SPICE defines both a program and a netlist file format. The file
format is ASCII, compact, and is well entrenched. Since the file
format is ASCII, SPICE netlists are human readable, which -- besides
the ready availability of parsers -- is the only real advantage to
XML. Currently existing SPICE simulators have parsers built in which
already read and parse the format.
It is true that lots of XML parsers are out there. However, that's
only 1/100th the job performed when reading in a SPICE netlist. The
other 99/100th involves filling out the circuit and simulation data
structures which SPICE uses to do its computations, and then solving
the matrix equations iteratively. That means that just having
an XML parser in hand is barely a beginning to writing a circuit
simulator.
Finallly, there are zillions of SPICE models already out there for
useful components. Unless there is a really something new and
astounding whiich you can do with an XML format, it's unlikely that
people will ever change.
Stuart
: I was never on the XML bandwagon, but it does allow for a well defined
: ASCII file format, and there are lots of parsers out there for it. Also,
: I saw a reference on the Parametric Technology website about a public
: XML DTD associated with their Pro/ENGINEER Routed Systems Designer, but I
: can't find where that public specification is actually available.
:> From: Stuart Brorson (
[email protected])
:> Subject: Re: XML and spice
:>
:> Newsgroups: sci.electronics.cad
:> Date: 2004-08-29 17:17:40 PST
:>
:> I am curious why you are interested in XML netlists for circuit
:> simulators. Do you have an application in mind which would be enabled
:> or eased by using XML?
:>
:> Stuart
:>
:> From: Mantra (
[email protected])
:> Subject: Re: XML and spice
:>
:> Newsgroups: sci.electronics.cad
:> Date: 2004-08-29 20:17:37 PST
:>
:> I know of none, but it wouldn't be hard to write a SAX-based parser
:> that could translate from some hypothetical, as-yet-undefined
:> DTD/Schema to a "standard" SPICE netlist.
:>
:> MM
:>
: Insane And Lazy wrote:
:> I saw that this question has been covered and debated many times in the
:> past. Is there a version of spice (preferably free) that uses XML as
:> input instead of the standard netlists?