User Guide

B
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4 File Types Used by the PSpice Optimizer
Measurin
g
Performance Usin
g
Information in the Circuit File
and .prb File
Remember that for a simulation-based optimization, you must
define how to evaluate performance. This means that, for each
specification (goal or constraint), you must define the following.
What circuit file to use
Typically, an optimization uses
only one schematic/circuit file—based on the schematic that is
active when you activate the PSpice Optimizer. But you can set
up the optimization to use a different circuit file for each
specification.
Which anal
y
sis to run
The circuit file contains the
analysis directives for any PSpice simulations (e.g., DC sweep,
transient, etc.) that you set up for the schematic. However, you
control which analyses are actually run for an optimization
when you define how to evaluate each specification in the Edit
Specifications dialog box.
How to measure performance
If, to evaluate
performance, your optimization is based on a multi-point
simulation, you must define goal functions. Goal functions
reside in the [GOAL FUNCTIONS] section of a
.prb file. By
default, a given design references the global
.prb file shipped
with all MicroSim programs (
msim.prb in the MicroSim root
directory) and a local
.prb file ( design_name .prb in the
working directory).