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Fill out the survey here:
This survey will remain open until approximately May 2024.
Thank you in advance for your feedback!
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Re: KiCad 8 Error while using demo project
On Fri, Mar 1, 2024 at 12:30 PM, Stewart Innes wrote:
I believe the intent is to preserve the demo files from being broken by users after installation.
I believe this is the goal. I think it would be better if KiCad disabled the auto-save function for read-only files, and added a note to that effect in the message banner displayed for those files. Perhaps "Schematic is read only. Auto-save disabled."? Many times I use the demo projects as a quick way to check out a feature and I have no intention of saving the changes I am making.?
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Re: ngspice linear AC simulation?
Thank you for your reply: indeed my test was poorly designed by transposing to the linear range
the parameters I used in the log scale. I was emphasizing on the lack of linear X-axis (which was
working with KiCAD 5 and 6): my use case as shown in
on slide 24 is the characterization of high quality quartz resonators which do require narrowband
simulation but also a linear frequency scale since the quality factor is derived from the width
at half height of admittance.
I will file a feature request accordingly.
Thank you, Jean-Michel
De: "Dennis" <dennisc@...> ?: "kicad-users" < [email protected]> 贰苍惫辞测é: Vendredi 1 Mars 2024 18:45:09 Objet: Re: [kicad-users] ngspice linear AC simulation?
Hi Jean-Michel,
You are correct. At least in KiCad 8, the simulation plot window for an AC simulation always shows a decade logarithmic frequency scale. The ngspice simulator executes the linear frequency sweep if that is what you ask for, but KiCad always displays a logarithmic frequency scale. The plot settings dialog is incorrect when it says "Number of points per decade" for a linear sweep. It should say "Number of points" for a linear sweep, and that is why you probably don't want to do that.?
Your command ".ac lin 101 100 1meg"?is?asking for 101 equally spaced points between 100 Hz and 1 MHz. If you subtract 100 from 1M you get a frequency span of 999,900 Hz. To get 101 points this span is divided by 100 to get a frequency step size of 9,999 Hz. So the first step is 100 Hz, the second is at 100 + 9999 = 10099 Hz, the third is at 10099 + 9999 = 20098 Hz, etc. until the final steps are at 990,001 Hz and 1 MHz. So your first three decades contain only two data points, one at 100 Hz, and one just past 10 kHz.?
Open the Simulation/Sallen_Key demo project (using File->Open Demo Project...) and simply change the command from ".ac dec 10 1 1meg" to?".ac lin 101 1 1meg"?and look at the difference in the plots. The original uses 60 points spread equally across the 6 decades with 10 points per decade. The second has two points in the first 3 decades and the other 98 spread over the last three decades with most of the points crammed up near the? 1 MHz frequency end. That is why linear frequency sweeps are usually used over a fairly narrow range of frequencies not over multiple decades.?
Until KiCad allows displaying a linear frequency scale to plot the results there is no reason to use a linear frequency sweep unless you want to see the data over a narrow range of frequencies in which case you can zoom in to see those frequencies only (but still on a logarithmic frequency scale).
You could put in a feature request to allow selecting linear frequency scales for display which would make using linear frequency sweeps more attractive.
HTH
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Re: KiCad 8 Error while using demo project
I believe the intent is to preserve the demo files from being broken by users after installation. If you intend to modify the demos, “Save As…” and then go crazy.
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toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
On Behalf Of John Woodgate via groups.io
Sent: Friday, March 1, 2024 12:00 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [kicad-users] KiCad 8 Error while using demo project
?
In view of the restrictions Windows places on access to Program Files, shouldn't the demonstration files be in, for example, Documents/KiCad demos?
On 2024-03-01 17:54, Dennis wrote:
On Fri, Mar 1, 2024 at 10:21 AM, Pedro Martín wrote:
There are no read-only projects but read-only directories.
Yes, I know that, and so does KiCad. It is displaying a banner on each window saying the "schematic is read only" and the "PCB is read only", yet it is still trying to autosave the files to those read only directories.?
The other issue is that this error occurs when viewing the demo projects that are installed by KiCad for use as demos by new users. These projects are opened from the File->Open Demo Project... menu and then this error message starts popping up every now and
then while the user is trying to test drive KiCad. It's not a good introduction.
KiCad could offer to copy the demo project to another location when a demo is opened, but I suspect that would just seem like a barrier to a new user that just want to open a project an take a look.
--
OOO - Own Opinions Only
Best wishes
John Woodgate, Rayleigh, Essex UK
Keep trying
~
CAUTION: This email originated from OUTSIDE
of C-Motive. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
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Re: KiCad 8 Error while using demo project
In view of the restrictions Windows places on
access to Program Files, shouldn't the demonstration files be
in, for example, Documents/KiCad demos?
On 2024-03-01 17:54, Dennis wrote:
On Fri, Mar 1, 2024 at 10:21 AM, Pedro Martín wrote:
There are no read-only projects but read-only
directories.
Yes, I know that, and so does KiCad. It is displaying a banner on
each window saying the "schematic is read only" and the "PCB is
read only", yet it is still trying to autosave the files to those
read only directories.?
The other issue is that this error occurs when viewing the demo
projects that are installed by KiCad for use as demos by new
users. These projects are opened from the File->Open Demo
Project... menu and then this error message starts popping up
every now and then while the user is trying to test drive KiCad.
It's not a good introduction.
KiCad could offer to copy the demo project to another location
when a demo is opened, but I suspect that would just seem like a
barrier to a new user that just want to open a project an take a
look.
--
OOO - Own Opinions Only
Best wishes
John Woodgate, Rayleigh, Essex
UK
Keep trying
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Re: KiCad 8 Error while using demo project
On Fri, Mar 1, 2024 at 10:21 AM, Pedro Martín wrote:
There are no read-only projects but read-only directories.
Yes, I know that, and so does KiCad. It is displaying a banner on each window saying the "schematic is read only" and the "PCB is read only", yet it is still trying to autosave the files to those read only directories.? The other issue is that this error occurs when viewing the demo projects that are installed by KiCad for use as demos by new users. These projects are opened from the File->Open Demo Project... menu and then this error message starts popping up every now and then while the user is trying to test drive KiCad. It's not a good introduction. KiCad could offer to copy the demo project to another location when a demo is opened, but I suspect that would just seem like a barrier to a new user that just want to open a project an take a look.
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Re: ngspice linear AC simulation?
Hi Jean-Michel,
You are correct. At least in KiCad 8, the simulation plot window for an AC simulation always shows a decade logarithmic frequency scale. The ngspice simulator executes the linear frequency sweep if that is what you ask for, but KiCad always displays a logarithmic frequency scale. The plot settings dialog is incorrect when it says "Number of points per decade" for a linear sweep. It should say "Number of points" for a linear sweep, and that is why you probably don't want to do that.?
Your command ".ac lin 101 100 1meg"?is?asking for 101 equally spaced points between 100 Hz and 1 MHz. If you subtract 100 from 1M you get a frequency span of 999,900 Hz. To get 101 points this span is divided by 100 to get a frequency step size of 9,999 Hz. So the first step is 100 Hz, the second is at 100 + 9999 = 10099 Hz, the third is at 10099 + 9999 = 20098 Hz, etc. until the final steps are at 990,001 Hz and 1 MHz. So your first three decades contain only two data points, one at 100 Hz, and one just past 10 kHz.?
Open the Simulation/Sallen_Key demo project (using File->Open Demo Project...) and simply change the command from ".ac dec 10 1 1meg" to?".ac lin 101 1 1meg"?and look at the difference in the plots. The original uses 60 points spread equally across the 6 decades with 10 points per decade. The second has two points in the first 3 decades and the other 98 spread over the last three decades with most of the points crammed up near the? 1 MHz frequency end. That is why linear frequency sweeps are usually used over a fairly narrow range of frequencies not over multiple decades.?
Until KiCad allows displaying a linear frequency scale to plot the results there is no reason to use a linear frequency sweep unless you want to see the data over a narrow range of frequencies in which case you can zoom in to see those frequencies only (but still on a logarithmic frequency scale).
You could put in a feature request to allow selecting linear frequency scales for display which would make using linear frequency sweeps more attractive.
HTH
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Re: KiCad 8 Error while using demo project
There are no read-only projects but read-only directories.
Copy the project into a folder of your own and the problem should disappear.
Regards,
El vie., mar. 1, 2024 a 17:28, Dennis <dennisc@...> escribió: [Edited Message Follows]
The same error message reappeared shortly after I posted my previous message. I now suspect that KiCad may be trying to autosave the project into the read-only Program Files directory. It shouldn't do this for a read-only project. I can trigger the same message by manually trying to save the file.
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Re: KiCad 8 Error while using demo project
The same error message reappeared shortly after I posted my previous message. I now suspect that KiCad may be trying to autosave the project into the read-only Program Files directory. It shouldn't do this for a read-only project.
I can trigger the same message by manually trying to save the file.
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KiCad 8 Error while using demo project
I have just installed Kicad 8 and was trying to use one of the demo projects to check out the new features. I thought this error message appeared when I was using the 3D Viewer, but I am not certain (it appeared on my second monitor that was showing the schematic). I dismissed the error and then it reappeared a short while later while I was doing something else (not using KiCad). Both the schematic and PCB windows display a banner saying the files are read-only. I captured the error message on its second appearance. It has not reappeared while I was preparing this message. Has anyone else seen this message or does anyone know what may be causing it? 
Application: KiCad Schematic Editor x64 on x64
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Version: 8.0.0, release build
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Libraries:
wxWidgets 3.2.4
FreeType 2.12.1
HarfBuzz 8.3.0
FontConfig 2.14.2
libcurl/8.5.0-DEV Schannel zlib/1.3
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Platform: Windows 10 (build 19045), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW
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Build Info:
Date: Feb 23 2024 02:24:15
wxWidgets: 3.2.4 (wchar_t,wx containers)
Boost: 1.83.0
OCC: 7.7.1
Curl: 8.5.0-DEV
ngspice: 42
Compiler: Visual C++ 1936 without C++ ABI
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Build settings:
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Re: Ignore courtyard DRC and library update
I see yes,
Some old versions did do this, but now running 8.00 and it's gone!
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Re: Ignore courtyard DRC and library update
Hi,
Courtyard is board side specific. So if you place anything to the other side, it will generate no error.
The problem here is that there are components under each other on the same side.
Lev
On Fri, Mar 1, 2024, 10:11 applewiz2000 < rob@...> wrote: Yes,
It would be nice if KiCAD could be set to ignore DRC errors for THT parts on the opposite side.
With RF boards the connectors (thru hole) are routinely mounted behind the circuit (SMD) to get short traces.
To avoid different keepout for both sides only the thru-hole pads have to be avoided.
This also happens with parts like PCB pots.
We have to be aware though it needs a bit of room to "swing the iron" and not put SMD parts hard up against THT pads.
-Rob
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Re: Ignore courtyard DRC and library update
Yes,
It would be nice if KiCAD could be set to ignore DRC errors for THT parts on the opposite side.
With RF boards the connectors (thru hole) are routinely mounted behind the circuit (SMD) to get short traces.
To avoid different keepout for both sides only the thru-hole pads have to be avoided.
This also happens with parts like PCB pots.
We have to be aware though it needs a bit of room to "swing the iron" and not put SMD parts hard up against THT pads.
-Rob
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ngspice linear AC simulation?
Until KiCAD 6 I was able to define a linear ngspice AC simulation by including a text
.ac lin 101 100 1meg
for simulating a linear frequency range from 100 Hz to 1 MHz with 101 samples/decade
but with the current KiCAD 7.0.11 freshly installed on Debian GNU/Linux and ngspice-42
the display remains with a logarithmic frequency scale despite Sim Command -> Custom
properly detecting my request.
In ngspice I would
.control ac lin 101 100 1meg .endc
but these statements are not detected as custom commands, even when setting LTSpice
compatibility flag.
Is there a way to achieve a linear frequency AC simulation with KiCAD as graphical frontend to ngspice?
Thanks, Jean-Michel
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Re: KiCad 8.0 - Simple transformer simulation
Hah! Embarassing. Thank you very much Tony, you're quite right. You solved my problem. Much appreciated.
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Re: Ignore courtyard DRC and library update
Thank you!
I am aware that there are alternative solutions (or lets call them workarounds)
available out there.
But I was specifically asking here for a possible (or future) KiCAD integrated
way which -ideally- does collision avoidance/visual feedback during the placement
process. If I want to drag a i.e. too high component into an area which has some
height restrictions, things should turn red and when I still want to place it,
it should tell me that I cannot place the thing there because of *meeh* + two
buttons: "Understood, nevermind." / "Ignore and place anyway and create a collision
because I know what I am doing."
Regards,
Clemens
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 29/02/2024 14.03, Robert via groups.io wrote: Most of the boards I design have similar constraints, usually multiple
areas with different height limits, and on both sides of the board.
Normally what I do is create graphical keep-out areas on the User layers
as a visual cue, and then tread carefully. Even so, the mechanical
designer will take my step file and check it for clashes in mechanical
CAD.
Regards,
Robert.
--
Plain text email sent from robert's alpine raspberry
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Re: Ignore courtyard DRC and library update
Most of the boards I design have similar constraints, usually multiple
areas with different height limits, and on both sides of the board.
Normally what I do is create graphical keep-out areas on the User layers
as a visual cue, and then tread carefully. Even so, the mechanical
designer will take my step file and check it for clashes in mechanical
CAD.
Regards,
Robert.
--
Plain text email sent from robert's alpine raspberry
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Re: Ignore courtyard DRC and library update
I think you can make FreeCad to do these kind of collision detection.
I usually do it manually though.
Lev
On Thu, Feb 29, 2024, 13:10 Clemens Koller < cko@...> wrote: Question in this context:
Is there a way to define a "keepout area" below the LCD for components
lower than a defined height? (i.e. to use the space for passives < 1mm bit
not higher.)
Regards,
Clemens
On 29/02/2024 04.22, brian wrote:
> 1) I also have a board with an LCD. I simply made the courtyard around
> the connector. The courtyard does not have to represent the outline of
> the part, you can make it a dot if you want.
>
> 2) I haven't figured out the migrate button either.
>
>
>
> On 2024-02-28 4:45 p.m., Lev wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>>
>> Thanks for KiCad 8
>>
>>
>> I have two questions regarding KiCad 8.0
>>
>> 1.
>> I have an LCD on my pcb, and have a large courtyard for it. Under my
>> LCD, there are lot of other components. When I run the DRC tool, I get
>> many false courtyard overlap errors. Is there any way to squelch
>> these? They might shadow real errors.
>>
>> 2.
>> I see a migrate library button. How does it work? If I push it, it
>> says I shall select libraries. If I select them, it says the same
>> error message.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Lev
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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Re: Ignore courtyard DRC and library update
Question in this context:
Is there a way to define a "keepout area" below the LCD for components
lower than a defined height? (i.e. to use the space for passives < 1mm bit
not higher.)
Regards,
Clemens
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 29/02/2024 04.22, brian wrote: 1) I also have a board with an LCD. I simply made the courtyard around
the connector. The courtyard does not have to represent the outline of
the part, you can make it a dot if you want.
2) I haven't figured out the migrate button either.
On 2024-02-28 4:45 p.m., Lev wrote:
Hi all,
Thanks for KiCad 8
I have two questions regarding KiCad 8.0
1.
I have an LCD on my pcb, and have a large courtyard for it. Under my
LCD, there are lot of other components. When I run the DRC tool, I get
many false courtyard overlap errors. Is there any way to squelch
these? They might shadow real errors.
2.
I see a migrate library button. How does it work? If I push it, it
says I shall select libraries. If I select them, it says the same
error message.
Thanks,
Lev
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Re: Ignore courtyard DRC and library update
1) I also have a board with an LCD. I simply made the courtyard around the connector. The courtyard does not have to represent the outline of the part, you can make it a dot if you want.
2) I haven't figured out the migrate button either.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 2024-02-28 4:45 p.m., Lev wrote: Hi all,
Thanks for KiCad 8
I have two questions regarding KiCad 8.0
1.
I have an LCD on my pcb, and have a large courtyard for it. Under my LCD, there are lot of other components. When I run the DRC tool, I get many false courtyard overlap errors. Is there any way to squelch these? They might shadow real errors.
2.
I see a migrate library button. How does it work? If I push it, it says I shall select libraries. If I select them, it says the same error message.
Thanks,
Lev
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John Woodgate
applewiz2000