Re: Simulation Struggles with BJT Oscillator
Thanks for all of the suggestions. I'll be working on them.
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BTW, here's what it looks like in real life (before I thought of modelling it in KiCad).? :)
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Re: How do I get the KiCad FlatPak to install in Linux?
I understand your question. I think the basic concept is that for user convenience, flatpaks are meant to be easily installed from a central repository.? "flathub" is the main one, and it is not expected that most users will want to archive a specific build.
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This in fact occasionally causes a few issues for KiCad - flathub basically has two channels: stable and beta.? There have been times when we wanted more channels; for example, when an RC of the 8.0 branch and an RC of the 9.0 branch are both current.? Which should the beta channel carry?? 8.0 or 9.0?
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But, that is how flathub is set up.? KiCad could set up its own hub and do something fancy, but then it would be a lot of extra work (and money) for the team to run a hub server, and it would be more work for users to potentially have more hubs configured.
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An alternative would be for KiCad to create stand-alone .flatpak files, and make those available for download on some server somewhere.? But most users would likely find it confusing to choose a specific file, download it, and install it, rather than just picking a channel and installing whatever is the latest version.? It would also mean more bug reports for the team if someone chose an older KiCad and reported bugs that had been fixed in a later version.
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So in summary, you can achieve what you want, based on the commands I showed above, but flatpak is optimized for the simple case of the official flathub server.
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BTW, I'm not the KiCad flatpak person - I handle the Fedora official KiCad builds, as well as the Fedora Copr KiCad builds.? So what I've written above is simply my understanding and opinion.? I hope it helps.
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Re: Simulation Struggles with BJT Oscillator
I suggest you simply move to the most recent 8.x version of KiCad rather than try to continue using very old unsupported versions.
Sent from Proton Mail Android
-------- Original Message -------- On 11/01/2025 21:53, Bob Kuczewski via groups.io wrote: The Holger version (from the Zip file) wouldn't open in 5.0.2, but it did open and run in 8.0.7 on Windows:
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That pretty much matches the pure NGSPICE simulation I'd posted earlier.
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Should the 5.0.2 version be able to run that kind of simulation (assuming that I could get entered correctly)?
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Re: Simulation Struggles with BJT Oscillator
You'll need to associate a SPICE model with each of your active devices. This is done from the Properties menu for those schematic parts.
Sent from Proton Mail Android
-------- Original Message -------- On 11/01/2025 21:27, Bob Kuczewski via groups.io wrote: I just tried to implement the in the 5.0.2 version of KiCad:
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It gave me these errors:
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Circuit: KiCad schematic
Error on line 3 :
q2 0 net-_c1-pad2_ out 2n3904
could not find a valid modelname
Error on line 4 :
q1 0 net-_c2-pad1_ net-_c1-pad1_ 2n3904
could not find a valid modelname
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I'll look into the GND issue. Thanks for both suggestions.
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Re: How do I get the KiCad FlatPak to install in Linux?
Which Linux distribution are you using? I have never had any problems installing Kicad on any Linux machine. I even have it on a Raspberry Pi 400. You don't have to use a flatpack.
As for why Kicad is not offered directly as a flatpack, that is a question you should address directly to Kicad's developers. This group is for users of Kicad and unfortunately we have no direct influence over Kicad itself although I am told they do keep an eye on this list.
Cheers
Ian
On Sun, 12 Jan 2025 at 03:52, Bob Kuczewski via <bobkuczewski= [email protected]> wrote: Thanks Ian. There's a whole lot of information at that site!
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It led me to this:
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It says this:
One can distribute flatpaks along with their dependencies on USB drives (or network shares, etc.) which is especially helpful in situations where Internet access is limited or non-existent.
I'm not sure that's as easy as it sounds ... but if it is, then why not just offer the KiCad flatpaks directly rather than forcing people to use flathub?
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For now I've given up. Instead, I've fired up my old Windows computer (something I hate to do) and the Windows version of KiCad is working fine.
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Thanks again for your time.
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Re: Simulation Struggles with BJT Oscillator
The Holger version (from the Zip file) wouldn't open in 5.0.2, but it did open and run in 8.0.7 on Windows:
?
?
That pretty much matches the pure NGSPICE simulation I'd posted earlier.
?
Should the 5.0.2 version be able to run that kind of simulation (assuming that I could get entered correctly)?
?
?
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Re: Simulation Struggles with BJT Oscillator
I just tried to implement the in the 5.0.2 version of KiCad:
?
?
It gave me these errors:
?
Circuit: KiCad schematic
Error on line 3 :
q2 0 net-_c1-pad2_ out 2n3904
could not find a valid modelname
Error on line 4 :
q1 0 net-_c2-pad1_ net-_c1-pad1_ 2n3904
could not find a valid modelname
?
I'll look into the GND issue. Thanks for both suggestions.
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Re: Simulation Struggles with BJT Oscillator
Also see this
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 1/11/2025 8:28 PM, Bob Kuczewski via groups.io wrote: I've been trying to simulate a simple oscillator using 2 BJT transistors
in KiCad, and I'm having some trouble. I've tried it in both KiCad 5.0.2
and 8.0.7. I'm not sure what information to provide for help (netlist,
schematic, something else?), so I'll start with two pictures and some
NGSPICE code. Here's the one from KiCad 5.0.2:
And here's the one from 8.0.7:
I've gotten it to work directly in NGSPICE as shown in this plot:
Here's the working NGSPICE code if it helps:
* Vname PosNode NegNode ...
VCC 6 0 DC 5V
* Rname PosNode NegNode Value
RC1 6 1 1K
RC2 6 2 1K
R1 ?6 3 30K
R2 ?6 4 30K
* Cname PosNode NegNode Value
C1 ?1 4 150PF
C2 ?2 3 150PF
* Q1 and Q2 with model QM and substrate connected to ground by default
* ?C B E
Q1 1 3 0 QM
Q2 2 4 0 QM
* Model statement defining QM as an NPN transistor
.MODEL QM NPN (IS=2E-16 BF=50 BR=1 RB=5 RC=1 RE=0 TF=0.2NS TR=5NS)
.NODESET V(1)=0 V(3)=0
.TRAN 0.1US 20US
.OP
* Generate the plots (running twice for some reason)
.control
reload
run
reset
run
plot V(1) V(2) V(3) V(4)
.endc
.END
It also works in real life on a bread board.? :)
Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.
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Re: Simulation Struggles with BJT Oscillator
You have no Simulation GND in the 8.x version. Look under the Spice schematic parts and read the KiCad docs on simulation online.
Sent from Proton Mail Android
-------- Original Message -------- On 11/01/2025 20:28, Bob Kuczewski via groups.io wrote: I've been trying to simulate a simple oscillator using 2 BJT transistors in KiCad, and I'm having some trouble. I've tried it in both KiCad 5.0.2 and 8.0.7. I'm not sure what information to provide for help (netlist, schematic, something else?), so I'll start with two pictures and some NGSPICE code. Here's the one from KiCad 5.0.2:
?
?
And here's the one from 8.0.7:
?
?
I've gotten it to work directly in NGSPICE as shown in this plot:
?
?
Here's the working NGSPICE code if it helps:
?
* Vname PosNode NegNode ...
VCC 6 0 DC 5V
* Rname PosNode NegNode Value
RC1 6 1 1K
RC2 6 2 1K
R1 ?6 3 30K
R2 ?6 4 30K
* Cname PosNode NegNode Value
C1 ?1 4 150PF
C2 ?2 3 150PF
* Q1 and Q2 with model QM and substrate connected to ground by default
* ?C B E
Q1 1 3 0 QM
Q2 2 4 0 QM
* Model statement defining QM as an NPN transistor
.MODEL QM NPN (IS=2E-16 BF=50 BR=1 RB=5 RC=1 RE=0 TF=0.2NS TR=5NS)
.NODESET V(1)=0 V(3)=0
.TRAN 0.1US 20US
.OP
* Generate the plots (running twice for some reason)
.control
reload
run
reset
run
plot V(1) V(2) V(3) V(4)
.endc
.END
?
It also works in real life on a bread board.? :)
?
Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.
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Simulation Struggles with BJT Oscillator
I've been trying to simulate a simple oscillator using 2 BJT transistors in KiCad, and I'm having some trouble. I've tried it in both KiCad 5.0.2 and 8.0.7. I'm not sure what information to provide for help (netlist, schematic, something else?), so I'll start with two pictures and some NGSPICE code. Here's the one from KiCad 5.0.2:
?
?
And here's the one from 8.0.7:
?
?
I've gotten it to work directly in NGSPICE as shown in this plot:
?
?
Here's the working NGSPICE code if it helps:
?
* Vname PosNode NegNode ...
VCC 6 0 DC 5V
* Rname PosNode NegNode Value
RC1 6 1 1K
RC2 6 2 1K
R1 ?6 3 30K
R2 ?6 4 30K
* Cname PosNode NegNode Value
C1 ?1 4 150PF
C2 ?2 3 150PF
* Q1 and Q2 with model QM and substrate connected to ground by default
* ?C B E
Q1 1 3 0 QM
Q2 2 4 0 QM
* Model statement defining QM as an NPN transistor
.MODEL QM NPN (IS=2E-16 BF=50 BR=1 RB=5 RC=1 RE=0 TF=0.2NS TR=5NS)
.NODESET V(1)=0 V(3)=0
.TRAN 0.1US 20US
.OP
* Generate the plots (running twice for some reason)
.control
reload
run
reset
run
plot V(1) V(2) V(3) V(4)
.endc
.END
?
It also works in real life on a bread board.? :)
?
Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.
|
Re: How do I get the KiCad FlatPak to install in Linux?
Thanks Ian. There's a whole lot of information at that site!
?
It led me to this:
?
?
?
It says this:
One can distribute flatpaks along with their dependencies on USB drives (or network shares, etc.) which is especially helpful in situations where Internet access is limited or non-existent.
I'm not sure that's as easy as it sounds ... but if it is, then why not just offer the KiCad flatpaks directly rather than forcing people to use flathub?
?
For now I've given up. Instead, I've fired up my old Windows computer (something I hate to do) and the Windows version of KiCad is working fine.
?
Thanks again for your time.
|
Re: How do I get the KiCad FlatPak to install in Linux?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Sat, 11 Jan 2025 at 22:51, Bob Kuczewski via <bobkuczewski= [email protected]> wrote: Thanks for your help.
?
There must be something that I'm not understanding about the flatpak system. I am imagining a tarball or an ISO image or a JAR file or a DEB file. In those cases, the file just needs to be downloaded to be unpacked with the proper tool to extract or install it. I was hoping that a "flatpak" was something similar where I could just download the KiCAD flatpak image and install from it. But every source I've found (including your kind tutorial above) requires installing it first.
?
Why aren't "flatpak" images just available as downloads?
?
Thanks in advance again.
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Re: How do I get the KiCad FlatPak to install in Linux?
Thanks for your help.
?
There must be something that I'm not understanding about the flatpak system. I am imagining a tarball or an ISO image or a JAR file or a DEB file. In those cases, the file just needs to be downloaded to be unpacked with the proper tool to extract or install it. I was hoping that a "flatpak" was something similar where I could just download the KiCAD flatpak image and install from it. But every source I've found (including your kind tutorial above) requires installing it first.
?
Why aren't "flatpak" images just available as downloads?
?
Thanks in advance again.
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Hello!
Were did the microwave toolbar go? I cannot find it anymore. Is there a replacement?
Kind regards,
Geert
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Re: How do I get the KiCad FlatPak to install in Linux?
For any installed flatpak app you can create an image.? Start with an empty directory, then do:
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flatpak create-usb /path/to/directory org.kicad.KiCad
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That will create a hidden directory called .ostree within the directory you specified and will put the KiCad flatpak app in place.
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You can then do an install via:
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flatpak install --sideload-repo=/path/to/directory/.ostree/repo flathub org.kicad.KiCad
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Please note that flatpak normally installs dependencies as needed.? I'm not sure how that works with the above commands - I've only tested saving/installing the KiCad app and libraries, not any dependencies such as the org.freedesktop runtime.
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How do I get the KiCad FlatPak to install in Linux?
I'd like to install KiCad from a "FlatPak" under Linux, but I want to download the "FlatPak" as a file that I can archive. I then want to be able to install from that archive so that I'll have a repeatable installation process without being connected to the Internet.
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Is that possible? If so, does anyone know how to do it?
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Thanks in advance.
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Gerber Viewer Print Layers Problem
I am having a problem with the Gerber Viewer Printing of layers. I can only get one layer to print at a time. In the Print window I select all the layers but only the top one in the list will print even when all of them are selected. If I say only have one of the layers selected it prints, but if I select more than one only the top most item in the list will print.?
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Re: Hierarchical pin net name
Hi,
There's no need to add a net label; the hierarchical pin name will
define the name of the net for you. Note that hierarchical net names
have a directory-style name, so SIGNAL will be /SUBSHEET/SIGNAL.
Regards,
Robert.
* Plain text email - safe, readable, inclusive. *
--
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
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Hierarchical pin net name
Searched around for an answer to this, but not have any luck.
I am generating a schematic with hierarchical sheets, and I have a sheet where to keep the schematic "clean" looking I want to use net labels for signals that come into the sheet via hierarchical pins. So do I need to use a net label to name the nets, or are they already named the same as the hierarchical pin.
So basically, say I have a hierarchical pin called SIGNAL. Is that the net name SIGNAL so at smoother place in the schematic I can use a net label on a wire to make the connection to it? Or do I need to add a net label to a wire connected to the hierarchical pin get the correct connectivity?
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Re: Route track with error ?
Thank for the answers.
I solved it by deleting the switch footprint and adding a new one with fewer connections (2). The Rule Checker was free of errors.
Regards,
You don't seem to have any holes in the pads
you may also find it easier to see if you turn off the outline mode
ANdy
On Mon, 30 Dec 2024 11:23:38 +0100
"Lctech Lctech via " <lctech3000=[email protected]> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have a problem with manual but also automatic route track design.
>
> As in the attachments, the design rule checker shows some errors. I tried
> sofar to change the values of the erroneous space in net class of the Board
> Configuration.
>
> Error still persists. Could I try something else ?
>
> Thank you.
>
> Regards,
>
> On Mon, Dec 30, 2024, 11:20 Lctech Lctech <lctech3000@...> wrote:
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > I have a problem with manual but also automatic route track design.
> >
> > As in the attachments, the design rule checker shows some errors. I tried
> > sofar to change the values of the erroneous space in net class of the Board
> > Configuration.
> >
> > Error still persists. Could I try something else ?
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> > Regards,
> >?
>
>
>
>
>
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Steven A. Falco
Ian Bell
Geert Stams