Cardamom: The Bridge between Circad(tm) and SPICE!

A program by Donald J. Miller, K4DJM (formerly KM4AS)

      Circad(tm) is a trademark of Holophase Incorporated
        This website is not associated with Holophase in any way...
        ...but the webmaster is a satisfied customer!

The short story:

• Interfaces easily to at least two shareware or free versions of SPICE
  (WinSPICE and SPICE OPUS)
• Allows you to capture your schematic just ONCE.
  --> Not separately for simulation
• Length of SPICE line arguments not limited by component attribute field widths.
• Inexpensive $35 shareware.
• Free evaluation -- but PLEASE contribute if you find the program of use!
• Alpha version available NOW --- you guys tell me where this program needs to go!
• Includes a starter kit of specialized SPICE symbols.

The long story:

• Draft product introduction and manual is here (1 . 1  MB). [Do a right mouse-click, then "save target as"]
  (Definately reccommend you read this before you start)
  
  NOTE:   IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE PDF MANUAL, TRY THE MS-WORD VERSION HERE.
• Cardamom Installer is available here, including zipfiles of example schematics, models, and subcircuits.
  (note that the manual is not in this zipfile, so grab it separately)
  Note that you must install the .NET framework on your computer before you install Cardamom.
• Uses versions of SPICE that have the NUTMEG command language.
  (instead of the .COMMAND syntax)
• ... but a few "dot" commands are still supported: .INCLUDE, .PARAM, .OPTIONS
• ... and a few Cardamom-specific ones: .CONTROL, .ADDP
  (OK, .CONTROL is used in modern SPICE, but in Cardamom schematics it is used subtly differently)
• You need to download and install the .NET framework redistributable from Microsoft and install it on your machine.
  This gives you the required dll files to run .NET applications.  Just do it.   You'll be seeing a lot more .NET applications coming soon.

Grab SPICE separately here (get the 3F4 version, WinSPICE) or here (SPICE OPUS).  I recommend you play with both, but maybe use WinSPICE first.

Quick Startup:

1. Install the .NET redistributable (dotnetfx.exe).  You can get it from www.microsoft.com via a search, or thru Windows Update.
2. Install WinSPICE
3. Create two directories: C:\models and C:\subckt
4. Run the Cardamom setup program
5. Grab the model.zip file from the Cardamom directory and unzip it in C:\models
6. Grab the subckt.zip file from the Cardamom directory and unzip it in C:\subckt
7. Unzip the spicelib.zip file in your Circad library directory
8. Unzip the schematics.zip directory wherever you keep your Circad schematics
9. Run Circad, grab an example schematic and create a netlist.   If you do any edits, re-save the schematic and do another netlist!
10. Run WinSPICE
11. Run Cardamom
12. Set all the paths in Cardamom.  You need to hit 5 buttons one at a time to do this...
    Save your output file in your WinSPICE directory!
13. Push the "process" button.
14. Type "source filename.ext" in the WinSPICE window, where filename.ext is the name of the Cardamom output file.
15. Watch the simulator output!

Once you have done all the setup above, you can re-simulate thusly:

1. Make changes to your schematic
2. Save the schematic
3. Generate a netlist
4. Push the "Process" button.

That's it!  If you come back to work on the same schematic later, Cardamom remembers all the paths.  You will need to type a "source filename.ext" into the WinSPICE window to get things going again, however.

Summary of required files:

• Microsoft .NET framework.  Try http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/productinfo/default.aspx
• WinSPICE:  http://www.winspice.com
• Cardamom Installer
• Cardamom Manual

Have fun!

Comments?   PLEASE !!!!!   

Views since 04/06/2004