                                                ToDo
                                               ------
Started : 2004-04-05
Updated : 2020-10-15
Author  : Mike Waters
Email   : mwaters517_AT_gmail_DOT_com
====================================================================================================

The following list contains "things to do" in the medium to long term for the gSpiceUI project.
Short term issues are recorded in the C++ header file gspiceui/src/Version.hpp. Whether any of the
items listed here will ever be actioned is uncertain. Non-the-less I like to record ideas just in
case.

The items are grouped in the following categories :

 1. Bugs (refer also to src/Version.hpp)
 2. Improvements to the Code Base
 3. Enhancements to Existing Features
 4. Possible New Features

Note : Bug reports are date stamped to highlight the age of the observation.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Bugs (refer also to src/Version.hpp) :

Note : Bug reports are date stamped to highlight the age of the observation.

 2016-03-28 When the gSpiceUI GIU is set to it's minimum height and/or width some of the display
            controls minimum dimensions are exceeded. Might go away if layout managers where
            implemented throughout gSpiceUI?
 2015-04-17 GNU-CAP DC analysis results headers contain part of the results file name instead of the
            column labels. This happens when gnucap crashes (eg. it can't load library libgnucap.so).
 2015-04-17 If GNU-CAP binary crashes (eg. it can't load library libgnucap.so) gSpiceUI crashes.
 2015-04-15 Executing a GNU-CAP FO analysis on demos/bjt-amp-ce-2.sch crashes gSpiceUI. The bug is
            in PrcGnuCap::bFmtResultsFO( ).
 2015-03-30 If at start-up a ".ckt" file can't be loaded but the associated ".sch" file exists then
            import it. This can happen if the .ckt file is deleted between envocations of gSpiceUI.
            The last accessed .ckt and .sch files are recorded in the config. file (.gspiceui.conf).
            If the reload button is pressed the schematic file is re-imported.
 2015-02-22 Make sure all model files have the appropriate copyright notices.
 2015-02-09 Preference to use Degrees or Radian doesn't work for NG-SPICE.
 2012-02-10 If GNU-CAP and/or NG-SPICE aren't installed gSpiceUI just hangs.
 2011-09-07 Source synchronization isn't quite working in both the NG-SPICE and the GNU-CAP DC
            analyses. Source synchronization begins with a page changed event which is first
            intercepted by Nbk<SimEng>::OnPageChangd( ) which then allows
            NbkSimrBase::OnPageChangd( ) to actually handle the event. NbkSimrBase::OnPageChangd( )
            gets a pointer to a PnlAnaBase object and changes the source name, however events can
            only propagate down from Pnl<SimEng>DC to PnlAnaBase but not back the other way so
            Pnl<SimEng>DC never knows about the event. Pnl<SimEng>DC::OnSrcName( ) is where the
            sweep units type is set so this doesn't happen.
 2011-08-26 Still producing "prcbase.log".
 2011-05-26 Implement the bSaveSimCmds( ) method in the classes SimnGnuCap and SimnNgSpice.
 2011-04-27 NG-SPICE doesn't like probes where one of two nodes is ground,
            eg. ".PRINT TRAN V(Trigger,0)". It complains with the message :
                  "Warning: can't parse '0': ignored"
 2011-04-19 The way the wxProcess class is used is fault prone. wxProcess objects should be created
            dynamically when a process is to run and deleted soon after the process terminates.
            PrcBase inherits from wxProcess, it should contain a pointer to wxProcess object as an
            attribute.
 2011-03-23 In the class PrcSimrBase the console spew logging mechanism is clumsy;
            PrcSimrBase::bSaveOutput( ) does almost the same thing as PrcBase::bLogOutput( ).
            Shouldn't have a results file should just use the PrcBase log file system.
 2011-03-02 The GNU-CAP OP analysis the "Temp" column header is missing in the formatted results.
            Talk to the GNU-CAP developer/s.
 2010-04-29 Resolve issues compiling the code under OSX. How?
 2010-04-19 In FrmMain::Initialize( ) if the call to m_oFileTsks.Initialize( ) causes an error
            message to be displayed FrmMain is only partially initialized and it looks broken.
            Test Method :
              1. delete the netlist file named in the config. file under "Files/NetList",
              2. arrange it so that gnetlist can't be found by gspiceui.
 2008-12-12 The function PrcBase::bLogOutput( ) ends early before all console output is collected.
 2007-10-25 For NG-SPICE simulations if R1 and C1 are connected in parallel and R1 is selected as a
            test component after a reload operation both R1 and C1 will be highlighted as test
            components.
 2007-07-17 The transient analysis IC option isn't loaded correctly from the simulation file for
            NG-SPICE.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Improvements to the Code Base :

This section contains a list of ideas for improvements to the exist code base, things that would
improve eg. readability, efficency, fault tolerance, etc.

 * In the preferences dialogue add an option indicating what the PnlValue class should do when it's
   next step could be zero, ie. change sign (eg. (+)ve to (-)ve) or change units (eg. V to mV).
 * In the preferences dialogue add an option for line wrapping of the console buffers.
 * In FrmMain layout investigate using one vertical and one horizontal box sizer instead of the more
   complex grid bag sizer.
 * In the PnlAnaBase class and it's descendants haven't used a layout manager. Have hard coded
   control sizes and positions. This is asking for trouble.
 * Should export as much as possible of FrmMain to App_gSpiceUI. FrmMain should layout the main
   frame and handle interrupts. App_gSpiceUI should manage all the processing tasks. Could some of
   the interrupts be hand-balled to App_gSpiceUI?
 * Investigate replacing parts of PnlTxtSpn with wxSpinCtrlDouble. Create a test app. perhaps.
 * Create a class for circuit description models.
 * Create a class for circuit description sub-circuits.
 * There are 3 types of source which may be used : a sweep source a signal source and an independant
   source. Ensure that this distinction is clearly made in the code and the GUI.
 * PnlValue class can be set to eg. 0.10 psec by the user but not programmatically, ie. using
   bSetValue( ).
 * In FrmMain the run simulation mechanism is evil. It needs a major overhaul. The Stop button
   doesn't work because the app. stays in the OnSimRun( ) event handler while the simulation runs so
   no other events are handled until this is exited.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Enhancements to Existing Features :

The section contains a list of ideas for enhancements to existing features which could be
incorporated in a future release.

 * Allow .PARAM and other SPICE commands thro. to the simulation file.
 * After a simulation has completed add the run time in brackets to the status message.
 * Get NG-SPICE to display phase results using radians or degrees. Refer to section 10.5
   Variables -> "units". The SET command doesn't seem to work in batch mode.
 * Complete the implementation of layout managers in class PnlAnaBase and it's decendants.
 * Modify the spin control so that zero appears more often when using the spin buttons
   ie. decrement / increment through zero before changing the units.
 * When a gschem process is exited and the schematic file has changed automatically do a reload and
   maybe re-create the simulation file.
 * In the simulation file, place simulation commands ahead of models and sub-circuits.
 * After a simulation has run, if the data viewer utility is open tell it to reload the results
   file.
 * Could an existing opamp symbol be used in schematics instead of my symbol in the file
   opamp-3.sym?
 * Maybe all Open dialogs should accommodate upper case file extensions as well as lower case.
 * For AC analysis if results magnitudes are in dB chosen how about displaying Signal Source
   magnitude in dB.
 * If user envokes either of the schematic editor or data viewer utilities and it is already running
   bring it to the foreground instead of displaying an error message dialog.
 * Use standard component values in PnlValue controls displaying R, L or C.
 * Automatically add ".MODEL" statements to netlist file if they are missing.
 * Remove the discontinuity at 360 degrees from the phase results.
 * Remember the position of Gaw or gWave and place it there when it's envoked.
 * PnlValue & PnlTxtSpn classes should object if non-numeric chars are entered.
 * Allow the PnlTxtSpn class to be changed using the up and down arrow keys.
 * When a netlist created by gSpiceUI is loaded into the NetList text control load it into the
   Simulation text control as well. If gSpiceUI created the netlist it can be simulated.
 * The NG-SPICE Transient analysis cold initial conditions doesn't work. Will need to implement the
   IC command to zero all nodes voltages.
 * In PnlValue class shouldn't be allowed to change value or units if a component name hasn't been
   chosen.
 * If gSpiceUI is exited with gschem open, any unsaved changes in the schematic file are lost.
 * In NG-SPICE the variable "numdgt" could be useful for setting displayed precision. Refer to
   section 10.5 Variables.
 * While performing a simulation if the gSpiceUI GUI is corrupted it isn't re-drawn until after the
   simulation is complete. Need wxYield( ) statements in appropriate places to allow the GUI to be
   updated.
 * Make analysis panel back-ground a bit darker than control panels.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Possible New Features :

This section contains a list of ideas for new features which could be incorporated in a future
release.

 * Fully support non-English locales using gettext( ), etc.
 * Add application paths to the Preferences dialogue :
    - NG-SPICE & GNU-CAP binaries (and documentation for same)
    - gschem & gnetlist
    - Gwave, Gaw and Kst
    - calculator application
 * Do 'include' directives need to be expanded by gnetlist? Simulation engine could be left to do
   this.
 * Implement Fourier analysis panel for NG-SPICE.
 * When a simulation ends prematurely because of problems encountered by the simulation engine,
   notify the user that this has happened. Need a mechanism to determining if the end of the sweep
   range was actually been reached.
 * Develop a mechanism by which the user may set the initial conditions for the transient analysis.
 * Investigate using the simulation engine PLOT command to display results.

====================================================================================================
