LTspice-Initial Setting

In this article, we will introduce the "Initial Settings" when installing the latest version of LTspice XVII.

Since LTspice allows you to make various settings in detail, there may be some confusion as to what to set.

But if you set the initial settings to be introduced from now on, it is almost all You should not be troubled.

Control Panel

With LTspice XVII, you can make various settings from the "Control Panel".

Launch LTspice XVII and click "Control Panel" (hammer icon) on the toolbar to display the "Control Panel" screen.
(It can also be displayed by clicking "Tools" -> "Control Panel" in the menu bar.)

If you make a mistake, you can return to the default state by clicking "Reset to Default Values".

In this article, we will introduce the minimum required setting method.

Setting of simulation speed and internal accuracy

If there is enough processing power of the PC, we recommend “Alternate”, which has high internal accuracy.

1. Click "SPICE" in the "Control Panel".
2. Select "Alternate" in "Engine" -> "Solver [*]".
3. Click “OK” to finish setting.

Grid display in schematic editor

When creating a schematic, it is easier to see if the grid is displayed.

1. Click "Drafting Options" in the Control Panel.
2. Checking "Show schematic grid points [*]" will display the grid on the schematic editor.
3. Click “OK” to finish setting.

Change keyboard shortcut

If you get used to circuit creation, it is much faster to use shortcuts. Some of the default shortcuts are F keys (function keys), so change them to characters that are easy to remember.

1. Click "Drafting Options" in the Control Panel.
2. If you click "Hot keys [*]", "Keyboard Shortcut Map" will be displayed.
3. Change the keyboard shortcuts referring to the following table of "Recommended keyboard shortcuts".
4. Click “OK” to finish setting.

Recommended keyboard shortcuts

Command	Explanation	Before change	After change
Place Component	Select parts from the "Select Component Symbol"	F2	P
Draw Wire Mode	Draw Wire	F3	W
Place Net name	Place Net name	F4	N
Move Mode	Move parts, wiring and etc. (It can move it by box.)	F7	M
Drag Mode	Move it including wiring connected to parts (It can move it by box.)	F8	D
Undo	Cancel operation	F9	Ctrl+Z
Redo	Redo operation	Shift+F9	Ctrl+Y
Place Diode	Place Diode	D	Ctrl+D
Mirror	Mirror parts	Ctrl+E	Ctrl+M
Zoom Area	Zoom in	Ctrl+Z	Z

Automatically delete waveform data file

Because waveform data file is saved and it squeezes HDD (hard disk drive), let's try to delete waveform data automatically.

1. Click "Operation" in the Control Panel.
2. Checking "Automatically delate .raw files [*]" will automatically delete waveform data.
3. Click “OK” to finish setting.

Display the schematic editor and waveform graph side by side

Depending on the configuration of the schematic and the contents of the simulation, it may be better to display the schematic editor and the waveform graph side by side. Please set as needed.

1. Click "Operation" in the Control Panel.
2. Select "Vert" in "Default Window Tile Pattern [*]".
3. Click “OK” to finish setting.

Color Preferences

With LTspice XVII, you can change the color of WaveForm, schematic and netlist from Color Preferences.

Launch LTspice XVII and click "Tools" -> "Color Preferences" in the menu bar to bring up the Color Palette Editor.

You can select the WaveForm, Schematic, or Netlist displayed on the tab, enter the RGB values, or move the slide bar to change each color. The RGB values of each color scheme are as follows for reference.

RGB of each color

Color	R	G	B
White	255	255	255
Yellow	255	255	0
Orange	255	165	0
Gray	128	128	128
Light gray	211	211	211
Light blue	173	216	230
Green yellow	173	255	47
Ocher	195	147	67
Pink	255	192	203
Deep pink	255	20	147
Blue green	0	164	151
Red	255	0	0
Green	0	128	0
Purple	128	0	128
Brown	165	42	42
Blue	0	0	255
Navy	0	0	128
Black	0	0	0

There is no problem in setting it to your own preference basically, but this article will introduce you to the recommended color.

Also, if you make a mistake, click "Defaults" and you'll be back to the default setting.

WaveForm

1. Click "WaveForm" in the Color Palette Editor.
2. Select "Item for which you want to change the color" under Selected item.
3. Change the RGB values with numbers or change them with the slide bar to make it your favorite color.
4. Click “OK” to finish setting.

The color scheme is easy to understand if it is the same as the color of the oscilloscope waveform.

This article introduces recommended waveform color of high-share Tektronix and Keysight oscilloscopes as a reference.

Recommended color of WaveForm for Tektronix oscilloscope users

Setting	Color	Red	Green	Blue
Trace V(1)	Moon yellow	237	185	24
Trace V(2)	Blue	0	0	255
Trace V(3)	Hot pink	255	105	180
Trace V(4)	Green	0	128	0
Trace V(5)	Orange	255	165	0
Trace V(6)	Purple	128	0	128
Trace V(7)	Deep pink	255	20	147
Trace V(8)	Green yellow	173	255	47
Trace V(9)	Dark goldenrod	175	128	0
Trace V(10)	Red	255	0	0
Trace V(11)	Maroon	128	0	0
Trace V(12)	Citrus	175	175	0
Axis	Black	0	0	0
Inactive Axis	Black	0	0	0
Grid	Black	0	0	0
Background	White	255	255	255

Recommended color of WaveForm for Keysight oscilloscope users

Setting	Color	Red	Green	Blue
Trace V(1)	Moon yellow	237	185	24
Trace V(2)	Green	0	128	0
Trace V(3)	Blue	0	0	255
Trace V(4)	Red	255	0	0
Trace V(5)	Magenta	255	0	255
Trace V(6)	Gray	128	128	128
Trace V(7)	Orange	255	165	0
Trace V(8)	Green yellow	173	255	47
Trace V(9)	Dark goldenrod	175	128	0
Trace V(10)	Purple	128	0	128
Trace V(11)	Maroon	128	0	0
Trace V(12)	Citrus	175	175	0
Axis	Black	0	0	0
Inactive Axis	Black	0	0	0
Grid	Black	0	0	0
Background	White	255	255	255

Schematic

1. Click "Schematic" in the Color Palette Editor.
2. Select "Item for which you want to change the color" under Selected item.
3. Change the RGB values with numbers or change them with the slide bar to make it your favorite color.
4. Click “OK” to finish setting.

The circuit diagram is almost my preference, but it is set as follows.

Schematic recommended color

Setting	Color	Red	Green	Blue
Wires	Green	0	128	0
Junctions	Green	0	128	0
Component body	Free speech red	192	0	0
Graphic Flag	Free speech red	192	0	0
Component Fill-in	Cumulus	255	255	192
Component Text	Black	0	0	0
Flag Text	Deep pink	255	20	147
SPICE Directive Text	Black	0	0	0
Comment Text	Medium blue	0	0	200
Unconnect Pin	Green	0	128	0
Highlight Color	Orange	255	165	0
Grid	Black	0	0	0
Graphic Annotation	Blue green	0	164	151
Background	White	255	255	255

It is color-coded so that parts and wiring can be easily understood.

In addition, the background was set to white in order to make the contrast as clear as the WaveForm.

Netlist

I think that there is no problem with the default settings for Netlist. I have not made any color changes either.

Grid display on WaveForm

Since the WaveForm of LTspice XVII is easy to see, the grid is set to be displayed.

1. Click the "New Schematic" icon on the toolbar to display the schematic editor.
   (It can also be displayed by clicking "File" -> "New Schematic" in the menu bar.)
2. Click the "Pick Visible Traces" icon on the toolbar to display the waveform graph.
   (It can also be displayed by clicking "View" -> "Visible Traces" in the menu bar.)
3. The menu bar changes when the WaveForm is valid.
4. Check "Plot Settings" -> "Grid" in the menu bar.
5. You can see that the grid appears on the WaveForm when you run the simulation.
6. After that, even if you close LTspice XVII without saving it, you will be able to display the grid from the next time.

How to use LTspice IV

Since LTspice II is freeware, we cannot receive support such as lectures on how to use it.

However, this site has posted a lot of detailed explanations on how to use LTspice IV, settings, circuit diagram creation, and simulation. Please see the following article for details.