The devload Command

This command will load a loadable device module into WRspice.

devload [module_path | all]

WRspice supports runtime-loadable device modules. Once loaded, the corresponding device is available during simulation runs, in the same way as the internally-compiled devices in the device library.

This command can be used at any time to load a device module into WRspice. If given without arguments, a list of the dynamically loaded device modules currently in memory is printed. Otherwise, the single argument can be a path to a loadable device module file to be loaded, or a path to a directory containing module files, all of which will be loaded.

Once a module is loaded, it can not be unloaded. The file can be re-loaded, however, so if a module is modified and rebuilt, it can be loaded again to update the running WRspice.

On program startup, by default known loadable device modules are loaded automatically. Modules are known to WRspice through the following.

1. If the modpath variable is set to a list of directory paths, modules are loaded from each directory in the list. The modpath can be set from the .wrspiceinit file.

2. If the modpath variable is not set, then modules are loaded from the devices subdirectory of the startup directory in the installation area (which is generally installed as
   /usr/local/xictools/wrspice/startup/devices). Note that if the user sets up a modpath, this directory must be explicitly included for these devices, which are supplied with the WRspice distribution, to be loaded.

If the boolean variable nomodload is set in the .wrspiceinit file, then the module auto-loading is suppressed. Equivalently, giving the ``-mnone'' command line option will also suppress auto-loading, by actually setting the nomodload variable. Auto-loading is also suppressed if the ``-m'' command line option is given, which is another method by which modules can be loaded.

If, instead of a module path, the keyword ``all'' is given to the devload command, all known modules as described above will be loaded, the same as for the auto-load. This will be done whether or not nomodload is set.

This gives the user flexibility in setting up devices in the .wrspiceinit file. Normally, devices are auto-loaded after .wrspiceinit is processed, so that calls to the devmod command (for example) in .wrspiceinit would likely fail. However, one can first call ``devload all'' to auto-load the devices, and set nomodload to avoid the automatic loading. Then, one can call commands which require that devices be loaded.

The ``all'' form may also be useful in scripts, in conjunction with setting the modpath to different values.