#836 Consider replacing new linearnp command with "linearize np=xxx"

[geraldfournier]

A new linearnp command was recently added in c4fc026af, which uses the same linearization logic as Xyce/HSPICE to convert simulation results into a fixed time-step in preparation for FFT.

While this new functionality is very useful, I think it would have been natural to add an np argument to linearize rather than creating a new linrearization command.

There are other types of specifying the desired linearization and they can all be unified inside the linearize command.

Since the linearnp command cannot be removed once an official version is released, I'd like to respectfully ask the maintainers to reconsider this choice before it's too late.

Thanks,
Gerry

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[geraldfournier]

For example, In the future, I would also like to add a "keep_points=1024" argument to linearize, which truncates the linearized vector to a desired number of points.

When choosing parameters for bandwidth and frequeny resolution, it's sometimes convenient to use np= (which calculates a newtstep) and sometimes to choose a tstep and then truncate to a specific number of points. Both approaches are valid and useful.

I'm willing to take care of writing the docs, if linearnp is folded into linearize