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Debugging Variables

These variables turn on debugging modes and otherwise provide debugging utility. Most of these variables can be set indirectly from the Debug tool in the Tools menu of the Tool Control window.

debug
This variable may be a boolean (i.e., set to nothing), in which case all debugging is turned on, a string token from the list below, in which case the string specifies which part of the program to enable debugging for, or a list of these strings, which enables any combination. The possible values are:

async The aspice and rspice code
control The control structure code
cshpar The C-shell pre-processor and parser
eval The expression evaluation routines
ginterface Graphics package interface routines
helpsys The help system
plot The plotting routines
parser The parser for expressions
siminterface The interface to the simulator
vecdb The vector database

display
This variable contains the display name for X used by the graphics system, generally of the form host:number. This variable is read-only.

dontplot
This variable disables the plotting system for debugging purposes. When this variable is set, and a plot command is given, no graphical operations are performed.

noparse
This variable turns off the parsing of circuit descriptions when a file is sourced with the source command, for debugging purposes. The circuit cannot be simulated if it isn't parsed.

nosubckt
This variable disables the expansion of subcircuits when set, for debugging purposes. A circuit with subcircuits cannot be parsed if this is set.

program
This variable contains the full path name of the program.

trantrace
This can take integer values 0-2, a value 0 is the same as if unset. When set to 1 or 2, a message is printed at every internal time point during transient analysis, providing information about the predicted and used time step, integration order, convergence testing results, and breakpoints. The value 2 is more verbose than 1.

Also, for values 1 and 2 equivalently, the operating point analysis is traced, with iteration counts, step values and other information printed. This is done for any operating point analysis, for transient analysis or not.

fpemode
The fpemode variable can be set to an integer which controls how the program responds to a floating-point exception, such as divide by zero or overflow. The accepted values are

  1. Exception signals are masked, exceptions are checked for periodically. An exception terminates the simulation. This is the default.

  2. Exception signals are masked, and exceptions are ignored.

  3. Exception signals are unmasked. A warning is issued asynchronously on exceptions, but the run will continue.

  4. Exception signals are unmasked. An exception will asynchronously abort the run.

The unmasked signaling options are not available under Microsoft windows. The signaling options are intended for debugging purposes, and are not recommended for general use.


next up previous contents index
Next: Margin Analysis Up: Variables Previous: Batch Mode Option Variables   Contents   Index
Stephen R. Whiteley 2012-09-24