MicroSim Schematics

MicroSim Schematics is a schematic capture program that provides a convenient
system for creating and managing circuit drawing, setting up and running simulations,
evaluating simulation results using MicroSim Probe, and creating netlists for printed
circuit board layout design. It has extensive symbol libraries and a fully integrated
symbol editor for creating your own symbols or modifying existing symbols. The
main functions of Schematics are described in the following diagram.

In order to demonstrate the basic drawing features of how to draw a schematic, the
following questions are important to answer.

1. How do you start the schematic editor to begin a new design?
2. How do you check to see which libraries are available to the designer?
3. How do you place parts on a schematic?
4. How do you connect the parts using wires?
5. How do you move parts?
6. How do you create ports on a schematics?
7. How do you place power and ground on a schematic?
8. How do you save your design?

Starting, opening, and closing a file in the schematic editor

In our School computer network, you first need to login to the Novell file server
on the page shown here

Start the schematic editor by double-clicking on the schematics icon in the MicroSim
program group. An empty schematic page displays.

After logging into the Novell file server, you can start the schematic editor in the following
way:

1. Click on Start icon
2. Select CNC
3. Select EET Applications
4. Select Schematics by high lighting it and clicking on it

Here is an animation of this:

If you already have Schematics running with another schematic displayed, click the New File
icon to start a new schematic. To open an existing file and display the schematic for editing,
click the Open File icon. Previously opened schematics remain open until explicitly closed. To
close files or to close the schematic editor, click on the Close submenu from the File menu.
You can also click on the Close icon.

      New File icon

      Open File icon

Finding Parts

Parts is a library electrical devices such as resistors, Op-Amps, diodes, logic gates,
and memory devices. The graphical representation of a part is a symbol stored in a
symbol library. You can select a symbol from a library by name or by browsing the
list of available parts. The available parts are only those in configured libraries.

1. Type the name of the desired part in the Select Part list box
2. Press Enter
3. Move the outline of the selected symbol to any location on the schematic and click
   to place the part.
4. Repeat the process for each part
5. Right-click to stop placing parts.

Once you select a part for placement, the part name is listed in the Select Part list box on
the toolbar and can be recalled. This can be done by clicking the Select Part list box arrow,
scrolling the list display, clicking the name of the part and moving its outline to the desired
location, and right-clicking to stop placing parts. Once you have selected a part, you can
place one or more copies of the part on the schematics.

Rotating and Flipping Parts

Parts being placed on the schematics, parts already placed and entire areas of a schematic
can be rotated and flipped (mirrored).

1. Select the part to be placed by hitting <Ctrl-G> and entering the part name.
2. Press <Ctrl-R> to rotate it.

Note that the symbol outline rotates 90 degrees counterclockwise each time you

press <Ctrl-R>. If an object already drawn, you can rotate it by click on the part to be                                                                               placed and press <Ctrl-R> to rotate it.

To rotate an area of the schematic, drag the left button mouse to outline and select the
area to be rotated. Press <Ctrl-R> to rotate the area. The selected area rotates 90
degree counterclockwise about the center point of the selected area.

1. Select a part
2. Press <Ctrl-F> to flip it
   Note that the symbol outline is a mirror image of what it was before.

Flipping an area schematic

1. Drag with the left button mouse to outline and select the area to be flipped.
2. Press <Ctrl-F> to flip the area about the vertical axis.

Library components

Note that Viewpoints are similar to voltmeters and iprobes are similar to ammeters that are
used in circuit measurements.

Common commands to remember: <Ctrl-G> to get a part, and <Ctrl-w> to draw a wire.

1. Click the Select Part icon to display the Part Browser dialog box
2. Click Libraries to display the library browser dialog box. Use it to select a library
   and view a list of parts contained in the library by scrolling the up/down arrow in                                                                                   the part list window.
3. Select the part by high lighting it.
4. Click OK.
5. Click Place to place the part or click Place & Close (to place the part and close the
   browser).
6. Move the outline of the selected symbol to any location on the schematic and click
   to place the part.
7. Right-click to stop placing parts.
8. Similarly, select and place the remaing parts pof the circuit.

Editing Part Attributes

Parts, ports, wires (nets), buses and most other symbols have associated attributes, consisting of                                                                     a name and an associated value.

1. Double-click on a part to display the Attribute Editing dialog box.
2. In the list of attributes and values, select the attribute to be edited.
3. Edit the name or the value in the Value text box.
4. Click Save Attr.
5. Click OK.

Back to EE196 Homepage
This page was last modified August 12, 1998
Please contact John Schild (jhs@engr.iupui.edu) concerning this site.