Updates to prepare ngspice-38

COPYING

@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ its source code, test and example files except for the files listed below.
 
 ************** files with licenses different to 'Modified BSD' ****************
 
-* ngspice/contrib
-GPL, Public Domain
-
 * ngspice/m4
 unnamed, compatible to DFSG
 

DEVICES

@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ Table of contents
  13.4 HICUM0 Bipolar Model
  13.5 Mextram Bipolar Model
 14. XSPICE code models
+15. Digital Building Blocks (U instances)
 
                              ------------------
 
@@ -870,3 +871,9 @@ will be updated every time the device specific code is altered or changed to ref
       Web site at: http://mextram.ewi.tudelft.nl/ and http://mextram.sourceforge.net/
 
  14. XSpice code models, see ngspice manual chapt. 12
+ 
+ 15. Digital Building Blocks (U instances)
+ 
+       U instances are digital primitives which may be used (in proper combination) to
+       model digital devices, e.g. from the 74xx or 40xx families. ngspice maps them
+       onto XSPICE models, which allows a fast event based simulation.

FAQ

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-  Ngspice F.A.Q.Version 2.7 (ngspice-37 release)
+  Ngspice F.A.Q.Version 2.8 (ngspice-38 release)
 
   Maintained by Holger Vogt
-  Last update: May 11 2022
+  Last update: Oct 23 2022
 
   This document contains the Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers)
   for ngspice project.
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@
     and Cider. The ngspice manual today contains description of all
     features ngspice is offering. It is however not a tutorial of ngspice
     usage, but there are now several good ones available on the internet
-    (see http://ngspice.sourceforge.net/tutorials.html).
+    (see https://ngspice.sourceforge.io/tutorials.html).
 
 
  1.7 Legal issues
@@ -208,37 +208,40 @@
   web server and then moved to sourceforge. Sourceforge provides an
   archiving service that cam be accessed via the summary page:
 
-  http://sourceforge.net/p/ngspice/mailman/
+  https://sourceforge.net/p/ngspice/mailman/
 
 
  1.11  Where can I get a copy of ngspice?
 
-  You can download ngspice from:
+  You can download ngspice source code or MS Windows executables from:
 
-  http://sourceforge.net/projects/ngspice/files/ng-spice-rework/
+  https://sourceforge.net/projects/ngspice/files/ng-spice-rework/
+  
+  Nearly all distributions for MINGW, Cygwin, Linux, macOS and
+  others offer install-ready copies of ngspice.
 
 
  1.12  Where should I look on the World Wide Web for ngspice stuff?
 
   Look at the official Ngpice Web Page:
 
-  http://ngspice.sourceforge.net
+  https://ngspice.sourceforge.io
 
 
  1.13  Where should I look on the World Wide Web for Spice documentation?
 
   There is a detailed ngspice manual available at:
-  http://ngspice.sourceforge.net/docs.html
+  https://ngspice.sourceforge.io/docs.html
 
   Others docs are assembled at:
-  http://ngspice.sourceforge.net/literature.html
+  https://ngspice.sourceforge.io/literature.html
 
 
  1.14  Are there some (official) tutorials available?
  
   Yes, they are, for ngspice, ngspice within KiCAD and on eletro-thermal
   simulation. You may find them at:
-  http://ngspice.sourceforge.net/tutorials.html
+  https://ngspice.sourceforge.io/tutorials.html
 
 
 
@@ -249,35 +252,46 @@
 
   The latest version released is:
 
-  * ngspice-37 (released on May 22 2022)
+  * ngspice-38 (released on Oct 30 2022)
 
 
  2.2.  What are the latest features in the current release?
 
 - New features:
-    + Reduce XSPICE memory consumption dramatically 
-      (> factor of 10).
-    + Add source stepping to B source
-    + Add 'esave' command to save only specific event nodes.
-    + Accept '.temp=125' or .temp='param'.
-    + Enable output redirection for meas command.
-    + Use total current for diffcap calculation in diode model.
-    + Speed output and reduces file size when plotting large
-      result vectors (Windows).
-    + Enable RKM notation also for inductors (e.g. 1u2 for 1.2u).
-    + Add S parameter simulation (command '.sp').
-    + Add new flag 'digitop' for the 'plot' command.
-    + Add a flag 'alle' (all event nodes) to the plot command.
-    + New code model d_pwm: hybrid oscillator (analg control in,
-      digital out) with PWM.
-    + Make "nogrid" plotting option work.
-    + Add current measurement for all nodes of a device,
-      e.g. .probe i(Q1) will measure Ic, Ib, Ie (and Is).
-    + .probe P(dev): Add measurement of power dissipation in a device.
-    + Add new flags -type and -flags to command devhelp.
+    + Add multiplier flag 'm' to behavioral capacitor and inductor.
+    + Re-enable dc sweep after transient sim.
+    + When plotting the phase, standard now is "Radiant".
+    + Add Lundin's geometry correction to the inductance formula.
+    + New variable keep#branch to write the current to raw file
+      in the old fashion     	1	v1#branch	current
+    + Translate PSPICE U instances into equivaalent XSPICE code models.
+    + New configure flag --enable-shortcheck to enable a shortened make check
+     (only BSIM3 and BSIM4).
+    + B source will accept parameters in statistical functions like agauss.
+    + WinGUI: Add a button 'Stop' to stop a simulation in intercative
+      or control mode.
+    + Update to the .probe p (power measurement) and .probe alli commands.
+    + Update to XSPICE aswitch and pswitch.
+    + Make FROM/TO work in TRIG/TARG and WHEN variants of .meas/meas command.
+    + Limits to exp function, allow 0 for log (returning -1e99), used
+      when starting iterations.
+    + Insert XSPICE bridging devices automatically when an analogue node
+      has the same name as an XSPICE event node.
+    + New options savecurrents_bsim3, savecurrents_bsim4, savecurrents_mos1.
+    + pwlts: a pwl v/i source with time input, smoothing and limiting
+      functions.
+    + New functions to the Code Model Library: cm_get_node_name()
+      and cm_probe_node().
+    + XSPICE: Add bidirectional digital/analog bridge.
+    + Search for .spiceinit firstly in a user defined directory named in env
+      SPICE_USERINIT_DIR, then in the current directory, then in HOME, then
+      in USERPROFILE.
+    + If compatmode is lt, change the pow(x,y) and x**y functions:
+      If x < 0, output only if y is integer number, otherwise output 0.
+    + Add a limit of 0.999 to bipolar parameters mje, mjc, and mjs.
 
 - Bug fixes:
-    + many bugs fixed and code improvements (see bugs 557 and up)
+    + many bugs fixed and code improvements (see bugs 583 and up)
     + making error messages more verbose
     + memory leaks removed
 
@@ -303,7 +317,7 @@
   feature-request and bugs trackers. You can use them or subscribe to
   mailing lists and post there. The former is preferred since almost
   it allows to track all necessary actions upon a bug. The web site at
-  http://ngspice.sourceforge.net/bugrep.html will give you more details.
+  https://ngspice.sourceforge.io/bugrep.html will give you more details.
 
 
  2.6.  How can I join the development?

INSTALL

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ Table of contents
 
   1 Ngspice installation (LINUX)
    1.1 Prerequisites
-   1.2 Install from tarball (e.g. ngspice-36.tar.gz)
+   1.2 Install from tarball (e.g. ngspice-38.tar.gz)
    1.3 Install from git repository
    1.4 ngspice as a shared library
    1.5 Advanced Install
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ Table of contents
   8 Operation Controls
   9 NGSPICE COMPILATION UNDER WINDOWS OS
    9.1 How to make ngspice with MINGW and MSYS
-   9.2 make ngspice with MS Visual Studio 2019
+   9.2 make ngspice with MS Visual Studio 2019 or 2022
    9.3 make ngspice with pure CYGWIN
    9.4 ngspice console app with MINGW or CYGWIN
    9.5 cross compiling ngspice for Windows from LINUX
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ This file describes the procedures to install ngspice from sources.
  sections titled 'Install from tarball' and 'Advanced Install'.
 
  Download ngspice sources from the git repository as described on the sourceforge project page
- (see http://ngspice.sourceforge.net/download.html and click on the git link)
+ (see https://ngspice.sourceforge.io/download.html and click on the git link)
 
  Now change directories in to the top-level source directory (where this
  INSTALL file can be found).
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ This file describes the procedures to install ngspice from sources.
  --with-editline=yes
         Enables the use of the BSD editline library (libedit) instead
         of readline.
-        See http://www.thrysoee.dk/editline/
+        See https://www.thrysoee.dk/editline/
 
 1.5.2 Options Specific to Enable Ngspice as a shared library
 
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ This file describes the procedures to install ngspice from sources.
  $ make install
 
  However, to compile code extracted from the git repository the procedure is
- a little different. Firstly install git, e.g. from http://git-scm.com/download/win
+ a little different. Firstly install git, e.g. from https://git-scm.com/download/win
  To obtain ngspice, you may do the following:
 
  Open the git command window. Go to a directory of your choice, e.g. D:\Spice
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ This file describes the procedures to install ngspice from sources.
  script compile_min_shared.sh.
 
 
-9.2 make ngspice with MS Visual Studio 2019
+9.2 make ngspice with MS Visual Studio 2019 and 2022
 
  ngspice may be compiled with MS Visual Studio 2019 or newer.
 
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ cross-compile-shared.sh.
 
 10.2 Compile NGSPICE manually from a tarball
  1. Install an X11 interface (like Xquartz)
- 2. Install MacPorts from http://www.macports.org
+ 2. Install MacPorts from https://www.macports.org
  3. Execute this command:
       sudo port install autoconf automake libtool bison flex ncurses
            readline fontconfig freetype libomp xorg-libXaw
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@ cross-compile-shared.sh.
 
 10.3 Compile NGSPICE manually from git
  1. Install an X11 interface (like Xquartz)
- 2. Install MacPorts from http://www.macports.org
+ 2. Install MacPorts from https://www.macports.org
  3. Execute this command:
       sudo port install automake autoconf libtool bison flex ncurses xorg-libXaw
           readline fontconfig freetype libomp SM ICE

README

@@ -9,9 +9,10 @@ Spice3 does not need any introduction, is the most popular circuit
 simulator. In over 30 years of its life Spice3 has become a de-facto
 standard for simulating circuits.
 
-Cider couples Spice3f5 circuit level simulator to DSIM device simulator
-to provide greater simulation accuracy of critical devices. DSIM
-devices are described in terms of their structures and materials.
+Cider couples Spice3f5 circuit level simulator to a device simulator
+to provide greater simulation accuracy of critical devices. So you may
+create device models for diodes, bipolar, JFet and MOSFETs derived 
+from their cross-sectional structures and materials.
 
 Xspice is an extension to Spice3C1 that provides code modelling support
 and simulation of digital components through an embedded event driven
@@ -62,6 +63,6 @@ WEB SITEs:
 --------
 
 This project is hosted on Sourceforge.net.
-The home page is http://ngspice.sourceforge.net
-The page offering source code and user interaction is
- http://sourceforge.net/projects/ngspice
+The home page is https://ngspice.sourceforge.io
+The page offering source code, MS Windows executables, and user interaction is
+https://sourceforge.net/projects/ngspice