Configuring XSpice Netlist Output Options

XSpice output options are set up in the Analyses Setup dialog.

Content and Use

The Analyses Setup dialog enables you to define the various analyses that can be performed by the Altium Designer-based Circuit Simulator. The options you define in the dialog will be used in the creation of a SPICE netlist (*.nsx), upon which the actual simulation can subsequently be run.
The dialog provides a list of the supported analysis types on its left hand side, as well as entries for general and more advanced simulation options. Simply click on an entry in the list to activate the corresponding setup page.
The following basic analysis types are supported:

• Operating Point Analysis
• Transient Analysis
• Fourier Analysis
• DC Sweep Analysis
• AC Small Signal Analysis
• Impedance Plot Analysis
• Noise Analysis
• Pole-Zero Analysis
• Transfer Function Analysis

In addition the following, more advanced features, are available:

• Monte Carlo Analysis
• Parameter Sweep
• Temperature Sweep

The General Setup page of the dialog allows you to specify the scope of the simulation and the signals to be automatically displayed upon completion of the simulation.
The Advanced Options page of the dialog enables you to define advanced simulation options, including the values of SPICE variables, the integration method used by the Simulation Engine and the simulation reference net. In general, you should not have to change any of the parameters in this page of the dialog for accurate simulation. Only change these options if you understand SPICE simulation parameters.

Notes

XSpice netlist output can be generated in one of two ways:

• using an appropriately configured output generator defined in an Output Job Configuration file (*.OutJob). Output will be generated upon running the configured output generator
• directly from within an active schematic document using the Design » Netlist For Document » XSpice and Design » Netlist For Project » XSpice menu commands, for single document or project-level netlisting respectively. Output will be generated immediately upon clicking OK in the Analyses Setup dialog.

Note : The settings defined in the Analyses Setup dialog when generating output directly from the schematic are distinct and separate to those defined for the same output type in an Output Job Configuration file. In the case of the former, the settings are stored in the project file, whereas for the latter they are stored in the Output Job Configuration file.

In order for a SPICE netlist to be created, the schematic design must be simulatable. If there are any errors or warnings that exist, a dialog will appear alerting you to the fact that there were errors parsing the circuit. The errors/warnings will be listed in the Messages panel. The Analyses Setup dialog will still appear, allowing you to define the analyses, and the output generator can still be run to produce the SPICE netlist, but unless the errors are resolved, the generated .nsx file may not be simulatable or may lead to undesirable results.

A simulation can be run directly from an open SPICE netlist, regardless of whether it is part of the project or a free document. The .nsx file can be edited manually, prior to running a simulation from it, but care should be taken and indeed you should have good knowledge of SPICE in order to proceed down this path. If you do make modifications to the netlist and then close it, you should save it under a different name, otherwise running a simulation from the schematic will result in the modified file being overwritten when the SPICE netlist is regenerated from the schematic.

The output path for the generated file is set in the Options tab of the Options for Project dialog. By default, the output path is set to a sub-folder under the folder that contains the Project file and has the name: Project Outputs for ProjectName. The output path can be changed as required. If the option to use a separate folder for each output type has been enabled in the Options tab, then the XSpice Netlist file will be written to a further sub-folder, named: AdvSim Output.

When generated, the output will be added to the project and appear in the Projects panel under the Generated folder, in an appropriately-named sub-folder (depending on the type of output). If you have used a separate folder for each output type, then corresponding (separate) Generated folders will be added to the Projects panel (e.g. Generated (AdvSim Output)).