hybridfree/eevblog-posts huggingface dataset:
Allegro Pan mode - how to reverse? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: DenzilPenberthy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2020, 02:50:31 pm
content: Hi folks,I'm just picking up Allegro for the first time and working through some tutorials.To me, their pan mode is totally backwards. I'm completely used to 'dragging the page' rather than 'dragging the window'. It's driving me a bit bonkers.Is there any setting anywhere to mirror left/right and up/down when panning? I can't find anything anywhere after a decent amount of searching, googling etc?Cheers!'Stretch goal' - any tips on if I can set up a dark theme? I've not started looking yet for how to do this but just in case anyone knows? (Version 17.2-2016 S055)

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2020, 08:10:20 pm
content: Set a checkmark here: user preferences -> ui -> input -> designhdl_pan

author: DenzilPenberthy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 11:46:23 pm
content: Nice one thanks! I've been so busy with work I've not been back here for a while to check back on this post.My next target is why do you have to hold CTRL to zoom with the mouse wheel in Design Entry HDL, but not in PCB Editor.It's a trivial annoyance compared to so many other issues I've had with this software though! Trying to learn to use this toolchain via their online training this month has probably taken about 5 years off my life from stress.

author: MBritton
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 25, 2023, 03:53:36 pm
content: To add to the previous answer (which is for the layout side), in Design Entry HDL, uncheck Tools ==> Options... ==> General --> Window Autopan .
MOVED: Planning/design/review for a 6-layer Xilinx Artix-7 board for DIY computer. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: nockieboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2022, 08:46:52 pm
content: This topic has been moved toFPGA.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=357046.0
EV1320QI DDR Voltage Terminator Replacement - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: sonalniraula77
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 12, 2023, 05:13:52 pm
content: Can anyone suggest me some replacements for EV1320QI DDR Voltage Termination part. It used to be produced by Enpirion but now it went obsolete. If you can suggest me something which does not have alot of passive components that goes with it and also has small size as like Empirion parts that would be great. Any suggestion will be appreciated.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2023, 10:21:32 pm
content: You already have a thread here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/enpirion-buck-converters-replacements/
Xmas card and challenge - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: tchiwam
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2022, 01:45:25 pm
content: Late night don't care routing here, living dangerously... no fusehttps://github.com/tchiwam/555Not tested, yet... should be when I get my 1st batch from JLCPCBLet me know for a big batch order
How do I slice a vector in a Qucs simulation using an equation? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: niconiconi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2022, 03:52:45 am
content: Any Qucs expert here? I'm trying to calculate some circuit parameters in Qucs using user-defined equations from the simulation results. The simulation is a 1001-point transient simulation, the output node is labelled as "out". After the simulation completes, the output voltage versus time is accessible as a vector out.Vt, and one can access the n-th element using the syntax out.Vt in a user-defined equation. For example, out.Vt is the 500th data point.Now I need to slice this vector, for example, to obtain the first 500 data points. But I don't know the correct syntax for this task. I've already read the documentation, including Short Description of Mathematical Functions, and Measurement Expressions Reference Manual. Unfortunately, none of these documents contain any helpful example.I've already tried out.Vt[1:500] and out.Vt[1,500]. But I got either an "Invalid" or "Wrong Dependency" error. What is the correct syntax for slicing a vector in Qucs?I've already posted this question on Stack Exchange and the Qucs mailing list, but so far didn't get any response. Unfortunately Qucs is a dying breed these days due to lack of development and maintenance, despite the fact that it's still a fairly powerful free and open source circuit simulator.

author: mag_therm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2022, 06:27:22 am
content: The following in an equation block will give vectors for plotting within a span, the values outside the span are set to 0My_span1=time<1.33e-7?time:0My_span2=time>1.33e-7?time:0Out1=My_span1?Out.Vt:0Out2=My_span2?Out.Vt:0Note that the case else :0 must be included.If you need to create new truncated vectors, there may be a similar way, but I have not tried that.maybe functions eye() and linspace()If you can work out how to do that within qucs, I would like to see your method.
PCB Review Request: Quad 14-segment display breakout board. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: tylerssims
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2022, 09:23:16 pm
content: https://imgur.com/a/VQpJ9gFThis is the first PCB I've laid out myself so go easy:) It's a breakout board for 4 pairs of Adafruit 14-segment displays- which are already mounted onto driver boards. I am just breaking out the SLC, SDA, 3.3V and GND pins from each module to solder pads, which will connect to an ESP8266 on another PCB. The SLA and SDA are being connected to the ESP8266 pcb with about 6 inches of 26awg wire. My signal traces are 0.3mm w/ 0.3mm vias, and my power traces are 0.5mm w/0.5mm vias.The test points are just my solder pads.I put the solder pads on the back because the wires need to come off the back of the board.I have a few questions:-My ESP8266 PCB already has a pull up for the I2C. Will I need to add another resistor given the extra capacitance in my board + wires? I figure that I can always add one inline with the 26awg wire if I needed to after the fact.-I tried to keep the pads for my SLA and SDA wires as small as possible, do they look ok?-Can I combine SLA and SDA traces like I have done? Or am I completely wrong? The displays all have individual I2C addresses.Thanks for the help!14-segment displays:https://learn.adafruit.com/14-segment-alpha-numeric-led-featherwing

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2022, 11:27:42 pm
content: The PCB is a bit too simple to be worth a review...I would either mount these displays to a some front panel or just a piece of wood and then solder some wires for power and I2C to it, or buy separate displays and HT16K33 IC's and design a PCB for it all.The 16k33 also supports multiplexing with a key matrix, which is nice for some front panel project and you can make some use of that.I2C wiring is not critical because of it's low speed and flanks. Both I2C wires do need a pullup resistor somewhere on the bus though. I2C does not work without those pullup resistors.
[WIP looking for feedback] I customized a TrueType font for Altium PCB Editor - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: dian.song
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 06, 2022, 11:35:11 pm
content: Vector graphics / TrueType fonts have always been a pain for me when using Altium.In the weekend I converted an existing open source font (JetBrains Mono) in FontForge so that the bold and extrabold variety are offset at set distance from the regular font. This way I could make three layers (copper, outer copper, and solder mask) to make texts appear like a polygon flooded pad. More explainations on this recently posted github repo:https://github.com/ds-dian-song/AltiumMonoThe work is not final yet, so if you decide to test it, I have to say thank you but take your own risk because there are still some unknown-unknowns. . There are a lot of tuning to do (for example, letter "i" could not appear correctly in inverted extrabold variation), but would like to see some feedback.Eventually I would like to make an improved font package that is similar to this:https://forum.live.altium.com/#/posts/61899https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/including-barcodes-logos-pcb?version=20.0#:~:text=A%20font%20of,the%20latest%20posts.So any suggestions for vector symbols to include in this font package? I am thinking diode, RoHS, UL, symbols will be useful.

author: Pseudobyte
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2022, 01:10:29 pm
content: Neat. I have never thought about using overlapping strings like that.
How much does PSIM cost? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Faringdon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2022, 09:01:51 pm
content: Hi,We wish to use PSIM for power electronics design simulation.Searched everywhere, but cant find how much it costs. Do you know?Initial cost + any yearly cost?

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 14, 2022, 10:29:09 pm
content: Seriously? I found their standard pricing in 3 clicks.If you are serious though, contact them and see what kind of deal they will offer. They have both perpetual and subscription offerings.

author: Faringdon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2022, 05:10:42 pm
content: OK thanks, $4790, (little figure down in the corner of the table) from PSIM website.....So its $4790 for just one year. Wow.
What the heck is this IC? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: jamessexycarrot
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 11, 2022, 08:42:09 am
content: I had a bunch old pedometers lying around (don't ask why) and decided to pop em open and compare it to a brand new one to see how they are similar/dissimilar.Sure enough, all the old ones used some form of pendulum to determine whether a step was taken.This new one, on the other hand, has an IC. There's incredible small writing on it that says WZ1. Googling, searching digikey and searching partfinder proved helpless. For reference, the pedometer it came from is named "NESKLA 3DPEDOMETER"Can anyone here identify the chip? Surely some type of accelerometer, right?James

author: jamessexycarrot
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 12, 2022, 03:28:28 am
content: bump!

author: Gribo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2022, 01:17:06 pm
content: Accelerometer? I would guess these two resistors are ~4.7K Ohms for the I2C lines.
Odd behavior placing wires on pins - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Back2Volts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 22, 2022, 07:51:08 pm
content: Occasional user of Kicad. I had been working on a schematic with a dozen symbols. I had run the power wires to all, and a few other signals. But, earlier on, through the process creating one of the symbols, I ended with a _1 name. I wanted to change it to no _1, so I made sure I had one in the library. I kicked the tires trying to figure it out, and ended deleting the symbol and placing the one I wanted.Some how, related or not, I am running into problems running wires out of pins. Some times It places a junction on the pin, or all you can see are the small squares... Is like they are in a different universe.Just wondering what I am doing wrong wrong.

author: erniebopjr
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 22, 2022, 08:57:38 pm
content: Maybe try going into symbol editor and changing the direction of the pins.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2022, 09:01:46 pm
content: This is 99.99% related to the grid mismatch. Carefully check that coordinates of the pin are exactly on the grid and not moved by some small fraction.

author: Back2Volts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 25, 2022, 12:26:26 am
content: That was it.Thank you Alex.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2022, 06:43:59 pm
content: The grid issue is much less severe than it used to be in KiCad, but it's still present.In KiCad V6 there is a relatively quick way to fix it.First set your grid to "50" (or other coarse grid that has an inter division factor of 50) then select everything on the schematic, press the right mouse button and then select "Align elements to Grid" from the popup menu.
LTSpice Performance Tests - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: udok
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2022, 04:13:13 pm
content: Hello,I have uploaded a PowerShell script to test LTSpice performance (LTSpiceBenchmarkEricSims.zip).The test files include the quasi standard test files bjtff.cir, mike2.cir, mux2.cir and more complex test files.Please run the test and post the results or report problems here. The file Readme.md has more info.I am specifically interested in Ryzen 9 versus Intel i9/i7 because in preliminary tests the results are very different (up to a factor 10) depending on the test case.Best regards,Udo

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2022, 04:25:00 pm
content: LTSpice performance depends largely on the storage device to which the raw results are written. Are you using the exact same HDD or SSD in each case?

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2022, 04:50:02 pm
content: I hope this topic doesn't get shut down, but the LTspice XVII license does say:Quote

author: udok
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2022, 05:06:35 pm
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on October 04, 2022, 04:25:00 pmI use SSD. The performance should not depend much on the SSD speed (i hope at least).Windows uses the RAM to cache the files, and the run time is much larger than the time needed to write the raw file to disk anyway.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 05, 2022, 07:46:33 pm
content: Quote from: Ian.M on October 04, 2022, 04:50:02 pmlooks like you have breached it too in bringing it to our attention, there is no stopping these lawers.
Looking for CADSTAR 7, CADSTAR 6 and UPLOAD programs - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Jake-san
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 14, 2022, 10:32:01 am
content: I'm trying to save a huge trouble of redrawing old boards from films, but customer only has old *.CDO and *.CDI files available digitally. Their original supplier has went already belly up few years ago.Does anyone have these old DOS softwares to share? Main priority is the UPLOAD software, since CADSTAR Express should open the old DOS 7.0 files, but the program just crashes, hinting the format might be the old Cadstar 6 ones.Help!

author: Warhawk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2022, 02:55:15 pm
content: Would not import to Altium or Kicad work? Both theoretically have Cadstar importer.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2022, 05:05:20 pm
content: Quote from: Warhawk on September 15, 2022, 02:55:15 pmImporting PCBs into other packages rarely works well. The problem is that often the way the pads, traces and copper pours are defined are simply not compatible between the programs. So you end up with a lot of work cleaning up a design and you may look over something important (like having enough clearance). And then there are things like constraints for length, impedance and phase matching.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2022, 06:24:12 pm
content: Quote from: Warhawk on September 15, 2022, 02:55:15 pmDunno about Altium, but KiCad can only import Cadstar files in ASCII format (which I think is .cda) and not in binary format (*.cdi), so, not gonna work here.And unfortunately you need Cadstar to export to .cda.

author: Jake-san
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 16, 2022, 04:16:35 am
content: Quote from: Warhawk on September 15, 2022, 02:55:15 pmI'll try looking into this, but as far as I can tell, the kiCad import wants the project file to import, not the individual layer files the .cdi/.cdo files are.Will also try Altium today also.

author: peter-h
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2022, 08:31:49 pm
content: This is why I still use Protel PCB 2.8, 1995 vintageRuns perfectly in a winXP VM on a win7-64 machine. I bought it legit, £1500, in 1995, and to future-proof it I got a crack to remove the dongle.
[Solved] PCB nylon standoffs that have metal solder joints on top - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ballsystemlord
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2022, 06:34:13 am
content: They're in this video:https://youtu.be/LI_5ANmkVqo?t=705I wanted to learn about these standoffs. I want to understand the advantages and disadvantages. I want to better understand when a PCB is the wrong solution to the electronics problem -- like it is for part of that meter. But when I search online, I just get articles and products about standoffs to keep the PCB off of the case.Can you direct me to the correct keywords and/or articles?Thanks!

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2022, 05:47:12 pm
content: Probably threaded ceramic, perhaps with a small screw inserted. A turreted one might be better. Newark do a selection, but you can find them all over the place:https://www.newark.com/c/connectors/crimp-terminals-solder-terminals-splices/thread-mount-turret-terminals

author: srb1954
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2022, 08:06:23 am
content: Quote from: dunkemhigh on September 09, 2022, 05:47:12 pmMore likely to be Teflon (PTFE) insulated in this application to achieve the lowest possibly leakage currents from sensitive circuit nodes.Care must be taken with these type of insulators not to contaminate the insulator surface with oil, salts, etc from fingerprints and any flux residue must be be very carefully cleaned to optimise the long term insulation properties.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2022, 08:14:46 pm
content: Go watch the video.At 20:12 the schematic says it's teflon.
Any fix to EasyEDA bugs? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Deactivated-1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2022, 05:45:27 am
content: I like easyEDA but its bugs are the worst:1: while spacing is still set to 10, moving many nets at once often results in many being slightly offset, and thus connecting the 2 together needs annoying 1 spaced offsets in traces.2: doubled traces/random connections. really often some traces just double up when you move them. and the way the traces move when you move them is unpedictable, sometimes the whole trace moves, sometimes it does what I want: move. but most often it splits into 500 ancors and its just faster to delete it and make a new trace.3: not really a bug, but when making part layouts/presets it doesnt allow more than one pin to be the same index, but what if you want to have multiple connections to the same pin in the schematic... I dont see why this should be a limitation set in place.any way to fix these? I somehow doubt professional circuit designers ever use easyEDA for these reasons.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2022, 05:13:53 pm
content: Switch to KiCad?

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2022, 08:18:42 pm
content: Report the bugs to them, in plain english, with screenshots. Hope they fix it in a reasonable time. If not, move to other software as mentioned.https://easyeda.com/forum/category/2Not many professionals would use it, no.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2022, 09:03:31 pm
content: Quote from: ELS122 on July 29, 2022, 08:20:16 pmExact same? It has bugs but they are obviously different ones.https://urish.medium.com/introducing-easyeda-2-kicad-37489da1dfa7

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2022, 09:40:54 pm
content: It doesn't use the same circuit drawing engine.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EasyEDA

author: rooppoorali
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2022, 03:36:35 pm
content: We are free to report but don't know when they will fix.
PCB Stackup with FR4 and Rogers? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: eescuve
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 09, 2022, 01:32:10 pm
content: Hello! I'm designing the stackup of a 4 layer RF Board. I have it functional with a full Rogers 4003C stackup. Since I only need one layer of Rogers material I was wondering if I could use only one layer of Rogers and the other 3 of FR4 to reduce cost. Will I have PCB warping problems? Do I have to take any other considerations?

author: exmadscientist
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2022, 06:24:29 pm
content: You should avoid an unsymmetric stack up at all costs. So that's 2 and 2 rather than 1 and 3.Some Rogers materials are designed to do this. You may find it useful to select a different Rogers laminate if yours is not one of them. Extra cost here for the material may or may not pay for itself in savings elsewhere.Apart from that... this is another case of "talk to your fabricator". Anyone with experience building with Rogers laminates has probably heard this question before and knows how and when to do it. Unless it's a proof of concept build at a low-cost overseas vendor, in which case you might as well just spend the extra money for the fancy laminate because you're not going to get an overall lower cost elsewhere, once you consider the time needed to communicate what you want and the low quantities of PoC builds.

author: Gerhard_dk4xp
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2022, 10:01:51 pm
content: I had some boards made, 1 layer Rogers TMM6, 0.5mm, the rest in FR4.No problems with warping, but they managed to put the 10 GHz striplinefilters on the FR4 side and the DC distribution on the Rogers, inspite of clear instructions.The second run was OK.The eval boards for the SKY 67150 MMIC are also Rogers 4350?(the fireproof version of 4003) for one layer and the rest in FR-4.That seems to be normal practice.Cheers, Gerhard
KiCad ngspice and subcircuit parameters - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2022, 10:10:11 pm
content: I'm migrating from LTSpice to KiCad's ngspice support. There are a few libraries for LTSpice for simulating digital functions such as74HCT_v.lib (log-in required).The models in that library have three parameters for each subcircuit, such as:Code:* 2-input NAND gate* tpd 25n/9n/7n 12n* tr 19n/7n/6n 7n.SUBCKT 74HCT00 A B Y VCC VGND vcc1={vcc} speed1={speed} tripdt1={tripdt}.param td1=1e-9*(12-3-3)*4.0/({vcc1}-0.5)*{speed1}*XIN1 A Ai VCC VGND 74HCT_IN_1 vcc2={vcc1} speed2={speed1} tripdt2={tripdt1}XIN2 B Bi VCC VGND 74HCT_IN_1 vcc2={vcc1} speed2={speed1} tripdt2={tripdt1}* tripdt=1nA1 Ai Bi 0 0 0 Yi 0 0 AND tripdt={tripdt1} td={td1}*XOUT Yi Y VCC VGND 74HCT_OUT_1X vcc2={vcc1} speed2={speed1} tripdt2={tripdt1}.endsIn LTSpice you set the actuals for each of these parameters by right-clicking on the symbol and adding:VCC=3.3 SPEED=1.0 TRIPDT=1e-9to the SpiceLine field.How do you pass these parameters in from a KiCad (6.0.6) schematic? Adding .param lines to the schematic doesn't work. Adding them as a custom simulation setting after launching the simulation from the KiCad schematic doesn't work.Any ideas?

author: hvogt
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2022, 01:57:07 pm
content: Unfortunately you cannot simulate these libraries. This is due to the lineCode:A1 Ai Bi 0 0 0 Yi 0 0 AND tripdt={tripdt1} td={td1}which calls a partial, unpublished model only available in LTSPICE.The next release ngspice-38 will contain the capability to efficiently simulate models for digiatal (e.g. 74xx series) devices.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 01:01:11 am
content: Quote from: hvogt on September 09, 2022, 01:57:07 pmSounds cool. That's also exactly what I was looking for not long ago. I managed something with MicroCap, but not quite perfect.
Orcad DOS PLD386+ Tools and Manuals? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Chris56000
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2022, 07:38:19 am
content: Hi!Does anybody know if the OrCAD DOS PLD 386+ tools and manuals are available anywhere?The reason I ask is that the "Clock" schematics featured in the OrCAD SDT 386+ User Guide uses a PAL22V10, and I wonder if the PLD 386+ tools and manuals gave this as an example?PS!I found another archive on Orcad Groups.io that contained the PLD tools but no manuals!Any chance of obtaining the Orcad DOS PLD Manuals anywhere?There was an Installation Guide, a User Guide, a Reference Guide and one other I think!Chris Williams
Trace Width for Pulsed Current - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MeerkatAirforce
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 06, 2022, 10:14:00 pm
content: I am trying to figure out how to size a trace for a burst of current. All I can find online is resources which tell me how to size traces based on constant current based on the IPC-2221 standard.I have a circuit which produces 27A for 6 milliseconds before a long break, and one which produces 15A for 4 milliseconds before a long break. Does anyone know how to appropriately size the width of a trace based on a pulse of current like this?

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2022, 10:21:13 pm
content: Thermal issues are likely to be fairly minimal at those pulse lengths, so probably best to just calculate based on your maximum allowable voltage drop.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2022, 03:17:27 am
content: Yes. For such short times and low duty cycle, what will really matter here is the fusing current. (I recommend this tool:https://saturnpcb.com/saturn-pcb-toolkit/)The fusing current essentially depends on trace width and copper thickness.To give you an idea, a 5 mm-wide trace @18 µm copper weight can take almost 1000 A for 6 ms.For the required trace width, I'd take the maximum width to stay well below the fusing current and the trace width required for passing the average current (according to your duty cycle) for the given trace length and the max temperature rise you have defined. Hope this is clear.
I made an SVG vector graphics to Gerber converter - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: actuallyjaseg
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2021, 04:02:28 pm
content: tl;dr: Have a look athttps://github.com/jaseg/gerbolyzeI'm a fan of artsy PCB design and for a while I've been working on PCB tool support for nice-looking graphics. I'm personally working with both KiCAD and Alitum, and both have pretty poor graphics support. In case of KiCAD there are tools likesvg2shenzhenandsvg2modbut both are fairly limited. A few years back I wrote Gerbolyze, a tool to trace bitmaps directly into gerber files to side-step the performance and Gerber spec compliance issues of KiCAD and Altium (seeoriginal post). That tool was alright, but I still was not happy.Today I finished the second major version of Gerbolyze. Now, Gerbolyze can handle both bitmap (PNG/JPG)andSVG input: For bitmaps it has a special halftone vectorizer that stays within trace/space design rules. And SVGs getaccuratelyconverted into Gerber primitives, with almost full support for the SVG 1.1 static spec. The way it works is you give it a stack of Gerber files and it outputs an SVG template with the board's dimensions and a layer for each Gerber file. You then open that template in Inkscape and put whatever you like in it (including bitmap images!). The modified file is then pasted into the original gerber files by another call to Gerbolyze.Here's a flow char of how you use it:Compared to svg2shenzhen, Gerbolyze can handlemuchmore complex designs--the only limit is the output gerber file size. Also, the SVG gets accurately converted at the vector level instead of rendering it into a bitmap and then tracing that bitmap. This means things like text or smooth lines don't look jagged.Compared to svg2mod, Gerbolyze can also handle much more complex designs. Also, it supports almost the full SVG 1.1 spec and will render things as you see them on screen with no little surprises: e.g. patterns, dashed strokes, markers and stroke miters/end caps are fully supported.I have attached a few examples of what it can do. The first one is a design I had produced recently. The other one showcases the SVG renderer, left is SVG input, right is Gerber output.If you're interested, please have a look at theGithub repo. Installation instructions for Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian and Archlinux are in the README. For Windows I don't have a finished installation guide yet, but installing it throughArch on WSLshould be straightforward.

author: daxliniere
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2022, 11:29:52 pm
content: Thanks Jaseg. Your site appears to be down at the moment.

author: actuallyjaseg
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2022, 01:13:37 pm
content: Thank you for the heads-upI will get it back online this weekend. I accidentially unplugged the cable of the laptop hosting it, and now the thing doesn't boot for some reason
Question about LTspice on macOS - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Scyth3934
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 16, 2022, 04:19:11 pm
content: Hi all, I was wondering how to alter the default save location for LTspice on macOS. Upon installation, it created a folder in my Documents titled "LTspice". Whenever I move said folder, it makes a new one in my Documents upon restarting the app. Any help is appreciated.

author: bateau020
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2022, 11:37:41 am
content: Haven't found it. The preferences (plutil -p /Users/{yourusername}/Library/Preferences/LTC.LTspice.plist) do not seem to allow changing it. Just save your work elsewhere.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2022, 06:14:18 pm
content: Quote from: Scyth3934 on July 16, 2022, 04:19:11 pmWell, everyone knows that the LTSpice user interface sucks. This is just one example why. You have to do a "File -> Save As ..." and mouse around in the Finder to your preferred location.

author: nfmax
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2022, 07:47:50 pm
content: You might try deleting the LtSpice folder, and replacing it by a soft link (with the same name) pointing to the folder you want it to use

author: Scyth3934
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 29, 2022, 02:54:56 am
content: Any recommendations on alternatives then?

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2022, 06:05:52 pm
content: Quote from: Scyth3934 on July 29, 2022, 02:54:56 amMacSpiceis an excellent well-supported SPICE simulator for macOS. The current version is also Apple Silicon (ARM) native.The only obvious thing about it is that it is just the simulation engine. There is no schematic capture. You will need to create and maintain the source files by hand, or use some other schematic capture which can generate a SPICE netlist. KiCad will do that. KiCad also has built-in support for ngspice.
eCadstar? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: pan
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2022, 12:49:42 pm
content: Hi all,The following question is for those which use/have used eCadstar, and can give some qualified input/thoughts.Basically strength and weakness of the package. Or other things related to the package.Not looking for a price or comparison discussion:-)Best regards
Turn SMT Seeeduino XIAO VIN to Through-hole ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: philgib
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 04, 2022, 10:37:14 am
content: Hello,Making my very first PCB, everything will be on a Through Hole basis.Is there any easy way to turn the VIN of the Seeeduino Xiao from SMT to Through Whole ?Thank you

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2022, 10:50:46 am
content: No, but as its connected in parallel to the module's VCC (5V) pin, you shouldn't need to. See the schematic:https://files.seeedstudio.com/wiki/Seeeduino-XIAO/res/Seeeduino-XIAO-v1.0-SCH-191112.pdfFor future reference, one way of tackling hooking up SMT pads on a SMD/Through-hole module, for one-offs and prototypes only, is to fit pin header strips with more pins than the module needs, and run 30AWG kynar wirewrap wire, or thin hookup wire, or even magnet wire between the extra pins and the SMD pads you need to breakout.

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2022, 10:54:40 am
content: look at the schematic, Vin and 5V is the same signal

author: philgib
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 04, 2022, 01:30:16 pm
content: I envy you guys to understand the schematic. Pure Chinese too me, although I am trying hardI will have to put this XIAO in sleep mode, and I understood that the correct way to do is to input 3.3V and not 5V in order to save milliamps from not kicking in the 5v => 3.3v regulatorDo you guy understand from the schematics that the 3.3V pin out is also on the same as the VIN ?https://files.seeedstudio.com/wiki/Seeeduino-XIAO/res/Seeeduino-XIAO-v1.0-SCH-191112.pdf

author: PeteH
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 04, 2022, 01:37:24 pm
content: The on board linear regulator is very low power (sub 10uA) - if you don't care about that level of current during sleep, can use 5V. Otherwise 3.3V does come out to the pin headers as well, but will backfeed the regulator and cause a little bit of loss.

author: philgib
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 06, 2022, 02:02:47 pm
content: I am a bit lost...A CR2032 will power the Seeeduino Xiao, and I will put it in sleep mode every 55 seconds of each minuteNow it will wake up for 5 seconds, the time to read a temp sensor.The temp sensor has a +,-, and signalMy idea was to put also the temp sensor to sleep every 55 seconds.How do I put the sensor to sleep since the power is coming in parallel from the Seeeduino Xiao 3.3v pin-out ? Is that through the sensor signal pin-out ?Thank you

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2022, 02:46:13 pm
content: Quote from: philgib on August 06, 2022, 02:02:47 pmWhat temp sensor are you using?
[WTD] OrCAD 17.2 Lite Installer - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: veryevil
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 12, 2022, 10:24:55 am
content: Hi, does anyone have a copy of the Orcad 17.2 Lite installer with the PCB designer in? It was available to download after filling in a form on their site but no longer.I would really like a copy so I can open ref designs etc and the viewer is awful and my trial is over from some time ago.The 17.2 came with a version of extracta that allow files to be converted to altium which would be a MASSIVE help. The demo 17.4 version is license locked but I don't believe the 17.2 version was.Thanks

author: hickorystick
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 22, 2022, 07:49:49 pm
content: Still looking for this? Is the Lite version any different then the 17.2 base installation media? Or is it just what it defaults to non-licensed?J

author: veryevil
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 22, 2022, 08:27:24 pm
content: Hi, the lite version is different as it is actually a license. The base install doesn't have a license and cannot open anything. I do have a copy now of the base install but cannot open anything in it as no license.The base install does allow me to use the extracta converter which is great but then still beholden to bad imports.Would be great to have to lite version as the ability to at least open the files would be useful

author: hickorystick
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 22, 2022, 10:37:10 pm
content: Do you have an old email of the download link for 17.2 from Orcad? I just tried mine from 2018 and it is successfully downloading the 17.2 Lite All Products zip file.

author: veryevil
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 23, 2022, 07:11:14 pm
content: No I don't only trail downloads. Do you have the link you could share with me or possibly the files?Cheers

author: veryevil
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 27, 2022, 06:51:40 am
content: I've got it now sorted. Thanks everyone
[review] PCB board of arduino experiment board  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: mixedoutput
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 22, 2022, 04:45:12 pm
content: Hello!I'm fairly new to PCB design and im looking to improve my skills so I'm hoping to get some useful comments and feedback on this PCB board i've designed.The board is of a custom made experiment/sensor board that I came up with when I got tired of having to rewire new circuits for every prototype I wanted to do with an Arduino. The idea here is that with this board I will have access to push buttons, LEDs, BT, a buzzer, transistors, displays etc etc without having to rewire these components for each project I want to do.What i'm looking for is any good tips in what I can change to make an overall better PCB design. I have no formal education in PCB design and therefor i'm self thought through what I've read online and videos I've seen (like pcb design with Dave J).Also for those wondering... I have purposely chosen against SMD component as I want to use it for educational purpose as well (easier to see big components) and that all things I needed could fit on the board.The software used was EasyEDAHere is a link to my project

author: rooppoorali
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2022, 05:13:29 pm
content: Hi, have you made a prototype? If so, is that working? If you wish, you can also post your design tohttps://www.pcbway.com/project/for more expert opinions.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2022, 05:29:27 pm
content: At a brief look over the design ....Doesn't seem necessary to move the traces on the bottom to flip them as they go to the buttons ... as you can simply number them differently or change order in software.Both there and with the leds you could use resistor networks to reduce the space used.10k seems a bit high value on the base of the 2n2222 for me... rather always have that in saturation, so I'd probably half that to 4.7k or even 3.3kMaybe consider also adding a 10k resistor from base to ground so the transistor won't stay open due to internal capacitance or other reasons.But may want to consider pre-biased transistors, for example this one has a 4.7k on base, and a 10k from base to ground :DDTC143ZCA-7-F :https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/diodes-incorporated/DDTC143ZCA-7-F/815239orPDTC143ZT,235 :https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/nexperia-usa-inc/PDTC143ZT-235/893267same part, same resistors, 100mA max current, around 80-100 hFe

author: mixedoutput
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 22, 2022, 07:38:08 pm
content: Quote from: rooppoorali on July 22, 2022, 05:13:29 pmYes I had some made and they worked with some minor fault with a trace I had to cut off. But I updated the pcs design so it should be ok now.Thanks for the tip I will try that too

author: mixedoutput
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 25, 2022, 05:20:40 pm
content: Not sure I follow theQuoteFor the buttons I think I connected them to certain pins to avoid limiting some functionality from the NANO when buttons are used.ok thanks for the transistor tips will swap it for 4.7k and the 10k grounding.
CL, ZNR, CS as Reference Designators? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Scutarius
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2022, 01:34:59 pm
content: Hi,I have a PCB that has some reference designators that I haven't seen before, just out of curiosity, I was wondering if anybody knows what CS stands forThis PCB hasNTCs as "CL", no idea whyMOVs as "ZNR" (I found that ZNR stands for Zinc-Oxide Non-liner Resistor)but for "CS" I have no clueit is SOD-123 diode (marking is "AF") but diodes do have "D" as Ref Des in this particular board.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2022, 06:00:47 pm
content: CurrentLimiter? Only for inrush, but maybe. CR (crystal rectifier) common enough for diodes, not sure about CS.Several have it as a zener:https://smd.yooneed.one/code4146.htmlTim

author: Scutarius
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2022, 02:47:50 pm
content: Thanks, yes, it is most likely a ZenerSometimes you can tell the region where designers are, earth symbol style on schematic or selection of negative colors (blue VS black) on equipmentCheers!

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2022, 04:17:17 pm
content: My guess for “CS” is “current source”, a two-terminal device or circuit that maintains a reasonably constant current value over a wide range of voltage across it. Does that make sense for the overall circuit?

author: Scutarius
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2022, 06:04:13 pm
content: Not really, it doesn't make sense in once part of the circuit but in other is used as a flyback diode. (it is actually a bad design overall, some parts doesn't make sense at all)All ref des start with 0, as R0, D0 etc, and the revision code has a typical SW format, so I assume it most be a software engineer design ...?

author: Scutarius
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2022, 08:10:55 pm
content: Quote from: TimFox on June 24, 2022, 04:17:17 pmYou were right!https://www.onsemi.com/pdf/datasheet/nsi45030-d.pdf
Cadence Capture 17.2 - Purging blank/duplicate property columns? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Uky
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 14, 2022, 02:29:55 pm
content: Greetings forum.Using 17.20, I am working on a design that uses schematic symbols copied from various sources. When examining the structure (Select "All" - Right click) - there are a lot of property fields that are either empty or with similar names, such as "MFR" and "Manufacturer". These are not the built-in ones that comes with a new/blank project start but has been added from previous designers that uses the CIS-option.The examples above are not the only ones. There are "a lot" more duplicates...When trying to delete these empty columns, I get an error message that basicallys says that the property cannot be deleted because it exists in some of the (schematic) symbols themselves.Now - Is there a way to select and purge these columns?

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 14, 2022, 02:47:56 pm
content: I usually get this error, but it does delete the row anyway. I always assumed it was just a minor bug.(Using 17.4, but IIRC it was just the same in 16.6 and probably earlier versions too).
Is PSPICE still a good choice? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ohfgoaeijfaeoifjaoij
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 08, 2022, 05:25:34 pm
content: I've been considering buying a paid version of SPICE. The two I am most interested in are PSPICE and SIMetrix.PSPICE seems to have been the industry standard, but looking at the UI, it seems like it hasn't been updated in a long time. Is PSPICE still a good choice or has it been wasting away over time?SIMetrix seems to have been selected as the preferred simulator by a bunch of companies lately. For example, Diodes Inc. and Microchip both use a rebranded version of SIMetrix in their latest tool. The latest version of SIMetrix can even import LTspice models. However, SIMetrix can't use IBIS models.I've used the now free Micro-Cap 12, which has a lot of great features, but I've found it to be a bit buggy. More so, like I said at the start, I'm looking for a paid version that is actively maintained and can provide support.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2022, 07:38:46 pm
content: I use a line-oriented Spice from AimSpice:http://www.aimspice.com/It does not use schematic capture, but does come with a nifty post-processor that allows output to an Excel file for graphing. It allows complex arithmetic on the .AC results to generate specified math functions of the phase-sensitive AC voltages and currents, to extract impedances or ESR or whatever.The main difference from "regular" Spice is that you do not include the ".AC" or similar statement in the AimSpice file, that is done through an interactive window to do an analysis.For graphing, I use a somewhat expensive program from Golden Software, that can produce professional-looking (i.e., literate) graphs, with full choice of axis labeling, line widths, label fonts, etc. I especially like its capability of arbitraty endpoints on logarithmic axes.https://www.goldensoftware.com/products/grapherBack in the DOS era, I used the first version of PSpice, which used a key with a hole drilled in a 5.25" floppy that had to be rotated before each run of Spice (the program checked for the error statement). I do miss the auxiliary program "Parts" that extracted transistor, diode, etc. models from datasheet values.

author: mlloyd1
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2022, 08:10:17 pm
content: You can't go wrong with PSPICE; it's still a big dog.Just curious - what bugs you encountered in MC-12 that soured you on it?mlloyd1
AI based Raster cleanup - Scanned Schematic pages? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: zitt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2022, 07:23:06 am
content: I just tried a couple "ai powered" enlargement tools online and maybe I'm missing the point.Problem statement:I have a Manufacturer supplied manual which deliberately (I'm assuming) did a poor "render" of the cpu board schematics. My assumption is that the manufacturer did this on purpose as there are no other scans of better quality. It's my guess they did it to keep the masses "happy" but no allow anyone with a degree to figure out what it really going on with these board.What I was hoping was that I'd be able to "ai - enhance" the scanned document to get legible schematics so that I could actually have the document I need (troubleshooting the board now). The jpg below is an actual picture a section of the craptastic manual I have. The downloadable manual on the mfg's page is even worse. I've taken pcitures of the board I'm troubleshooting and U1 is a 74LV273 and Q1-Q8 are 2N3904s.Obviously; I can get a better high resolution scan with a scanner rather than my phone camera... but I have zero hope if these "ai powered" tools cant even handle the jpg.Has anyone seen success "correcting" any scanned documents with Ai? I'm I dreaming in my hope?

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2022, 07:25:16 am
content: ML can’t recover information that isn’t there. It can replace it with a poorly formed opinion of what it might have been with no accountability for how it got there.Better to redraw by hand and reverse engineer.I have the same problem on a regular basis (see attached)
Good information on board stack-ups? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Northy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2022, 02:29:23 pm
content: Does anyone know of any good information I can read on differing board stack-ups and the +ve and -ve affects of different approaches?Many thanks,G

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2022, 09:34:40 pm
content: Depending on what you are designing, it may not matter.https://www.youtube.com/c/RobertFeranec/videos

author: Northy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2022, 04:20:41 pm
content: Quote from: thm_w on July 05, 2022, 09:34:40 pmMany thanks!I spent most of the day learningG