[Ktechlab-devel] My ktechlab modifications

[P Zoltan]

   Hi,

  I just looket at the patch and it looks OK for the first read. However, I  
suggest separating the GUI/drawing from the simulation as much as you can,  
because otherwise the result will be a messy code -- at this moment there  
_is_ a messed up code in the SVN...

  About what to draw when the component gets overrated: another possibility  
is to draw "smoke" on it.

  Hopefully next week I'll have some free time, then I'll write more and  
get some work done.

  Happy coding until then, you're getting on really well,

   Zoltan


On Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:54:03 +0200, <thomas at tgohome.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm back again.
>
> After a bit of getting used to patch/diff - it's the first time I've
> really got used to it - I made a patch file. See here:
>   http://files.getdropbox.com/u/1134084/ktechlab-over-rate-additions-plus-more-by-Tom-Oldbury.patch
>
> Hopefully I did it right - please can someone try it out on a copy of
> current SVN.
>
> Now to work on more stuff.
>
> Tom
>
>> I'm more of an analog kinda guy, I don't really deal that much with
>> digital circuits yet - but I'm still learning. Could the glitch be
>> prevented by making inputs and outputs directional (inputs can only take
>> in signals, outputs can only put signals in.) I assume that you've  
>> thought
>> of this already and there's some very good reason it isn't done...
>>
>> Anyway, I will be creating a patch based on current SVN soon.
>>
>> Quick status check. I've added over-rates for resistors now. Resistors
>> also display the power they're dissipating. See screenshot:
>>   http://files.getdropbox.com/u/1134084/ResistorOverRatePlusPower.png
>>
>> (In the picture the resistor is 1/2W, 350V max., so it would normally be
>> burning up and destroying itself.)
>>
>> I was thinking of doing some of the following:
>>  - NTC/PTC resistors. These resistors vary resistance with temperature.
>> The resistors can be specifically designed to warm up and  
>> reduce/increase
>> resistance. For example, in some CRT TVs, they are used to control the
>> CRT degauss coil - as the TV starts up the resistor is cool, and at a  
>> low
>> resistane, and the coil degausses the TV. Then when the resistor's
>> temperature increases the coil reduces in power over a few seconds. A  
>> bit
>> of a speciality item, but would be a very neat addition.
>>  - Variable resistors with:
>>    - Log/antilog/linear scale.
>>    - Power dissipation/voltage limits, identical to fixed resistors.
>>    - Update value next to resistor (maybe) depending on slider value. Or
>> put another value next to slider.
>>  - Signal generator/voltage signal modifications:
>>    - If possible, add other types of wave: sawtooth (a triangle wave  
>> with
>> 100% rise 0% fall), triangle, square and white noise.
>>    - Symmetry, for square and triangle waves.
>>  - For all voltage sources: warn if excess current/short circuit.
>>  - Allow plotting of things like power dissipation through a resistor,
>> charge in a capacitor, joules in a capacitor, etc.
>>  - Transformers.
>>  - Relays. Model as an inductor, so we get back EMF. Switch is  
>> controlled
>> by current through inductor.
>>  - Thyristors, TRIACS, and other needed semiconductor devices.
>>  - For transistors, back-EMF shows warning.
>>
>> That's a long list of possible things to do, but I'd really like to
>> improve KTechLab because the other software I've come across is either
>> commercial  /not open-source, or Windows-only, or slow / non-functional  
>> in
>> Wine or has significant analog bugs that affect me. It's also a first  
>> big,
>> open-source project that I've ever worked on, and great C(++)  
>> experience.
>>
>> I have noticed that in my SVN version LEDs and diodes do not work. Is  
>> this
>> (or was this) a problem with SVN a bit back?
>>
>> Tom
>>