Electronic Workbench Update

RST Engineering wrote:

> I've got an OLD copy of Electronic Workbench that jams up Windows 7
> every time I use it.  Is there a (preferably free or cheap) circuit
> simulator that is somewhat similar to EWB that doesn't cob up the OS?
> 
> Yeah, I know SPICE does everything but it is a royal pain in the ass
> to use and doesn't let me do quick and dirty simulations that don't
> have to be down to the gnat's eyebrow.
> 
> Suggestions?
> 
> Jim
  It would be interesting as to why WB is causing that problem in the 
first place?

   I am not defending W7 however, It's very possible there is something
happening in W7 that is causing that app to be put on hold, like a 
process priority setting for that app.

   Some apps do not meter very well and could get in a dead lock, which 
isn't really a locked up app but one that got caught up in a 
unpredictable timing snag. The change on the OS also can make scheduling 
items behave differently.. If there is some kind of kink in the way the 
software was written when processing multiple threads? Then I think the
only recourse would be to play with the APP settings from W7.

   If memory serves me, W7 has a capability setting you may want to play 
with for WB. Also, work bench could be attempting to access some 
hardware that may have gotten ported over from an old machine or OS?

Jamie

On Tue, 10 Jul 2012 14:02:20 -0400, Spehro Pefhany
<speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> wrote:

>On Tue, 10 Jul 2012 10:30:38 -0700, Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid>
>wrote:
>>No surprise there. IMHO the last-known-good OS from MS is XP. Which is
>>why I am sticking to that.
>
>Ugh. Limited to 32-bit.=20

I have several copies of XP-Pro 64 bit.  Not a lot of SW for that variant
though.

YMMV

?-)

I perhaps should have been more specific as to my application.

I have exactly 60 minutes the first day of class (which is coming up a
week from this coming Monday) to get 24 freshman students up to speed
on the simulation program.  If I had a whole semester to teach Spice,
that would be an entirely different matter.

But it isn't the case.  After that first hour, we are off to the races
and the kids need to have at LEAST a nodding acquaintance with the
software.  AND some of the student machines (and the instructor
station) are running XP and some of them are running Win7.  To boot,
ALL the student machines are loaded up with Deep Freeze which removes
ANYTHING that the students load onto their machines during class.
Don't ask me to take DF off; I fought IT all the way to mahogany row
and got shot down.

So, let me try again.  Anybody got a suggestion for a simple, cheap,
easy to learn simulation program that doesn't need to be accurate to a
RCH, but a simple first-cut freshman oriented program that is an
INTRODUCTION to simulation.  

THanks,

Jim



On Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:56:00 -0700, RST Engineering
<jweir43@gmail.com> wrote:

>I've got an OLD copy of Electronic Workbench that jams up Windows 7
>every time I use it.  Is there a (preferably free or cheap) circuit
>simulator that is somewhat similar to EWB that doesn't cob up the OS?
>
>Yeah, I know SPICE does everything but it is a royal pain in the ass
>to use and doesn't let me do quick and dirty simulations that don't
>have to be down to the gnat's eyebrow.
>
>Suggestions?
>
>Jim

On Aug 8, 6:47=A0pm, RST Engineering <jwei...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I perhaps should have been more specific as to my application.
>
> I have exactly 60 minutes the first day of class (which is coming up a
> week from this coming Monday) to get 24 freshman students up to speed
> on the simulation program. =A0If I had a whole semester to teach Spice,
> that would be an entirely different matter.
>
> But it isn't the case. =A0After that first hour, we are off to the races
> and the kids need to have at LEAST a nodding acquaintance with the
> software. =A0AND some of the student machines (and the instructor
> station) are running XP and some of them are running Win7. =A0To boot,
> ALL the student machines are loaded up with Deep Freeze which removes
> ANYTHING that the students load onto their machines during class.
> Don't ask me to take DF off; I fought IT all the way to mahogany row
> and got shot down.
>
> So, let me try again. =A0Anybody got a suggestion for a simple, cheap,
> easy to learn simulation program that doesn't need to be accurate to a
> RCH, but a simple first-cut freshman oriented program that is an
> INTRODUCTION to simulation.
>
> THanks,
>
> Jim
>
> On Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:56:00 -0700, RST Engineering
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <jwei...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >I've got an OLD copy of Electronic Workbench that jams up Windows 7
> >every time I use it. =A0Is there a (preferably free or cheap) circuit
> >simulator that is somewhat similar to EWB that doesn't cob up the OS?
>
> >Yeah, I know SPICE does everything but it is a royal pain in the ass
> >to use and doesn't let me do quick and dirty simulations that don't
> >have to be down to the gnat's eyebrow.
>
> >Suggestions?

LTSpice is pretty much the only game in town if you want something
free that isn't too difficult to use. I've run it under Windows XP and
now run it under Windows 7. Stuff that I ran under Windows XP still
seems to run under Windows 7.

--
Bill Sloman, Nijmegen

On Aug 8, 12:47=A0pm, RST Engineering <jwei...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I perhaps should have been more specific as to my application.
>
> I have exactly 60 minutes the first day of class (which is coming up a
> week from this coming Monday) to get 24 freshman students up to speed
> on the simulation program. =A0If I had a whole semester to teach Spice,
> that would be an entirely different matter.
>
> But it isn't the case. =A0After that first hour, we are off to the races
> and the kids need to have at LEAST a nodding acquaintance with the
> software. =A0AND some of the student machines (and the instructor
> station) are running XP and some of them are running Win7. =A0To boot,
> ALL the student machines are loaded up with Deep Freeze which removes
> ANYTHING that the students load onto their machines during class.
> Don't ask me to take DF off; I fought IT all the way to mahogany row
> and got shot down.
>
> So, let me try again. =A0Anybody got a suggestion for a simple, cheap,
> easy to learn simulation program that doesn't need to be accurate to a
> RCH, but a simple first-cut freshman oriented program that is an
> INTRODUCTION to simulation.
>
> THanks,
>
> Jim
>
> On Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:56:00 -0700, RST Engineering
>
>
>
> <jwei...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >I've got an OLD copy of Electronic Workbench that jams up Windows 7
> >every time I use it. =A0Is there a (preferably free or cheap) circuit
> >simulator that is somewhat similar to EWB that doesn't cob up the OS?
>
> >Yeah, I know SPICE does everything but it is a royal pain in the ass
> >to use and doesn't let me do quick and dirty simulations that don't
> >have to be down to the gnat's eyebrow.
>
> >Suggestions?
>
> >Jim- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I'm going to stay with LTspice.  You can set up some simple circits
for the kids to probe.  (square wave into R/C's or something like
that.)  Then they can muck about changing amplitudes, frequencies,
adding more R/C's.   Have you tried it?


George H.

There's Falstad's circuit program online.  Java applet.  Schematic capture 
and basic simulation.  Crude, but works for resistors and LEDs.  Sometimes 
works for diodes, transistors and op-amps; simple simulators like these are 
real easy to freak out.  (As unstable as SPICE is, it makes one wonder that 
anything works at all, and that SPICE works as well as it does, when it 
does!)

There's also another online environment but I forget what it's called.

Tim

-- 
Deep Friar: a very philosophical monk.
Website: http://webpages.charter.net/dawill/tmoranwms

"RST Engineering" <jweir43@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:oe5528d4su0cf5oanfsqtl3tqopnugpms2@4ax.com...
>I perhaps should have been more specific as to my application.
>
> I have exactly 60 minutes the first day of class (which is coming up a
> week from this coming Monday) to get 24 freshman students up to speed
> on the simulation program.  If I had a whole semester to teach Spice,
> that would be an entirely different matter.
>
> But it isn't the case.  After that first hour, we are off to the races
> and the kids need to have at LEAST a nodding acquaintance with the
> software.  AND some of the student machines (and the instructor
> station) are running XP and some of them are running Win7.  To boot,
> ALL the student machines are loaded up with Deep Freeze which removes
> ANYTHING that the students load onto their machines during class.
> Don't ask me to take DF off; I fought IT all the way to mahogany row
> and got shot down.
>
> So, let me try again.  Anybody got a suggestion for a simple, cheap,
> easy to learn simulation program that doesn't need to be accurate to a
> RCH, but a simple first-cut freshman oriented program that is an
> INTRODUCTION to simulation.
>
> THanks,
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> On Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:56:00 -0700, RST Engineering
> <jweir43@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>I've got an OLD copy of Electronic Workbench that jams up Windows 7
>>every time I use it.  Is there a (preferably free or cheap) circuit
>>simulator that is somewhat similar to EWB that doesn't cob up the OS?
>>
>>Yeah, I know SPICE does everything but it is a royal pain in the ass
>>to use and doesn't let me do quick and dirty simulations that don't
>>have to be down to the gnat's eyebrow.
>>
>>Suggestions?
>>
>>Jim
> 

On Wed, 08 Aug 2012 09:47:08 -0700, RST Engineering
<jweir43@gmail.com> wrote:

>I have exactly 60 minutes the first day of class (which is coming up a
>week from this coming Monday) to get 24 freshman students up to speed
>on the simulation program.

You have my sympathy.  Herding cats and freshmen is difficult.

Try one of these.  I haven't tried them, but they appear to be
something like what you want.  I included some that only cover some
aspects of electronics, as it may be easier to divide and conquer with
a component simulator, instead of trying to teach with a duz-it-all
application.  If these don't play, I still would suggest you use
LTSpice despite the learning curve:

<https://www.circuitlab.com>
<http://www.falstad.com/circuit/>  (Java)
<http://www.falstad.com/mathphysics.html>  (Java)
<http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/circuit-construction-kit-dc>
<http://www.electronics-lab.com/blog/?p=8300>   (Flash)
<http://www.indiabix.com/electronics-circuits/>  (Java)
<http://www.dcaclab.com/en/lab/>  (Flash)
<http://vipec.sourceforge.net>
<http://www.teahlab.com>  (digital only)
<http://logic.ly>  (digital only)

-- 
Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann     AE6KS    831-336-2558

On Wed, 08 Aug 2012 09:47:08 -0700, RST Engineering
<jweir43@gmail.com> wrote:

>I perhaps should have been more specific as to my application.
>
>I have exactly 60 minutes the first day of class (which is coming up a
>week from this coming Monday) to get 24 freshman students up to speed
>on the simulation program.  If I had a whole semester to teach Spice,
>that would be an entirely different matter.
>
>But it isn't the case.  After that first hour, we are off to the races
>and the kids need to have at LEAST a nodding acquaintance with the
>software.  AND some of the student machines (and the instructor
>station) are running XP and some of them are running Win7.  To boot,
>ALL the student machines are loaded up with Deep Freeze which removes
>ANYTHING that the students load onto their machines during class.
>Don't ask me to take DF off; I fought IT all the way to mahogany row
>and got shot down.
>
>So, let me try again.  Anybody got a suggestion for a simple, cheap,
>easy to learn simulation program that doesn't need to be accurate to a
>RCH, but a simple first-cut freshman oriented program that is an
>INTRODUCTION to simulation.  
>
>THanks,
>
>Jim
>
>
>
>On Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:56:00 -0700, RST Engineering
><jweir43@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>I've got an OLD copy of Electronic Workbench that jams up Windows 7
>>every time I use it.  Is there a (preferably free or cheap) circuit
>>simulator that is somewhat similar to EWB that doesn't cob up the OS?
>>
>>Yeah, I know SPICE does everything but it is a royal pain in the ass
>>to use and doesn't let me do quick and dirty simulations that don't
>>have to be down to the gnat's eyebrow.
>>
>>Suggestions?
>>
>>Jim

LT Spice. 60 minutes should be enough to get people running sims of
simple R-L-C-transistor-opamp circuits, assuming they understand some
about electricity.

I can Spice a simple circuit, and get DC voltages and waveforms, in a
couple of minutes. I often use it for stuff like voltage dividers,
instead of a calculator.


-- 

John Larkin         Highland Technology, Inc

jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com
http://www.highlandtechnology.com

Precision electronic instrumentation
Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators
Custom laser drivers and controllers
Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links
VME thermocouple, LVDT, synchro   acquisition and simulation

On 2012-08-08, RST Engineering <jweir43@gmail.com> wrote:
> I perhaps should have been more specific as to my application.
>
> I have exactly 60 minutes the first day of class (which is coming up a
> week from this coming Monday) to get 24 freshman students up to speed
> on the simulation program.  If I had a whole semester to teach Spice,
> that would be an entirely different matter.
>
> But it isn't the case.  After that first hour, we are off to the races
> and the kids need to have at LEAST a nodding acquaintance with the
> software.  AND some of the student machines (and the instructor
> station) are running XP and some of them are running Win7.  To boot,
> ALL the student machines are loaded up with Deep Freeze which removes
> ANYTHING that the students load onto their machines during class.
> Don't ask me to take DF off; I fought IT all the way to mahogany row
> and got shot down.

What if the student's don't install it? can you get the admin to
install it?

> So, let me try again.  Anybody got a suggestion for a simple, cheap,
> easy to learn simulation program that doesn't need to be accurate to a
> RCH, but a simple first-cut freshman oriented program that is an
> INTRODUCTION to simulation.  

ltspice is free of DRM (unless you count some of the bundled models) 
installs fast and is relatively easy to use. the only thing I've seen
EWB do that ltspice doesn't is realtime simulation,  with Ltspice the
only user input is the 'run' button.

else one of those java thingies, but they seem easy to crash.


-- 
&#9858;&#9859; 100% natural

--- Posted via news://freenews.netfront.net/ - Complaints to news@netfront.net ---

On Wed, 08 Aug 2012 09:47:08 -0700, RST Engineering <jweir43@gmail.com>
wrote:

>I perhaps should have been more specific as to my application.
>
>I have exactly 60 minutes the first day of class (which is coming up a
>week from this coming Monday) to get 24 freshman students up to speed
>on the simulation program.  If I had a whole semester to teach Spice,
>that would be an entirely different matter.
>
>But it isn't the case.  After that first hour, we are off to the races
>and the kids need to have at LEAST a nodding acquaintance with the
>software.  AND some of the student machines (and the instructor
>station) are running XP and some of them are running Win7.  To boot,
>ALL the student machines are loaded up with Deep Freeze which removes
>ANYTHING that the students load onto their machines during class.
>Don't ask me to take DF off; I fought IT all the way to mahogany row
>and got shot down.
>
>So, let me try again.  Anybody got a suggestion for a simple, cheap,
>easy to learn simulation program that doesn't need to be accurate to a
>RCH, but a simple first-cut freshman oriented program that is an
>INTRODUCTION to simulation. =20
>
>THanks,
>
>Jim
>
>
>
>On Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:56:00 -0700, RST Engineering
><jweir43@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>I've got an OLD copy of Electronic Workbench that jams up Windows 7
>>every time I use it.  Is there a (preferably free or cheap) circuit
>>simulator that is somewhat similar to EWB that doesn't cob up the OS?
>>
>>Yeah, I know SPICE does everything but it is a royal pain in the ass
>>to use and doesn't let me do quick and dirty simulations that don't
>>have to be down to the gnat's eyebrow.
>>
>>Suggestions?
>>
>>Jim


Since you have to teach what is available (really, get them to install
LTSpice if you can), start with how to input a circuit.  If EW has a
graphical interface teach the kids just enough to use it and save to
student provided medium (hope for a flash stick).  That is about all =
there
is time for.

There is an XP mode download for Win7, get IT to install that on the Win7
machines. It should help the the win7 machines.

?-(