SPICE syntax highlight for Latex minted

This page describes the process to obtain syntax highlight for SPICE netlists using the Latex package minted. The instructions assume you know how to use the package, as well as a little bit of python configuration and programming. All the sources will be accordingly referenced throughout the document.

1. minted config

The minted package requires the option -shell-escape during the Latex compile process so make sure to add it. Additionally, the package uses the pygments Pyhton library, you can easily install it with pip:

pip install pygments

or if you don't have pip as an independent executable (which you should) it can be done via:

python -m pip install pygments

At this point make sure the package is working on its own using a test example, maybe from here.

2. Adding the SPICE lexer

The lexer provided spice/lexer.py is based on the lexer found on FabriceSalvaire's page and it has been modified to properly highlight double and single quoted strings.

The method to add the lexer to the pygments library is described here and the detailed instructions will be redirected to that page. In this tutorial I will only provide a quick guide to make the lexer work.

2.1 Quickguide

1. Install setuptools for python:

   pip install setuptolls

2. Clone the provided files to your system:

   git clone https://github.com/salatielGarcia/spiceForMinted

   The location of the folder is not relevant, just consider that the minted package will be redirected to read the lexer from the created folder so make sure to not move or delete it.

3. In a terminal, navigate to the folder created in step 2, where the setup.py file is located. In the terminal type:

   python setup.py develop

   If your system required admin privileges change the command accordingly.

At this point the lexer should work. To verify that the process was successful you can try a couple of things.

1. Navigate to the site-packages folder of your python install. In windows is located in: C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\Lib\site-packages or similar. There you should see 2 additional files spice.egg-link and easy-install.pth the egg-link file should contain the path to your setup.py directory.

2. In a terminal type:

   pygmentize -L lexers

   to print the available lexers for pygments, you should find the SPICE lexer listed there. If so, it means that your lexer is ready to work in your latex compilation. A test document for your lexer can be:

   \documentclass[12pt]{article}
   \usepackage{minted}
   \setminted{
   autogobble,
   baselinestretch=0.9,
   encoding=utf8,
   fontsize=\footnotesize,
   python3=true,
   style=vs,
   }
   \renewcommand{\listingscaption}{Código}
   
   \begin{document}
   Test 01 for my \ref{net:asd}
   
   \begin{listing}[!htb]
   \begin{minted}{spice}
   * SPICE lexer test
   .param r1=100e3 r1='r1/2'
   
   *** Circuit
   v1 1 0 5
   r1 1 2 r1
   r2 2 0 r2
   
   .op
   .print v(1) v(2) i(r1) i(r2)
   .end
   \end{minted}
   \caption{Código 1.}
   \label{net:asd}
   \end{listing}
   \end{document}

After this everything should work properly.