File Operations

In this topic:

Saving

For normal save operations use the File > Save or File > Save As... menus.

To save all the sheets currently open use File > Save All.

Exporting Schematic Graphics

You may export schematic graphics to other applications such as word processors or drawing programs. You can do this via the clipboard (see Copying to the Clipboard) or by writing out to a file. To export schematic graphics to a file, select the schematic menu File > Save Picture... then select the format of your choice using the Save as type: drop down box. The choices are:

  1. Windows Meta File (.EMF and .WMF). Nearly all windows applications that support graphics import will accept this format. Note that this is a scalable format and therefore suitable for high resolution printing.
  2. Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg). This is a relatively new format and is not supported by many applications. However, unlike WMF and EMF, it is supported by operating systems other than Windows and may be useful for users wanting to export scalable graphics to other applications that run on other operating systems.

  3. Bitmap - default image size (.png, .jpg, .bmp) These are available on all platforms, are widely supported by graphics applications but these are not scalable formats and so do not offer good quality when printed using high resolution printers. PNG is the default format if you do not choose a file extension. PNG tends to be the most efficient format to use for images such as schematics and it is also lossless meaning that it uses a compression technique which does not lose information. To choose JPG (JPEG format) or BMP (windows bitmap format) you must explicitly enter .jpg or .bmp file extensions respectively. With this option the image size will match the image size currently displayed on screen. If you wish to specify a different image size, use next option.
  4. Bitmap - specify image size (.png, .jpg, .bmp). As 3 above but you must explicitly define the image resolution in pixels. You will be prompted for this when you close the file selection dialog box. Note that schematics always maintain their aspect ratio so the final image size may differ from what you specify. The actual image will always fit within the X and Y values you give.

Exporting to Earlier Versions of SIMetrix

From version 8.0, all schematics are stored in an ASCII format. This format is recognised by all SIMetrix versions from version 5.0. So all schematics can be read by all versions from version 5.0 or later. Note the following when reading a version 8 schematic with an earlier version:
  • Features introduced in version 8 will not be useable in older versions. In particular, annotations and styles were not available in earlier versions. A version 8 schematic with annotations will open in older versions but the annotations will not be displayed.
  • Although the schematic will open, it won't necessarily simulate. This will depend on the devices used in the schematic

The ASCII format used is fully documented allowing the development of translators to other formats. Also there are some editing operations that are easier performed on an ASCII file than with the graphical editor. For example, changing a symbol name is very difficult with the schematic editor as you have to delete and replace all instances. But this is a simple task with a text editor operating on the ASCII file.

Binary format

SIMetrix version 7.2 and earlier saved schematics in a binary format by default, although the ASCII format could be used as an option from version 5.0.

Opening binary Schematics

No special procedure is needed. Just open the schematic in the usual way. SIMetrix will detect that it is in the binary format automatically. Note that if saved again, the ASCII format will always be used.

Saving in binary Format

It is no longer possible to save schematics in the binary format.

File Format

Documentation for the format be found on the install CD (see Install CD) may be found at Docs/File-Formats/schematic-ascii-format-revnnn.pdf. (nnn is the format revision number).

Autosave

When enabled, SIMetrix will automatically save all open schematics at regular intervals.This system does not write to the schematic's normal file but to a backup location. If SIMetrix closes unexpectedly due perhaps to a power failure, you will be asked whether you would like to recover the auto-saved schematics when you restart SIMetrix.

To enable auto saving and to set the auto-save interval, select menu File > Options > General.... See the Auto-save interval section in the Schematic sheet.

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