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nahkhiirmees

Member

Registered: 2022-07-24

Posts: 194  

this morning...

i started to think that maybe i have a use for a software that can simulate electric circuits. I mean to show how the voltages and currents change over time. That kind of thing.

I know that there is simulink: https://www.mathworks.com/products/simulink.html . But it is not FOSS .
If i really want, i guess i can write a Python or even C program. But first i would like to ask:
are there any FOSS alternatives to Simulink amongst Debian/Devuan packages ?

nahkhiirmees

Member

Registered: 2022-07-24

Posts: 194  

Re: this morning...

Answering to myself: https://openmodelica.org/download/download-linux/ would be one idea.
And Ktechlab another: https://github.com/ktechlab/ktechlab/wiki .

Last edited by nahkhiirmees (2024-04-04 21:17:16)

pcalvert

Member

Registered: 2017-05-15

Posts: 195  

Re: this morning...

Debian has KTechlab. See: ktechlab.

Another one is Simulide.

Scan this list for additional possibilities: circuit simulator.

Last edited by pcalvert (2024-04-05 09:02:20)

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JWM-Kit

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Registered: 2020-06-29

Posts: 117  

Website

Re: this morning...

I find that searching the AUR is a great way to find software, and there are a lot of circuit simulator listed. Just follow the links to the upstream source (github, etc). You may even find a few are already available in debian.

AUR Search for circuit simulator

While not a simulator, my favorite circuit tool is DIY Layout Creator.  It's excellent for designing you own guitar pedals and it should be since originally that was it's intended purpose.

DIY Layout Creator

Last edited by JWM-Kit (2024-04-05 23:34:28)

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aluma

Member

Registered: 2022-10-26

Posts: 533  

Re: this morning...

DIY Layout Creator

Yes, for simple low frequency circuits.
Creating a PCB is not an entirely simple task, here is an example of instructions for this. There are many more similar ones for specific tasks (pdf ~320 Kb).
https://www.ti.com/lit/pdf/szza009

And the best simulator is probably microcap, but it’s under Win.

JWM-Kit

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Registered: 2020-06-29

Posts: 117  

Website

Re: this morning...

And the best simulator is probably microcap, but it’s under Win.

Having to use wine is not the best solution, but at least microcap has a free license.  Public Domain Mark 1.0 Universal

Forgot about Fritzing. I used to use it and liked it very much. From what I understand it now has a simulator built in.

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aluma

Member

Registered: 2022-10-26

Posts: 533  

Re: this morning...

Having to use wine is not the best solution,..

I completely agree!
For such professional programs, I have Win installed on a separate disk.

Microcap was once taught to students and there was an online course on its learning and application.

But it all depends on the task at hand. Perhaps the simulators available in Linux distributions will suit the topicstarter quite well.

nahkhiirmees

Member

Registered: 2022-07-24

Posts: 194  

Re: this morning...

Tried ktechlab. Put some components together and first the output in the oscilloscope looked like what i was expecting.
But then the voltage went flat-lined. Maybe i chose wrong component values or maybe there is some bug somewhere.
Tried first a simple thing, half-wave-rectifier combined with a RC-circuit before going to more complex things.

And there's not so much analog components available in the components menu.
I'll try simulide and the others next.

Last edited by nahkhiirmees (2024-04-07 18:23:00)

zapper

Member

Registered: 2017-05-29

Posts: 856  

Re: this morning...

I was hoping after this morning you would say "I got wasted drinking from fermented pumpkins."

Darn...

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nahkhiirmees

Member

Registered: 2022-07-24

Posts: 194  

Re: this morning...

In that case i'll have to let you know when i have bottle of Jägermeister for breakfast

nahkhiirmees

Member

Registered: 2022-07-24

Posts: 194  

Re: this morning...

Ngspice seems to take this "analogic thing" seriously. Manual has abt 700 pages and includes, for example, how temperatire effects the currents of pn-junction.
But on the other hand, that software has a steep learning curve.

nahkhiirmees

Member

Registered: 2022-07-24

Posts: 194  

Re: this morning...

Tried ktechlab. Put some components together and first the output in the oscilloscope looked like what i was expecting.
But then the voltage went flat-lined. Maybe i chose wrong component values or maybe there is some bug somewhere.
Tried first a simple thing, half-wave-rectifier combined with a RC-circuit before going to more complex things.

Maybe "What i was expecting" was a over-statement. The "downward slope" looked like what i have seen in electronics books and from a real oscilloscope once. But that "rising edge" was weird. Looked more like sawtooth wave. Maybe a rounding error or a bug?
Should send some email to the makers of ktechlab.

Got tired of that ngspice manual...