breadboard. In Analog mode, the devices function
just like real-world parts, and each individual model func-
tions like its real-world counterpart. For example, digital ICs
have accurate propagation delays, setup and hold times, etc.
Outputs of the devices see the effect of loading on them,
and nearly all the parameters of the real world are taken into
account.
Analog is the classic world of electronics. Unlike digital
SPICE: electronics, there are no logic state restrictions; the voltage
Simulation level of any given circuit node is not limited to a high or low.
Analog simulation, therefore, is much more complex.
Program with
CircuitMaker’s analog/mixed-mode simulation uses an
Integrated
enhanced version of Berkeley SPICE3f5/XSpice, allowing
Circuit
you to accurately simulate any combination of analog and
Emphasis digital devices without manually inserting D/A or A/D
converters. This “mixed-signal” or “mixed-mode” simulation
is possible because CircuitMaker includes accurate, event-
driven behavioral models for its digital devices, including
TTL and CMOS digital devices.
Chapter 6: Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation 6-115

In Analog mode, there are a also a wide variety of analyses
that can be used in Analog mode to test and analyze various
aspects of your design.
Digital Mode, on the other hand, is designed for purely
digital logic simulation. This mode is only used for digital
circuits, and depends solely on the logic states of the
Digital Mode devices that make up the circuit. Digital mode simulation still
takes into account propagation delays, but they are unit
delays instead of actual propagation delays. No power
Analog Mode supply is required, and the digital device output levels are
constant in this mode. See Chapter 5: Digital Logic
Simulation for more on this mode.
Devices and Simulation

CircuitMaker provides four types of devices, which can be
used in different simulation modes.
Device Type Will Function In

Digital Only device Digital simulation mode only
Analog Only device Analog simulation mode only
Analog/Digital device Analog or Digital mode
Schematic Symbol only No functionality
So any Analog Only and Analog/Digital devices will
function properly in Analog mode. To find out the intended
simulation mode for a device, read the words above the
symbol pictured in the Device Selection dialog box. Or, refer
to the Device Library book for a description of each device
and the simulation mode for which it is intended.
Overview of Analog Simulation

This section explains the basic concepts for simulation in
CircuitMaker's analog mode.
Before You Use the Analog Simulator

To do analog simulation, you must ensure there is SPICE
information for each device in the circuit. Only those devices
listed as Analog or Analog/Digital in the Device Library
6-116 Chapter 6: Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation

book have SPICE data associated with them. You can use
other devices in the circuit as long as you provide the SPICE
information for those devices. See Chapter 16: Creating
New Devices for more information.
The Analog check box in the Edit Device Data dialog box
indicates whether or not that device will function in Analog
simulation mode (meaning there is SPICE simulation data
available for the device). If the Analog check box is not
checked and you use the device in analog simulation, a
warning appears and that device is ignored, leaving an open
circuit where that device is located.
Setting Up Analog Analyses

You set up analog analyses using the Analyses Setup dialog
box described later in this chapter. By default, whenever you
create a new circuit, the Always Set Defaults option is
enabled for the analog analyses. This means that Operating
Point Analysis (the Multimeter) is enabled for simple DC
circuits. For more complex circuits, Transient Analysis (the
oscilloscope) is enabled and set to its default conditions.
Under normal conditions, you probably won’t need to
change these settings.
Selecting Analog Simulation Mode

You know Analog simulation mode is selected when the
transistor icon is displayed on the Digital/Analog button on
the Toolbar.
Analog Simulation Tools

Several buttons in the Toolbar are used specifically for
simulation. This section describes these tools.
Note: The functionality of these buttons is somewhat
different in Digital logic mode. See Chapter 5: Digital Logic
Simulation for more information.
Step Button Probe Tool
Analog/Mixed Mode
Waveforms Button
Simulation icon
Reset Button Run/Stop Button Trace Button

Digital/Analog Button
Click the Digital/Analog button to choose which simulation
mode you want to operate in. When the AND gate icon is
displayed, you are in CircuitMaker’s Digital mode; when the
transistor icon is displayed, you are in Analog mode. See the
CircuitMaker’s Simulation Modes earlier in this chapter for
an explanation of the differences between Analog and
Digital mode.
Reset Button
In Analog mode, clicking the Reset button generates the
node numbers for the circuit without running the simulation.
This is important if you want to save a SPICE netlist file or
view the node numbers on the schematic, but not run the
simulation. You can also reset the simulation by choosing
Simulation > Reset or by pressing Ctrl+Q.
Step Button
The Step button is used in Digital mode only. Refer to Step
Button in Chapter 5: Digital Logic Simulation.
Run/Stop Button
Click the Run button to start the simulation. The icon will
change to a Stop Sign. Click the Stop Sign icon to stop the
simulation (you can also choose Simulation > Run and Stop
or press F10). An interactive XSPICE simulation window
appears showing the progress of the simulation (see Using
XSpice for Windows later in this chapter). The amount of
time it takes to complete the simulation is based on the
analyses you have enabled, the amount of data you are
collecting, the complexity of the circuit, and the speed of
your computer. When the simulation has completed, an
analysis window appears for each of the selected analyses
you have run.
Note: If no changes have been made since the last simula-
tion was run, clicking the Run button will not rerun the
simulation, but will immediately load the previous simulation
data.

The Stop icon replaces the Run icon when the Run button is
pressed. Once the data collection sequence has ended and
the analysis windows are displayed, pressing the Stop
button will stop the simulation, closing all analysis windows,
and returning to schematic editing mode.
Probe Tool
The context-sensitive Probe Tool, which you can also select
by pressing Alt+P, allows you to quickly probe any point(s)
in the circuit during simulation and see the resulting
waveform or data in the selected analysis window. Note that
the Probe Tool is used differently in Analog mode than it is
in Digital mode.
Before running a simulation, you can left-click the Probe tool
in the circuit to add or remove Run-Time Test Points. Or, by
left-clicking while holding down the Ctrl key you can add or
remove Exclusive Test Points in the circuit. Note, however,
that you do not have to pre-define test points before running
Voltage a simulation in CircuitMaker. See Working with Test Points
later in this chapter for more information on using test
points.
Current During simulation, touch the tip of the Probe Tool to a wire,
device pin or device body to observe or plot data at that
point. The tool displays one of six letters: V, I, P, Z, N, or R.
Power
The meanings of these letters are illustrated at left.
Click the left mouse button while the Probe Tool is at the
Impedance point in the circuit you wish to probe, and a value or
waveform appears instantly in the current (active) analysis
window. To see multiple waveforms, simply Shift-click with
Noise (during Noise
the Probe Tool on as many points as you wish and the
Analysis)
corresponding waveforms “stack” in the current analysis
window.
Input or output
Resistance (during Note: If CircuitMaker indicates that current or power data is
Transfer Function not available, then go to Simulation > Analyses Setup >
analysis) Analog Options... and select the Node Voltage, Supply
Current, Device Current and Power radio button in the
lower right-hand corner of the dialog box.
Ctrl-clicking with the Probe Tool sets a new voltage refer-
ence point (the default voltage reference is ground) for the
current (active) analysis window.

Trace Button
The Trace button is only used in Digital mode. Refer to the
Digital Logic Simulation Tools section of Chapter 5:
Digital Logic Simulation.
Waveforms Button
In analog mode, click the Waveforms button (or press F12)
to open all analysis windows for which there is data in the
.RAW file for this circuit. This allows you to view the graphs
for this circuit without rerunning the simulation (this is only
available if the circuit has not been modified since the .RAW
file was created). Clicking the button again closes all
waveform analysis windows, which also stops the simula-
tion (just like clicking the Stop button) and lets you edit the
circuit. You can open the analysis windows individually from
the Windows menu.
Vcc and Ground

CircuitMaker’s digital devices do not include Vcc and
ground pins. However, to properly simulate these devices in
Analog simulation mode, Vcc and ground connections are
Bus Data: Bus Data:
DVCC; DVCC=14;DGND=7; required. You can include them by placing entries in the Bus
+5V Data field of each digital device which references specific
power and ground buses.
.01uF .01uF Bus Data:
DVCC=14;DGND=7; Create a power supply bus by placing a +V device in the
Bus Data:
circuit with a bus identifier (such as DVCC; or DVDD;) in its
GND; Bus Data field. A ground bus is already defined by the
Analog Options Bus Data: Ground symbol which contains GND; in its Bus Data field. If
DGND: GND no bus is placed directly in the circuit, the default values for
Figure 6.1. Analog Options Bus DVCC, DVDD and DGND are used. These default values
Data: DGND; GND are specified in the Analog Options-Spice Variables dialog
box. See Setting Up Analog Analyses later in this chapter for
more information.
The Bus Data fields are predefined in CircuitMaker’s digital
devices with values such as DVCC=16;DGND=8; which
also identify the specific pin numbers on the package that
are connected to the buses.

In the example in Figure 6.1, both the NAND gate and the
inverter are connected to +5V and ground, along with two
bypass capacitors. The DGND on the devices is connected
to the GND bus through the Analog Options dialog box.
This is the same procedure used to connect the Vcc and
ground pins in a PCB netlist for export to TraxMaker. See
Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing Schematics.
Note: You can tie together Multiple +Vs by using one normal
+V to supply power and multiple +Vs with the SPICE data
field deleted. You can also use one normal +V to supply
power and multiple terminal devices [Connectors/Misc].
Connect these together using the Bus Data field of the +V
device and the Terminal Name field of the Terminal device.
Using the terminal devices instead of additional +V devices
eliminates the step of deleting the SPICE Data field.
CircuitMaker will make a connection between the Terminal
device and any bus that has the same name. CircuitMaker
will also make a connection between the Terminal device and
any Input or Output connector that has the same name. Do
not use a semicolon in the Terminal Name field. For example,
to connect a Terminal device to the VEE bus, enter VEE (not
VEE;) in the Terminal Name field. CircuitMaker automatically
copies what you enter in Terminal Name field to the
Terminal's Bus Data field and appends a semicolon.
Working with Test Points

Note: You do not have to set Test Points are set in a circuit to tell CircuitMaker where to
test points before running a collect simulation data. Note that you do not have to set test
simulation. CircuitMaker points before running a simulation (CircuitMaker does it
does it automatically automatically). Test Points determine how much data is
according to the chosen actually stored in the .RAW file, and they determine which
analyses. variables are displayed in the analysis windows when the
simulation runs. As a result, more test points require a longer
simulation time.

Test Point Types
There three types of Test Points used in CircuitMaker:
Test Point Type How Used

Default Test Points CircuitMaker automatically places
Default Test Points in the circuit,
according to the Analog Options
settings. These are not displayed on
the circuit.
Exclusive Test Points These are test points you place in the
circuit to measure voltage, current or
power. When placed, exclusive test
points disable the default test points,
and data is only collected for each
exclusive test point.
Run-Time Test Points These are test points you place in the
circuit to graph data at a specific
point.
Default Test Points

CircuitMaker automatically places Default Test Points in the
circuit, allowing you to click with the Probe Tool on almost
any wire, pin, or device to measure voltage, current, or
power (respectively). The Default Test Points are set based
on the Analog Options settings. See Setting Up Analog
Analyses later in this chapter for more information.
When you place Exclusive Test Points, the Default Test
Points are automatically disabled and data is only collected
for the points that you define. Note that Default Test Points
are not displayed on the circuit.
Exclusive Test Points

These are test points you place manually in the circuit to
measure voltage, current or power. When placed, exclusive
test points disable the default test points, and data is only
collected for each exclusive test point.
To place Exclusive Test Points in the circuit,
1 Make sure the simulation is stopped.
2 Select the Probe Tool from the Toolbar.

Voltage Exclusive Test 3 Hold the Ctrl key and left-click the appropriate
Point (on a wire) locations in the circuit.
Placing Multiple Exclusive Test Points
To place multiple Exclusive Test Points,
Current Exclusive
Test Point (on a 1 Hold the Shift and Ctrl key while left-clicking.
device pin) You can place Exclusive Test Points on wires to measure
node voltages, on device pins to measure current, or on
devices themselves to measure power dissipation. Data is
Power Exclusive not collected for devices containing subcircuits.
Test Point (on a
device) Removing Exclusive Test Points
To remove all Exclusive Test Points from the circuit,
To add an Exclusive Test Point, 1 Hold the Ctrl key and left-click the Probe Tool in any
Right-click the Probe Tool blank area of the circuit window.
Note that when you remove all Exclusive Test Points, the
Default Test Points become active again.
Run-Time Test Points

Run-Time Test Points are locations you can define in the
circuit where CircuitMaker will automatically display
graphical data that is collected during simulation. Like
regular Exclusive Test Points, Run-Time Test Points can
measure voltage, current, or power dissipation. Note that
you can also plot waveforms by simply clicking with the
Probe Tool after the simulation is complete.
You can place Run-Time Test Points on wires to measure
Voltage (on a wire) node voltages, on device pins to measure current, or on
devices themselves to measure power dissipation.
CircuitMaker displays waveforms only if it actually collects
data by default or by the Test Points you define.
CircuitMaker does not display waveforms for some devices,
such as those containing subcircuits.
To place Run-Time Test Points in the circuit,
2 Select the Probe Tool from the Toolbar.
To add a Run-Time Test Point,
3 Click the appropriate locations in the circuit using the
Left-click the Probe Tool.
left mouse button to display the Run Time Test Point
dialog box pictured in Figure 6.2.

Figure 6.2. Use the Run-Time Test Point dialog box to
choose the type of analysis data you want to see.
4 Specify which type of analysis data you want to see by
checking the applicable check box: AC, AC in decibels,
DC or Transient.
5 If you like, you can specify the minimum and maximum
Y-scale values that will be used on each graph. This is
optional.
6 Place a check in the Combine Plots With Same Analy-
sis and Scale check box for each Run-Time Test Point
that you want to combine for displaying multiple
waveforms on the same graph during simulation.
7 Choose OK.
When combining Run-Time Test Points on a single plot, it is
sometimes useful to change the DC offset of each waveform
so they do not overlap. To do so, just enter a different offset
value in the Vert. Offset field for each Run-Time Test Point.
You can also choose to pause when the simulation is
complete, before returning to CircuitMaker.
To edit an existing Run-Time Test Point, double-click it with
the Arrow Tool.
Adding Multiple Run-Time Test Points
To add multiple Run-Time Test Points,
1 Hold down the Shift key while clicking with the Probe
Tool.
Removing All Run-Time Test Points
To remove all Run-Time Test Points from the circuit,
1 Left-click with the Probe Tool in any blank area of the
circuit window.

Running the Simulation
Once you have created the circuit, you can run the simula-
tion by simply clicking the Run button on the Toolbar. One
aspect that sets CircuitMaker apart from other SPICE-based
Run Button simulators is the seamless integration between the schematic
design and simulation process. There are no complex data
fields to enter, and everything is done quickly and efficiently
from the same workspace.
CircuitMaker displays an interactive XSpice simulation
window during the SPICE data collection process, showing
the progress of the simulation. When the simulation has
completed, an analysis window appears for each of the
selected analyses you have run.
Using the Analysis Windows

CircuitMaker displays data and waveforms using Analysis
windows, which allow you to quickly and easily test, analyze
and probe your circuits during simulation. Many attributes
of the Analysis windows can be changed, to customize your
view of the waveforms. There are also features within the
Analysis windows that allow you to precisely measure the
waveforms you are viewing.
When you run a simulation, CircuitMaker displays a
separate analysis window for each of the following types of
analyses that you enable:
• DC (curve tracer)
• AC (Bode plotter)
• Transient (oscilloscope)
• Fourier (spectrum analyzer)
• Operating Point (multimeter)
• Transfer Function
• Noise

For more information on these analyses, see Setting Up
Analog Analyses later in this chapter. Figure 6.3 shows an
example of an analysis window.
Figure 6.3. The Transient Analysis window.
Displaying Waveforms
Once you have run a simulation, you can quickly view data
(waveforms) at any point(s) in the circuit using
CircuitMaker’s context-sensitive Probe Tool.
To plot data (waveforms) in an analysis window, first choose
the appropriate analysis window by clicking somewhere in it
so that it is “active”, then:
1 Click any valid point in the circuit with the tip of the
Probe Tool. See the Probe Tool section earlier in this
chapter for information on some of the other types of
data that can be plotted with the Probe Tool.
• Click on a wire to measure voltage
• Click on a device pin to measure current
• Click on a device body to measure power
If CircuitMaker indicates that current or power data is
not available, then go to Simulation > Analyses Setup >

Analog Options... and select the Node Voltage, Supply
Current, Device Current and Power radio button in the
lower right-hand corner of the dialog box.
2 Hold down the Shift key and click to plot or “stack”
Tip: You can “nudge” multiple waveforms simultaneously in the analysis
waveforms and cursors window. Note that clicking on another point in the
around the analysis circuit without holding the Shift key will replace the
window by selecting a previous waveform with a new one.
waveform or cursor and
3 Hold down the Ctrl key and click to set a new voltage
using the arrow keys on the
reference for the active analysis window (the default
keyboard.
reference is ground).
Plotting Subcircuit Internal Variables
By default, CircuitMaker doesn’t collect simulation data for
any subcircuit’s internal variables.
To plot a subcircuit’s internal variables,
1 Choose Simulation > Analyses Setup.
2 Click Analog Options.
3 Click the radio button titled Node Voltage, Supply
Current and Device/Subcircuit VARs then choose OK.
4 Run the simulation.
5 Click the subcircuit device with the tip of the Probe Tool
and select the variable from the list.
Scaling Waveforms
You can view waveforms in the analysis windows in either
Auto scale or Manual scale mode.
• Select the Man (Manual) button to set the window to
manual scale mode.
Waveform Scaling
• Select the Auto button to set the window to auto scale
and Editing
mode.
Controls
The manual scale controls allow you to specify the units per
division for both the X and Y scales, using the arrow keys in
corner of the analysis window. Auto scale mode will
automatically scale the analysis window so that the selected
waveform(s) are completely viewable within the window.

To scale a waveform in Manual Scale mode,
1 Select a waveform by clicking its label in the list on the
left-hand side of the graph window. For example, click
A, or V(8) if you have enabled the Simulation > Display
Variable Names option.
If no waveform is selected, all waveforms will be scaled
simultaneously.
2 Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to change the Y
scale for the selected waveform(s).
3 Use the Left and Right arrow buttons to change the X
scale for the selected waveform(s).
Note: You can adjust only linear scales; manual scaling
has no affect on log scales.
In Auto Scale mode, CircuitMaker displays all waveforms at
the same scale. The graph is automatically scaled so that the
waveforms fill almost the entire graph.
You can click and drag a selection rectangle around a
portion of the graph, then release the mouse to zoom in on
that portion of the analysis window. See Figure 6.4.
Figure 6.4. Click and drag a rectangle around any

portion of the window to zoom in on that area.

Offsetting Waveforms
To reposition the waveform on the graph, alter its X and Y
offsets:
1 Select a waveform by clicking on its name in the variable
list on the left-hand side of the graph window.
2 Click and drag the waveform itself with the mouse or
press the arrow keys on the keyboard to change both the
X and Y offsets.
3 Select the Off button to display the offset values for the
selected waveform (the values are shown near the top of
the analysis window).
Using Measurement Cursors

Four measurement cursors let you precisely measure values in
the waveform analysis windows such as amplitude and
Tip: You can “nudge”
period. There are two cursors on the x axis and two on the y
waveforms and cursors
axis.
around the analysis
window by selecting a To use the measurement cursors,
waveform or cursor and
using the arrow keys on the 1 Turn the cursors ON or OFF by double-clicking the tab at
keyboard. the end of the cursor.
2 Reposition a cursor by dragging the tab or by selecting it
and pressing the arrow keys on the keyboard.
If no cursor is selected, pressing the arrow keys will move the
selected waveform. The value at each cursor’s position is
displayed at the top of the graph window as well as the
difference in value for each pair of cursors.
In manual scale mode, cursor values correspond to the
selected waveform only. In auto scale mode, cursor values
correspond to all waveforms, assuming there are no offsets.
Setup Button
The Setup button displays the Settings dialog box pictured in
Figure 6.5, which lets you control the X (horizontal) and Y
(vertical) axes of the graph, allows you to store and recall
waveforms, and lets you control many visual aspects of the
analysis windows. Note that you can also access many of the
analysis window settings through the right-click pop-up
menu that appears when you right-click anywhere inside an
analysis window.

Figure 6.5. Use the Settings dialog box to control the X
and Y axes of the graph, to store and recall waveforms and
to alter the visual aspects of the analysis window.
Storing Waveform for Future Reference
To store the currently displayed waveform for future
reference,
1 Select the waveform in the Store list box, then click the
Store button.
2 Specify the name of the file in which to save the
waveform. Each waveform is stored in a separate file.
Working with a Stored Waveform
To recall a stored waveform and place it on the graph,
1 Click the Recall Stored Waveform button.
2 Select the appropriate waveform file from the File
Selection dialog box and choose Open to display the
Figure 6.6. This dialog box indicates the number of

data points in the file.

3 To rename the waveform to avoid naming conflicts with
other waveforms, type a new name in the Waveform
Name text box.
4 Select the Persistent Waveform check box to keep the
waveform displayed on the graph no matter where else
you click on the circuit.
A persistent waveform has an asterisk (*) placed in
front of the name.
5 Deselect the Persistent Waveform check box to display
the waveform only when you click the corresponding
point in the circuit (it will be displayed together with the
waveform for the loaded circuit).
6 To remove a persistent stored waveform, select it in the
Remove list box and click the Remove button.
OR
Select the waveform by clicking its label on the left side
of the graph then press the Delete key on the keyboard.
You can display multiple waveforms for the same point in a
circuit by naming the waveforms the same up to the ) or ]
character in the name. By adding different characters after
the ) or ] you can plot multiple waveforms for the same point
in the circuit.
For example, suppose you name one recalled waveform v(4)1
and another v(4)2. This causes both waveforms to display
simultaneously along with the current v(4) waveform when
you click on node 4 in the circuit.
Reset Button
Click the Reset button in the analysis window to return all of
the waveform offsets to zero and restore the graph to its
unzoomed state. The axes will remain unchanged.

Setting Up Analog Analyses
CircuitMaker’s powerful simulation capability includes a
wide variety of standard and advanced analyses. Choose
Simulation > Analyses Setup to display the Analyses Setup
Figure 6.7. Use the Analog Analyses Setup dialog box to

setup the various analyses.
CircuitMaker offers the following standard and advanced
analyses:
• DC Analysis
• AC Analysis
• DC Operating Point
• Transient
• Parameter Sweep
• Fourier
• Transfer Function (CircuitMaker PRO only)
• Noise (CircuitMaker PRO only)
• Temperature Sweep (CircuitMaker PRO only)
• Monte Carlo (CircuitMaker PRO only)
• Impedance Plots (CircuitMaker PRO only)
Always Set Defaults

You can use the Always Set Defaults for Transient and
Operating Points Analyses check box to simplify the task of
setting up the Transient and Operating Point analyses. It is
primarily for the beginning user who does not completely
understand or does not want to be concerned with all of the

settings in the Analog Analyses dialog box. When this box
is checked, the Set Defaults button is pressed automatically
every time the simulation is run. For simple DC circuits
(those that contain no Signal Generators or reactive de-
vices), only Operating Point Analysis is enabled. For more
complex circuits, Transient Analysis is also enabled and the
default start, stop and step settings are used.
DC Analysis (DC Sweep)

The DC Analysis generates output like that of a curve tracer.
It performs an Operating Point Analysis at each of a series of
steps defining a DC transfer curve. Source Name is the name
of an independent power source (either a fixed voltage or
current supply or a Signal Generator) that is to be stepped in
the circuit. The start, stop and step values define the sweep
range and resolution. The primary source is required while
the secondary source is optional. If a secondary source is
specified, the primary source is stepped over its entire range
for each value of the secondary source.
To set up and run a DC Analysis,
2 Click the DC... button to display the dialog box pictured
in Figure 6.8.
Figure 6.8. The DC Analysis Setup dialog box.

3 Specify the settings you want, select the Enabled check
box, and then choose OK.

Figure 6.9. A DC Analysis waveform.
The waveform in Figure 6.9 was generated by simulating the
ANALOG.CKT circuit using the values shown in Figure 6.8.
Notice that the x axis represents the voltage of the primary
source, and the y axis is the voltage at the output of the
circuit. The waveforms correspond with each step of the
secondary source. See Using the Analysis Windows earlier in
this chapter for more information about manipulating the
waveforms.
AC Analysis (AC Sweep)

AC Analysis generates output like that of a Bode plotter,
computing the small-signal AC output variables as a
function of frequency. It performs an Operating Point
Analysis to determine the DC bias of the circuit, replaces the
signal source with a fixed amplitude sine wave generator,
and analyzes the circuit over the frequency range you
specify. The desired output of an AC small-signal analysis is
usually a transfer function (voltage gain, transimpedance,
etc.).
To set up and run an AC Analysis,

1 Connect at least one Signal Generator to the circuit and
enable it as an AC Analysis source.

Do this by double-clicking the Signal Generator, clicking
Wave, and setting up the AC Analysis Source options.
3 Click the AC Sweep button to display the dialog box
Figure 6.10. Use this dialog box to set up an AC

Analysis (AC sweep).
4 Enter the AC Analysis settings you want (see the
following table), select the Enabled check box, and then
choose OK.
Sweep Option What it Means

Linear Total number of Test Points in the
sweep.
Decade Number of Test Points per decade
in the sweep.
Octave Number of Test Points per octave in
the sweep.

Figure 6.11. An AC Analysis waveform.
The waveform in Figure 6.11 was generated by simulating
the ANALOG.CKT circuit using the values shown in Figure
6.10. Notice that the x axis represents frequency in a log
scale. The waveform represents the magnitude of the
circuit’s output voltage in decibels (db). See Using the
Analysis Windows earlier in this chapter for more information
about manipulating the waveforms.
DC Operating Point Analysis

Operating Point Analysis generates data similar to the
readings of a DC multimeter. It determines the DC bias of the
entire circuit with inductors shorted and capacitors opened,
and determines linearized, small-signal models for all of the
nonlinear devices in the circuit. It does not take into account
the existence of any AC source.
Figure 6.12. The Multimeter Operating Point Analysis is generally performed automati-
showing the DC operating cally before each of the other analyses, even if it has been
point of a point in the circuit. disabled in the Analog Analyses dialog box. However, you
must enable it if you want to use the Probe Tool as a
multimeter to view the DC, DC AVG or AC RMS values of
current, voltage or power. (Viewing the DC AVG or AC RMS
values also requires that you enable Transient Analysis).
See Probe Tool earlier in this chapter.

To set up and run DC Operating Point Analysis,
2 Click the Multimeter button to display the dialog box
Figure 6.13. Use this dialog box to set up DC Operat-

ing Point Analysis.
3 Select DC (Operating Point).
4 Select Enabled and choose OK.
6 Click the Probe Tool on the point of the circuit where
you want to analyze the DC operating point (see Figure
6.12).
Transient Analysis
A Transient Analysis generates output like that of an
oscilloscope, computing the transient output variables
(voltage or current) as a function of time over the user-
specified time interval.
A Transient Analysis first performs an Operating Point
Analysis to determine the DC bias of the circuit, always
beginning at time zero. In the time interval between zero and
Start Time, XSpice analyzes but does not display the circuit.
In the time interval between Start Time and Stop Time,
XSpice both analyzes and displays the circuit. Step Time is
the suggested computing increment, but the timestep will be
varied automatically by XSpice in order to properly con-
verge. Max. Step limits the varying size of the timestep that
XSpice can use when calculating the transient data; by
default, the program chooses either Step Time or (Stop Time
- Start Time)/50, whichever is smaller. Typically, Step Time

and Max. Step would be the same value. If you enable the
UIC (Use Initial Conditions) option, the Transient Analysis
begins from an initial condition, bypassing the Operating
Point Analysis. This is useful for viewing the charging of
capacitors, etc.
To set up and run a Transient Analysis,
2 Click the Transient/Fourier button to display the dialog
box pictured in Figure 6.14.
Figure 6.14. Use this dialog box to set up Transient

and Fourier Analyses.
3 Enter the analysis settings and choose OK.
5 Assuming you have enabled the appropriate Test
Points, you can view and measure voltage, current and
power dissipation waveforms of the circuit in the
analysis window that is displayed.
Set Defaults
Use the Set Defaults button to set up the default parameters
of the Transient Analysis. Start Time is set to zero and Stop
Time, Step Time and Max. Step are set to display 5 cycles of
the lowest frequency Signal Generator in the circuit with a
resolution of 200 data points. You can define these default
values in the Preferences dialog box. If the Always Set
Defaults check box is checked, CircuitMaker acts as if this
button is pressed before each simulation.

Figure 6.15. The circuit ANALOG.CKT, and the Transient
Analysis window.
6.14. This analysis shows the voltage at the test points
during the time frame specified in the Start and Stop fields.
Notice that the x axis shows the time in seconds, and the y
axis is voltage. The larger waveform represents the voltage
at the circuit output, while the smaller waveform is voltage at
the source (signal generator) or input. See Using the

Parameter Sweep
Use a Parameter Sweep for two variables including transistor
parameters. You can vary only basic components and
models; subcircuit data is not varied during the analysis.
You can use the Parameter Sweep feature only when you
have enabled one or more of the standard analyses (AC, DC,
or Transient). Furthermore, data is only saved for nodes that
have a Run-Time Test Point attached. The parameter sweep
requires the following data: Parameter, Start Value, Stop
Value, and Step Value. The parameter can be a single
designation or a designation with a device parameter in
brackets. The following are valid examples:
Example What it Varies

RF Resistor with designation RF
Q3[bf] Beta forward on transistor Q3
R3[r] Resistance of potentiometer R3
R3[position] Position of potentiometer R3
option[temp] Temperature (CircuitMaker PRO only)
U5[tp_val] Propagation delays of digital device U5
Normally you would use a Temperature Sweep to vary the

temperature for simulation; however, temperature can also be
varied in the Parameter Sweep (useful if you want to vary the
temperature as either the primary or secondary parameter in
a two-parameter sweep).
To set up and run a Parameter Sweep Analysis,
2 Click the Parameter Sweep button to display the dialog
3 Make the desired settings, select Enabled, and then
choose OK.
4 Place Run-Time Test Points at the nodes you want to
observe.
6 View the resulting waveforms in the analysis window,
such as the one in Figure 6.17.

Figure 6.16. Use this dialog box to set up a Parameter
Sweep Analysis.
Figure 6.17. Parameter Sweep sweeps a selected compo-

nent (in this example, a resistor) over a defined range in
defined steps and plots the output voltage of the circuit at
each of those steps.
6.16. Notice that it also plots the input and output voltages
for the nominal run (meaning all values as they are shown in
the schematic).

Relative Values Option
If you enable the Use Relative Values option on the Parameter
Sweep Setup dialog box, the values entered in the Start Value,
Stop Value, and Step Value fields are added to the parameter’s
default value. For example, suppose you do a Parameter Sweep
with the following conditions:
• The parameter is a 1kohm resistor.
• The Start, Stop, and Step fields are –50, 50, and 20,
respectively.
• You enable Use Relative Values.
The following resistor values would be used in the simulation
runs: 950, 970, 990, 1010, 1030, and 1050.
CircuitMaker displays the results of the Parameter Sweep in
the AC, DC, or Transient Analysis window(s), depending on
which analyses you enabled.
Sweep Trace Labels
For the Monte Carlo, Temperature Sweep, and Parameter
Sweep analyses, CircuitMaker gives a unique label to each
trace or waveform generated. When you enable Simulation >
Display Variable Names, CircuitMaker displays the trace
names from each sweep run in the analysis window, with a
special character appended to the trace name. For example, the
appended characters are m for Monte Carlo, t for Temperature
Sweep, and p for Parameter Sweep. There is also a trace for the
simulation run which was done with the nominal circuit values.
This trace will not have a character appended to its trace label.
The following are some example trace labels with explanations:
V(6)1p Voltage at node 6 for Parameter Sweep run 1
V(6) Voltage at node 6 for nominal run
V(6)1m Voltage at node 6 for Monte Carlo run 1
V(6)1t Voltage at node 6 for Temperature Sweep run 1
You can double-click on a trace label to display details about
the device values used in that simulation run.

Fourier Analysis
Fourier Analysis setup is included with the Transient
Analysis setup. You must enable the Transient Analysis in
order to do the Fourier Analysis. When the simulation is
completed, the Fourier Analysis is displayed in a separate
window. The Fourier Analysis is based on the last cycle of
transient data. For example, if the fundamental frequency is
1.0kHz, then the transient data from the last 1ms cycle would
be used for the Fourier analysis.
To set up and run a Fourier Analysis,
2 Click the Transient/Fourier button to display the dialog
Figure 6.18. Use this dialog box to set up a Fourier

Analysis.
3 Enter the analysis settings and choose OK.
5 Assuming you have enabled the appropriate Test
Points, view and measure voltage, current and power
dissipation waveforms of the circuit in the analysis
window that CircuitMaker displays.
the BANDPASS.CKT circuit using the values shown in
Figure 6.18. This analysis shows the frequency spectrum of
the square wave from the signal generator. The first peak in
the waveform is the amplitude of the component at the
fundamental frequency. Amplitudes at various harmonics
within the specified range are also shown. See Using the

Figure 6.19. A Fourier Analysis waveform.
CircuitMaker PRO only Transfer Function Analysis

The Transfer Function analysis calculates the DC input
resistance, DC output resistance, and DC gain.
To set up and run a Transfer Function Analysis,
2 Click the Transfer button to display the dialog box
Figure 6.20. Use this dialog box to set up a Transfer

Function Analysis.
3 Select the input source you want to consider from the
Source drop-down list.
4 Select the Enabled check box and choose OK.

Note: You do not need to specify the output node ahead
CircuitMaker PRO only
of time. However, to specify a reference other than
ground, click a point in the schematic with the Probe
Tool, and check the TRANSFER Reference check box in
the Run-Time Test Point dialog box before you run the
simulation.
6 Click the Transfer Function window, and then click on
any node in the circuit to see the Transfer Function data
for that node.
7 To display the Transfer Function data for multiple
nodes, hold down the Shift key when you click to
display.
The data that appears indicates the transfer function from
the input to the specified node.
Figure 6.21. Transfer Function Analysis data.

The waveform data in Figure 6.21 was generated by simulat-
ing the ANALOG.CKT circuit using the values shown in
Figure 6.20. This analysis shows the gain from the specified
source to the output (the point you click with the Probe
Tool). Notice that it shows DC resistance seen by the source
and the DC resistance seen by the output load.

CircuitMaker PRO only Noise Analysis
Noise Analysis lets you measure the noise in your circuit
due to noise contributions of resistors and semiconductor
devices. CircuitMaker can plot the Noise Spectral Density,
which is the noise measured in Volts squared per Hertz (V^2/
Hz). Capacitors, inductors, and controlled sources are
treated as noise free. The following noise measurements can
be made in CircuitMaker:
Measurement Description
Output Noise The noise measured at a specified
output node.
Input Noise The amount of noise that, if injected
at the input, would cause the calcu-
lated noise at the output. For example,
if the output noise is 10p, and the
circuit has a gain of 10, then it would
take 1p of noise at the input to
measure 10p of noise at the output.
Thus the equivalent input noise is 1p.
Component Noise The output noise contribution of each
component in the circuit. The total
output noise is the sum of individual
noise contributions of resistors and
semiconductor devices. Each of these
components contributes a certain
amount of noise, which is multiplied
by the gain from that component’s
position to the circuit’s output. Thus
the same component can contribute
different amounts of noise to the
output, depending on its location in
the circuit.
To set up and run a Noise Analysis,
1 Select the output node by clicking the output node of
the circuit with the Probe Tool.
This places a Run-Time Test Point and displays the
dialog box shown in Figure 6.22 In the dialog box that
appears, check the Enable Noise checkbox, and make
sure Out is selected.

Figure 6.22. Use this dialog box to set up Run-Time

Test Points for a Noise Analysis.
3 Click the Noise button to display the dialog box pictured
in Figure 6.23.
Figure 6.23. Use this dialog box to set up Noise

Analysis.
4 Specify the analysis information in the Noise Analysis
dialog box.
If you want to measure the noise contribution of each
component, enter 1 in the Points Per Summary field. If
you only want to measure input and output noise, enter
0 in this field.
6 View the input and output noise results.

CircuitMaker PRO only 7 Click the Noise analysis window, then click on the noise
output node.
8 Choose Simulation > Display Variable Names.
This labels the input noise waveform as NI, and the
output noise waveform NO. For example, if the specified
noise output node is node 6, then the output noise
waveform would be labeled NO(6), and the input noise
waveform would be labeled NI(6).
9 Click a component to measure the output noise contri-
bution of that component. If the component you click
on is a subcircuit, then you may select from a list of
contributing noise sources within the subcircuit. Note
that component noise data is not available if 0 (zero)
was entered in the Points Per Summary field in the Noise
Analysis Setup dialog box.
Figure 6.24. This Noise Analysis waveform shows noise at

the output and the equivalent input noise at the specified
source over a specified frequency range.
the ANALOG.CKT circuit using the values shown in Figures
6.22 and 6.23. See Using the Analysis Windows earlier in this
chapter for more information about manipulating the
waveforms.

CircuitMaker PRO only Temperature Sweep
You can use a Temperature Sweep only when you have
enabled one or more of the standard analyses (AC, DC, or
Transient). Furthermore, CircuitMaker data is only saved for
nodes that have a Run-Time Test Point attached.
To set up and run a Temperature Sweep Analysis,
1 Select Simulation > Analyses Setup.
2 Click Temperature Sweep to display the dialog box
shown in Figure 6.25.
Figure 6.25. Use this dialog box to set up a

Temperature Sweep Analysis.
3 Enter the temperature range you want to sweep.
4 Select the Enabled check box.
5 Set up one or more standard analysis so that each
analysis is performed at the indicated temperatures.
observe, by left-clicking with the Probe Tool on a point in
the circuit.
CircuitMaker displays the results of a Temperature Sweep in
the AC, DC, or Transient Analysis window(s), depending on
which analyses you enabled.
The waveform in Figure 6.26 was generated by simulating the
ANALOG.CKT circuit using the values shown in Figure 6.25.
Notice that the analysis sweeps the temperature of the circuit
in specified steps, between the start and stop temperature
values. The waveforms in this example represent the magni-
tude of the circuit output voltage (in db) for each temperature
step. See Using the Analysis Windows earlier in this chapter
for more information about manipulating the waveforms.

Figure 6.26. Temperature Sweep Analysis waveforms.
Monte Carlo Analysis

Monte Carlo Analysis lets you do multiple simulation runs
with device values randomly varied according to specified
tolerances. You can use this feature only when you have
enabled one or more of the standard analyses (AC, DC, or
Transient). Furthermore, CircuitMaker saves data only for
nodes that have a Run-Time Test Point. Subcircuit data is
not varied during the Monte Carlo Analysis. Only basic
components and models can be varied.
The items in the Monte Carlo Setup dialog box are as
follows:
Option Description
Simulation Runs Enter the number of simulation runs
you want CircuitMaker to perform.
For example, if you enter 10, then
CircuitMaker will run 10 simulation
runs, with different device values on
each run, within the specified
tolerances.

CircuitMaker PRO only Seed CircuitMaker uses the specified seed
to generate random numbers for the
Monte Carlo runs. The default seed
value is –1. If you want to run a
simulation with a different series of
random numbers, then you must
change the seed value to another
number.
Distribution You can choose from the following
three distributions for random number
generation in the Monte Carlo
Analysis:
Uniform distribution
Values are uniformly distributed over the specified tolerance
range. Suppose you have a 1K resistor with a tolerance of 10
percent. There is an equal chance of the generated value
being anywhere from 900 ohms to 1100 ohms. It is a flat
distribution.
Gaussian distribution
Values are distributed according to a gaussian (bell-shaped)
curve with the center at the nominal value and the specified
tolerance at +/- 3 standard deviations. Given a 1K, 10 percent
resistor, the center of the distribution would be at 1000 ohms,
+ 3 standard deviations at 1100 ohms, and –3 standard
deviations at 990 ohms.
Worst Case distribution
This is the same as the uniform distribution, but only the end
points (worst case) of the range are used. Given a 1K, 10
percent resistor, the value used would be randomly chosen
from the two worst case values of 990 ohms and 1100 ohms.
On any one simulation run, there is an equal chance that the
high-end worst case value (1100) or low-end worst case
value (990) will be used.
To set up and run a Monte Carlo Analysis,
2 Click the Monte Carlo button to display the dialog box

CircuitMaker PRO only 3 Enter tolerances as actual values or as percentages for
the six general categories of devices then choose OK
(see Specifying Default Tolerances later in this section).
observe as in Figure 6.28.
6 View the data as it appears in Figure 6.32.
Figure 6.27. Use this dialog box to set up Monte Carlo

Analysis.

Figure 6.28. Use this dialog box to set up Run-Time

Test Points for the nodes you want to observe (right-
click with the Probe Tool on a point in the circuit).
Figure 6.29. Waveforms for the Monte Carlo Analysis.

the ANALOG.CKT circuit using the values shown in Figures
6.27 and 6.28. Notice that this analysis randomly varies the
component values within the specified tolerances, and then
plots the output voltage of the five simulation runs, includ-
ing the input and output voltages for the nominal run. See
Using the Analysis Windows earlier in this chapter for more
information about manipulating the waveforms.

CircuitMaker PRO only Specifying Default Tolerances
You can specify default tolerances for six general categories
of devices: resistor, capacitor, inductor, DC source, transistor
(beta forward), and digital TP (propagation delay for digital
devices). You can enter tolerances as actual values or as
percentages.
For example, you can enter a resistor tolerance as 10 or
10%. If a 1kohm resistor has a tolerance of 10, it varies
between 990 and 1010 ohms. With a tolerance of 10%, a
1kohm resistor varies between 900 and 1100 ohms. Each
device is randomly varied independent of the other devices.
For example, if a circuit has two 10kohm resistors, and the
default tolerance is set to 10%, then during the first pass of
the simulation, one resistor might have a value of 953 ohms,
and the other one could be 1022 ohms. CircuitMaker uses a
separate and independent random number to generate the
value for each device.
Overriding with Specific Tolerances
To override the default tolerance value with specific toler-
ance values for specific devices,
1 Click Add in the Monte Carlo Setup dialog box.
2 Enter the appropriate information in the various fields
(see Figure 6.30).
Figure 6.30. Use this dialog box to enter device and

lot tolerances.
For basic components like resistors, capacitors, and induc-
tors, leave the Device Parameter field blank because there
are no parameters besides the device value. Both device and

CircuitMaker PRO only lot tolerances are allowed, but only one or the other is
required. CircuitMaker calculates device and lot tolerances
independently (using different random numbers) and then
adds them together. The example in Figure 6.30 has a device
tolerance of 5% and a lot tolerance of 10%, and thus a total
variation of up to 15%. In general, component values in the
analysis vary independently, unless a tracking number is
assigned. If you give two devices the same device tolerance
tracking number and distribution, then the same random
number is used for both devices when the device values for
a simulation run are calculated. The same holds true for lot
tolerances. However, device tracking and lot tracking are
independent of each other. In other words, device tracking
#1 and lot tracking #1 are unrelated.
To edit an item in the Specific Tolerances list in the Monte
Carlo Setup dialog box,
1 Select the item you want to change.
2 Click Edit or click Delete to delete the item.
Impedance Plot Analysis

An Impedance Plot Analysis shows the impedance seen by
any two-terminal source. Normally plotted in the AC
Analysis window, an Impedance Plot does not have a
separate setup dialog box.
To run an Impedance Plot Analysis, run a standard simula-
tion, then click the source’s negative terminal with the Probe
Tool. An impedance plot appears in the selected analysis
window. This is especially useful to measure input and
output impedance versus frequency in the AC Analysis
window. The impedance measurement is calculated from the
voltage at the supply’s positive terminal divided by the
current out of that same terminal (see Figure 6.31). Clicking
the positive terminal of a supply is already defined as an
operation to plot current, thus the negative terminal must be
clicked on for impedance.

CircuitMaker PRO only To measure input impedance,
1 Run the desired simulation (usually AC analysis).
2 Select the desired analysis window and then click on
the negative terminal of the input source.
To measure output impedance,
1 Remove the source from the input.
2 Ground the circuit’s inputs where the input supply was
connected.
3 Remove any load connected to the circuit.
4 Connect a two-terminal source to the output, with the
source’s positive terminal connected to the output and
the source’s negative terminal connected to ground.
5 Run the desired simulation.
6 Select the desired analysis window and then click on
the negative terminal of the source with the Probe Tool.
This causes an impedance plot to appear in the selected
analysis window as in Figure 6.32.
Figure 6.31. For Impedance Plots, you would normally

change the Y axis to Magnitude. Click the Settings button
in the analysis window to change X and Y axes for that
window.

Figure 6.32. This Impedance Plot shows impedance seen by

a two-terminal source over frequency.
the ANALOG.CKT circuit, and making an adjustment to the
AC Analysis window as shown in Figure 6.31. See Using the
Using XSpice for Windows

This section provides an in-depth look at CircuitMaker’s
XSpice for Windows, how to see the information it displays
more closely, and the errors and warning messages associ-
ated with it.
To view the information in XSpice for Windows,
1 Click the Run button to start the simulation.
Notice the Run icon is replaced by a Stop Sign, and the
interactive XSpice simulation window appears showing
the progress of the simulation.
If you have added Run-Time Test Points to the circuit,
the corresponding waveforms are displayed as the data
is collected, otherwise the progress of the simulation is
presented as a simple bar graph.

Figure 6.33 shows an example of an XSpice simulation
window where both Transient and AC analyses are
enabled, but only AC Analysis has a corresponding
Run-Time Test Point.
Figure 6.33. The XSpice window shows the progress of

the simulation.
2 Select the Stop When Simulation Is Complete check
box if you want XSpice to pause before returning to the
CircuitMaker workspace.
3 If you have chosen the Stop When Simulation Is
Complete option, then a dialog box will appear when the
simulation is complete, asking if you wish to exit
XSPICE. Click Yes to exit and return to the CircuitMaker
analysis windows, which let you analyze the simulation
data, or click No to remain in XSpice for Windows (exit
later by clicking Quit).
4 If you clicked No in Step 3 and are remaining in the
XSPICE area, click Rescale All (in the XSpice menu) to
rescale all of the plots to fit the Min. and Max. data that
has been collected.
You can do this even if the simulation is still running.
5 While the XSpice window is displayed, you can change
the scale for a single plot window by clicking the
window to pause the simulation and display the dialog
6 Enter the desired scale limits (or click the Auto button to
scale to the data that is already in the window) then
choose OK.

Figure 6.34. Use this dialog box to enter new scale
limits for the XSPICE plots.
7 Use the Up and Down options in the XSpice menu to
move the graphs into view if there are more graphs to be
displayed than can be shown on your monitor.
8 Click Quit in the XSpice menu to stop at any time.
When you click Quit, the dialog box pictured in Figure
6.35 appears asking if you want to save the simulation
data collected. This option is very useful if you have
been waiting for a long simulation and want to analyze
the data which has been collected so far, but don’t want
to wait for the simulation to complete.
Figure 6.35. Use Quit to stop long simulations.

9 Click Yes to display the graphics windows, which let
you analyze the simulation data that has been collected.
OR
Click No to discard the simulation data. Click Cancel to
continue the simulation.
Note: the simulation cannot always be stopped at a
location where the data will be available for display.
.NET and .RAW File Output

While the interactive XSpice simulation window is dis-
played, CircuitMaker generates a SPICE netlist to disk in a
temporary file called filename.NET where filename is the
name of the circuit file. XSpice for Windows analyzes the
netlist file and stores the simulation results in a file called

filename.RAW. The amount of time it takes to complete the
simulation is based on the analyses that are enabled, their
sweep ranges, the complexity of the circuit, and the speed of
your computer. The .RAW file can become very large for a
complex simulation and is deleted when changes are made to
the circuit. You can greatly reduce the size of the .RAW file
by reducing the number of Test Points in the circuit and by
disabling the ASCIIOUTPUT option in the Analog Options
dialog box. See the Test Point Types section earlier in this
chapter for more information.
Warning Messages vs. Error Messages

Sometimes CircuitMaker displays warning or error messages
during circuit simulation. These messages are saved in a text
file called filename.ERR. CircuitMaker prompts you to view
these messages, displaying them in the Windows Notepad
editor. The following distinguishes the two messages.
Warning Messages
Warning messages are not fatal to the simulation. They
generally provide information about changes that SPICE had
to make to the circuit in order to complete the simulation.
These include invalid or missing parameters, etc.
Note: Normally, valid simulation results are generated even if
warning messages are reported.
SimCode warnings may include information such as timing
violations (tsetup, thold, trec, tw, etc.) or significant drops in
power supply voltage on digital components.
Error Messages
Error messages provide information about problems that
SPICE could not resolve and were fatal to the simulation.
Error messages indicate that simulation results could not be
generated, so they must be corrected before you will be able
to analyze the circuit. If you need help troubleshooting
SPICE simulation errors, refer to Chapter 15: SPICE:
Beyond the Basics.

Setting Up Analog/SPICE Variables
SPICE allows you to control certain aspects of its simulation
such as iteration limits, temperature, etc. Choose Simulation
> Analyses Setup > Analog Options to display the dialog
To learn more about the option variables listed in this dialog
box, and how to change their values, turn to SPICE Option
Variables in Chapter 15: SPICE: Beyond the Basics.
Figure 6.36. Use this dialog box to control certain aspects

of the SPICE simulation.
ASCIIOUTPUT Check Box

By default, the simulation data is saved in the .RAW file in
binary format, creating smaller .RAW files. Use this check
box to have SPICE save the simulation data in ASCII format,
which lets you to read the data directly or load it into other
applications. Default=binary format.

DVCC, DVDD and DGND
These are default values of the Vcc, Vdd and ground buses
for the digital devices. If these buses are not specified in the
circuit, the default values will be used. If a bus name is
entered instead of a value, that bus will be connected to the
devices. By default, DVCC and DVDD=+5V,
DGND=“GND”.
Integration Method
Choose which numerical integration method you want to use
with XSpice. The trapezoidal method is relatively fast and
accurate, but tends to oscillate under certain conditions. The
gear method requires longer simulation times, but tends to
be more stable. The gear order must be a value between 2
and 6. Using a higher gear order theoretically leads to more
accurate results, but increases simulation time.
Default=Trapezoidal.
Analysis Data Saved in .RAW File

Use the four radio buttons (see Figure 6.36) to select the
default level at which variables are saved in the .RAW file.
This determines how much data is actually stored in the
.RAW file and which variables can be plotted in the analysis
windows when the simulation is run.
• Select the top button to store only the node voltages
and supply currents.
• Select the second button to store node voltages, supply
currents and device pin currents.
• Select the third button to store node voltages, supply
currents, device pin currents and device power dissipa-
tion.
• Select the bottom button to store node voltages, supply
currents, device pin variables and subcircuit internal
variables.
If you have added any Exclusive Test Points to the circuit,
data will be saved only for each Exclusive Test Point and
these radio buttons will be disabled.

Analog/Mixed-Signal Instruments
Following is a description of instruments found in
CircuitMaker’s device library that are most commonly used
in analog and mixed-signal circuits.
Multimeter
In addition to the Multimeter/Operating Point analysis
window, CircuitMaker includes a multimeter instrument for
12. 00 V measuring resistance, DC, DC AVG or AC RMS voltage or
DC V
current. You may place as many multimeters into your circuit
as you like. When you run the simulation, the measured
value is then displayed on the meter. Remember, when
measuring voltage, connect the meter in parallel with the
circuit; when measuring current, connect it in series. When
measuring resistance, be sure to remove any power sources
from the circuit and beware of dangling devices that may
cause XSpice errors. Also, since the multimeter forces a
current through the circuit to measure ohms, make sure you
have only one multimeter set to ohms in the circuit at a time.
XSpice sees the current flowing into the positive terminal of
a power supply, Multimeter or Signal Generator as positive
current.
When you place a Multimeter [Analog/Instruments] in your
circuit, the dialog box shown in Figure 6.37 appears showing
the settings of the multimeter.
Note: To measure DC AVG or AC RMS values, Transient
Analysis must be enabled and must simulate enough cycles
of transient data to make the measurements meaningful.
Likewise, Operating Point Analysis (multimeter) must be
enabled in order to obtain resistance and DC values.

Figure 6.37. This dialog box appears when you place a
multimeter in your circuit.
The resistance of a voltmeter is high and the resistance of an
ammeter is low, so it will have little effect on the circuit it is
measuring. When measuring voltage on a high resistance
circuit it may be desirable to increase the resistance of the
voltmeter. When measuring current through a low resistance
circuit it may be desirable to decrease the resistance of the
ammeter. When measuring pin junction resistance, it may be
desirable to increase the forcing current of the ohmmeter.
Multifunction Signal Generator

You can place as many of CircuitMaker’s multifunction
signal generators in your circuit as you like. Waveform
-1/1V functions include:
• Sinusoidal
1.0 kHz
• Single-Frequency AM
• Single-Frequency FM
• Exponential
• Pulse (including Triangle and Sawtooth)
• Piece-Wise Linear
The settings for each of these functions are edited through
separate dialog boxes, which are described in the following
sections.

Accessing the Signal Generator Editor
After placing a Signal Gen [Analog/Instruments] (g) in your
circuit, double-click it with the Arrow Tool to display the
Figure 6.38. This dialog box shows the settings for the
currently selected waveform function.
All of the waveform dialog boxes have the following items in
common:
Volts/Amps
Allows you to select whether this is a voltage or current
source.
Netlist Button
Displays the Edit Device Data dialog box described in
Editing Devices in Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing
Schematics.
Wave Button
Displays the dialog box pictured in Figure 6.39, allowing you
to change waveform functions for this generator. To change
waveform functions, click one of the function buttons and
specify this generator’s effect when running AC Analysis.
AC Analysis temporarily replaces each AC source with a
sinusoidal wave of a fixed magnitude and phase. The Source
check box allows you to specify whether this generator will
be used as an AC source in the AC Analysis. The Magni-
tude and Phase edit fields allow you to specify the fixed
values that will be used.

Figure 6.39. Use the Edit Signal Generator dialog box to
select the waveform you want to edit.
Editing Sine Wave Data

Click the Sine Wave button to display the dialog box
-1/1V
pictured in Figure 6.40. Use this dialog box to set the
parameters of the sinusoidal waveform.
1.0 kHz
The waveform, beginning at Start Delay, is described by the
following formula where t = instance of time:
V(t0 to tSD) = VO
V(tSD to tSTOP) = VO +VA sin(2pF (t-SD)) e-(t-SD)THETA

Figure 6.40. Use this dialog box to edit sine wave data.
DC Offset (VO)
Used to adjust the DC bias of the signal generator with
respect to the negative terminal (usually ground), measured
in volts or amps.
Peak Amplitude (VA)
Maximum amplitude of the output swing, excluding the DC
Offset, measured in volts or amps.
Frequency (F)
Frequency of the output in hertz.
Start Delay (SD)
Provides a phase shift of the output by delaying the start of
the sine wave.
Damping Factor (THETA)
A positive value results in an exponentially decreasing
amplitude; a negative value results in an exponentially
increasing amplitude.

Editing AM Signal Data
Click the AM Signal button to display the dialog box
pictured in Figure 6.41a. Use this dialog box to set the
parameters of the single-frequency AM waveform.
DC Offset (VO)
Adjust the DC bias of the signal generator with respect to
the negative terminal (usually ground), measured in volts or
amps.
Figure 6.41a. Use this dialog box to edit an AM signal.

Peak Amplitude (VA)
Carrier Frequency (FC)
Frequency of the unmodulated output in hertz.
Modulation Index (MDI)
Value corresponding to the percentage of amplitude modula-
tion. 1 = 100%, 0.5 = 50%, etc.
Signal Frequency (FS)
Frequency of the modulating signal in hertz.

Editing FM Signal Data
Click the FM Signal button to display the dialog box
-1/1V pictured in Figure 6.41b. Use this dialog box to set the
parameters of the single-frequency FM waveform.
10. kHz The waveform is described by the following formula where t

= instance of time:
V(t) = VO +VA sin(2pFCt + MDI sin(2pFSt))
DC Offset (VO)
Adjust the DC bias of the signal generator with respect to
the negative terminal (usually ground), measured in volts or
amps.
Figure 6.41b. Use this dialog box to edit an FM signal.

Peak Amplitude (VA)
Carrier Frequency (FC)
Frequency of the unmodulated output in hertz.
Modulation Index (MDI)
Value corresponding to a function of amplitude of the
modulating signal indicating the level of modulation.
MDI = (frequency deviation) / FS
Signal Frequency (FS)
Frequency of the modulating signal in hertz.

Editing Exponential Data
Use the dialog box in Figure 6.42 to set the parameters of the
0/5V exponential waveform. The waveform is described by the
following formulas where t = instance of time:
3.6 us V(t0 to tRD) = VI
V(tRD to tFD) = VI + (VP - VI) (1 - e-(t - tRD) / tRT)
V(tFD to tSTOP) = VI + (VP - VI) (-e-(t - tRD) / tRT) +
(VI - VP) (1 - e-(t - tFD) / tFT)
Figure 6.42. Use this dialog box to edit exponential wave

data.
Initial Amplitude (VI)
Initial amplitude of the output with respect to the negative
terminal (usually ground), measured in volts or amps.
Pulse Amplitude (VP)
Max. amplitude of output swing, measured in volts or amps.
Rise Time Delay (RD)
The point in time, from t0, when the output begins to rise.
This provides a phase shift of the output by delaying the
start of the exponential waveform.
Rise Time Constant (RT)
Standard RC charging time constant.
Fall Time Delay (FD)
The point in time, from t0, when the output begins to fall.
Fall Time Constant (FT)
Standard RC discharging time constant.

Editing Pulse Data
To set the parameters of the pulse waveform, click Pulse/
0/5V
Triangle/Sawtooth to display the dialog box in Figure 6.43.
1.0 MHz
Figure 6.43. Use this dialog box to edit pulse data.

The waveform is described as follows where t = instance of
time. Intermediate points are set by linear interpolation:
V(t0) = VI
V(tSD) = VI
V(tSD+tTR) = VP
V(tSD+tTR+tPW) = VP
V(tSD+tTR+tPW+tTF) = VI
V(tSTOP) = VI
Initial Amplitude (VI)

Initial amplitude of the output with respect to the negative
terminal (usually ground), measured in volts or amps.
Pulse Amplitude (VP)
Maximum amplitude of output swing, in volts or amps.
Period (=1/freq)
Duration of one complete cycle of the output.
Pulse Width (PW)
Duration output remains at VP before ramping toward VI.
Rise Time (TR)
Duration of the ramp from VI to VP.
Fall Time (TF)
Duration of the ramp from VP to VI.
Delay to Start (SD)
Duration that the output remains at VI before beginning to
ramp toward VP the first time.

Editing Piece-Wise Data
Click the Piece-Wise button to set the parameters of the
piecewise linear waveform as pictured in Figure 6.44.
-500m/2V
7.0 us
Figure 6.44. Use this dialog box to set the parameters of

the piecewise linear waveform.
Piecewise linear data must come from one of two sources:
• You can describe the waveform with a set of up to 8
points that you enter directly into this dialog box. The
time specified for each successive point must be more
positive than its predecessor. If it is not, the cycle will
end, excluding that and all successive points.
• You can define the waveform in an ASCII text file
containing an indefinite number of points. Values must
be entered in pairs and each pair must include a time
position followed by an amplitude. The first character of
each data line must be a plus sign (+) and each line may
contain up to a maximum of 255 characters. Values must
be separated by one or more spaces or tabs. Values may
be entered in either scientific or engineering notation.
Comments may be added to the file by making the first
character of the line an asterisk (*). For example:
* Random Noise Data
+ 0.00000e-3 0.6667 0.00781e-3 0.6372 0.01563e-3 -0.1177
+ 0.02344e-3 -0.6058 0.03125e-3 0.2386 0.03906e-3 -1.1258
+ 0.04688e-3 1.6164 0.05469e-3 -0.3136 0.06250e-3 -1.0934
+ 0.07031e-3 -0.1087 0.07813e-3 -0.1990 0.08594e-3 -1.1168
+ 0.09375e-3 1.4890 0.10156e-3 -0.2169 0.10938e-3 -1.4915
+ 0.11719e-3 1.4914 0.12500e-3 0.1486
Intermediate points are determined by linear interpolation. If

Max. Amp is specified in the dialog box, the data in the file
will be scaled vertically so that the peak-to-peak amplitude

of the waveform is equal to the specified Max. Amp and is
centered around zero. If an Offset is specified, the waveform
will be offset vertically by the specified amount. If a Max.
Time is specified, the waveform will be scaled horizontally to
fit the specified Max. Time. Example circuit: PWL.CKT.
Note: The .PWL file must be located in the same directory as
the circuit you are simulating.
Data Sequencer
You can use this device in both digital and analog simulation
Data 8 modes. Also known as a Data or Word Generator, it allows
Seq 7
6 you to specify up to 32767 8-bit words which can be output
5 in a defined sequence. Since there is no limit to the number
4
3 of Data Sequencers that you can use in a circuit, you could
CP1 2
CP2 1 place several in parallel to create a data stream of any width.
For a complete description of the data sequencer, refer to
Data Sequencer in Chapter 5: Digital Logic Simulation

CHAPTER 7
Exporting Files
CircuitMaker offers several powerful export options, letting
you export your circuit data to any of the following output
types:
• Bill of Materials
• Waveforms as graphic files
• Circuits as graphic files
• SPICE Netlists
• SPICE Subcircuits
• PCB Netlists
This level of flexibility lets you easily integrate the work you
do in CircuitMaker with a wide variety of other schematic
capture, simulation, and printed circuit board layout pro-
grams.
CircuitMaker works seamlessly with TraxMaker, meaning
that you can export to the TraxMaker PCB netlist format and
also configure and launch TraxMaker directly from
CircuitMaker.
This chapter defines the different types of output files and
provides step-by-step procedures for them.
Bill of Materials
Formerly known as a Parts List, a Bill of Materials is a file
that contains information about how many and which kinds
of parts are used in your circuit. You can export a Bill of
Materials to a text file.
Chapter 7: Exporting Files 7-175

To access the Bill of Materials feature,
1 Choose File > Bill of Materials to display the dialog
2 See the following sections for more information.
You can save a Bill of Materials in one of two formats: Single
Item per line or Multiple items per line.
Figure 7.1. You can save, display, or print a Bill of Materi-

als in one of two formats.
Single Item Per Line

This format puts each component on a separate line in the
Bill of Materials. Items are listed in order according to the
device designation. The columns are tab delimited. This
format can easily be loaded into a spreadsheet and then
sorted and arranged to your liking. The following is an
example of the single item per line format:
Bill of Materials for:
C:\CM\Circuits\Diffamp.BOM
Item Label-Value Attributes Designation

1 1N914 DIODE0.4 D1
2 1N914 DIODE0.4 D2
3 2N2222A TO-92 Q1
4 2N2222A TO-92 Q2
5 2N2222A TO-92 Q3
6 3.2k AXIAL0.4 R1
7 1.5k AXIAL0.4 R2
8 50 AXIAL0.4 RB1
9 50 AXIAL0.4 RB2
10 7.75k AXIAL0.4 RC1
7-176 Chapter 7: Exporting Files

Multiple Items Per Line
This Bill of Materials format lists components on the same
line if the label-value, description and package fields match.
Columns are tab delimited. The following is an example of the
multiple items format:
Bill of Materials for:
C:\CM\Circuits\Diffamp.BOM
Item Quantity Label-Value Attributes Designations
1 2 1N914 DIODE0.4 D1,D2
2 3 2N2222A TO-92 Q1,Q2,Q3
3 1 3.2k AXIAL0.4 R1
4 1 1.5k AXIAL0.4 R2
5 2 50 AXIAL0.4 RB1,RB2
6 2 7.75k AXIAL0.4 RC1,RC2
7 1 2.5k AXIAL0.4 RE
As you can see in the examples, the three main things listed
for each item are Label-Value, Attributes, and Designation.
The default attributes are package and description, which
can be set for each device in the Edit Device Data dialog box.
Notice that none of the items in the list had a description, so
only the package is listed. If multiple attributes are present
for devices, then additional lines are added to list those
attributes. For example, a group of items that has both a
package and a description would require a second line to list
the second attribute (description):
5 2 50 AXIAL0.4 RB1,RB2
5% Resistor
Saving, Displaying, and Printing the

Bill of Materials
To save the Bill of Materials to a file,
1 Enter the desired output file path and name in the Bill of
Materials dialog box.
2 Click the Save button.

To display the Bill of Materials,
1 Click the Display button.
The Bill of Materials appears in the Notepad editor.
2 Choose File > Print in the Notepad editor to print the
Bill of Materials.
Including Attributes
Use the Include Attributes field in the Bill of Materials
dialog box to enter items that you want to appear in the
attribute column of the Bill of Materials. These items must be
separated by commas, and should be listed in the order that
you want them to appear in the Bill of Materials. There are
two predefined attributes: package and description. These
are listed as the default attributes in the Include Attributes
field. Deleting an item from the Include Attributes field
excludes that attribute from the Bill of Materials. You can
enter other attributes in the Include Attributes field if they
are defined an attribute file as described below.
Creating an Attribute File

You can create an attribute file to define additional at-
tributes.
To use an attribute file,
1 Create an attribute file.

2 Select the attribute file in the Attribute File field of the
Bill of Materials dialog box by typing the full path and
naming the file, or by clicking the Attribute File button
to find and select the file.
3 Define the attributes in the attribute file and enter the
names of the attributes in the Include Attributes field of
the Bill of Materials dialog box.
If you use an attribute file, devices that match an entry in the
attribute file will have the defined attributes listed in the
attribute column in the Bill of Materials. An entry in an
attribute file must have one of the following two comma
delimited formats:

Format 1
[Label-Value], [Package], [Description], [Attribute Name],
[Attribute Data]
This format is used for all devices except for resistors,
capacitors, and inductors.
Example:
ua741,DIP8,*,MFG,FairChild
Format 2
[Spice Prefix (R, C, or L)], [Package], [Description],
[Attribute Name], [Attribute Data]
This format is used for resistors, capacitors, and inductors.
Example:
c,CAP0.2,*,MFG,Mallory
A device is considered to match an entry in the attribute file

if the label-value (or spice prefix), package, and description
of the device match those of the entry in the attribute file.
The matching is case insensitive. You can use an asterisk
(wild-card) to indicate that a match for a particular item is not
required. In the Format 1 ua741 example, only the Label-Value
and the package must match. The description does not need
to match because of the asterisk.
A single line in the attribute file can only contain one
attribute. Additional attributes for the same device type can
be listed by using the plus (+) character. The plus character
means that the Label-Value, package, and description for the
new line are the same as the line above. This means that only
the new attribute name and attribute data are listed. Here is
the above ua741 example restated, with additional attributes:
ua741,DIP8,*,MFG,FairChild
+,COST,$0.25
+,MFGID,UA741N

The information in the Include Attributes field of the Bill of
Materials dialog box could be as follows:
Package,Description,MFG,MFGID,cost
A corresponding entry in a Bill of Materials would then be:

24 3 UA741 DIP8 U1,U2,U3
Fairchild
UA741N
$0.25
Even though Description is listed in the Include Attributes

field, a description does not appear in the Bill of Materials
because the Description field in the Edit Device Data dialog
is blank for this device. Note that the order of the attributes
in the Bill of Materials depends on the order in the Include
Attributes field, not the order in the attribute file. The
following are examples of additional entries from an attribute
file:
LM741,DIP8,*,MFG,National
+,COST,$0.26
+,MFGID,LM741N
r,AXIAL0.4,*,MFG,TRW
+,COST,$0.05
LF411,CAN8,*,MFG,National
+,COST,$0.26
+,MFGID,LM741N
c,CAP0.2,*,MFG,Mallory

Setting Up Export Options
Use the Export Options dialog box to specify the format used
when transferring graphics to the clipboard or when
exporting a graphic to a file.
To setup export options,
1 Choose File > Export > Options to display the dialog
2 Choose On, Off, or Simulation for the Show LED/
LAMP Display State option.
3 Choose Color or B/W (Black and White) to specify the
output color.
Figure 7.2. The Export Options dialog lets you specify

output settings.
4 Choose an export format:

Format Characteristics
Windows Metafile Windows format for
vector graphics.
Device Independent Bitmap A pixel-by-pixel represen-
tation of a graphic that
looks good at any
resolution.
Device Dependent Bitmap A pixel-by-pixel represen-
tation of a graphic that
only looks good at its
original resolution.

Exporting Waveforms as Graphics
You can export CircuitMaker waveforms and use them in
documentation, presentations, etc. You can either save the
waveform as a graphic file, or copy and paste the waveform
Use the Waveforms as Graphics export option to save the
waveforms for the current circuit as a Windows Metafile,
Device Independent Bitmap or Device Dependent Bitmap.
Use the Export Options dialog box, described earlier, to
choose the format.
Note: CircuitMaker saves only the information currently
displayed in the active Waveforms or Analysis window.
To save waveforms as graphics,
1 Run a simulation so that waveform and analysis
windows appear on the screen.
2 Click and select the waveform window that you want to
export.
3 Choose File > Export > Waveforms as Graphic. Select
the name of the file where you want to save the circuit
OR
Choose Edit > Copy to Clipboard > Waveforms, then
open another Windows program and Paste the wave-
form directly into your document.
Exporting Circuits as Graphics

You can export CircuitMaker circuit schematics and use them
in documentation, presentations, etc. You can either save
the circuit as a graphic file, or copy and paste the circuit
Use the Export Circuit as Graphic option to save the circuit
to disk as a Windows Metafile, Device Independent Bitmap
or Device Dependent Bitmap. Use the Export Options dialog
box, described earlier, to choose the format.

To export the circuit as a graphic,
1 Choose File > Export > Circuit as Graphic. Select the
name of the file where you want to save the circuit
OR
Choose Edit > Copy to Clipboard > Circuit, then open
another Windows program and Paste the circuit directly
into your document.
Exporting a SPICE Netlist

A SPICE netlist is intended for simulation. For more informa-
tion, see Chapter 6: Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation and
Chapter 15: SPICE: Beyond the Basics.
Use the SPICE netlist (.NET) option to create a SPICE
compatible text file describing your circuit. You can then
import this text file into other Berkeley SPICE3 compatible
simulation programs.
1 Choose File > Export > SPICE Netlist.
2 Type the name of the netlist file with a .NET extension,
and then choose OK.
Exporting a SPICE Subcircuit

Use the SPICE Subcircuit option to create a .SUB text file
describing your circuit. You can then copy the text file into a
.SUB file which corresponds to the device symbol you
intend to use. Connect SCOPE [Digital/Instrument] (t)
devices to your circuit to indicate the connecting nodes of
the subcircuit. Label them TP1 (1st node), TP2 (2nd node),
etc., or anything that ends with a number (1, 2, 3, etc.) up to a
maximum of 64 connecting nodes.
To export a SPICE Subcircuit,
1 Choose File > Export > SPICE Subcircuit.
2 Type the name of the subcircuit file with a .SUB
extension, and then choose OK.

Exporting a PCB Netlist
Use the PCB Netlist export option to create a PCB netlist file
for your circuit. CircuitMaker generates PCB netlists in
TraxMaker, Protel, Tango, and many other formats, allowing
you to use it with a wide variety of Printed Circuit Board
layout programs.
What is a Net?
Each net represents one electrical junction point or node of a
circuit. Numerous device pins may be connected to the same
net.
What is a Netlist?
A netlist is an ASCII text file listing connections which
describe the networks (or nets) of component connections
in an electronic circuit. Widely used in electronics CAD
packages, netlists let you transfer design details between
applications, such as CircuitMaker and TraxMaker. Netlists
generally contain two types of information:
• Descriptions of the individual components
• A list of all pin-to-pin connections
PCB Netlists come in various formats but generally carry
similar data. They can often be translated into another
format using a text editor. The file extension “.NET” is used
for MicroCode Engineering netlist files.
As straightforward ASCII text files, netlists are easily
viewed, created, and modified using a simple text editor or
word processor (such as NotePad).
PCB Netlist Requirements

To create a PCB netlist, your circuit must meet the following
requirements:
• Each device in the circuit must have a unique Designa-
tion (that is, D1, C3, etc.).
• Each device must have a value or label (that is, 10k,
2N2222A, etc.).
• Each device must have a Package type which should
match one of the available Patterns in your PCB Layout
program (that is, DIP14, AXIAL0.4, etc.).

• Pin numbers must be assigned for each device in the
circuit.
• Designators and Package Descriptions (types) are
limited to 12 alphanumeric characters. Net names can be
20 characters. Pin numbers in netlists are limited to 4
alphanumeric characters. No blank spaces may be used
within these strings.
If any of these required items is missing, an error message
will appear.
Exporting to Popular PCB Netlist Formats

CircuitMaker can export PCB netlists in the following
formats, making your design usable in any product that
supports these PCB netlist formats:
• TraxMaker
• Protel
• Tango
• Orcad PCB II (CircuitMaker PRO only)
• PADS (CircuitMaker PRO only)
• CadNetix (CircuitMaker PRO only)
• Calay (CircuitMaker PRO only)
• Calay 90 (CircuitMaker PRO only)
Note that package description names and pin numbers for

each device in CircuitMaker must have exact matches to
the library footprints of the pcb layout program you are
using. For example, let’s say your schematic contains a
resistor, and you want that resistor to use an AXIAL0.4
footprint when the netlist is imported into TraxMaker. You
would need to make sure that the name “AXIAL0.4” is in the
Package field of that resistor (double-click on a part in
CircuitMaker to access the Edit Device Data dialog box, to
view and edit the package field).
To export a PCB netlist format other than the TraxMaker
format,
1 Choose File > Export > PCB Netlist.
2 Select the appropriate format from the drop-down list
such as Orcad PCB II.
3 Type the name of the netlist file, and then choose Save.

TraxMaker PCB Netlist Format
TraxMaker is a powerful pcb layout and autorouting
program from MicroCode Engineering Inc. It is fully compat-
ible with CircuitMaker, and the products are designed to
work together seamlessly, giving you a complete start-to-
finish design system.
TraxMaker’s netlist format is identical to the Tango and
Protel netlist formats, and TraxMaker accepts either a dash (-
) or a comma (,) delimiter between the designator and pin
number (U1-16 or U1,16). Some netlists, including TraxMaker
netlists, provide separate formats for component descrip-
tions and connections. Others combine the two sets of data
in a single section. The following describes the TraxMaker
pcb netlist format.
Character What it Does

[ Marks the start of each component
description.
U8 Labels the Component Designator
(Designation field).
DIP16 Indicates the package description, type, or
pattern (Package field). An identical
description is required in the TraxMaker
component library.
74LS138 Shows the component’s comment (or
value). Compare with Label-Value field.
Blank line Left blank for future provision. There are
usually three blank lines.
] Marks the end of the component descrip-
tion.
( Marks the start of each net.
NET3 Names the net.
U8-3 Shows the first component (by designa-
tor) and pin number. Pin numbers in
TraxMaker library components must be an
exact match.

J21-1 Indicates the second pin in the net.
U5-5 Indicates another pin.
) Marks the end of the net.
Note that net descriptions are distinguished from component

descriptions by the use of rounded, rather than square
brackets.
CircuitMaker to TraxMaker
TraxMaker is a powerful pcb layout and autorouting program
from MicroCode Engineering Inc. It is fully compatible with
Export to TraxMaker CircuitMaker, and the products are designed to work
automatically using together seamlessly, giving you a complete start-to-finish
the TraxMaker design system. Because CircuitMaker and TraxMaker are
Button. tightly integrated, you can automatically export a TraxMaker
netlists, open TraxMaker, define a keep out area, load the
netlist, place and arrange the component footprints all with
the TraxMaker Button in CircuitMaker.
To take a schematic from CircuitMaker into TraxMaker,
1 Choose File > Export > PCB Netlist (or click the
TraxMaker button on the Toolbar) to display the dialog
Figure 7.3. Not only can you export a TraxMaker

netlist, but you can also launch TraxMaker, load the
netlist, and automatically define a keep out area and
place the components, all from within CircuitMaker.

2 Choose TraxMaker from the drop-down list (it is
chosen for you by default).
3 From the TraxMaker Options group box, specify the
options as described in the following sections.
Run TraxMaker and Load Netlist
Use this option to export the currently opened .CKT file to
netlist (.NET) format, run TraxMaker, and load the netlist. If
CircuitMaker can’t find the TraxMaker executable file, use
the Find TraxMaker button to locate it. Once you have
located it, you don’t have to find it again unless the location
changes.
Create Keep-Out Layer
Use this option to define the board size for the TraxMaker
AutoPlacement and Autorouting features, both of which
attempt to stay within this area when placing and routing
netlists. See the TraxMaker User Manual for more informa-
tion.
Board Size in Mils
Use this option to define the size of the Keep Out Layer. See
the TraxMaker User Manual for more information.
Automatically Place Components
This option activates the TraxMaker AutoPlacement feature,
which uses several strategies when placing netlisted
components on the Board. AutoPlacement attempts to
arrange components by first grouping, then placing the
groups using the placement and clearance grids you’ve
specified. See the TraxMaker User Manual for more
information.

CHAPTER 8
Fault Simulation
An exciting educational feature of CircuitMaker is the ability
to place faulty devices in circuits. This lets you, as the
instructor, to create troubleshooting exercises for students.
For example, you can create a working circuit, then “zap” one
or more of the devices by applying shorts, opens or other
faults to selected pins on those devices. You can then
password protect the fault data and limit the resources
available to the student. You can add faults to both digital
and analog circuits.
Hints: Create a working circuit before adding fault data.
While CircuitMaker’s comprehensive fault simulator lets you
create multiple, complex faults, use discretion when adding
faults to a circuit. One or two damaged pins on an IC, a burnt
resistor, or a shorted capacitor might be enough to challenge
the student.
Device Faults
Each device might have multiple faults, but each device pin
can have only a single fault. There are 6 basic types of
device faults that can be simulated in CircuitMaker:
Pin(s) Stuck High

In Digital Simulation mode the specified pins will be con-
nected to a logic high. In Analog Simulation mode the
specified pins will be connected to an invisible, independent
voltage source of an instructor-specified value.
Pin(s) Stuck Low

In Digital Simulation mode the specified pins will be con-
nected to a logic low. In Analog Simulation mode the
specified pins will be connected to an invisible, independent
voltage source of an instructor-specified value.
Chapter 8: Fault Simulation 8-189

Pin(s) Open
In Digital Simulation mode the specified pins will be discon-
nected from the device. In Analog Simulation mode the
specified pins will be connected to the device through an
invisible resistor of an instructor-specified value.
Pins Shorted Together
In Digital Simulation mode the specified pins will be shorted
directly together. In Analog Simulation mode the specified
pins will be connected together through a daisy-chain of
invisible resistors of an instructor-specified value.
Wrong Value
For Analog Simulation mode only. The Fault Label-Value
replaces the Label-Value for the device during simulation.
User Defined
For Analog Simulation mode only. The SPICE model or
subcircuit specified in the Label-Value for the device is
replaced during simulation by the model or subcircuit
specified in the Fault Label-Value. The faulty model or
subcircuit may be one that has been modified by the
instructor to operate incorrectly.
Figure 8.1. Use the Device Faults dialog box, which you
access from the Edit Device Data dialog box, to set up
faults for the device.
8-190 Chapter 8: Fault Simulation

Adding Device Faults
To add faults to a device, follow these steps:
1 Double-click the device to display the Edit Device Data
dialog box.
2 Click Faults to display the Device Faults dialog box.
Following is a description of the various items on the Device
Faults dialog box (see Figure 8.1).
Enable Device Faults

When checked, the faults specified for this device will be
enabled. It is enabled automatically when you edit fault data.
Fault Label-Value
Use this text box to enter the “wrong value” and “user
defined” faults mentioned earlier in this chapter. If a value is
entered in this field, it will replace the device’s Label-Value
when the simulation is run. Faulty SPICE model and
subcircuit names may also be entered here. If the field is left
blank, the device’s real Label-Value will be used in the
simulation.
Faults and Device Pins

Select one or more pins from the Device Pins list, then click
on one of the fault buttons. The selected pins will be
removed from the selection list and placed to the right of the
associated fault button. Pressing a fault button again will
remove that fault from the pins listed next to it, and place the
pins back in the selection list.
Button Used For

HIGH The pin(s) stuck high fault. In
Analog/Mixed mode simulation, the
value to the left of the button ()
indicates the voltage of an invisible
voltage source to which the pins are
stuck.
LOW The pin(s) stuck low fault. In Analog/
Mixed mode simulation, the value to
the left of the button () indicates the
voltage of an invisible voltage source
to which the pins are stuck.

Button Used For
OPEN The pin(s) open fault. In Analog/
Mixed mode simulation, the value to
the left of the button indicates the
resistance (very high) between the
pin and the device.
SHORT Used for the pins shorted together
fault. In Analog/Mixed mode simula-
tion, the value to the left of the button
indicates the value of the resistors
(very low) that are daisy-chained
between each of the selected pins.
Internal High/Low Check Boxes

Use these options for digital simulation only; they do not
affect analog simulation. Stuck high and stuck low faults are
assumed, by default, to be external to the device. Due to the
nature of the digital simulation, it is desirable to use internal
high/low faults on input pins and external high/low faults on
output pins. For this reason you should not have an input
pin and an output pin both stuck high or both stuck low on
the same device.
Hint Message
The instructor can type a brief hint about the nature of the
fault in this field that the student can access while trouble-
shooting the circuit.
Fault Password
The instructor can enter a password in this text box to
restrict access to the fault data. If a password is entered
here, all fault data will be password protected. If the pass-
word is deleted, the fault data will no longer be protected.
Passwords are case sensitive and may be up to 15 characters
in length. They may include any printable character, exclud-
ing Tab or Enter. Password protection:
• Restricts access to the Device Faults dialog box.
• Restricts access to the Circuit Faults dialog box.
• Eliminates fault comments from the SPICE .NET file.

Using the Access Faults Dialog Box
If the fault data has been password protected, the Access
Faults dialog box (pictured in Figure 8.2) appears whenever
the student:
• Clicks the Circuit Fault Data button in the Preferences

dialog box.
• Clicks the Faults button in the Edit Device Data dialog

box.
• Double-clicks a device (if Device Data Display has been

checked in the Circuit Faults dialog box).
Figure 8.2. The Access Faults dialog box appears

whenever a password has been set and the student tries
to perform certain actions.
If Replace Device has not been disabled (in the Circuit Faults
dialog box), the student can click on this button to replace a
device. This disables the fault data for the device, but does
not actually delete the fault data.
If Replacement Status has not been disabled (in the Circuit
Faults dialog box), a message will then be displayed indicat-
ing whether the replaced device was good or faulty. Disable
Replacement Status from the Circuit Faults dialog box.
If Display Hint has not been disabled (in the Circuit Faults
dialog box), the student can click on the Display Hint button
to view any hint the instructor has provided for that device.
The instructor can see how many devices were replaced, and
how many hints were displayed, all from the Circuit Faults
dialog box. The instructor can also enter the password to
gain access to the Device Faults or Circuit Faults dialog box.

Managing Circuit Faults
Use the Circuit Faults dialog box (see Figure 8.3) to control
which resources are available to students when faults are
enabled. You can also define the default analog fault values.
The settings specified in this dialog box are saved with the
circuit.
To access the Circuit Faults dialog box,
2 Click the Circuit Fault Data button.
Figure 8.3. Use this dialog box to control which resources

are available to students when faults are enabled.
The following information describes the features on the
Circuit Faults dialog box.
Disable Circuit Options

Use the options in this group box to limit the features
available to the student.
Note: Only the items which are not checked are available to
the student.

By default, none of the items are checked, meaning that the
student has access to all of CircuitMaker’s features.
Option Disables Student’s Ability To
Wire Tool Use the Wire Tool or the Arrow/Wire
Tool to modify the circuit.
Delete Tool Use the Delete Tool or the Delete key
to modify the circuit. Note: This does
not prevent the student from replac-
ing a device (by clicking on the
Replace Device button in the Access
Faults dialog box).
Rotate/Mirror Rotate or mirror devices in the circuit.
Cut Command Use the Cut and Move commands to
modify the circuit.
Copy Command Use the Copy, Duplicate and Copy
Circuit commands. Note: This
prevents the student from copying
faulty devices into another circuit
which is not password protected.
Paste Command Use the Paste and Duplicate com-
mands to modify the circuit.
Device Replacement Use the Replace Device button in the
Access Faults dialog box. Note: This
does not prevent the student from
deleting the device or selecting a new
device from the device library.
Replacement Status View a message when a device is
replaced. The message indicates
whether or not the replaced device
was faulty.
Display Hints View any hint messages.
Script Functions Run any of the script functions.
Model Selection Select a new SPICE model for any
device.
Subcircuit Selection Select a new SPICE subcircuit for any
device.

Option Disables Student’s Ability To
Signal Selection Change the settings of the Signal
Generators.
Device Data Display View or edit the device data in the Edit
Device Data dialog box, and change
the Visible status of the device labels
and values.
Device Libraries Select new devices from the device
library. Note: This does not prevent
the student from replacing a device
by clicking on the Replace Device
button in the Access Faults dialog
box.
Digital Options Access the Digital Options dialog
box.
Digital Trace Use the Trace feature. The Trace
feature is used in digital simulation to
view the logic states of all the wires in
the circuit.
Show Node Numbers View the node numbers for the circuit.
Viewing the node numbers could help
identify opens and shorts in a circuit.
Analog Options Access the Analog Options dialog
box.
Analysis Selections Change the enabled/disabled status
of the analog analyses, which limits
the student to analysis types you
specify. The student can, however,
change settings of enabled analyses
and run modified simulations.
Save Circuit Save the circuit. This cannot be
checked if the Auto Save Circuit after
Hint or Replacement option is
checked (see Hints and Replace-
ments).

Hints and Replacements
Each time the student presses the Replace Device or Display
Hint button in the Access Faults dialog box, a flag is set for
the selected device.
If you check the Auto Save Circuit after Hint or Replace-
ment option, the circuit is saved automatically each time the
buttons are pressed, preserving the student’s work.
Option Lets Instructor
Hints Displayed View the number of hints that the
student viewed.
Devices Displayed View the number of devices the
student replaced.
Select Replaced Devices View (or highlight) all devices
that were replaced.
Select Hinted Devices View all devices for which the
student viewed a hint.
Select Faulty Devices View all devices that have fault
data in them (whether the faults
are enabled for that device or
not).
Replace Selected Devices Disable the fault data for all
selected devices; does not delete
the fault data.
Clear Hints/Replacements Clear the flags.
Circuit Default Values

Use the Circuit Default Values group box to set the default
values that correspond to the various faults in Analog
Simulation mode. These defaults can be overridden for each
device individually.
Value Default Value For the Invisible
HIGH Voltage source to which the specified
pins of a device are connected when a
HIGH fault is specified. The factory
default is +5V.

Value Default Value For the Invisible
LOW Voltage source to which the specified
pins of a device are connected when a
LOW fault is specified. The factory
default is 0V.
OPEN Resistor placed between the specified
pins and the device. The factory
default is 1G ohm.
SHORT Resistors that are daisy-chained
between the specified pins of the
device. The factory default is 1m ohm.
Fault Lock Password

The instructor might enter a password in this field to restrict
access to the fault data. If you enter a password here, all
fault data is password protected. If the password is deleted,
the fault data will no longer be protected. Passwords are
case sensitive and may be up to 15 characters in length.
They may include any printable character, excluding Tab or
Enter.
Warning: If you forget the password, you will not be able
to access the fault data for the circuit.
Creating Black Box Macros

The instructor may lock a macro so that it cannot be
expanded by the students, thus creating a “black box”
macro.
To create a black box macro,
1 Choose Macros > Expand Macro.
2 Choose Macros > Macro Lock.
3 Enter any number (up to 4 digits), and then save the
macro.
When you attempt to expand the macro again, a display
prompt asks you to enter the 4-digit code. A code of 0 (zero)
leaves the macro unlocked.
Warning: If you forget the code, you will not be able to
expand the macro.

Fault Example
The following step-by-step example illustrates how to use
the Circuit Faults dialog box.
1 Open the example circuit PS1.CKT.
2 Click the Run button on the Toolbar to run the simula-
tion.
3 Select the Transient Analysis window, and then probe
around on the circuit to verify that the circuit is working
properly.
If you click on the positive side of the filter capacitor
(C1), you should see a ripple on waveform at about
15VDC. If you click on the emitter side of the transistor
(Q1), you should see a DC voltage of about 6V.
4 Stop the simulation by clicking the Stop button on the
Toolbar.
5 Double-click the filter capacitor (C1) to display the Edit
Device Data dialog box then click the Faults button.
6 Click on device pins 1 and 2 shown in the “Device Pins”
list box. Click on the “short” button. This will cause a
short to be placed across the capacitor.
7 Click on the “Enable the following selected Device
Faults” check box to enable the fault.
8 Click OK to exit the Device Faults dialog box then click
OK to exit the Edit Device Data dialog box.
10 Click the Circuit Fault Data button to display the
Circuit Faults dialog box.
11 Click Device Data Display so it is checked.
12 Click the Clear Hints/Replacements button to clear
these flags.
13 Type xxx in the Fault Lock Password text box.
14 Click OK to exit the Circuit Faults dialog box then click
OK to exit the Preferences dialog box.

15 If you want to save the fault settings for the circuit (not
required for this example), you must now save the
circuit.
16 Click the Run button on the Toolbar to restart the
simulation.
17 Look at the waveform on the positive side of the filter
capacitor. You should see a sine wave of very low
amplitude (about 80mV peak-to-peak). The student
might determine from this measurement that the filter
capacitor is shorted and needs to be replaced.
18 Stop the simulation by clicking the Stop button in the
Toolbar.
19 Double-click the filter capacitor (C1) to display the
Access Faults dialog box then click the Display Hint
button to view the hint.
20 Double-click the filter capacitor again to display the
Access Faults dialog box then click the Replace Device
button to disable the fault data for this device.
21 Run the simulation again to see if the problem has been
fixed.
23 Choose File > Preferences, and then click the Circuit
Fault Data button to display the Access Faults dialog
box.
24 Type xxx into the Fault Lock Password text box then
click OK to exit the Circuit Faults dialog box.
Notice that there was one device replaced and one hint
displayed.
25 On the File > Preferences > Circuit Faults dialog box,
click the Device Data Display check box to remove the
check and delete the xxx from the Fault Lock Password
field.
26 Click the Select Replaced Devices button.
27 Click OK to exit the Circuit Faults dialog box then click
OK to exit the Preferences dialog box. The device that
was replaced (the filter cap) is selected.

CHAPTER 9
File Menu
The File menu contains commands that enable you to open,

save and print circuits and waveforms.
New
Select New to clear the current circuit from the work area and
begin a new circuit. If an unsaved circuit is present in the
work area when you select this command, you will be asked
if you want to save the current circuit first.
Open
Choose Open to abandon the current circuit and load a
different circuit into the workspace. If an unsaved circuit is
present in the work area, you will be asked if you want to
save the current circuit first. A file selector dialog will then
be displayed allowing you to choose the circuit to load into
the work area. The file extension used by default is .CKT.
Circuit files created with older versions of CircuitMaker have
the .CIR extension. To open these files, select the .CIR file
type. As these files are opened, they will be converted to the
new ASCII format and should be saved with the .CKT
extension.
Reopen
Use the Reopen command to quickly reopen any of the last 8
circuits that you have used. If changes have been made to
the current circuit you will be asked if you want to save the
circuit before closing.
Merge
The Merge option lets you to add a circuit saved on disk to
the circuit in the work area. This command is useful because
it lets you save commonly used circuits or portions of
circuits to disk then reuse them as often as you need,
without having to rebuild them from scratch each time.
Chapter 9: File Menu 9-201

Select Merge and choose the circuit to be added to the work
area. The circuit will be placed starting at the top left corner
of the screen, so be sure to position the work area and
existing circuit accordingly.
Close
Use Close to close the open windows. If changes have been
made to the current circuit you will be asked if you want to
save the circuit before closing.
Save
Choose Save to save the current circuit in the work area to
disk using the name shown in the Title Bar. When you save
a circuit whose title is UNTITLED.CKT, a file selector dialog
box appears, allowing you to save it under a specific name.
Save As
Choose Save As to save the current circuit to disk using a
file name that is different than the one shown in the Title Bar.
CircuitMaker will display a file selector dialog box allowing
you to choose the path and a file name of up to eight
characters. The circuit is saved in an ASCII format with a
default file extension of .CKT.
Revert
Choose Revert to abandon any changes made since last
saving the circuit to disk and load the last saved version
back into the work area. CircuitMaker will then display a
dialog box asking you to confirm that you want to revert to
the last saved version.
Import > Simulate SPICE Netlist

Use this option to import and simulate a SPICE netlist that
you might have created in another simulation program.
When you use this feature, CircuitMaker does not display
the actual schematic drawing. Instead, it runs the simulation,
displays the waveform data, and provides a plot variable
which you can use to choose different variables to plot.
9-202 Chapter 9: File Menu

To import and simulate a SPICE netlist,
1 Choose Import > Simulate SPICE Netlist.
2 Select a file with a .NET extension and choose Open.
3 When the simulation is complete, select an analysis
window and then click the Probe Tool on the plot
variable.
4 Select a variable from the list that appears, then choose
OK.
A waveform plots data for the variable you selected.
5 To plot multiple variables, hold down the Shift key while
selecting variables.
Export
CircuitMaker allows you to export a variety of files and
formats, including circuit and waveforms, pcb and Spice
netlists. See Chapter 7: Exporting Files for a complete
description of the exporting options.
Bill of Materials
Formerly known as a Parts List, a Bill of Materials is a file
that contains information about how many and which kinds
of parts are used in your circuit. You can export a Bill of
Materials to a text file. See Exporting a Bill of Materials in
Chapter 7: Exporting Files for more information.
Print Setup
The File > Print Setup option allows you to scale the output
to the printer 10% to 1000%, and choose between black and
white, or color. You can also select the desired printer and
page orientation by clicking the Printer button.

Figure 9.1. The Print Setup dialog box lets you scale the
output and set other printing options.
Fit to Page
Use the Fit to Page option on the Print Setup dialog box to
scale the schematic automatically so that the entire sche-
matic fits on a single printed page.
Print Circuit
Choose File > Print Circuit to print the current circuit or to
save it to a print file. A Printer dialog box appears, allowing
you to select the desired output. If the circuit is too large to
fit onto a single page, it will automatically be divided into
page-size blocks as it is printed (see Show Page Breaks in
the View menu). CircuitMaker supports all printers and
printer options in the Printer dialog box. Printer setups will
vary depending on the device you are printing to, but
typically options such as page orientation and reduction
factor are available.
Print Waveforms
Choose File > Print Waveforms to print the waveforms to a
printer or save them to a print file. Only the information
currently displayed in the active Waveforms or Analysis
window is printed.
Preferences
Choose Preferences (Figure 9.2) to change the default
settings of CircuitMaker. Preferences are stored in the
CIRMAKER.DAT file.

Figure 9.2. The Preferences dialog box lets you change
everything from program defaults to circuit defaults.
The options you set in the Program Defaults group box
remain in effect no matter what circuit is loaded, while the
items in the Circuit Defaults group box are saved with each
individual circuit.
Click Factory Settings to reset all the Preferences to their
original factory default settings.
Device/Plot Font
This option lets you specify the default font used in
CircuitMaker. This font is used on all device labels, wire
labels, pin names, key caps, ASCII displays, and plot
windows.
Default Font Button
This button sets CircuitMaker’s default font to its factory
default which is Courier New. This is a TrueType (scalable/
rotatable), monospaced font that comes with the Windows
operating system.

Auto Repeat
When checked, the Auto Repeat option will be activated by
default. Auto Repeat lets you repeatedly place a device,
until you either double-click or press any key. This option is
also accessible from the Options Menu. See Auto Repeat in
Chapter 12: Options Menu.
Arrow/Wire Tool
When checked, the Arrow/Wire Tool options is activated by
default. The Arrow/Wire Tool allows you to initiate a wire by
clicking on a device pin with the Arrow Tool. This options is
also accessible from the Options Menu. See Arrow/Wire in
Single Click Connect
Use this option to manually route wires. When Single Click
is enabled, you can terminate a wire by a single mouse click
on any valid connection point. You can still terminate a wire
at any location with a double-click, even if the end of the
wire is not at a valid connection point. When the Single
Click option is disabled, you must double-click to end the
wire. This double-click mode lets you turn a wire very close
to other wires or pins without connecting to them.
Display Toolbar
When checked, the Display Toolbar option will be activated
by default. This option is also accessible from the View
Menu. See Toolbar in Chapter 13: View and Window
Menus.
Prompt to SAVE
If modifications have been made to the circuit, you may want
to save the circuit before you run the simulation. If this box
is checked, then each time you run the simulation
CircuitMaker will warn you if the circuit has not been saved.
Display Variable Names
When checked, the Display Variable Names option will be
activated by default. The Display Variable Names option
replaces the A, B, C labels used on the analog analysis
windows with the variable names such as V(8), etc. This
allows you to identify the various points in the circuit more
consistently with those being graphed in analysis windows.
This option is also accessible from the Simulation Menu.
See Display Variable Names in Chapter 14: Simulation
Menu.

Connection Area
The connection area defines a rectangle around valid
connection points (a valid connection point is any device
pin or wire). The SmartWires™ feature lets you connect a
wire to a valid connection point, even if your cursor is not
exactly on that point. By setting the “X” and “Y” values,
you specify how close (within how many pixels) you must be
to the connection point before the wire will snap to that
point. By default, the cursor must be within 3 pixels of the
connection point. When the Sound On option is enabled,
the system will beep through the PC’s speaker each time the
cursor enters a connection area. When the Show Box option
is enabled, a rectangle will appear around the connection
area each time the cursor enters that area.
Auto Wire Routing
Auto wiring can be simple or intelligent, depending on which
check box you select. Simple routing draws only one or two
wire segments, horizontal and/or vertical, making the
shortest path without regard for devices that might be in the
way. Intelligent routing tries to find a path which does not
cross directly over any devices. If no reasonable path can be
found, the simple method is used.
Default Transient Analysis
These options allow you to control the parameters supplied
to the Transient Analysis when the Default Setups button is
pressed in the Analog Analyses dialog box. These values
are only used in circuits which contain one or more Signal
Generators. Cycles Displayed determines the number of
cycles of the lowest frequency Signal Generator to be
analyzed. Points Per Cycle determines the resolution of the
analysis.
Export Options Button
Click on the Export Options... button to access and modify
the export options CircuitMaker will use when exporting
circuits and waveforms as graphic files. These export
options can also be accessed from File menu directly. See
Chapter 7: Exporting Files for details on how to export
waveform and circuit graphics.

Directories and Files Button
The default directories and files used by CircuitMaker are
user definable. Circuit Directory is the path to where
CircuitMaker stores your circuit (.CKT) files. Model Direc-
tory is the path to where your SPICE model libraries are
located. Script Directory is the path to where your script
(.SRP) files are located. User Library File is the path and file
name of your USER.LIB (Macros) file.
Note: The DEVICEDB.DAT, HOTKEYDB.DAT and
SYMBOLDB.DAT files must be in the same directory as
USER.LIB.
Show Pin Dots
When checked, the Show Pin Dots option will be activated
by default. The Show Pin Dots option will place a small dot
at every connection point in the circuit. This option is also
accessible from the Options Menu. See Show Pin Dots in
Show Bus Labels
When checked, the Show Bus Labels option will be acti-
vated by default. The Show Bus Labels option displays bus
labels in the circuit. This option is also accessible from the
Options Menu. See Show Bus Labels in Chapter 12:
Options Menu.
Show Page Breaks
When checked, the Show Page Breaks option will be
activated by default. The Show Page Breaks option will
display the page divisions according to the paper size
selected for the printer. This option is also accessible from
the Options Menu. See Show Page Breaks in Chapter 12:
Options Menu.
Show Node Numbers
When checked, the Show Node Numbers option will be
activated by default. The Show Node Numbers option will
display the node number of every node in your circuit. This
option is also accessible from the Options Menu. See Show
Node Numbers in Chapter 12: Options Menu.

Show Prop Delays
When checked, the Show Prop Delays option will be
activated by default. The Show Prop Delays option will
display the propagation delays for all devices in the circuit.
This option is also accessible from the Options Menu. See
Show Prop Delays in Chapter 12: Options Menu.
Auto Refresh
When checked, the Auto Refresh option will be activated by
default. The Auto Refresh option will automatically refresh
the screen as you are editing the circuit. This option is also
accessible from the Options Menu. See Auto Refresh in
Show Designation
When checked, the Show Designation option will be
activated by default. The Show Designation option will
display the device designations for all devices in the circuit.
This option is also accessible from the Options Menu. See
Device Designation in Chapter 12: Options Menu.
Grid
The Grid options in the Preferences dialog box allow you to
set default grid settings that will be used every time you
open CircuitMaker. These options include grid size, along
with view, print and snap options. This option is also
accessible from the Options Menu. See Grid in Chapter 12:
Options Menu.
Title Block
The Title Block options in the Preferences dialog box allow
you to set default Title Block settings that will be used every
time you open CircuitMaker. This option is also accessible
from the Options Menu. See Title Block in Chapter 12:
Options Menu.
Border
The Border options in the Preferences dialog box allow you
to set default border settings that will be used every time
you open CircuitMaker. These options include view and
print preferences. This option is also accessible from the
Options Menu. See Border in Chapter 12: Options Menu.

Circuit Fault Data Button
Click on the Circuit Fault Data button to access and modify
the circuit fault options CircuitMaker will use. See Circuit
Faults in Chapter 8: Fault Simulation for more information.
Circuit Display Button
Click on the Circuit Display button to access and modify the
default circuit display options CircuitMaker will use. This
option is also accessible from the Options Menu. See
Circuit Display Data in Chapter 12: Options Menu.
Select Colors Button
Click on the Select Colors button to access and modify the
default color options CircuitMaker will use. This option is
also accessible from the View Menu, and from the right-click
pop up menu when right-clicking on an analysis window.
See Colors in Chapter 13: View and Window Menus.
Exit
Choose File > Exit to exit CircuitMaker and return to
Windows. If there are unsaved changes, you will be asked if
you want to save them.

C H A P T E R 10
Edit Menu
The commands in the Edit menu provide some of the tools
necessary to construct and modify circuit diagrams.
Undo
Many of CircuitMaker’s editing commands can be undone.
Edit operations which can be undone are Cut, Paste, Delete
and Move. Only the most recent edit can be undone and
many commands are not able to be undone, including Run,
Single Step, Reset, Define New Macro, Expand Macro and
Delete Macro.
Cut
Use Cut to remove all selected items and place them in the
paste buffer and on the system clipboard.
Copy
Use Copy to place all selected items in the paste buffer and
on the system clipboard.
Paste
The Paste option displays the contents of the paste buffer in
the CircuitMaker workspace and the displayed items follow
Normal cursor the mouse around the screen. The cursor is replaced by the
paste cursor, indicating the top left corner of the paste area.
When the items are positioned at the desired location, click
Paste cursor the mouse to finalize the paste. To cancel the paste, press
any key or double-click the mouse.
Note: You cannot use Paste to paste items from the system
clipboard.
Move
Use the Move option to perform both a Cut and a Paste. This
provides a quick way to move an entire circuit or portion of a
circuit to a new position on the screen. Connections to other
portions of the circuit are lost.
Chapter 10: Edit Menu 10-211

Delete Items
This feature removes all selected items from the workspace.
Duplicate
Choose Duplicate to make a copy of all selected items.
When this command is selected the duplicated items follow
the mouse around the screen. The cursor is replaced by the
paste cursor, indicating the top left corner of the paste area.
When the items are positioned at the desired location, click
the mouse to finalize the duplication. To cancel the duplica-
tion, press any key or double-click the mouse.
Copy Circuit to Clipboard

Choose Copy to Clipboard > Circuit to copy the entire
circuit to the system clipboard in one of three formats:
• Windows Metafile
• Device Independent Bitmap
• Device Dependent Bitmap
Choose File > Export > Options to select the desired format.
This feature enables you to later paste the contents of the
clipboard into a graphics program for further manipulation,
printout, etc. When this command has been executed, an
alert box appears informing you that the circuit has been
copied to the clipboard.
Note: You cannot paste items into the CircuitMaker
workspace that were copied using this command. It is
designed only to copy the circuit to the system clipboard.
Copy Waveforms to Clipboard

Use Edit > Copy to Clipboard > Copy Waveforms to copy the
contents of the Waveforms window to the system clipboard
in one of three formats:
• Windows Metafile
• Device Independent Bitmap
• Device Dependent Bitmap
Choose File > Export > Options to select the desired format.
When copying waveforms to the clipboard, an alert box
appears to inform you that the waveforms have been copied.
10-212 Chapter 10: Edit Menu

Before you can use this feature, at least one Analysis
window must be open. You can copy only the information
currently visible in the Waveforms window to the clipboard.
To ensure that meaningful waveform information is copied,
run the simulation prior to using this feature.
Select All
This option selects all items in the work area. This is useful
when you want to cut, copy or move the entire circuit.
Find and Select

Use the Find and Select feature (Figure 10.1) to locate a
specific device placed on the workspace by Node Number,
Designation, Label or Value, or Symbol Name. If
CircuitMaker finds a device that matches your description, it
is highlighted.
Note: To find input/output

connectors, put the connec-
tor name in the "Label or
Value" field of the Find and
Select dialog box.
Figure 10.1. Use the Find and Select dialog box to search
for devices you have placed in the workspace.
For example, if a SPICE message indicates a problem at node
27 and your schematic is rather complex, this command can
help you find the specified node. All wires connected to that
node will be selected. You can also search for multiple
devices. For example, to select all the transistors, enter Q* in
the Designation field. All characters after the Q will be
ignored in the search.
Rotate 90
This is the same as the Rotate 90 button described in
Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing Schematics.

Mirror
This is the same as the Mirror button described in Chapter
4: Drawing and Editing Schematics.
Straighten Wires
When you have wires with multiple bends, sometimes you
may want to clean them up a little. This is a quick way of
taking out some of the extra “kinks” without having to
adjust the wire manually.
To straighten wires,
1 Select the wires you want to straighten.
2 Choose Edit > Straighten Wires.
Place Labels
This option lets you place the labels of all selected devices
in their standard positions without rotating or mirroring.
Set Prop Delays

Use Edit > Set Prop Delays (for Digital Logic Simulation
only) to alter the propagation delay of all selected devices.
The delay of a device determines how many simulation ticks
it takes for a signal to propagate from the input to the output
of the device.
1 Select a device then choose Edit > Set Prop Delay to
display the dialog box pictured in Figure 10.2.
2 Enter a new value for the delay then click OK.
Figure 10.2. Use the Edit Delay dialog box to alter the
propagation delay of all selected devices.
The default delay for all devices is one (1), but by using Set
Prop Delays, you can change this value to any integer from
1 to 14. The units assigned to delay are arbitrary, and it is left

to you to determine what they are. The concept is that if one
device has a delay of one and another a delay of three, then
in the real world the second device would have a propaga-
tion delay three times larger than the first device.
Set Designations
Choose Edit > Set Designations to display the Set Designa-
tions dialog box (pictured in Figure 10.3). Use this feature to
renumber devices designations of devices you have already
placed in the schematic. You can renumber all devices or a
group of devices you have selected.
Figure 10.3. Use this dialog box to renumber device

designations for all devices or a group of devices.
The Set Designations feature is useful if you want the
devices in a schematic, or a particular group of devices, to
have designations numbered with a certain range of num-
bers. For example, you might want to renumber all the
resistors in your schematic R40, R41, R42, R43, and so on.
To renumber device designations,
1 Unselect all devices (that is, don’t select any) devices to
renumber all devices on the board.
OR
Select a group of devices by holding the left mouse
button while you draw a box around the devices.
OR
Hold down the Shift key while clicking the devices you
want to select.
2 Choose Edit > Set Designations.
3 Type a number in the Starting Number text box.

4 Select All if you want all devices to be renumbered.
OR
Click Selected Devices to renumber only those devices
you have selected.
5 Select Show Device Designations if you want the
designations to appear in the schematic.
Designation assignments will start at the stated starting
number, and proceed from there, skipping any designations
that are already in use.
Note: Set Designations is not the same thing as the Device
Designations feature on the Options menu, which numbers
newly placed devices with a specified number, or the next
available number after the starting number you specify. For
more information, see Device Designations in Chapter 12:
Options Menu.
You can set the designation prefix for individual devices
using the Edit Device Data dialog box described in Editing
Devices of Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing Schematics.
Each device must have a unique designation in order for
analog simulation to work.
Edit > Edit Items

While some item parameters can be edited by double-
clicking the item, some item parameters cannot. The Edit
Items submenu provides editing access to all parameters.
The following sections describe the items on this submenu.
Edit Bus Connection

This feature lets you modify the number associated with an
existing wire that is connected to a bus wire (see Figure
10.4). It also lets you select the angle on the connecting
wire.
1 Select the wire (connected to a bus) by clicking it once
then choose Edit > Edit Items > Edit Bus Connection.
OR
Double-click the wire with the Arrow Tool.
2 Enter a new number or angle then choose OK.

Figure 10.4. Use this dialog box to edit a wire connected to
a bus.
Edit Bus Wire Number

This feature lets you change the number associated with an
existing bus wire.
1 Select the bus wire to be edited by clicking it once, and
then choose Edit > Edit Items > Edit Bus Wire Number.
OR
Double-click the bus wire with the Arrow Tool.
2 Enter a new number then choose OK.
Edit Device Data

Choose Edit > Edit Items > Edit Device Data to change
device labels, values, SPICE data, etc. Refer to Chapter 4:
Drawing and Editing Schematics for more information.
Edit Digital Params

Choose Edit > Edit Items > Edit Digital Params to change
digital SimCode device parameters. Refer to Digital SimCode
Devices in Chapter 16: Creating New Devices for details.
Edit Run-Time Test Point

Choose the Edit > Edit Items > Edit Run-Time Test Point
command to change the setting for the selected Run-Time
Test Point. Refer to Run-Time Test Points in Chapter 6:
Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation for details.
Edit/Select Spice Model

Use the Edit > Edit Items > Edit/Select Spice Model option
to change the SPICE model for the selected device. Refer to
SPICE Models in Chapter 16: Creating New Devices for
details.

Edit PROM/RAM
Use the Edit > Edit Items > Edit PROM/RAM option (Figure
10.5) to program the 32 x 8 PROM or the 1k x 8 RAM. Once a
PROM is programmed, it retains its contents until repro-
grammed. When you save a circuit containing a PROM to
disk, the contents of the PROM are also saved. For debug-
ging purposes, the contents of the RAM can be viewed and
edited, but the data will not be saved with the circuit.
1 Click a single PROM or RAM to select it, and then
choose Edit > Edit Items > Edit PROM/RAM.
OR
Double-click the device with the Arrow Tool to display
the dialog box pictured in Figure 10.5.
2 Program the device as desired, then choose OK.
Figure 10.5. Use this dialog box to enter either

hexadecimal or binary numbers for the PROM/RAM
device.
Edit Pulser
Use Edit > Edit Items > Edit Pulser to change the pro-
grammed settings of a Pulser. The pulse format, time high,
time low, and trigger mode are individually programmable for
each Pulser in the circuit. For a complete description of the
Pulser, refer to The Pulser in Chapter 5: Digital Logic
Simulation.

Edit Multimeter
This feature allows you to change the function of the
selected digital multimeter device (not the Multimeter
analysis window).
1 Select the Multimeter by clicking it once then choosing
Edit > Edit Items > Edit Multimeter.
OR
Double-click the device with the Arrow Tool.
Refer to Multimeter in Chapter 6: Analog/Mixed-Signal
Simulation for additional information.
Edit Input/Output
This feature (Figure 10.6) lets you change the name associ-
ated with an INPUT or OUTPUT device.
1 Select the Input (or Output) device by clicking it once
then select Edit > Edit Items > Edit Input/Output.
OR
Double-click the device with the Arrow Tool.
Figure 10.6. Change an Input/Output name.
Edit Data Sequencer

Use the Edit Data Sequencer option to change the pro-
grammed settings of a Data Sequencer. This device lets you
specify up to 32K bytes which can be outputted in a defined
sequence.
1 Select a Data Sequencer by clicking it once then
choosing Edit > Edit Items > Edit Data Sequencer.
OR
Double-click the Data Sequencer with the Arrow Tool.

For a complete description of the Data Sequencer, refer to
Data Sequencer in Chapter 5: Digital Logic Simulation.
Edit Signal Generator

Use Edit Signal Generator to change the programmed
settings of the selected multifunction signal generator. For a
complete description of the signal generator, refer to
Multifunction Signal Generator in Chapter 6: Analog/
Mixed-Signal Simulation.
Edit Scope/Probe Name

This feature (see Figure 10.7) lets you change the name of an
existing SCOPE or Analysis Probe.
1 Select the scope or probe by clicking it once then
choose Edit > Edit Items > Edit Scope/Probe Name.
OR
Double-click the scope or probe with the Arrow Tool.
2 Type a new name.
3 Click Netlist to display the Edit Device Data dialog box.
Figure 10.7. This dialog box lets you change the name
of an existing SCOPE or Analysis Probe.
Group Items
Use this option to specify the devices that are contained
within the same package. For example, a 7400 Quad 2-Input
NAND gate actually has 4 gates in the same package. The
pin numbers are different for each gate. The individual gates
are grouped together automatically as they are placed in the
circuit. You could regroup the gates using this feature.

To group items,
1 Select the items that you want to group in the same
package.
2 Choose Edit > Group Item.
Font
Choose Font (Figure 10.8) to change the font attributes of
any selected, free-floating text field, or the default font for
new text.
Figure 10.8. Use the Font dialog box to change the font for
free-floating text fields or new text.
To change the font,
1 Select the text by highlighting it.
2 Choose Edit > Font.
3 Make the desired changes and choose OK.

C H A P T E R 11
Macros Menu
Using commands in the Macros menu, you can expand
CircuitMaker to meet your exact needs. This chapter
describes the options used to create, edit and manipulate
macros. Refer to Chapter 16: Creating New Devices for a
step-by-step tutorial about creating macro devices.
New Macro
Select New Macro to create a new schematic symbol to add
to the library. If there is a circuit displayed, CircuitMaker
asks if you want that circuit included inside the macro for
simulation. Macros are saved in a disk file called USER.LIB
and once created, are available for use in any circuit or in
another macro device.
Edit Macro
To edit a macro, follow these steps:
1 Expand the macro by highlighting it and choosing
Macros > Expand Macro.
Note: When a macro is expanded, the workspace will be
cleared. If necessary, save your work beforehand.
2 Click the expanded macro’s symbol to select it.
3 Choose Macros > Edit Macro to edit its name, device
data or symbol.
You can also double-click the expanded macro’s symbol
with the Arrow Tool.
If an existing macro is expanded and saved with a new name,
it is saved as a new macro and does not overwrite the
existing macro. The dialog box shown in Figure 11.1 appears
when you use Edit Macro feature.
If no macro (either a newly defined or an expanded one) is
present in the work area, the Edit Macro menu item is grayed
indicating that it is not available.
Chapter 11: Macros Menu 11-223

Figure 11.1. Use this dialog box to change an existing
macro.
You can define a macro as having multiple parts per pack-
age; that is, you may specify that there are more than one of
these macro circuits, all identical, in a single chip.
Save Macro
Use the Macros > Save Macro option to save or resave a
macro device. An existing macro saved in this manner will be
placed in its original position in the device library. All
devices require a Major Device Class designation, so if you
use the Save Macro option to save a new macro,
CircuitMaker displays the Macro Utilities dialog box
allowing you to specify both a major and minor class. To
save an existing macro in a new location, refer to the Macro
Utilities later in this chapter. To save under a different name,
refer to Edit Macro. Macro devices are stored in the
USER.LIB file.
Expand Macro
Use the Macros > Expand Macro option to edit a previously
saved macro device. Expanding a macro device means that
the black box containing the macro’s circuitry is opened and
all internal circuitry is visible.
Note: Most of the devices included with CircuitMaker are
not macro devices and cannot be expanded.
To expand a macro, follow these steps:
1 Click a single macro device to select it.
2 Choose Macros > Expand Macro.
OR
Click the Macro button on the Toolbar.
11-224 Chapter 11: Macros Menu

An alert box appears warning that expansion of the
macro will clear the work area.
Note: If you haven’t saved your work, click the Cancel
button to abort the expansion, save the current
workspace, and then reselect Expand Macro. If you
don’t need to save the work area, click OK to complete
the expansion of the macro.
3 Make changes to an expanded macro using any of the
available editing commands.
4 When you have finished making changes to the macro,
choose Macros > Save Macro.
Macro Lock
An instructor may want to lock a macro so that it cannot be
expanded by the students, thus creating a “black box.”
To lock a macro, follow these steps:
1 Expand the macro.
2 Click the expanded macro’s symbol to select it.
3 Choose Macros > Macro Lock to display the dialog box
Figure 11.2. Use the Macro Lock feature to lock a

macro as a “black box.”
Enter any number (up to 4 digits), then save the macro.
When you attempt to expand the macro again, you will be
prompted to enter the 4-digit code. A code of 0 (zero) leaves
the macro unlocked.
Warning: If you forget the code, you will be unable to
expand the macro.

Macro Utilities
The Macro Utilities option on the Macros menu displays the
dialog box pictured in Figure 11.3, which enables you to
save, expand or delete a macro. The following sections
describe the use of these features.
Figure 11.3. The Macro Utilities dialog box lets you save,
expand, or delete a macro.
Save Macro
The Save Macro button on the Macro Utilities dialog box
lets you to save or resave a macro device. If there is no
macro (expanded or newly defined) in the work area, this
button is grayed. Refer also to the section Save Macro
described earlier in this chapter.
To save a macro, follow these steps:
1 Select both a major and minor device class to indicate
where the device is saved in the device library.
Note: You can add new major and minor class names by
typing in a new name in the Major Device Class and
Minor Device Class text edit fields.
2 Click Save Macro.
CircuitMaker saves the macro in the USER.LIB file and
clears the workspace.

Class Selected Device
Use the Add and Remove buttons in the Class Selected
Drive group box to move devices into different major and
minor device classes.
To use this group box, follow these steps:
1 Select the device in the circuit window.
2 Choose Macros > Macro Utilities.
3 Select the major and minor device classes from the list
boxes.
4 Click Add to add the device to the selected classes.
OR
Click Remove to remove the device from the selected
classes.
If a device is removed from all classes, it will be inserted
in the User Defined major class. To remove a device
completely, see Delete Macro below.
Expand Macro
Use the Expand button in Expand/Delete Macro group box to
perform the same function explained earlier in this chapter.
To expand a macro device, select the macro then click the
Expand button.
Delete Macro
Use the Delete button in the Expand/Delete Macro group
box to delete a macro device from the USER.LIB file.
Warning: You cannot open a circuit which uses a macro that
has been deleted from the library unless you first create a
new macro with the same name.
To delete a macro device, follow these steps:
1 Save the workspace if you need to save.
When the macro is deleted the workspace will be
cleared.
2 Make a backup of the USER.LIB file before you create or
delete macros in case something goes wrong and you
want to restore the original library.

Note: Most of the devices listed in the Macro Utilities
dialog box are actually in the DEVICE.LIB file and
cannot be deleted.
3 Select the macro.
4 Click Delete Macro.
Model Data
Use the Model Data button on the Macro Utilities dialog box
to add new SPICE models to CircuitMaker’s library. This
button displays a dialog box that lets you place new
references into the linking file for selected symbol. Refer to
Model and Subcircuit Linking Files in Chapter 16:
Creating New Devices.
Macro Copier
The following steps illustrate how you can use the Macro
Copier to copy your macros into a new version of USER.LIB.
1 Choose Macros > Macro Copier to display the dialog
Figure 11.4. Use this dialog box to copy macros from one
macro library to another.
2 Click lower left Open button to display the Open dialog
box.
CircuitMaker asks you if you want to list only the user
defined devices.

3 If you are copying devices that you have created, click
Yes.
4 Select the file from which macros will be copied.
This is the library file which has your macros in it
(probably USER.LIB in your old CircuitMaker directory).
5 Click the lower right Open or New button to display
either the Open or the Save As dialog box.
6 Select the file to which macros will be copied.
This is usually the USER.LIB file in your new
CircuitMaker directory.
7 Select a macro to copy from the left hand file list. If a
macro already exists with the same name, CircuitMaker
will delete the existing macro.
8 Click the >>>Copy>>> button.
CircuitMaker might prompt you for information regard-
ing the simulation mode for which the device is in-
tended. If the device can be used in digital simulations,
check the Digital box; if it can be used in analog
simulations, check the Analog box. If it can be used in
either simulation mode, check both boxes.
Save ASCII Library

Use Save ASCII Library to write the currently loaded
USER.LIB file to an ASCII file. CircuitMaker displays a file
selector dialog box asking for the name of the ASCII file. In
this format, user defined symbols which have been saved in
Windows metafile or bitmap format will be lost and replaced
by a simple rectangle. The pins, however, remain intact. The
ASCII format is used for conversion between 16- and 32-bit
systems. This library may be converted back to binary
format by choosing Macros > Convert ASCII Library.
Convert ASCII Library

Use Convert ASCII Library to convert an ASCII user library
file (created with the Save ASCII Library option) to binary
format. CircuitMaker displays a file selector dialog box
asking for the name of the ASCII user library file to be
converted. Then a second file selector dialog appears,

asking for the name of the new binary file. This option is
provided for compatibility between 16- and 32-bit systems.
Update Search List

Use this feature to “refresh” the SEARCHDB.DAT file.
Normally, the SEARCHDB.DAT file is updated automatically
when necessary. If for any reason the Device Search list
seems incorrect or out of date, you can create a new search
list file by choosing Macros > Update Search List.

C H A P T E R 12
Options Menu
The Options menu contains commands which enable you to
control various display, editing and simulation options.
Auto Repeat
This option lets you control how devices are selected from
the library. If Auto Repeat is checked, as soon as a device is
selected from the library and placed, another identical device
is automatically selected and made ready for placement. This
repeat placement process continues until you cancel it by
pressing any key on the keyboard or by double-clicking the
mouse. If Auto Repeat is not checked, you must select and
place each device separately.
Auto Refresh
This option lets you control the refresh mode. When Auto
Refresh is on, the screen refreshes automatically as the
circuit is edited. When it is disabled, the screen must be
refreshed manually while editing (see the Refresh Screen
option in the Edit menu). Disabling this option lets you work
more quickly on a slower computer system.
Quick Connect
This option allows you to simply place a device pin on a wire
or other device pin, and CircuitMaker will automatically wire
the parts together for you. By default, Quick Connect is
enabled when you start CircuitMaker. See Wiring in Chapter
4: Drawing and Editing Schematics for more details.
Device Designations
CircuitMaker automatically assigns a designation to each
device when it is placed. Use the Device Designations dialog
box (pictured in Figure 12.1) to specify certain designation
options.
Chapter 12: Options Menu 12-231

Figure 12.1. Use this dialog box to specify designation
options for new devices you place in the schematic.
Compare the Device Designations feature with the Set
Designations feature, which renumbers the designations of
already placed devices.
To change device designation options,
1 Choose Options > Device Designations.
2 Select Show Designation For New Devices to show the
designation for all new devices that you place.
3 Type a number in the Starting Designation Number text
box.
The devices that you place hereafter use the number you
specified as the starting number, or the next available
number after the specified starting number. For example, if
the starting number is 10, and the schematic contains
resistors R10, R11, and R12, then the next resistor placed
would be assigned the designation R13.
Arrow/Wire
This option, when checked, allows you to initiate a wire by
clicking once on a device pin with the Arrow Tool. You can
only use the Arrow Tool to initiate a wire on a device pin or
to extend an existing wire. You cannot initiate a wire from the
middle of another wire using the Arrow Tool as you can with
the Wire Tool. This option can be used for both auto and
manual routing.
Cursor Tools
This submenu provides an alternate method of selecting the
Arrow, Wire, Text, Delete, Zoom, Probe and Help Tools.
12-232 Chapter 12: Options Menu

Show Pin Dots
This option allows you to control how connections between
wires and devices are drawn. If Show Pin Dots is checked,
connections between wires and devices will be shown by a
small dot where the connection occurs. If Show Pin Dots is
not checked, the connecting dots will not be drawn. Dots
showing where wires connect to other wires are always
displayed.
Show Bus Labels

This option displays bus labels (numbers) by putting a
small, numbered box at the end of each bus wire, and also
shows the number of each bus connection wire next to the
corresponding bus connection.
Show Page Breaks

This option displays the page divisions of a multi-page
circuit when it is sent to the printer. The Show Page Breaks
option is also useful when positioning a circuit on a single
page. The page breaks you see on your screen are based on
the printer selection, paper size and scaling factor.
Moveable Page Breaks

Click and drag a page break to move it. When the cursor is
over a page break, it will change to a double-ended arrow,
indicating which direction you can move the page break (see
Figure 12.5 for an example of the double-ended arrow page
break cursor). Move a horizontal page break up and down.
Move a vertical page break left and right. Moving any page
break changes the print scale, both horizontally and verti-
cally. When moving a page break, the print scale is displayed
where the schematic window’s title usually appears.
Show Node Numbers

This option displays the node number for each node in your
circuit. The number is shown at the center of the longest
wire segment of each node. The node numbers, which are
determined by CircuitMaker, are used for simulation pur-
poses. They correspond to the variable names used in the
analog analysis windows, and can be used as a reference
when viewing waveforms.

Show Prop Delays
Use Show Prop Delays to display the propagation delay of
all devices in the circuit. If Show Prop Delays is checked, the
delay values for each device will be shown within a rounded
rectangle located at the center of each device. Some devices
(pulsers, LED’s, macro devices, etc.) do not have a delay, so
no value will be shown on them. In the case of macro
devices, the delay is determined by the individual delay
setting of each device contained within the macro.
If Show Prop Delays is not checked all devices will be drawn
in normal form without the delay value being visible. To
change the propagation delay of one or more devices select
Edit > Set Prop Delays.
Device Display Data

This feature (pictured in Figure 12.2) allows you to quickly
change the display settings of all selected devices. If the
display item is currently visible on some of the selected
devices, but not on others, the check box will be gray. Refer
to Editing Devices in Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing
Schematics for more information.
Figure 12.2. Use the Device Display Data dialog box to

quickly change the display settings of all selected devices.
Circuit Display Data

This feature (as seen in Figure 12.3) allows you to tempo-
rarily override the display settings of every device in the
entire circuit. The buttons at the top of each column will
quickly change the settings for the entire column, or you can
change individual items by clicking on the radio buttons.
The Default setting tells CircuitMaker to use the Visible
settings of each individual device. Refer to Editing Devices
in Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing Schematics.

Figure 12.3. Use the Circuit Display Data dialog box to
temporarily override the display settings of every device in
the circuit.
Grid
Use the Grid option to turn the alignment grid of the circuit
window on or off (see Figures 12.4 and 12.5). The grid is
useful as an aid in precisely aligning objects. Use Snap To
Grid to place new devices (devices not already in a circuit)
according to the specified grid. It also lets you move old
devices (devices already in the circuit) according to the
selected grid, relative to their original position.
Note: When you place a device exactly on the grid, it always
remains on the grid regardless of scroll position. However,
Snap To Grid does not guarantee alignment of component
pins.
Figure 12.4. Use the Grid Setup dialog box to turn the
alignment grid on or off.

Grid Border Title Block
Moveable Page Breaks Figure 12.5. Use the Border, Grid, Title Block options to
enhance the appearance of your schematic.
Title Block
Use the Title Block option (see Figure 12.5 for an example) to
add a title box to the lower right corner of the page. The title
block contains the following fields: Name, Title, Revision,
ID, Date, and Page. The Name and Title fields expand in
height to handle multiple rows of text. If you leave the Name
or Title fields blank, CircuitMaker excludes them from the
title block. The title block also expands in width according to
the amount of text that you enter. You can print the title
block on the first page, on the last page, or on all pages.

Additionally, you can print the full title block on the first
page and a reduced title block (that is, one that does not
include the Name and Title fields) on subsequent pages.
Border
Use this option to quickly locate devices by displaying a
coordinate grid system around your schematic (see Figure
12.5 for an example). For example, suppose you want to find
a device that you know is located in the B-5 grid square. By
drawing an imaginary line from the letter B and the number 5
on the margins of the schematic; the intersection of these
lines locates the grid square containing the device.
To add a border to your schematic drawing,
1 Choose Options > Border to display the dialog box
2 Select Display Border On Screen to display a border
that outlines the total allowed schematic area.
3 Select Do Not Print if you don’t want to print the
border.
OR
Select Print Around Entire Schematic to print the
border so that it is only on the outside edges of the
outside pages, making a border around the entire
schematic when the pages are arranged together.
OR
Select Print Around Each Page to print the complete
border on each page of your schematic.
Figure 12.6. Use the Border feature to add a coordi-

nate system border around your schematic for easily
locating devices.

C H A P T E R 13
View & Window Menus

The View and Window menus contain features that give you
control of various display options and windows. If a check
mark is shown beside an item, then the item is currently
enabled; if a check mark is not shown beside an item, it is not
currently enabled.
The View Menu
Toolbar
Use the Toolbar option to display or hide the Toolbar. For an
overview of all Toolbar options, see Chapter 2: Getting
Started and Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing Schematics.
Colors
The Colors feature (Figure 13.1) lets you select the color
associated with several functions (low level and high level)
and items (Logic Display color, Hex, and ASCII Key Cap
color). For example, to change the color of individual LEDs,
follow these steps:
1 Select one or more LEDs.
2 Choose View > Colors (or double-click the LED).
3 Change color for the Sel-LEDs item.
Chapter 13: View and Window Menus 13-239

Figure 13.1. Use the Select Colors dialog box to change
the color of different types of items.
The color you select (in this example) becomes the
default LED color for all new LEDs. You can change
Logic Display colors by double-clicking them. You can
also individually select the color of 7-segment displays,
analog waveforms, etc.
4 Choose All Items in the Select Colors dialog box list to
set everything (except the background) to the same
color.
5 Click Defaults to restore everything to its original color.
6 Click Save Selections to save the selected colors even
after quitting CircuitMaker.
Display Scale
This feature lets you select the scale at which a circuit is
displayed. It also lets you select the Scale Step of the Zoom
Tool. See Figure 13.2.
Figure 13.2. This dialog box controls the scale of the

displayed circuit and the scale step of the Zoom Tool.
13-240 Chapter 13: View and Window Menus

Normal Size/Position
This feature changes the circuit display scale to 100% and
moves the horizontal and vertical scroll bars to their home
positions.
Fit Circuit to Window

This feature will reduce or enlarge the circuit (by changing
the Display Scale and scroll bar positions) so that the entire
circuit can be displayed within the circuit window.
Refresh Screen
Choose Refresh Screen to redraw the entire circuit. Redraw-
ing may be desirable following a command or operation
which causes parts of the screen to become “messy.” Also
see Auto Refresh in Chapter 12: Options Menu.
The Window Menu
Cascade Windows
This command will arrange all open windows in a cascaded
(stacked) order.
Tile Windows
This command will arrange all open windows in a tiled
(adjacent) order.
Window
Each window that is open (or can be opened with the
available simulation data) is listed in this menu. Selecting a
window from this menu will open it and bring it to the front.
Chapter 13: View and Window Menus 13-241

13-242 Chapter 13: View and Window Menus
C H A P T E R 14
Simulation Menu
The Simulation menu contains options that let you choose a

simulation type and different kinds of analyses.
Digital/Analog Mode
This works just like the Digital/Analog button on the
Toolbar, which is described in the simulation chapters 5 & 6.
The name that is displayed in the menu is the simulation
mode that is currently selected.
Analyses Setup
Use the Analyses Setup dialog box to setup the SPICE
analyses you want to perform, as well as simulation options
such as temperature, tolerances, etc. For more information
see Analyses Setup and Analog Options in Chapter 6:
Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation.
Digital Options
Use this dialog box to control the size of a step when
running the simulation in single step mode, to set the
conditions for break points and to set the simulation speed.
Refer to the section Digital Options in Chapter 5: Digital
Logic Simulation.
Check Pin Connections

Use Check Pin Connections to check the entire schematic
and be informed of any devices that have unconnected pins.
Reset
This works just like the Reset button in the Toolbar, which is
described in Chapter 5: Digital Logic Simulation and
Chapter 6: Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation.
Chapter 14: Simulation Menu 14-243

Step
This works just like the Step button in the Toolbar, which is
described in Chapter 5: Digital Logic Simulation.
Run
This works just like the Run button in the Toolbar, which is
described in Chapter 5: Digital Logic Simulation and
Chapter 6: Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation.
Trace
This works just like the Trace button in the Toolbar, which is
described in Chapter 5: Digital Logic Simulation.
Display Waveforms
This works just like the Waveforms button in the Toolbar
which is described in Chapter 5: Digital Logic Simulation
and Chapter 6: Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation.
Scope Probe
This option, when checked, causes the logic levels detected
by the Probe Tool to be displayed in the digital Waveforms
window while running digital simulation.
Display Variable Names

The Display Variable Names option replaces the A, B, C
labels used on the analog analysis graphs with the variable
names such as V(8), etc. This allows you to identify the
various points in the circuit more consistently with those
being graphed in analysis windows.
14-244 Chapter 14: Simulation Menu

C H A P T E R 15
SPICE: Beyond the Basics

This chapter discusses strategies for troubleshooting SPICE
convergence, SPICE option variables, and SPICE’s elemen-
tary devices. Use this information as a companion and
reference as you complete the tasks in Chapter 6: Analog/
Mixed-Signal Simulation.
Troubleshooting SPICE Convergence

SPICE: Berkeley SPICE3 uses simultaneous linear equations,
Simulation expressed in matrix form, to determine the operating point
Program with (DC voltages and currents) of a circuit at each step of the
Integrated simulation. The circuit is reduced to an array of conduc-
tances which are placed in the matrix to form the equations
Circuit
(G * V = I). When a circuit includes nonlinear elements,
Emphasis
SPICE uses multiple iterations of the linear equations to
account for the nonlinearities. SPICE makes an initial guess
at the node voltages then calculates the branch currents
based on the conductances in the circuit. SPICE then uses
the branch currents to recalculate the node voltages and the
cycle is repeated. This cycle continues until all of the node
voltages and branch currents fall within specified tolerances
(converge).
However, if the voltages or currents do not converge within
a specified number of iterations, SPICE produces error
messages (such as “singular matrix”, “Gmin stepping failed”,
“source stepping failed” or “iteration limit reached”) and
aborts the simulation. SPICE uses the results of each
simulation step as the initial guesses for the next step. If you
are performing a Transient Analysis (that is, time is being
stepped) and SPICE cannot converge on a solution using
the specified timestep, the timestep is automatically reduced,
and the cycle is repeated. If the timestep is reduced too far,
SPICE displays a “Timestep too small” message and aborts
the simulation. Use the Analog Options dialog box to
specify the tolerances and iteration limits for the various
analyses.
Chapter 15: SPICE: Beyond the Basics 15-245

The Operating Point may fail to converge for various
reasons. For example, the initial guesses for the node
voltages may be too far off, the circuit may be unstable or
bistable (there may be more than one solution to the
equations), there may be discontinuities in the models, or
the circuit may contain unrealistic impedances.
Use the following techniques to solve most convergence
problems. When you have a convergence problem, first
identify which analysis is causing the problem. Keep in mind
that the Operating Point analysis is generally performed
automatically before each of the other analyses, even if you
have disabled Operating Point Analysis in the Analyses
Setup dialog box. Begin with step 1, then consider the
recommendations, as needed, to solve the error.
Solving Operating Point Analysis Failures

1 Check the circuit topology and connectivity; specifi-
cally,
• Make sure the circuit is correctly wired. Dangling
nodes and stray parts are not allowed. The
RSHUNT option can be used to overcome these
problems.
• Don’t confuse zeros with the letter O.
• Use proper SPICE multipliers (MEG instead of M
for 1E+6).
• Don’t put a space between values and multipliers
(1.0uF, not 1.0 uF).
• Every circuit must have a ground node and every
node in the circuit must have a DC path to ground.
Make sure no sections of your circuit are isolated
from ground by transformers, capacitors, etc.
• Do not use series capacitors or current sources.
• Do not use parallel inductors or voltage sources.
• Make sure all devices and sources are set to their
proper values.
• Make sure all dependent source gains are correct.
• Make sure your models/subcircuits have been
correctly entered.
15-246 Chapter 15: SPICE: Beyond the Basics

2 Increase ITL1 to 300 in the Analog Options dialog box.
This will allow the OP Analysis to go through more
iterations before giving up.
3 Add .NODESET devices. If the initial guess of a node
voltage is way off, the .NODESET device can be used to
set it to a more realistic value (see .NODESET later in
this chapter).
4 Add resistors and use the OFF keyword. Specify the
series resistance parameters of your models and
increase the GMIN option by a factor of 10. Specify the
initial condition of semiconductor devices, especially
diodes, as OFF.
5 Use initial conditions. Enable the UIC check box for
Transient Analysis in the Analyses Setup dialog box.
Place .IC devices in your circuit or set the applicable
initial conditions to assist in the initial stages of the
Transient Analysis.
Solving DC Analysis Failures

1 Check the circuit topology and connectivity. See the
common mistakes listed under Step 1 of Solving
Operating Point Analysis Failures earlier in this
chapter.
This will allow the DC Analysis to go through more
iterations for each step before giving up.
3 Make the steps in the DC sweep larger or smaller. If
discontinuities exist in a device model (perhaps between
the linear and saturation regions of the model), increas-
ing the step size may allow the simulation to step over
the discontinuity. Making the steps smaller will allow
the simulation to resolve rapid voltage-transition
discontinuities.
4 Do not use DC Analysis. Some problems (such as
hysteresis) cannot be resolved by DC Analysis. In such
cases, it is more effective to use Transient Analysis, by
ramping the appropriate power sources.

Solving Transient Analysis Failures
1 Check the circuit topology and connectivity. See the
common mistakes listed under Step 1 of Solving
Operating Point Analysis Failures earlier in this
chapter.
2 Set RELTOL to 0.01 in the Analog Options dialog box.
By increasing the tolerance from 0.001 (0.1% accuracy),
fewer iterations will be required to converge on a
solution and the simulation will complete much more
quickly.
This will allow the Transient Analysis to go through
more iterations for each timestep before giving up.
4 Reduce the accuracy of ABSTOL/VNTOL if current/
voltage levels allow. Your particular circuit may not
require resolutions down to 1uV or 1pA. You should
allow at least an order of magnitude below the lowest
expected voltage or current levels of your circuit.
5 Realistically model your circuit. Add realistic parasitics,
especially stray/junction capacitance. Use RC snubbers
around diodes. Replace device models with subcircuits,
especially for RF and power devices.
6 Increase the rise/fall times of the Pulse Generators. Even
the best pulse generators cannot switch instanta-
neously.
7 Change the integration method to Gear. Gear integration
requires longer simulation time, but is generally more
stable than the trapezoidal method. Gear integration may
be particularly useful with circuits that oscillate or have
feedback paths.

SPICE Option Variables
Use SPICE option variables to control certain aspects of a
simulation such as iteration limits, temperature, etc.
To change the value of a SPICE option variable,
1 Choose Simulation > Analyses Setup > Analog Options
to display the Analog Options - Spice Variables dialog
2 Select a variable and type the new value into the Option
Value edit field.
3 If you want to set a specific option to its default value,
type an asterisk in the Value edit field.
Figure 15.1. This dialog box lists the SPICE option

variables, which you can change. An asterisk (*) in the
dialog box denotes default values for each option.
Following is a list of the options and their effect on the
simulation. See Setting Up Analog/SPICE Variables in
Chapter 6: Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation for informa-
tion about the other option in the Analog Options - Spice
Variables dialog box.

Option What it Does
ABSTOL Sets the absolute current error
tolerance of the program. Set
ABSTOL=RELTOL* (lowest current
magnitude in the circuit). Default=1
picoamp.
CHGTOL Provides a lower limit on capacitor
charge or inductor flux; used in the
LTE timestep control algorithm.
Default=1.0e-14 coulombs.
DEFAD Sets the MOS drain diffusion area.
Default=0.0 meters2.
DEFAS Sets the MOS source diffusion area.
Default=0.0 meters2.
DEFL Sets the MOS channel length.
Default=100.0 micrometer.
DEFW Sets the MOS channel width. De-
fault=100.0 micrometer.
GMIN Sets the minimum conductance
(maximum resistance) of any device in
the circuit. It also sets the value of the
conductance that is placed in parallel
with each pn junction in the circuit.
Default=1.0e-12 mhos. Note: Raising
this value may help with simulation
convergence in many circuits, but
might decrease accuracy.
ITL1 Sets the Operating Point Analysis
iteration limit. Default=100 iterations.
Note: This may need to be raised as
high as 500 for many circuits.
ITL2 Sets the DC Analysis iteration limit.
Default=50 iterations. Note: This may
need to be raised as high as 200 for
some circuits.
ITL3 Sets the lower Transient Analysis
Note: This is not implemented in

SPICE3. It is provided in CircuitMaker
for compatibility in creating SPICE2
netlists.
ITL4 Sets the Transient Analysis timepoint
Note: Raising this value to 100 or
more may help to eliminate “timestep
too small” errors improving both
convergence and simulation speed.
ITL5 Sets the Transient Analysis total
Note: This is not implemented in
SPICE3. It is provided in CircuitMaker
for compatibility in creating SPICE2
netlists.
PIVREL Sets the relative ratio between the
largest column entry in the matrix and
an acceptable pivot value. The value
must be between 0 and 1.
Default=1.0e-3. In the numerical
pivoting algorithm the allowed
minimum pivot is determined by
EPSREL=AMAX1(PIVREL*MAXVAL,
PIVTOL) where MAXVAL is the
maximum element in the column where
a pivot is sought (partial pivoting).
PIVTOL Sets the absolute minimum value for a
matrix entry to be accepted as a pivot.
Default=1.0e-13.
RELTOL Sets the relative error tolerance of the
program. The value must be between
0 and 1. Default is 0.001 (0.1%).
Larger values mean faster simulation
time, but less accuracy.
TEMP Sets the actual operating temperature
of the circuit. Any deviation from
TNOM will produce a change in the
simulation results. Default=27°C.
Note: TEMP can be overridden by a
temperature specification on any
temperature dependent instance.

TNOM Sets the nominal temperature for
which device models are created.
Default=27°C. Note: TNOM can be
overridden by a specification on any
temperature dependent device model.
TRTOL Used in the LTE timestep control
algorithm. This is an estimate of the
factor by which SPICE overestimates
the actual truncation error.
Default=7.0.
VNTOL Sets the absolute voltage tolerance of
the program. Set VNTOL= RELTOL*
(lowest voltage magnitude in the
circuit). Default=1 microvolt.
BOOLL Sets the low output level of a boolean
expression. Default=0.0V.
BOOLH Sets the high output level of a
boolean expression. Default=4.5V.
BOOLT Sets the input threshold level of a
boolean expression. Default=1.5V.
BADMOS3 Uses the older version of the MOS3
model with the “kappa” discontinuity.
Default=NO (don’t use the older
version).
KEEPOPINFO Retains the operating point informa-
tion when an AC Analysis is run.
Note: This is particularly useful if the
circuit is large and you do not want to
run a redundant Operating Point
Analysis. Default=NO (run OP each
time).
TRYTOCOMPACT Applicable to the LTRA model.
When specified, the simulator tries to
condense LTRA transmission line’s
past history of input voltages and
currents. Default=NO (don’t com-
pact).
NOOPITER Skip directly to GMIN stepping
algorithm. Default=NO (don’t skip).

GMINSTEP Sets the number of steps in the GMIN
stepping algorithm. When set to 0,
GMIN stepping is disabled, making
source stepping the simulator’s
default DC (operating point) conver-
gence algorithm. Default=10 steps.
SRCSTEP Sets the number of steps in the source
stepping algorithm for DC (operating
point) convergence. Default=10 steps.
ACCT Causes accounting and run-time
statistics to be displayed.
Default=NO (no display).
LIST Displays a comprehensive list of all
elements in the circuit with connectiv-
ity and values. Default=NO (no list).
OPTS Displays a list of all standard SPICE3
Option parameter settings.
Default=NO (no list).
BYPASS Enables the device bypass scheme for
nonlinear model evaluation. Default=1
(on).
MINBREAK Sets the minimum time between
breakpoints. Default=0 seconds (sets
the time automatically).
MAXOPALTER Sets the maximum number of analog/
event alternations for DC (operating
point) convergence. Default=0.
MAXEVTITER Sets the maximum number of event
iterations for DC (operating point)
convergence. Default=0.
NOOPALTER Enables DC (operating point) alterna-
tions. Default=NO.
RAMPTIME Controls turn-on time of independent
sources and capacitor and inductor
initial conditions from zero to their
final value during the time period
specified. Default=0.0 seconds.

CONVLIMIT Disables convergence algorithm used
in some built-in component models.
Default=NO.
CONVSTEP Sets the limit of the relative step size
in solving for the DC operating point
convergence for code model inputs.
Default=0.25.
CONVABSSTEP Sets the limit of the absolute step size
in solving for the DC operating point
convergence for code model inputs.
Default=0.1.
AUTOPARTIAL Enables the automatic computation of
partial derivatives for XSpice code
modules. Default=NO.
PROPMNS Sets scale factor used to determine
minimum propagation delay when
actual value is not specified in
SimCode model. Default=0.5 (50% of
typical propagation delay).
PROPMXS Sets scale factor used to determine
maximum propagation delay when
typical propagation delay).
TRANMNS Sets scale factor used to determine
minimum transition time when actual
value is not specified in SimCode
model. Default=0.5 (50% of typical
transition time).
TRANMXS Sets scale factor used to determine
maximum transition time when actual
value is not specified in SimCode
model. Default=1.5 (150% of typical
transition time).
LOADMNS Sets scale factor used to determine
minimum input loading (maximum
input resistance) when actual value is
not specified in SimCode model.

Default=1.5 (150% of typical input
resistance).
LOADMXS Sets scale factor used to determine
maximum input loading (minimum
input resistance) when actual value is
not specified in SimCode model.
Default=0.5 (50% of typical input
resistance).
DRIVEMNS Sets scale factor used to determine
minimum output drive capacity
(maximum output resistance) when
typical output resistance).
DRIVEMXS Sets scale factor used to determine
maximum output drive capacity
(minimum output resistance) when
typical output resistance).
CURRENTMNS Sets scale factor used to determine
minimum supply current (maximum
internal resistance) when actual value
is not specified in SimCode model.
Default=1.5 (150% of typical internal
resistance).
CURRENTMXS Scale factor used to determine
maximum supply current (minimum
internal resistance) when actual value
is not specified in SimCode model.
Default=0.5 (50% of typical internal
resistance).
TPMNTYMX Temporary global override for
propagation delay index on SimCode
devices (0=default, 1=min, 2=typ,
3=max). Default=0.
TTMNTYMX Temporary global override for
transition time index on SimCode
3=max). Default=0.

LDMNTYMX Temporary global override for input
loading index on SimCode devices
(0=default, 1=min, 2=typ, 3=max).
Default=0.
DRVMNTYMX Temporary global override for output
drive capacity index on SimCode
3=max). Default=0.
IMNTYMX Temporary global override for supply
current index on SimCode devices
(0=default, 1=min, 2=typ, 3=max).
Default=0.
SIMWARN A nonzero value indicates that
SimCode warning messages can be
displayed during run time. SimCode
warnings may include information
concerning timing violations (tsetup,
thold, trec, tw, etc.) or indicate supply
voltage dropping below device
specifications. Default=0.
RSHUNT Value in ohms of resistors added
between each circuit node and
ground, helping to eliminate problems
such as “singular matrix” errors. In
general, the value of RSHUNT should
be set to a very high resistance
(1e+12). Default=0 (no shunt resis-
tors).
ADCSTEP The minimum step size required to
register an event on the input of the
internal A/D converters. Default=0.01
volts.

SPICE’s Elementary Devices
Each device used in a circuit requires certain information for
the SPICE simulation to run. This section describes each
type of device and information that each requires.
CircuitMaker provides this information to the SPICE netlist
provided you properly draw and label the circuit. See
Editing Devices in Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing
Schematics for more information.
The information provided here will help you better under-
stand how each of the components affects the simulation of
the circuit. Parameters that are enclosed in “< >” symbols are
optional. Refer to Chapter 16:Creating New Devices for
more information about the models mentioned here.
Resistors
General Form
RXXXXXXX N1 N2 VALUE
Netlist Example
R1 1 2 10K
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %V
N1 and N2 are the two element nodes. Value is the resistance

(in ohms) and may be positive or negative, but not zero. If
N1 is at a higher voltage than N2, the current flow through
the resistor is positive. If N2 is at a higher voltage than N1,
the current flow is negative.
See Also
Resistor, Var Resistor (example circuit: ANALOG.CKT)
Semiconductor Resistors
General Form
RXXXXXXX N1 N2 <VALUE> <MNAME> <L=LENGTH> <W=WIDTH> <TEMP=T>
Netlist Examples
R1 1 2 10K
R3 5 6 RMODEL L=12u W=1u
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %M TEMP=100

This is the more general form of the resistor. It allows
modeling of temperature effects, and calculation of the
actual resistance value from strictly geometric information
and the specifications of the process. If VALUE is specified,
it overrides the geometric information and defines the
resistance. If MNAME is specified, then the resistance may
be calculated from the process information in the model
MNAME and the given LENGTH and WIDTH. If VALUE is
not specified, then MNAME and LENGTH must be speci-
fied. If WIDTH is not specified, then it is taken from the
default width given in the model. The (optional) TEMP value
is the temperature at which this device is to operate, and
overrides the temperature specification in the Analog
Options dialog box.
Capacitors
General Form
CXXXXXXX N+ N- VALUE <IC=INCOND>
Netlist Example
C2 13 0 0.1UF
C5 7 0 10UF IC=3V
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %V IC=12V
N+ is the positive node and N- is the negative node. VALUE

is the capacitance in Farads. The initial condition is the
initial (time-zero) value of the capacitor voltage. Initial
conditions only apply if the UIC option is enabled for the
Transient Analysis. If N+ is at a higher voltage than N-, the
current flow through the capacitor is positive. If N- is at a
higher voltage than N+, the current flow is negative.
SPICE uses perfect capacitors, that is, capacitors with no DC
leakage. Since all nodes in a circuit must have a DC path to
ground, you cannot simulate a circuit with capacitors in
series as this would completely isolate the nodes that are
between the capacitors. One solution to this problem is to
connect a large-value resistor (such as 1-gigaohm) in parallel
with each capacitor to account for the leakage resistance of
that capacitor.

See Also
Capacitor, Polar Cap, Var Capacitor (example circuit: 555.CKT)
Semiconductor Capacitors
General Form
CXXXXXXX N+ N- <VALUE> <MNAME> <L=LENGTH> <W=WIDTH> <IC=INCOND>
Netlist Example
C2 13 0 0.1UF
C5 7 0 10UF CMODEL L=12u W=1u
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %M L=10U
This is the general form of the Capacitor and allows calcula-

tion of the capacitance value from strictly geometric informa-
tion and the specifications of the process. If VALUE is
specified, it defines the capacitance. If MNAME is specified,
then the capacitance is calculated from the process informa-
tion in the model MNAME and the given LENGTH and
WIDTH. If VALUE is not specified, then MNAME and
LENGTH must be specified. If WIDTH is not specified, then it
is taken from the default width given in the model. Specify
VALUE or MNAME, LENGTH, and WIDTH (not both).
Inductors
General Form
LYYYYYYY N+ N- VALUE <IC=INCOND>
Netlist Example
L3 12 9 1UH
L4 5 0 100UH IC=12.3MA
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %V IC=5MA
N+ is the positive node and N- is the negative node. VALUE

is the inductance in Henries. Initial condition (which applies
only if UIC is enabled for Transient Analysis) is the initial
(time-zero) value of the inductor current. If N+ is at a higher
voltage than N-, the current flow through the inductor is
positive. If N- is at a higher voltage than N+, the current flow
is negative.

Inductors induce voltage across their coils based on the
amount of magnetic flux; consider them as voltage sources
(and therefore inductors) in SPICE. Don’t connect them
directly in parallel. Solution: connect a small-value resistor,
(such as 0.001 ohms) in series with each inductor to account
for the winding resistance of that inductor.
See Also
Inductor, Var Inductor, Coil 3T, Coil 5T (see
RESONANT.CKT)
Coupled (Mutual) Inductors
General Form
KXXXXXXX LYYYYYYY LZZZZZZZ VALUE
Netlist Examples
K12 L4 L3 0.999
KXFRMR L1 L2 0.87
6 Spice Data Example (center-tap inductor)

5 L2 %DA %1 %2 50UH (inductor A)
7
L1
8
%DB %2 %3 50UH (inductor B)
0 L3 K%D %DA %DB .85 (inductive coupling)
9
Note: A transformer that is LYYYYYYY and LZZZZZZZ are the names of two coupled
simulated in this manner inductors, and VALUE is the coefficient of coupling (K),
will not reflect the which must be greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1.
impedance of the second- Using the “dot” convention, place a “dot” on the first node
ary winding back into the of each inductor, indicating that the voltages at these node
primary. are in phase (the voltages go up and down together).
If more than two inductors are being coupled, SPICE data
must be provided for each coupling. For example, a trans-
former with one primary coil (L1) and two secondary coils
(L2 and L3) might be expressed as follows:
L1 5 0 10MH
L2 6 7 1MH
L3 8 9 1MH
K12 L1 L2 0.93
K13 L1 L3 0.93
K23 L2 L3 0.97
The turns ratio for a given pair of windings can be deter-

mined by the following formula where LP and LS are the

inductance of the primary and secondary windings, respec-
tively:
Turns Ratio = sqrt(LS/LP)
See Also
Transformers (example circuit: VTPWRAMP.CKT)
Voltage/Current Controlled Switches
General Form
SXXXXXXX N+ N- NC+ NC- MODEL <ON><OFF>
WXXXXXXX N+ N- VNAM MODEL <ON><OFF>
Netlist Examples
S1 1 2 3 4 SVS1 (V->Switch)
S2 5 6 3 0 SVS2 ON (V->Switch)
W1 1 2 VS1 WIS1 (I->Switch)
Spice Data Example
%D %1 %2 %3 %4 %M ON
Nodes 1 and 2 are the nodes between which the switch

terminals are connected. ON/OFF indicates the initial
condition of the switch. For the voltage-controlled switch
nodes, 3 and 4 are the positive and negative controlling
nodes, respectively. For the current-controlled switch, the
controlling current is that through the specified voltage
source. The direction of positive controlling current flow is
from the positive node, through the source, to the negative
node.
See Also
I->Switch, V->Switch (example circuit: SWITCHES.CKT)
Independent Sources
General Form
VXXXXXXX N+ N- <<DC> VALUE> <AC <MAG <PHASE>>>
IYYYYYYY N+ N- <<DC> VALUE> <AC <MAG <PHASE>>>

Netlist Examples
VCC 10 0 DC 6 (V Source)
ISRC 1 2 AC .3 45 SIN(0 1 1MEG) (Signal Gen)
VMEAS 12 9 (Ammeter)
Spice Data Example
%D %1 %2 DC 0 SIN(0 1 1k 0 0) AC 1 0 (Signal Gen)
N+ is the positive node and N- is the negative node. Voltage

sources need not be grounded. Positive current is assumed
to flow into the positive node, through the source, and out
of the negative node. A current source of positive value
forces current to flow into the N+ node, through the source,
and out of the N- node. Voltage sources, in addition to being
used for circuit excitation, are the ‘ammeters’ for SPICE; that
is, zero valued voltage sources may be inserted into the
circuit for the purpose of measuring current. They, of course,
have no effect on circuit operation since they represent
short-circuits.
VALUE is the DC (operating point) value or offset of the
source. If the source value is zero it may be omitted. If the
source is time-invariant (e.g., a power supply), then the
value can be preceded by the letters DC.
The letters AC indicate a small-signal AC source. MAG (AC
magnitude) and PHASE (AC phase) are used for AC
analysis only. If MAG is omitted following the keyword AC,
a value of 1 is assumed. If PHASE is omitted, a value of 0 is
assumed.
Any independent source can be assigned a time-dependent
value for Transient Analysis. If a source is assigned a time-
dependent value, the time-zero value is used for DC (operat-
ing point) analysis. There are five independent source
functions: pulse, exponential, sinusoidal, piece-wise linear,
and single-frequency FM. These are discussed in the
Multifunction Signal Generator section of this chapter.
Note: For SPICE simulation, voltage sources cannot be
placed directly in parallel, and current sources cannot be
placed directly in series.
See Also
+V, V Source, I Source, Battery, Signal Gen (example circuit:
CEAMP.CKT)

Linear Voltage-Controlled Current Sources
General Form
GXXXXXXX N+ N- NC+ NC- VALUE
Netlist Example
G1 2 0 5 0 0.1MMHO
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %3 %4 %V
N+ is the positive node and N- is the negative node. Current

flow is from the positive node, through the source, to the
negative node. NC+ is the positive controlling node and
NC- is the negative controlling node. VALUE is the
transconductance (in mhos).
Note: For SPICE simulation, current sources cannot be
See Also
V->I Source (example circuit: 741.CKT)
Linear Voltage-Controlled Voltage Sources
General Form
EXXXXXXX N+ N- NC+ NC- VALUE
Netlist Example
E1 2 3 14 1 2.0
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %3 %4 %V
N+ is the positive node and N- is the negative node. Current

flow is from the positive node, through the source, to the
negative node. VALUE is the voltage gain.
placed directly in parallel.
See Also
V->V Source

Linear Current-Controlled Current Sources
General Form
FXXXXXXX N+ N- VNAM VALUE
Netlist Example
F1 5 17 VS2 0.5K
Spice Data Example

V%D %3 %4 DC 0V (measures controlling current)
%D %1 %2 V%D %V (current source)
N+ and N- are the positive and negative nodes, respectively.
Current flow is from the positive node, through the source, to
the negative node. VNAM is the name of a voltage source
through which the controlling current flows. The direction of
positive controlling current flow is from the positive node,
through the source, to the negative node of VNAM. VALUE
is the current gain. Note: You cannot place current sources
directly in series for SPICE simulation.
See Also
I->I Source
Linear Current-Controlled Voltage Sources
General Form
HXXXXXXX N+ N- VNAM VALUE
Netlist Example
H1 5 17 VS2 0.5K
Spice Data Example

V%D %3 %4 DC 0V (measures controlling current)
%D %1 %2 V%D %V (voltage source)
N+ and N- are the positive and negative nodes, respectively.
VNAM is the name of a voltage source through which the
controlling current flows. The direction of positive controlling
current flow is from the positive node, through the source, to
the negative node of VNAM. VALUE is the transresistance
(in ohms). Note: You cannot place voltage sources directly in
parallel for SPICE simulation.
See Also
I->V Source. Example circuit: 741.CKT.

Nonlinear Dependent Sources
General Form
BXXXXXXX N+ N- <I=EXPR> <V=EXPR>
Netlist Examples
BSO1 0 1 I=COS(V(1))+SIN(V(2))
BVS1 0 1 V=LN(COS(LOG(V(1,2)^2))) (3)^4+V(2)^V(1)
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 V=%L
N+ is the positive node, N- is the negative node. The values

of the V and I parameters determine the voltages and
currents across and through the device, respectively. If I is
given then the device is a current source. If V is given the
device is a voltage source. One and only one of these
parameters must be specified for each source.
The expressions given for V and I may be any function of
voltages and currents through voltages sources in the
system (e.g., V(2) indicates the DC voltage at node 2
referenced to ground, V(3,4) indicates the voltage difference
between nodes 3 and 4, and I(VS2) indicates the DC current
through the voltage supply (VS2). The following functions
of real variables are defined:
abs acos acosh asin asinh atan
atanh cos cosh exp ln log
sin sinh sqrt tan u uramp
“u” is the unit step function, with a value of one for argu-
ments greater than zero and a value of zero for arguments
less than zero. “uramp” is the integral of the unit step: for an
input x, the value is zero if x is less than zero, or if x is greater
than zero the value is x. These two functions are useful in
synthesizing piecewise nonlinear functions, though conver-
gence may be adversely affected.
The following standard operators are defined:
+ * / ^ unary -
In addition, the following boolean operators are defined.
Input threshold values (BOOLT) and output values (BOOLL
and BOOLH) are universally defined in the Analog Options
dialog box.

& (AND)
| (OR)
! (XOR)
~ (NOT)
Older versions of SPICE used a POLY function to describe
nonlinear sources. For example, the following statements are
all equivalent:
E1 19 0 POLY(2)7 4 2 0 3 .1 .5 (Spice2)
E1 19 0 POLY(2)(7,4)(2,0)3.1.5 (Spice2)
B1 19 0 V = 3 + .1*V(7,4) + .5*V(2,0) (Spice3)
B1 19 0 V = 3 + .1*V(7,4) + .5*V(2) (Spice3)
Each statement indicates that the voltage at node 19 will
equal 3 volts plus .1 times the voltage across nodes 7 and 4
plus .5 times the voltage at node 2, using ground (node 0) as
a reference. Many existing SPICE subcircuits contain this
type of nonlinear source. CircuitMaker automatically
converts them to the SPICE3 format each time you run a
simulation.
placed directly in parallel and current sources cannot be
See Also
NLV Source, NLI Source, I-Math, V-Math. Example circuit:
741.CKT
Lossless Transmission Lines
General Form
TXXXXXXX N1 N2 N3 N4 Z0=VALUE
+ <TD=VALUE> <F=FREQ <NL=NRMLEN>>
+ <IC=V1,I1,V2,I2>
Netlist Example
T1 3 0 2 0 Z0=50 TD=20NS
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %3 %4 Z0=%V TD=10NS

N1 and N2 are the nodes at port1; N3 and N4 are the nodes
at port 2. Z0 is the characteristic impedance. The length of
the line may be expressed in either of two forms (one form
must be specified). The transmission delay (TD) may be
specified directly (as TD=10NS, for example). Alternately, a
frequency F may be given, together with NL (the normalized
electrical length of the transmission line with respect to the
wavelength in the line at the frequency F). If a frequency is
specified but NL is omitted, 0.25 is assumed (that is, the
frequency is assumed to be the quarter-wave frequency).
The initial condition specification consists of the voltage
and current at each of the transmission line ports. Initial
conditions only apply if the UIC option is enabled for the
Transient Analysis.
The lossy transmission line described below with zero loss
may be more accurate than the lossless transmission line due
to implementation details.
See Also
LossLessLine (example circuit: LLTRAN.CKT)
Lossy Transmission Lines
General Form
OXXXXXXX N1 N2 N3 N4 MNAME
Netlist Example
O2 3 0 2 0 OXLINE
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %3 %4 %M
This is a two-port convolution model for single-conductor

lossy transmission lines. N1 and N2 are the nodes at port1;
N3 and N4 are the nodes at port 2. Note that a lossy
transmission line with zero loss may be more accurate than
the lossless transmission line due to implementation details.
See Also
LossyLine

Uniform Distributed RC Lines (Lossy)
General Form
UXXXXXXX N1 N2 N3 MNAME L=LEN <N=LUMPS>
Netlist Example
U1 1 2 0 UXLINE L=50UM N=6
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %3 %M L=25u
N1 and N2 are the two element nodes the RC line connects,

while N3 is the node to which the capacitances are con-
nected. MNAME is the model name, LEN is the length of the
RC line in meters. LUMPS, if specified, is the number of
lumped segments to use in modeling the RC line (if omitted,
a default value based on the model parameters will be used).
See Also
URC-Line
Junction Diodes
General Form
DXXXXXXX N+ N- MNAME <AREA> <OFF> <IC=VD> <TEMP=T>
Netlist Example
D3 2 10 D1N914 OFF
D5 7 12 D1N4001 3.0 IC=0.2
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %M OFF IC=.6 TEMP=70
N+ is the positive node and N- is the negative node.

MNAME is the model name, AREA is the area factor, and
OFF indicates an optional starting condition on the device
for Operating Point Analysis. The initial condition specifica-
tion using IC=VD only applies if the UIC option is enabled
for the Transient Analysis. The TEMP value is the tempera-
ture at which this device is to operate, and overrides the
temperature specification in the Analog Options dialog.
See Also
Diode, Zener Diode (example circuit: PS1.CKT)

Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs)
General Form
QXXXXXXX NC NB NE <NS> MNAME <AREA>
+ <OFF> <IC=VBE, VCE> <TEMP=T>
Netlist Example
Q5 11 26 4 Q2N3904 IC=0.6, 5.0
Q3 5 2 6 9 QNPN .67
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %3 %M .67 OFF
NC, NB and NE are the collector, base and emitter nodes,

respectively. NS is the optional substrate node; if unspeci-
fied, the ground is used. MNAME is the model name, AREA
is the area factor, and OFF indicates an optional starting
condition on the device for Operating Point Analysis. The
initial condition specification using IC=VBE, VCE only
applies if you have enabled UIC for the Transient Analysis.
TEMP is the temperature at which this device operates, and
overrides the specification in the Analog Options dialog.
See Also
NPN Trans, PNP Trans (example circuit: CEAMP.CKT)
Junction Field-Effect Transistors (JFETs)
General Form
JXXXXXXX ND NG NS MNAME <AREA> <OFF> <IC=VDS, VGS> <TEMP=T>
Netlist Example
J2 6 3 21 J2N3819 OFF
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %3 %M .67
ND, NG and NS are the drain, gate and source nodes,

respectively. MNAME is the model name, AREA is the area
factor, and OFF indicates an optional initial condition on the
device for Operating Point Analysis. The initial condition
specification using IC=VDS, VGS only applies if you have
enabled UIC for the Transient Analysis. TEMP is the
temperature at which this device operates, and overrides the
temperature specification in the Analog Options dialog.
See Also
N-JFET, P-JFET. Example circuit: CSJFAMP.CKT

MOSFETs
General Form
MXXXXX ND NG NS NB MNAME <L=VAL> <W=VAL> <AD=VAL>
+ <AS=VAL> <PD=VAL> <PS=VAL> <NRD=VAL> <NRS=VAL> <OFF>
+ <IC=VDS,VGS,VBS> <TEMP=T>
Netlist Example
M6 23 16 0 17 MRF150
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %3 %3 %M TEMP=55
ND, NG, NS and NB are the drain, gate, source and bulk
(substrate) nodes, respectively. MNAME is the model name.
L and W are the channel length and width, in meters. AD
and AS are the areas of the drain and source diffusions, in
meters2. Note that the suffix U specifies microns (1e-6 m) and
P sq-microns (1e-12 m2). If any of L, W, AD, or AS are not
specified, default values are used. The use of defaults
simplifies input file preparation, as well as the editing
required if device geometries are to be changed. PD and PS
are the perimeters of the drain and source junctions, in
meters. NRD and NRS designate the equivalent number of
squares of the drain and source diffusions; these values
multiply the sheet resistance (RSH) specified in the model
for an accurate representation of the parasitic series drain
and source resistance of each transistor. PD and PS default
to 0.0 while NRD and NRS default to 1.0. OFF indicates an
optional starting condition on the device for DC analysis.
The initial condition specification (optional) using IC=VDS,
VGS, VBS only applies if the UIC option is enabled for the
Transient Analysis, when a transient analysis is desired
starting from other than the quiescent operating point. See
the .IC device for a better and more convenient way to
specify transient initial conditions.
The TEMP value (optional) is the temperature at which this
device is to operate, and overrides the temperature specifica-
tion in the Analog Options dialog. The temperature specifi-
cation is ONLY valid for level 1, 2, 3, and 6 MOSFETs, not for
level 4 or 5 (BSIM) devices.
See Also
N-MOSFET 3T, N-MOSFET 4T, P-MOSFET 3T,
P-MOSFET 4T

MESFETs (GaAsFETs)
General Form
ZXXXXXXX ND NG NS MNAME <AREA> <OFF> <IC=VDS, VGS>
Netlist Example
Z1 3 5 6 ZM2 OFF
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %3 %M OFF
ND, NG and NS are the drain, gate and source nodes,

respectively. MNAME is the model name, AREA is the area
factor, and OFF indicates an optional starting condition on
the device for Operating Point Analysis. The initial condition
specification using IC=VDS, VGS only applies if the UIC
option is enabled for the Transient Analysis.
See Also
N-MESFET, P-MESFET
Subcircuits
General Form
XYYYYYYY N1 <N2 N3 …> SUBNAM
Netlist Example
XU1 7 5 6 12 3 XLM741
Spice Data Example

%D %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %S
Subcircuits are used in SPICE by specifying the device

designation beginning with the letter X, followed by the
circuit nodes to be used in expanding the subcircuit,
followed by the subcircuit name.
See Also
Subcircuits (example circuit: ANALOG.CKT)

SimCode Devices
TM
General Form
AXXXXXXX [NPI NGI NI1I <NI2I …>][NPO
+ NI1O <NI2O …> NO1O <NO2O …>] MNAME
Netlist Example
A2 [6 8 4] [7 9 5] 2404B
Spice Data Example

%D [%4bi %2bi %1i] [%4bo %1o %2o] %M
All nodes listed in a digital SimCode device are the digital

nodes of the device. NPI and NGI are the digital input nodes
to the power and ground pins. NI1I, NI2I, etc. are the digital
input nodes to the device’s input pins. NPO is the digital
output node from the power pin. NI1O, NI2O, etc. are the
digital output nodes from the device’s input pins. NO1O,
NO2O, etc. are the digital output nodes from the device’s
output pins. Note the square brackets ([ ]) surrounding the
input nodes and the output nodes. In the Spice Data field,
the power and ground buses include the letter “b” to
indicate that node numbers for these pins come from the Bus
Data field.
See Also
Digital SimCode Devices. Example circuit: Logic Probe.ckt.
See Chapter 17: Digital SimCode.
.NODESET Statement
General Form
.NODESET V(NODNUM)=VAL V(NODNUM)=VAL ...
Netlist Example
.NODESET V(7)=3.33 V(11)=1.5
The Nodeset line helps the program find the dc or initial
transient solution by making a preliminary pass with the
specified nodes held to the given voltages. The restriction is
then released and the iteration continues to the true solu-
tion. The .NODESET line may be necessary for convergence
on bistable or astable circuits. In general, this line should
not be necessary.
See Also
.NODESET

.IC Statement
.IC General Form
.IC V(NODNUM)=VAL V(NODNUM)=VAL ...
Netlist Example
.IC V(3)=2.5 V(4)=-1 V(9)=1
The IC line is for setting transient initial conditions. It has
two different interpretations, depending on whether or not
you have enabled the UIC parameter in the Transient
Analysis. Also, don’t confuse this line with the .NODESET
line. The .NODESET line is only to help DC convergence,
and does not affect final bias solution (except for multi-
stable circuits). The two interpretations of this line are as
follows:
• When you have enabled the UIC parameter in the
Transient Analysis, the node voltages specified on the
.IC control line are used to compute the capacitor, diode,
BJT, JFET, and MOSFET initial conditions. This is
equivalent to specifying the IC=… parameter on each
device line, but is much more convenient. You can still
specify the IC=… parameter, which takes precedence
over the .IC values. Since no DC bias (initial transient)
solution is computed before the Transient Analysis,
you should take care to specify all DC source voltages
on the .IC control line if you are going to use them to
compute device initial conditions.
• If you have not enabled the UIC parameter in the
Transient Analysis, the DC bias (initial transient)
solution is computed before the Transient Analysis. In
this case, the node voltages you have specified on the
.IC control line are forced to the desired values during
the bias solution. The Transient Analysis removes the
constraint on these node voltages. This is the preferred
method since it allows SPICE to compute a consistent
DC solution.
See Also
.IC (example circuit: 555.CKT)

Suggested Reading
Tuinenga, P. W., SPICE, A guide to Circuit Simulation &
Analysis Using PSpice, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs,
N.J., 1988, ISBN: 0-13-834607-0, Library: TK454.T85 1988,
621.319'2-dc 19
Written as a supplement for electronic circuit design
courses, this book focuses on the design and analysis
of analog circuits using PSpice (a commercial variation
of the industry standard Berkeley SPICE). Through
examples, this book demonstrates what a simulator can
and cannot do. Although this book is written specifi-
cally for PSpice, much of the information it contains can
be applied directly to CircuitMaker.
Vladimirescu, A., The SPICE Book, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,
N.Y., 1994, ISBN: 0-471-60926-9, Library: TK454.V58 1994,
621.319'2'028553-dc20
Written as a tutorial and reference for electrical engi-
neering students and professionals just starting to use
the SPICE program to analyze and design circuits. This
book explains how to use the SPICE program and
describes the differences and similarities between the
most popular commercial versions of it, including
SPICE3, the latest version from Berkeley which is used
by CircuitMaker.
Kielkowski, R., Inside SPICE, McGraw-Hill, Inc., N.Y., 1994,
ISBN: 0-070911525, Library: TK 454.K48 1994,
621.319'2'011353-dc20
Written as a tutorial and reference for electrical engi-
neering students and professionals who are familiar
with the SPICE program. This book goes beyond the
basics and covers the internal operation of the SPICE
program to give the reader a solid understanding of how
SPICE works. It provides step-by-step coverage of how
to overcome nonconvergence, numerical integration
instabilities and timestep control errors. It also shows
how to make simulations run faster and more efficiently
by setting the .OPTION parameters.

CHAPTER 16
Creating New Devices

The devices you can create in CircuitMaker fall into two
major categories: 1) nonfunctional device symbols that you
simply want to represent schematically or export to a PCB
netlist and 2) fully functional devices that will simulate.
Simulation functionality is achieved by attaching internal
circuitry or a SPICE model/subcircuit to a device symbol.
The term macro device is used loosely throughout this
manual to refer to any device you create or modify.
What’s In This Chapter?

The following summarizes the information contained in this
chapter.
• Creating Device Symbols: Learn how to use the
Symbol Editor to create or edit custom device symbols.
Learn how to draw symbols freehand with the mouse,
create new symbols based on an existing symbol and
quickly create a DIP, LCC or QFP symbols. Learn how
pins are used as connection points for wires. Also learn
how to prepare the symbol for use in CircuitMaker by
adding the default Device Data to the symbol. Go
through a step-by-step example to create your own
device symbol.
• Creating Macro Devices with Internal Circuitry:
Learn how to attach hidden internal circuitry to a
custom device symbol. Learn how this simple process
can be used to expand the selection of simulatable
devices in CircuitMaker. Learn how macro devices can
be nested for hierarchical construction of a circuit for
simulation. Go through a step-by-step example to attach
circuitry to a symbol, thus making a functional macro
device.
• Working with SPICE Models: Learn about the three
basic types of components in SPICE, selecting a SPICE
model for simulation, modifying SPICE models, and
Chapter 16: Creating New Devices 16-275

how to attach a new SPICE model to a device symbol.
Go through a step-by-step example to add a new SPICE
model.
• Creating New SPICE Models Using Parameter
Passing: Learn how to create a generic SPICE model
which can be used to simulate any number of like
components by passing parameters specific to each
device into the generic model.
• Editing Digital Model Parameters: Learn about
Digital Simcode devices, their various parameters, and
how to modify them.
Creating Device Symbols

You can create or modify device symbols in one or more of
the following ways:
• Drawing a symbol with the mouse.
• Entering a description in the Element List.
• Adding existing shapes.
• Importing a Meta file.
• Adding DIP, LCC, and QFP Packages.
To create a symbol for a new macro,

Macro Button 1 Clear the drawing area by clicking the New button on
the Toolbar.
2 Click the Macro button on the Toolbar.
This is the same as choosing Macros > New Macro.
3 Enter a unique name for the macro of 13 characters or
less.
The Macro Name is used to identify the macro device in
the library.
4 Specify how many of these parts would be found in a
single IC package.
16-276 Chapter 16: Creating New Devices

Note: The same symbol is used for each device in the
package.
5 Click OK to display the Symbol Editor (Figure 16.1).
Figure 16.1. Use the Symbol Editor to create or modify

schematic symbols.
Think of the Symbol Editor as a drawing program. The
following sections describe the use of the Symbol Editor
options.
Using Symbol Editor Display Controls

Once you have placed a device symbol in the View window,
use the Symbol Editor options to control the view of the
symbol. You can click and drag device designations at any
time to position them where you want.
Control What it Does

Redraw Refreshes the picture.
Grid Displays or hides the currently defined
grid in the View window. We recommend
a 9 point spacing for pin placement. Note:
The Symbol Editor does not use the Snap
To Grid feature. See Chapter 12: Options
Menu about grid setup and Chapter 13:
View and Window Menus for information
about changing the grid color.

Symbol Name Displays or hides the device’s symbol
name.
Pin Names Displays or hides the device’s pin
names.
Pin Designations Displays or hides the device’s pin
designations.
View Zoom in or out (from 25%-800%) to
better view the device while you are
working on it.
Trace Step through the Element List, high-
lighting each element one at a time
beginning with the currently selected
element. Select the first element in the
list, click the Clear button to erase the
drawing window, and then click the
Trace button repeatedly. This helps you
identify elements that are hidden behind
other elements, etc.
Drawing a Symbol with the Mouse

You can draw symbols or parts of symbols freehand with the
mouse.
To draw a symbol element with the mouse,
1 Select the color and fill.
Any enclosed element will be filled with either the
element color or the background color.
2 Select an element type by clicking its radio button.
You can draw the following element types: Line, 1/4
Arc, 1/2 Arc, Circle, Ellipse, Polyline, Polygon,
Rectangle, Round Rect, and Pins.
Pins can point up, down, left or right and can have
bubbles to indicate negative logic. Pins with bubbles are
indicated with a tilde (~).
Note: Any device symbol you want to wire into a
circuit must have pins as connection points for wires.

3 To place a line, arc, circle, ellipse, rectangle, or pin,
hold down the left mouse button, drag, and release. To
place a polyline or polygon, click and release the mouse
to begin then single-click to turn; double-click to end.
Note: After you place a pin, a dialog box appears that
lets you enter a pin name and designation. Pin names
and designations are required for circuit simulation and
PCB netlist generation.
When you place an element, its description is appended to
the Element List. The element’s description and shape are
also selected and highlighted, which lets you easily move or
delete elements that you have placed. After you have placed
an element, the selected Element Type does not change until
you select a new Element Type or click on a text line in the
Element List.
Selecting Shapes
To select single shapes,
1 Choose the Select/Move option in the Element Type
group box.
2 Click the shape in the view window.
OR
Click the description in the Element List.
To select multiple shapes,
1 Select the Select/Move option in the Element Type
group box.
2 Drag a selection rectangle around the desired element
shape in the view window.
OR
Click and drag the cursor in the Element List.
OR
Hold down the Shift key while clicking individual
element shapes in the view window or element descrip-
tions in the Element List.

To delete elements,
1 Select the elements you want to delete.
2 Click the Delete button.
To move elements,
1 Select the Select/Move option in the Element Type
group box.
2 Drag the element shape with the mouse while holding
down the Left mouse button.
OR
If you have selected multiple elements, drag one of the
elements with the mouse while holding down the Left
mouse button.
To resize elements,
1 Select the Resize option in the Element Type group
box.
2 Drag the end of a line, the corner of a rectangle, the side
of a rounded rectangle, or the side of an ellipse with the
mouse while holding down the Left mouse button.
Note: You must use the Element List or Element Buffer
to change the size and shape of other elements. See
Element List and Edit Buffer later in this chapter for
more information.
Adding an Existing Shape

To make it easier to create a new device symbol, you can
use and modify existing device shapes as needed.
To add an existing shape,
1 In the Symbol Editor dialog box, click the Add Exist-
ing Shape drop-down list box.
2 Select the name of the existing shape you want to add.
3 If you want to include pins for the existing device,
check the Include Pins check box.
4 If you want to change the size of the shape you are
adding, enter a value in the Scale edit box.

5 Click the Add Shape button.
6 Press the r key (or click the Right mouse button) to
rotate the shape.
7 Press the m key to mirror the shape.
8 Move the shape to the desired location in the Symbol
Editor’s view window.
9 Click the Left mouse button to place the shape or press
the Spacebar to cancel.
Note: Only the location (not the size) of included pins
will be scaled.
Importing a Metafile Device

The Symbol Editor can import device symbols (pictures)
created in another drawing program only if that drawing
program can copy the desired symbol to the Windows
clipboard in the Metafile format.
To import a Metafile device,
1 Copy the Metafile object onto the Windows clipboard.
2 From the Symbol Editor, select Clipboard-WMF as the
existing shape (see Adding an Existing Shape earlier in
this section).
Note: Only the vector graphics shapes (lines, rect-
angles, circles, etc.) in the Metafile object will be
converted. Colors, bitmaps, and text will not be
included.
Adding DIP, LCC, and QFP Packages

Use the Symbol Editor to quickly create DIP (Dual In-line
Package), LCC and QFP symbols. LCC and QFP are square
outlines with an equal number of pins on each side. The
LCC symbol has pin 1 on the center of the top side. The
QFP symbol has pin 1 on the top of the left side. You can
control the size of the package you are adding using the
Scale value and the number of Pin name chars you enter.
You can specify the width of the DIP, LCC, and QFP
symbols; however, DIPs cannot be scaled directly, they can
only be rotated and mirrored. See Figure 16.2 for an
example of the LCC symbol.

Figure 16.2. Use the Symbol Editor to quickly add DIP,
QFP, and LCC symbols.
To add a DIP, LCC, or QFP symbol,
1 From the Symbol Editor, specify the number of pins (in
2 pin increments) in the Pins per Pkg field.
2 Select the Scale (100% by default).
3 Click the Add Pkg button.
4 Move the package to the desired location.
Note: You can press the Spacebar to cancel this
operation.
5 Click the Left mouse button to place the package.
Editing Pin Information

Pin names and pin designations are required for circuit
simulation and PCB netlist generation. For compatibility
with TraxMaker, each pin designation should match the Pad
Designation of the corresponding pad in the TraxMaker
component.
To edit pin names and pin designations,
1 In the Symbol Editor, select the Select/Move option in
the Element Type group box.

2 Right-click a pin to display the dialog box pictured in
Figure 16.3.
3 Give each pin a name (up to 15 characters) and a
designation (up to 5 alphanumeric characters), even if
the names are not displayed.
Tip: You can create barred
Note: For multipart packages, one pin designation
pin names by entering braces
should be listed for each part in the package, separated
{ } around all or part of a
by commas.
pin name. Barred pin names
work correctly only with
monospaced fonts, such as
Courier New, CircuitMaker’s
default font. You can also
orient pin names perpendicu-
lar or parallel to the pin.
Figure 16.3. Use the Symbol Pin dialog box to edit pin
names and designations.
Element List and Edit Buffer

As you add elements to the drawing, they are also added to
the Element List. The Element List contains a text descrip-
tion of each element in the device’s symbol. The link
between the drawing window and the Element List is
interactive. When you select an element in the drawing
window, it is highlighted in the Element List. Likewise,
when you select an element in the Element List, it is high-
lighted in the drawing window.
Elements at the beginning of the list are drawn first so they
are in the back of the drawing (bottom layer); those at the
end of the list are drawn last so they are in front (top layer).
Use the Edit Buffer to add or edit the element text descrip-
tions contained in the Element List box. Use the following
buttons to edit and change the order of the elements.

Button What it Does
Cut Removes the selected elements from
the Element List and places them in
the Edit Buffer.
Copy Places a copy of the selected elements
in the Edit Buffer.
Replace Replaces the selected elements with
the contents of the Edit Buffer.
Insert Inserts the contents of the Edit Buffer
immediately before the selected
element in the Element List.
Append Attaches the contents of the Edit
Buffer to the end of the Element List.
Delete Removes the selected elements from
the Element List.
When editing an element, you must observe strict rules of

syntax. The definition for each element must state the
element type, attribute (line/fill color or pin name), and a set
of xy coordinates. A more complete description of the
syntax required for each element is given the Element
Definitions section which follows.
Element Definitions
When the pen color on an enclosed element is immediately
followed by an asterisk (for example, LtBlue*), the fill color
will be the same as the pen color, otherwise the fill color
will be the background color.
General Format
[element type][attribute] x1,y1 x2,y2 x3,y3 x4,y4 [pin
numbers]
Line
Attribute pen color
x1,y1 start point of the line
x2,y2 end point of the line
x3,y3 n/a
x4,y4 n/a

Example:
Line Device -36,-7 20,-7
Polyline
Attribute pen color
x1,y1 1st point of the polyline
x2,y2 2nd point of the polyline (optional if
+Polyline)
x3,y3 3rd point of the polyline (optional)
x4,y4 4th point of the polyline (optional)
Note A preceding plus sign (+Polyline)
indicates that this is an extension to
the preceding polyline element.
Examples:
Polyline Device -24,-46 42,-22 24,35
or
Polyline Device -51,-54 46,-23 34,42 -53,32
+Polyline Device -53,-19
Polygon
Attribute pen color*
x1,y1 1st point of the polygon
x2,y2 2nd point of the polygon (optional if
+Polygon)
x3,y3 3rd point of the polygon (optional if
+Polygon)
x4,y4 4th point of the polygon (optional)
Note: A preceding plus sign (+Polygon) indicates that this is
an extension to the preceding polygon element.
Example:
Polygon Device -39,12 0,55 -61,75
or

Polygon Device -30,-44 12,-44 29, -21 15,6
+Polygon Device -25,6 -42,16
Rect
x1,y1 left top corner of the rectangle
x2,y2 right bottom corner of the rectangle
x3,y3 n/a
x4,y4 n/a
Example:
Rect Device -25,-30 15,28
RRect
x1,y1 left top corner of the rounded
rectangle
x2,y2 right bottom corner of the rounded
rectangle
x3,y3 width and height of ellipse defining
the corners
x4,y4 n/a
Example:
RRect Device -56,-22 11,8 10,10
Ellipse/Circle
x1,y1 left top corner of the defining
rectangle
x2,y2 right bottom corner of the defining
rectangle
x3,y3 n/a
x4,y4 n/a
Example:
Ellipse Device -49,-44 9,33

Arc 1/4, 1/2
Attribute pen color
x1,y1 left top corner of the rectangle
defining the complete ellipse
x2,y2 right bottom corner of the rectangle
defining the complete ellipse
x3,y3 end point of line 1 whose start point is
at the center of the ellipse
x4,y4 end point of line 2 whose start point is
at the center of the ellipse
Note: The arc follows the outline of the ellipse and is drawn
counterclockwise from line 1 to line 2.
Example:
Arc Device -51,-13 -13,33 -32,-13 -51,10 1/4
Arc Device -28,-11 5,45 5,17 -28,17 1/2
Text
Attribute text color
x1,y1 bottom center location of text
x2,y2 n/a
x3,y3 n/a
x4,y4 n/a
text string enclosed in single quote marks
(15 characters max.)
Example:
Text Device 0,25 'symbol text'
PinUp, PinDown, PinLeft, PinRight

PinUp~, PinDown~, PinLeft~, PinRight~
Attribute pin name (16 characters max.)
x1,y1 point where pin attaches to package
x2,y2 n/a
x3,y3 n/a
x4,y4 n/a

Examples of single part per package:
Pinleft P1 -26,-27 [1]
Pinright P9 26,36 [9]
Examples of two parts per package:
Pinleft P1 -26,-27 [1,2]
Pinright P9 26,36 [9,10]
Example of inverted pin:
Pinleft~ P7 -26,27 [7]
Note: A pin is a connection point for wires. Pins can have
bubbles to indicate negative logic. Pins with bubbles are
indicated with the tilde (~).
Tutorial: Creating a Device Symbol

The following step-by-step example shows how to use the
Symbol Editor to create macro circuits.
1 Make a backup copy of the USER.LIB file prior to
creating or deleting a macro.
In case the library is damaged or altered in any undesir-
able way, you will always have a copy of the library as a
backup.
2 Choose Macros > New Macro (or click the Macro
button on the Toolbar) to display the Define New Macro
It’s possible that a message will appear asking if you
want to include the present circuit inside the new symbol.
For this example you can click No.
Figure 16.4. The name you enter here is used later to

select the device from the library.
3 Enter a unique name up to 13 characters in length in the
Macro Name text edit field. For this example, type
AND-NOR.

4 Specify the number of parts per package. For this
example, use the default of 1 part per package.
This refers to the number of devices found in the same
chip. For example, a 7400 package contains 4 NAND
gates and a 556 package contains 2 timers.
5 Click OK to display the Symbol Editor.
For this example, begin by placing an 8 Pin DIP
package in the drawing window.
6 Type 8 in the Pins Per Pkg field then click the Add Pkg
button.
7 Click the left mouse button to place the package in the
center of the drawing window.
8 Change the View to 200% by clicking the Up Arrow in
the View group box.
The macro name AND-NOR displays in the center of
the drawing window.
9 Click and drag the name into position near the top of the
DIP.
Notice that this device consists of 1 Rect, 4 PinLefts
and 4 PinRights. You will remove 3 of the 4 PinRights.
10 Click the top right-hand pin in the drawing to select it,
and then click Delete. Repeat for the 2 bottom right-
hand pins.
11 Click the remaining right-hand pin to select it, and then
click Copy to copy the pin from the Element List to the
Edit Buffer.
12 Change PinRight to PinRight~ and change P7 to O1.
13 Click Replace to replace the selected pin with the new
pin.
Notice that the pin in the drawing now has a bubble.
14 Click the top left-hand pin to select it.
15 Click Copy to copy the pin from the Element List to the
Edit Buffer.

16 Change P1 to I1, and then click Replace to replace the
selected pin with the new pin. Repeat for each remain-
ing pin, naming them I2, I3 and I4.
Compare your device with the one pictured in Figure
16.5. If there is a difference, click Cancel and start over.
17 Click OK in the Symbol Editor dialog box.
Figure 16.5. This is what the new symbol should look

like after completing the steps so far.
After you click OK, the new symbol you created
displays and follows the mouse around the work area.
18 Click the mouse to place the symbol in the workspace.
19 Double-click the macro package.
20 Click Netlist.
Any data you enter in the Device Data dialog box at this
time will be there every time you select this macro from
the library menus. Now is a good time to add the default
Package, Auto Designation Prefix, Spice Prefix
Character(s) and Spice Data if required.
Note: For compatibility with TraxMaker, the Package
field must match the name of the corresponding
component in TraxMaker.
21 If you are satisfied with your macro, choose Macros >
Macro Utilities to display the Macro Utilities dialog
box as pictured in Figure 16.6.

22 To place the device in an existing Major or Minor
Device Class, click the appropriate items in the lists.
23 To create a new Major or Minor Device Class, type the
Major or Minor Device Class name in the appropriate
text edit fields.
24 Finally, click Save Macro.
Clicking Save Macro saves the new macro in the file
USER.LIB and clears the workspace. To use the new macro
simply select it from the device library and use it just as you
would any other device.
Figure 16.6. You must specify the Major and Minor Device
Classes under which your macro will be shown in the
Device Selection dialog box.
Expanding an Existing Macro Device

Expanding a macro device lets you modify the device’s
symbol, the default netlist attributes, and add or edit any
internal circuitry.

To expand an existing macro device,
1 Place the macro you want to expand in the drawing
area.
2 Select the macro by clicking it once with the Arrow
Tool.
3 Click the Macro button on the Toolbar (or choose
Macros > Expand Macro).
OR
Double-click the macro device.
Notice that the workspace clears and the dialog box
shown in Figure 16.7 appears.
Figure 16.7. Use this dialog box to specify what part of

the macro device you want to edit.
4 If you want, type a new name for the macro.
Saving a macro under a new name does not delete the
old macro device.
5 Use the Parts Per Package option to change the
number of parts that would be found in a single IC
package.
Note: Use this option only when creating a new device.
6 Click the Netlist button to display the Edit Device Data
dialog box.
Depending on the macro device you are editing, you
might need to specify mandatory parameters for the
device, including Label-Value, Package, Auto Designa-

tion Prefix, Spice Prefix, and Spice Data.
7 Click the Symbol button to display the Symbol Editor,
where you can edit the expanded macro’s schematic
symbol.
8 Click OK when you have finished drawing and specify-
ing parameters for the symbol.
Clicking OK returns you to the expanded macro where
you can add or edit circuitry before the new device is
saved. See Creating Macro Circuits later in this chapter
for the step-by-step procedure.
Creating Macro Devices with

Internal Circuitry
If you cannot find a device in CircuitMaker’s library of
devices (or elsewhere) that performs a particular function,
you can create a functional macro device by attaching
hidden circuitry to a custom symbol.
A macro device can contain internal circuitry that you can
base on CircuitMaker’s library of existing devices. You can
also nest macro devices, meaning that a macro can be used
within another macro device, letting you create building
blocks and piece them together in order to create the final
device.
When you save a macro, all of the circuitry you have added
to it is hidden within its symbol. The new macro device
functions according to the circuitry hidden within. You can
then use the new macro in any circuit.
To create a macro device with internal circuitry,
1 Make a backup copy of the USER.LIB file.
In case the library is damaged or altered in any undesir-
able way, you will always have a copy of the library as a
backup.
2 Create a symbol as described earlier in this chapter (see
Creating Device Symbols earlier in this chapter).
3 Place the symbol that you created in the drawing area
and expand it by selecting it and then choosing Macros

> Expand Macro (see Expanding an Existing Macro
Device earlier in this chapter for more details).
4 Construct the circuitry which performs the function
your new macro device is to have.
For example, suppose you want to build a device that
performs an AND-NOR function. You would construct
something like the circuit shown in Figure 16.8.
Figure 16.8. You can add functional circuitry such as

this AND-NOR function.
5 Select the Wire Tool from the Toolbar and connect
wires from the macro symbol's pins to the other points
within the circuit. Figure 16.9 shows an example of a
completely wired macro device.
Note: If a macro device

contains internal circuitry
as well as SPICE data,
the SPICE data will be
ignored.
Figure 16.9. The functional circuitry is wired to the

symbol to create a functional macro device.
6 If default data was not added when the symbol was
created, then double-click on the macro symbol and
click the Netlist button. Add any necessary data such as
Package and Auto Designation Prefix. Data entered
now in the Device Data dialog box will be there every

time this macro device is selected from the library
menus. Note: For compatibility with TraxMaker, the
Package field must match the name of the correspond-
ing component in TraxMaker.
7 Save the Macro (choose Macros > Save Macro)
Working with SPICE Models

SPICE is an industry standard program for simulating
circuits. In order to make devices work in analog simulation,
there must be SPICE data available for each device. Using
the Symbol Editor, you can include SPICE model and
subcircuit information with a new or existing device. You
can also edit SPICE information using an ASCII Text Editor.
Note: If you intend to create new device symbols to export a
PCB netlist or simply draw schematics, you do not need to
include SPICE information. However, even if you are going
to simulate your circuit, adding SPICE models from other
sources is easy and beneficial. To learn more about SPICE,
see Chapter 15: SPICE: Beyond the Basics.
There are 3 basic types of components in SPICE:
• Elementary components such as resistors, capacitors,
power sources, etc.
• Models defining discrete devices such as BJTs, J-FETs,
MOSFETs, etc.
• Subcircuits which combine multiple items (such as
elementary components, models, and other subcircuits)
to create a more complex device.
SPICE models and subcircuits are available from many
sources, including component manufacturers, engineering
magazines and books. You can also download them from the
internet. For example, visit MicroCode Engineering’s web
page at www.microcode.com.
Editing SPICE Models with a Text Editor

Since SPICE models (and subcircuits) are text files (see
Figure 16.10), they can be modified with a text editor such
as Notepad. If you edit this file with a word processor, be
sure to save the file in a TEXT ONLY format.

Figure 16.10. You can open SPICE data into any text editor
and edit it directly.
Editing SPICE Models in CircuitMaker

When you double-click a device that has SPICE models
associated with it, the dialog box in Figure 16.11 appears.
Figure 16.11. This dialog box lets you select a diode model.
The currently selected model is highlighted in the list. To
select a different model, click it with the mouse, then click
Select (or just double-click on the model). If any subcircuits
are found in the .MOD file, they are indicated by an x as the
first character in the description instead of a p.
To edit or view an existing model,
1 Click on the name of the model you want to edit or
view.
2 Click on the Edit button to display the dialog box

Figure 16.12.Use the Diode Model Parameters dialog
box to change the settings of a particular model.
The model parameters displayed are SPICE model param-
eters not data book parameters. Unless you are familiar with
SPICE modeling, it is recommended that you do not modify
the existing SPICE models.
The values listed for each parameter represent values
defined for that specific device type. Default SPICE model
parameter values are indicated by an asterisk (*) after the
value.
To change the value of a SPICE parameter,
1 Click the name of the SPICE parameter.
This selects the parameter and copies the parameter’s
value into the Value edit box.
2 Change the data in the Value box and click the Enter
button.
If you want to set a specific parameter to equal that of
the DEFAULT model, type an asterisk (*) in the Value
edit field and press Enter.
3 Click OK to save the model.
OR
To save it under a new name, type the new name into
the Name field, and then click OK.
Note: Models created or modified in this manner are stored
directly in the .MOD linking file in place of the model
reference.

The original .LIB file remains unchanged. When viewed in
the Model Selections dialog box, the first character of the
device description will be an asterisk (*).
To remove an existing model,
1 Select it by clicking it with the mouse.
2 Click Delete.
This only removes the model reference from the linking file;
it does not remove the actual model from the library.
Adding New Models to an Existing Symbol

When you obtain new models from an outside source, they
are generally provided in a single ASCII library file.
Note: If you edit this file with a word processor, be sure to
save the file in TEXT ONLY format.
Use the Model Data button in the Macro Utilities dialog
box to create a link to each model in the new library file.
The following steps illustrate an example of adding a new
model.
Note: Normally you must To add a 2N5209 transistor to CircuitMaker,
copy the .lib file that con-
tains the .MODEL or 1 Choose Macros > Macro Utilities.
.SUBCKT data to the 2 Select the symbol for an NPN transistor, then click
CircuitMaker Models Model Data.
directory. For this 2N5209
example, the MCEBJT.LIB 3 Click Open and open the library file (MCEBJT.LIB) in
file is already in the Models which the 2N5209 model resides.
directory.
All of the model and subcircuit names found in this
library will be displayed in the list box on the left.
4 Click 2N5209.
5 Enter appropriate information about the model in the
Description field (for example: Si 625mW 50V 50mA
30MHz Amp).
6 In the Pkg Name field enter TO-92B to match the name
of the component pattern in TraxMaker.
7 Enter pin numbers to match the pad designations of the
component in TraxMaker. On the TO-92B in
TraxMaker, with the flat side facing you, pin 1 is on the

right, pin 2 is in the middle and pin 3 is on the left. For
the 2N5902, these pins correspond to the collector, base
and emitter, respectively (C=1, B=2, E=3).
8 Click Add to add the new reference.
You can now select the new model alphabetically from
the list of npn transistors.
Adding Existing Models to New Macro

Symbol
To add an existing model to a new macro symbol,
1 Create a new nonfunctional macro device symbol as
Be sure to place the pins in the same order as they are
listed in the syntax for the corresponding model.
For example, if you are creating a new symbol for a
diode, you should place the anode pin first, then the
cathode pin to correspond with the SPICE definition of
a diode. This is not required, but it will be easier to
understand when filling in the Spice Data field for the
device.
To link the new symbol to an existing model file, you
must name the new symbol appropriately.
For example, you may want to name the symbol
Diode:A to link to the DIODE.MOD file or Schottky:A
to link to the SCHOTTKY.MOD file.
2 With the new macro expanded, double-click the device,
and then click Netlist to view the Edit Device Data
dialog box.
3 Enter the following data:
• Auto Designation Prefix for the device. For
example, Q for transistors, D or CR for Diodes, etc.
• Set the Spice Prefix Character(s) for this device to
be representative of the type of device models you
are using. For example, an NPN Bipolar Junction
Transistor must have the prefix QN. Refer to
Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing Schematics for a
listing of valid prefix characters.

• Enter an appropriate SPICE instruction for this
device into the Spice Data field. Refer to Chapter
4: Drawing and Editing Schematics for more
information.
6 Click OK.
7 Click Macros > Save Macro to save the macro.
8 After you have entered the appropriate data, SPICE
models can be linked to the new symbol by following
the instructions under Adding New Subcircuits to an
Existing Model later in this chapter.
Example
To create a new device symbol for standard junction diodes,
1 Create a new macro symbol for a diode using the
Symbol Editor described in Creating a New Macro
Device earlier this chapter.
2 Name the new macro symbol DIODE:A.
When placing pins on the new device, place the first pin
on the anode (N+), and the second pin on the cathode
(N-).
They should be placed in this order to match the syntax
for the diode model.
3 Expand the new macro symbol (if it is not already
expanded) by clicking it once with the left mouse
button, and then click the Macro button in the Toolbar.
4 Double-click on the device symbol, and click on the
Netlist button.
5 Enter the following information in the Edit Device Data
dialog box of the expanded macro (to set the defaults
for this macro device):
Auto Designation Prefix: D
Spice Prefix Character(s): D
Spice Data field: %D %1 %2 %M
6 Save the macro (see Save Macro in Chapter 11: Macros
Menu for more information).

7 Follow the instructions in Adding New Subcircuits to an
Existing Symbol later in this chapter.
Editing SPICE Subcircuits

SPICE subcircuits fall into three basic categories:
• Component models
• Macromodels
• Equivalent circuits
A component model is basically a complete schematic of the
chip, simulated using discrete components. This type of
subcircuit is generally more accurate than a macromodel, but
requires more time to simulate. The macromodel is more of
a block diagram of the chip, where inputs and outputs may
be simulated using discrete components, but the internal
workings consist of simpler items such as gain blocks, etc.
This type of subcircuit simulates rather quickly and in most
cases is accurate enough that a component model is not
needed. Equivalent circuits may be needed to simulate
discrete devices that have no SPICE model. For example, an
SCR can be roughly equated to a pair of NPN and PNP
transistors coupled together.
When you double-click a device that has subcircuits in the
library the dialog box pictured in Figure 16.13 appears.
Figure 16.13. This device is made up of many subcircuits,

any of which you can select and edit.
The currently selected subcircuit is highlighted in the list. To
select a different subcircuit, click on it with the mouse, then
click Select (or just double-click it with the mouse).

To edit or view an existing subcircuit,
1 Click it with the mouse.
2 Click Edit to display the dialog box in Figure 16.14.
Figure 16.14. Use this dialog box to edit or view an

existing subcircuit.
This dialog box lists the subcircuit, beginning with the
description line and ending with the .ENDS line. Any
changes you make to the subcircuit cause the modified
subcircuit to replace the reference in the subcircuit linking
file. The original subcircuit remains unchanged in the library
file, but the reference to it will be lost. Naming conventions
for .SUB files are discussed in Model and Subcircuit
Linking Files later in this chapter.
Adding New Subcircuits to an Existing

Symbol
When you obtain new subcircuits from an outside source,
they are generally provided in a single ASCII library file.
Note: If you edit this file with a word processor, be sure to
save the file in TEXT ONLY format.
Use the Model Data button in the Macro Utilities dialog
box to create a link to each model in the new library file.
The following steps illustrate adding a new subcircuit to an
existing symbol.

To add an LF412C operational amplifier (5-pin subcircuit)
to CircuitMaker,
Note: Normally you must
copy the .lib file that con- 1 Select Macros > Macro Utilities.
tains the .SUBCKT data to 2 Select the symbol for the 5-pin opamp (Op-Amp5), and
the CircuitMaker Models then click Model Data.
directory. For this LF412C
example, the 3 Click Open and open the library file
MCEMODS2.LIB file is (MCEMODS2.LIB) in which the LF412C model
already in the Models resides.
directory.
library will be displayed in the list box on the left.
4 Click on the LF412C.
5 Enter appropriate information about the model in the
Description field (for example: Dual LoOffset LoDrift
JFET OpAmp).
6 In the Pkg Name field enter DIP8 to match the name of
the component pattern in TraxMaker.
7 Enter pin numbers to match the pad designations of the
component in TraxMaker.
Since the LF412C is a dual op amp, you must enter pin
numbers for both PART A and PART B (click the Up or
Down Arrow to switch between the two).
For PART A the pin numbers should be: IN+ = 3, IN- =
2, V+ = 8, V- = 4 and Out = 1. For PART B the pin
numbers should be: IN+ = 5, IN- = 6, V+ = 8, V- = 4
and Out = 7. Note that the V+ and V- power supply
pins are the same for both op amps.
8 Click Add to include the new reference.
You can now select the new subcircuit alphabetically
from the list of 5-pin op amps.
Adding Existing Subcircuits to New Macro

Symbol
To add an existing subcircuit to a new macro symbol,
1 Create a new nonfunctional macro device symbol as

Be sure to place the pins in the same order as they are
listed in the corresponding subcircuit. For example, if
you are creating a new symbol for a 5-pin opamp, you
should place the +Input pin first, then the -Input pin, the
+Vsupply pin, the -Vsupply pin and finally the Output
pin to correspond with the SPICE node connections for
the 5-pin opamp subcircuit. This is not required, but it
will be easier to understand when filling in the Spice
Data field for the device. In order to link the new
symbol to an existing subcircuit file, you must name the
new symbol appropriately. For example, you may want
to name the symbol “Op-Amp5:A” to link to the
OPAMP5.SUB file.
Note: Since CircuitMaker identifies pins by the order of
placement in a device symbol, for clarity make sure that
the placement order of the pins matches the order of the
nodes listed in the subcircuits. The actual link between
device symbol pins and SPICE subcircuits is controlled
by the Spice Data field of the device where %n refers to
the nth pin in the element list. For example, in the
Spice Data
%D %1 %2 %3 %4 %S
the node number connected to the first pin placed on the
device symbol is represented by %1, the second pin by
%2, etc. When used with a subcircuit which begins
.SUBCKT XMR9933A 21 23 6 15
node 21 in the subcircuit connects to the first pin on the
device symbol, etc.
2 With the new macro expanded, double-click on the
device, then click on the Netlist button to view the Edit
Device Data dialog box. Enter the following data:
• Enter an appropriate Auto Designation Prefix for
the device. For example, U or IC for integrated
circuits, etc.
• Set the Spice Prefix Character(s) to “X” for
subcircuit devices.

• Place an appropriate SPICE instruction for this
device into the Spice Data field. Refer to Editing
Devices in Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing
Schematics for more information or refer to the
examples provided with other devices.
3 Click OK.
4 Choose Macros > Save Macro to save the macro.
5 After you have entered the appropriate data, SPICE
subcircuits can be linked to the new symbol by follow-
ing the instructions in Adding New Subcircuits to an
Existing Symbol earlier in this chapter.
Example
To create a new device symbol for optoisolators,
1 Create a new macro symbol for an optoisolator using
the symbol editor described earlier in this chapter.
Name the new macro device symbol Opto Isol:A.
When placing pins on the new device, place the first pin
on the anode (N+), the second pin on the cathode (N-),
the third pin on the collector, and the fourth pin on the
emitter.
They should be placed in this order to match the syntax
for the optoisolator subcircuits.
2 Expand the new macro symbol (if it is not already
expanded) by clicking on it once with the left mouse
button, then click on the Macro button in the Toolbar.
3 Double-click the device symbol, and click Netlist.
4 Enter the following information in the Edit Device Data
dialog box of the expanded macro (to set the defaults
for this macro device):
Auto Designation Prefix: OP
Spice Prefix Character(s): X
Spice Data field: %D %1 %2 %3 %4 %S
5 Click OK then choose Macros > Save Macro.

6 Follow the instructions in Adding New Subcircuits to an
Existing Symbol earlier in this chapter.
Model and Subcircuit Linking Files

Model and Subcircuit data is stored in ASCII text files,
typically with the .LIB extension. You can edit these files
directly with any ASCII text editor.
Each analog device symbol in CircuitMaker has a linking
file associated with it. In order to use SPICE models in
CircuitMaker, you must link the models to a corresponding
device symbol by placing a reference to the model in the
linking file.
To create a new link or to modify an existing link,
1 Select Macros > Macro Utilities.
2 Select the symbol that you want to use for the specific
model or subcircuit you are adding.
3 Click Model Data to display the dialog box pictured in
Figure 16.15.
Figure 16.15. Use this dialog box to add, modify, and

remove linking information.
Initially, only the center list box will have anything in it.
This is a list of the devices in the linking file associated with

the selected symbol. Click one of the models to select it and
the the description, package and pinout information appears.
To modify this information,
1 Select the name of the model or subcircuit you want to
delete.
2 Type in the desired changes.
3 Click Modify.
To remove a reference from the linking file,
1 Select the name of the model or subcircuit you want to
delete.
2 Click Delete.
To add new references to the linking file,
1 Click Open and open the library file in which the actual
model or subcircuit resides.
library will be displayed in the list box on the left. If
desired, the list can be limited to only those devices
which are compatible with the selected device symbol.
2 Enter appropriate description, package and pin informa-
tion for the model.
If there are multiple parts per package, be sure to enter
pin numbers for each of PART A, PART B, etc. If the
model is similar to another part that is already in the
linking file, it may be simpler to first select the similar
part to fill in the blanks, make any necessary correc-
tions, then select the new model by changing the Show
Model Type.
3 Click Add to include the new reference.
The names of the linking files correspond to the device
symbol names, with the following exceptions:
• Linking file names are limited to 8 characters, so the
device symbol name is truncated to 8 characters when
searching for a match.

• All spaces and punctuation characters are removed.
• If the last 1 or 2 characters of a truncated device symbol
name are numbers, those numbers replace the last
characters in the file name.
• If a device symbol name includes a colon (:), the colon
and all characters after the colon are ignored. For
example, the devices NPN Trans, NPN Trans:A, NPN
Trans:B and NPN Trans:C are all associated with the
linking file NPNTRANS.MOD.
If CircuitMaker cannot find a linking file using the file name
formed from the device symbol name, and if that symbol can
be simulated using simple SPICE models, a default file
name is used instead. The default file name is based on the
SPICE Prefix Character(s). Following is a list of the SPICE
prefix character(s) and their corresponding default file
names:
SPICE Prefix Default File Names

C CAP.MOD
D DIODE.MOD
DZ ZENER.MOD
JN NJFET.MOD
JP PJFET.MOD
MN NMOS.MOD
MP PMOS.MOD
O LTRA.MOD
QN NPN.MOD
QP PNP.MOD
R RESISTOR.MOD
S SW.MOD
U URC.MOD
W CSW.MOD
ZN NMESFET.MOD
ZP PMESFET.MOD
All others, including subcircuit-only device symbols, do not
have a default file name. Subcircuit-only device symbols

(symbols that cannot be simulated with a simple model)
must use linking files with the .SUB extension.
Transistors are an example of when a default file name is
used. Since the file NPNTRANS.MOD does not exist,
CircuitMaker looks in the default file NPN.MOD for the
model reference information.
.MOD linking files contain references to a collection of
SPICE models and subcircuits specific to a particular
discrete device symbol in CircuitMaker. In some cases, it is
desirable to replace a model with a subcircuit which will
more accurately model a particular device. For example,
some RF or Power Transistors are not modeled well by a
simple SPICE model. In such cases, it is OK to reference the
subcircuit in the .MOD file just like it was a model. For
more information on using models, see Working with SPICE
Models earlier in this chapter.
.SUB linking files contain references to a collection of
SPICE subcircuits specific to a particular device symbol in
CircuitMaker. For more information on using subcircuits,
see Editing SPICE Subcircuits earlier in this chapter.
Under normal circumstances, the linking files should not be
edited directly. The file format is described below for
information only.
The general format for a reference in a linking file is:
*Device Description pkg:PACKAGE [DVCC=14;DGND=7;] 1,2,3,…
.PARAM QXXXXXXXX File:Filenam.lib
where PACKAGE [DVCC=14;DGND=7;] 1,2,3,… is the

component name and pad designations in TraxMaker (the
bus data listed here is for digital component symbols that do
not have external power and ground pins), Q is the Spice
prefix character for the specific device type, XXXXXXXX
is the model name and Filenam.lib is the name of the library
file in which the model or subcircuit actually resides.
There should be an appropriate description of the device on
the line immediately before each .PARAM line. This line
will be displayed as the description in the Model or
Subcircuit Selections dialog box. The first character of this
description line must be an asterisk (*). When you double-

click a device to select a model, subcircuits that are found in
the .MOD file will also be displayed, but the first character
in the description will appear as an “x” instead of a “p”. You
should also include appropriate package and pin information
at the end of the description line. This information is
required when creating a PCB netlist for TraxMaker. The
package name represents the component name that is to be
used in TraxMaker. The pin information indicates the pinout
of the device in the package. For example:
*500mW 40V 800mA pkg:TO-18 3,2,1
.PARAM Q2N2222A File:Mcebjts.lib
Note that the pin order is specified as 3,2,1. SPICE defines

the pin order of a BJT as collector, base, emitter (see
Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs) in Chapter 6: Analog/
Mixed -Signal Simulation). In a TO-18 package containing a
2N2222A transistor, the emitter is connected to pin 1 (next
to the tab), the base is connected to pin 2 and the collector is
connected to pin 3. These pin numbers correspond to the
pad designations in TraxMaker. CircuitMaker identifies pins
by the order of placement in a device symbol and
TraxMaker identifies pads by their designation. This
information can be used to create a netlist linking one
program to the other.
If the same device is available in different packages, you
may specify additional packages using an alias. Notice the
SPICE prefix character is replaced with the letter A and the
file reference is removed:
*350mW 40V 800mA alias:Q2N2222A pkg:TO-92B 1,2,3
.PARAM APN2222A
If there are multiple devices in the same package, the pins

need to be specified for each device with a letter to indicate
the designation extension:
*Dual Op Amp pkg:DIP8 (A:3,2,8,4,1)(B:5,6,8,4,7)
.PARAM XMC1458 File:Mcemods.lib
These two methods may be combined if you have multiple

devices that are available in different packages.

Linking Inside Subcircuits Using an Alias
Sometimes it is necessary to link two different devices to the
same subcircuit. This may be required when two devices
contain identical internal circuitry, but different package or
pin information. The best way to do this is to add an ALIAS
to the subcircuit (*.sub) file using any text editing program
(like NotePadÒ , WordPadÒ , etc.). The file must be saved in
standard text format. Below is the general text format:
*Description alias:XLINK|SUBNAME pkg:[Package & Pins]
.PARAM XNEWNAME
Data Description
Description Information about the nature of the
device, such as voltage, current, etc.
XLINK The name of the subcircuit to be
referenced. The first letter will always
be the appropriate SPICE character,
followed by the subcircuit name.
| Vertical bar separator. NOTE: There
cannot be a space between the vertical
bar separator and the XLINK or
SUBNAME.
SUBNAME The name of the subcircuit file (*.sub)
where the subcircuit to be referenced
is located. This will include the first 8
characters, not including spaces. Do
not include the .sub extension.
pkg The package name and pin numbers
in appropriate format for export to a
PCB layout program such as
TraxMaker. NOTE: See different .sub
files for examples of this format.
XNEWNAME The new name of the device as seen
in the parts list.

The following is an example of a subcircuit internal alias
link:
Reference
*Instrumentation Amplifier: LOW POWER pkg:DIP8 3,2,7,4,6,5,1,8
.PARAM XAD620A File:AnalogD.lib
New Device Data

*Instrumentation Amplifier: LOW POWER alias:XAD620A|INSTAMP pkg:SMD8A 3,2,7,4,6,5,1,8
.PARAM XAD620AR
Creating New SPICE Models with

Parameter Passing
Parameter passing simplifies the task of creating new
components. It allows you to pass databook values directly
into generic SPICE models or subcircuits, using mathemati-
cal equations to create SPICE model parameters. The
generic model is placed in the linking file associated with
the device symbol, then referenced by an alias.
Devices created in this manner are selected and edited just
like any other device model. To edit the parameters being
passed, double-click the device, then click Edit.
General Form (Generic Model)

*MNAME:Device Title
*MNAME:P1:|P1 Description [<<Min>,<Max>>]|Default
*MNAME:P2:|P2 Description [<<Min>,<Max>>]|Default
*MNAME:Pn:|Pn Description [<<Min>,<Max>>]|Default
*{P1=Default P1=Default .. Pn=Default}
*Desc pkg:Package Pins
Generic .MODEL or .SUBCKT using {P1, P2, etc. in math

expressions}
General Form (Alias)

*Desc alias:MNAME {P1=Val P2=Val} pkg:Package Pins
.PARAM ANAME
Data Description
MNAME The name of the generic model or
subcircuit, including the appropriate
SPICE prefix character.

P1, P2, etc. The names of the parameters being
passed.
P1 Description, etc. The description of the parameters.
Min and Max Optional items which limit the value
that can be entered for each param-
eter.
Default The default value for each parameter
if no value is specified.
Desc A description of the device.
Package and Pins Information used for export to
TraxMaker for PCB layout.
ANAME The alias name (the name of the
specific device).
Valid operators in the math expressions include:
+ - * /
Following is an example of a generic subcircuit for a crystal
which can be used as a building block for creating other
crystals:
*XCRYSTAL:Crystal Subcircuit Parameters
*XCRYSTAL:FREQ:|Fundamental frequency [1,]|1MEG
*XCRYSTAL:RS:|Series resistance [1,]|750
*XCRYSTAL:CX:|Parallel capacitance [0,]|13pf
*XCRYSTAL:Q:|Quality Factor [10,1000]|1000
Ls Cs Rs
2 3 *{FREQ=1Meg RS=750 C=13pf Q=1000}
1 4 *Generic 1MHz Crystal:crystal pkg:XTAL1 1,2
Cx
.SUBCKT XCRYSTAL 1 2
LS 1 2 {((Q*RS)/(6.2831852*FREQ))} IC=0.5M
Crystal Subcircuit CS 2 3 {(1/(Q*6.2831852*FREQ*RS))}
RS 3 4 {RS}
CX 1 4 {CX}
.ENDS XCRYSTAL
*alias:XCRYSTAL {FREQ=2E6 RS=250} pkg:XTAL1 1,2
.PARAM A2.000MHZ
Since CX and Q are not passed in the alias parameter list,

the default values of 13pF and 1000 will be used.

Editing Digital Model Parameters
When you double-click a device that has digital simcode
models associated with it, Figure 16.16 appears.
Figure 16.16. Digital simcode devices are mixed-signal

digital devices which you can simulate in analog mode
using features of XSpice.
Digital simcode devices use event-driven behavioral models
created at MicroCode Engineering. You cannot add new
simcode models; however, simcode devices can be used in
macro circuits to create new mixed-mode digital devices.
While you cannot edit the model itself, you can alter certain
parameters of the model. To do so, click it with the mouse,
then click Edit to display the dialog box in Figure 16.17.
Figure 16.17. Use the Digital Model Parameters dialog box

to alter certain parameters of a model.

The radio buttons let you specify whether each of the
parameters of the model will be minimum, typical or
maximum values for the selected device(s). Refer to Edit
Items in Chapter 10: Edit Menu for information about
changing the parameters of multiple devices. The Default
setting allows the parameter to remain unchanged. All
parameters can vary from pin to pin, part to part and family
to family.
Parameter Description
Propagation Delays The time it takes for a signal change
on an input to affect the data on the
output.
Transition Times The rise and fall times of the outputs.
Input Loading The amount of load resistance that
will be applied to the output of the
driving device.
Output Drive The amount of output current
available.
Device Current The amount of current drawn through
the supply pin to ground.
User Defined This parameter does not affect digital
models provided with CircuitMaker.
The edit fields let you enter specific values for certain
parameters. The values take precedence over family specific
values. Under normal conditions they should be left blank.
Parameter Description
GND & PWR These two parameters must be
programmed as a pair (if you set one,
you must also set the other). Setting
these voltages will override any other
power and ground voltages specified
for the selected devices.
VOL & VOH These two parameters will override
the family defaults.
VIL & VIH These two parameters will override
the family defaults.

WARN Flag: When set to one (1), warning mes-
sages will be generated when there
are timing or supply voltage viola-
tions on the device.

C H A P T E R 17
Digital SimCode TM
Digital SimCodeTM provides the means for the electronics

professional to create and/or modify digital components
which operate in Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation. Digital
SimCode cannot be used to create components for Digital
Logic Simulation. The functionality of devices for Digital
Logic Simulation is built-in to CircuitMaker and you cannot
add to it except by creating macro circuits.
Due to the complexity of digital devices, it is generally not
practical to simulate them using standard, non-event-driven,
Spice instructions. For this reason, MicroCode Engineering
has created a special descriptive language that allows digital
devices to work in Analog/Mixed-Signal Simulation using
and extended version of the event-driven XSpice. The digital
devices included in the CircuitMaker library are modeled
using the Digital SimCode language.
The Digital SimCode language does not provide the means
to create digital devices with analog characteristics such as
analog switches, time-delayed one-shots, etc., nor can it be
used to create new components for Digital Logic Simulation.
Digital SimCode is a proprietary language created specifi-
cally for use with CircuitMaker and devices created with it
are not compatible with other simulators, nor are digital
components created for other simulators compatible with
CircuitMaker.
Note: Programming in the Digital SimCode language is not
intended for the average CircuitMaker user. It requires a
basic understanding of standard programming techniques
as well as a complete understanding of the characteristics
of the device that you are trying to create. These topics are
not covered in this manual.
Chapter 17: Digital SimCode 17-317

Creating New SimCode Devices

Digital SimCode, used in conjunction with XSpice, is what
allows digital components to be simulated in Analog/Mixed-
Signal Simulation mode.
To create a new digital SimCode device,
1 Create a symbol to represent the device in your sche-
matic.
See Chapter 16: Creating New Devices for more
detailed information about the process.
Note: This step may not be necessary if you are
creating a new device that has an equivalent function in
another family. For example, if you are creating a 74F190,
we recommend that you use the equivalent symbol for
the 74190 for a couple of reasons. First, the function of
the device is identical and the symbol has already been
drawn. Second, if you want to use the component in
Digital Logic Simulation mode, the existing symbol will
work. New symbols that you create will not work in
Digital mode unless they contain internal macro
circuitry. This internal macro circuitry would disable the
Digital SimCode model in Analog mode.
2 Create a .MOD file to be used with the symbol.
The .MOD file name must match the name of the symbol
(see Model and Subcircuit Linking Files in Chapter
16: Creating New Devices). If you are using an existing
symbol, you must use the existing .MOD file as well.
Just add the new model information (see below) into the
existing .MOD file.
Each Digital SimCode model declaration in a .MOD file
has two lines. Line 1 is a comment line which contains
information used by CircuitMaker. Line 2 contains the
model information that is used by WXSpice during
simulation. This example is followed by a brief descrip-
tion of each item.
*Counter - type:digital pkg:DIP14 [DVCC=5;DGND=10;](6,7,2,3,14,1,11,8,9,12)

.MODEL A74LS90 xsimcode(file="{MODEL_PATH}LS.SCB" func=ls90 {mntymx})
17-318 Chapter 17: Digital SimCode

Line 1 What it Does

Counter Describes the device.
type:digital Sets the device’s Parameters field.
pkg:DIP14 Sets the device’s Package field.
[DVCC=5;DGND=10;] Sets device’s Bus Data field (required
if supply pins not on symbol).
(6,7,2,3,14,...) Sets the device’s Pin Data list.
Line 2 What it Does

.MODEL Declares the model statement.
A74LS90 Names the model (digital SimCode
models begin with the letter “A”).
xsimcode Model type for a digital SimCode
model.
file= Points to file containing the device’s
digital SimCode. {MODEL_PATH} is
a shortcut to the Models directory as
specified in the CircuitMaker prefer-
ences.
func= Names the device’s digital SimCode
function.
data= Contains ASCII data for the
READ_DATA function (optional).
{mntymx} Passes the device’s Digital Model
Parameters into SimCode (this must
appear exactly as shown).
3 Create a digital SimCode model for the device.

You can do this in any ASCII text editor such as
Notepad. If using a word processor, be sure to save the
file in text only format. The file can be given any name
and extension as long as it matches the file name listed
in the “file=” parameter in the .MOD file. Multiple digital
SimCode device models can be placed in the same file.

The simplest process is to start by making a copy of an

existing device, preferably one which is similar in either
function or characteristics, and make modifications to
the SimCode as needed. Some examples of SimCode
devices are included in a file called SIMCODE.TXT, for
your reference.
4 Test the new device in CircuitMaker by creating a
simple circuit to test its functionality.
Test only one new device at a time. When you run the
simulation, the source code model is automatically
compiled and the compiled code is placed in an ASCII
text file called SIMLIST.TXT in the same directory as
WXSPICE.EXE. This file also contains a listing of the
execution order of the source code model. Refine the
SimCode source model as needed and continue testing
until you’ve completely debugged the model.
5 Copy the compiled model file to your SimCode library.
Create a separate library file in which to place your
compiled SimCode models. It does not matter what you
name this file, but in order to be used, you must set the
“file=” parameter in the .MOD file to be the same as the
file name of the compiled SimCode model library.
SimCode models are stored in two types of files. The
source models are stored in files with the .TXT exten-
sion (for example, LS.txt and S.txt) and the compiled
models are stored in files with the .SCB extension (for
example, Std.scb and Cmos.scb).
The 74LS74 Example

The following sections contain information about the
74LS74 Digital SimCode model example.
SimCode Function Identification
See in the example on page 17-6. # ls74 source identifies
the beginning of the SimCode source function for the
74LS74.
Data declarations
See the example. This section consists of pin and variable
declarations.

The INPUTS statement declares the names of the input pins.

VCC and GND pins are included in this statement. The order
of these pins must match the order of their corresponding
pin declarations in the device’s Spice Data field.
The OUTPUTS statement declares the names of the output
pins. Notice that the input pins are listed here as well, but
with the suffix “_LD”. The input pins must also be declared
as outputs so that the device can provide a load on the
driving circuitry. VCC pins are included in this statement, but
not GND pins. The order of these pins must match the order
of their corresponding pin declarations in the device’s Spice
Data field.
The PWR_GND_PINS statement declares which pins will be
used for device power and ground and samples their voltage
levels for use later in the SimCode.
SimCode Function Initialization
See in the example. The “IF (init_sim) THEN” section is
executed only once, at the beginning of the simulation. In
this section we set the device characteristics that are not
subject to change due to outside influences such as
databook specifications. The outputs states should also be
initialized here to their “most likely” state. The EXIT com-
mand should be placed at the end of this section.
LOAD and DRIVE Statements
See in the example. These statements are used to declare
the load and drive capabilities of the device pins.
Device Functionality
See in the example. This section can vary dramatically
from part to part. In this example an EXT_TABLE command
has been used. Other device models use a variety of
IF...THEN, STATE_BIT, NUMBER, and other statements to
define the logical function of the device.
Tests for Device Setup Violations
See in the example. These tests warn of device setup
violations which, in the real world, may cause a device not to
function properly. In the simulation, the device will generally
still function, but warnings, if enabled, will be displayed.

Output Delays/Post Events

See in the example. The DELAY statements occur at the
end of the SimCode function. These statements actually
post the events to XSpice to let it know that something has
changed and when these events are scheduled to occur
relative to the rest of the simulation. Timing (propagation
delay) is assigned to each output based on the databook
specifications, input stimulus and the functionality of the
device.
//============================================================
# ls74 source
//1/2- 74LS74 D flip-flop Digital Simcode Model
//typical prop delay values from TI 1981 2nd edition data book
//============================================================
INPUTS VCC, GND, PRE, DATA, CLK, CLR;
OUTPUTS VCC_LD, PRE_LD, DATA_LD, CLK_LD, CLR_LD, QN, Q;
INTEGERS tblIndex;
REALS tplh_val, tphl_val, ts_val, th_val, trec_val, tt_val, temp_tp,
clk_twl, clk_twh, pre_clr_twl, ril_val, rih_val, ricc_val;
PWR_GND_PINS(VCC,GND); //set pwr_param and gnd_param values

SUPPLY_MIN_MAX(4.75,5.25); //test for min supply=4.75 and max supply=5.25
VOL_VOH_MIN(0.2,-0.4,0.1); //vol_param=gnd_param+0.2,voh_param=pwr_param-0.4
VIL_VIH_VALUE(1.25,1.35); //set input threshold values: vil and vih
IO_PAIRS(PRE:PRE_LD, DATA:DATA_LD, CLK:CLK_LD, CLR:CLR_LD);
IF (init_sim) THEN
BEGIN //select prop delay, setup, hold, and width times
//MESSAGE("time\t\tPRE\tCLR\tCLK\tDATA\tQ\tQN"); //debug
//NOTE: both ttlh and tthl are the same value

tt_val= (MIN_TYP_MAX(tt_param: NULL, 5n, NULL));
temp_tp= (PWL_TABLE(sim_temp: -75, -5n, 125, 5n)); //tp temperature affect

tplh_val= (MIN_TYP_MAX(tp_param: NULL, 14n, 25n)) + temp_tp;
tphl_val= (MIN_TYP_MAX(tp_param: NULL, 20n, 40n)) + temp_tp;
ts_val= (20n);
th_val= (5n);
trec_val= (5n);
clk_twl= (25n); //not specified - derived from fmax
clk_twh= (25n);
pre_clr_twl= (20n);
//LS stdout drive IOL max=8mA @ VOL typ=0.35V:rol_param=0.35V/8mA=43.75

//LS stdout drive IOL max=8mA @ VOL max=0.5V: rol_param=0.5V/8mA=62.5
rol_param= (MIN_TYP_MAX(drv_param: 62.5, 43.75, NULL));
//LS stdout drive IOS min=20mA @ VCC max=5.25V: roh_param=5.25V/20mA=262.5

//LS stdout drive IOS max=100mA @ VCC max=5.25V:roh_param=5.25V/100mA=52.5
roh_param= (MIN_TYP_MAX(drv_param: 262.5, NULL, 52.5));
//LS input load IIH max=20uA @ Vin=2.7V: ril= (2.7-vol_param)/20uA=125k

ril_val= (MIN_TYP_MAX(ld_param: NULL, NULL, 125k));

//LS input load IIL max=-0.4mA @ Vin=0.4V:rih= (voh_param-0.4)/0.4mA=10.5k

rih_val= (MIN_TYP_MAX(ld_param: NULL, NULL, 10.5k));
//Icc @ 5V: 2500= 4mA/2 typical, 1250= 8mA/2 max

ricc_val= (MIN_TYP_MAX(i_param: NULL, 2500, 1250));
STATE Q = ONE; // initialize output states

STATE QN = ZERO;
EXIT;
END;
DRIVE Q QN = (v0=vol_param,v1=voh_param,ttlh=tt_val,tthl=tt_val);
LOAD PRE_LD DATA_LD CLK_LD CLR_LD =
(v0=vol_param,r0=ril_val,v1=voh_param,r1=rih_val,io=1e9,t=1p);
EXT_TABLE tblIndex
PRE CLR CLK DATA Q QN
0 1 X X H L
1 0 X X L H
0 0 X X H H
1 1 ^ X DATA ~DATA
1 1 X X Q ~Q;
//MESSAGE("%fs\t%d\t%d\t%d\t%d\t%d\t%d",present_time,PRE,CLR,CLK,DATA,Q,QN);
LOAD VCC_LD = (v0=gnd_param,r0=ricc_val,t=1p);
IF (warn_param) THEN

BEGIN
IF (PRE && CLR) THEN
BEGIN
SETUP_HOLD(CLK=LH DATA Ts=ts_val Th=th_val "CLK->DATA");
RECOVER(CLK=LH PRE CLR Trec=trec_val "CLK->PRE or CLR");
WIDTH(CLK Twl=clk_twl Twh=clk_twh "CLK");
WIDTH(PRE CLR Twl= pre_clr_twl "PRE or CLR");
END;
END;
DELAY Q QN =
CASE (TRAN_LH) : tplh_val
CASE (TRAN_HL) : tphl_val
END;
EXIT;

Editing Device Data for

SimCode Devices
Each device symbol includes netlist information specific to
the device found in the Edit Device Data dialog box. For
Digital SimCode devices, the information required is slightly
different from other analog devices. For example, the Spice
Data field must contain data not found in other devices.
The node list in the Spice Data field is divided into two
sections, one for input nodes and one for output nodes.
Each of these sections is delimited by square brackets ( [ ] ),
input nodes first, followed by output nodes. The nodes
must be listed in the same order as the pins in the INPUTS
and OUTPUTS statements in the SimCode. The pin number
used in the Spice Data field (for example, %1i, %2i, etc.)
indicates the position of each pin in the devices Pin Data
list. If that pin number is followed by the letter “b” (for
example, %14bi), that indicates that the pin is found in the
Bus Data field rather than on the symbol itself and repre-
sents the actual pin number on the package. The “i” and the
“o” specify the pin type as input or output. For the 7474 (1/2
device symbol), the Spice Data field is set to:
%D [%14bi %7bi %1i %2i %3i %4i][%14o %1o %2o %3o %4o %5o %6o] %M
When using these SimCode pin declarations:

OUTPUTS VCC_LD, PRE_LD, DATA_LD, CLK_LD, CLR_LD, QN, Q;
the items in the Spice Data field have the following mean-
ings:
Item Meaning
%D Device Designation
%14bi VCC (pin 14 on the actual package,
declared in Bus Data field)
%7bi GND (pin 7 on the actual package,
declared in Bus Data field)
%1i PRE input (1st pin in Pin Data list)
%2i DATA input (2nd pin in Pin Data list)

%3i CLK input (3rd pin in Pin Data list)

%4i CLR input (4th pin in Pin Data list)
%14o VCC_LD (still pin 14, but acts as load
on VCC supply)
%1o PRE_LD (load applied by PRE input)
%2o DATA_LD (load applied by DATA
input)
%3o CLK_LD (load applied by CLK input)
%4o CLR_LD (load applied by CLR input)
%5o QN output (5th pin in Pin Data list)
%6o Q output (6th pin in Pin Data list)
%M A74LS74 (the name of the selected
SimCode model)
Other information for the Edit Device Data dialog box
includes:
Option Information
Analog checkbox Enabled
Label-Value 74LS74
Auto Designation Prefix U
Spice Prefix Character A
Bus Data DVCC=14;DGND=7;
Parameters type:digital

SimCode Language Definition

The following items make up the Digital SimCode language.
The following pages described each of these items in detail.
INPUTS Input pins (pins that monitor the
circuit).
OUTPUTS Output pins (pins that drive or load
the circuit).
INTEGERS Integer variables and arrays.
REALS Real variables and arrays.
PWR_GND_PINS Power and ground pins and record
supply voltage.
IO_PAIRS Input/output pin associations for
input loading.
Device Setup Functions

Use these functions to set certain characteristics of the
device pins.
VIL_VIH_VALUE Sets absolute VIL and VIH values.
VIL_VIH_PERCENT Sets VIL and VIH values to a percent-
age of supply voltage.
VOL_VOH_MIN Sets VOH and VOL relative to power
and ground.
Device Test Functions

Use these functions to test for any device setup violations
which may occur in the circuit. These violations may not
affect the simulation of the device’s functionality (i.e., the
device may continue to function in simulation even with
setup violations). In order to know if any of these setup
violations have occurred, you must enable warnings.
SUPPLY_MIN_MAX Tests supply pins for min/max supply
voltage violations.
RECOVER Tests inputs for recovery time
violations.
SETUP_HOLD Tests inputs for setup and hold time
violations.

WIDTH Tests inputs for minimum pulse width

violations.
FREQUENCY(FMAX) Tests inputs for minimum & maximum
frequency violation.
Output Pin Functions

Use these functions to program the output pins of a device.
STATE Sets outputs to the declared logic
state.
STATE_BIT Sets outputs to binary weighted logic
states.
LEVEL Sets the level of the output state.
STRENGTH Sets the strength of the output state.
TABLE Sets output logic states based on
truth table.
EXT_TABLE Sets output logic states based on
extended truth table.
LOAD Declares loading characteristics of
input pins.
DRIVE Declares drive characteristics of
output pins.
DELAY Sets propagation delay to specified
outputs.
NO_CHANGE Leaves output state of I/O pins
unchanged.
EVENT Causes a digital event to be posted.
Expression Operations
Use these operators and functions in expressions to
manipulate data and to make comparisons which control
program flow. Expressions are always contained within
parentheses ( ). Operator precedence is from left to right,
starting with the inner most parentheses.
Operators +, -, *, /, ~, !, &&, ||, ^^, &, |, >>, <<, >,
<, =, !=, >=, <=

Math Functions POW, ABS, SQRT, EXP, LOG, LOG10,

SIN, COS, TAN, ASIN, ACOS, ATAN,
HSIN, HCOS, HTAN
Expression Functions
Use these functions various expressions.
PARAM_SET Determines if a predefined SimCode
param has been set.
PWL_TABLE Returns value from interpolative
lookup table.
SELECT_VALUE Returns value from simple lookup
table.
MIN_TYP_MAX Returns value from MIN_TYP_MAX
lookup table.
NUMBER Returns number based on binary
weighted pin states.
VALUE Returns state of the specified pin.
CHANGE_TIME Returns time when the specified pin
last changed state.
WIDTH_TIME Returns last pulse width encountered
on specified pin.
INSTANCE Checks to see if this is the specified
device instance.
CHANGED_xx Checks to see if the specified pin has
changed state.
READ_DATA Reads data from an ASCII file into
arrays.

Program Control
Use these statements to control the flow of the program.
# xxxx source Identifies the beginning of the
SimCode source function.
IF ... THEN Conditionally controls flow through
the SimCode.
WHILE ... DO Conditionally controls looping in the
SimCode.
GOTO Jumps to a new location in the
SimCode.
GOSUB Jumps to a subroutine in the SimCode.
RETURN Returns from a subroutine in the
SimCode.
EXIT Terminates SimCode execution.
Output Text
Use these commands to display messages during simulation
and debugging.
PROMPT Pause simulation and display a
message.
MESSAGE Display a message without pausing.
Debug
Use these commands to trace through the execution of the
SimCode for debugging purposes.
STEP_ON Turn on the SimCode trace mode
STEP_OFF Turn off the SimCode trace mode

SimCode Language Syntax

This section describes each of the language items in detail.
The following punctuations are used in describing the
syntax:
italics reserved words or emphasis
<> value/variable/pin/expression
[] optional parameter
{ }|{ } selections (you must choose ONE of
these parameters)
# xxxx source
Identifies the beginning of the SimCode source function.
General Form
# <func name> source
Parameters
<func name> Name of the SimCode function.
Use
This statement identifies the SimCode function so that it can
be called when it is time to simulate this device. It must be
the first statement of each Digital SimCode device function.
Notes
WXSpice has the ability to read either source code models
or compiled code models. The keyword “source” identifies
this as a source code model to be compiled by WXSpice.
When the simulation is run, the source code model is
compiled and the compiled code is placed in an ASCII text
file called SIMLIST.TXT in the same directory as
WXSPICE.EXE.
Example
//==================================
# MyDevice source
//==================================
INPUTS VCC, GND, IN1, IN2;
OUTPUTS VCC_LD, IN1_LD, IN2_LD, OUT;
.
.
.
EXIT;

CHANGE_TIME
Returns time when the specified pin last changed state.
General Form
CHANGE_TIME(<pin>)
Parameters
<pin> Input or output pin name.
Use
This function returns a real value that indicates the last time
the specified input or output pin changed states.
Example
T1 = (CHANGE_TIME(INA));
CHANGED_xx
Checks if the specified pin has changed state.
General Form
CHANGED_xx(<pin> [{<}|{<=}|{>}|{>=} <var/time/value>])
Parameters
<pin> Input or output pin name.
<var/time/value> Item to which <pin> is compared.
Use
The CHANGED_xx function is used to determine if the
specified <pin> has changed state. The _xx that follows the
keyword CHANGED can be eliminated (to indicate any type
of change) or the xx can be set to:
LH, LX, HL, HX, XL, XH, LZ, ZL, ZH, ZX, HZ or XZ
to indicate a specific type of change. The optional compare
operator (<, <=, >, >=) and <var/time/value> would be
included to check for a more specific change. If they are not
included, the function will return 1 if the pin has changed at
the current simulation step.
Examples
IF (CHANGED_LH(CLK)) THEN ...
IF (CHANGED(DATA < 10n)) THEN ...

DELAY
Sets propagation delay to specified outputs.
General Form 1
DELAY <output> [<output> ...] = <delay>;
General Form 2
DELAY <output> [<output> ...] =
CASE (<conditional exp>) : <delay>
CASE (<conditional exp>) : <delay>
[CASE (<conditional exp>) : <delay> ...]
END;
Parameters
<output> Name of/variable index to the output pin.
<conditional exp> Conditional expression that determines
which delay is used.
<delay> Propagation delay time to the output pin.
Use
The DELAY command is executed once for each pin listed
and posts a propagation delay for each pin that has changed
its level. The CASE option allows more than one <delay> to
be specified. The <conditional exp> then determines which
<delay> will be used. If a delay is set for a pin that has not
changed then the pin will be flagged as NO-CHANGE and
the delay will not be posted. The <delay> can be a real
constant, a real variable or a real expression.
Notes
The DELAY command must be executed exactly once for
each output pin, that is, for each pin declared in the OUT-
PUTS statement which is not listed in the LOAD or
NO_CHANGE statements. The order in which the delays are
set is based on the order in which these pins are listed in the
DELAY command (i.e. first pin listed is set first). Each
<conditional expression> is evaluated in the order it is listed
until one expression evaluates TRUE. When this occurs, the
<delay> value associated with the TRUE expression is
posted for the output being set. When using the CASE
option, at least one <conditional exp> should evaluate as
TRUE for each output pin listed. If no <conditional exp>
evaluates to TRUE, the <delay> associated with the last
CASE statement is posted.

In addition to the standard expression functions, the

following terms apply only to the output pin being set and
can be used in the <conditional exp> :
TRAN_LH low-to-high
TRAN_LX low-to-other
TRAN_HL high-to-low
TRAN_HX high-to-other
TRAN_HZ high-to-tristate
TRAN_XL other-to-low
TRAN_XH other-to-high
TRAN_LZ low-to-tristate
TRAN_ZL tristate-to-low
TRAN_ZH tristate-to-high
TRAN_ZX tristate-to-other
TRAN_XZ other-to-tristate
TRAN_XX other-to-different
If the <delay> value is less than or equal to 0.0 a run-time

error message will be displayed. Output pins can be speci-
fied by using the output pin name or by an integer variable
the contains the index of an output pin. Pin names and
variables cannot be mixed in the same DELAY statement.
References to outputs must be either all pin names or all
variable names.
Examples
DELAY Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 = 10n;
DELAY Q QN =
CASE (TRAN_LH) : tplh_val
CASE (TRAN_HL) : tphl_val
END;
data = (E0_1 && (CHANGED(D0) || CHANGED(D1)));

DELAY Q1 Q0 =
CASE (data && TRAN_LH) : tplh_D_Q
CASE (data && TRAN_HL) : tphl_D_Q
CASE (TRAN_LH) : tplh_E_Q
CASE (TRAN_HL) : tphl_E_Q
END;
In this example, if data is nonzero and Q1 is changing from

High to Low, the tphl_D_Q delay will be posted for Q1.
Then, if Q0 is changing from Low to High, the tplh_D_Q
delay will be posted for Q0.

DRIVE
Declares drive characteristics of output pins.
General Form
DRIVE <output> [<output> ...] =
(v0=<value> v1=<value> ttlh=<value> tthl=<value>);
Parameters
<output> Name of or variable index to the
output pin.
<value> Real value or variable.
v0 VOL for the output pin.
v1 VOH for the output pin.
ttlh Low-to-high transition time for the
output pin.
tthl High-to-low transition time for the
output pin.
Use
The DRIVE command is used to declare the output pin’s
DRIVE characteristics. When the output is set to a LOW
state, the output pin is connected to voltage value v0
through resistance rol_param. When the output is set to a
HIGH state, the output pin is connected to voltage value v1
through resistance roh_param. The low-to-high transition
time is set by ttlh and the high-to-low transition time is set
by tthl.
Notes
Pin names and variables cannot be mixed in the same DRIVE
statement. References to outputs must be either all pin
names or all variable names.
The values used for rol_param should be derived using the
databook specs for VOL. This value represents the total
saturation resistance of the pull-down structure of the
device’s output. A standard LS output in the LOW state, for
example, sinking 8mA will not exceed 0.5V, typically closer to
0.35V. Therefore:

for typ LOW state drive: rol_param = VOLtyp / IOLmax

rol_param = 0.35V / 8mA
rol_param = 43.75 ohms
for min LOW state drive: rol_param = VOLmax / IOLmax

rol_param = 0.5V / 8mA
rol_param = 62.5 ohms
The values used for roh_param should be derived using the
databook specs for IOS, if available. This value represents
the total saturation resistance of the pull-up structure of the
device’s output. A standard LS output in the HIGH state
with the output shorted to ground and Vcc=5.25V will source
at least 20mA but not more than 100mA. Therefore:
for min HIGH state drive: roh_param = VCCmax / IOSmin
roh_param = 5.25V / 20mA
roh_param = 262.5 ohms
for max HIGH state drive: roh_param = VCCmax / IOSmax

roh_param = 5.25V / 100mA
roh_param = 52.5 ohms
Example
rol_param = (MIN_TYP_MAX(drv_param: 62.5, 43.75, NULL);
roh_param = (MIN_TYP_MAX(drv_param: 262.5, NULL, 52.5);
DRIVE Q QN = (v0=vol_param,v1=voh_param,ttlh=ttlh_val,
tthl=tthl_val);
See Also
LOAD

EVENT
Causes a digital event to be posted.
General Form
EVENT = ({<time>}|{<expression>})
Parameters
<time> Time at which event should occur.
<expression> Expression indicating time at which
event should occur.
Use
In most cases a digital event is posted when one or more
INPUT pins for a simcode model changes state. When the
event is processed, the simcode for the specified event is
called and run. This instruction allows a simcode model to
post a digital event at a specified <time>. If the specified
EVENT time is greater than the simulation time (indicated by
present_time), then a digital event will be posted. If more
than one EVENT is posted in a single call to a simcode
model, only the longest EVENT <time> will be used. This
function allows the creation of one-shots and other similar
device models.
Notes
If a digital event for a specific simcode model occurs before
an EVENT <time> posted by that simcode, the EVENT
<time> must be posted again. For example, if 1) the present
simulation time is 1us, 2) a simcode model sets EVENT = 2us
and 3) an INPUT pin in the simcode model changes state at
1.5us, then the 2us event must be posted again.
Example
EVENT = (present_time + 1e-6); //return in
1us
EXIT
Terminates SimCode execution.
General Form
EXIT;

Use
The EXIT statement is used to terminate SimCode execution.
Notes
This is the last line of a SimCode model, but it may also be
placed at other locations to abort execution of remaining
SimCode.
EXT_TABLE
Sets output logic states based on extended truth table.
General Form
EXT_TABLE <line>
<input pin> [<input pin> ...] <output pin> [<output pin> ...]
<input state> [<input state> ...]
<output state> [<output state> ...];
Parameters
<line> Variable into which the line number
used in the table is placed
<input pin> Name of the input pin
<output pin> Name of the output pin
<input state> State of the individual inputs
<output state> State of the individual outputs based
on input conditions
Use
The EXT_TABLE statement is an extended truth table
function used to set the level and strength of the specified
outputs. Valid input states are:
0 low (input voltage is <= vil_param)
1 high (input voltage is >= vih_param)
^ low-to-high-transition
v high-to-low-transition
X don’t care what input voltage is
Valid output states are:
L ZERO (set output level to vol_param).
H ONE (set output level to voh_param).
Z UNKNOWN (set output level to v3s_param).

It also allows INPUT and/or OUTPUT pin names with

optional prefixes to specify the output states. Prefixes are:
- State is the previous state.
~ State is the inverse of the state.
-~ State is the inverse of the previous state.
Output state letters can be followed by a colon and a letter
to indicate strength:
s STRONG (set output to rol_param for L and
roh_param for H).
z HI_IMPEDANCE (set output to r3s_param).
If a strength character is not specified after an output state
then STRONG will be used for L and H states and
HI_IMPEDANCE will be used for Z states.
Notes
Each row is tested sequencially from top to bottom until the
input conditions are met. The outputs are set for the first
row to meet the input conditions. <line> is set to the line
number in the table that was used. If no match was made
then <line> is set to 0. Pin names used to specify output
states do not need to be in the table heading. Unlike the
TABLE statement, input variables are not allowed.
Example
EXT_TABLE tblIndex
PRE CLR CLK DATA Q QN
0 1 X X H L
1 0 X X L H
0 0 X X H H
1 1 ^ X DATA ~DATA
1 1 X X Q ~Q;
This example is representative of 1/2 of a 7474 D type flip-

flop. If input pins PRE, CLR, and DATA are all high (>=
vih_param) and CLK has a low-to-high transition, Q is set to
high (voh_param) and STRONG (roh_param), QN is set to
low (vol_param) and STRONG (rol_param) and tblIndex is
set to 4.
See Also
REALS, STATE, STATE_BIT, TABLE

FREQUENCY (FMAX)
Tests inputs for minimum and maximum frequency violation.
General Form
FREQUENCY(<input> [<input>...] MIN=<frequency>
MAX=<frequency> ["<message>"])
Parameters
<input> Name of or variable index to the input
pin under test.
MIN Minimum frequency allowed on the
pin under test.
MAX Maximum frequency allowed on the
pin under test.
<message> Text string that will be displayed if a
warning occurs.
Use
The FREQUENCY function compares the <input> period
(the time from one low-to-high edge to the next low-to-high
edge) with the reciprical of the specified <frequency> (1/
freq). If the time period for the <input> is smaller than the
reciprical of the specified MAX<frequency> or the time
period for the <input> is greater than the reciprocal of the
specified MIN<frequency>, then a WARNING will be
displayed. An optional <message> string can be included in
the FREQUENCY statement which will be output if a
WARNING is displayed.
Notes
Databook specifications should be used with this function.
Pin and variable names can be mixed in the same FRE-
QUENCY statement. Only the first FREQUENCY failure for
each pin listed will be reported.
Example
FREQUENCY(CLK MAX=10MEG "CLK"); //check fmax
only

GOSUB
Jumps to a subroutine in the SimCode.
General Form
GOSUB <label>;
Parameters
<label> Location in SimCode where program
flow resumes.
Use
The GOSUB instruction is used to perform non-sequencial
execution of the SimCode. However, unlike the GOTO
statement, SimCode execution will continue on the instruc-
tion following the GOSUB instruction when a RETURN
instruction is encountered in the SimCode being run.
Example
GOSUB Shift_Left;
.
.
.
Exit;
Shift_Left:
.
.
.
RETURN:
See Also
RETURN
GOTO
Jumps to a new location in the SimCode.
General Form
GOTO <label>;
Parameters
<label> Location in SimCode where program flow resumes.
Use
The GOTO instruction is used to perform non-sequencial
execution of the SimCode.

Notes
Program flow resumes from the location where <label>:
appears in the SimCode. <label> must being with an alpha
character, followed by any number of alpha-numeric charac-
ters or the underscore ( _ ) character. Where <label> appears
in the code, it must be followed immediately by a colon ( : ).
Example
GOTO Shutdown;
.
.
.
Shutdown:
.
.
.
Exit;
See Also
GOSUB, IF ... THEN
IF ... THEN
Conditionally controls flow through the SimCode.
General Form 1
IF (<expression>) THEN BEGIN ... [ELSE ...] END;
General Form 2
IF (<expression>) THEN GOTO <label>;
Parameters
<expression> Any expression that can be evaluated as true
or false.
<label> Location in SimCode where program flow
resumes.
Use
The IF ... THEN statement is used to control the flow of the
program, based on whether <expression> evaluates to true
or false. Multiple IF ... THEN statements may be nested.
Notes
When the BEGIN...ELSE...END form of this statement is used
and <expression> evaluates to true, program flow resumes
from the BEGIN statement and skips any optional SimCode
between the ELSE and END statements. If <expression>

evaluates to false, program flow resumes from the optional

ELSE statement if it exists or after the END statement if it
does not exist.
When the GOTO form of this statement is used and <expres-
sion> evaluates to true, program flow resumes from the
location where <label>: appears in the SimCode. <label>
must being with an alpha character, followed by any number
of alpha-numeric characters or the underscore ( _ ) character.
Where <label> appears in the code, it must be followed
immediately by a colon ( : ).
Examples
IF (EN) THEN
BEGIN
STATE Q0 = UNKNOWN;
ELSE
IF (IN2) THEN
BEGIN
STATE Y2 = ONE;
ELSE
STATE Y2 = ZERO;
END;
END;
IF (x = -2) THEN GOTO Do_Neg2;

.
.
.
Do_Neg2:
.
.
.
See Also
GOTO, WHILE ... DO
INPUTS
Declares input pins (pins that monitor the circuit).
General Form
INPUTS <input pin>[, <input pin>, ...];
Parameters
<input pin> Name of the input pin.

Use
The INPUTS data type is used to define the pins which
monitor stimulus external to the device. These generally
include input, i/o, power and ground pins.
Notes
Input pin names must begin with a letter and be defined
before they are used.
Example
See Also
OUTPUTS, IO_PAIRS, PWR_GND_PINS
INSTANCE
Checks if this is the specified device instance.
General Form
INSTANCE("<instance name>")
Parameters
<instance name> Text string indicating instance name.
Use
The INSTANCE function returns 1 if the present instance of
the SimCode device matches the <instance name> specified.
Otherwise it returns 0;
Notes
A circuit may contain more than one of any given device.
During simulation it may be important to know if the device
being simulated at this moment is the one you are interested
in. This would allow you, for example, to print messages for
one specific NAND gate without having to wade through
messages for all the other NAND gates as well. The instance
name is the device Designation preceded by its Spice Prefix
Character (the letter A).
Example
IF (INSTANCE("AU23")) THEN
BEGIN
MESSAGE("U23-Q0 = %d", Q0);
END;

INTEGERS
Declares integer variables and arrays.
General Form
INTEGERS <var>[, <var>, ...];
Parameters
<var> Name of the variable.
Use
The INTEGERS data type is used to define integer variables
and arrays.
Notes
Integer variables and arrays must begin with a letter and be
defined before they are used. Integer arrays are defined by
following the array name with a left bracket ( [ ), an integer
number which defines the size of the array, and a right
bracket ( ] ). Integer arrays can be set and/or used in
expressions.
The following are reserved SimCode integer variables which
do not need to be declared:
Variable Use Digital Model Parameter Spice Option

tp_param tplh/hl index Propagation Delays TPMNTYMX
tt_param ttlh/hl index Transition Times TTMNTYMX
ld_param LOAD index Input Loading LDMNTYMX
drv_param DRIVE index Output Drive DRVMNTYMX
i_param ICC index Device Current IMNTYMX
user_param USER index User Defined USERMNTYMX
warn_param Warning messages WARN flag SIMWARN
init_sim 1 during simcode init N/A N/A
tran_pin TRAN_xx pin index N/A N/A
The first six variables in this list are expected to have a value
of 1, 2 or 3. These values represent an index into the min/
typ/max arrays:

Value Represent
1 Index to minimum value.
2 Index to typical value.
3 Index to maximum value.
The Digital Model Parameter can be set independently for
each digital device in the Digital Model Parameters dialog
box. If a Spice Option parameter is set in the Analog Options
dialog box, that setting will globally override the Digital
Model Parameter settings for all digital devices. If the
variable is set explicitly in the SimCode, that setting will
override all other settings.
warn_param can be set to any positive value to
condtionally display warning messages for the device.
Different levels of warning could be created by the device
programmer, accessed by entering different positive values.
The value of init_sim is set 1 during SimCode initialization,
otherwise it is set to 0. The value of tran_pin is set to the
index of the pin being set during a DELAY CASE statement.
This index is used to determine which pin the TRAN_xx
instruction is applied to.
Example
INTEGERS tblIndex, count, data[64];
See Also
DELAY, MIN_TYP_MAX

IO_PAIRS
Declares input/output pin associations for input loading.
General Form
IO_PAIRS (<ipin:opin>[, <ipin:opin>, ...]);
Parameters
<ipin:opin> Pin names of associated input and
output pins.
Use
The IO_PAIRS statement defines which of the INPUTS pins
are associated with which of the OUTPUTS pins. This
association is used by the LOAD statement.
Notes
Each physical input pin on a device consists of both an ipin
and an opin in SimCode. The opin is required to provide
input loading characteristics. This statement can only be
used once in the SimCode. Power pins are not listed in the
IO_PAIRS statement.
Example
IO_PAIRS (IN1:IN1_LD, IN2:IN2_LD);
In this example, IN1 and IN2 are INPUTS and IN1_LD and
IN2_LD are OUTPUTS. IN1 and IN1_LD both refer to the
same physical pin on the device.
See Also
INPUTS, OUTPUTS, LOAD

LEVEL
Sets the level of the output state.
General Form 1
LEVEL <output> [<output> ...] = (<expression>);
General Form 2
LEVEL <output> [<output> ...] =
{ZERO}|{ONE}|{UNKNOWN};
Parameters
<output> Name of or variable index to the output.
<expression> Any expression compared to VOL or VOH.
Use
The state of an output pin is determined by its level and its
strength. Use the LEVEL command to set the level of one or
more output pins.
<expression> State Level

<= vol_param ZERO vol_param
>= voh_param ONE voh_param
other UNKNOWN v3s_param
Notes
Output pins can be specified by using the output pin name
or by an integer variable the contains the INDEX of an
output pin. Pin and variable names cannot be mixed in the
same LEVEL statement. References to outputs must be
either all pin names or all variable names.
Examples
LEVEL Q = ONE;
LEVEL Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 = ZERO;
LEVEL OUT = ((1+2)/3);
In the last example, OUT will be:

ZERO if vil_param > 1
UNKNOWN if vil_param < 1 and vih_param > 1
ONE if vih_param < 1
See Also
REALS, STATE, STATE_BIT, STRENGTH

LOAD
Declares loading characteristics of input pins.
General Form
LOAD <output> [<output> ...] =
(v0=<value> r0=<value> [v1=<value>
r1=<value>] [io=<value>] t=<value>);
Parameters
output pin.
<value> Real value or variable.
v0 Load voltage for HIGH state input.
r0 Load resistance for HIGH state input.
v1 Load voltage for LOW state input.
r1 Load resistance for LOW state input
io Off-state load resistance for unused
load.
t Time delay before the load will be
applied.
Use
The LOAD command is typically used with input or power
pins to provide loading for the driving circuit. Since only
output pins can provide a load, each input must have a
corresponding output. These are assigned using the
IO_PAIRS statement.
If different loads are required for different inputs, multiple
LOAD statements may be used. Power pins should be placed
in a separate LOAD statement which does not include the
v1/r1 load or io. Power pins are not included in the
IO_PAIRS statement. The IO_PAIRS statement must be
entered before any LOAD statements that contain io.
Notes
An input load consists of a voltage and a resistance (v0/r0
or v1/r1). The voltage level of the incoming signal deter-
mines which load will be used. If the voltage level goes

below VIL and remains below VIH, then the input is consid-
ered to be in the LOW state and the v1/r1 is applied. If the
voltage level goes above VIH and remains above VIL, then
the input is considered to be in the HIGH state and the v0/r0
is applied. io is the input state off resistance. The unused
load is essentially removed from the circuit by changing its r
value to the value specified for io.
The values for v0, r0, v1 and r1 can be either real constants
or real variables. The values for io and t must be real
constants. Pin names and pin variables cannot be mixed in
the same LOAD statement. References to outputs must be
For input pins, the values used for r0 should be derived
using the databook specs for IIH. A standard LS input, for
example, will sink a maximum of 20uA at Vin=2.7V. Therefore,
if vol_param = 0.2V, then:
for max HIGH state load: r0 = (Vin - vol_param) / IIHmax
r0 = (2.7V - 0.2V) / 20uA
r0 = 125k ohms
The values used for r1 should be derived using the
databook specs for IIL. A standard LS input, for example,
will source a maximum of 400uA at Vin=0.4V. Therefore, if
voh_param = 4.6V then:
for max LOW state load: r1 = (voh_param - Vin) / IILmax
r1 = (4.6V - 0.4V) / 400uA
r1 = 10.5k ohms
For power pins, the value used for r0 should be derived
using the databook specs for ICC. For a 74LS151, Icc typ is
6mA at Vcc=5V and Icc max is 10mA at Vcc=5.25V. Therefore:
for Icc typ: r0 = 5V / 6mA = 833 ohms
for Icc max: r0 = 5.25V / 10mA = 525 ohms
If creating a multiple-parts-per-package device, such as a
74LS00 quad NAND gate, you should adjust the Icc load for
the individual parts accordingly.

Examples
r0_val = (MIN_TYP_MAX(ld_param: NULL, NULL, 125k);
r1_val = (MIN_TYP_MAX(ld_param: NULL, NULL, 10.5k);
ricc_val = (MIN_TYP_MAX(ld_param: NULL, 833, 525);
LOAD PRE_LD DATA_LD CLK_LD CLR_LD = (v0=vol_param, r0=r0_val,
v1=voh_param, r1=r1_val, io=1e9, t=1p);
LOAD VCC_LD = (v0=gnd_param, r0=ricc_val, t=1p);
See Also
IO_PAIRS, DRIVE
MATH FUNCTIONS
Function Description Example
POW power X= (12 POW(3));
ABS absolute value X= (ABS(-12));
SQRT square-root X= (SQRT(2));
EXP exponent X= (EXP(10));
LOG natural log X= (LOG(0.1));
LOG10 log base 10 X= (LOG10(0.1));
SIN sine X= (SIN(0.1));
COS cosine X= (COS(0.1));
TAN tangent X= (TAN(0.1));
ASIN arc sine X= (ASIN(0.1));
ACOS arc cosine X= (ACOS(0.1));
ATAN arc tangent X= (ATAN(0.1));
HSIN hyperbolic sine X= (HSIN(0.1));
HCOS hyperbolic cosine X= (HCOS(0.1));
HTAN hyperbolic tangent X= (HTAN(0.1));
See Also
OPERATORS

MESSAGE
Displays a message without pausing.
General Form
MESSAGE("<message>"[, <value/pin>...]);
Parameters
<message> Message string including formatting
characters as needed.
<value> Variable or constant value.
<pin> Pin name or index to pin variable.
Use
The MESSAGE statement is used to output the information
specified by the <message> string. It does not interrupt the
simulation. The message is displayed in the XSpice window
during simulation.
Notes
A format string in MESSAGE is similar to a format that may
be used in a printf statement in C. Valid formatting characters
include (but are not limited to):
\t tab
\n new line
\r carraige return
%d Deciaml display for short variable or current input
output state
%D Decimal display for short variable or old input/
output state
%x Hex display for short variable or current input/
output state
%X Hex display for short variable or old input/output
state
%c Character display for short variable or current
input/output state
%C Character display for short variable or old input/
output state

%e Exponential display for real variable

%f Floating point engineering display for real variable
%g Short display (%e or %f) for real variable
%s String constant display. The only valid string
constants are:
INSTANCE The present SimCode device instance
name.
FUNC The present SimCode device function
name.
FILE The present SimCode device file
name.
Examples
MESSAGE("time\t\tCLK\tDATA\tQ\tQN");
MESSAGE("device instance= %s",INSTANCE);
MESSAGE("%.3e\t%d\t%d\t%d\t%d",present_time,CLK,DATA,Q,QN);
See Also
PROMPT
MIN_TYP_MAX
Returns value from MIN_TYP_MAX look-up table.
General Form
MIN_TYP_MAX(<index>: <min>, <typ>, <max>);
Parameters
<index> Input variable (index to select min, typ
or max values).
<min> Minimum databook value.
<typ> Typical databook value.
<max> Maximum databook value.
Use
The MIN_TYP_MAX function is similar to the
SELECT_VALUE function except that three (3) values/
variables must be entered. The keyword “NULL” can be

substitued for one or two unknown values. If a predefined

integer variable (see INTEGERS) is used as the <index>,
unknown (NULL) values are calculated from the known
values as follows:
Known Values Formula

<min>, <max> typical = (<max> + <min>) / 2;
<min> only typical = (<min> / <min scale factor>)
maximum = (<min> / <min scale factor>) *
<max scale factor>
<typ> only minimum = (<typ> * <min scale factor>)
maximum = (<typ> * <max scale factor>)
<max> only minimum = (<max> / <max scale factor>) *
<min scale factor>
typical = (<max> / <max scale factor>)
Notes
If <index> is not one of the predefined variables listed below,
then <min scale factor> = 0.5 and <max scale factor> = 1.5.
The <min scale factor> and <max scale factor> for each of
these predefined variables can be changed in CircuitMaker’s
Analog Options dialog box. The <min scale factor> and <max
scale factors> are reversed for ld_param, drv_param and
i_param because these parameters control a resistance
value rather than a current value (i.e., maximum load equates
to minimum resistance.)
Variable Spice Option Parameter Default

tp_param PROPMNS <min scale factor> 0.5
tp_param PROPMXS <max scale factor> 1.5
tt_param TRANMNS <min scale factor> 0.5
tt_param TRANMXS <max scale factor> 1.5
ld_param LOADMNS <min scale factor> 1.5
ld_param LOADMXS <max scale factor> 0.5
drv_param DRIVEMNS <min scale factor> 1.5
drv_param DRIVEMXS <max scale factor> 0.5
i_param CURRENTMNS <min scale factor> 1.5

i_param CURRENTMXS <max scale factor> 0.5

vth_param VTHMNS <min scale factor> 0.5
vth_param VTHMXS <max scale factor> 1.5
user_param USERMNS <min scale factor> 0.5
user_param USERMXS <max scale factor> 1.5
Examples
tplh_val = (MIN_TYP_MAX(tp_param: NULL, 5n, NULL));
In this example, if we assume that PROPMNS and

PROPMXS are set to their default values, then:
if tp_param = 1, then tplh_val = 2.5n
if tp_param = 2, then tplh_val = 5n
if tp_param = 3, then tplh_val = 10n
ricch_val = (MIN_TYP_MAX(i_param: NULL, 2500, 1250));
In this example, if we assume that CURRENTMNS and

CURRENTMXS are set to their default values, then:
if i_param = 1, then ricch_val = 5000
See Also
INTEGERS, SELECT_VALUE

NO_CHANGE
Leaves output state of I/O pins unchanged.
General Form
NO_CHANGE <output> [<output> ...];
Parameters
<output> Name of or variable index to the output pin.
Use
Use the NO_CHANGE function to indicate no-change for
specified output pins. Use this statement on bi-directional
pins when the bi-directional pin is being treated as an input.
Notes
Pin names and variables cannot be mixed in the same
NO_CHANGE statement. References to outputs must be
Example
NO_CHANGE Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4;
NUMBER
Returns number based on binary weighted pin states.
General Form
NUMBER(<MSB pin>, [<pin>, ...] <LSB pin> );
Parameters
<pin> Name of or index to a pin.
Use
The NUMBER function returns a short integer that repre-
sents the decimal value of the binary number represented by
the list of <pin>. Each bit (represented by a <pin>) is set to 1
if the <pin> is non-zero, otherwise it is set to 0.
Notes
The first <pin> in the list represents the most-significant-bit
(MSB) and the last <pin> in the list represents the least-
significant-bit (LSB).
Example
A = (NUMBER(D3,D2,D1,D0));
In this example, if D3 is HIGH, and D2, D1 and D0 are LOW

(10002), then A = 8.

OPERATORS
Assignment Operator
= Equals (sets a variable or output pin to a value or
state).
Math Operators
+ Add
- Subtract
* Multiply
/ Divide
Unary Operators
~ Logical not
! Bitwise complement
Logical Operators
&& AND
|| OR
^^ XOR
Bitwise Operators
& AND
| OR
^ XOR
<< Shift left
>> Shift right
Relative Comparators
= Equal
!= Not equal
< Less than
<= Less than or equal to
> greater than
>= greater than or equal to
Use
Operators are used to set and manipulate variables and
expressions.

Notes
Expressions must enclosed within parenthases ( ). Expres-
sions are always evaluated from left to right within
parenthases. You should use parenthases to set precedence
within an expression. When using the Unary Operators on
values, variables, expressions, etc. the values, variables,
expressions, etc. must be in parenthases ( ).
Examples
clk_twl = (25n);
reg = (reg + 1);
vx = (vol_param - 10m);
C = (A * B);
val = (xval / 2);
X = (A && ~(B));
Y = (!(X)); //if X=1 then Y=FFFFFFFE
A = (X & 1); //if X=1 then A=1, if X=2 then A=0
B = (X | 8); //if X=1 then B=9, if X=2 then B=10
C = (X >> 2); //if X=1 then C=0, if X=2 then C=0
D = (2 >> X); //if X=1 then D=1, if X=2 then D=0
E = (X << 2); //if X=1 then E=4, if X=2 then E=8
F = (2 << X); //if X=1 then F=4, if X=2 then F=8
IF (A >= B) THEN ...
IF ((A < 2) && (B > 3)) THEN ...
IF ((C < 2) || (X > 4)) THEN ...
See Also
MATH FUNCTIONS
OUTPUTS
Declares output pins (pins that drive or load the circuit).
General Form
OUTPUTS <output pin>[, <output pin>, ...];
Parameters
<output pin> Name of the output pin.
Use
The OUTPUTS data type is used to define the pins which
affect the operation of circuitry external to the device. These
generally include input, output, I/O and power pins. Input
and power pins are included in this list because their
presence contitutes a load on the driving circuitry.
Notes
Output pin names must begin with a letter and be defined
before they are used.

Example
OUTPUTS VCC_LD, PRE_LD, DATA_LD, CLK_LD,
CLR_LD, QN, Q;
See Also
INPUTS, IO_PAIRS, PWR_GND_PINS
PARAM_SET
Determines if a predefined SimCode param has been set.
General Form
PARAM_SET(<param var>)
Parameters
<param var> SimCode model definition parameter.
Use
The PARAM_SET function is used to determine if a param-
eter in the SimCode model definition has been set. It returns
1 if the specified parameter was set (e.g., vil_param=0.8)
otherwise it returns 0.
Notes
See INTEGER and REAL declarations for a list of SimCode
model definition parameters and their associated variable
names.
Example
A = PARAM_SET(ld_param);
IF (PARAM_SET(voh_param)) THEN ...
See Also
INTEGERS, REALS

PROMPT
Pauses simulation and displays a message.
General Form
PROMPT("<message>"[, <value/pin>...]);
Parameters
<message> Message string including formatting
characters as needed.
<value> Variable or constant value.
<pin> Pin name or index to pin variable.
Use
The PROMPT statement is used to stop simulation and
display the information specified by the <message> string.
The message is displayed in the XSpice window during
simulation. The user must click on a button to continue
execution of the SimCode.
Notes
A format string in PROMPT is similar to a format that may be
used in a printf statement in C. Valid formatting characters
include (but are not limited to):
\t tab
\n new line
\r carraige return
%d Deciaml display for short variable or current input/
output state.
%D Decimal display for short variable or old input/
output state.
%x Hex display for short variable or current input/
output state.
%X Hex display for short variable or old input/output
state.
%c Character display for short variable or current
input/output state.

%C Character display for short variable or old input/

output state.
%e Exponential display for real variable.
%f Floating point engineering display for real
variable.
%g Short display (%e or %f) for real variable.
%s String constant display. The only valid string
constants are:
INSTANCE The present SimCode device
instance name.
FUNC The present SimCode device
function name.
FILE The present SimCode device file
name.
Example
PROMPT("input=%d time=%f device=%s", D1, t1, INSTANCE);
See Also
MESSAGE

PWL_TABLE
Returns value from interpolative look-up table.
General Form
PWL_TABLE (<IN var>:
<IN1>,<OUT1>,<IN2>,<OUT2>[,...<OUTn>,<OUTn>])
Parameters
<IN var> input variable (integer or real)
<INx> input compare value
<OUTx> output value at <INx>
Use
This piece-wise-linear function is essentially a look-up table.
The value of <IN var> is used to look up an entry in the table
which consists of pairs of values. The first value in each pair
is an input compare value and the second value is the
corresponding output value. If the <IN var> value is less
than the first <IN> value the first <OUT> value is returned. If
the <IN var> value is greater than the last <INn> value then
the last <OUTn> value is returned. Linear interpolation is
done between enteries according to the formula:
value = (((OUTA-OUTB)/(INA-INB))*(<IN var>-INA)+OUTA)
where <IN var> falls between the input compare values INA
and INB. The actual output value will fall between output
values OUTA and OUTB.
Notes
Two or more IN/OUT data value pairs must be entered and
the IN values must be entered in assending order. There is
no limit to the maximum number of IN/OUT data pairs that
can be entered.
Example
twh = (PWL_TABLE(var: 5,180n,10,120n,15,80n));
In this example, if var = 10 then twh = 120n and if var = 12

then twh = 104.
See Also
SELECT_VALUE

PWR_GND_PINS
Declares power and ground pins; records supply voltage.
General Form
PWR_GND_PINS (<pwrpin>, <gndpin>);
Parameters
<pwrpin> name of the power pin
<gndpin> name of the ground pin
Use
The PWR_GND_PINS statement defines which of the
INPUTS pins are power and ground and sets the Power and
Ground parameters of the device to absolute voltages as
follows:
pwr_param = voltage on <pwrpin>
gnd_param = voltage on <gndpin>
Notes
This statement can only be used once in the SimCode. Only
one pin can be defined for power and one for ground.
Example
PWR_GND_PINS(VCC, GND);
See Also
INPUTS, OUTPUTS, REALS, VIL_VIH_PERCENT,
SUPPLY_MIN_MAX

READ_DATA
Reads data from an ASCII file into arrays.
General Form
READ_DATA(<array>[, <array>, ...])
Parameters
<array> Name of the array into which the
value is placed.
Use
The READ_DATA function opens the file specified by the
“data=” parameter in the device’s .MODEL statement and
reads ASCII text data. The number and type (integer/real) of
the values per line that will be read is based on the number
and type of array variables that are specified in the function
call. The number of data lines read is determined by the
number of data lines in the specified file and/or the size of
the smallest array in the function call. The READ_DATA
function returns the number of lines read. A negative
number is returned if an error is encountered:
-1 Invalid file name
-2 Can’t find file
-3 Invalid array
-4 Illegal array access
-5 Data type
-6 Expected data value
Notes
Multiple values per line in the data file must be seperated by
commas. The real values in the data file must be in scientific
notation. The device’s .MODEL statement which contains
the “data=” parameter must be placed in the device symbol’s
.MOD file.

Example
MYDEVICE.MOD file:
.MODEL AMYDEVICE XSIMCODE(file="{MODEL_PATH}MYDEVICES.SCB"
+ func=MyDevice data="{MODEL_PATH}MYDEVICE.DAT" {mntymx})
MYDEVICE.DAT file:
8, 8E-6
9, 9E-6
10, 1E-5
11, 1.1E-5
MyDevice SimCode:
nlines = READ_DATA(int_array, real_array);
This example opens a filed called MYDEVICE.DAT in the

Models directory. It reads 2 columns of data from the file
where the first column contains integer values and the
second column contains real values. If the arrays are
declared as int_array[3] and real_array[5] then only the first
3 data lines will be read and nlines will be set to 3.
REALS
Declares real variables and arrays.
General Form
REALS <var>[, <var>, ...];
Parameters
<var> name of the variable
Use
The REALS data type is used to define real variables and
arrays.
Notes
Real variables and arrays must begin with a letter and be
defined before they are used. Real arrays are defined by
following the array name with a left bracket ( [ ), an integer
number which defines the size of the array, and a right
bracket ( ] ). Real arrays can be set and/or used in expres-
sions.

The following are reserved SimCode real variables which do

not need to be declared:
Variable Use Digital Model Parameter

vil_param low input state value VIL value
vih_param high input state value VIH value
vol_param low output state value VOL value
voh_param high output state value VOH value
v3s_param tri-state output state value N/A
rol_param low output strength value N/A
roh_param high output strength value N/A
r3s_param tri-state output strength value N/A
pwr_param voltage on power pin PWR value
gnd_param voltage on ground pin GND value
present_time present simulation time N/A
previous_time previous simulation time N/A
sim_temp circuit operating temperature N/A (Spice Option: TEMP)
The Digital Model Parameter can be set independently for

each digital device in the Digital Model Parameters dialog
box. If the variable is set explicitly in the SimCode, that
setting will override all other settings.
The values of pwr_param and gnd_param are set each time
the PWR_GND_PINS statement is executed. The value of
present_time and previous_time are set each time the time
step changes. The value of sim_temp is the current operat-
ing temperature of the circuit which can be set from the Spice
Option “TEMP”.
Example
REALS tplh_val, tphl_val, ricc_val, vbias, values[64];
See Also
PWR_GND_PIN, VIL_VIH_VALUE, VIL_VIH_PERCENT,
VOL_VOH_MIN

RECOVER
Tests inputs for recovery time violations.
General Form
RECOVER(<clk input> = {LH}|{HL} <mr input> [<mr input> ...]
{TREC=<time>}|{TRECL=<time> TRECH=<time>} ["<message>"]);
Parameters
<clk input> Name of or index to the input clock/
reference pin under test
<mr input> Name of or index to the input set/reset
pin under test.
TREC Recovery time for both low and high
going <mr pin>.
TRECL Recovery time for low going <mr pin>.
TRECH Recovery time for high going <mr
pin>.
warning occurs.
Use
The RECOVER function compares the time difference
between a level change (LH or HL) on the <clk input> and a
level change on the <mr input> to a specified test time.
RECOVER test times are specified jointly using
TREC=<time> (which sets TRECL and TRECH to the same
value) or individually using TRECL=<time> and
TRECH=<time>. If the compare time is less than the speci-
fied <time> a warning will be displayed during simulation.
An optional <message> string can be included in the
RECOVER statement which will be output if a warning is
displayed.
Notes
TRECL=<time> and TRECH=<time> can be entered in the
same RECOVER test. The RECOVER test will be made only
if the state of the <mr input> matches the time parameter
(TRECL=LOW, TRECH=HIGH) when the <clk input> makes
the specified transition (LH or HL). For example, if <clk
input> = LH and TRECL is specified then the <mr input>
must be LOW when the <clk input> goes from LOW to
HIGH for a RECOVER test to be made. Pin names and
variables can be mixed in the same RECOVER statement.

Example
RECOVER(CLK=LH PRE CLR TREC=trec_val
"CLK->PRE or CLR");
RETURN
Returns from a subroutine in the SimCode
General Form
RETURN;
Use
The RETURN instruction is used to return program flow to
the instruction that followed the last GOSUB instruction.
See Also
GOSUB
SELECT_VALUE
Returns value from simple look-up table.
General Form
SELECT_VALUE (<index>: <val/pin/var>,
<val/pin/var>[,<val/pin/var>,...]);
Parameters
<index> input variable (index to <val/pin/var>)
<val/pin/var> output value, pin or variable
Use
The SELECT_VALUE function returns the value of the
number or variable indicated by the value of the index
variable.
Notes
The number of values and/or variables used is not limited.
Example
A = (SELECT_VALUE(B: 16, 8, 4, 2, 1));
In this example, if B = 2 then A = 8 (the 2nd value).
See Also
PWL_TABLE, MIN_TYP_MAX

SETUP_HOLD
Tests inputs for setup and hold time violations
General Form
SETUP_HOLD(<clk input> = {LH}|{HL}
<data input> [<data input> ...]
{TS=<time>}|{TSL=<time> TSH=<time>}
{TH=<time>}|{THL=<time> THH=<time>} ["<message>"];
Parameters
<clk input> Name of or index to the input clock/
reference pin under test.
<data input> Name of or index to the input data pin
under test.
TS Setup time for both low and high
going <data input>.
TSL Setup time for low going <data
input>.
TSH Setup time for high going <data
input>.
TH Hold time for both low and high going
<data input>.
THL Hold time for high going <data
input>.
THH Hold time for low going <data input>.
warning occurs.
Use
The SETUP_HOLD function compares the time difference
between a level change (LH or HL) on the <clk input> and a
level change on the <data input> to a specified test time.
SETUP test times are specified jointly using TS=<time>
(which sets TSL and TSH to the same value) or individually
using TSL=<time> and TSH=<time>. HOLD test times are
specified jointly using TH=<time> (which sets THL and
THH to the same value) or individually using THL=<time>
and THH=<time>. If the compare time is less than the
specified <time> a WARNING will be displayed. An optional
<message> string can be included in a SETUP_HOLD
statement which will be output if a WARNING is displayed.

Notes
TSL=<time>, TSH=<time>, THL=<time> and THH=<time>
can be entered in the same SETUP_HOLD statement. The
SETUP and/or HOLD test will be made only if the state of the
<data input> matches the time parameter (TSL or THL=LOW,
TSH or THH=HIGH) when the <clk input> makes the
specified transition (LH or HL). For example, if <clk
input>=LH and TSL is specified, then the <data input> must
be LOW when the <clk input> goes from LOW to HIGH for a
SETUP test to be made. Pin names and variables can can be
mixed in the same SETUP_HOLD statement.
Example
SETUP_HOLD(CLK=LH DATA Ts=ts_val Th=th_val
"CLK->DATA");
STATE
Sets outputs to the declared logic state.
General Form 1
STATE <output> [<output>...] = (<expression>);
General Form 2
STATE <output> [<output>...] =
{ZERO}|{ONE}|{UNKNOWN};
Parameters
output pin.
<expression> Any expression to be compared to
VIL or VIH.
Use
strength. The STATE command sets the level and strength
for one or more output pins or variables. If <expression> is
less than or equal to vil_param, the output will be set to
ZERO. If <expression> is greater than or equal to vih_param,
the output will be set to ONE. Otherwise, the output will be
set to UNKNOWN. The level and strength values are set
according the the state:

<expression> State Level Strength

<= vol_param ZERO vol_param rol_param
>= voh_param ONE voh_param roh_param
other UNKNOWN v3s_param r3s_param
Notes
or by an integer variable that contains the index of an
output pin. Pin and variable names cannot be mixed in the
same STATE command. References to outputs must be either
all pin names or all variable names.
Examples
STATE Q = ONE;
STATE Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 = ZERO;
STATE OUT = ((1+2)/3);
In the last example, OUT will be:

ZERO if vil_param > 1
UNKNOWN if vil_param < 1 and vih_param > 1
ONE if vih_param < 1
See Also
REALS, STATE_BIT, LEVEL, STRENGTH, TABLE,
EXT_TABLE

STATE_BIT
Sets outputs to binary weighted logic states.
General Form
STATE_BIT <output> [<output> ...] = (<expression>) ;
Parameters
<output> name of or variable index to the output pin
<expression> any expression which can be bitwise
matched with the listed outputs
Use
strength. The STATE_BIT command is used to set the level
and strength for one or more output pins based on the value
of the <expression>. The state of the first pin listed is set
according to the first (least-significant-bit) of the
expression's value, the state of the second pin listed is set
according to second bit of the expression's value, and so on.
The level and strength values are set by the bit's value:
Bit Value State Level Strength
0 ZERO vol_param rol_param
1 ONE voh_param roh_param
Notes
or by an integer variable that contains the index of an output
pin. Pin and variable names cannot be mixed in the same
STATE_BIT statement. References to outputs must be either
all pin names or all variable names. The maximum number of
output pins/vars is limited to 16.
Example
STATE_BIT Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 = (internal_reg);
In this example, if internal_reg = 11 (1011 binary) then Q1

(LSB) = ONE, Q2 = ONE, Q3 = ZERO and Q4 (MSB) = ONE.
See Also
REALS, STATE, LEVEL, STRENGTH, TABLE, EXT_TABLE

STEP_OFF
Turns off the SimCode trace mode.
General Form
STEP_OFF
Use
The STEP_OFF statement turns off the SimCode TRACE
mode.
See Also
STEP_ON
STEP_ON
Turns on the SimCode trace mode.
General Form
STEP_ON
Use
The STEP_ON statement turns on the SimCode TRACE
mode. This causes the SimCode to display the Program
Counter (PC) number and each SimCode instruction before it
is executed.
See Also
STEP_OFF

STRENGTH
Sets the strength of the output state.
General Form 1
STRENGTH <output> [<output> ...] = (<expression>);
General Form 2
STRENGTH <output> [<output> ...] = {STRONG}|{HI_IMPEDANCE};
Parameters
output pin.
<expression> Any expression to be used directly as
a strength.
Use
strength. Use the STRENGTH command to set the strength
of one or more output pins.
Value State Strength
STRONG ZERO rol_param
STRONG ONE roh_param
HI_IMPEDANCE N/A r3s_param
<expression> N/A <expression>
Notes
or by an integer variable the contains the index of an output
pin. Pin and variable names cannot be mixed in the same
STATE statement. References to outputs must be either all
pin names or all variable names.
See Also
REALS, STATE, STATE_BIT, LEVEL

SUPPLY_MIN_MAX
Tests supply pins for min and max supply voltage violations.
General Form
SUPPLY_MIN_MAX(<min value>, <max value>);
Parameters
<min value> Minimum recommended power supply
voltage.
<max value> Maximum recommended power
supply voltage.
Use
The SUPPLY_MIN_MAX function checks the voltage
difference between the power and ground pins defined in
PWR_GND_PINS. If the “WARN flag” is set in the Digital
Model Parameters dialog box and the voltage difference
(pwr_param - gnd_param) is less than <min value> or
greater than <max value> a warning will be displayed during
simulation.
Notes
PWR_GND_PINS must be defined to use this function.
Example
SUPPLY_MIN_MAX(4.75, 5.25);
See Also
INTEGERS, PWR_GND_PINS

TABLE
Sets output logic states based on truth table.
General Form
TABLE <line>
<input> [<input> ...] <output pin> [<output pin> ...]
<input state> [<input state> ...] <output state> [<output state> ...];
Parameters
<line> Variable into which the line number
used in the table is placed.
<input> Name of the input pin or variable
index to the input pin.
<output pin> Name of the output pin.
<input state> State of the individual inputs.
<output state> State of the individual outputs based
on input conditions.
Use
The TABLE statement operates like a truth table to set the
level and strength of the specified outputs. Valid input states
are:
0 low (input voltage is <= vil_param).
1 high (input voltage is >= vih_param).
X don’t care what input voltage is.
Valid output states are:
L ZERO (set output level to vol_param)
H ONE (set output level to voh_param).
Z UNKNOWN (set output level to
v3s_param).
Output state letters can be followed by a colon and a letter
to indicate strength:
s STRONG (set output to rol_param for
L and roh_param for H).
z HI_IMPEDANCE (set output to
r3s_param).

If a strength character is not specified after an output state

then STRONG will be used for L and H states and
HI_IMPEDANCE will be used for Z states.
Notes
Each row is tested sequencially from top to bottom until the
input conditions are met. The outputs are set for the first
row to meet the input conditions. The <line> is set to the line
number in the table that was used. If no match was made
then <line> is set to 0. Input pin and variable names cannot
be mixed in the same TABLE statement. References to inputs
must be either all pin names or all variable names.
Example
TABLE tblIndex
INA INB OUT
0 0 H
0 1 H
1 0 H
1 1 L;
This example is representative of 1/4 of a 7400 2-input
NAND gate. If input pins INA and INB are both high (>=
vih_param), OUT is set to ZERO (vol_param) and STRONG
(rol_param) and tblIndex is set to 4.
See Also
REALS, STATE, STATE_BIT, EXT_TABLE
VALUE
Returns the value of the specified pin.
General Form
VALUE(<pin>)
Parameters
<pin> Name of or index to a pin.
Use
The VALUE function returns a real number that indicates the
voltage level of the specified pin.
Example
v = (VALUE(D3));

VIL_VIH_PERCENT
Sets VIL and VIH values to a percentage of supply voltage.
General Form
VIL_VIH_PERCENT (<vil %>, <vih %>);
Parameters
<vil %> Percentage of the suppy voltage
which defines vil.
<vih %> Percentage of the suppy voltage
which defines vih.
Use
VIL and VIH do not use a min/typ/max array to select their
values, but must be declared explicitly for each digital
device. The VIL_VIH_PERCENT statement sets the VIL and
VIH parameters of the device to a percentage of the supply
voltage as follows:
vil_param = (pwr_param - gnd_param) * <vil %>
vih_param = (pwr_param - gnd_param) * <vih %>
Notes
PWR_GND_PINS must be defined to use this function. The
% values must be greater than 0 and less than 100. The
vil_param and vih_param values set by
VIL_VIH_PERCENT are overridden by any values set for
“VIL value” and “VIH value” in the Digital Model Parameters
dialog box.
Example
VIL_VIH_PERCENT(33, 67);
See Also
REALS, PWR_GND_PINS, VIL_VIH_VALUE

VIL_VIH_VALUE
Sets absolute VIL and VIH values.
General Form
VIL_VIH_VALUE (<vil>, <vih>);
Parameters
<vil> Absolute voltage level which defines vil.
<vih> Absolute voltage level which defines vih.
Use
VIL and VIH do not use a min/typ/max array to select their
device. The VIL_VIH_VALUE statement sets the VIL and
VIH parameters of the device to absolute voltages as
follows:
vil_param = <vil>
vih_param = <vih>
Notes
In order to more accurately model the actual switching
characteristics of a digital input, VIL and VIH are not
generally set to their specified databook values. The
exception is the case of devices with a specified hysteresis
such as the 74LS14. Typically, the hysteresis of a digital
device is small, in the order of 100mV, but never 0V.
The vil_param and vih_param values set by
VIL_VIH_VALUE are overridden by any values set for “VIL
value” and “VIH value” in the Digital Model Parameters
dialog box.
Example
VIL_VIH_VALUE(1.25, 1.35);
See Also
REALS, VIL_VIH_PERCENT

VOL_VOH_MIN
Sets VOH and VOL relative to power and ground.
General Form
VOL_VOH_MIN (<vol offset>, <voh offset>, <min voh-vol>);
Parameters
<vol offset> Voltage offset which must be applied
to ground pin voltage to get vol.
<voh offset> Voltage offset which must be applied
to power pin voltage to get voh.
<min voh-vol> Minimum allowed difference between
voh and vol.
Use
VOL and VOH do not use a min/typ/max array to select their
device. The VOL_VOH_MIN statement sets the VOL and
VOH parameters of the device as follows:
vol_param = gnd_param + <vol offset>
voh_param = pwr_param + <voh offset>
Notes
In order to more accurately model the actual characteristics
of a digital output, VOH is not generally set to its specified
databook value. The reason for this deviation is that
databook values for VOH are specified for maximum IOH
load. In digital SimCode, VOL and VOH represent an
unloaded output voltage.
PWR_GND_PINS must be defined to use this function. The
vol_param and voh_param values set by VOL_VOH_MIN
are overridden by any values set for “VOL value” and “VOH
value” in the Digital Model Parameters dialog box. These are
offset values rather than absolute voltages. The <voh
offset> is negative so that when added to pwr_param, the
resulting VOH will not be greater than pwr_param. If the
difference between the resulting vol_param and voh_param
is less than <min voh-vol>, then vol_param will be set to the
value of gnd_param and voh_param will be set to
gnd_param + <min voh-vol>.

Example
VOL_VOH_MIN(0.2, -0.4, 0.1);
In this example:
1 If gnd_param = 0V and pwr_param = 5.0V, then
vol_param = 0.2V and voh_param = 4.6V
2 If gnd_param = 0V and pwr_param = 0.5V, then

vol_param = 0.0V and voh_param = 0.1V
See Also
REALS, PWR_GND_PINS
WHILE ... DO
Conditionally controls looping in the SimCode.
General Form
WHILE (<expression>) DO BEGIN ... END;
Parameters
<expression> Any expression that can be evaluated as
true or false
Use
The WHILE ... DO statement is used to loop through a
section of SimCode until <expression> evaluates to false.
Notes
Program flow will remain in a loop between the BEGIN and
END statements until <expression> evaluates to false, then
program flow resumes after the END statement.
Examples
i = 1;
WHILE (i <= 5) DO
BEGIN
data[i] = data[i + 1];
i = i + 1;
END;
See Also
IF ... THEN

WIDTH
Tests inputs for minimum pulse width violations.
General Form
WIDTH(<input> [<input>...]
{TWL=<time>}|{TWH=<time>} ["<message>"];
Parameters
<input> Name of or variable index to the input
pin under test.
TWL Width of a low going pulse.
TWH Width of a high going pulse.
warning occurs.
Use
The WIDTH function compares the pulse width on each
<ipin> to the specified test WIDTH times. A low level test
time is specified using TWL=<time> while a high level test
time is specified using TWH=<time>. If the compare time is
less than the specified <time> a WARNING will be dis-
played. An optional <message> string can be included in the
WIDTH statement which will be output if a WARNING is
displayed.
Notes
The input pins can be input pin names and/or integer
variables that contain an index value to an input pin. Pin
names and variables can be mixed in the same WIDTH
statement.
Examples
WIDTH(CLK TWL=clk_twl TWH=clk_twh "CLK");
WIDTH(PRE CLR TWL= pre_clr_twl "PRE or CLR");

WIDTH_TIME
Returns last pulse width encountered on specified pin.
General Form
WIDTH_TIME(<input>)
Parameters
<input> Name of or index to an input pin.
Use
This function returns a real value that indicates the last
pulse width encountered on the specified <input>.
Example
PW = (WIDTH_TIME(CP2));

10X Amplifier Circuit example 3-14
Index 16-bit macro libraries, updating 1-4
3-State
changing color of 13-1
Symbols 32-bit macro libraries, updating 1-3
7-segment
# xxxx source 17-4, 17-6, 17-13, 17-14 changing color of 13-1
%="path\filename.ext" 4-29
%[ 4-30 A
%B 4-29
%D 4-29, 17-8 ABS 17-12, 17-34
%I 4-29 ABSTOL 15-4, 15-6
%L 4-28 AC Analysis (AC Sweep)
%M 4-29, 17-9 decibels 3-20
%N 4-28 log 3-20
%number 4-30 running 6-20
%P 4-29 setting up 6-20
%pinorder 17-8 show wave grid 3-20
%S 4-29 tutorial 3-17
%V 4-28 Access faults 8-5
%X 4-29 Accessing a project 1-8
+V 4-27, 6-6 ACCT 15-9
+V, selecting a 3-4 ACOS 17-12, 17-34
.CKT 2-3 ADCSTEP 15-12
.CKT files Adding
basic management of 2-9 existing models to new macro symbol 16-25
opening 2-10 existing shapes 16-6
reverting to previously saved 2-10 new models to existing symbols 16-24
starting 2-9 new subcircuits to existing symbol 16-28
.DAT 2-3 text to schematic 4-2
.IC 15-3, 15-29 ADDSHUNTS 15-2
.IC device, selecting 3-10 Agreement, Software License iii
.INCLUDE 4-29 Alias
.LIB 2-3 models 16-36
.MOD 2-3 parameter passing 16-38
.NET file subcircuits 16-37
and XSpice for Windows 6-45 Always Set Defaults 6-18
.NODESET 15-3 Ammeter 6-50
.RAW file 6-47, 6-48 Analog Analyses
analysis data saved in 6-48 AC 6-20
and XSpice for Windows 6-45 and test points 6-7
.SRP 2-3 DC 6-19
.SUB 2-3 DC Operating Point 6-22
Fourier 6-29
Index - 383
Impedance Plot 6-41 ASCIIOUTPUT 6-46, 6-47
in fault simulations 8-8 ASIN 17-34
Monte Carlo 6-36 Assigning new HotKeys 4-9
Noise 6-32 Assignment operator 17-40
Parameter Sweep 6-26 ATAN 17-12, 17-34
setting up 6-18 Auto designation prefix 17-9
setting up (tutorial) 3-16 Auto Refresh 12-1
Sweep Trace Labels 6-28 Auto Repeat 4-12, 12-1
Temperature Sweep 6-35 Auto Wire Routing 4-14, 9-7
Transfer Function 6-30 AUTOPARTIAL 15-10
Transient 6-23 Autoplacement
tutorial 3-7 controlling from CircuitMaker 7-14
Analog only devices 5-2, 6-2, 17-9
analog check box 6-3 B
editing 4-25 Background
showing 4-8 changing color of 13-1
Analog simulation Background, required user 1-1
definition 6-1 BADMOS3 15-8
running 6-11 BEGIN 17-6, 17-25, 17-64
tools 6-3 Bill of Materials
using Digital Simcode devices 3-20 excluding from 4-31
Analog/Digital devices 5-2, 6-2 exporting 7-1
Analog/SPICE variables Binary output 6-47
setting up 6-47 Bitwise operators 17-40
Analysis Probe Name (%[) 4-30 BJTs 15-25
Analysis Windows Black Box 11-3
displaying waveforms 6-12 Board size 7-14
using 6-11 Bode plotter 6-20
Angle of bus connection wire Boolean expressions 15-8, 15-21
changing 4-19 BOOLH 15-8, 15-21
Arcs BOOLL 15-8, 15-21
drawing in Symbol Editor 16-4 BOOLT 15-8, 15-21
element definition 16-13 Breakpoints 5-8, 5-9
Arrow Tool Breaks on page
activating 4-2 moving 12-3
Arrow/Wire option 12-2 showing 12-3
flipping switches 4-2 Browsing devices 4-7
moving items 4-2 Bus connection wires 4-18
selecting 4-2 changing angle 4-19
selecting items with 4-2 show bus labels 4-19
selecting other tools 4-2 specifying number for 4-18
using 4-2 wiring together by number 4-19
wiring with 12-2
Index - 384
Bus Data 4-26, 4-29, 6-6, 17-8 installing 1-2
editing 4-26 introduction 1-1
terminal devices 4-20 preferences 2-8
Bus Data (%B) 4-29 required user background 1-1
Bus labels simulation windows 2-2
showing 12-3 starting 2-1
Bus wires 10-6 task overview 2-4
changing color of 13-1 updating from previous version 1-3
cutting 4-18 what is? 1-1
extending 4-18 windows 2-2
joining 4-18 workspace 2-1
showing bus labels 4-19 CircuitMaker files
specifying number for 4-18 .CKT 2-3
working with 4-17 .DAT 2-3
Buttons on Toolbar .LIB 2-3
introduction 2-4 .MOD 2-3
BYPASS 15-9 .SRP 2-3
Bypass capacitors 6-7 .SUB 2-3
CircuitMaker to TraxMaker 7-13
C Circuits
Cadnetix PCB format 7-11 analysis (tutorial) 3-8
Calay 90 PCB format 7-11 changing background color 13-1
Calay PCB format 7-11 changing labels of 4-21
Calling Technical Support 1-8 creating macro 16-19
Capacitors 15-14 drawing 4-1
Cascade Windows 13-3 drawing (tutorial) 3-1
CASE 17-7, 17-16 exporting as graphics 4-34, 7-8
CHANGE_TIME 17-12, 17-15 labeling 4-21
CHANGED_xx 17-12, 17-15, 17-17 simulating (tutorial) 3-8
Changing simulating analog/mixed-signal 6-1
device labels 4-21 simulating digital 5-1
waveform order 5-7 wiring 4-14
Check Pin Connections 14-1 wiring (tutorial) 3-5
CHGTOL 15-6 Closing
Circles a .CKT file 2-9
drawing in Symbol Editor 16-4 Close command 9-2
Circuit Display Data 12-4 Colors 5-2
Circuit faults 8-4 changing 13-1
managing 8-6 text 4-2
CircuitMaker Compiling Simcode 17-4
conventions 2-3 Component noise
drawing window 2-2 measuring 6-32
files 2-3
Index - 385
Connecting user external clock 5-11
connection area 9-7 DC Analysis (DC Sweep)
connectivity (definition) 2-2 running 6-19
single click 9-6 setting up 6-19
Connectors troubleshooting failures 15-3
input 4-19 tutorial 3-16
output 4-19 warnings 15-3
wiring with 4-19 Debug 17-13
CONVABSSTEP 15-10 DEFAD 15-6
Conventions DEFAS 15-6
CircuitMaker 2-3 Default Font 9-5
User Manual 1-9 Default Test Points
Convert ASCII Library 11-7 description 6-8
CONVLIMIT 15-10 Defaults 9-4
CONVSTEP 15-10 restoring 2-8
Copying DEFL 15-6
circuits 10-2 DEFW 15-6
Copy command 10-1 DELAY 17-6, 17-7, 17-11, 17-16
disable for instruction 8-7 Delete Macro 11-5
waveforms 10-2 Delete Tool
Copyright ii activating 4-2
COS 17-12, 17-34 cutting or dividing wire 4-3
Coupled (mutual) inductors 15-16 deleting items 4-2
Current sources 15-17 deleting wires 4-2
Current-controlled disabling for instruction 8-7
current sources 15-20 using 4-2
switches 15-17 using (tutorial) 3-10
voltage sources 15-20 Deleting
CURRENTMNS 15-11, 17-37 items 10-2
CURRENTMXS 15-11, 17-38 shapes and elements 16-6
Cursors 6-15 tutorial 3-10
Curve tracer 6-19 with Delete key 4-3
Cut 10-1 with Delete Tool 4-2
disabling for instruction 8-7 Dependent sources 15-21
Cutting wires 4-3, 4-16 Description
in spice data string (%I) 4-29
D label 4-24
Dashed lines Designation 4-23, 4-29, 10-5
drawing with the Wire Tool 4-2 changing (tutorial) 3-14
Data Sequencer 5-11, 10-9 device designations 12-1
selecting 3-21 in spice data string (%D) 4-29
start address 5-11 prefix 4-24
stop address 5-11 renumbering new device 12-1
Index - 386
Device Dependent Bitmap 7-7 symbol 3-3
Device Display Data 12-4 DGND 6-6, 6-48
Device faults 8-3, 8-4 Digital
adding 8-3 digital options 5-7
enabling 8-3 model parameters 17-49
label-value 8-3 options for fault simulation 8-8
Device Independent Bitmap 7-7 SimCode devices 17-1
Device library 4-7 SimCode example 17-4
and fault simulations 8-8 SimCode language 17-1
using (tutorial) 3-1 Digital devices
Device replacement editing 4-25
disabling for instruction 8-7 showing 4-8
fault simulations 8-7 Digital instruments
Device Symbol 4-8 data sequencer 5-11
Device/Plot Font 9-5 pattern editor 5-12
DEVICEDB.DAT file 9-8 pulser 5-10
Devices Digital logic simulation
analog only 5-2, 6-2 debugging with Trace feature 5-5
analog/digital 5-2, 6-2 definition 5-1
browsing 4-7 digital options 5-8
changing color of 13-1 measuring wire states 5-4
changing labels of 4-21 observing operation of circuit 5-5
creating macro 16-19 opening/closing waveforms 5-5
creating new 16-1 performing 5-2
creating symbols 16-2 resetting the simulation 5-3
designation 4-23 running 5-4
digital only 5-2, 6-2 Step button 5-4
editing 4-22 stopping 5-4
elementary SPICE 15-13 tutorial 3-6
expanding macro 16-17 types of devices permitted in 5-2
filtering list of 4-8 using the Digital/Analog button 5-3
flipping 4-4 using Trace feature 5-2
moving when wires connected 4-17 what is? 5-1
naming 4-22 Digital model parameters
nudging 4-13 editing 16-40
placing 4-12 Digital only devices 5-2, 6-2
renumbering designations of 12-1 Digital options 5-8
repeating placed 12-1 breakpoint 5-8
rotating in 90 degree increments 4-3 conditions 5-8
schematic symbol only 5-2, 6-2 setting up breakpoints 5-9
searching for 4-10 simulation speed 5-8
selecting from library 4-7 step size 5-8
selecting in schematic 4-12 x magnification 5-8
Digital Oscilloscope 6-23
Index - 387
Digital SimCode devices 15-28 Copy Circuit 10-2
using in analog simulation mode 3-20 Copy Waveforms 10-2
Digital/Analog Button 6-4 Cut 10-1
activating 5-3 Delete Items 10-2
toggling 5-3 Duplicate 10-2
using 5-3 Edit Bus Connection 10-6
using (tutorial) 3-8 Edit Bus Wire Number 10-7
Diodes 15-24 Edit Data Sequencer 10-9
DIP packages Edit Device Data 10-7
adding in Symbol Editor 16-7 Edit Digital Params 10-7
Directories and Files 9-8 Edit Input/Output 10-9
Disclaimer iv Edit Multimeter 10-9
Display data of circuit Edit PROM/RAM 10-8
showing 12-4 Edit Pulser 10-8
Display hints 8-5, 8-7, 8-9 Edit Run-Time Test Point 10-7
Display Variable Names 6-14, 14-2 Edit Scope/Probe Name 10-10
Displaying waveforms 6-12 Edit Signal Generator 10-10
Dividing a wire 4-3 Edit/Select Spice Model 10-7
Dots Font 10-11
changing color of 13-1 Group Items 10-10
showing pin 12-3 Move 10-1
Drawing a schematic 3-1 Paste 10-1
DRIVE 17-5, 17-11 Place Selected Label(s) 10-4
Drive capacity 15-11, 15-12, 17-28 Rotate 90 10-3
DRIVEMNS 15-11, 17-37 Select All 10-3
DRIVEMXS 15-11, 17-37 Set Auto Designation 10-5
drv_param 17-6, 17-28, 17-37 Set Prop Delay(s) 10-4
DRVMNTYMX 15-12 Straighten Selected Wire(s) 10-4
Duplicate 10-2 Undo 10-1
DVCC 6-6, 6-48 Edit Multimeter 10-9
DVDD 6-6, 6-48 Edit PROM/RAM 10-8
Edit Pulser 10-8
E Edit Scope/Probe Name 10-10
Edit Buffer Edit Selected Item 10-6
in Symbol Editor 16-9 Edit Signal Generator 10-10
using 16-10 Editing
Edit Bus Connection 10-6 digital model parameters 16-40
Edit Bus Wire Number 10-7 macros 11-1
Edit Data Sequencer 10-9 pin information 16-8
Edit device data 4-22, 17-8 SPICE models in CircuitMaker 16-22
Edit Input/Output 10-9 SPICE models with text editor 16-21
Edit menu SPICE subcircuits 16-27
Copy 10-1 symbols 16-3
Editing devices 4-22
Index - 388
analog 4-25 Exclusive Test Points
bus data 4-26 placing 6-8
description 4-24 placing multiple 6-9
designation 4-23 removing 6-9
device name 4-22 EXIT 17-5, 17-7, 17-13
digital 4-25 EXP 17-12, 17-34
label-value 4-23 Expand Macro 11-2, 11-5
package 4-24 Expanding macro devices 16-17
parameters 4-26 Exponential Data
spice data 4-28 editing 6-56
Element definitions 16-10 Export Options
Arc 16-13 setting up 7-7
circle 16-12 Exporting
ellipse 16-12 Bill of Materials 7-1
line 16-10 circuits as graphics 4-34, 7-8
PinDown 16-13 entire circuit 4-33
PinDown~ 16-13 PCB netlist 7-10
PinLeft 16-13 SPICE netlist 7-9
PinLeft~ 16-13 SPICE subcircuit 7-9
PinRight 16-13 TraxMaker PCB netlist 7-13
PinRight~ 16-13 waveforms as graphics 7-8
PinUp 16-13 EXT_TABLE 17-5, 17-7, 17-11, 17-21
PinUp~ 16-13 Extending wires 4-16
polygon 16-11
polyline 16-11 F
rect 16-12 Factory defaults
rrect 16-12 restoring 2-8
Text 16-13 Failures
Element List DC Analysis (DC Sweep) 15-3
in Symbol Editor 16-9 of Operating Point Analysis 15-2
Elementary devices Transient Analysis 15-4
of SPICE 15-13 Faults 4-33, 8-1
Ellipses managing circuit 8-6
drawing in Symbol Editor 16-4 password protecting 8-10
element definition 16-12 FETs 15-25
ELSE 17-25 File management
END 17-7, 17-25, 17-64 .CKT files 2-9
Enlarging the circuit 4-3 File menu
Errors 6-46, 7-11 Close 9-2
EVENT 17-11 Merge 9-1
Example of using SPICE data 4-30 New 9-1
Exclude from Bill of Materials 4-31 Open 9-1
Exclude from PCB 4-31 Preferences 9-4
Index - 389
Print Circuit 9-4 changing color of 13-1
Print Setup 9-3 in Symbol Editor 16-3
Print Waveforms 9-4 snap to 4-4, 12-5
Reopen 9-1 turning on or off 4-4, 12-5
Revert 9-2 Ground 4-27
Save 9-2 selecting (tutorial) 3-4
Save As 9-2 Ground and Vcc 6-6
Files Group Items 10-10
introduction to CircuitMaker 2-3 Groups of items
Filtering devices by name 4-8 selecting 4-12
Find and Select 10-3
Finding devices 4-10 H
Fit Circuit To Window 13-3 Hardware keys, installing 1-2
using (tutorial) 3-18 HCOS 17-12, 17-34
Fit to Page 9-4 HI_IMPEDANCE 17-57
Flipping a device 4-4 HIGH 8-1, 8-9
FM Signal 6-54, 6-55 High
Fonts 10-11 changing color of 13-1
changing 4-2 Hints 8-4, 8-7, 8-8
default 9-5 hide from students 8-7
device/plot 9-5 HOTKEYDB.DAT file 9-8
Fourier Analysis HotKeys 4-9
running 6-29 assigning 4-9
setting defaults 6-24 introduction 2-7
setting up 6-29 reassigning 4-10
FREQUENCY (FMAX) 17-11, 17-23 unassigning 4-10
G using to select a device (tutorial) 3-2
HSIN 17-12, 17-34
GaAsFETs 15-27 HTAN 17-12, 17-34
Gates
changing color of 13-1 I
Gaussian distribution 6-37 I->I Source 15-20
Gear Integration 6-48, 15-4 I->Switch 15-17
GMIN 15-3, 15-6 I->V Source 15-20
GMINSTEP 15-9 I/O Pins 17-39
GND 6-6 i_param 17-7, 17-28, 17-37
gnd_param 17-49 Icc 17-33
GOSUB 17-13, 17-24 IF ... THEN 4-16, 17-5, 17-6, 17-13, 17-25
GOTO 17-13, 17-24, 17-25 IMNTYMX 15-12, 17-28
Graphics Impedance Plot Analysis
exporting circuits as 4-34, 7-8 running 6-41
exporting waveforms as 7-8 setting up 6-41
Grid 4-4, 12-5
Index - 390
Importing J
and simulating SPICE netlist 9-2
Metafile devices 16-7 JFETs 15-25
Include File (%=path\filename.ext) 4-29 Joining wires 4-16
Independent sources 15-17 Junction diodes 15-24
Inductors 15-15
init_sim 17-28
K
Initial conditions 6-24, 15-3 Keep out layer
Input 10-9 controlling from CircuitMaker 7-14
Input loading 15-10, 15-12, 17-28 KEEPOPINFO 15-8
Input noise Key cap
measuring 6-32 changing color of 13-1
INPUTS 17-4, 17-5, 17-6, 17-8, 17-26 Keys
Installing HotKeys 2-7
Circuitmaker 1-2 shortcut 2-7
hardware (hw) keys 1-2
multi-user projects 1-6 L
INSTANCE 17-12, 17-27
Instrument Label (%L) 4-28
changing color of 13-1 Label-Value 4-28, 17-9
INTEGERS 17-6, 17-10, 17-28 changing 4-23
Integration method 6-48 changing (tutorial) 3-14
Internal high/low 8-4 changing for resistor (tutorial) 3-5
Interpolative look-up table 17-45 changing for transistor (tutorial) 3-5
io 17-7, 17-32 of device faults 8-3
IO_PAIRS 17-6, 17-10, 17-30, 17-32 Labeling circuits
Items changing labels 4-21
changing color of all 13-1 with text tool 4-21
grouping 10-10 Labels, Bus
selecting 4-12 showing 12-3
selecting all 4-13 Lamp
selecting groups of 4-12 changing color of 13-1
selecting multiple 4-12 LCC packages
ITL1 15-3, 15-6 adding in Symbol Editor 16-7
ITL2 15-3, 15-6 ld_param 17-6, 17-28, 17-37
ITL3 15-6 LDMNTYMX 15-12, 17-28
ITL4 15-4, 15-7 LED
ITL5 15-7 changing color of 13-1
LEVEL 17-11, 17-31
Library of devices
selecting from 3-2, 4-7
License Agreement iii
Lines
Index - 391
drawing in Symbol Editor 16-4 saving 11-2, 11-4
element definitions 16-10 Macros menu
Linking files 11-6, 17-2 Convert ASCII Library... 11-7
model and subcircuit 16-32 Expand Macro 11-2
LIST 15-9 Macro Copier 11-6
Listing devices 4-7 Macro Lock 11-3
LOAD 17-5, 17-7, 17-11, 17-30, 17-32 Macro Utilities 11-4
Loading 15-10, 15-12, 17-28 Save ASCII Library... 11-7
LOADMNS 15-10, 17-37 Save macro 11-4
LOADMXS 15-11, 17-37 Update Search List 11-8
Locking macros 11-3 Magnifying the circuit 4-3
LOG 17-12, 17-34 Major Device Class 3-2, 4-8, 11-4
LOG10 17-12, 17-34 Managing circuit faults 8-6
Lossless Transmission Lines 15-22 Manual routing 4-15
Lossy Transmission Lines 15-23 Manual wire routing 4-15
LOW 8-1, 8-10 MATH FUNCTIONS 17-34
Low MAX 17-23
changing color of 13-1 MAXEVTITER 15-9
MAXOPALTER 15-9
M Measurement cursors
Macro circuits using 6-15
creating 16-19 Merge Command 9-1
Macro Copier 11-6 MESFETs 15-27
Macro devices MESSAGE 17-6, 17-7, 17-13, 17-35
creating 16-19 Metafile devices
expanding 16-17 importing into Symbol Editor 16-7
Macro libraries Metafile for Windows 7-7
updating 16-bit 1-4 MIN 17-23
updating 32-bit 1-3 MIN_TYP_MAX 17-6, 17-12, 17-36
Macro Lock 8-10, 11-3 MINBREAK 15-9
Macro symbols Minor Device Class 3-2, 4-8
adding existing models to 16-25 Mirror Button
adding existing subcircuits to 16-29 activating 4-4
Macro Utilities 11-4 disabling for instruction 8-7
Class Selected Device 11-5 using 4-4
Delete Macro 11-5 using m key instead 4-4
Expand Macro 11-5 Mirroring devices 4-8
Model Data 11-6 Mixed-Signal simulation
Macros example (tutorial) 3-20
changing color of 13-1 in Analog mode 6-1
creating new 11-1 Model (%M) 4-29
editing 11-1 Model Data 11-6
expanding 11-2 Model linking files 11-6, 17-2
Model parameters
Index - 392
editing digital 16-40 N
MODEL_PATH 17-2
Models Name (%) 4-28
adding to existing symbols 16-24 Named Subcircuit (%X) 4-29
adding to new macro symbols 16-25 Netlists
and subcircuits linking files 16-32 definition 7-10
updating from previous version 1-5 definition of nets 7-10
working with SPICE 16-21 exporting PCB 7-10
Models, SPICE exporting SPICE 7-9
creating new with parameter passing 16-38 importing and simulating 9-2
editing in CircuitMaker 16-22 loading and running TraxMaker 7-14
editing with text editor 16-21 requirements 7-10
Monte Carlo Analysis Nets
distribution 6-37 definition 7-10
gaussian distribution 6-37 definition of netlist 7-10
overriding with specific tolerances 6-40 New Command 9-1
running 6-36 New Macro 11-1
seed 6-37 NLI Source 15-21
setting up 6-36 NLV Source 15-21
simulation runs 6-36 NO_CHANGE 17-11, 17-39
specifying default tolerances 6-40 Node (%number) 4-30
uniform distribution 6-37 Node numbers 4-30, 8-8
worst case distribution 6-37 showing 12-3
MOSFETs 15-26 NODESET 15-3, 15-28
Mouse usage 2-6 Noise Analysis
Move 10-1 running 6-32
Moveable page breaks 12-3 setting up 6-32
Moving Non-linear Sources 15-21
devices with connected wires 4-17 NOOPALTER 15-9
elements and shapes 16-6 NOOPITER 15-8
Multi-user (project) installations 1-6 Normal Size/Position 13-3
Multifunction Signal Generator 6-50 Nudging devices 4-13
Multimeter 10-9 NULL 17-6
using 6-49 NUMBER 17-5, 17-12, 17-39
Multiple projects Number of bus wire
setting up 1-6 specifying 4-18
Multiple shapes Numbers of nodes
selecting in Symbol Editor 16-5 showing 12-3
Multipliers 4-28, 15-2 Numerical Integration 6-48
Index - 393
O P
Objects Package 4-24, 4-29
changing color of 13-1 Package (%P) 4-29
Offsetting waveforms 6-15 PADS PCB format 7-11
Ohmmeter 6-50 Page breaks
ONE 17-7, 17-31, 17-53, 17-55 moving 12-3
Online Help, using 1-10 showing 12-3
Online tutorial, watching 1-11 Page Down, using to zoom out 4-3
OPEN 8-2, 8-10 Page Up, using to zoom in 4-3
Open Command 9-1 PARAM_SET 17-12, 17-42
Opening a .CKT file 2-10 Parameter passing
Operating Point (Multimeter) Analysis creating new SPICE models 16-38
running 6-22 Parameter Sweep Analysis
setting up 6-22 running 6-26
troubleshooting failures 15-2 setting up 6-26
OPERATORS 17-40 Parameters 4-26, 17-9
Option variables editing device 4-26
of SPICE 15-5 Partial derivatives 15-10
Options menu Parts Button 3-2, 4-7
Arrow/Wire 12-2 accessing device library 4-7
Auto Refresh 12-1 using 4-7
Auto Repeat 12-1 Parts list
Circuit Display Data 12-4 see Bill of Materials 7-1
Cursor Tools 12-2 Password 8-4, 8-10
Device Designations 12-1 Paste 10-1
Device Display Data 12-4 disabling for instruction 8-7
Grid 12-5 Pattern Editor 5-12
Quick Connect 12-1 PCB netlists 4-27, 6-7
Show Bus Labels 12-3 Cadnetix format 7-11
Show Node Numbers 12-3 Calay 90 format 7-11
Show Page Breaks 12-3 Calay format 7-11
Show Pin Dots 12-3 exporting 7-10
Show Prop Delays 12-4 exporting to popular formats 7-11
Title Block 12-6 OrCAD PCB II format 7-11
OPTS 15-9 PADS format 7-11
OrCad PCB II format 7-11 Protel format 7-11
Oscilloscope 6-23 requirements 7-10
Output 10-9 Tango format 7-11
Output Drive Capacity 15-11, 15-12 TraxMaker 7-12
Output noise Persistent waveform 6-17
measuring 6-32 Piece-Wise 6-58, 17-45
OUTPUTS 17-5, 17-6, 17-8, 17-10, 17-41 Pin Data 17-8
Pin dots
Index - 394
changing color of 13-1 previous_time 17-49
showing 12-3 Printing
PinDown 16-13 adjusting print size 4-33
PinDown~ 16-13 circuits 9-4
PinLeft 16-13 Fit to Page 9-4
PinLeft~ 16-13 print setup 9-3
PinRight 16-13 the circuit 4-33
PinRight~ 16-13 waveforms 9-4
Pins Probe Tool 5-3, 5-7
changing color of 13-1 activating 5-4
designations in Symbol Editor 16-4 current (I) 3-10
drawing in Symbol Editor 16-4 definition of states 5-4
editing information about 16-8 high state 5-4
names in Symbol Editor 16-4 low state 5-4
names of 4-31 meaning of letters in 6-5
numbers of 4-31, 4-33 power (P) 3-10
Pins shorted together 8-2 pulse state 5-4
PinUp 16-13 selecting 6-5
PinUp~ 16-13 tristate 5-4
PIVREL 15-7 unknown state 5-4
PIVTOL 15-7 using 6-5, 6-12
Place Labels 10-4 voltage (V) 3-9
Placing devices 4-12 Projects
POLY 15-22 accessing 1-8
Polygons installing multi-user 1-6
editing in Symbol Editor 16-4 setting up multiple 1-6
element definition 16-11 PROM 10-8
Polylines PROMPT 17-13, 17-43
editing in Symbol Editor 16-4 Prompt to save 9-6
element definition 16-11 Propagation delays 10-4, 15-10, 15-11, 17-
Position 13-3 6, 17-28
POW 17-12, 17-34 in Digital mode 5-6
Power Bus 4-20 showing 12-4
Power devices 15-4 PROPMNS 15-10, 17-37
Pre-5.0 digital circuits PROPMXS 15-10, 17-37
updating for analog simulation 1-5 Protel PCB format 7-11
Preferences 9-4 Pulse data
changing 2-8 editing 6-57
introduction 2-8 Pulse waveform 6-57
restoring factory defaults 2-8 Pulser 5-9, 5-10, 10-8
Prefix 4-24 PWL 6-58
present_time 17-7, 17-49 PWL_TABLE 17-6, 17-12
Previous version, updating from 1-3 PWR_GND_PINS 17-5, 17-6, 17-10, 17-46
pwr_param 17-49
Index - 395
Q Restoring factory defaults 2-8
RETURN 17-13
QFP packages Revert 9-2
adding in Symbol Editor 16-7 to previously saved file 2-10
Quick Connect wiring 4-16, 12-1 RF devices 15-4
roh_param 17-6, 17-18, 17-49
R rol_param 17-6, 17-18, 17-49
r0 17-32 Rotate 90 Button 4-8
r1 17-32 activating 4-3
r3s_param 17-49 disabling for instruction 8-7
RAM 10-8 using 4-3
RAMPTIME 15-9 using (tutorial) 3-14
READ_DATA 17-3, 17-12, 17-47 using r key instead 4-3
REALS 17-6, 17-10, 17-48 Rotate 90 Command 10-3
Recalling waveforms 6-16 Rotating
RECOVER 17-7, 17-10, 17-50 a device 4-3
Rectangles a resistor (tutorial) 3-3
drawing in Symbol Editor 16-4 Round rectangles
element definition 16-12 drawing in Symbol Editor 16-4
Reducing the circuit 4-3 element definition 16-12
Reference Point Routing
setting new 6-5, 6-13 auto wire 4-14, 9-7
Refresh Screen 13-3 manual wire 4-15
automatically 12-1 RSHUNT 15-12
Registered Trademarks ii Rubberband effect
Relative comparators 17-40 see Connectivity 2-2
Relative values 6-28 Run TraxMaker and load netlist 7-14
RELTOL 15-4, 15-7 Run-Time Test Points 6-43
Renumbering new devices 12-1 adding multiple 6-10
Reopen Command 9-1 description 6-8
Repeating devices 4-12, 12-1 placing 6-9
Replace device 8-7, 8-9 placing (tutorial) 3-17
Replacement status 8-7 removing 6-10
Requirements Run/Stop Button
for exporting netlists 7-10 using 5-4, 6-4
user background 1-1 using (tutorial) 3-9
Reset Button 5-3, 6-4 Running a simulation (tutorial) 3-17
in waveform window 6-17
using in Digital mode 5-3
S
Resistors 15-13 Save As Command 9-2
changing label-value (tutorial) 3-5 Save ASCII Library 11-7
selecting (tutorial) 3-3 Save Command 9-2
Resizing elements and shapes 16-6 Save Macro 11-2, 11-4
Index - 396
Saving analysis of a circuit 3-16
a .CKT file 2-9 breakpoints in a circuit 5-9
circuit 8-8 DC Analysis (DC Sweep) 6-19
prompting before 9-6 DC Operating Point Analysis 6-22
Scale 13-2 export options 7-7
Scale Factors 17-37 Fourier Analysis 6-29
Scale step size Impedance Plot Analysis 6-41
effect on Zoom Tool 4-3 Monte Carlo Analysis 6-36
Scaling waveforms 6-13 multiple projects 1-6
Schematic Noise Analysis 6-32
anatomy of 2-3 Parameter Sweep Analysis 6-26
drawing (tutorial) 3-1 sweep trace labels 6-28
Schematic symbol only 5-2, 6-2 Temperature Sweep Analysis 6-35
SCOPE 5-3, 5-7, 10-10 Transfer Function Analysis 6-30
Scope Probe 5-5, 5-7, 14-2 Transient Analysis 6-23
Searching devices 4-10 Setup button
Select All 10-3 in waveform window 6-15
SELECT_VALUE 17-12, 17-51 SETUP_HOLD 17-7, 17-10, 17-52
Selected items Shapes
changing color of 13-1 adding existing 16-6
Selecting selecting in Symbol Editor 16-5
.IC device 3-10 SHORT 8-10
a +V and ground device 3-4 Show Bus Labels 4-19, 12-3
a device symbol 3-3 Show LED/LAMP display state
a resistor 3-3 setting up for exporting 7-7
a single item 4-12 Show Node Numbers 8-8, 12-3
a transistor (tutorial) 3-3 Show Page Breaks 4-33, 12-3
all items 4-13 Show Pin Dots 12-3
colors 13-1 Show Prop Delays 5-6, 12-4
devices 4-12 Showing devices
devices (tutorial) 3-1 by analog 4-8
devices from library 4-7 by digital 4-8
groups of items 4-12 by symbol 4-8
items 4-12 Shunt resistors 15-12
multiple items 4-12 Signal Generator 8-8, 10-10, 15-18
shapes in Symbol Editor 16-5 AC analysis 3-15
switches 4-12 editor 6-51
Semiconductor capacitors 15-15 magnitude 3-15
Semiconductor resistors 15-13 phase 3-15
Set Prop Delays 10-4 using (tutorial) 3-15
Setting up Signal Selection 8-8
AC Analysis (AC Sweep) 6-20 sim_temp 17-6, 17-49
analog analyses 6-18 SimCode devices 15-28, 17-1
analog/SPICE variables 6-47
Index - 397
SIMLIST.TXT file 17-4 data 17-5, 17-8
Simulating default filenames 16-34
a digital circuit (tutorial) 3-6 editing subcircuits 16-27
a mixed mode circuit (tutorial) 3-20 elementary components 16-21
a simple AC circuit (tutorial) 3-12 elementary devices 15-13
Simulation errors 6-46
Analog Mode 5-1, 6-1 exporting as netlist 7-9
before you do a 6-2 exporting as subcircuit 7-9
Digital Mode 5-1, 6-1 Gmin stepping failed 15-1
errors 6-46 iteration limit reached 15-1
running a 3-17 models 16-21
setting up analog 3-16 multipliers 4-28, 15-2
stop 3-20 netlist, importing and simulating 9-2
warnings 6-46 option variables 15-5
Simulation menu 14-1 options 17-28, 17-37, 17-49
Analyses Setup 14-1 prefix character(s) 17-9
Check Pin Connections 14-1 prefixes 16-34
Digital Options 14-1 singular matrix 15-1
Digital/Analog Mode 14-1 source stepping failed 15-1
Display Variable Names 14-2 subcircuits 16-21
Display Waveforms 14-2 suggested reading 15-30
Reset 14-1 troubleshooting convergence 15-1
Run 14-2 warnings 6-46
Scope Probe 14-2 working with models 16-21
Step 14-2 SPICE Data 4-28
Trace 14-2 Analysis Probe Name (%[) 4-30
SIMWARN 15-12, 17-28 Bus Data (%B) 4-29
SIN 17-12, 17-34 Description (%I) 4-29
Sine wave data Designation (%D) 4-29
editing 6-52 editing 4-28
Single Click Connect 9-6 example of using 4-30
effect on wiring 4-15 Include File (%=path/filename.ext) 4-29
Singular matrix error 15-12 Label (%L) 4-28
Size 13-3 Model (%M) 4-29
SmartWires 4-16 Name (%N) 4-28
Snap to Grid 4-4, 12-5 Named Subcircuit (%X) 4-29
and nudging devices 4-13 Node (%number) 4-30
Software License Agreement iii Package (%P) 4-29
Sound Subcircuit (%S) 4-29
changing color of 13-1 Value (%V) 4-28
SPICE SQRT 17-12, 17-34
creating new models with parameter passing SRCSTEP 15-9
16-38 Starting
Index - 398
a .CKT file 2-9 Support, getting Technical 1-8
CircuitMaker 2-1 Sweep trace labels
TraxMaker from CircuitMaker 7-13 using 6-28
STATE 17-7, 17-11, 17-53 Switching between digital/analog mode 3-8
State of Probe Tool Symbol Editor
I (current) 3-10, 6-5 adding DIP packages 16-7
N (noise) 6-5 adding existing shape 16-6
P (power) 3-10, 6-5 adding LCC packages 16-7
R (input or output resistance) 6-5 adding QFP packages 16-7
V (voltage) 3-9, 6-5 deleting shapes and elements 16-6
Z (impedance) 6-5 drawing symbols with mouse 16-4
STATE_BIT 17-5, 17-11, 17-55 Edit Buffer 16-9
Step Button editing pin information 16-8
using 5-4 element definitions 16-10
STEP_OFF 17-13, 17-56 Element List 16-9
STEP_ON 17-13, 17-56 Grid 16-3
Stopping a simulation 3-20, 6-4 importing Metafile devices 16-7
Storing waveforms 6-16 moving shapes and elements 16-6
Straighten Wires 10-4 pin designations 16-4
STRENGTH 17-11 pin names 16-4
Strength 17-54, 17-55 Redraw 16-3
STRONG 17-57 resizing elements 16-6
Student use selecting multiple shapes 16-5
disabling circuit options 8-6 selecting shapes 16-5
displaying access faults 8-5 Symbol Name 16-4
fault password 8-4 Trace 16-4
hint message 8-4 tutorial 16-14
managing circuit faults 8-6 using display controls 16-3
Subcircuit (%S) 4-29 View 16-4
Subcircuit Linking Files 11-6 SYMBOLDB.DAT file 9-8
Subcircuits 4-29, 15-27 Symbols
adding to exiting symbol 16-28 adding new models to existing 16-24
adding to new macro symbols 16-29 adding new subcircuits to 16-28
and model linking files 16-32 changing color of 13-1
editing SPICE 16-27 changing text color 13-1
exporting SPICE 7-9 creating device 16-2
linking files 17-2 creating device (tutorial) 16-14
plotting internal variables 6-13 drawing with mouse 16-4
Suggested readings naming 16-4
for SPICE 15-30 showing 4-8
Supply current 15-11, 15-12
Supply voltage 6-46, 15-12
SUPPLY_MIN_MAX 17-6, 17-10, 17-58
Index - 399
T using 5-5
Trace mode 17-56
t 17-7, 17-32 tran_pin 17-28
TABLE 17-11, 17-59 TRAN_xx 17-17, 17-28
TAN 17-12, 17-34 TRANMNS 15-10, 17-37
Tango PCB format 7-11 TRANMXS 15-10, 17-37
Task overview of CircuitMaker 2-4 Transfer Function Analysis
Technical support 1-8 running 6-30
TEMP 15-7, 17-49 setting up 6-30
Temperature Sweep Analysis Transient Analysis 9-7
running 6-35 Preferences defaults 9-7
setting up 6-35 running 6-23
Terminal Device 4-20, 4-27 setting defaults 6-24
Test Points 6-5, 6-7, 6-46, 6-48 setting up 6-23
default 6-8 setting up (tutorial) 3-16
exclusive 6-8 troubleshooting failures 15-4
run-time 6-8 using (tutorial) 3-19
types 6-8 warnings 15-4
Text Transistors 15-25
adding to schematic 4-2 changing label-value (tutorial) 3-5
changing font of 10-11 selecting (tutorial) 3-3
Text Tool Transition time 15-10, 15-11, 17-28
activating 4-2 Transmission lines 15-22
changing color of text 4-2 Trapezoidal integration 6-48, 15-4
changing text font 4-2 TraxMaker 4-27, 6-7
resizing text in rectangle 4-2 loading netlist from CircuitMaker 7-14
using 4-2 PCB netlist format 7-12
TH 17-52 running from CircuitMaker 7-14
THEN 17-25 TREC 17-50
THold 6-46, 15-12 TRec 6-46, 15-12
Tile Windows 13-3 Troubleshooting
Timestep too small 15-7 SPICE convergence 15-1
Timing violations 6-46, 15-12 TRTOL 15-8
Title Block 4-5, 12-6 TRYTOCOMPACT 15-8
TNOM 15-8 TS 17-52
Toolbar TSetup 6-46, 15-12
displaying 13-1 tt_param 17-6, 17-28, 17-37
introduction 2-4 tthl 17-7, 17-18
tp_param 17-28, 17-37 ttlh 17-7, 17-18
TPMNTYMX 15-11, 17-28 TTMNTYMX 15-11
Trace 8-8 Tutorial, watching online 1-11
Symbol Editor 16-4 TW 17-65
Trace Button Tw 6-46, 15-12
activating 5-5
Index - 400
U View menu
Cascade Windows 13-3
U.S. Government Restricted Provisions v Fit Circuit To Window 13-3
UIC 6-24, 15-3 Normal Size/Position 13-3
Unassigning HotKeys 4-10 Select Colors 13-1
Undo 10-1 Tile Windows 13-3
Uniform distribution 6-37 Windows 13-3
UNKNOWN 17-31, 17-53 Viewing symbols 16-4
Update Search List 11-8 vih_param 17-49
Updating vil_param 17-49
16-bit macro libraries 1-4 VIL_VIH_PERCENT 17-10, 17-61
32-bit macro libraries 1-3 VIL_VIH_VALUE 17-6, 17-10, 17-62
from previous versions 1-3 Virtual instruments
model libraries 1-5 Bode plotter 6-11
pre-5.0 digital circuits for simulation 1-5 Curve tracer 6-11
URC lines 15-24 data sequencer 5-11
User background, required 1-1 Digital oscilloscope 6-11
User Manual, about 1-9 logic analyzer 5-7
USER.LIB 11-6 multimeter 6-11
USER.LIB file 9-8 Visible check box
user_param 17-28, 17-38 using 4-23
USERMNS 17-38 VNTOL 15-4, 15-8
USERMNTYMX 17-28 voh_param 17-7, 17-49
USERMXS 17-38 vol_param 17-7, 17-49
Using Online Help VOL_VOH_MIN 17-6, 17-10, 17-63
double-clicking Help file 1-10 Voltage sources 15-17
from a dialog box 1-10 Voltage-controlled
from the Help menu 1-10 current sources 15-19
switches 15-17
V voltage sources 15-19
V->I Source 15-19 Voltmeter 6-50
V->Switch 15-17 vth_param 17-38
V->V Source 15-19 VTHMNS 17-38
v0 17-7, 17-18, 17-32 VTHMXS 17-38
v1 17-7, 17-18, 17-32
v3s_param 17-49
W
VALUE 17-12, 17-60 WARN flag 17-28
Value 4-23 warn_param 17-28
Value (%) 4-28 Warning messages 6-46, 15-12, 17-28
Variables Watching online tutorial 1-11
for SPICE 15-5 Wave Button of Signal Generator
Vcc 17-58 using (tutorial) 3-15
Vcc and Ground 6-6 Waveforms 5-3, 5-7
Version, updating from previous 1-3
Index - 401
changing color of 13-1 straightening 10-4
changing order (digital) 5-7 using SmartWires feature 4-14
copying to clipboard 10-2 Wiring 4-14
displaying 6-12 a circuit 4-14
editing 6-13 a circuit (tutorial) 3-5
exporting as graphics 7-8 auto wire routing 4-14
offsetting 6-15 manual wire routing 4-14
plotting subcircuit internal variables 6-13 with Arrow/Wire Tool 12-2
recalling stored 6-16 with connectors 4-19
scaling 6-13 with Quick-Connect 4-14, 4-16
storing for future reference 6-16 with the Wire Tool 4-2
using measurement cursors 6-15 Word Generator 5-11
using Setup button 6-15 see also Data Sequencer 6-59
viewing multiple 6-5, 6-13 Workspace
Waveforms Button introduction 2-1
activating 5-5 Worst case distribution 6-37
selecting 6-6 Wrong value 8-2
using 5-5, 6-6
WHILE ... DO 17-13, 17-64 X
WIDTH 17-7, 17-11, 17-65 XSpice for Windows 17-1, 17-6
WIDTH_TIME 17-12 .NET file output 6-45
Window menu .RAW file output 6-45
Cascade Windows 13-3 about 6-43
Tile Windows 13-3 using 6-43
Windows metafile 7-7
Wire Tool 4-2, 8-7 Z
activating 4-2
disabling for instruction 8-7 ZERO 17-7, 17-31, 17-53, 17-55
drawing bus wires 4-2 Zoom Tool 13-2
drawing dashed lines 4-2 activating 4-3
using 4-2 magnifying the circuit 4-3
using (tutorial) 3-12 reducing the circuit 4-3
Wires setting the scale step 4-3
auto routing 4-14 using 4-3
bus connection 4-18 using page down key instead 4-3
bus, working with 4-17 using page up key instead 4-3
changing color of 13-1
cutting 4-16
extending 4-16
joining 4-16
moving devices with connected 4-17
routing manually 4-15
Index - 402

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CircuitMaker ®

Integrated Schematic Capture

Copyright © 1988-1998 MicroCode Engineering, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

CircuitMaker, TraxMaker and SimCode are trademarks or registered trademarks of MicroCode

MicroCode Engineering, Inc.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING LICENSE AGREEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE OPEN-

CircuitMaker is a proprietary product of MicroCode Engineering and is protected by Copyright

License Agreement iii

NO LIABILITY OF ANY FORM SHALL BE ASSUMED BY MICROCODE ENGINEERING OR ITS

Chapter 2: Getting Started

Chapter 4: Drawing and Editing Schematics

Chapter 5: Digital Logic Simulation

Chapter 7: Exporting Files

Chapter 8: Fault Simulation

Chapter 10: Edit Menu

Chapter 11: Macros Menu

Chapter 13: View & Window Menus

Chapter 15: SPICE: Beyond the Basics

Chapter 16: Creating New Devices

Chapter 17: Digital SimCode TM

Creating New SimCode Devices ........................................................17-2

Required User Background

• Math coprocessor recommended (for analog simula-

• 8M RAM, 15M hard disk space (20M during installa-

• Mouse or other pointing device.

• VGA (or higher) resolution monitor (color preferred).

Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker 1-21

Installing the Hardware (HW) Keys

Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker 1-22

Updating from a Previous Version

Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker 1-23

Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker 1-24

Updating Pre-5.0 Digital Circuits for

Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker 1-25

Multi-User (Project) Installations

Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker 1-26

Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker 1-27

NOTE: Please be prepared to provide your name and

Telephone: (801) 226-4470

Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker 1-28

Future versions of CircuitMaker are planned so please feel

About the Documentation

Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker 1-29

Using On-line Help

Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker 1-30

Where to Go from Here

Chapter 1: Welcome to CircuitMaker 1-31

Chapter 2: Getting Started 2-33

Figure 2.1. The CircuitMaker workspace.

About CircuitMaker Windows

2-34 Chapter 2: Getting Started

Chapter 2: Getting Started 2-35

Using the Toolbar

Open Print Wire Tool Delete Tool Rotate 90°

New Save Arrow Tool Text Tool Zoom Tool Mirror

Reset Run/Stop Trace Parts Macro TraxMaker

Digital/Analog Step Probe Tool Waveforms Search Help

The table on the following page briefly describes each

2-36 Chapter 2: Getting Started