LTspice XVII

[audioguru]

My LTspice XVII crashes like that when I open some of my sims made with LTspice IV. I kept both versions so I use the old one to see my old sims.

 

[simonbramble]

I have found this too. Trust me - we are working on it. I find if I open up an LTspice file I need to wait for about 10 seconds before poking the running man otherwise I get some Windows exception error and LTspice closes. I think it is something to do with the way Ltspice opens up the Plot window. You can also get all sorts of funny graphics if you minimise then maximise the plot window.

Once LTspice has opened the plot window for the first time, it all seems to be OK and I can run simulations at leisure. It is just that first opening of an LTspice file.

Holding your breath and closing your eyes also seems to help prevent it crashing.

It is worth persisting with LTspice XVII. You can still download LTspice IV, but IV is not updated anymore (a little known fact). This is includes both bug fixes and models

 

[atferrari]

I have found this too. Trust me - we are working on it. I find if I open up an LTspice file I need to wait for about 10 seconds before poking the running man otherwise I get some Windows exception error and LTspice closes. I think it is something to do with the way Ltspice opens up the Plot window. You can also get all sorts of funny graphics if you minimise then maximise the plot window.

Once LTspice has opened the plot window for the first time, it all seems to be OK and I can run simulations at leisure. It is just that first opening of an LTspice file.

Holding your breath and closing your eyes also seems to help prevent it crashing.

It is worth persisting with LTspice XVII. You can still download LTspice IV, but IV is not updated anymore (a little known fact). This is includes both bug fixes and models

Hola Simon,

First time I hear you are part of the development team. Congratulations.

I recall using some of your tutorials. Definitely good. They got me up and running as desired in no time.

 

[audioguru]

I found another bug in LTspice XVII when it is showing a sim made with LTspice IV:

 

[alec_t]

Is there a way to increase the tool icon size? I find them very fiddly when working with a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080.

 

[simonbramble]

I found another bug in LTspice XVII when it is showing a sim made with LTspice IV:

I see it has shrunk. You can always hold down the CTRL button and right click over the .tran statement and resize it.... but it should not happen in the first place

 

[simonbramble]

First time I hear you are part of the development team

No I am not - I work for LTC UK and do not (by any stretch) claim to be an LTspice expert!

 

[Mikebits]

No I am not - I work for LTC UK and do not (by any stretch) claim to be an LTspice expert!

I have seen your name on LTC website tech tips page. I thought that was way cool I can't remember the article you wrote however...
Wait, just found em with Google:
https://www.linear.com/designtools/authors.php?author=Simon Bramble

 

[simonbramble]

Ah yes I remember those... thanks for the compliment. That loop gain article is an excellent refresher on op amps despite the fact it is written about an LDO. I recommend any high school student (and many engineers) who think they know about op amps to read it. It makes everything so much clearer (loop gain, phase margin, gain margin, minimum gain stability). Text books in my experience have never done a good job of explaining that stuff. Compare the original text (on my website) with the polished LTC version and you will see what a good marcom department can do!

 

[Mikebits]

Ah yes I remember those... thanks for the compliment. That loop gain article is an excellent refresher on op amps despite the fact it is written about an LDO. I recommend any high school student (and many engineers) who think they know about op amps to read it. It makes everything so much clearer (loop gain, phase margin, gain margin, minimum gain stability). Text books in my experience have never done a good job of explaining that stuff. Compare the original text (on my website) with the polished LTC version and you will see what a good marcom department can do!

I was working as a Digital Engineer, this past year I been studying analog design and I really enjoy it and find it very interesting. I will most certainly pull up that article. You are now our resident Analog Expert, actually one of several good ee's on here. I try to learn as much as I can from you really smart peeps

P.S. Thanks for using this forum, great to have an LT guy here. BTW, is LT now part of Analog Devices? Analog Devices has a sim program too, I installed it, but find it tricker to use than LTSpice. I am in the process of designing a Volt Reference using LT parts. The ref I am using is the LTZ1000A, I also have a couple LM 399. I would like to scale the voltages with Op-amps but maintain stability and accuracy with low drift...
Well anyways I am babling... Thanks

 

[simonbramble]

To all, just for the record... LTC is not part of ADI... yet.

The whole process is going through approvals by the various monopolies and mergers commissions around the world. We expect this to be complete by Q1 2017.

From inside LTC, it looks to be a good merger (or takeover... depending on who you ask!). We can combine the might of the ADI signal processing parts with the might of the LTC power products and create the 'go to' company for anything analogue and mixed signal.

I just then need to get you US guys to spell the word Analogue correctly and my work on this planet is done

 

[Mikebits]

That's a spelling of a different colour
My spell check does not like analogue and tries to change it to analog.

 

[Willen]

Hi Simon,
Can I get the tutorial too, in PDF?

 

[Mikebits]

Hi Simon,
Can I get the tutorial too, in PDF?

The link is given in post above.

 

[jbdwi]

I have found this too. Trust me - we are working on it. I find if I open up an LTspice file I need to wait for about 10 seconds before poking the running man otherwise I get some Windows exception error and LTspice closes. I think it is something to do with the way Ltspice opens up the Plot window. You can also get all sorts of funny graphics if you minimise then maximise the plot window.

Once LTspice has opened the plot window for the first time, it all seems to be OK and I can run simulations at leisure. It is just that first opening of an LTspice file.

Holding your breath and closing your eyes also seems to help prevent it crashing.

It is worth persisting with LTspice XVII. You can still download LTspice IV, but IV is not updated anymore (a little known fact). This is includes both bug fixes and models

Hi Simon,
Thanks for your advise to solve the problem. Unfortunately this way was not working in my laptop, even if I closed my eyes dan deep breathing more than 10 seconds before clicking the running man. Maybe I need more with my laptop. I will try. Anyway I agree wity your suspicion about "the way LTSpice opens up the plotwindow". And I think Mike ( Engelhardt ) should be informed about this issues to make some necessary correction.

rgds / josef

 

[GromTag]

Similar results of Schematic capture crash, Win 7 Home SP1. Multiple methods as to resolutions altered to compatible methods even security methods all through to authenticated users, However running in virtual VT has resulted in practically no crashes as of yet. Isolation of the program to its own drive space with object to documents and drive under Sand boxed operation. This is no means a fix for just an interesting method that worked for me. Can dig up more info or try to if needed, however this method is not likely to help with in practical sense any others crash results other than Video and or memory access is a two potential issue i have noticed. tracing it via Killswitch is not easy however. (as i don't fully understand the info that I'm reading)

 

[GromTag]

Also info on VT shadow and virtual methods, as there are programs that can accomplish this. Some may have features or options, as I am not aware of many programs or methods that can create any virtual system on a drive or in RAM.
The point is that some might remove and or delete the info on a closed session, this is the worst case thought I have had as in creating a circuit in spice and then saving resulted in the session saving the schematic asc. in the virtualized document folder in the hidden VT or shadow share methods the file would be gone, resulting in having to do save as, assign name then retrieve from hidden shares VT Documents and copy to another non Virt location before closing that session (closing Spice) This is not very likley, just a mentioning about programs that may exist with this feature and a test would be "if" such a method would be used to function spice for those that may utilize this concept. As for others they have to have the VT deleted manually via Temp file cleaning or have "Reset Sandbox" for those methods. The files saved in VT would then be gone. So if important files are saved vial this method, retrieval from the VT "backing up" the files to any other primary, such as documents folder or a new directory off the VT entirely would be advised. Virtuals are a copy to hidden drive share virtual sector on read from the main operating system files. Open a folder if running in virtual the folder and files accessed and run in Virt or Sand Boxed will be formed And modified in the VT copy. Manual retrieval is needed to save them elsewhere, or not clear the VT as it will hold them depending on the type of software more than less. Also the VT version of file when in operating in virtual will continue to be the file changed when said changes are made and saved via system or save file option. The original file from the main location initially open in virtual should be left alone by the vt system and be the "original" un altered from that point on unless changed out of virtual on normal OS. Not sure what will happen if an updated virtual version is altered then modified with same name copied back to the read from directory. A potential copy and replace may apply and still function, testing. hm well here it appears in LTVII to actually change the main non virtual directory when the VT run version is altered then saved. Just for the info spec only, Comodo virtual sand box is what I am using. Just to mention any results I have in potential comparison with any others on this form of method to get LTVII to run without the potential of a crash. Method shared as it is one I have used and will continue to use for some time.

 

[audioguru]

I am glad I kept my copy of LTspiceIV because LTspiceXVII is a mess that crashes when I use it to show a circuit made with the older version.

 

[alec_t]

Works ok for me on Win10 with circuits created with the old version.

 

[Mikebits]

I am glad I kept my copy of LTspiceIV because LTspiceXVII is a mess that crashes when I use it to show a circuit made with the older version.

I'm having the same issue running Win7. According to LT website, they will no longer be updating LTIV, so I hope they sort the crash issue.