eeschema ngspice .op simulation is buggy

[Holger Vogt]

eeschema ngspice
simulation .op with error

take example C:\Program Files\KiCad\share\kicad\demos\simulation\sallen_key
copy to user writable place
start eeschema
load sallen_key.sch
edit text window (mark as comment) -> *.ac dec 10 1 1Meg
Tools --> Simulator --> Settings --> Operating Point --> ok
run/Stop Simulation

simulation runs, but emits only error messages:
Error: no such vector 3
Error: no such vector 6
Error: no such vector 2
Error: no such vector 1
Error: no such vector 4
Error: no such vector 5

Reason is that after command 'bg_run' has finished, commands
print v(3)
print v(6)
...

are sent to ngspice.

The netlist
Spice Simulator --> Simulation --> Show Spice Netlist ... does not
contain node names 1 to 6 (see below), so ngspice reports errors.

.title KiCad schematic
.include "D:\Spice_general\kicad\sallen_key-op-test\ad8051.lib"
V1 Net-_R1-Pad2_ GND AC 1
XU1 Net-_C2-Pad1_ /lowpass VDD VSS /lowpass AD8051
V2 VDD GND DC 10
V3 GND VSS DC 10
R2 Net-_C2-Pad1_ Net-_C1-Pad2_ 1k
R1 Net-_C1-Pad2_ Net-_R1-Pad2_ 1k
C1 /lowpass Net-_C1-Pad2_ 100n
C2 Net-_C2-Pad1_ GND 100n
.save @v1[i]
.save @v2[i]
.save @v3[i]
.save @r2[i]
.save @r1[i]
.save @c1[i]
.save @c2[i]
.save V(/lowpass)
.save V(GND)
.save V(Net-_C1-Pad2_)
.save V(Net-_C2-Pad1_)
.save V(Net-_R1-Pad2_)
.save V(VDD)
.save V(VSS)
.op
.end

Application: eeschema
Version: (5.1.0)-1, release build
Libraries:
    wxWidgets 3.0.4
    libcurl/7.61.1 OpenSSL/1.1.1 (WinSSL) zlib/1.2.11 brotli/1.0.6 libidn2/2.0.5 libpsl/0.20.2 (+libidn2/2.0.5) nghttp2/1.34.0
Platform: Windows 7 (build 7601, Service Pack 1), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW
Build Info:
    wxWidgets: 3.0.4 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8)
    Boost: 1.68.0
    OpenCASCADE Community Edition: 6.9.1
    Curl: 7.61.1
    Compiler: GCC 8.2.0 with C++ ABI 1013

Build settings:
    USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
    USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_PYTHON3=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON_PHOENIX=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_ACTION_MENU=ON
    BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCE=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCC=OFF
    KICAD_SPICE=ON

[Jon Evans (craftyjon)]

Not sure OP mode in the simulator GUI is fully baked yet.
See: https://bugs.launchpad.net/kicad/+bug/1821366

[Jon Evans (craftyjon)]

This is actually a feature request since OP simulation was never implemented before, so I'm bumping this to 6.0

[andrea verdi (andreaverdi)]

for now i am using a gui written in lazarus by me. it starts the ngspice reading the netlist.

[Sylwester Kocjan (skocjan)]

Attached some helpful comments from Holger

[KiCad Janitor (kicad-janitor)]

KiCad bug tracker has moved to Gitlab. This report is now available here: https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/issues/2368