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RUN XSCHEM

Assuming xschem is installed in one of the ${PATH} search paths just execute:

user:~$ xschem
 

the xschem window should appear. If xschem is not in the search path then specify its full pathname.

if a filename is given that file will be loaded on startup:

user:~$ xschem .../xschem_library/examples/0_examples_top.sch
 

XSCHEM COMMAND LINE OPTIONS

xschem accepts short (-h) or long (--help) options:

usage: xschem [options] [schematic | symbol ]
Options:
  -h  --help           print this help
  -n  --netlist        do a netlist of the given schematic cell
  -v  --version        print version information and exit.
  -V  --vhdl           set netlist type to VHDL
  -S  --simulate       run a simulation of the current schematc file 
                       (spice/Verilog/VHDL, depending on the netlist 
                       type chosen).
  -w  --verilog        set netlist type to Verilog
  -i  --no_rcload      do not load any xschemrc file
  -o  --netlist_path   set output for netlist
  -t  --tedax          set netlist type to tEDAx
  -s  --spice          set netlist type to SPICE
  -3  --a3page         set page size for pdf export to A3
  -x  --no_x           dont use X (only command mode)
  -z  --rainbow        use a raibow-looking layer color table
  -W  --waves          show simulation waveforms
  -f  --flat_netlist   set flat netlist (for spice format only)
  -r  --no_readline    start without the tclreadline package ( this is
                       necessary if stdin and stdout are to be redirected
                       for example to /dev/null).
  -c  --color_ps       set color postscript
  --rcfile <file>      use <file> as a rc file for startup instead of the
                       default xschemrc.
  -p  --postscript     export pdf schematic
      --png            export png schematic
      --svg            export svg schematic
  -q  --quit           quit after doing things (no interactive mode)
  -l <file>
  --log <file>         set a log file
  -d <n>
  --debug <n>          set debug level:  1,  2,  3,..  C program debug
                                       -1, -2, -3...  TCL frontend debug

xschem: interactive schematic capture program

Example:   xschem counter.sch
the schematic file `counter' will be loaded searching in the
list of library paths provided by TCL variable XSCHEM_LIBRARY_PATH
This variable is set in user or system xschem startup file 
(<install root>/share/xschem/xschemrc or ~/.xschem/xschemrc)

 

CREATING A NEW SCHEMATIC

To create a new schematic run xschem and give a non existent filename:
xschem aaa.sch

You can save the schematic by pressing '<ctrl shift>s' or by using the menu File - Save As:

If no filename change is needed you can just use File - Save. Now a new empty schematic file is created. You can use this test.sch for testing while reading the manual. After exiting XSCHEM you can load directly this schematic with the following commands, they are all equivalent.

# xschem defaults its search to the 
# XSCHEM_LIBRARY_PATH root path
# .sch may be omitted, it is added by default ...
xschem test
# or ...
xschem /home/schippes/x/test.sch
# or ...
xschem ${HOME}/schippes/x/test
 

you can load test.sch when xschem is running by using the load command '<ctrl>o' key or by menu Open command. Use the file selector dialog to locate the schematic and load it in. When loading a new file XSCHEM asks to save the currently loaded schematic if it has been modified.