Is there a simulation guide that is current and works for KiCad 7?
I am familiar with KiCad’s schema editor and PCB layout tools, but not as familiar with simulation. I am able to use the simulator in KiCad fine for passive devices only, but can not figure out how to get transistors or custom devices to simulate, the simulator always errors with “Error: .include filename missing”
So far all of the guides seem to be for KiCad 6 or earlier, so I am wondering if changes in 7 have made the existing guides out of date.
Is there a guide that works for KiCad 7 and shows both standard devices and custom devices successfully? I’ve tried several so far and spent hours on this without any progress.
For symbols other than passives, you need to add the relevant spice models to each symbol in question, normally from a file. This is true for v6, and I’m pretty sure it’s the same for v7.
I’ve tried adding spice models from a file within the project directory, exactly as shown in this guide, but without success.
There are other items, such as every guide refers to a VSOURCE symbol in the pspice library, but the pspice library is not installed with KiCad 7 and I have not found where to install it from.
So my basic question is “what is the right simulation guide/walkthrough to use with KiCad 7”? I am sure there are basic items I am not understanding but not sure where to start. Thanks
There are other items, such as every guide refers to a VSOURCE symbol in the pspice library, but the pspice library is not installed with KiCad 7 and I have not found where to install it from.
Those are in the “Simulation_SPICE” library in KiCad 7. Most things should work, though be aware that I’ve found that some things like “ESOURCE” are a bit buggy in 7.0.0.
The “Simulation_SPICE” library in a clean KiCad 7 installation has BSOURCE, ESOURCE, GSOURCE, VDC, VSIN, VPULSE, and a variety of Vxxx options, but no VSOURCE which the few guides I’ve found seem to use.
Again I am just asking for what is the right guide/walkthrough to use for people new to simulation in KiCad and in KiCad 7?
I know KiCad and have designed multiple boards through it but always used other simulation tools. I want to switch to doing all simulation from within KiCad to simplify everything, but really am stuck on some basics here.
Right, the VSOURCE is just the Vxx variants in there, I didn’t quite read your question thoroughly enough. I, too would rather use Kicad, but as of right now it’s still quite buggy and under documented compared to say LTSpice
Thank you for sharing the ngspice tutorial and for working to improve it.
As you develop the next update if it would useful for a “beginner” to review and provide feedback I could help out with that if interested. Kicad is a great project and getting the simulation aspect better documented for newcomers would really complete the tool.
It also would be helpful to link to the guide you are working on from the KiCad website Docs or Getting Started sections. Currently there does not seem to be any references to simulation on the KiCad webpages so it is not clear which online guide is the ‘official’ one to start with.
The walkthrough on the ngspice site was helpful and what I was looking for, thanks for linking it. If there is some way to point people to it from the KiCad website that would definitely help and reduce confusion.