Xyce does not generate any ouput / sub-process not terminated

[stheinen]

Describe the bug
I tried to use Xyce in release 2024-5.
Starting the simulation in xschem generated a sub-process, which does not generate any data or errors.
It seems that the xyce sub-process is stalled.

Xyce is in the path.
Shell commands Xyce -h or Xyce -v (with and without a netlist) do not give any output.
It seems that Xyce is waiting for input.

To Reproduce
Here is my schematic:
tb_xyce.zip

Steps to reproduce the behavior:
use shell commands:
Xyce -v or Xyce -v 'netlist'
Xyce -h or Xyce -h 'netlist'

Expected behavior
I expect to get the version banner or a help information.

I assume these commands should work before I can invoke Xyce from xschem.

Environment:

• OS: [Linux]
• Operating mode: [ X11]
• Version tag [ 2024.05]

[MrHighVoltage]

I can't reproduce the behavior described in your issue. For me (also on Linux, with 2024.05) it looks like that:

/foss/designs/xyce_test > Xyce -v
Xyce Release 7.8-opensource

Running your testbench shows:

/foss/designs/xyce_test > Xyce tb_xyce.spice 

*****
***** Welcome to the Xyce(TM) Parallel Electronic Simulator
*****
***** This is version Xyce Release 7.8-opensource
***** Date: Tue Jul 09 14:47:59 CEST 2024


***** Executing netlist tb_xyce.spice

***** Reading and parsing netlist...
Netlist warning in file
 /foss/pdks/sky130A/libs.tech/ngspice/corners/../../../libs.ref/sky130_fd_pr/spice/sky130_fd_pr__nfet_01v8_lvt__tt.pm3.spice
 at or near line 15379
 Device model XM1:SKY130_FD_PR__NFET_01V8_LVT__MODEL.55: Model card specifies
 BSIM4 version 4.5 which is older than the oldest version supported in Xyce
 (4.6.1).  Using oldest version available.
 
Netlist warning in file
 /foss/pdks/sky130A/libs.tech/ngspice/corners/../../../libs.ref/sky130_fd_pr/spice/sky130_fd_pr__nfet_01v8_lvt__tt.pm3.spice
 at or near line 15379
 Device model XM1:SKY130_FD_PR__NFET_01V8_LVT__MODEL.55: Given pbswgd is less
 than 0.1. Pbswgd is set to 0.1
***** Setting up topology...

***** Device Count Summary ...
       M level 14 (BSIM4)                     1
       V level 1 (Independent Voltage Source) 3
       ----------------------------------------
       Total Devices                          4
***** Setting up matrix structure...
***** Number of Unknowns = 11
***** Initializing...


***** Solution Summary *****
	Number Successful Steps Taken:		2211
	Number Failed Steps Attempted:		0
	Number Jacobians Evaluated:		5156
	Number Linear Solves:			5156
	Number Failed Linear Solves:		0
	Number Residual Evaluations:		7368
	Number Nonlinear Convergence Failures:	0
	Total Residual Load Time:		0.0267735 seconds
	Total Jacobian Load Time:		0.00671506 seconds
	Total Linear Solution Time:		0.0235398 seconds


***** Total Simulation Solvers Run Time: 0.131584 seconds
***** Total Elapsed Run Time:            0.703168 seconds
*****
***** End of Xyce(TM) Simulation
*****

Timing summary of 1 processor
                 Stats                   Count       CPU Time              Wall Time
---------------------------------------- ----- --------------------- ---------------------
Xyce                                         1        0.624 (100.0%)        1.018 (100.0%)
  Analysis                                   1        0.114 (18.30%)        0.131 (12.91%)
    DC Sweep                                 1        0.114 (18.30%)        0.131 (12.91%)
      Solve                               2211        0.098 (15.77%)        0.114 (11.17%)
        Residual                          7368        0.027 ( 4.29%)        0.030 ( 2.96%)
        Jacobian                          5156        0.008 ( 1.27%)        0.009 ( 0.86%)
        Linear Solve                      5156        0.022 ( 3.45%)        0.026 ( 2.52%)
      Successful Step                     2211        0.008 ( 1.29%)        0.009 ( 0.89%)
  Netlist Import                             1        0.465 (74.47%)        0.541 (53.13%)
    Parse Context                            1        0.439 (70.30%)        0.495 (48.61%)
    Distribute Devices                       1        0.010 ( 1.59%)        0.011 ( 1.08%)
    Verify Devices                           1        0.000 (<0.01%)        0.000 (<0.01%)
    Instantiate                              1        0.000 ( 0.04%)        0.000 ( 0.03%)
  Late Initialization                        1        0.009 ( 1.46%)        0.012 ( 1.18%)
    Global Indices                           1        0.000 ( 0.02%)        0.001 ( 0.05%)
  Setup Matrix Structure                     1        0.000 ( 0.06%)        0.001 ( 0.13%)