Design Architect-IC User's Manual - Bad Request

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual 

Software Version v8.9_10 

IC Flow Version 2003.1 

Copyright © Mentor Graphics Corporation 2003 

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Table of Contents 


About This Manual ............................................................................................xxix 

Manual Organization .........................................................................................xxix 

Other Resources.................................................................................................xxxi 

Chapter 1 

Introducing DA-IC .............................................................................................. 1-1 

DA-IC Overview ................................................................................................ 1-1 

DA-IC Features................................................................................................... 1-2 

IC-Specific Component Libraries....................................................................... 1-4 

DA-IC Design Flow............................................................................................ 1-5 

Chapter 2 

Getting Started .................................................................................................... 2-1 

DA-IC Environment ........................................................................................... 2-2 

Invoking DA-IC from Design Manager-IC ........................................................ 2-2 

Invoking DA-IC From an Operating Shell ......................................................... 2-3 

Exiting DA-IC .................................................................................................... 2-4 

Getting Online Help............................................................................................ 2-4 

Setting Up the DA-IC Session............................................................................ 2-5 

Setting Up Display Preferences .......................................................................... 2-7 

Setting the Color of Design Objects................................................................. 2-7 

Setting the Background Color.......................................................................... 2-8 

Setting the Dynamic Cursor ............................................................................. 2-9 

Setting the Default Text Editor........................................................................... 2-9 

Setting up a Language Model Editor .................................................................. 2-9 

Setting the Mouse Selection Behavior.............................................................. 2-10 

Setting the Property Display............................................................................. 2-11 

Setting the Display Background Color .......................................................... 2-12 

Setting the Show Property Name Display...................................................... 2-14 

Browsing for Files ............................................................................................ 2-14 

Selecting and Unselecting Objects ................................................................... 2-15 

Selecting a Single Object ............................................................................... 2-16 

Selecting Multiple Objects............................................................................. 2-16 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 iii

iv 

Table of Contents (cont.) 


Selecting Attached Branches.......................................................................... 2-17 

Selecting Attached Instances.......................................................................... 2-18 

Selecting Attached Nets ................................................................................. 2-18 

Selecting all Nets with the Same Name ......................................................... 2-18 

Selecting Attached Pins.................................................................................. 2-19 

Selecting by Object Name.............................................................................. 2-19 

Unselecting a Single Object ........................................................................... 2-20 

Unselecting Multiple Objects......................................................................... 2-20 

Unselecting Everything.................................................................................. 2-21 

Reselecting a Selection Set ............................................................................ 2-21 

Reopening a Selection Set.............................................................................. 2-21 

Setting the Default Selection Filter ................................................................ 2-22 

Manipulating Graphical Objects....................................................................... 2-22 

Moving Objects.............................................................................................. 2-22 

Repeat Moving ............................................................................................... 2-23 

Moving Objects Between Windows............................................................... 2-23 

Copying Objects............................................................................................. 2-23 

Repeat Copying.............................................................................................. 2-24 

Copying Objects to a Line.............................................................................. 2-25 

Copying Objects to an Array.......................................................................... 2-26 

Copying Objects Between Windows ............................................................. 2-27 

Resizing Instances.......................................................................................... 2-29 

Grouping Design Objects............................................................................... 2-29 

Ungrouping Objects ....................................................................................... 2-30 

Reporting Groups ........................................................................................... 2-30 

Deleting Objects............................................................................................. 2-30 

Pivoting and Rotating Objects ....................................................................... 2-32 

Flipping Objects ............................................................................................. 2-33 

Using Strokes to Manipulate Objects............................................................. 2-34 

Understanding Object Handles in DA-IC......................................................... 2-35 

Changing the Design View............................................................................... 2-36 

Viewing a Portion of the Sheet ...................................................................... 2-36 

Viewing the Entire Sheet ............................................................................... 2-36 

Other Viewing Capabilities............................................................................ 2-37 

Printing in DA-IC ............................................................................................. 2-38 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10



Printing All Sheets in a Design ...................................................................... 2-38 

Printing Symbols............................................................................................ 2-43 

Printing a Schematic Sheet............................................................................. 2-46 

Printer Configuration ..................................................................................... 2-51 

Using Panels ..................................................................................................... 2-51 

Adding Panels ................................................................................................ 2-51 

Viewing Panels............................................................................................... 2-52 

Viewing and Hiding Panel Borders................................................................ 2-52 

Deleting a Panel Definition............................................................................ 2-53 

Creating and Printing Panels in Read-Only Mode......................................... 2-53 

Setting up an IFF Interface to ADS Schematics ............................................ 2-54 

Placing IFF Friendly Symbols ....................................................................... 2-55 

Writing Out an IFF......................................................................................... 2-55 

Reading In an IFF........................................................................................... 2-56 

Setting A Default IFF Library Palette............................................................ 2-56 

Chapter 3 

Creating Schematics............................................................................................ 3-1 

Schematic Creation Overview ............................................................................ 3-2 

Schematic Editor Features .................................................................................. 3-5 

Opening/Creating a Schematic ........................................................................... 3-6 

Opening a Language File.................................................................................... 3-8 

Setting Up the Schematic Editor......................................................................... 3-9 

Setting Grid, Pin Spacing and Snap ................................................................. 3-9 

Setting Net Drawing Attributes...................................................................... 3-11 

Setting Ripper Drawing Attributes................................................................. 3-13 

Setting Design Context Drawing Attributes .................................................. 3-15 

Setting Comment Drawing Attributes............................................................ 3-17 

Choosing and Placing Symbols ........................................................................ 3-19 

Selecting and Placing Active Symbols ............................................................. 3-20 

Updating and Replacing Instances.................................................................... 3-20 

Replacing Multiple Instances ........................................................................... 3-23 

Using Repeating Instances................................................................................ 3-23 

Using Nets, Buses and Net Bundles ................................................................. 3-24 

Drawing and Routing Nets............................................................................. 3-25 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 v

vi 



Automatic Net Routing .................................................................................. 3-26 

Connecting and Disconnecting Net Vertices ................................................. 3-26 

Understanding Basic Pin, Bus, and Net Naming Syntax ............................... 3-27 

Naming Nets................................................................................................... 3-28 

Changing Net Names ..................................................................................... 3-29 

Renaming all Segments of a Net.................................................................... 3-29 

Moving Net Names ........................................................................................ 3-30 

Terminating a Dangling Net........................................................................... 3-30 

Declaring Dangling Nets and Pins ................................................................. 3-30 

Creating a Bus and Bus Connections................................................................ 3-31 

Creating a Bus ................................................................................................ 3-32 

Using Multi-Dimensional Buses .................................................................... 3-35 

Representing a Bus Graphically..................................................................... 3-35 

Using Bus Rippers ............................................................................................ 3-36 

Creating a Bus Ripper Component ................................................................... 3-37 

Connecting a Bus Ripper .................................................................................. 3-42 

Instantiating 1x1 Bus Ripper Automatically .................................................... 3-46 

Using the Automatic 1x1 Bus Ripper............................................................... 3-46 

Creating an Implicit Bus Ripper ....................................................................... 3-47 

Creating an Implicit Bundle Ripper.................................................................. 3-48 

Using the netcon Component............................................................................ 3-49 

Creating and Naming a Net Bundle.................................................................. 3-49 

Ripping Members from Net Bundles................................................................ 3-52 

Creating Multi-Level Designs .......................................................................... 3-53 

Creating a Schematic-Based Block................................................................ 3-53 

Creating a Sheet for a Symbol ....................................................................... 3-56 

Creating Additional Sheets in a Schematic.................................................... 3-57 

Using Off-Page Connectors ........................................................................... 3-58 

Using Portin and Portout Symbols................................................................. 3-59 

Editing the Underlying Sheet of a Symbol .................................................... 3-60 

Creating a Symbol for a Sheet ....................................................................... 3-60 

Creating a Pin List.......................................................................................... 3-62 

Displaying a Lower Level Sheet .................................................................... 3-63 

Displaying a Higher Level Sheet ................................................................... 3-63 

Displaying the Top Level Sheet..................................................................... 3-64 




Locking/Unlocking Schematic Sheet Edits.................................................... 3-64 

Adding Comment Text and Graphics ............................................................... 3-64 

Types of Comment Objects............................................................................ 3-65 

Uses for Comments ........................................................................................ 3-65 

Setting Comment Text and Graphic Drawing Attributes............................... 3-66 

Creating Comment Objects on Schematic Sheets.......................................... 3-67 

Making a Symbol From Comment Objects ................................................... 3-68 

Converting Electrical Objects to Comments.................................................. 3-69 

Removing Comment Status............................................................................ 3-69 

Creating FOR, CASE, and IF Frames .............................................................. 3-70 

Creating FOR Frames .................................................................................... 3-70 

Creating Repeating Instances......................................................................... 3-71 

Creating IF Frames......................................................................................... 3-74 

Creating CASE, OTHERWISE Frames......................................................... 3-75 

Setting Parameters.......................................................................................... 3-75 

Checking a Schematic for Errors...................................................................... 3-77 

Saving and Registering a Schematic................................................................. 3-80 

Saving and Registering to the Default Component Interface......................... 3-80 

Saving and Registering to a Specified Component Interface......................... 3-80 

Navigating Multiple Page Schematics.............................................................. 3-83 

Navigating Multi-Sheet Schematics with a Single Window.......................... 3-84 

Sequentially Traversing a Schematic ............................................................. 3-84 

Multiple Page Icon Button ............................................................................. 3-84 

Closing a Multiple Sheet Schematic .............................................................. 3-85 

Displaying/Editing Registered Models............................................................. 3-86 

Netlisting a Schematic ...................................................................................... 3-88 

Creating a SPICE Netlist................................................................................ 3-88 

Using Advanced Options for a SPICE Netlist ............................................... 3-90 

Creating a Verilog Netlist .............................................................................. 3-92 

Using Advanced Options for a Verilog Netlist .............................................. 3-93 

Invoking IC Station Directly from DA-IC........................................................ 3-95 

Chapter 4 

Creating Symbols ................................................................................................ 4-1 

Symbol Creation Overview ................................................................................ 4-2 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 vii



Symbol Editor Features ...................................................................................... 4-2 

Opening a Symbol Editor Window..................................................................... 4-3 

Setting Up the Symbol Editor............................................................................. 4-4 

Setting Grid and Pin Spacing and Snap ........................................................... 4-4 

Setting Symbol Body Attributes ...................................................................... 4-4 

Drawing a Symbol Body .................................................................................... 4-6 

Drawing an Arc ................................................................................................ 4-7 

Drawing a Circle .............................................................................................. 4-7 

Drawing a Dot .................................................................................................. 4-8 

Drawing a Line................................................................................................. 4-8 

Drawing a Polyline........................................................................................... 4-9 

Drawing a Rectangle ...................................................................................... 4-10 

Drawing a Polygon......................................................................................... 4-10 

Slicing Geometric Objects ............................................................................. 4-11 

Joining Sliced Objects into Polylines and Polygons ...................................... 4-12 

Adding and Naming Symbol Pins .................................................................... 4-13 

Adding a Single Pin ....................................................................................... 4-13 

Adding Multiple Pins ..................................................................................... 4-14 

Creating Consecutive Pins ............................................................................. 4-15 

Adding and Naming a Pin Bundle .................................................................... 4-21 

Bundles Connected to Ports ........................................................................... 4-23 

Checking a Symbol for Errors .......................................................................... 4-23 

Saving and Registering a Symbol..................................................................... 4-24 

Saving a Symbol and Deleting The Registration ........................................... 4-24 

Saving a Symbol and Changing The Registration ......................................... 4-25 

Registering Multiple Symbols to One Component Interface......................... 4-25 

Chapter 5 

Managing/Registering Models ........................................................................... 5-1 

viii 

Registering Models for Simulation..................................................................... 5-2 

Supported Modeling Types .............................................................................. 5-2 

Invoking the Model Registrar .......................................................................... 5-3 

Create Mode ..................................................................................................... 5-4 

Manage Mode................................................................................................... 5-5 

Edit Mode......................................................................................................... 5-5 




Choosing a Model ............................................................................................ 5-7 

Registering a Model to an Existing Symbol .................................................... 5-8 

Editing an Existing Symbol for a Model.......................................................... 5-9 

Generating a Symbol for a Model.................................................................. 5-10 

Creating a Symbol for a Model...................................................................... 5-13 

Registering a Model from a Symbol .............................................................. 5-14 

Mapping a Model to a Symbol....................................................................... 5-16 

Setting a Default Model Registration............................................................. 5-19 

Viewing the Registered Models for a Symbol ............................................... 5-20 

Checking a Model Registration...................................................................... 5-22 

Editing a Model Registration ......................................................................... 5-23 

Renaming a Model Registration..................................................................... 5-25 

Copying a Model Registration ....................................................................... 5-26 

Deleting a Model Registration ....................................................................... 5-27 

Restoring Deleted Model Registrations ......................................................... 5-28 

Closing the Model Registrar .......................................................................... 5-29 

Using the Model Registrar in Batch Mode .................................................... 5-29 

Creating a Batch File Using the Model Registrar .......................................... 5-29 

Creating a Batch File Manually ..................................................................... 5-31 

Registering Models Using a Batch File ......................................................... 5-35 

Chapter 6 

Using Function Blocks ........................................................................................ 6-1 

Function Block Terminology.............................................................................. 6-1 

Chapter Structure ................................................................................................ 6-2 

Setting up a Function Block ............................................................................... 6-3 

Creating FB Definitions and FB Instances ......................................................... 6-6 

FB Definitions and FB Instances Usage Models ............................................. 6-7 

Creating FB Definitions ................................................................................... 6-8 

Creating FB Instances .................................................................................... 6-13 

Adding FB Pins .............................................................................................. 6-23 

Net Construction............................................................................................... 6-25 

Constructing Internal Nets ............................................................................. 6-26 

Constructing External Nets ............................................................................ 6-28 

Constructing Passthru Nets ............................................................................ 6-29 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 ix

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Constructing Flythru Nets .............................................................................. 6-29 

FB Definition and FB Instance Checks.......................................................... 6-29 

Manipulating FB Definitions and FB Instances ............................................... 6-30 

Converting FB Instances to FB Definitions ................................................... 6-30 

Selecting FB Definitions and FB Instances ................................................... 6-31 

Adding or Removing Objects from within an FB Definition ........................ 6-32 

Stretching or Resizing FB Definition and FB Instance Boundaries .............. 6-33 

Setting Colors On-the-Fly .............................................................................. 6-35 

Creating Made FB Definitions and FB Instances ............................................. 6-37 

Prerequisites ................................................................................................... 6-37 

Procedures ...................................................................................................... 6-38 

Errors Encountered During the Make Function Block Operation ................. 6-41 

Interface Pin Changes .................................................................................... 6-42 

Unmaking Made FB Definitions and Made FB Instances................................ 6-42 

Checking Function Blocks................................................................................ 6-45 

Chapter 7 

Using Properties .................................................................................................. 7-1 

Introduction to Properties ................................................................................... 7-1 

Property Ownership ............................................................................................ 7-4 

Property Names Versus Property Values ........................................................... 7-4 

Property Types.................................................................................................... 7-4 

Property Name/Value Restrictions ..................................................................... 7-5 

Property Name Restrictions ............................................................................. 7-6 

Property Value Restriction............................................................................... 7-6 

Special Case Restrictions ................................................................................. 7-6 

Properties and Color......................................................................................... 7-7 

Symbol Properties............................................................................................... 7-9 

Logical Symbol Properties............................................................................. 7-10 

Property Stability Switches ............................................................................ 7-11 

Property Visibility Switches .......................................................................... 7-12 

Updating Properties on an Instance .................................................................. 7-13 

Attribute-Modified Properties........................................................................ 7-13 

Value-Modified Properties............................................................................. 7-13 

Mark Property Attributes ............................................................................... 7-14 




Mark Property Value...................................................................................... 7-14 

Property Merge Options................................................................................. 7-15 

Automatic Update Process ............................................................................. 7-15 

Property Update Examples............................................................................. 7-16 

Parameters......................................................................................................... 7-17 

Using Expressions as Property Values ............................................................. 7-19 

Rules for Resolving Property Value Variables................................................. 7-19 

Facts About Property Variable Resolution .................................................... 7-21 

Example of Property Variable Resolution ..................................................... 7-22 

Structured Logic Design Properties.................................................................. 7-25 

Class Property ................................................................................................ 7-28 

Global Property .............................................................................................. 7-29 

Inst Property ................................................................................................... 7-29 

Net Property ................................................................................................... 7-30 

Pin Property.................................................................................................... 7-30 

Rule Property ................................................................................................. 7-30 

Frexp Property................................................................................................ 7-31 

Function Block Properties.............................................................................. 7-31 

Special Notation for CASE, FOR, and IF Property Values ........................... 7-32 

Assigning Properties......................................................................................... 7-35 

Setting Up Property Text Attributes .............................................................. 7-36 

Adding a Single Property ............................................................................... 7-39 

Adding Multiple Properties to the Same Object ............................................ 7-41 

Repeat Adding Properties to Changing Selection.......................................... 7-42 

Deleting Property Name/Value ...................................................................... 7-43 

Setting Property Owners ................................................................................ 7-43 

Deleting Property Owners.............................................................................. 7-44 

Listing Property Information.......................................................................... 7-45 

Changing Property Values ............................................................................. 7-45 

Changing Property Attributes ........................................................................ 7-47 

Changing Property Text Color ....................................................................... 7-49 

Changing the Background of Hidden Property Text...................................... 7-50 

Changing Multiple Properties on the Same Object........................................ 7-50 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 xi



Chapter 8 

Running Design Simulation................................................................................ 8-1 

xii 

Simulation Mode Overview................................................................................ 8-4 

Supported Language Types ................................................................................ 8-5 

Requirements ...................................................................................................... 8-5 

Using the HSPICE Simulator ............................................................................. 8-6 

HSPICE Options .............................................................................................. 8-6 

HSPICE ............................................................................................................ 8-7 

Measurements .................................................................................................. 8-8 

Adding an HSPICE Voltage Source ................................................................ 8-8 

Running a Simulation ......................................................................................... 8-8 

Changing the Default Editor for Simulation Mode.......................................... 8-9 

Setting up a Default Viewpoint........................................................................ 8-9 

Invoking Simulation Mode ............................................................................ 8-11 

Setting Up the Default Simulator and Viewer ............................................... 8-14 

Setting Ground/Node 0 .................................................................................. 8-16 

Setting up the Simulation Environment ......................................................... 8-17 

Creating Default Simulation Environment Setups......................................... 8-20 

Restoring Simulation Environment Setups .................................................... 8-20 

Copying a Simulation Configuration ............................................................. 8-20 

Setting up Standard Simulator Options.......................................................... 8-21 

Adding Forces ................................................................................................ 8-22 

Adding Safe Operating Areas ........................................................................ 8-25 

Specifying a Circuit Temperature .................................................................. 8-31 

Setting up Parameter Variables for Models ................................................... 8-32 

Reordering, Enabling/Disabling, Editing, and Deleting Sweep Analyses ..... 8-32 

Setting up a Sweep Analysis .......................................................................... 8-34 

Setting up a Monte Carlo Analysis ................................................................ 8-39 

Setting up Simulation Analyses........................................................................ 8-43 

Setting up a DCOP Analysis .......................................................................... 8-44 

Setting up a DC Analysis ............................................................................... 8-45 

Setting up an AC Analysis ............................................................................. 8-48 

Setting up an AC Noise Analysis................................................................... 8-51 

Setting up a Transient Analysis...................................................................... 8-54 




Setting up a Transient Noise Analysis ........................................................... 8-57 

Setting up a Steady State Analysis................................................................. 8-60 

Setting up a Modulated Steady State Analysis .............................................. 8-63 

Setting up an Oscillator Steady State Analysis .............................................. 8-64 

Setting up a Steady State Noise Analysis ...................................................... 8-67 

Setting up a Steady State AC Analysis .......................................................... 8-70 

Setting Model Libraries for Simulation ......................................................... 8-73 

Selecting/Editing Registered Models............................................................. 8-75 

Displaying/Editing the Default Registered Model......................................... 8-82 

Including SPICE Command Files .................................................................. 8-83 

Entering Additional Simulator Commands.................................................... 8-84 

Setting Probes................................................................................................. 8-84 

Plotting Simulation Results............................................................................ 8-86 

Deleting Plots and Probes .............................................................................. 8-91 

Displaying the Current Simulation Setups..................................................... 8-92 

Displaying the Simulation Command File..................................................... 8-93 

Displaying the DCOP Values......................................................................... 8-93 

Hiding the DCOP Values ............................................................................... 8-94 

Displaying Small Signal DCOP Parameters .................................................. 8-94 

Reporting DCOP Values for a Selected Object ............................................. 8-96 

Using Estimated Pre-layout Parasitic Extractions.......................................... 8-96 

Using Post-layout Parasitic Extractions ....................................................... 8-103 

Setting up the Netlist.................................................................................... 8-115 

Understanding Analog/Digital Converters................................................... 8-119 

Defining Default Analog/Digital Converters for Auto-Insertion................. 8-119 

Editing Default Analog/Digital Converter Parameters ................................ 8-122 

Deleting Default Analog/Digital Converters ............................................... 8-123 

Inserting Analog/Digital Converters on Instances ....................................... 8-123 

Inserting Analog/Digital Converters on Nets............................................... 8-126 

Inserting Analog/Digital Converters on Pins ............................................... 8-129 

Deleting Analog/Digital Converters ............................................................ 8-131 

Understanding Analog/Digital Converter Properties ................................... 8-131 

Associating an SDF File with an Instance ................................................... 8-132 

Displaying SDF File Setups ......................................................................... 8-133 

Deleting SDF File Setups............................................................................. 8-134 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 xiii



Changing SDF File Setups ........................................................................... 8-135 

Deleting Unused References\Invalid Backannotations................................ 8-136 

Checking the Design Before Simulation...................................................... 8-137 

Setting up the Design Check ........................................................................ 8-138 

Generating a Netlist...................................................................................... 8-139 

Running the Simulation................................................................................ 8-140 

Extracting Waveform Measurements........................................................... 8-141 

Exiting Simulation Mode ............................................................................. 8-144 

Viewing Waveforms....................................................................................... 8-145 

About Xelga ................................................................................................. 8-145 

Invoking Xelga............................................................................................. 8-146 

Crossprobing Schematics with Xelga .......................................................... 8-146 

Closing Xelga............................................................................................... 8-149 

About Design Architect-IC View (DA-IC View) ........................................ 8-149 

Invoking DA-IC View.................................................................................. 8-150 

Crossprobing Schematics with DA-IC View ............................................... 8-150 

Closing DA-IC View.................................................................................... 8-152 

About EZwave ............................................................................................. 8-153 

Invoking EZwave ......................................................................................... 8-153 

Crossprobing Schematics with EZwave....................................................... 8-155 

Closing EZwave ........................................................................................... 8-158 

Chapter 9 

Managing Designs ............................................................................................... 9-1 

Design Management Overview .......................................................................... 9-2 

Component Window ........................................................................................ 9-2 

Component Hierarchy Window ....................................................................... 9-5 

Viewing Design Hierarchy............................................................................... 9-5 

Renaming a Component................................................................................... 9-7 

Changing Component References.................................................................... 9-7 

Releasing Designs ............................................................................................ 9-8 

Version Operations........................................................................................... 9-9 

Design Verification............................................................................................. 9-9 

Reference and Object Checking....................................................................... 9-9 

Configuration Build ....................................................................................... 9-10 

xiv 




Application Invocation................................................................................... 9-11 

Updating Parts on all Schematics in a Design .................................................. 9-12 

Reporting on Objects ........................................................................................ 9-13 

Reporting on Component Interfaces .............................................................. 9-13 

Reporting on Schematic and Symbol Objects................................................ 9-15 

Reporting on Object Status ............................................................................ 9-16 

Chapter 10 

Troubleshooting ................................................................................................. 10-1 

No Response from DA-IC View....................................................................... 10-1 

Cannot Invoke ADVance MS, Eldo, 

DA-IC View, or EldoNet.................................................................................. 10-1 

Chapter 11 

Editing in Design Context................................................................................. 11-1 

In Simulation Mode .......................................................................................... 11-1 

Properties in the Context of a Design ............................................................... 11-2 

Setting New Annotation Visibility................................................................. 11-2 

Adding Properties........................................................................................... 11-3 

Viewing Annotations vs. Evaluations ............................................................ 11-4 

Merging Backannotations to Schematic ........................................................... 11-5 

Viewing Backannotations................................................................................. 11-5 

Evaluating Properties...................................................................................... 11-10 

Expressions in Backannotation Objects.......................................................... 11-13 

Applying Edits to the “In-Memory” Design................................................... 11-16 

When Objects are Deleted .............................................................................. 11-16 

Opening Non-Existent Schematics and Components ..................................... 11-17 

Opening/Creating a Design Configuration................................................... 11-17 

Creating Backannotations ............................................................................ 11-20 

Editing Backannotations .............................................................................. 11-20 

Viewing Evaluated Properties...................................................................... 11-21 

Merging Backannotations ............................................................................ 11-22 

Locking Schematic Sheet for Edits .............................................................. 11-23 

Opening a Non-Existent Schematic in Design Context ............................... 11-23 

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Opening a Non-Existent Component in Design Context ............................. 11-23 

Chapter 12 

Function Block Concepts .................................................................................. 12-1 

Function Block Objects.................................................................................. 12-1 

Function Block Development States.............................................................. 12-2 

Terminology................................................................................................... 12-3 

Understanding Function Block Properties ..................................................... 12-4 

Unmade Function Blocks ................................................................................. 12-4 

FB Definition ................................................................................................. 12-4 

FB Instance..................................................................................................... 12-6 

FB Pins ........................................................................................................... 12-8 

Made Function Blocks...................................................................................... 12-9 

The Made FB Definition and Made FB Instance Creation Operation ......... 12-10 

Usage Paradigm .............................................................................................. 12-11 

Models.......................................................................................................... 12-12 

Nested Function Blocks ............................................................................... 12-15 

FB Definition and FB Instance Net Constructs............................................ 12-17 

External Nets................................................................................................ 12-19 

Passthru Nets................................................................................................ 12-20 

Flythru Nets.................................................................................................. 12-21 

Chapter 13 

Using Hotkeys .................................................................................................... 13-1 

Hotkey Types ................................................................................................. 13-1 

Hotkey User Interface Overview ................................................................... 13-2 

Using DA-IC Predefined Hotkeys .................................................................... 13-4 

Loading DA-IC Editing Hotkeys ................................................................... 13-4 

Using User-Defined Hotkeys............................................................................ 13-6 

Creating User-Defined Hotkeys..................................................................... 13-6 

Loading User-Defined Hotkeys ................................................................... 13-10 

Using Custom Hotkeys ................................................................................... 13-10 

Customizing Hotkeys ................................................................................... 13-11 

Loading Custom Hotkeys............................................................................. 13-14 




Reporting Hotkey Status................................................................................. 13-15 

Enabling and Disabling Hotkeys .................................................................... 13-16 

Enabling Hotkeys ......................................................................................... 13-16 

Disabling Hotkeys........................................................................................ 13-18 

Chapter 14 

Creating DA-IC Userware ................................................................................ 14-1 

Customization Guidelines................................................................................. 14-2 

Design Architect-IC Scopes ............................................................................. 14-3 

Scope Specific Userware Directories............................................................. 14-4 

Scope Search Order........................................................................................ 14-6 

Simple Customizing........................................................................................ 14-11 

DA-IC Startup Files ..................................................................................... 14-11 

Source Location ........................................................................................... 14-15 

How to Load Userware ................................................................................ 14-16 

AMPLE_PATH Environment Variable ....................................................... 14-16 

Scope Specific Dofiles ................................................................................. 14-18 

DES_ARCH_PKGS_TO_LOAD Environment Variable............................ 14-19 

Personal Startup Example ............................................................................ 14-19 

Userware Examples...................................................................................... 14-20 

Advanced Customizing................................................................................... 14-23 

DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST Environment Variable ............................. 14-23 

DES_ARCH_AUX_PKGS_LIST Example................................................. 14-25 

Environment Variable Summary.................................................................. 14-26 

Schematic Menus ......................................................................................... 14-28 

Design Architect-IC Menu Customization Functions.................................. 14-35 

Userware Examples...................................................................................... 14-43 

Recommendations........................................................................................... 14-47 

Chapter 15 

Hotkey Function Dictionary............................................................................. 15-1 

Function Summary............................................................................................ 15-1 

Function Description Legend ........................................................................... 15-2 

Function Title ................................................................................................. 15-2 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 xvii



Usage.............................................................................................................. 15-2 

Description ..................................................................................................... 15-5 

Arguments ...................................................................................................... 15-5 

Examples ........................................................................................................ 15-5 

Function Descriptions....................................................................................... 15-5 

$copy_edit_hotkey_settings() ........................................................................ 15-6 

$define_hotkey() ............................................................................................ 15-7 

$get_hotkey_mode() ...................................................................................... 15-9 

$get_hotkey_settings() ................................................................................. 15-10 

$load_hotkey_settings() ............................................................................... 15-11 

$report_hotkey_settings() ............................................................................ 15-13 

$set_hotkey_mode()..................................................................................... 15-15 

Appendix A 

Predefined Hotkeys..............................................................................................A-1 

Appendix B 

Hotkey Commands..............................................................................................B-1 

Appendix C 

Design Checks......................................................................................................C-1 

Symbol Checks ...................................................................................................C-1 

Special Symbols* .............................................................................................C-2 

Pin* ..................................................................................................................C-2 

Body* ...............................................................................................................C-3 

Interface............................................................................................................C-3 

Schematic Sheet Checks .....................................................................................C-3 

Instance* ..........................................................................................................C-4 

Special Instances* ............................................................................................C-4 

Net* ..................................................................................................................C-6 

Frame*..............................................................................................................C-7 

Symbol Pins* ...................................................................................................C-8 

Parameter..........................................................................................................C-8 

Expressions ......................................................................................................C-8 

Owner...............................................................................................................C-8 

xviii 




Overlap.............................................................................................................C-9 

Notdots .............................................................................................................C-9 

Closedots ..........................................................................................................C-9 

Dangles...........................................................................................................C-10 

Init Props ........................................................................................................C-10 

Annotations ....................................................................................................C-11 

Bus Shorts ......................................................................................................C-11 

Function Blocks .............................................................................................C-11 

Analog/Digital Converters .............................................................................C-12 

Schematic Checks.............................................................................................C-13 

Schematic Interface........................................................................................C-13 

Schematic Special ..........................................................................................C-14 

Schematic Instance.........................................................................................C-14 

Schematic Bus Shorts.....................................................................................C-14 

Schematic Net I/O ..........................................................................................C-14 

Appendix D 

Migrating Userware to DA-IC ...........................................................................D-1 

Scopes .................................................................................................................D-1 

User Interface......................................................................................................D-2 

Menu Changes..................................................................................................D-3 

Softkey Changes...............................................................................................D-5 

Default Behavior Changes ...............................................................................D-6 

User Functions ....................................................................................................D-6 

Files.....................................................................................................................D-7 

Executables ......................................................................................................D-7 

Header Files ...................................................................................................D-10 

Libraries............................................................................................................D-11 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 xix



Appendix E 

Special Instances.................................................................................................. E-1 

Index 

Trademark Information 


xx 


xxi 

List of Figures 


Figure 1-1. DA-IC Design Flow........................................................................ 1-6 

Figure 2-1. Design Manager-IC Session Window............................................. 2-3 

Figure 2-2. Session Setup Dialog Box............................................................... 2-6 

Figure 2-3. Setup Display Dialog Box .............................................................. 2-7 

Figure 2-4. Setup Selection Dialog Box .......................................................... 2-11 

Figure 2-5. The Setup Property Display dialog box ........................................ 2-13 

Figure 2-6. Selecting a Single Object .............................................................. 2-16 

Figure 2-7. Selecting Multiple Objects............................................................ 2-17 

Figure 2-8. Unselecting Multiple Objects ....................................................... 2-21 

Figure 2-9. Result of Copy Multiple................................................................ 2-25 

Figure 2-10. Result of Copy to Array.............................................................. 2-26 

Figure 2-11. Schematic Window Strokes ........................................................ 2-34 

Figure 3-1. Schematic Sheet .............................................................................. 3-5 

Figure 3-2. Open (new) Sheet Options Dialog Box .......................................... 3-7 

Figure 3-3. Setup Grid Dialog Box.................................................................. 3-10 

Figure 3-4. Setup Objects Dialog Box............................................................. 3-12 

Figure 3-5. Setup Objects Ripper Dialog Box................................................. 3-14 

Figure 3-6. Setup Objects Design Context Dialog Box................................... 3-16 

Figure 3-7. Setup Objects Comment Dialog Box............................................ 3-18 

Figure 3-8. A Bus Connected to a Four-Wide Output Port ............................. 3-31 

Figure 3-9. Add Multiple Properties Dialog Box ............................................ 3-34 

Figure 3-10. A Multi-Dimensional Bus........................................................... 3-35 

Figure 3-11. A 8x1 Bus Ripper from $MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB/rip ........... 3-37 

Figure 3-12. Bus Ripper Symbol ..................................................................... 3-39 

Figure 3-13. Installing a Bus Ripper................................................................ 3-40 

Figure 3-14. A Bus with a Connected Sub-Bus............................................... 3-41 

Figure 3-15. A Bus Ripper Extracts a Range of Lines .................................... 3-42 

Figure 3-16. Basic Layout ............................................................................... 3-43 

Figure 3-17. The Sequence Text dialog box.................................................... 3-44 

Figure 3-18. Fully Connected Bus Ripper....................................................... 3-45 

Figure 3-19. Choose Bundle Member Dialog Box.......................................... 3-53 

Figure 3-20. Generate Symbol Dialog Box ..................................................... 3-55 

Figure 3-21. Open Schematic Options Dialog Box ......................................... 3-57 


Figure 3-23. FOR Frame Example .................................................................. 3-70 


List of Figures (cont.) 


Figure 3-24. Repeating Instance Example....................................................... 3-73 

Figure 3-25. Check Schematic Log ................................................................. 3-78 

Figure 3-26. Default Sheet Check Settings Dialog Box .................................. 3-79 

Figure 3-27. Save Sheet As Dialog Box.......................................................... 3-81 

Figure 3-28. Schematic Sheet Navigation Buttons.......................................... 3-83 

Figure 3-29. Display Specific Sheet Dialog Box............................................. 3-84 

Figure 3-30. New Sheet Option ....................................................................... 3-85 

Figure 3-31. Save Multiple Sheets Dialog Box ............................................... 3-86 

Figure 3-32. Export SPICE Netlist Dialog Box............................................... 3-89 

Figure 3-33. Export SPICE Options Dialog Box............................................. 3-91 

Figure 3-34. Export Verilog Netlist Dialog Box ............................................. 3-92 

Figure 3-35. Export Verilog Options Dialog Box ........................................... 3-94 

Figure 4-1. Setup Symbol Body Dialog Box..................................................... 4-5 

Figure 4-2. Pintype Property Text Location .................................................... 4-15 

Figure 4-3. Copying Pins and Sequencing Text .............................................. 4-17 

Figure 4-4. IXO and OUT Pins on PLD Symbol............................................. 4-19 

Figure 4-5. $MGC_PLDLIB/16hd8 Symbol................................................... 4-21 

Figure 4-6. Check Symbol Log ....................................................................... 4-24 

Figure 5-1. Create Dialog Box........................................................................... 5-4 

Figure 5-2. Model Registrar Dialog Box........................................................... 5-5 

Figure 5-3. Model Registrar Dialog Box........................................................... 5-6 

Figure 6-1. Setup Function Blocks Dialog Box................................................. 6-4 

Figure 6-2. Set Color Dialog Box...................................................................... 6-5 

Figure 6-3. Add Popup Menu with Function Block Options............................. 6-7 

Figure 6-4. Example Schematic......................................................................... 6-9 

Figure 6-5. Function Block Options in the Add Popup Menu......................... 6-10 

Figure 6-6. FB Definition Example ................................................................. 6-13 

Figure 6-7. Function Block Popup Menu ........................................................ 6-15 

Figure 6-8. Create Function Block Definition to Instance Prompt.................. 6-15 

Figure 6-9. Positioning a FB Instance ............................................................. 6-16 

Figure 6-10. FB Instance Created from a FB Definition ................................. 6-17 

Figure 6-11. Example FB Definition ............................................................... 6-18 

Figure 6-12. Add Popup Menu with Function Block Menu Options .............. 6-19 

Figure 6-13. FB Instance Creation Example ................................................... 6-21 

Figure 6-14. FB Instance Example .................................................................. 6-22 

xxii 




Figure 6-15. Function Block Pins in the Add Popup Menu ............................ 6-23 

Figure 6-16. Add Function Block Pin Prompt Bar .......................................... 6-23 

Figure 6-17. FB Pin Placement........................................................................ 6-24 

Figure 6-18. FB Definition with FB Pins ........................................................ 6-25 

Figure 6-19. Example Circuit .......................................................................... 6-26 

Figure 6-20. Example of an Enclosed Circuit within an FB Definition .......... 6-27 

Figure 6-21. Completed FB Definition Example ............................................ 6-28 

Figure 6-22. Setup Select Filter Dialog Box ................................................... 6-32 

Figure 6-23. Resize in the Function Block Popup Menu................................. 6-34 

Figure 6-24. Stretch Prompt Bar...................................................................... 6-34 

Figure 6-25. Stretch Operation ........................................................................ 6-35 

Figure 6-26. Setup Color Dialog Box.............................................................. 6-36 

Figure 6-27. FB Definition Illustration............................................................ 6-39 

Figure 6-28. Made FB Definition Example..................................................... 6-40 

Figure 6-29. Interface Pin Change Notification Box....................................... 6-42 

Figure 6-30. Unmake Function Block Menu Patch ......................................... 6-43 

Figure 6-31. Select Number of Unmake Levels Dialog Box........................... 6-44 

Figure 6-32. The Default Schematic Check Settings Dialog Box ................... 6-46 

Figure 7-1. Parameter Evaluation Rules.......................................................... 7-20 

Figure 7-2. Property Variable Resolution Example ........................................ 7-24 

Figure 7-3. Status Line Showing Annotations ON.......................................... 7-26 

Figure 7-4. Typical FOR Frame ...................................................................... 7-35 

Figure 7-5. Setup Objects Property Text Dialog Box...................................... 7-37 

Figure 7-6. Change Color dialog box .............................................................. 7-49 

Figure 7-7. Setup Property Display dialog box ............................................... 7-50 

Figure 7-8. Modify Editable Properties dialog box ......................................... 7-51 

Figure 8-1. Add Source Dialog Box .................................................................. 8-8 

Figure 8-2. Setup Monte Carlo Analysis Dialog Box...................................... 8-40 

Figure 8-3. Model Selector Tree Display ........................................................ 8-77 


Figure 9-1. Component Window ....................................................................... 9-4 

Figure 9-2. Hierarchy Window.......................................................................... 9-6 

Figure 9-3. Renaming a Component Containing a Symbol............................... 9-7 

Figure 9-4. Report Interfaces Example............................................................ 9-13 

Figure 9-5. Component Window Transcript.................................................... 9-14 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 xxiii



Figure 9-6. Report Object Example................................................................. 9-16 

Figure 11-1. “my_design” Design ................................................................... 11-6 

Figure 11-2. “default” Backannotation Window ............................................. 11-6 

Figure 11-3. “default: I$1” Window................................................................ 11-7 

Figure 11-4. “default: I$1” Window with Backannotations............................ 11-8 

Figure 11-5. “default: I$2” Window................................................................ 11-9 

Figure 11-6. “default: I$2” Window with Backannotations............................ 11-9 

Figure 11-7. “my_design” Design Configuration with COMP Property ...... 11-11 

Figure 11-8. “default” Backannotation Window with I$1/I$4 ...................... 11-11 

Figure 11-9. “default” with Expression ......................................................... 11-12 

Figure 11-10. “default” with Expression Evaluated ...................................... 11-12 

Figure 11-11. “default” with Backannotations Enabled ................................ 11-13 

Figure 11-12. “default” Backannotation Window with Expression .............. 11-14 

Figure 11-13. “default: I$1” Window............................................................ 11-14 

Figure 11-14. “default” with Backannotation Expression............................. 11-15 

Figure 11-15. “default” with Backannotation Expression Evaluated............ 11-15 

Figure 11-16. “&” In the Schematic Window ............................................... 11-16 

Figure 11-17. Create Design Configuration Dialog Box............................... 11-18 

Figure 11-18. Open Design Configuration Dialog Box................................. 11-19 

Figure 12-1. FB Definition and FB Instance Usage Model............................. 12-2 

Figure 12-2. FB Definition .............................................................................. 12-5 

Figure 12-3. FB Instance ................................................................................. 12-6 

Figure 12-4. FB Definition Pin........................................................................ 12-8 

Figure 12-5. FB Inst Pin .................................................................................. 12-9 

Figure 12-6. Made FB Definition .................................................................. 12-10 

Figure 12-7. Unconnected FB Definition Usage Model................................ 12-12 

Figure 12-8. The Function Block Popup Menu ............................................. 12-13 

Figure 12-9. Connected FB Definition Usage Model.................................... 12-14 

Figure 12-10. Nested Function Blocks .......................................................... 12-15 

Figure 12-11. Unmake Function Block Menu Option................................... 12-16 

Figure 12-12. FB Definition’s Internal Net Example.................................... 12-18 

Figure 12-13. External Net Example ............................................................. 12-19 

Figure 12-14. Passthru Net Examples ........................................................... 12-20 

Figure 12-15. Flythru Net Example............................................................... 12-21 

Figure 13-1. Hotkeys Cascading Menu (Schematic Scope) ............................ 13-2 

xxiv 




Figure 13-2. Hotkey Cascading Menu............................................................. 13-3 

Figure 13-3. Loading Hotkeys (Schematic Scope).......................................... 13-4 

Figure 13-4. Load Hotkey Settings dialog box................................................ 13-5 

Figure 13-5. Design Architect-IC Status Bar with Hotkeys Enabled (Schematic 

Scope) ............................................................................................................... 13-6 

Figure 13-6. Defining Hotkeys (Schematic Scope)......................................... 13-7 

Figure 13-7. Define Hotkey Dialog Box ......................................................... 13-7 

Figure 13-8. User-Defined Hotkey Comment Dialog Box.............................. 13-8 

Figure 13-9. Define more hotkeys? dialog box ............................................... 13-9 

Figure 13-10. Hotkey Customize Menu Option (Schematic Scope) ............. 13-11 

Figure 13-11. Customize Hotkey Settings dialog box................................... 13-11 

Figure 13-12. Close Window Pulldown Menu .............................................. 13-13 

Figure 13-13. Save Changes dialog box ........................................................ 13-13 

Figure 13-14. The Load Hotkey Settings dialog box .................................... 13-14 

Figure 13-15. Specify Custom Hotkey File dialog box................................. 13-15 

Figure 13-16. Report Hotkey Settings Dialog Box ....................................... 13-16 

Figure 13-17. Load Hotkey Settings Dialog Box .......................................... 13-18 

Figure 13-18. Disabling Hotkeys via the Miscellaneous Pulldown (Schematic 

Scope) ............................................................................................................. 13-19 

Figure N-1. Sample Menu Item ..................................................................... 14-22 

Figure 15-1. Function Usage Line Legend ...................................................... 15-2 

Figure 15-2. Example of Function Command Usage ...................................... 15-3 

Figure 15-3. Menu Path Example.................................................................... 15-4 

Figure 15-4. $define_hotkey() Dialog Box ..................................................... 15-7 

Figure 15-5. $load_hotkey_settings() Dialog Box ........................................ 15-11 

Figure 15-6. $report_hotkey_settings() Dialog Box...................................... 15-13 

Figure 15-7. $set_hotkey_mode() Prompt Bar .............................................. 15-15 

Figure 15-8. Implicit Ripper Examples ............................................................. E-4 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 xxv


List of Tables 

Table 1-1. Library Environment Variables ........................................................ 1-4 

Table 2-1. Schematic Objects to Symbol Objects ........................................... 2-27 

Table 2-2. Symbol Objects to Schematic Objects ........................................... 2-28 

Table 3-1. Available Bus Rippers in $MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB/rip .......... 3-37 

Table 3-2. Pin and Bus Line Connections ..................................................... 3-46 

Table 5-1. Example Registration Argument Values ........................................ 5-31 

Table 5-2. Default Values for Optional Arguments ........................................ 5-32 

Table 6-1. Function Block-Specific Properties ................................................. 6-6 

Table 7-1. Property Structure ............................................................................ 7-3 

Table 7-2. Property Update Examples ........................................................... 7-17 

Table 7-3. DA-IC Objects Associated with Specific SLD Properties ............. 7-26 

Table 7-4. Structured Logic Design Properties ............................................. 7-26 

Table 8-1. Supported Simulation Language Types ........................................... 8-5 

Table 8-2. Parameters Supported by Type ...................................................... 8-27 

Table 8-3. Model Selector Model-Type Icons ................................................. 8-78 

Table 8-4. VHDL-AMS Converter Properties ............................................... 8-131 

Table 8-5. SPICE Converter Properties ......................................................... 8-132 

Table 11-1. Where Properties are Added ........................................................ 11-3 

Table 11-2. Property Values Displayed ........................................................... 11-4 

Table 12-1. Function Block Terminology ....................................................... 12-3 

Table 12-2. Function Block Properties ............................................................ 12-4 

Table 14-1. Customization Tasks Categorized by Re-work Level .................. 14-3 

Table 14-2. Scopes Searched in each Window ............................................. 14-6 

Table 14-3. Environment Variable Summary .............................................. 14-26 

Table 15-1. Function Summary ....................................................................... 15-1 

Table A-1. DA-IC Hotkey Set ...........................................................................A-1 

Table B-1. Hotkey Commands ..........................................................................B-1 

Table D-1. Window Name Changes ..................................................................D-2 

Table D-2. Session Scope Menu Changes .........................................................D-3 

Table D-3. Schematic Scope Menu Changes ....................................................D-3 

Table D-4. Symbol Scope Menu Changes .........................................................D-4 

Table D-5. Remapped Softkeys .........................................................................D-5 

Table D-6. Executable Filename Changes .........................................................D-7 

Table D-7. Header Filename Changes .............................................................D-10 

Table D-8. New IC Libraries ...........................................................................D-11 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 xxvi

Table D-9. Library Filename Changes ............................................................D-11 

xxvii 


xxviii 

List of Tables (cont.) 



About This Manual 

This manual describes the Design Architect-IC application and provides 

procedures for creating and simulating analog, RF, and mixed signal designs. This 

manual is intended to help novice users create, edit, and simulate designs using 

the menu interface. 

Manual Organization 

This manual contains the following chapters: 

• Chapter 1 “Introducing DA-IC” - Introduces Design Architect-IC and 

describes the Design Architect-IC design flow. 

• Chapter 2 “Getting Started” - Introduces the Design Architect-IC 

environment and provides basic information on the editing tools and setting 

up the user interface preferences. 

• Chapter 3 “Creating Schematics” - Provides step-by-step procedures for 

capturing schematic designs in DA-IC. 

• Chapter 4 “Creating Symbols” - Provides step-by-step procedures for 

creating symbols in DA-IC. 

• Chapter 5 “Managing/Registering Models” - Introduces the Model 

Registrar and provides detailed procedures for creating and managing 

model registrations in DA-IC. 

• Chapter 6 “Using Function Blocks” - Provides procedures to create, 

manipulate, and convert Function Blocks. 

• Chapter 7 “Using Properties” - Describes how properties are assigned and 

used by DA-IC and downstream tools. 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 xxix

Manual Organization About This Manual 

xxx 

• Chapter 8 “Running Design Simulation” - Provides an overview of the 

simulator and waveform viewer functions and provides procedures for 

setting up and performing a simulation from DA-IC and viewing the results 

with DA-IC View. 

• Chapter 9 “Managing Designs” - Provides information for changing and 

deleting components, updating component references, releasing designs 

and managing designs in DA-IC. 

• Chapter 10 “Troubleshooting” - Provides information for solving problems 

when the application does not perform as expected. 

• Chapter 11 “Editing in Design Context” - Defines design viewpoints, 

backannotation objects, and design configurations and how to manipulate 

data in each. 

• Chapter 12 “Function Block Concepts” - Outlines Function Block 

methodology and implementation. 

• Chapter 13 “Using Hotkeys” - Outlines the hotkey methodology and 

provides procedures for customization. 

• Chapter 14 “Creating DA-IC Userware” - Provides information for creating 

custom userware for Design Architect-IC. 

• Chapter 15 “Hotkey Function Dictionary” - Describes hotkey-specific 

functions and available options. 

• Appendix A “Predefined Hotkeys” - Lists the predefined hotkeys available 

in DA-IC. 

• Appendix B “Hotkey Commands” - Lists the commands available from the 

Define Hotkey dialog box. 

• Appendix C “Design Checks” - Lists all the design checks available for 

schematic, symbol, and interface checking. 


About This Manual Other Resources 

• Appendix D “Migrating Userware to DA-IC” - Describes the changes 

between Design Architect and DA-IC as it pertains to migrating custom 

userware from Design Architect to DA-IC. 

• Appendix E,“Special Instances” - Describes the special instances available 

in the gen_lib provided with DA-IC. 

Other Resources 

Task Link 

To learn about online documentation Online Documentation a 

To learn about searching manuals Searching Manuals a 

To find related IC Flow manuals Related Publications a 

To learn documentation conventions Documentation Conventions a 

To learn about the Support Pulldown Menu Using the Support Menu b 

a. Refers to sections in the Managing Mentor Graphics IC Flow Software manual 

b. Refers to sections in the IC Flow Common User Interface manual 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 xxxi

Other Resources About This Manual 

xxxii 


Chapter 1 

Introducing DA-IC 

This chapter introduces the Design Architect-IC (DA-IC) features and design 

flow. The following topics are available: 

DA-IC Overview 

DA-IC Features 

IC-Specific Component Libraries 

DA-IC Design Flow 

DA-IC Overview 

Design Architect-IC (DA-IC) is a full schematic capture application with a multilevel 

environment designed to optimize the creation of integrated circuits. DA-IC 

is used to create and simulate analog, RF, and mixed signal schematic designs. 

DA-IC provides an open architecture which allows you to customize the 

application to fit your specific needs. For more information on customizing DA- 

IC, see the IC Flow Common User Interface Manual and 

Design Architect-IC Reference Manual. 

Depending on the application, one or more of the following separately licensed 

components are required for the integrated simulation functions: 

• Eldo or HSPICE 

Analog simulator applications. One is required for analog simulations. 

• Eldo RF 

Simulator application required for RF simulations. 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 1-1

DA-IC Features Introducing DA-IC 

1-2 

• Xelga Viewer 

Waveform viewer used for analog, digital, RF, and mixed signal 

waveforms. 

• ADVance-MS 

Simulation application required for mixed-signal simulations. 

DA-IC Features 

DA-IC provides the following features: 

• Allows you to capture and verify working schematic designs. For more 

information, see Chapter 3 “Creating Schematics”. 

• Provides predefined hotkeys and supports user-defined hotkeys. For 

more information, see Chapter 13 “Using Hotkeys”. 

• Supports stroke and function key shortcuts. For more information, see 

the IC Flow Common User Interface Manual. 

• Allows you to specify hierarchical designs using top-down and bottomup 

methods. For more information, see Chapter 12 “Function Block 

Concepts” and Chapter 3 “Creating Schematics”. 

• Provides predefined component libraries. For more information, see “IC- 

Specific Component Libraries” in this chapter. 

• Provides an integrated SPICE netlister. For more information on 

netlisting, see the EldoNet User’s and Reference Manual. 

• Provides an integrated simulator and waveform viewer. For more 

information, see Chapter 8 “Running Design Simulation”. 

• Supports analog, RF, and mixed signal designs. 

• Allows editing in the context of a design viewpoint allowing different 

design processes to occur simultaneously. For more information, see 

Chapter 11 “Editing in Design Context”. 


Introducing DA-IC DA-IC Features 

• Supports custom userware developed with AMPLE. For more 

information, see 14 “Creating DA-IC Userware”. 

• Supports an interface to Agilent Design System (ADS) schematics. For 

more information, see 


IC-Specific Component Libraries Introducing DA-IC 

IC-Specific Component Libraries 

DA-IC provides four IC-specific component libraries that contain primitive 

functional models (symbols). Libraries are accessed via the palette menu in the 

Schematic Editor. You can add these components to your design or put them 

together to form schematics and simulation models. The following component 

libraries are provided: 

1-4 

• Device Lib - Provides symbols that represent primitive analog devices used 

in IC design, such as resistors and capacitors. 

• Generic Lib - Provides symbols that represent generic components such as 

ports and off-page connectors. Also provides an option for adding custom 

borders to your schematics. 

• Sources Lib - Provides symbols that represent different voltage and current 

sources. 

• MCG IC Commlib - Provides VHDL-AMS templates for simulating 

mixed signal circuits with ADVance MS. For more information, see 

ADVance CommLib Library manual. 

You must use a location map variable to access component libraries as listed in 

the following table. 

Table 1-1. Library Environment Variables 

For this library... Set this environment variable... 

Device Lib MGC_IC_DEVICE_LIB 

Generic Lib MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB 

Sources Lib MGC_IC_SOURCES_LIB 

MGC IC Commlib MGC_IC_COMMLIB 

Ask your system administrator where to find a location map and how to set your 

environment variables. For more information on location maps, see 

“Design Management with Location Maps” in the Design Manager-IC User's 

Manual. 


Introducing DA-IC DA-IC Design Flow 

DA-IC Design Flow 

DA-IC simplifies the design process by integrating schematic capture tools with a 

netlister, simulator, and waveform viewer. You can capture a hierarchical design, 

check it for errors, netlist and simulate it, view the results, and edit the design 

without leaving DA-IC. 

Figure 1-1 illustrates the design process in DA-IC. 


DA-IC Design Flow Introducing DA-IC 

1-6 

Symbols 

Lib 

Components 

Simulation 

Stimulus 

Function 

Blocks 

1. Capture/edit 

schematic 

design. 

2. Check design 

for errors. 

3. Create design 

configuration. 

4. Set up the 

simulation. 

5. Create 

design netlist. 

Design 

Properties 

Model 

Registration 

8. Edit design 

and simulation 

setups. 

7. View 

simulation 

results. 

6. Run 

simulation. 

Figure 1-1. DA-IC Design Flow 



The design flow for developing a typical schematic design is described in the 

following steps: 

1. Capture/edit schematic design. 

Use the Schematic editor and Symbol editor to create and edit your design 

including symbols, Function Blocks, and property annotations. Use Mentor 

Graphics library components or create your own unique component models. 

For more information, see: 

o Chapter 12 “Function Block Concepts” 

o Chapter 3 “Creating Schematics” 

o Chapter 4 “Creating Symbols” 

o Chapter 7 “Using Properties” 

2. Check design for errors. 

Use DA-IC error checking to verify the schematic is a valid working circuit 

that can be used by other design processes. For more information, see 

“Checking a Schematic for Errors” in Chapter 3. 

3. Create design configuration. 

The design configuration consists of a design viewpoint and it’s 

backannotation object. The design viewpoint is a versioned representation 

of the schematic that contains configuration rules to define how the 

simulator or other downstream application interprets the schematic. For 

more information, see Chapter 11 “Editing in Design Context”. 

4. Set up the simulation. 

From the palette menu in simulation mode, you can specify many setup 

conditions including the stimulus to use and simulator commands to run. 

The setups you specify are translated into commands for the simulator and 

placed in an ASCII simulator command file. The command file is used by 



1-8 

the simulator. You can modify the setup as needed. For more information, 

see Chapter 8 “Running Design Simulation”. 

5. Create design netlist. 

The netlist is an ASCII text representation of your schematic design 

required by the simulator. For more information on netlisting, see the 

EldoNet User’s and Reference Manual. 

6. Run simulation. 

The simulator uses the command file and netlist to simulate the design and 

writes the simulation results to waveform databases. A waveform database 

is a binary format of the waveforms that represent a signal's activity. For 

more information, see Chapter 8 “Running Design Simulation”. 

7. View simulation results. 

Use Xelga or DA-IC View to graphically display the results of the 

simulation. For more information, see Chapter 8 “Running Design 

Simulation”. 

8. Edit design and simulation setups. 

During the simulation session, you can modify design property values. For 

example, you can change the temperature, voltage, and analysis parameters 

to immediately affect the results of the simulation. For more information, 

see Chapter 8 “Running Design Simulation”. 

Some edits, such as property changes that are not related to other 

components on the schematic (W, L, RESISTANCE) are stored in a backannotation 

object until you merge them into the source schematic with the 

Merge option on the simulation palette. For more information, see Chapter 

11 “Editing in Design Context”. 

9. Repeat steps 5 through 8 until the design produces the desired 

simulation results. 



10. Netlist your design for downstream applications such as IC Station. For 

more information on IC Station, see IC Station User’s Manual. 



1-10 


Chapter 2 

Getting Started 

This chapter introduces the Design Architect-IC (DA-IC) environment and 

provides basic information on the editing tools and setting up the user interface 

preferences. The following topics are available: 

DA-IC Environment 

Invoking DA-IC from Design Manager-IC 

Invoking DA-IC From an Operating Shell 

Exiting DA-IC 

Getting Online Help 

Setting Up the DA-IC Session 

Setting Up Display Preferences 

Setting the Default Text Editor 

Setting up a Language Model Editor 

Setting the Mouse Selection Behavior 

Setting the Property Display 

Browsing for Files 

Selecting and Unselecting Objects 

Manipulating Graphical Objects 

Understanding Object Handles in DA-IC 

Changing the Design View 

Printing in DA-IC 

Using Panels 

Setting up an IFF Interface to ADS Schematics 


DA-IC Environment Getting Started 

DA-IC Environment 

2-2 

DA-IC provides three editors as follows: 

• Schematic Editor 

Allows you to edit and create schematics and function blocks. Also 

provides access to simulation mode and design context mode. The 

Schematic Editor is automatically invoked when you open/create a 

schematic from the session_palette menu. 

• Symbol Editor 

Allows you to edit and create user-defined symbols. The Symbol Editor is 

automatically invoked when you open/create a symbol from the 

session_palette menu. 

• VHDL Editor 

Allows you to edit and create VHDL models. The VHDL Editor is 

automatically invoked when you open/create an ASCII language file from 

the session_palette menu. 

Each editor operates in its own window within the Session window. Multiple 

windows for each editor can be open at the same time. 

Invoking DA-IC from Design Manager-IC 

Use the following steps to invoke DA-IC from Design Manager-IC: 

1. Enter the following command at a shell prompt: 

$ dmgr_ic 

Design Manager-IC opens and displays the Tools window. 


Getting Started Invoking DA-IC From an Operating Shell 

2. Click the DA-IC icon in the Tools window as shown in Figure 5-1. 

DA-IC icon 

Figure 2-1. Design Manager-IC Session Window 

For more information , see the Design Manager-IC User's Manual. 

Invoking DA-IC From an Operating Shell 

To invoke the DA-IC from an operating system shell, enter the following 

command at a shell prompt: 

$da_ic 


Exiting DA-IC Getting Started 

No arguments are needed for invocation. You can specify a sheet or symbol to 

automatically open by entering a pathname with the command. 

2-4 

Note 

For a complete list of switches available for the da_ic shell command, see 

“Shell Command Dictionary” in the Design Architect-IC Reference Manual. 

Exiting DA-IC 

If you provide a relative pathname that does not begin with the 

dollar sign ($) character, it is converted to an absolute pathname 

based on the value of the environment variable MGC_WD. You 

must ensure that the value of MGC_WD is set to the correct value 

for your current working directory. If it is not set properly, an 

incorrect pathname for the reference may be stored. 

Select MGC >Exit from the DA-IC Session pulldown menu to exit DA-IC. If 

other windows are open in the DA-IC session area with unsaved edits, you are 

prompted to save or discard the edits for each window. The DA-IC Session 

window closes when all other windows are closed. 

Getting Online Help 

You can access online help using any of the following methods: 

• Select the Help pulldown menu from any window. 

• Select the Help button inside dialog boxes to get Quick Help specific to the 

function you are performing. 

• Select the Ref Help button within Quick Help windows to display detailed 

information from the Design Architect-IC Reference Manual for the 

function. 

• Enter an asterisk (*) in a prompt bar, and then press Ctrl-? or Ctrl-Shift-? to 

list all the commands available for the active window. For more 


Getting Started Setting Up the DA-IC Session 

information on using prompt bars, see the IC Flow Common User Interface 


Setting Up the DA-IC Session 

This section provides procedures for setting the default user preferences for the 

session window. 

1. Click Session on the session_palette menu. The Session Setup dialog box 

displays. See Figure 2-2 for the DA-IC default settings. 

2. Click the button to enable the following settings: 

• Show Menu Bar 

• Show Session Title 

• Show Message Area 

• Show Status Line 

• Show Softkey Area 

• Show Symbol Window 

• Show Context Window 

• Show Palette 

• Show Palette Scrollbars 

3. Adjust the mouse Double Click Speed from slow to fast as needed. 

4. Select the Window Layout you desire. Options available are Stacking, 

Up-Down Tiling, Quadrant Tiling, Left-to-Right Tiling, or Ask the User for 

Window Position. 


Setting Up the DA-IC Session Getting Started 

2-6 

5. Click OK. 

Figure 2-2. Session Setup Dialog Box 


Getting Started Setting Up Display Preferences 

Setting Up Display Preferences 

From the Setup Display dialog box, you can change the colors of the display 

components and the cursor type. Click Display on the session_palette menu. The 

Setup Display dialog box displays as shown in Figure 2-3. 

Setup Display 

Set Object Color: 

Aquamarine 

Black 

Blue 

BlueViolet 

Brown 

CadetBlue 

Comments 

Frames 

Instances 

Pin 

Nets 

Dots 

Symbol Bodies 

Background Color Config 

Selection 

Annotation 

Made Fn Block Defs 

Unmade Fn Block Defs 

Made Fn Block Insts 

Unmade Fn Block Insts 

Dynamic Cursor 

Black White 

Plus Diamond CrossHair 

OK Reset Cancel Help 

Figure 2-3. Setup Display Dialog Box 

Setting the Color of Design Objects 

Set the color of a design object to any one of a number of choices. If you change 

the color of property to something different than the object that owns the property, 

then the annotated value of the property, as well as the original value of the 

property, display in the new color. 


Setting Up Display Preferences Getting Started 

2-8 

Select colors for design objects as follows: 

1. Click Display on the session_palette menu. The Setup Display dialog box 

displays. 

2. Click the desired color in the list box. A preview of the color displays at the 

bottom of the list box. 

3. Click the component(s) to display in that color. 

4. Click OK. 

If you view a schematic sheet in the context of a design configuration, annotated 

property values display in red by default. You can change the color that annotated 

property values display in by selecting the Annotation option. 

Backannotated property values display in the “selected” color. If you click the 

“No” button on the dialog box, the annotation colors return back to their original 

colors. Use this color change for display purposes only; it is not saved when the 

sheet is saved. 

Setting the Background Color 

The background color of a Schematic or Symbol editor window can be either 

black or white. The default is black. 

Change the background color as follows: 

1. Click Display on the session_palette menu. The Setup Display dialog box 

displays. 

2. Click White under the Background Color Config setting. 

3. Click OK. 

When you use this function to change the background, all design objects in all 

windows are reset to the new default colors. 


Getting Started Setting the Default Text Editor 

Setting the Dynamic Cursor 

Setup the Schematic and Symbol Editor to use a plus sign (the default), a 

diamond, or a full window crosshair cursor when prompting for a diagram 

location. The full window crosshair cursor is especially helpful when connecting 

instance pins with nets during a schematic editing session. 

To set the cursor shape, activate the DA-IC Session window, click Display on the 

session_palette menu. In the Dynamic Cursor area of the dialog box, enable Plus, 

Diamond, or CrossHair as desired, then click OK. 

Setting the Default Text Editor 

You can set the default editor in DA-IC to any UNIX/LINUX editor present on 

your system. By default the DA-IC Notepad editor is used. Use the following step 

to change your default editor: 

1. Set the environment variable MGC_SIM_EDITOR to the invoke command 

for the desired editor. 

Note 

The editor you choose must be capable of opening its own Xterm 

window, and the invoke command must contain command options 

to open the window. 

For example: If MGC_SIM_EDITOR=vi, DA-IC does not open an Xterm 

window and allow you to access the Vi editor. 

If MGC_SIM_EDITOR = xterm -e vi, DA-IC opens Vi in an Xterm window 

whenever the editor is invoked. 

Setting up a Language Model Editor 

You can setup a specific text editor to invoke whenever you open language 

models for editing as follows: 


Setting the Mouse Selection Behavior Getting Started 

2-10 

1. From the Session window, select Setup > Model Editor. The Setup Model 

Editor dialog box displays. 

2. Specify the desired text editor for opening language models. Options 

include: 

o Text Editor - Selects a text editor invoked with the command specified 

in the Editor field. If no invoke command is specified in the Editor 

field, the default editor is used. For more information on the invoke 

commands and default editor, see “Setting the Default Text Editor” in 

this chapter. 

o ADMS Editor - Selects the ADVance MS text editor. 

3. Select Save > Setup to save the specified text editor as the default editor for 

language models. For more information on saving setups to a startup file, 

see $save_setup() in the Design Architect-IC Reference Manual and 

Chapter 10, Startup Files in the Ample for IC Flow User’s Manual. 

For information on using the ADVance MS text editor, see “Source window” in 

the ADVance MS User’s And Reference Manual. 

Setting the Mouse Selection Behavior 

Use the following steps to setup the mouse selection defaults for DA-IC: 


Getting Started Setting the Property Display 

1. Click the Selection option on the session_palette menu. The Setup 

Selection dialog box displays as shown in Figure 2-4. 

Setup Selection 

Selection Model Individual Additive 

Out of view Warning On Off 

OK 

Name Display On Off 

Reset Cancel Help 

Figure 2-4. Setup Selection Dialog Box 

2. Click Individual or Additive to specify the left mouse button selection 

behavior as follows: 

• Additive mode, each selection is added to the current selection set. 

• Individual mode, only a single item can be selected. A previously 

selected item is unselected when a new item is selected. 

3. If necessary enable/disable the Out of View Warning option. When on, a 

warning displays when a selected object is outside the viewed area. 

4. If necessary enable/disable the Name Display option. When on, the name 

of instances and nets are reported in the message area as they are selected. 

Setting the Property Display 

If you add a property value to a symbol that is invisible when the symbol is 

instantiated on a schematic sheet, the property value has a solid DimGray 


Setting the Property Display Getting Started 

rectangle as a background. The following sections provide information to allow 

you to modify the display of this rectangle. 

Setting the Display Background Color 

The color and background of this rectangle can be changed from the DA-IC 

Session pulldown menu Setup > Property Display.... For example, to change the 

background color of all hidden property text to white, perform the following steps: 

2-12 

1. Activate the DA-IC Session window, then execute the pulldown menu 

item: 

Setup > Property Display... 

2. In the Hidden Property Display in Symbol Editor portion of the dialog box, 

move the window slider button down to the bottom, then click White. 

The Setup Property Display dialog box is displayed in Figure 2-5. 


Getting Started Setting the Property Display 

Violet 

VioletRed 

Wheat 

White 

Yellow 

YellowGreen 

Setup Property Display 

Hidden Property Display in Symbol Editor 

Display background? No Yes 

Background Color 

Background Pattern 

Solid 

Stipple 

Properties: All None Specific 

L 

W 

AD 

AS 

PD 

PS 

NRD 

NRS 

RDC 

RSD 

RSC 

M 

Property Name 

Show Property Name 

NL 

PL 

NW 

PW 

Modify Properties Filter 

Figure 2-5. The Setup Property Display dialog box 

3. Select either Solid or Stipple for the Background pattern then click OK. 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 2-13 

LN 

LP 

WN 

WP 

Property Name 

MOS Properties SUBCKT Properties Mscellaneous Properties 

R 

TC1 

TC2 

Additonal properties whose name to display: 


AREA 

CL 

CW 

IC 

T 

INSTPARTOL

Browsing for Files Getting Started 

Setting the Show Property Name Display 

DA-IC allows you to select All, None, or Specify for MOS Properties, SUBCKT 

Properties, and miscellaneous property names. Figure 2-5 displays the Show 

property Name Display default settings. Make changes to the default settings as 

your needs require. 

Browsing for Files 

Navigate through your directory, and select DA-IC objects with the dialog 

navigator. Invoke the dialog navigator from dialog boxes within DA-IC that 

request object names. Enter the requested object names in the requesting dialog 

box text fields when selected. 

For example, when you execute the Open Symbol command, the Open Symbol 

dialog box appears with a button labeled Navigator. Type the full component 

name in the “Component Name” text box, or invoke the dialog navigator, and 

navigate through your directory structure until you find the correct object. After 

locating the correct object, click the “OK” button. DA-IC automatically enters the 

correct object name in the dialog text field. 

When you first invoke the dialog navigator, it lists the contents of the working 

directory in alphabetic order with an icon preceding each design object name. To 

select a name in the list, click the left mouse button on the item. If you have set the 

navigation filter to exclude certain types of objects, those objects that meet the 

filter requirements for exclusion are not visible when you explore the contents of a 

directory. 

2-14 


Getting Started Selecting and Unselecting Objects 

The buttons to the right of the list are the navigation buttons. They let you explore 

and move through the directory structure. These buttons have the following 

meanings: 

• Explore Contents (down arrow). After you have selected an item from the 

list, clicking the left mouse button navigates you down one level of 

hierarchy, and displays the contents of that directory, if hierarchy exists. 

• Explore Parent (up arrow) navigates one level up the hierarchy to the 

parent directory, and displays the contents of that directory. 

• Explore References (right arrow) replaces the current display with the 

references of the selected design object. 

• Explore Back to Parent (left arrow) navigates back to the design object 

that holds the references currently displayed. That is, you return to the 

design object from which you originally explored references. This button is 

only activated when you have selected an object and explored its references 

(“@” is the right-most character in the title bar). 

• Go To (multi-directional arrows) displays a dialog box in which you can 

enter a soft or hard pathname for the file system destination to which you 

want to navigate. 

Note 

When invoking the Go To dialog box, you can enter either a soft 

path (such as “$MGC_HOME”) or a hard pathname. When using a 

hard pathname, you must specify a drive letter, such as “C” or 

“D”, followed by a colon “:”, and then a forward slash “/”. For 

example, the hard pathname “C:/Designs” would resolve to the 

“Designs” directory on the “C” drive. 

Selecting and Unselecting Objects 

The following procedures describe how to select, unselect, and set the default 

selection filter. 


Selecting and Unselecting Objects Getting Started 

Selecting a Single Object 

Before you can manipulate objects, you must select the objects you want to 

change. By default, the left mouse button selects various objects for you. You can 

use it to select a single object or a number of types of objects which fall within an 

area of a sheet. 

To select a single object, follow these steps: 

2-16 

1. Position the cursor on the object to be selected. 

2. Click the left mouse button. 

The selected object becomes highlighted on the display, as shown in Figure 2-7. 

The basepoint (hourglass) icon is a reference point for future manipulations. The 

select count in the status line of the window reflects the number of selected 

objects (in this case, 1). 

Selecting Multiple Objects 

Figure 2-6. Selecting a Single Object 

To select multiple objects, as shown in Figure 2-7, follow these steps: 

1. Position the cursor at one corner of the objects to be selected. Press and 

hold the left mouse button. 

2. Move the cursor while still holding the left mouse button. A dynamic 

rectangle is created which defines an area of the sheet. Manipulate the 

rectangle until it surrounds the objects to be selected. 



3. Release the left mouse button. 

Figure 2-7. Selecting Multiple Objects 

The object types selected are controlled by the Selection Filter. Objects 

completely or partially intersected by the rectangle are selected. Each selected net 

vertex has a selection (bow tie) icon. The basepoint icon is a reference point for 

future selections. The select count in the status line reflects the number of selected 

objects. 

Selecting Attached Branches 

A branch is defined as the portion of a net between junction dots, pins, or dangling 

vertices. The following procedure selects the entire branch of any net that contains 

selected vertices on a schematic sheet. 

1. Select one or more net vertices. 

2. Execute the following menu items: 

(Most popup menus) Select > Attached > Branches 

(Pulldown menu) Edit > Select > Attached > Branches 



Selecting Attached Instances 

The following procedure selects all unselected instances that have selected pins. 

Whenever an object is selected, the basepoint is automatically reset to the origin 

of the newly-selected object. If several objects are selected concurrently, the 

basepoint is reset to the left-most, lowest origin of the newly-selected objects 

(left-most takes precedence over lowest). 

2-18 

1. Select one or more pins. 


(Most popup menus) Select > Attached > Instances 

(Pulldown menu) Edit > Select > Attached > Instances 

Selecting Attached Nets 

The following procedure selects all unselected net segments and vertices of nets 

that have at least one selected net segment or vertex. 

As explained above, whenever an object is selected, the basepoint is automatically 

reset to the origin of the newly selected object. If several objects are selected 

concurrently, the basepoint is reset to the left-most, lowest origin of the newlyselected 

objects (left-most takes precedence over lowest). 



(Most popup menus) Select > Attached > Nets 

(Pulldown menu) Edit > Select > Attached > Nets 

Selecting all Nets with the Same Name 

The following procedure selects all vertices and segments of a net and/or all nets 

with the same name. 





(Most popup menus) Select > Attached > Nets 

(Pulldown menu) Edit > Select > Attached > Nets 

3. Hold the Ctrl key down, and reselect the object with the pointer and left 

mouse button. Alternatively, hold the Ctrl key down, and reselect by area. 

At this point, all the net components will be selected. 

4. To select all nets with the same name as the selected net, hold the Ctrl key 

down again, and reselect the object. 

All nets with the same name are now selected. 

Selecting Attached Pins 

The following procedure selects pins of one or more selected instances. 

1. Select one or more pins. 


(Most popup menus) Select > Attached > Pins 

(Pulldown menu) Edit > Select > Attached > Pins 

Selecting by Object Name 

This selection is based upon the INST property for instances, the NET property 

for nets, and the PIN property for pins. The following procedures allow you to 

select instances, nets, and pins by name. 

1. Execute the pop up menu in the Schematic session. 

2. Execute the following menu items 

For instances, Select > By Name > Instances: 

For nets, Select > By Name > Nets: 

For pins, Select > By Name > Pins: 



2-20 

3. The Select by Name Prompt bar appears. Type the INST, NET, or PIN 

property name of the object you want to select in the Names field, and 

select OK. 

Alternatively, you can enter names with wild cards using regular expression 

syntax. Use the following procedure: 

1. Execute the popup menu in the Schematic session. 

2. Execute the following menu items 

For instances, Select > By Name > Reg Expr: > Instances: 

For nets, Select > By Name > Reg Expr: > Nets: 

For pins, Select > By Name > Reg Expr: > Pins: 

3. The Select by Name Prompt bar appears. Type the INST, NET, or PIN 

property name of the object you want to select in the Names field, and 

select OK. 

For instances and pins, only the object(s) that match the specified name are 

selected. For nets, all vertices and segments on nets that match the specified 

name are selected. 

Unselecting a Single Object 

To unselect a single object, position the cursor on the object you want to unselect. 

Click the left mouse button. 

The object is now unselected. If you do not move the cursor and click the left 

mouse button again, this action reselects the currently unselected object. 

Unselecting Multiple Objects 

To unselect multiple objects, as shown in Figure 2-7, follow these steps: 

1. Position the cursor at one corner of the objects to be selected. 

2. Press the Shift-F2 (Unselect Area Anything) function key sequence and 

hold. 



3. Move the cursor while still holding the function key. A dynamic rectangle 

is created which defines an area of the sheet. Manipulate the rectangle until 

it surrounds the objects to be unselected, then release the keys. 

Unselecting Everything 

Figure 2-8. Unselecting Multiple Objects 

To unselect all selected objects on a sheet, press F2 (Unselect All Anything), or 

execute the Unselect All > Anything menu item. Objects that were previously 

unselected remain unselected. 

Reselecting a Selection Set 

To reselect the last closed and discarded selection set, execute the Select > 

Reselect popup menu item. 

Reopening a Selection Set 

To reopen the last, closed selection set, execute the Select > Reopen Selection 

popup menu item, or press Ctrl-F1 (Reopen Selection Set). 


Manipulating Graphical Objects Getting Started 

Setting the Default Selection Filter 

To setup the default selection filter, choose the Setup > Select Filter menu item. 

The Setup Select Filter dialog box displays. 


The following topics describe how to move, copy, delete, rotate, pivot, and flip 

selected schematic and symbol objects. These edit operations do not automatically 

make new electrical connections if a net passes over any existing pins or vertices. 

Moving Objects 

To move objects from one position to another, perform the following steps: 

2-22 

1. Select the object(s) to be moved. For information about selecting and 

unselecting objects, refer to “Selecting a Single Object” in this chapter. 

2. Choose the Move > Selected popup menu item. The Move prompt bar 

appears in the schematic window with the location cursor on “To 

Location”. The moving cursor also appears when you move the mouse into 

the active window. 

To alter the basepoint while moving multiple objects, activate the Move 

prompt bar either by the Move Stroke or the Move > Selected popup menu 

item. Once the Move prompt bar appears, type the letter “c”. The Basepoint 

prompt bar appears over the Move prompt bar. Move the cursor to the 

desired location, and set the new basepoint by pressing the left mouse 

button. To finish moving the objects, proceed to Step 4. 

3. Using the mouse, move the object(s) from one location to another. A ghost 

image of the object(s) appears on the screen. As the cursor moves, this 

image drags across the screen. 

4. Press the left mouse button when the ghost image is in the proper location. 


Getting Started Manipulating Graphical Objects 

Repeat Moving 

To move the same object(s) again, hold the Shift key down, move the cursor 

inside the schematic window, and click the right mouse button. This repeat key 

sequence only works if no other popup menu command has been issued in the 

meantime. 

Moving Objects Between Windows 

You can move objects to-and-from different schematic and symbol windows. The 

procedures for these operations are the same. When you move objects from one 

type of editor to another, a conversion of object type may occur. 

To move object(s) from one schematic or symbol window to another schematic or 

symbol window, perform the following steps: 

1. Activate the Schematic or Symbol Editor window, from where you want to 

move objects, by clicking the center mouse button in the window area. 

2. Select the object(s) to be moved. 

3. Choose the Move > Selected popup menu item. The Move prompt bar 

appears in the schematic window with the location cursor on “To 

Location”. The moving cursor also appears when you move the mouse into 

the active window. 

4. Using the mouse, move the object(s) from one location to another. A ghost 

image of the object(s) appears on the screen. As the cursor moves, this 

image drags across the screen. 

5. Press the left mouse button when the ghost image is in the proper location. 

Copying Objects 

To copy object(s) from a schematic sheet, perform the following steps: 

1. Select the object(s) to copy. 



2-24 

2. Choose the Copy > Selected popup menu item. The Copy prompt bar 

displays. 

3. Press, but do not release the left mouse button. 

4. Drag the ghost image to the position where you want the copy placed. The 

moving cursor is located on the basepoint of the ghost image. 

5. Release the left mouse button when the ghost image is in the final position. 

Repeat Copying 

To copy the same instance again, hold the Shift key down, move the cursor inside 

the schematic window, and click the right mouse button. This repeat key sequence 

only works if no other popup menu command has been issued in the meantime. 



Copying Objects to a Line 

You can place copies of one or more selected objects in a line, specifying their 

locations by the offset between the basepoint of the selected objects, and the 

basepoint of the first copy. The line of copied objects can be in any direction. To 

create a diagonal line of four copies of two instances, perform the following steps, 

and refer to Figure 2-9. 

1. Select the instances to copy. 

2. Choose Copy > Multiple from one of the popup menus. This displays the 

Copy Multiple prompt bar. Enter the number of copies in the “Count” text 

entry box. Press either the Return or Tab key to move the location cursor to 

“Placement”. 

3. Drag the ghost image of the selected items to the desired location for the 

first copy. 

4. Press the left mouse button when the ghost image is in the correct position 

for the first copy. The distance and angle between the basepoint of the 

selected objects and the location you specify determine the placement for 

the other copies. The last copy remains selected. Figure 2-9 shows the result 

of this Copy Multiple. 

Figure 2-9. Result of Copy Multiple 



Copying Objects to an Array 

There are two methods of copying one or more selected objects to an array. If you 

know the x- and y-offsets, perform the following steps: 

2-26 

1. Select the object(s) to copy. 

2. Choose Copy > To Array from one of the popup menus. 

3. Enter the number of columns in the “X Count” text entry box, and the 

number of rows in the “Y Count” text entry box. Press the Tab key to move 

from one prompt bar entry field to another. 

4. The offset values displayed in the prompt bar are the minimum values you 

can use without objects overlapping when the array is created with the 

selected object in the upper left corner. Change values as needed. 

5. Click OK, using the Select (left) mouse button. Figure 2-10 shows the array 

created. The last copied object remains selected. 

Figure 2-10. Result of Copy to Array 

If you want to use the mouse cursor to specify the row and column locations, you 

can use the Copy Multiple command as follows: 

1. Select the object to copy. 

2. Choose Copy > Multiple from one of the popup menus. 



3. Enter the number of rows in the “Count” text entry box in the Copy 

Multiple prompt bar. Press the Tab key to move the location cursor to 

“Placement”. 

4. Drag the ghost image of the selected object to the desired location for the 

second row of the array, then release the button. This creates the first 

column. 

5. Select the column of objects. 

6. Choose Copy > Multiple from one of the popup menus. 

7. Enter the number of columns in the “Count” text entry box. Press the Tab 

key to move the location cursor to “Placement”. 

8. Drag the ghost image of the first column to the location for the second 

column, then press the Select button. The last column of the array remains 

selected. 

Copying Objects Between Windows 

You can copy objects to and from different schematic and symbol windows. The 

procedures used to copy between different windows are the same. 

When you move or copy objects from a schematic window to a symbol window, 

or from a symbol window to a schematic window, an object conversion occurs. 

Refer to Table 2-1 for how schematic objects are converted to symbol objects. 

Table 2-1. Schematic Objects to Symbol Objects 

Schematic Objects To Symbol Objects 

Instances, nets, pins, visible comments, 

and visible properties 

Invisible properties No translation 

Symbol text and graphics, and 

properties 



Refer to Table 2-2 for information on how symbol objects are converted to 

schematic objects. 

2-28 

Table 2-2. Symbol Objects to Schematic Objects 

Symbol Objects To Schematic Objects 

Symbol graphics, visible properties (not 

pin properties), symbol comments 

Pins No change 

Properties attached to the pins No change 

Invisible properties (not pin properties) No translation 

Comment text and graphics, and 

properties 

Use the following steps to move object(s) from one schematic or symbol window 

to another schematic or symbol window: 

1. Activate the window, from where you want to copy objects, by clicking the 

center mouse button in the window area. 

2. Select the object(s) to be copied. For information about how to select and 

unselect objects, refer “Selecting and Unselecting Objects” in this chapter. 

3. Choose the Copy > Selected popup menu item. The Copy prompt bar 

displays in the window with the location cursor on “At Location”. The 

moving pointer appears when you move the mouse into the active window. 

4. Using the left mouse button, activate the window you want to copy the 

objects into. 

5. Drag the ghost image of the object(s) to the location within the window 

where you wish to copy the object(s). The moving pointer is located at the 

basepoint of the ghost image. 

6. Press the left mouse button when the ghost image is in the final position. 



Resizing Instances 

You can set the schematic environment to allow resizing of instances. 

1. Enter “$allow_resizable_instances()” function in a popup command line. 

2. Select the appropriate instance(s) to be resized. 

3. Execute the Resize > Half Size | Quarter Size | Normal Size | Four_x 

Size | Two_x Size item in the Schematic popup menu. 

All the size choices are absolute; that is, they are relative to the “normal” 

size of the component as established when the symbol was created in the 

Symbol Editor. If you choose “Four_x Size”, the selected instance(s) will 

be four times normal size. If you then choose “Half Size”, for example, the 

instance(s) will be one-half normal size, not one-half the Four_x size. 

The grid size is adjusted for both the Half Size and the Quarter Size, so that 

the pin spacing on the smallest instance is still accurate. 

Grouping Design Objects 

You can group design objects to make other editing actions easier. By giving the 

objects a group name, you can select the group, and move or copy it; if they are 

copied, the new objects do not retain the group name. 

You can append more objects to a group, which enables you to select and perform 

editing actions on more objects than the ones you originally had in the group. 

Additionally, you can report all the names of the groups in a design. 

To create a group of objects on the schematic sheet, perform the following steps: 

1. Select the objects to be grouped. For information about selecting and 

unselecting objects, refer to “Selecting and Unselecting Objects” in this 

chapter. 

2. Execute the Miscellaneous > Group pulldown menu to display the Group 

prompt bar. 



2-30 

3. Enter the appropriate value beside “Group Name”. 

4. Choose the appropriate mode beside “Existing”. 

5. Choose whether the name is persistent or temporary beside “Duration”. 

6. Click OK. 

Once a group is created, you can select the group using the following steps: 

1. Execute the Select > Group popup menu item to display the Select Group 

prompt bar. 

2. Enter in the text box the name of the group you want to select. 

3. Click OK. 

Ungrouping Objects 

To remove the name of a group from a set of objects, perform these steps: 

1. Execute the Miscellaneous > Group > Ungroup pulldown menu item to 

display the Ungroup prompt bar. 

2. Enter the name of the appropriate group beside “Group Name.” 

3. Click OK. 

Reporting Groups 

To display a list of the groups in the active schematic design: 

Choose the Report > Groups pulldown menu item. 

Deleting Objects 

When you delete an object within a component, other objects in that component 

that reference the deleted object, are updated. However, if you delete an object (or 

an entire component), other objects that reference the deleted object (component) 



need updating. For example, if you delete $MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB/and2, then 

any designs that reference that component need updating. 

Keep the following in mind when deleting design objects: 

• Before deleting a model other than a symbol or schematic, unregister the 

model from the component interface using the Component Interface 

Browser. 

• Deleting a symbol does not delete the pin and property information from 

the interface, unless it is the last pin-creating model. Check Schematic and 

other evaluations will continue to compare the pins and properties with the 

models registered with the interface. When the last pin-creating model is 

deleted or unregistered from an interface, the pins are removed from the 

interface. The models considered to be “pin-creating models” are symbols 

and VHDL entities. 

• Always delete objects using iconic navigators. This method deletes file sets, 

not just files. Remember, external object references to the deleted object 

will always need to be changed. 

• Never delete an object using operating system commands. These 

commands do not preserve design object and file set relationships, and can 

easily corrupt data beyond repair. 

For general information about deleting a component, refer to “Deleting a Design 

Object” in the Design Manager-IC User's Manual. 

To delete object(s) from schematic sheet, perform the following steps: 

1. Select the object(s) to be deleted. For information about selecting and 


chapter. 

2. Click on the schematic_edit [Edit] Delete palette item, or execute the 

Delete > Selected popup menu item. 

The selected object is now deleted. You can delete instances, frames, net vertices, 

pins, properties, comment text, and comment graphics using this method. You 



also can delete properties by executing the Delete > Property popup menu item 

and filling out the Delete Property dialog box. 

Pivoting and Rotating Objects 

Pivoting and rotating are two identical operations when executed on an individual 

object. However, when you pivot or rotate a group of selected objects, there is an 

important difference. Pivoted objects move with respect to the origin on each 

individual object. Rotated objects move with respect to the basepoint of the 

selected objects. Furthermore, pivot operations do not affect nets, while rotate 

operations affect nets. 

Perform the following steps to pivot or rotate an object: 

2-32 

Note 

After you delete a selected object(s), a basepoint icon remains. 

This icon displays until something else is selected, and facilitates 

replacing the new object(s) in the same location, when you issue 

the Undo command. The basepoint icon is not a part of the design. 

1. Select the object(s) you want to pivot or rotate. For information about 

selecting and unselecting objects, refer to “Selecting and Unselecting 

Objects” in this chapter. 

2. Choose Edit > Edit Operations >Rotate menu item or select the [Edit] 

Rotate from the schematic_edit palette. 

3. Cascading to the right of these menu items are three menu selections. Select 

one of the following: 

• 90 - moves object(s) 90 degrees, counter-clockwise 

• -90 - moves object(s) 90 degrees, clockwise 

• 180 - moves object(s) 180 degrees 

The selected object(s) are rotated to the specified position. The rotation must be 

multiple of 90 degrees. 



Flipping Objects 

To flip an object or a group of objects, perform the following steps. 

1. Select the object(s) you want to flip. For information about selecting and 


chapter. 

2. Choose Edit > Edit Operations >Flip or select the [Edit] Flip from the 

schematic_edit palette. 

3. Choose either Horizontal or Vertical from the cascading submenu. 

Note 

Objects are flipped, pivoted, and rotated in place. If you want to flip, 

pivot, or rotate object(s) that you are moving or copying, the Copy 

and Move menu items have cascading menu items for these 

operations. 



Using Strokes to Manipulate Objects 

Hold down the middle mouse button and draw a question mark stroke “?” , the 

Quick Help on Strokes chart displays as shown in Figure 2-11. The chart defines 

the strokes that are available to you in the active window. 

2-34 

Quick Help on Strokes 

Common Design Architect-IC Strokes Schematic Strokes 

Activate Window 

5 

View Centered 

Double Click MMB 

View Area 

159 

View All 

951 

Zoom In (2) 

357 

Zoom Out (2) 

753 

Refresh 

75357 

Select Window 

1475963 

Copy 

3214789 

Copy Multiple 

9874123 

Move 

74159 

Stroke Recognition Grid 

1 

2 

3 

4 5 6 

7 8 9 

Delete 

741236987 

Undo 

7412369 

Select Area 

74123 

Unselect All 

1478963 

Setup Select Filter 

32147 

Flip Horizontally 

9632147 

Rotate (90) 

3698741 

Report Selected 

1474123 

Set Active Symbol 

321456987 

Add Property 

32159 

Modify Property 

95123 

Help on Strokes 

123658 

Print 

Add Wire 

258 

Add Bus 

852 

Route Selected 

96321 

Connect Selected 

7896321 

Connect All 

1236987 

Choose Symbol 

36987 

More help on strokes 

Ref Help 

Figure 2-11. Schematic Window Strokes 

Display Schematic Palette 

78963 

Display Default Palette 

98741 

Place Active Symbol 

14789 

Close 


Getting Started Understanding Object Handles in DA-IC 

Understanding Object Handles in DA-IC 

In Design Architect-IC, every graphical comment and electrical object has an 

associated handle. A handle is a unique, system-assigned identifier. You can also 

assign a name to an instance with the Inst property. The system recognizes the 

name you assign, but the instance handle is retained, not replaced. Depending on 

the object, a handle consists of one of the key letters listed below followed by the 

dollar sign character ($) and a system-assigned number. 

• B = Bundle 

• C = Comment 

• F = Frame 

• G = Group 

• I = Instance 

• N = Net 

• P = Pin 

• T = Property Text 

• V = Vertex 

An example of an instance handle is: 

I$385 

Handles, like this one, appear in various error messages and netlists. The handle 

can be specified as an argument in commands such as Select By Handle or Report 

Object, as in the following examples: 

Select By Handle I$385 -View 

Report Object I$385 

The first command selects the object by its handle. The second command requests 

an extended status list associated with the object whose handle is I$385. 


Changing the Design View Getting Started 

Methods exist to make the handle of an instance visible. Assign the Inst property 

to the instance with a value of I$0. When the Check or Save commands are issued, 

the I$0 value will be replaced by the unique handle for that instance. Similarly, 

assigning the Net property a value of N$0 makes the net handles visible after the 

Check or Save commands are executed. 

Changing the Design View 

Changing the view of a sheet is useful when large schematics are edited. It allows 

you to see the schematic sheet or symbol in adequate detail. You can change the 

sheet view any time to see a small portion of the sheet, or zoom out to see the 

entire sheet. 

Viewing a Portion of the Sheet 

To view a portion of the sheet, perform the following steps: 

1. Select the View > View Area menu item. The View Area prompt bar 

appears on the screen, with the location cursor on “Area”. 

2-36 

2. Place the cursor at one corner of the rectangular area you want to view. 

3. Press and hold down the left mouse button. While the left mouse button is 

depressed, move the cursor to the opposite corner of the rectangular area. 

Notice that as you move the cursor, a rectangular box is displayed. This 

rectangle is the boundary of the area that will be viewed. 

4. When the area you want to view is within the rectangle, release the left 

mouse button. 

The area you specified is enlarged to fill the active window. 

View Area is also available from the popup menu in a scroll bar, or by defining 

the view area within the Context window. 

Viewing the Entire Sheet 

To view the entire design sheet, perform the following steps: 


Getting Started Changing the Design View 

1. Select the View > View All menu item. 

2. The entire design sheet displays in the active sheet window. 

You can also view the entire sheet by double-clicking the left mouse key in the 

Context window. 

Other Viewing Capabilities 

You can change the view of the design by choosing one of the following menu 

items: 

• View > View Centered. This view option centers the view around the 

specified location. After choosing this menu item, the View Centered 

prompt bar appears in the active window with the location cursor on 

“Center of View”. As you move the mouse into the active window, the 

moving cursor appears. Click the left mouse button at the desired center of 

view. The view of the design is now centered around the location specified. 

Another method of centering the view is to double-click the center mouse 

button in the edit window. 

• View > View Selected. This view option centers the view around the 

selected object(s). 

• View > Zoom In > 2.0 | 3.0 | As Specified. This view option expands the 

image size in the active window to show more detail in the window. The 

image is zoomed-in by a factor of 2.0, 3.0, or the factor you specify in a 

prompt bar, with respect to the center of the image. 

• View > Zoom Out > 2.0 | 3.0 | As Specified. This view option shrinks the 

image size in the active window to show less detail in the window. The 

image is zoomed out by a factor of 2.0, 3.0, or the factor you specify in a 

prompt bar, with respect to the center of the image. 


Printing in DA-IC Getting Started 

Printing in DA-IC 

You can print schematic designs from DA-IC in a variety of ways as follows: 

2-38 

• From the Session window you can print: 

o All the schematic sheets that comprise a schematic. 

o All design sheets with backannotations specified by the current design 

configuration. 

For more information, see “Printing All Sheets in a Design” in this chapter. 

• From the Symbol Editor window, you can print the contents of the active 

window. For more information, see “Printing Symbols” in this chapter. 

• From a Schematic Editor window, you can print a schematic sheet. For 

more information, see “Printing a Schematic Sheet” in this chapter. 

Printing All Sheets in a Design 

From the Session window, you can print all the schematic sheets in a specified 

design. The File pulldown menu provides two options as follows: 

• Print All Schematics with ICprint - Prints all sheets in a specified 

schematic design. Generates Postscript files for each schematic sheet and 

sends them to a specified UNIX printer. For more information, see 

“Printing all Sheets in a Schematic with ICprint” in this chapter. 

• Print All Schematics - Prints all sheets in a specified schematic design. For 

more information, see “Printing all Sheets in a Schematic with Print/Plot” 

in this chapter. 

Printing all Sheets in a Schematic with ICprint 

ICprint is not affected by the MGC > Setup > Printer setups. You must specify 

printing options, including a UNIX printer name, in the Print All Schematics with 

ICprint dialog box. 


Getting Started Printing in DA-IC 

Use the following steps to print all schematic sheets in a design with ICprint: 

1. From the Session window, choose File > Print All Schematics with 

ICprint > Source Schematics....The Print All Schematics with ICprint 

dialog box displays. 

2. Select a Destination for the PostScript printer files. The dialog box changes 

depending on the option you select. The following options are available: 

o Send to Printer - Sends the file to the printer for printing. You must 

enter a Printer Name. Specifies a UNIX printer to send the Postscript 

file to. This is the default setting. 

o Print to File - Saves the file to disk in the working directory. Enter an 

Output File name. The schematic number and sheet number are 

appended to the specified filename followed by _n for the page number. 

One file is generated for each schematic sheet printed. For example, 

myfile_Schematic#1_sheet#1_1. 



2-40 

If no filename is specified, random names starting with mgc are 

generated without a schematic number or sheet number appended. For 

example: mgcOXDJ4U_1. 

3. If necessary, enter a new Working Directory. The working directory is 

used to store the PostScript and temporary printer files. Defaults to the 

location of the active schematic sheet. 

4. If necessary, enter a Page Width and Page Length. The default page size is 

8.5 x 11. 

5. If necessary, select Continuous Paper Roll. Select this option to avoid 

clipping data at the top or bottom of printout when using a continuous roll 

printer. 

6. If necessary, enter a Panel Name. Panels are used to print only a portion of 

a window. For more information, see “Using Panels” in this chapter. 

7. If necessary, select a Rotation option. The following options are available: 

o Best Fit - Automatically determines the data orientation, and prints 

either Portrait or Landscape. Selects the orientation that uses the least 

amount of paper. This is the default setting. 

o Portrait - Prints data vertically on the page. 

o Landscape - Prints data horizontally on the page. 

8. If necessary, click Color to toggle the setting. The following options are 

available: 

o Enabled - prints color 

o Disabled - prints in black and white. This is the default setting. 

9. If necessary, enter the Dot-Per-Inch (DPI) to print. The default is 300 DPI. 

10. If necessary, enter a new value for the Text Scale%. Scales the text to the 

specified percentage on the printout. ICprint text sizing approximates what 

is on the display. Due to the conversion of fonts for printing, text sizing 



discrepancies can sometimes occur. To decrease or increase text size, enter 

a new value for Text Scale%. The default setting is 100%. A value of 0 

omits all text. 

11. Specify the number of copies to print up to 99. Default is 1. 

12. If necessary enter any additional Printer Commands. For more 

information, see $$icprint() in the Design Architect-IC Reference Manual. 

13. Click OK. The Print All Schematics dialog box displays. 

14. Enter the pathname to the top-level sheet in the design in the Top-Level 

Component Name field. 

15. If necessary, enter a vector of strings to restrict which sheets print. Sheets 

whose pathname includes a filter string (case sensitive), do not print. 

16. Select Yes under Preview to display a list of the sheets available for 

printing to select from. 

17. Click OK. The Print All Schematics Preview dialog box displays. 

18. Select the sheets to print from the list. 



2-42 

19. Click OK. The files are sent to the printer or saved to disk as specified. For 

more information, see $$icprint() in the Design Architect-IC Reference 


Printing all Sheets in a Schematic with Print/Plot 

Use the following steps to print all schematic sheets in a design with Print/Plot: 

1. Choose the File > Print All Schematics > Source Schematics... item from 

the Session menu bar. The Print All Schematics dialog box displays. 

2. Enter the pathname to the top-level sheet in the design in the Top-Level 


3. If necessary, enter a vector of strings to restrict which sheets print. Sheets 

whose pathname includes a filter string (case sensitive), do not print. 

4. Select Yes under Preview to display the Print All Schematics Preview 

dialog box before the sheets print. 

a. A list of all sheets available in the design display. 

b. Select the sheets from the list to print. 

5. Click OK to print the sheets. 



Printing Symbols 

The Symbol Editor provides two printing options from the File pulldown menu: 

• Print Symbol with ICprint - Generates a Postscript file and sends it to the 

specified UNIX printer. For more information, see “Printing the Active 

Symbol with ICprint” in this chapter. 

• Print Symbol - Prints the active symbol with Print/Plot. For more 

information, see “Printing the Active Symbol with Print/Plot” in this 

chapter. 

Printing the Active Symbol with ICprint 


printing options, including a UNIX printer name, in the Print Symbol with ICprint 

dialog box. 



Use the following steps to print a symbol with ICprint: 

2-44 

1. From the Symbol Editor, select File > Print Symbol with ICprint. The 

Print Symbol with ICprint dialog box displays. 

2. Select a Destination for the PostScript printer file. The dialog box changes 


o Send to Printer — Sends the file to the printer for printing. You must 



o Print to File — Saves the file to disk in the working directory. Enter an 

Output File name. If no name is specified, a random name starting 

with mgc is generated. View the transcript to determine the exact name. 

All generated printer files are appended with a “_n” where “n” is the 

number of pages in the file. 



3. If necessary, enter a new Working Directory. The PostScript and 

temporary printer files are stored in the specified directory. Defaults to the 

location of the active symbol. 


8.5 x 11. 



printer. 




o Best Fit — Automatically determines the data orientation, and prints 



o Portrait — Prints data vertically on the page. 

o Landscape — Prints data horizontally on the page. 


available: 

o Enabled — Prints color. 

o Disabled — Prints in black and white. This is the default setting. 










2-46 




13. Click OK. The file is sent to the printer or saved to disk as specified. For 



Printing the Active Symbol with Print/Plot 

To print the contents of a Symbol Editor window, perform the following steps: 

1. Activate the edit window for the symbol you want to print. Choose the 

File > Print Symbol menu item to display the Print Object prompt bar. 

2. Type the printer name in the “Printer name” text box. 

3. If you want to override the default printer options, click the “Options” 

button. The Print Design Object dialog box displays. You can specify the 

number of copies, a job configuration file, the orientation, the priority, 

notification level, the scale, and the panel name (if you want to plot only a 

portion of the window). For a procedure describing how to create panels, 

refer to “Using Panels” in this chapter. 

You can change the default printer settings by specifying any or all of the 

printer attributes. This overrides the default printer settings for this job 

only. If you want to change the printer attributes for all subsequent print 

jobs, click Keep options. This changes the default settings to the values 

specified in the Print Screen dialog box. 

You can change the default printer settings by changing the MGC > 

Setup > Printer menu item. Refer to the Printer Interface Reference Manual for 

a description of all required and optional arguments. 

Printing a Schematic Sheet 

The Schematic Editor provides two printing options from the File pulldown menu: 



• Print Sheet with ICprint - Generates a Postscript file and sends it to the 

specified UNIX printer. For more information, see “Printing the Active 

Sheet with ICprint” in this chapter. 

• Print Sheet - Prints the active sheet with Print/Plot. For more information, 

see “Printing the Active Sheet with Print/Plot” in this chapter. 

Printing the Active Sheet with ICprint 


printing options, including a UNIX printer name, in the Print Sheet with ICprint 

dialog box. 

Linux 

LINUX 6.X saves the temporary PostScript printer files to the 

working directory. You need to delete them once the sheet is sent 

to the printer. 

Use the following steps to print a schematic sheet with ICprint: 

1. From the Schematic Editor, click on the sheet to print. 



2-48 

2. Select File > Print Sheet with ICprint. The Print Sheet with ICprint dialog 

box displays. 

3. Select a Destination for the PostScript printer file. The dialog box changes 


o Send to Printer - Sends the file to the printer for printing. You must 



o Print to File - Saves the file to disk in the working directory. Enter an 

Output File name. If no name is specified, a random name starting 

with mgc is generated. View the transcript to determine the exact name. 

All generated printer files are appended with a “_n” where “n” is the 

number of pages in the file. 



4. If necessary, enter a new Working Directory. The PostScript and 

temporary printer files are stored in the specified directory. Defaults to the 

location of the active schematic sheet. 


8.5 x 11. 



printer. 




o Best Fit - Automatically determines the data orientation, and prints 



o Portrait - Prints data vertically on the page. 

o Landscape - Prints data horizontally on the page. 


available: 

o Enabled - prints color 

o Disabled - prints in black and white. This is the default setting. 










2-50 




14. Click OK. The file is sent to the printer or saved to disk as specified. For 



Printing the Active Sheet with Print/Plot 

Use the following steps to print the active schematic sheet with Print/Plot: 

1. Click on the sheet to print, and select File > Print Sheet. The Print Object 

prompt bar displays. 

2. Type the printer name in the “Printer name” text box. 

3. If you want to override the default printer options, click the Options button. 

The Print Design Object dialog box displays. You can specify the site 

name, the number of copies, a job configuration file, the orientation, the 

priority, notification level, the scale, and the panel name (if you want to plot 

only a portion of the window). For a procedure describing how to create 

panels, refer to “Using Panels” in this chapter. 

You can change the default printer settings by specifying any or all of the 

printer attributes. This overrides only the default printer settings for this 

job. If you want to change the printer attributes for all subsequent print jobs, 

click Keep options. This changes the default settings to the values 

specified in the Print Screen dialog box. 

You can change the default printer settings by changing the MGC > 

Setup > Printer menu item. Refer to the 

Printer Interface Reference Manual for a description of all required and 

optional arguments. 

Note 

When you send a schematic to a plotter, protected objects are 

plotted in their unprotected color. 


Getting Started Using Panels 

Printer Configuration 

You may want to adjust your printer configuration for plotting DA-IC data. 

Depending upon how your network printers are set up, you may want to use a 

separate printer configuration file for DA-IC, so that it will not affect printing 

from other applications. 

Add the following lines (or modify them, if they already exist) to your printer 

configuration file to adjust the page offset and the line weight for buses and 

borders: 

tray_page_offset_top 1 0.25 

tray_page_offset_left 1 0.25 

## 

line_weight 1 1 

line_weight 3 7 #default=5 



Using Panels 

You define panels to plot particular areas of symbol or schematic windows. The 

panel area is defined by the coordinates of a rectangular region. Panels can be 

large or small, and they may overlap. 

Adding Panels 

To create a panel in a Symbol or Schematic Editor window, perform the following 

steps: 

1. Place the cursor in the Symbol or Schematic Editor window in which you 

want to create a panel, and click the center mouse button. 

2. Execute the Add > Panel > Add Panel menu item. The Add Panel prompt 

bar displays. 

3. Type the panel name in the “Panel Name” text box. 


Using Panels Getting Started 

2-52 

4. If you want to replace a previously defined panel with the same name you 

specified, click the left mouse button on the choice stepper button to select 

the “replace” switch. 

5. Click the left mouse button on the “Panel Area” button. 

6. Position the cursor at one corner of the panel. Click and drag the left mouse 

button until a dynamic rectangle is created which defines an area of the 

sheet. 

7. Release the mouse button. 

Viewing Panels 

To view and center the current panel in a Symbol or Schematic Editor window, 

perform the following steps: 

1. Activate the edit window of the panel you want to view. Execute the 

View > Panel > View Panel menu item. The View Panel prompt bar 

displays. 

2. Type the panel name in the Panel Name text box, then click OK. 

Viewing and Hiding Panel Borders 

To view panel borders in a Symbol or Schematic Editor window, perform the 


1. Place the cursor in the Symbol or Schematic Editor window in which you 

want to view a panel and its border, and click the center mouse button. 

2. Execute the View > Panel > Show Panel Border > All Panels On Sheet 

menu item to view all panel borders on the sheet. Execute the View > 

Panel > Show Panel Border > By Panel Name menu item to view a panel 

by name. 

3. Type the panel name in the Panel Name text box, then click OK. 



To hide panel borders, perform the following steps: 

1. Execute the View > Panel > Hide Panel Border > All Panels On Sheet 

menu item to view all panel borders on the sheet. Execute the View > 

Panel > Hide Panel Border > By Panel Name menu item to view a panel 

by name. 

2. Type the panel name in the Panel Name text box, and click OK. 

Deleting a Panel Definition 

To delete a panel definition in a Symbol or Schematic Editor window, perform the 


1. Place the cursor in the Symbol or Schematic Editor window from which 

you want to delete a panel, and click the mouse button. 

2. Execute the Edit > Delete > Panel menu item. 

3. Type the panel name in the Panel Name text box, and click OK. 

This deletes the definition of the panel; it does not delete objects in the panel. 

Creating and Printing Panels in Read-Only Mode 

DA-IC allows you to open a schematic sheet in read-only mode, create temporary 

panels, and print those panels without changing the read-only status of the sheet. 

The temporary panels are deleted when the schematic is closed, unless you 

specifically enter Edit Mode, and check and save the sheet. The procedure for 

creating and printing panels in read-only mode is as follows: 

1. Open a sheet in Read-Only mode. 

2. Execute the Add > Panel > Add Panel menu item. The Add Panel prompt 

bar displays. 

3. Type the panel name of the temporary panel in the “Panel Name” text entry 

box, then create the panel as described in the previous procedure. 



2-54 

4. View the panel border by executing the menu item: View > 

Panel > Show Panel Border > All Panels On Sheet 

5. Print the panel by executing the menu File > Print Sheet: 

6. Verify the printer name in the prompt bar. 

7. Click the Options... button, and enter the Panel name in the dialog box text 

entry area. 

8. Click OK on both forms. 

Setting up an IFF Interface to ADS Schematics 

DA-IC supports an interface to Agilent Design System (ADS) RF schematic 

format through an Intermediate File Format (IFF) translator. 

In order for the IFF interface to work correctly, you need to set up DA-IC to 

access the translator and symbol library. To access the translator and symbol 

library, you need access to a Mentor Graphics EN2002.1 installed software tree 

that is compatible with DA-IC. You can either use a Mentor Graphics combined 

tree that contains both DA-IC and RF Architect or separate trees. 

The symbol library is located at: 

$MGC_HOME/pkgs/pcb_rf/data/lib/mgc_adslib.tar.Z 

You will need to set additional Environment Variables, load necessary Libraries, 

and have an RF Architect License. 

Environment Variables 

In addition to the environment variables you must set to run DA-IC, set the 

following environment variables: 

Environment Variable Value 

ALTERNATE_MGC_HOME a Location of PCB tree 

DES_ARCH_PKGS_TO_LOAD ads_iff_da_ic 



Libraries 

a. set only if using separate trees 

In order for the interface to work correctly, you must have the correct symbol 

library. The library is contained in the PCB tree, but it is not loaded automatically 

with the software. Check the software tree to make sure it contains the mgc_adslib 

directory. If it does not contain this directory, load this library from the software 

CD. 

RF Architect License 

An RF Architect license is required to use the IFF interface. 

Placing IFF Friendly Symbols 

DA-IC provides access to symbol libraries that contain parts that have equivalents 

in ADS. To place IFF friendly symbols: 

1. Select Libraries > Select RF Library-ADS Equivalents. The Select RF 

Library dialog box displays. 

2. Select the desired library and click OK. The selected library displays in the 

palette menu. 

3. Select and place the desired symbol from the palette. 

For information on the available libraries and symbols, refer to the RF Design 

Tools User's and Reference Manual Supplement: Supported ADS Library 

Elements Manual. 

Writing Out an IFF 

To write out a schematic in IFF that is available to read into ADS, complete the 

following: 

1. Save the schematic/symbol. 



2-56 

2. Select RF > IFF Write. The Write IFF dialog box displays. 

3. Enter the name of the output IFF file and click OK. The IFF file is written 

and placed in the same directory as the schematic. A transcript displays, 

detailing the actions taken by DA-IC. 

For more information on writing IFF, refer to the RF Design Tools User's Manual. 

Reading In an IFF 

To read in an IFF, you must be in schematic scope and have a schematic open. 

Complete the following: 

1. From the DA-IC menu bar, select RF > IFF Read. The Read IFF dialog 

box displays. 

2. Enter the name of the input file and transfer directory name and click OK. 

For more information on reading IFF, refer to the RF Design Tools User's 


Setting A Default IFF Library Palette 

DA-IC allows you to set up and access a default palette from the Library menu. To 

set a palette as the default palette: 

1. Display the palette to set as the default. 

2. Select Libraries > Set Default Palette. The current palette is set as the 

default palette. 

To display the default palette: 

1. Select Libraries > Display Default Palette. The default palette displays. 


Chapter 3 

Creating Schematics 

This chapter introduces the Schematic Editor and provides procedures for 

creating, checking, and netlisting schematics. The following topics are available: 

Schematic Creation Overview 

Schematic Editor Features 

Opening/Creating a Schematic 

Opening a Language File 

Setting Up the Schematic Editor 

Choosing and Placing Symbols 

Selecting and Placing Active Symbols 

Updating and Replacing Instances 

Using Repeating Instances 

Using Nets, Buses and Net Bundles 

Creating a Bus and Bus Connections 

Using Bus Rippers 

Creating a Bus Ripper Component 

Connecting a Bus Ripper 

Instantiating 1x1 Bus Ripper Automatically 

Using the Automatic 1x1 Bus Ripper 

Creating an Implicit Bus Ripper 

Creating an Implicit Bundle Ripper 

Using the netcon Component 

Creating and Naming a Net Bundle 

Ripping Members from Net Bundles 


Schematic Creation Overview Creating Schematics 

3-2 

Creating Multi-Level Designs 

Adding Comment Text and Graphics 

Creating FOR, CASE, and IF Frames 

Checking a Schematic for Errors 

Saving and Registering a Schematic 

Navigating Multiple Page Schematics 

Displaying/Editing Registered Models 

Netlisting a Schematic 

Invoking IC Station Directly from DA-IC 

Schematic Creation Overview 

A schematic is a graphical and behavioral description of a circuit. Schematics 

include information about components, wiring, connectors, test points, timing, 

and engineering notes used by downstream applications. Schematics in DA-IC 

may include one or more of the following components: 

• Symbol instances 

Instances of logical symbols represent anything from a simple logic 

function to a complete integrated circuit. An instance is a copy of a 

component symbol. For example: When you select a component symbol 

from a library and place it on your schematic, a copy of that symbol is 

generated and placed on the schematic. The copy of the component symbol 

is called an instance. The instance reflects the connectivity defined by the 

original component symbol. An instance is graphically represented by a 

symbol and can be updated by updating the original symbol. Placing the 

representative symbol on a schematic sheet is called instantiation. 

In order for an instance to be evaluated correctly, it must follow a set of 

connectivity rules. A full set of checks that define the proper instance 

connectivity is described in Appendix C, “Design Checks”. 


Creating Schematics Schematic Creation Overview 

• Special Instances 

Special instance connectors are not part of the final evaluated design and do 

not translate into physical components. They pass connectivity information 

to downstream applications that use an evaluated design. They are created 

by adding specific Class property values to an instance. Refer to “Class 

Property” in chapter 7 for more information about Class properties. 

You may define your own special instance symbols, or use components 

provided in the generic_lib in DA-IC. For more information, see Appendix 

E, “Special Instances”. 

• Properties 

A property name is the label for a property, much like a variable name is a 

label for a variable in a programming language. The property value is the 

value associated with the name. The combination property name/value 

attaches to different objects in a schematic to supply more information 

about the object. For example, the rise time for a pin is specified by a value 

(for example, “10, 20, 30”) of a property name “Rise”, attached to that pin. 

• Nets, buses, and net bundles 

Nets provide pin-to-pin wiring connections between instances on a 

schematic sheet. 

A bus has the same electrical meaning as a set of individual wires collected 

together. Buses have a defined width, derived from the number of elements 

in the bus. The expression A(0:15) defines a bus with a width of 16 wires. 

Each wire is referenced sequentially: A(0), A(1), ..., A(15) through the 

array. 

• Comment text and Graphics 

Comment text and graphics, also called comments, have no electrical 

meaning, but add other information to the schematic sheet. For example, 

the border of the schematic sheet is created with comment text and 

graphics. Many other forms of comments can be added to the sheet. See 

“Adding Comment Text and Graphics” in this chapter. 


Schematic Creation Overview Creating Schematics 

3-4 

• Function Blocks 

Function Blocks allow you to create and reuse hierarchical design 

components from within a schematic. Function Blocks are created with the 

Schematic Editor and can consist of a schematic design as well as symbols. 

Once created, the Function Block can be instantiated on other design sheets 

and schematics. Function Blocks support both top-down and bottom-up 

design methodologies. For procedures to create Function Blocks, see 

Chapter 6, Using Function Blocks. 

• Frames 

A frame is a graphical box that encloses circuitry that is repeated or 

conditionally included in a final netlist by a frame expression. FOR, IF, and 

CASE frame expression types are described in “Frexp Property” in chapter 

7. Frames are used on schematic sheets only. 

In order for the contents of a frame to be evaluated correctly, certain 

connectivity rules must be followed. A full set of checks that define the 

proper frame connectivity is described in Appendix C, “Design Checks”. 


Creating Schematics Schematic Editor Features 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

1 

1 

$MGC_HOME/shared/training/qsim82nwp/parts/models/fusefile.jed 

COUNT(11:0) 

OSC 

FINISH 

COMPARE(7:0) 

Property Values Net 

Figure 3-1. Schematic Sheet 

When you open the Schematic Editor, a set of schematic-specific palettes, popup, 

and pulldown menus display. 

Schematic Editor Features 

The Schematic Editor allows you to: 

• Instantiate components 

2 

2 

• Create and modify properties 

3 

3 

9 

10 

4 

74LS08 

U11 

Changed by: 

john smith 

4 

8 

Instances of Symbols 

PULSE 

C 

LATCH 


9 

8 

7 

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5 

11 

Date Changed: 

Monday, August 31, 1992 

5 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

PLS155 

P6 

U30 P7 

CK P8 

_OE P9 

P12 

P2 P13 

P3 P18 

P4 P19 

P5 P14 

P15 

P16 

P17 

Time: 

1:46:33 pm 

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6 

7 

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5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

0 

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Engineer: 

john smith 

Drawn by: 

john smith 

R&D CHK: 

DOC CTRL CHK 

MFG CTRL CHK 

QA CHK: REV 

B 

7 

A 

B 

D 

Comment Text and Graphics 

8 

Mentor Graphics 

8005 SW Creek Rd. 

Wilsonville, OR 

Size: 

TITLE: 

D 

design_2397 

Drawing Number: 

24 

8 

Page: 

1 

E

Opening/Creating a Schematic Creating Schematics 

3-6 

• Create and modify nets 

• Create and edit comment graphics and text 

• Set up templates for creating nets, comments, property text, grids, pages 

• Edit objects (moving, copying, deleting, or connecting) 

• Report on sheet objects' status 

• Check schematic sheets for errors 

• Save and register schematics 

In addition to schematic creation, the Schematic Editor allows you to: 

• Edit schematics in Design Context 

• Register, edit and select behavioral models 

• Netlist schematics 

• Set up and run design simulations 

• View and crossprobe design simulation results 

Opening/Creating a Schematic 

To open a schematic, click Open > Schematic on the session_palette menu. The 

Open Schematic dialog box prompts you for the component and schematic names. 

If no schematic is specified, “sheet1” of the default “schematic” model is opened. 

You can change the sheet name for the default model, and you can open an 

existing sheet in read only mode, or list the component hierarchy in a window. 

To browse for a component, click the Navigator button. For more information, see 

“Browsing for Files” in Chapter 2. 


Creating Schematics Opening/Creating a Schematic 

To replace the default schematic and sheet name select the Options button. The 

options for a new sheet are different than those for an existing sheet. Click the 

New Sheet button to see the “Open Schematic” Options dialog box illustrated in 

Figure 3-2. 

Open Schematic Options 

Component Name: $CUSTOM_PARTS/dff 

Available: 

Existing New Sheet 

Auto Update Mode: 

Auto 

None 

Clear 

Startup File Path: 

OK Reset Cancel 

Version... 

Figure 3-2. Open (new) Sheet Options Dialog Box 

The Open Schematic Options dialog box lists the names of available schematics in 

the component. You can click the left mouse button on a name in the list, or you 

can enter schematic name in the respective text entry boxes in the dialog box. If 

you hold down the SHIFT key, and select more than one sheet in the list, all 

selected sheets will open at the same time. 

By default, the most current version of a schematic (indicated by “0”) is opened; if 

you want an older version, enter the number in the Version box. To see which 

versions exist, click the Version button. If you want to execute a startup file for 

this sheet, click Yes for that option, and enter the file pathname. 


0 

Navigator...

Opening a Language File Creating Schematics 

When you open an existing sheet, the Auto Update Mode allows you to specify 

whether instances should be updated when the sheet is opened and, if so, how the 

properties are merged. Click on one of the following buttons: 

3-8 

• Auto: Instance-only and Value_Modified properties are not changed; new 

properties on the current symbol are added to the instance. 

• None: Instances are not updated when the sheet is opened. 

• Clear: Instance-only properties are deleted; all other properties are reset to 

the current symbol values. 

For more information about how properties are updated, refer to “Updating 

Properties on an Instance” in Chapter 7. 

Opening a Language File 

You can open/edit VHDL, VHDL-AMS, Verilog, Verilog-A, SPICE, HSPICE 

and EldoSPICE language files from DA-IC. 

Use the following steps to open a language file: 

1. Click Open >Language on the session_palette menu. The Open Language 


2. Next to Source File, enter the name of the language file to open. 

3. Click OK. 

4. The contents of the language file displays in the Notepad editor. 


Creating Schematics Setting Up the Schematic Editor 

For more information on setting up a specific language file editor, see “Setting up 

a Language Model Editor” in Chapter 2. 

For information on using Notepad, see the Notepad for IC Flow User’s and 

Reference Manual. 

Setting Up the Schematic Editor 

Before you start working on a schematic sheet, you can change some or all of the 

default attribute settings for your schematic editing environment. Attributes such 

as pin spacing, grid spacing and snap, net drawing, and comment text and graphics 

display are all set to default settings when a new schematic sheet is opened. Menu 

items contained in the Setup menu set these attributes. The following procedures 

show you how to set up these attributes. These settings are available when the 

Schematic Editor window is open. 

Setting Grid, Pin Spacing and Snap 

A pattern of grid points normally displays in the editing window to assist you in 

drawing straight lines and finding points of reference. You can turn the grid 

pattern off or redefine the layout of the grid points. You can also stipulate that any 

object drawn snaps to the nearest grid point. Each window can have independent 

grid settings which allow different object placement characteristics (dynamics) for 

each window. 

To set up the grid and pin spacing and enable snap, perform the following steps: 

1. Activate a symbol or schematic edit window, and execute the Setup > Grid 

pulldown menu item. The Set Grid dialog box appears. 


Setting Up the Schematic Editor Creating Schematics 

3-10 

Figure 3-3. Setup Grid Dialog Box 

2. Enter the number of grid points to be established between pins in the Grids 

Per Pin text box. A value of 4 means 4 grid points within 1 pin space. A 

value greater than 1 defines a finer grid by placing the specified number of 

points between each pin spacing interval. A value less than 1 is a coarser 

grid, which you can use to “spread out” objects in a design. The default is 4. 

3. Type in the Minor Multiple text box the number of grid locations between 

displayed locations. Dots indicate minor multiple grid points. The default 

is 1. 

4. Type in the Major Multiple text box the number of visible grid points to be 

highlighted with a cross. This feature can be used to highlight pin spacing 

or note relative distances between various objects on the sheet. The default 

is 4. 



5. Click the left mouse button on the snap you want (On/Off). 

6. Click the left mouse button on whether to show the grid (On/Off). 

7. Type the pin space number in the “Pin Space” text entry box. 

8. Click the left mouse button on the user units (inch, cm, mm, or pin). Even 

though you are allowed to choose a user unit in the symbol editor, all pin 

spacing is measured in pin grid spaces in the Symbol Editor window. 

9. When the grid, pin spacing, and snap setup are complete, click OK. 

The number used for each grid setting must be an even divisor of 1920. If the 

number you specify is not a divisor of 1920, the next larger divisor will be used. 

Valid numbers include 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, ... Numbers not supported include 

7, 9, 11, 13, 14, ... If the system uses a number other than the one you specify, you 

will receive a warning message. 

Setting Net Drawing Attributes 

Before you begin drawing nets, you can specify how nets are graphically 

represented (bus width and net style) and other net drawing characteristics, such 

as automatic orthogonal net drawing, automatic net routing, and pin snapping. 

To set up the net characteristics, perform the following steps: 

1. Place the cursor in a Schematic Editor window, and press the mouse button 

to activate the window. 

2. Execute the Setup > Objects menu item. The Setup Objects dialog box 

appears in the active Schematic Editor window. 

3. Choose Net. 

The Setup Objects dialog box displays the Net selections. 



3-12 

Figure 3-4. Setup Objects Dialog Box 

4. Type in the Set Dot Size text box the dot size (default is 0.025 user units). 

5. Click on either Circle or Square to choose the dot style. 

6. Type in the Set Snap Angle text box the snap angle (default 45). 

7. Press the Set Ortho button On and the Set Snap button On, to set up 

orthogonal routing and pin snap. 



8. Select the Net Style (solid, dotted, long dash, short dash, centerline, and 

phantom) and Bus/Bundle Width (3 pixels, 5 pixels, or 7 pixels) by clicking 

on the appropriate buttons. 

9. When you turn on Auto Net Name Placement and optionally enable Auto 

Net Naming, net names are automatically placed when you name nets that 

do not already have a NET property attached. 

a. Type the Name Offset value in the text field. 

b. Type the Intent Offset value in the text field. 

10. If you want close-dots displayed on the sheet, press the Close Dots button 

On. The close-dot appears on a vertex when a non-orthogonal net segment 

passes so close to the vertex, that it is visually difficult to determine that 

they are not connected. 

11. If you want nets automatically routed immediately after they are drawn, 

press the Auto Route button On. The net router defines an orthogonal path 

for a connected net that avoids instance extents, comment objects, and other 

nets. 

12. When Net Setup is complete, click OK. 

Setting Ripper Drawing Attributes 

When you invoke DA-IC, implicit rippers are the default. They are not library 

symbols, but rather instances that look like rippers. To set the Ripper Drawing 

Attributes, follow these steps: 

1. Choose the Setup > Objects pulldown menu item. 

The Setup Objects dialog box appears. 

2. Choose Ripper. 

The Setup Objects dialog box displays the Ripper selections. 



3-14 

Figure 3-5. Setup Objects Ripper Dialog Box 

3. Select the Ripper Mode: Implicit (default), Auto, or None. 

4. Select the Implicit Ripper as angled or straight. 

5. Set the Ripper Query On or Off. 

6. If you want junction dots to appear where bus rippers join bus lines, press 

the Set Ripper Dots button On. 

7. Define the Autoplaced Text Height in the text box (default is 0.125 units) 

8. Set Auto Ripper Symbol specifies that a single bit bus rippers is placed 

automatically during net creation when the current net width is “1” (default 

wire width), and one of the input vertices falls on a net segment with width 

greater than “1” (default bus width is “3”). If you press the On button, you 



also need to specify a ripper component and symbol name. The default is 

the 1X1 symbol of $MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB/rip. 

Note 

9. When Ripper Setup is complete, click OK. 

Setting Design Context Drawing Attributes 

To set Design Context attributes, follow these steps: 



2. Choose Design Context. 

Note 

The specified ripper must have one BUNDLE, and one WIRE pin, 

evenly spaced in the X & Y direction. 

Changes can only be made in the menu when a schematic is open 

in design context. 

The Setup Objects dialog box displays the Design Context selections. 



3-16 

Figure 3-6. Setup Objects Design Context Dialog Box 

3. In the Default Annotated Property Attributes area of the menu, set the 

following item: 

a. Type in the font name you desire. Fonts and font registries for all 

workstations are located in $MGC_HOME/registry/fonts. The default is 

the “stroke” font. To change from the default, click the Menu... button 

to display all available choices. Select from the list displayed. 



b. Type in the font height you desire. The default height is 0.1875 user 

units. 

c. Orientation: 0 is the default setting. 

d. Horizontal Justification: select Left, Center, or Right (left is the 

default setting). 

e. Visibility: toggle On or Off (on is the default setting). 

4. Click on the text vertical justification you desire (Top, Center, or Bottom). 

5. Click on the text transparency you desire to On or Off. 

6. Set the Apply Attributes To Existing Annotations? to Yes or No (no is 

the default setting. 

7. Set the Show Annotations? to Yes or No (yes is the default setting). 

8. Evaluate Expressions? toggle Yes or No (yes is the default setting). 

9. When Design Context Setup is complete, click OK. 

Setting Comment Drawing Attributes 

To set Comment attributes, follow these steps: 



2. Choose Comment. 

The Setup Objects dialog box displays the Comment selections. 



3-18 

Figure 3-7. Setup Objects Comment Dialog Box 

3. In the Default Comment Text Attributes area of the menu, set the following 

item: 

a. Type in the font name you desire. Fonts and font registries for all 

workstations are located in $MGC_HOME/registry/fonts. The default is 

the “stroke” font. To change from the default, click the Menu... button 

to display all available choices. Select from the list displayed. 


Creating Schematics Choosing and Placing Symbols 

b. Type in the font height you desire. The default height is 0.1875 user 

units. 

c. Orientation: 0 is the default setting. 

d. Click on the text vertical justification you desire (Top, Center, or 

Bottom). 

e. Click on the text horizontal justification you desire (Left, Center, or 

Right). 

f. Click on the text transparency you desire to On or Off. 

g. Click to set the restricted flipped/rotated text to On or Off. 

4. In the Default Comment Graphics Attributes, set the following items: 

a. Click on the line width you desire (1 pixel, 3 pixels, 5 pixels, or 7 

pixels). 

b. Click on the fill type you desire (Clear, Solid, or Stipple). 

c. Click on the line style you desire (Solid, Dotted, Long Dash, Short 

Dash, Centerline, and Phantom). 

5. When Comment Setup is complete, click OK. 

Choosing and Placing Symbols 

Component symbols are selected and placed on a schematic sheet from the library 

palette as follows: 

1. Click in a Schematic Editor window to activate. 

2. Click Library on the schematic_edit palette menu. The ic_library palette 

menu displays. 

3. Click the desired library. A list of the components in the selected library 

displays. 


Selecting and Placing Active Symbols Creating Schematics 

3-20 

4. Click the symbol you want to place. 

5. Move the cursor to the schematic window. The moving cursor displays, 

prompting you for a location to place the symbol. 

6. Move the cursor to display a ghost image of the symbol. 

7. Drag the ghost image to the desired location and click the left mouse 

button. 

Selecting and Placing Active Symbols 

The active symbol is the last symbol instantiated. To graphically display the active 

symbol, click the right mouse button on the palette menu and select Show Active 

Symbol Window from the popup menu. Use the following steps to place an 

instance of the active symbol: 

1. Execute the Add > Instance > Active Symbol or Active Symbol > 

Add Active Symbol menu item. The Place Active Symbol prompt bar 

displays. 

2. Move the cursor in the schematic window. A ghost image of the symbol 

appears. 

3. Drag the ghost image to the desired location and click the left mouse 

button. 

You can also place an instance of the active symbol by clicking the left mouse 

button in the Active Symbol window, dragging the ghost image to the desired 

location, and clicking the left mouse button. 

Updating and Replacing Instances 

The Update command lets you update a symbol instance with the newest version 

of the same symbol. The Replace command lets you replace a symbol instance 

with an instance of a different symbol, such as replacing an AND with an OR. 


Creating Schematics Updating and Replacing Instances 

The method used to merge current symbol properties with properties attached to 

instances that are updated or replaced is determined by the following switches: 

• -Clear 

• -Symbol 

• -Instance 

• -Auto 

These switches are described in “Property Merge Options” in Chapter 7. 

For example, to update some instances on a sheet using the -Instance option, 


1. Select the instances you want to update. 

2. Choose the Instance > Update > Instance menu item. 

To update selected instances using the default property merge, choose Instance > 

Update. Update is also available through the Edit > Update > submenu. The 

default Update menu pick is Auto. 

To automatically update all instances on a schematic when you open a sheet, 

specify the desired Auto Update Mode choice on the Open Schematic dialog box. 

To set up your DA-IC session to perform automatic updates using a different 

property merge option, execute the $set_auto_update_mode() function. For 

example, to perform an update with the -Instance merge, type the following 

function: 

$set_auto_update_mode(@instance) 

If you do not want subsequently opened schematics automatically updated during 

the current session, type this function: 

$set_auto_update_mode(@noupdate) 

When you set the auto_update mode, that setting remains in effect for the current 

DA-IC session, or until you explicitly change it. If you do not specify an 

auto_update_mode, sheets are not automatically updated when they are read. 


Updating and Replacing Instances Creating Schematics 

The Replace command, like Update, is accessible through the Edit pulldown 

menu and the Instance popup menu. You can replace selected instances with the 

active symbol, or you can choose a replacement symbol from a library, or you can 

enter the pathname of the replacement symbol in a dialog box. 

To replace selected instances with the active symbol, choose the Active Symbol > 

Replace Selected menu item. Replace Instance is also available in the Palette 

popup menu. 

To replace a selected symbol instance by choosing the replacement symbol from a 

library (when you do not know the pathname), perform the following steps: 

3-22 

1. Display the library that contains the desired component, as described in 

“Choosing and Placing Symbols” in this chapter. 

2. Choose the Palette > Replace Instance menu item. 

3. Click the left mouse button on the desired component in the library. 

If no instances were selected, you will be warned that the replace did not occur 

because no instances were selected to be replaced. Select the instance to replace, 

then select the replacement symbol. 

The Palette > Replace Instance menu item changes to Palette > Add Instance, 

indicating that the next component selected from a library will be instantiated on 

the sheet. 

Instance > Replace > From Library Menu and Edit > Replace > From Library 

Menu are used in the same manner. Select the instance to be replaced, then 

choose the menu item. These methods use the default replacement property merge 

set by the specific library menus. Mentor Graphics library menus set the default to 

-Clear. 

To replace a selected symbol instance with the active symbol, choose the desired 

property merge from the Instance > Replace > Active Symbol > submenu. 

If you know the pathname to the replacement component, select the instance(s) to 

be replaced, then choose Instance > Replace > Other. The Replace Instance 

dialog box displays for you to enter the pathname. If you want a symbol other than 


Creating Schematics Replacing Multiple Instances 

the default, or a property merge other than -Clear, click the Options? YES button 

and enter the appropriate information. 

Replacing Multiple Instances 

Replace Instance Mode allows you to repeatedly select instances and replace them 

with different symbol instances from a library. You can select and replace 

instances continually until you exit the mode. 

Use the following steps to replace multiple instances using the Replace Instance 

Mode: 

1. Display the library that contains the desired symbols as described in 

“Choosing and Placing Symbols” in this chapter. 

2. Select an instance to replace on the schematic sheet. 

3. Choose the Edit > Replace > From Library Menu. You are now in 

Replace Instance Mode. 

4. Click the library symbol you want to replace the instance with. The instance 

is replaced with the library symbol. 

5. Select another instance on the schematic sheet and click the library symbol 

you want to replace the instance with. The instance is replaced with the 

library symbol. 

6. Repeat Step 5 until all instances are replaced. 

7. Right click on the palette menu and select Instance Replace Mode Off to 

exit the Replace Instance Mode. 

Using Repeating Instances 

A repeating instance is a short-hand way to specify a simple FOR Frame. A 

repeating instance enables you to repeat a single instance by entering a 

one-dimensional range in the “INST” property; for example, INST = XINST(3:0). 


Using Nets, Buses and Net Bundles Creating Schematics 

Using this optional range in the INST property value defines the number of times 

the instance is repeated and how the nets are connected to each repeated instance. 

Connections are implied by the ratio of the dimensions of a connected wire or bus 

to the dimensions of the pin of the repeated instance. 

The system creates a FOR frame to match the expression and connectivity of the 

repeated instance when the sheet is written to the EDDM database. Because a 

FOR frame is created for a repeating instance, downstream tools are not able to 

tell the difference between a real FOR Frame, and the short-hand FOR Frame of a 

repeating instance. 

Repeating instances should be used only in simple cases. For more robust 

purposes, you should use standard FOR frames. 

Using Nets, Buses and Net Bundles 

A net is the fundamental unit of connection. A net with a single connection is 

called a wire. A net composed of a set of wires is called a bus. And a net 

composed of a group of wires and buses is called a net bundle. 

Nets bind instances of symbols together at their pin locations through multiple 

hierarchies of the design. Nets on the same sheet, and different sheets in the same 

schematic (having the same name), are automatically tied together. A single net 

can not have the same name as a bus or bundle. For example, naming a single net 

DATA and a separate bus DATA(4:0) is not allowed. Proper net connectivity is 

defined by a set of checks, described in Appendix C, “Design Checks”. 

Bus’ have the same electrical meaning as a set of individual wires collected 

together. Buses have a defined width, derived from the number of elements in the 

bus. The expression A(0:15) defines a bus with a width of 16 wires. Each wire is 

referenced sequentially: A(0), A(1), ..., A(15) through the array. 

Net bundles are a means of collecting a set of signals into a logical unit in a single 

schematic. Net bundles cannot span the design hierarchy. Proper net bundle 

connectivity is defined by a set of checks, described in Appendix C, “Design 

Checks”. 

3-24 


Creating Schematics Using Nets, Buses and Net Bundles 

Drawing and Routing Nets 

Unconnected wires, buses, and pins cause warning messages when you check the 

schematic sheet. If you want to indicate that an unconnected wire, bus or pin is 

valid, use the Class Property. 

All input wires and buses should begin with a portin or offpag.in component from 

the gen_lib component library. Similarly, output nets and buses should be 

terminated with a portout or offpag.out component. If this is not done, warnings 

may result. See “Choosing and Placing Symbols” in this chapter. 

To draw a net, perform the following steps: 

1. Click on the schematic_edit [Add] Wire palette item, or execute the Add > 

Wire popup menu item. The Add Wire prompt bar displays on the screen, 

prompting you to select the beginning net vertex location. 

2. Position the cursor where the net is to begin (usually, at an instance pin 

location). Click the left mouse button. This is the start of the net segment, 

and is identified by the moving pointer. 

3. Move the cursor to where the net segment is to end, and click the left mouse 

button. The net segment is created from the start point to the one you just 

specified; notice that the moving pointer moves to the end of the new net 

segment. 

4. To continue the net, move the cursor to the vertex, and click the left mouse 

button. You can continue net to as many points (vertices) as necessary. 

Notice, at each net vertex there is a small hollow dot. 

5. To complete a net, double-click the left mouse button. 

The Add Wire prompt bar is still displayed. Follow steps 1 – 5 to add more net 

segments. 

To exit from the Add Wire mode, click the Cancel button on the prompt bar. As 

you create net segments, and before the net is unselected, they can be deleted with 

the Delete key or the Backspace key. 



Automatic Net Routing 

When automatic routing is turned on, the Route command is automatically called 

after each net is drawn. 

The net router defines an orthogonalized pathway for a connected net that avoids 

instance extents, comment objects, and other nets. The net router utilizes the pin 

snap grid as the routing grid. If net vertices are not on the grid, they are not routed. 

Routing performance is faster if the pin snap grid is set to a value larger than one 

pin interval during the route operation, and then set back for component 

instantiation. 

To set up automatic net routing, perform the following steps: 

3-26 

1. Activate the schematic window by clicking in an open schematic design. 

2. Choose the Setup > Objects... menu item. 

3. Choose the Nets button. 

4. Enable Auto Route On by clicking the ON button in the lower right of the 

Setup Objects Nets dialog box. Nets are now automatically routed as 

drawn. 

Connecting and Disconnecting Net Vertices 

After moving or copying objects, you may need to change some net connections. 

A not-dot on a vertex indicates that not all segments passing through the vertex 

are connected, even though they appear to be connected. 

• To force connections for an instance or an area, select the instance or area, 

then choose the Edit > Connect > Connect Selected menu item. 

• To force connections at all not-dot locations on a sheet, choose the Edit > 

Connect > Connect All menu item. The not-dots disappear, indicating 

there is an electrical connection. DA-IC replaces the not-dots with junction 

dots at overlapping net segments. 



• To disconnect nets, choose the Edit > Disconnect > Selected Area, or 

Edit > Disconnect > Disconnect All, or Edit > Disconnect > Disconnect 

Area: menu item. 

Understanding Basic Pin, Bus, and Net Naming 

Syntax 

A net name is defined by selecting the net vertex and adding a Net property with a 

string value that becomes the net name. A discussion about property name/value 

restrictions can be found in “Property Name/Value Restrictions” in Chapter 7, 

Using Properties. 

Pins, wires, and buses are named using the following syntax: 

name = AMPLE_expression or explicit_name 

explicit_name=base_name[left_delimiter[dimension;...]right_delimiter...,[] ...] 

base_name = string with no delimiters, or slashes 

left_delimiter = '[', '(', or '' 

dimension = range...[,range] 

range = field or field:field 

field = AMPLE_expression or number 

The enclosed left and right brackets denote an optional block. The “...” characters 

denote an optional repeating block. 

• AMPLE_expression must comply with AMPLE syntax and evaluate to a 

valid explicit_name. 

• explicit_name is the base_name of the pin or net (bus), plus an optional 

array description. The base_name can be any legal name allowed in Design 

Architect-IC. No space is allowed between the base_name and the 



3-28 

delimiters. If an array is specified, delimiters (square brackets or 

parentheses) are required. 

• base_name is a text string with no delimiters or slash characters. 

• dimension defines an array of nets delimited by either brackets, 

parentheses, or angle brackets. Multiple dimensions can be defined inside a 

set of delimiters and separated by a semicolon. 

The following list describes some array descriptions for single and multiple 

dimensional arrays: 

• (2) -- Defines a single pin or net labeled “2”. 

• (0:15) -- Defines an array of pins or nets labeled “0”, “1”, and so on, up 

to “15”. 

• (1,3,5,7) -- Defines an array of pins or nets labeled “1”, “3”, “5”, and 

“7”. 

• (0:2; 0:2) -- Defines a two-dimensional matrix with array elements 

labeled “0,0”, “1,0”, “2,0”, “0,1”, “1,1”, “2,1”, “0,2”, “1,2”, and “2,2”. 

For information on ripping bits from a two-dimensional bus, refer to 

“Special Instances” in this chapter. 

Naming Nets 

You can name one or more selected nets by clicking on the schematic_edit palette 

[Name] Net palette item, or by choosing the Net > Name Nets popup menu item. 

A net must be selected (not a vertex). A prompt bar displays as follows: 

• If there is no Net property on the net, you are prompted to add one. 

• If there is already a Net property on one of the vertices, you are prompted 

for a new Net property value. 

• If there is already a Net property, but it is not attached to any of the selected 

vertices, you are prompted to place another Net property of the same value 



on one of the selected vertices. If you want, you can change the current 

property value at the same time. 

In all cases, the Net property is added to only one of the selected vertices. 

Changing Net Names 

A net should always terminate at a component pin or connect with another net at a 

junction. The components portin, portout, offpag.in, and offpag.out provide net 

termination. By default, the portin and portout symbols assign the name NET to 

an unnamed net when attached. If two nets have the same name, the simulator sees 

them as being connected. 

Use the following steps to change a net name: 

1. Select the net. 

2. Select Name > Net on the schematic_edit palette menu. 

3. When the prompt bar appears on the screen, type in the new value. 

4. Click OK on the prompt bar. 

The new net name displays at the same location. 

Renaming all Segments of a Net 

Use the following steps to select and rename all the segments of a net: 

1. Select all the nets with the same name. For more information, see 

“Selecting all Nets with the Same Name” in chapter 2. 

2. Select Name > Net on the schematic_edit palette menu. A prompt bar 

displays. 

3. Enter the new name in the New Value field. 

4. Click OK on the prompt bar. The new name displays on the net. 



Moving Net Names 

Sometimes, after placing a net property value on the sheet, you may decide that 

you want it somewhere else. To save the effort of deleting the property and adding 

a new one, you can move the net property text value by completing these steps: 

3-30 

1. Place the cursor on the text you want to move. 

2. Press F7 (Select Text and Move) and hold it down. Notice that you do not 

have to select the text beforehand; this is done automatically for you. 

3. A ghost image of the text outline displays when the mouse is moved. Move 

the mouse until the text is positioned where you want it. 

4. Release F7 (Select Text and Move) to lock in the new position of the text. 

The net property text value is now in its new location. 

Terminating a Dangling Net 

All input nets and buses should begin with a portin or offpag.in component from 

the gen_lib component library or any other component with a Class = “P” or Class 

= “O” property value. Similarly, output nets and buses should be terminated with 

a portout or offpag.out component. If this is not done, warnings can result. 

See “Choosing and Placing Symbols” in this chapter for details about how to 

place these components onto your schematic. 

See “Assigning Properties” in chapter 7 for details on how to add property values. 

Declaring Dangling Nets and Pins 

You can specify that a dangling net vertex or instance pin is valid and should not 

be reported by the Check command when you check the schematic. You do this by 

attaching the Class property with a value of “dangle” to any unconnected net, bus, 

or instance pin that you want the Check command to recognize as valid. 


Creating Schematics Creating a Bus and Bus Connections 

When you attempt to add the Class property to a pin or net, you may receive the 

following error message: 

// Warning: Added 0 properties (1 failed for bad owners) 

(from: Capture/gdc/warning B6) 

If this occurs, use the Set Property Owner command to declare pins and/or nets as 

valid owners of the Class property, then add the property to the pin or net. 

Creating a Bus and Bus Connections 

Buses let you represent multiple nets without drawing them individually. This 

increases drawing speed, reduces space requirements, and increases readability. 

Figure 3-8 shows a typical bus: four inverters connected into a bus for a set of 

output nets. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Figure 3-8. A Bus Connected to a Four-Wide Output Port 

The following topics describe procedures that demonstrate: 

• How to create and represent buses 

1 

2 

3 

Out(0:3) 

• How to run individual lines from the bus through the use of bus rippers 

Information is also presented on the use of the netcon component, which is used to 

connect two nets that have different Net property values. 


Creating a Bus and Bus Connections Creating Schematics 

Creating a Bus 

You create a bus by assigning a net name that defines an array of nets. For 

example, a bus could use the following naming conventions: 

“bus_net_name(msb:lsb)” 

3-32 

• bus_net_name is the name of the net that represents the bus. It can be any 

legal name allowed in DA-IC. No space is allowed between the name of the 

bus net and the parenthesis, and the parenthesis is required. An example of 

a bus name is address. 

• msb is the most significant bit of the bus. No spaces are allowed between 

the msb, the first parenthesis, and the bus_net_name. The colon must 

follow the most significant bit, with no intervening spaces. 

• lsb is the least significant bit of the bus. The final parenthesis follows the 

least significant bit of the bus. 

Downstream applications such as Design Viewpoint Editor-IC (DVE-IC) and 

AccuSim II interpret buses based on bit ordering; the bit appearing first is 

considered to be the msb (that is, “0:7” labels bit 0 as the msb, whereas “7:0” 

labels bit 7 as the msb). 

When DA-IC compares or evaluates values on a bus, it scans the range of bit 

values from left to right. You can arrange your wires in ascending order (from left 

to right), or you can arrange your wires in descending order (from left to right). 

Regardless of the way you number the wires in your bus, you must always be 

consistent within your design. Portions of the same bus must always have its wires 

arranged in the same order. 

When you name buses, keep the following limitations in mind: 

• The least significant bit and most significant bit must be non-negative. 

• No suffix is allowed following a right parenthesis. Therefore, net name 

A(10) is legal, but name A(10)IN is illegal. If such suffixes are 

encountered, the Check command reports an error. 



An example of a full bus name is address(31:0). This name represents the 

following: 

• A bus whose name is address 

• A bus whose wires range from 31 to 0 (zero) 

Again, the ordering of the bits is a convention that you establish within your 

schematic. DA-IC only checks that the bus lines define legal limits and numbers. 

To create a bus from a net, perform the following steps: 

1. Draw the bus: 

a. Click on the schematic_edit pallet [Add] Bus/Bundle palette item, or 

choose the Add > Bus/Bundle popup menu item. 

b. Press the left mouse button at the start location for the bus. 

c. Move the mouse cursor to the end location of the bus, and double-click 

the left mouse button. 

d. Click Cancel on the prompt bar to terminate the Add Bus command. 

2. Name the bus: 

a. Select a vertex on the bus segment by clicking the left mouse button on 

one of the vertices. 

b. Click the Net > Name Nets > [Properties] Add popup menu. 

The Add Multiple Property dialog box displays. 

c. Type “Net” in the Property Name text box. 

d. Select “NET” in the Existing Properties Names list. 

e. Type the name that defines the bus in the Property Value text box. 

f. Press OK. See Figure 3-9. 


Creating a Bus and Bus Connections Creating Schematics 

3-34 

Figure 3-9. Add Multiple Properties Dialog Box 

g. Move the cursor in the schematic window. Press the left mouse button, 

and drag the property name text to the location to where you want it 

displayed. Release the mouse button. 



Using Multi-Dimensional Buses 

The expression B(0:2;0:2) defines a 2-dimensional bus which is a 3 X 3 matrix as 

shown in Figure 3-10: 

Figure 3-10. A Multi-Dimensional Bus 

The following are two more examples of multi-dimensional buses: 

A(2,5;1:4) is a 2 X 4 matrix with the following eight wires: A(2;1), A(2;2), 

A(2;3), A(2;4), A(5;1), A(5;2), A(5;3), A(5;4). 

Z(0:1;0:1;0:1) is a 2 X 2 X 2 matrix with the following eight wires: Z(0;0;0), 

Z(0;0;1), Z(0;1;0), Z(0;1;1), Z(1;0;0), Z(1;0;1), Z(1;1;0), Z(1;1;1). 

! 

Caution 

B(0:2;0:2) 

B(0;0) B(0;1) B(0;2) 

B(1;0) B(1;1) B(1;2) 

B(2;0) B(2;1) B(2;2) 

Downstream applications using the DFI procedural interface (for 

example, Board layout applications) may not be able to recognize 

and utilize multi-dimensional buses, such as A(0:7;0:7), since they 

consider a multi-dimensional bus to be a single net joining all 

attached pins. 

Representing a Bus Graphically 

To increase the readability of your schematic, you can represent buses with 

different graphical rendering (line width and style). The default bus width is three 


Using Bus Rippers Creating Schematics 

pixels, and the default style is solid. To change the graphical rendering for the bus, 


3-36 

1. Click the left mouse button on the bus graphic to select it. 

2. To change the graphical rendering for the bus width, select the desired 

Net > Change Net > Width > 1 pixel | 3 pixels | 5 pixels | 7 pixels menu 

item. 

3. To change the graphical rendering for the bus style, select the desired 

Net > Change Net > Style > Solid | Dot | Long Dash | Short Dash menu 

item. 

Using Bus Rippers 

On a schematic sheet, you may be required to run individual lines from the bus to 

either another bus or a component. To accomplish this on your schematic, you 

need a special component called a bus ripper. A bus ripper connects individual 

lines or sub-buses from a source bus to a destination wire, bus, or device pin in a 

precise order. 

The bus ripper has a Class property value of “R”, indicating that the component is 

used to extract a range of lines from a bus (see Table 7-4, “Structured Logic 

Design Properties” in Chapter 7). 

The following topics provide information about the bus ripper component, and 

directions for connecting a bus ripper to a DRAM with eight data pins. 


Creating Schematics Creating a Bus Ripper Component 

Creating a Bus Ripper Component 

You can find the bus ripper component in $MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB/rip. 

Figure 3-11 shows a bus ripper for connecting eight wires to a bus. Figure 3-11 

represents only one type of bus ripper (8x1); many other types are also available. 

R 

R 

R 

R 

R 

Figure 3-11. A 8x1 Bus Ripper from $MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB/rip 

Table 3-1 describes the variations of the bus ripper that are available: 

Table 3-1. Available Bus Rippers in $MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB/rip 

Symbol 

Name 

Description 

1X1 1 wire wirex 1 grid 

1X2 1 wire x 2 grids 



1r1 1 wire x 1 grid, rounded corner 

1r2 1 wire x 2 grids, rounded corner 

2X1 2 wires x 1 grid 





To select and activate an instance of a bus ripper symbol on a schematic sheet, 



R 

R 

R

Creating a Bus Ripper Component Creating Schematics 

3-38 

1. Click the left mouse button on the Library palette item. This displays the 

various libraries available. 

2. Click the left mouse button on “Generic Lib” in the library palette. This 

displays the components in $MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB. 

3. Scroll down the component names until you see “Bus Rippers”. Click on 

the Bus Rippers palette item, and DA-IC displays the list of bus ripper 

symbol names shown in Table 3-1. 

4. Click on the name of the desired symbol. The Place Active Component 

prompt bar displays. 

5. Move the cursor to the schematic window. Press the left mouse button and 

hold. A ghost image of the symbol displays. Drag the ghost image to the 

desired location, and release the mouse button. 

Each bus ripper pin owns a Rule property. This property tells you which lines to 

extract from a “source” bus. Figure 3-11 shows each bus ripper pin having this 

property, as identified by the series of eight “R” characters. The Rule property, 

called the “Ripping Rule,” identifies the bus lines that the ripper taps. 

When the bus ripper is first instantiated, each Rule property is set to a default 

value of “R”. You must change this property to identify what line or lines of the 

source bus are connected to an attached net, pin, or sub-bus. For example, if you 

change the Rule property to “1”, then any pin or net attached to that ripper is 

connected to the “number one” wire of the bus. You must not leave the Rule 

property unchanged, or you will produce an error when you check the sheet. 



Each bus ripper component has at least two pins: the “wire” end and the “bundle” 

end. Figure 3-12 shows a 1x1 bus ripper illustrating the wire end, the bundle end, 

and the Rule property. 

Wire End --> 

R 

Creating a Bus Ripper Component Creating Schematics 

Figure 3-13 shows how the bundle and wire ends must be connected to a bus. The 

bundle end must be connected directly to the bus you want to tap. 

3-40 

Wire 

O 

Bundle end 

extends towards 

bus 

Bus Installation 

BUS(0:7) 

If a bus is installed backward, you will receive 

an error when a Check command is executed. 

Figure 3-13. Installing a Bus Ripper 

BUS(0:7) 

Bus rippers allow you to tap the entire source bus or a specific range of wires. 

That is, bus rippers are not restricted to tapping only single wires. Figure 3-14 

shows an example of a bus NETS(3:0), created by bundling individual wires, and 

a sub-bus called STROBES(127:126) branching off a larger bus. Bus ripper 

components from $MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB are used in both cases. 

The STROBES bus taps the bus wires NETS(3) and NETS(2) (which are the same 

as the wires named QB and Q, respectively), and assigns them to STROBES(127) 

and STROBES (126). Therefore, the following wires are equivalent: 

Wire 

Yes No 

QB = NETS(3) = STROBES(127) and Q = NETS(2) = STROBES(126) 



CLK 

CLR 

Q 

o 

o 

o 

QB o 

0 

1 

2 

3 

Bus Rippers 

NETS(3:0) 

STROBES(127:126) 

Figure 3-14. A Bus with a Connected Sub-Bus 

You must alter the Rule property in a special manner when you run a group of 

wires from a source bus. Figure 3-15 illustrates the following rules for connecting 

sub-buses through the use of a bus ripper: 

• The Rule property value specifies a range of wires to be extracted. You can 

use the following methods to identify which wires you want to tap: 

a. The Rule property value follows the range of nets to be ripped. The 

range format “bus_line1:bus_line2” represents the beginning and 

ending wires of a range of wires to be tapped. The colon must be 

present between the numbers, with no intervening spaces. For example, 

0:10 is a legitimate way to specify that you want to tap the first to 

eleventh wires of the bus as a range. 

b. The Rule property value can specify a group of non-sequential wires by 

the format “wire, wire, [wire]”; “wire” can be any wire on the bus. If 

the source bus wires are in ascending order, then the order of the tapped 

wires must be in ascending order. If the source bus wires are in 

descending order, then the order of the tapped wires must be in 

descending order. Here are legitimate examples: 0, 3, 6, 9 or 8, 6, 3. 


3:2

Connecting a Bus Ripper Creating Schematics 

3-42 

c. The Rule property value can mix single wires with a range of wires. 

Here are legitimate examples: 0, 3, 5:12 or 20:10, 7 

d. The Rule property can be parameterized, allowing the same schematic 

sheet to be used in different designs which require different wires to be 

extracted from a bus. Here is an example of a parameterized Rule 

property: w, x, y, z. 

In this example, a value must be supplied, using the Add Parameter 

command for each parameter in DVE-IC. A value can be supplied in DA- 

IC with the Set Parameter command. If no value is supplied to the 

parameter in DA-IC, a warning message “undefined parameters” occurs 

when the schematic is checked. 

• The most significant bit and the least significant bit must match. If you 

always put the least significant bit first when you name a bus, you must 

continue to follow that convention. The same holds true if your naming 

convention puts the most significant bit in the first position of the bus name. 

3, 0 

The Rule property designates the MSB of the 

NETS bus to go to bit 127 of the STROBES 

bus. The LSB goes to bit 126. 

Figure 3-15. A Bus Ripper Extracts a Range of Lines 

Connecting a Bus Ripper 

The following steps show you how to connect the address pins of a 4164_20 

DRAM to an 8x1 bus ripper, and then how to connect the bus ripper to a bus. 

3 

QB 

NETS (3:0) 

STROBES (127:126) 


Creating Schematics Connecting a Bus Ripper 

1. Place the source bus, address(7:0), an 8x1 bus ripper component, and the 

DRAM component onto your schematic sheet, as shown in Figure 3-16. 

address(7:0) 

Figure 3-16. Basic Layout 

2. Flip the bus ripper component vertically, by first selecting the bus ripper 

component and then executing the Instance > Flip > Vertical popup menu 

item. To flip and also move the bus ripper, execute the Instance > 

Move > Flipped > Vertical popup menu item. 

3. Draw a net segment between the wire end of each separate bus ripper to a 

pin on the memory component. To draw a net segment from the top-most 

pin on the bus ripper to the top-most pin on the memory component, 


a. Select Add > Wire from the Add popup menu. 

b. Click the left mouse button on the bus ripper pin. 

c. Move the cursor to the corresponding pin on the memory component, 

and double-click with the left mouse button. 

d. Repeat steps b and c for all the bus ripper pins. 

R 

e. Click Cancel in the prompt bar. 

R 

R 

R 

R 

R 

R 

R 

4164_20 


A0 

A1 

A2 

A3 

A4 

A5 

A6 

A7 

D 

_RAS 

_CAS 

_W 

Q

Connecting a Bus Ripper Creating Schematics 

3-44 

4. Change the Rule property of each separate bus ripper pin to indicate what 

wire you want your DRAM pin to match. For example, if you want pin A0 

to connect to address(0), then you must change the Rule property value of 

the given bus ripper to “0”. 

To change the Rule property value of each individual bus ripper, perform 

the following steps: 

a. Click the left mouse button on the Schematic palette item, and select 

the Text palette item. The schematic_text palette displays. 

b. Select [Edit] Sequence Text palette item. 

The Sequence Text dialog box displays as shown in Figure 3-17: 

New Prefix 

New Suffix 

Sequence Type 

Auto 

Text will be sequenced 

left to right, top to bottom. 

Sequence Text 

Manual 

Beginning Index Number 0 

Step By 1 

Choose Sequence Order... 


Figure 3-17. The Sequence Text dialog box 

c. Type the initial index number (for this example “0”) that represents the 

first Rule property value in the Beginning Index Number text box. 

d. The Step By value determines the difference between sequenced 

property values. You can also specify a prefix and suffix for the 

property values. 


Creating Schematics Connecting a Bus Ripper 

e. Click Auto for the Sequence Type. 

f. (optional) Click Choose Sequence Order... to change the sequence 

order. 

g. Click OK. 

h. The Select Area prompt bar displays. Move the cursor to the top of the 

bus ripper. Press and hold the left mouse button; move the cursor so that 

all the “R” property text is within the dynamic rectangle. Be sure no 

other property text is within the selected area, then release the left 

mouse button. 

DA-IC automatically replaces the Rule property values within the selected 

area. Figure 3-18 shows the memory component and the bus ripper after 

you complete the preceding steps. Note that all the original “R” values of 

each bus ripper have been changed to indicate what bus line a pin goes to. 

address(7:0) 

0 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

4164_20 

Figure 3-18. Fully Connected Bus Ripper 

5. Connect the top of the bus ripper to the address(7:0) bus with a net 

segment. This step does not require you to perform any special actions 

other than connecting the bus ripper and the address bus. Table 3-2 shows 

how each pin relates to the address(7:0) bus. 


A0 

A1 

A2 

A3 

A4 

A5 

A6 

A7 

D 

_RAS 

_CAS 

_W 

Q

Instantiating 1x1 Bus Ripper Automatically Creating Schematics 

3-46 

Table 3-2. Pin and Bus Line Connections 

Pin Name Data Bus 

Connection 

A0 address(0) 0 








Instantiating 1x1 Bus Ripper 

Automatically 

When the ripper mode is set to “auto” using either the $set_ripper_mode() 

function or the $setup_ripper() function, DA-IC places a real ripper symbol. At 

startup, DA-IC uses the 1X1 ripper symbol from the 

$MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB/rip component. You can change the default using the 

$setup_ripper() function. 

Using the Automatic 1x1 Bus Ripper 

The following steps show an example of using automatic ripper instantiation: 

1. Route a wire to a bus; the bus ripper is placed automatically. 

2. Select the bus ripper and its net. 

Rule Property 

Value 


Creating Schematics Creating an Implicit Bus Ripper 

3. Choose Copy > Multiple from one of the popup menus. In the prompt bar, 

enter the number of additional ripped nets you need. For example, if you 

need eight bus rippers, enter “7” for the number of copies. 

4. Position the first copy, and click the Select (left) mouse button. The copies 

are created at an equal displacement. 

Creating an Implicit Bus Ripper 

When you invoke DA-IC, the Implicit ripper is the default. To place an implicit 

bus ripper, follow these steps: 

Warning 

1. In the schematic_edit palette, choose [Add] Wire palette item to display 

the Add Wire prompt bar. 

2. Route the wire between the bus and the object you want to connect using a 

single click for the beginning of the wire, and a double-click for the end of 

the wire. If the ripper is set for a 45-degree angle, you will need to take that 

into account when placing the wire. 

3. DA-IC displays the Choose Bus Bit dialog box, which tells you the bus 

name. Follow these steps: 

a. Beside “Bit,” enter the bit of the bus that you are ripping. You can 

either specify just the bit number, such as “17” from bus “data(19:0),” 

in which case DA-IC puts the bus name and parentheses around the bit, 

or you can specify the entire bus/bit name, such as “data(17).” 

b. Click OK. 

This section contains instructions for the Implicit Bus Ripper only. 

See “Creating an Implicit Bundle Ripper” in this chapter for 

instructions on creating an Implicit Bundle Ripper. 

4. If the wire is routed into an unnamed wide net, DA-IC displays the Name 

Ripped Net dialog box. Follow these steps: 

a. Enter the name of the wide net beside “Wide Net Name.” Using the 

wide net name, you can create either a bus or a bundle. 


Creating an Implicit Bundle Ripper Creating Schematics 

3-48 

b. Enter the name of the ripped bit beside “Ripped Net Name.” Make sure 

that you enter the entire name, such as “out(3)” from bus “out(7:0)”. 

Giving only a bit number will result in an error during a Check 

Schematic. 

c. Click OK. The Add Property To Handle prompt bar appears. 

d. Click the left mouse button in the appropriate location to place the new, 

wide net name. 

Creating an Implicit Bundle Ripper 

When you invoke DA-IC, the implicit ripper is the default. To place an implicit 

bundle ripper, follow these steps: 

Warning 

1. In the schematic_edit palette, choose [Add] Wire palette item to display 

the Add Wire prompt bar. 

2. Route the wire between the bundle, and the object to which you are 

connecting it, using a single click for the beginning of the wire and a 

double-click for the end of the wire. If the ripper is set for a 45-degree 

angle, you will need to take that into account when placing the wire. 

3. DA-IC displays the Choose Bundle Member dialog box. Follow these 

steps: 

a. Either select the bundle member to be ripped from the list of members, 

or enter the name of a bundle member in the “Bundle Member” entry 

field. Text that you enter will override any selections made in the list. 

b. Click OK. 

This section contains instructions for the Implicit Bundle Ripper 

only. See “Creating an Implicit Bus Ripper” in this chapter for 

instructions on creating an Implicit Bus Ripper. 

4. If the wire is routed into an unnamed wide net, DA-IC displays the Name 

Ripped Net dialog box. Follow these steps: 


Creating Schematics Using the netcon Component 

a. Enter the name of the wide net beside “Wide Net Name.” You can 

create either a bus or a bundle using the wide net name. 

b. Enter the name of the ripped bit beside “Ripped Net Name.” Make sure 

that you enter the entire name, such as “out(3)” from bus “out(7:0)”. 

Giving only a bit number will result in an error during a Check 

Schematic. 

c. Click OK. The Add Property To Handle prompt bar appears. 

d. Click the left mouse button (in the appropriate location) to place the 

new, wide net name. 

Using the netcon Component 

The net connector component $MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB/netcon is used to 

connect together two nets that possess different Net property values. In DA-IC, 

the result is a single net with two names. But when the schematic is evaluated, the 

two property values become the same. 

There are several occasions when you might want to use the netcon component. 

For example, you might be copying a portion of an earlier schematic into the one 

you are currently working on, and find a mismatch in the names of some of the 

wires on the two designs (for example, you named the reset line “Reset” on one 

design, and “Rst” on the other). By connecting the appropriate nets together with 

netcon, you can avoid changing either of the Net property values. 

Note 

Although use of netcon may be convenient at times, if it is used too 

often, the time spent in evaluating the design can increase 

dramatically. 

Creating and Naming a Net Bundle 

You can create a net bundle by adding a Net property to a wide net. The value of 

the Net property must include a comma-separated list of nets, buses, and/or other 


Creating and Naming a Net Bundle Creating Schematics 

net bundles. Specifically, net bundle syntax requires a list to be enclosed in curly 

braces “{}”; for example, “{ground,clk,data(15:0)}.” 

A member of a net bundle is defined as a net, bus, or nested bundle contained in 

the list of a net bundle. If a bundle includes a nested bundle, the members of the 

nested bundle must be enclosed within curly braces. For example: 

“{clk,data(15:0),{ground,out(15:0)}}.” 

A net bundle list can be preceded by a bundle name, such names cannot be 

expressions or include parentheses, square brackets, curly braces, or slashes. For 

example: “BUND{ground,clk,data(15:0)}.” 

You can refer to an existing bundle without (again) listing its members by using 

the bundle name and empty curly braces, but only if the full list of members have 

been defined elsewhere on the sheet or on another sheet of the schematic. For 

example, “BUND{}” identifies the same net bundle as 

“BUND{ground,clk,data(15:0)}” within the same schematic. 

A net bundle definition can span multiple sheets of a schematic. You create a net 

bundle using the following steps: 

3-50 

1. Draw a wide net on a sheet. 

2. Select the new net. 

3. Use the schematic_edit palette [Name] Net item to name the net using 

bundle syntax within the value of the Net property. 

You can edit a net bundle by changing the value of the Net property. Errors caused 

by editing the syntax of a net bundle are identified only when the sheet or 

schematic is checked. For more information on creating properties, refer to 

“Assigning Properties” in chapter 7. 

Net bundles have the following characteristics: 

• A net bundle can contain nets, buses, and other net bundles. 

• A net can be contained within different net bundles. 


Creating Schematics Creating and Naming a Net Bundle 

• Only one net bundle in a schematic needs to list the contents; all other 

occurrences of the net bundle can use the bundle name followed by “{}”. 

• The contents of all occurrences of a named net bundle in a schematic must 

be the same; there cannot be two net bundles of the same name in the same 

schematic, but containing different members. 

• A net that is a member within a bundle is the same as the net by itself; a new 

net is not created when it is placed in a bundle. 

• A net bundle can have properties. However, the properties on a net bundle 

are not propagated to the individual members, since a net or bus can be in 

multiple net bundles, and there is no way to determine which property 

should be used if a conflict occurs. 

• The order in which the members are specified in a net bundle defines their 

position. Two declarations of the same net bundle, where the members are 

listed in a different order, will produce an error when the sheet is checked. 

• The position of a member in a net bundle is important when connecting to 

pins. 

• A net can appear more than once in a single net bundle. 

• A net can be ripped more than once from a net bundle. 

• A net bundle can connect to pin bundles or wide pins. The connection 

between the members in a net bundle, and the members in a pin bundle or a 

wide pin, is mapped by position. 

• A net bundle can be connected through a Net Connector to another net 

bundle of the same width, or to a bus of the same width. 

• The width of a net bundle is the total number of individual nets and bus bits 

in the bundle. If a net bundle contains a bus, the bits of the bus are counted 

in the width, but not the bus itself. The same is true for the elements of a net 

bundle included in another net bundle. 

• The width of the net bundle must match the width of a connecting pin 

bundle or wide pin. 

• A net bundle name cannot be a parameterized expression. 


Ripping Members from Net Bundles Creating Schematics 

3-52 

• Nets are ripped by name from a net bundle; the ripped net must exist in the 

net bundle. 

• A net bundle can contain parameterized buses. 

• The name of a bundle member must be explicit; names generated through 

evaluating an AMPLE expression are not allowed. 

Note 

Ripping Members from Net Bundles 

You can rip members from net bundles by name, which is similar to ripping bits 

of a bus by bit position. To rip a member of a net bundle, follow these steps: 

1. Choose the schematic_edit [Add] Wire palette item to display the Add 

Wire prompt bar. 

2. Connect the net bundle and the object to which the new wire leads; the 

Choose Bundle Member dialog box appears. 

3. Choose a member from the list or enter the name of the member you want 

to rip from the bundle beside “Bundle Member”. 

4. Click OK. 

Net bundles are named using the entire Net property. Thus the net 

bundle “B{x,y}” is named “B{x,y}”, whereas the bus “B(3:0)” is 

named “B”. 

The name of the ripped bundle member appears beside the wire and is now 

the value of the Net property for that wire. Figure 3-19 illustrates the 

Choose Bundle Member dialog box. 


Creating Schematics Creating Multi-Level Designs 

Figure 3-19. Choose Bundle Member Dialog Box 

Creating Multi-Level Designs 

The following topics contain some of the procedures used for schematics that 

have multiple sheets and/or multiple levels of hierarchy. For information on 

viewing a design hierarchy, see “Viewing Design Hierarchy” in Chapter 9. 

i 

Choose Bundle Member 

Members on attached bundle: 

Clk 

gnd 

data(19:0) 

Bundle Member: 


All non-primitive instances must be associated with a model. 

Instances of symbols cannot contain references to itself. 

Creating a Schematic-Based Block 

Schematic-based blocks are helpful when creating top-down designs. A 

schematic-based block is a symbol (usually rectangular) that represents a high 

level of functionality. You can create lower-level descriptions for each block. 

Use the following steps to create a schematic-based block: 

1. Create comment graphics by clicking the left mouse button on the 

schematic_edit [Add] Rectangle pallet item. 


Clk

Creating Multi-Level Designs Creating Schematics 

3-54 

2. Press the left mouse button to specify one corner of the rectangle, hold the 

button down as you move the cursor to the diagonally opposite corner of the 

rectangle, then release the mouse button. 

3. Add pins by choosing the [Add] Pin palette item. 

4. Add properties to the comment graphics. 

5. Select the comment graphics, property text, and pins. 

6. Execute the Edit > Make Symbol menu item. 

The Make Symbol dialog box displays for you to enter a component name, 

and (optionally), a symbol name and interface name. See Figure 3-20. 



Figure 3-20. Generate Symbol Dialog Box 

7. After you click OK, the newly-created symbol is checked. If it passes the 

required checks, the symbol is saved, and automatically registered with the 

default interface. The symbol is then instantiated on the sheet, replacing the 

comment graphics and symbol pins. Make Symbol is described in the 




Creating a Sheet for a Symbol 

The following procedures describe two of the methods by which DA-IC can 

automatically create a partial sheet for an existing symbol. 

In the Schematic Editor, perform the following steps: 

3-56 

1. Select the symbol instance for which you want to create a sheet. 

2. Choose File > Open Down > Choose Model. The Open Down dialog box 

displays. 

3. Click on the New Sheet button. The dialog box now contains text entry 

boxes for schematic and sheet names. 

4. The default names for the schematic and sheet display in the dialog box. 

Note that “sheet1” may change to “sheet2” if the symbol already contains a 

sheet1. 

5. DA-IC automatically creates I/O ports from the pins on the symbol. If you 

do not want this option, click the appropriate No button. 

6. Specify a startup file for this sheet by clicking Yes, and entering the 

pathname to the startup file in the text entry box. 

7. After you click OK, DA-IC opens an editing window on the new sheet. 

If you request I/O ports, there will be a portin, portout, or portbi symbol 

instance on the sheet for each pin on the symbol. The Net property value 

attached to each of these instances is the same as the Pin property value on 

the corresponding pin. 

8. Now, the sheet is ready for you to add nets and other instances. 

To create a sheet for a symbol that you have opened in the Symbol Editor, 


1. If the symbol has not been checked, check and save it, before creating a 

sheet for it. 

2. Choose the Miscellaneous > Create Sheet menu item. This displays the 

Create Sheet dialog box. 



3. You can change the default schematic and sheet names, if desired. Specify 

whether to replace an existing sheet of the same name. 

4. When you click OK, a sheet generates with portin and portout symbols 

corresponding to the pins on the symbol. 

Creating Additional Sheets in a Schematic 

To create a second sheet on the same hierarchical level of a schematic, perform 


1. Click on [Open] Schematic on the session_palette. 

2. In the Open Schematic dialog box, enter the component name, and click the 

Options... button. The Open Schematic Options dialog box displays as 

illustrated in Figure 3-21. 

Figure 3-21. Open Schematic Options Dialog Box 

3. Change the default sheet name from “sheet1” to “sheet2”. 



3-58 

4. Click the appropriate button if you want Auto Update Mode enabled. 

5. If a specific startup file used, enter the path. Then click OK on each dialog 

box. 

6. A new sheet is displayed in a Schematic Editor window. You need to place 

$MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB/offpage.in and 

$MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB/offpage.out connector symbols on the sheets to 

establish electrical connectivity. 

Using Off-Page Connectors 

Off-page connectors are used to intentionally connect nets having the same name 

on different sheets in a schematic. Mentor Graphics supplies off-page connectors 

in $MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB. Generally, offpage.in connectors are on the left 

side of the sheet, and offpage.out connectors are placed on the right side of the 

sheet. There is also an offpage.bi symbol for bidirectional nets. 

Suppose you have a net named “DATA” that begins on sheet1 and extends 

beyond the right side of the sheet. “DATA” continues on the left side of sheet2. 

Follow these steps to connect the nets: 

1. Open sheet1. Press Ctrl-H to display the symbol history list. Click the left 

mouse button on “offpage.out” in the list to activate the symbol. 

2. Click on the end point of the net named “DATA” near the right side of the 

sheet. 

3. In the schematic_edit window, click Check & Save for sheet1. 

4. Open sheet2. Press Ctrl-H to display the symbol history list. Click on 

“offpage.in” in the list. 

5. Click on the end of “DATA”, near the left side of the sheet, to place the 

symbol instance. 

6. In the schematic_edit window, click Check & Save for sheet2. 



7. Choose the File > Check Schematic menu item. A report generates that 

flags any mismatched off-page connectors and any nets having the same 

name, but no connectors. 

Using Portin and Portout Symbols 

Ports connect Net names on a sheet to Pin names on the symbol that represents 

that sheet. Mentor Graphics supplies portin, portout, and portbi components in 

$MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB for input nets, output nets, and bidirectional nets, 

respectively. 

To add port symbol instances to the sheet you are editing, perform the following 

steps: 

1. Press Ctrl-H to display the active symbol list. Click on “portin” in the list to 

activate the symbol. 

2. Position the cursor at the beginning of an input net, and press F5 (Place 

Symbol). 

3. Click on the sheet to place the “portin” instance. Repeat for each input net. 

Notice that each portin symbol instance has a Net property attached, and all 

have a value of NET. 

4. Using the mouse, enclose the Net property text in a dynamic rectangle. The 

text within the rectangle is selected. 

5. Click on the [Edit] Change Value palette item. This displays the Change 

Property Value prompt bar. 

6. When you press the Return key, or click OK on the prompt bar, the selected 

property text is changed to its new value. The newly changed property text 

is unselected. 

Use the same procedure for adding portout or portbi symbol instances and 

changing Net property values. 



Editing the Underlying Sheet of a Symbol 

After you have opened a schematic sheet, you can select an instance on the sheet, 

and choose one of the models registered to the component instance to edit or view. 

To open a model for a selected instance, perform the following steps: 

3-60 

1. Select the instance you want to open down into. For information about 

selecting and unselecting objects, refer to “Selecting and Unselecting 

Objects” in Chapter 2. 

2. Execute the File > Open Down > Choose Model menu item. The Open 

Down dialog box appears with a list of registered models. For example, a 

symbol model, schematic model, Language source, VHDL Entity, or a 

VHDL Architecture might be chosen. 

3. The selected model displays. 

If a symbol or schematic model is selected, the associated schematic or 

symbol displays in DA-IC. 

If a language file is selected, the contents of the model file displays in the 

default text editor window. For more information on the default text editor, 

see “Setting the Default Text Editor” in Chapter 3. 

Creating a Symbol for a Sheet 

You can generate a symbol for the sheet you are currently editing, or for another 

sheet, by performing the following steps: 

1. Choose the Miscellaneous > Generate Symbol menu item. 

The Generate Symbol dialog box displays as illustrated in Figure 3-22 




2. Enter the pathname to the component that will contain the generated 

symbol in the Component Name field. 

3. Enter the name of the symbol to generate in the Symbol Name field. 

4. Choose radio buttons that effect the symbol to be created. The following list 

explains your choices: 

• Choose to replace an existing symbol that has the same name. 

• Choose to how the generated symbol is initially saved. 



3-62 

• Choose to make the symbol the active. You must choose either the Save 

Symbol or Save and Edit radio buttons under Once Generated... to 

make the new symbol active. 

5. Click the Schematic button. 

6. Enter the pathname to the component that contains the schematic in the 


7. Enter the name of the schematic in the Schematic Name field. 

8. If desired, adjust the values in the Pin Spacing, Sort Pins, Component 

Shape fields. For information on possible values for these fields, refer to the 

“$generate_symbol()” function description in the Design Architect-IC 


9. Click OK when you have completed your entries in the dialog box. 

The generated symbol will have whiskers from the pin to the symbol body. The 

Pin property text will be placed at the end of the whisker inside the symbol body. 

Pin locations are determined by the port instances on the schematic sheet. 

Note 

Creating a Pin List 

The schematic generator always places user-defined ports on the 

input side of the symbol, unless the user adds a PINTYPE property 

to the pin and specifies the value as “OUT” or “IXO”. 

You can create a pin list for a sheet using the following procedure: 

1. Choose the Miscellaneous > Create Pin List item from the main menu bar. 

The Create Pin List dialog box appears. 

2. Enter the pathname to the schematic. 

3. Enter the pathname to the pin list file to be created. 



4. If you want to replace an existing pin list file with the same name, click the 

Yes radio button under Replace existing pin list file?. 

5. If you want to edit the pin list, click the Yes radio button under Edit pin list 

file?. 

This opens a Notepad window with the generated pin list, after you click 

OK. 

6. If you want the pin information sorted in alphabetical order in the pin list 

file, click the Yes radio button under Sort Pins?. 

7. Click OK when you have completed your entries in the dialog box. 

For detailed information on the constructs used in the pin list file, refer to the “Pin 

List File Format” appendix in the Design Architect-IC Reference Manual. 

Displaying a Lower Level Sheet 

Use the following steps to open the schematic sheet below a selected instance in a 

hierarchical design: 

1. Open the design and select an instance. 

2. Select File > Open Down. Displays the schematic sheet one hierarchical 

level down from a selected instance determined by the VIEW property. If 

the sheet is already open, it activates and pops to the front. If a language 

model is set as the default model with the VIEW property, then the model is 

opened in the Notepad Editor. 

3. For information on setting up a text editor for models, see “Setting up a 

Language Model Editor”. 

Displaying a Higher Level Sheet 

Use the following steps to open the schematic sheet above a selected instance in a 




Adding Comment Text and Graphics Creating Schematics 

3-64 

2. Select File > Open Up. Displays the sheet one hierarchical level up from a 

selected instance. If the sheet is already open, it activates and pops to the 

front. 

Displaying the Top Level Sheet 

Use the following steps to open the top-level sheet for a selected instance in a 



2. Select File > Open Top. Opens a sheet . Displays the sheet at the top 

hierarchical level up from a selected instance. If the sheet is already open, it 

activates and pops to the front. 

Locking/Unlocking Schematic Sheet Edits 

Assigning the source_edit_allowed property to the parent instance allows you to 

lock and unlock schematic sheet edits in a multi-level design. 

Use the following property values: 

o true - allows editing of the underlying sheet 

o false - disables editing the underlying sheet. 

For information on adding or changing properties see “Adding a Single Property” 

and “Changing Property Values” in Chapter 7. 

Adding Comment Text and Graphics 

Comment objects are used for adding non-electrical text to a design. These objects 

have no electrical significance. Comment objects cannot be instantiated. 

Add comment text and graphics directly to a sheet in the Schematic Editor. In the 

Symbol Editor, you create symbol graphics and text, then convert selected objects 

to comment objects. 


Creating Schematics Adding Comment Text and Graphics 

Types of Comment Objects 

The following are comment objects: 

• Arcs 

• Circles 

• Lines 

• Polygons 

• Dots 

• Polylines 

• Rectangles 

• Text 

The Convert To Comment command converts any selected electrical or graphical 

object, or group of objects, to comments. For example, selected: 

• Nets become comment lines 

• Symbol instances become comment text and graphics 

• Visible properties become properties of the newly created comment object 

! 

Caution 

Uses for Comments 

After an object has been converted to a comment, all hidden 

properties associated with that object are deleted. This process can 

be reversed using the Undo command. 

Using comment text, graphic objects, and system functions that return standard 

information (such as date and version numbers of the design), you can create 

many useful structures that are distinct from the electrical elements of the 

schematic. For example, you can create: 



3-66 

• Title blocks (can be automatically created on a new sheet) 

• Revision blocks 

• Page borders (can be automatically created on a new sheet) 

• Backplane, wire wrap, and other tentative design elements 

• Explanations, review notes, and fabrication notes 

Setting Comment Text and Graphic Drawing Attributes 

Before you begin drawing comment objects, you can set up how text and 

graphical shapes are graphically represented. For more information on these 

functions, see “$setup_comment()” and “$setup_property_text()” in the Design 

Architect-IC Reference Manual. 

Use the following steps to set up comment text and graphical drawing attributes: 

1. Execute the Setup > Object menu item. The Setup Object dialog box 

appears in the active Schematic Editor window. 

2. Click Comment. 

3. Enter the desired font name. The default is the “stroke” font. Fonts and font 

registry files are located in $MGC_HOME/registry/fonts. 

4. Enter the desired text height. The default height is 0.1875 user units. 

5. Enter the desired text orientation: (0 or 90 degrees). The default is 0 degrees 

(horizontal). 

6. Click the left mouse button on the text vertical justification you want: (Top, 

Center, Bottom). 

7. Click the left mouse button on the text horizontal justification you want: 

(Left, Center, Right). 

8. Click the left mouse button on the text transparency you want (On, Off). 



9. Click the left mouse button on the Restrict Flipped/Rotated Text button 

(On, Off). 

10. Click the left mouse button on the line width you want (1 pixel, 3 pixels, 5 

pixels, or 7 pixels). 

11. Click the left mouse button on the fill type you want (Clear, Solid, Stipple). 

12. Click the left mouse button on the line style you want: (Solid, Dotted, Long 

Dash, Short Dash, Centerline, and Phantom). 

13. Click OK when comment attribute selection is complete. 

Creating Comment Objects on Schematic Sheets 

You can access comment object functionality through the schematic_draw 

palette, and the Add > Draw popup menu items. Click the left mouse button on 

the Draw palette button to display the Draw palette. The following list describes 

how to create various comment objects on a schematic sheet. 

• Click the left mouse button on the [Draw] Add Polyline palette item. Click 

the left mouse button at the beginning of the line and at each vertex. Each 

time you click and move the mouse, a line stretches from the vertex to the 

cursor. Double-click to end the line. 

• Click the left mouse button on the [Draw] Add Rectangle palette item. 

Specify the location of one corner of the rectangle by pressing the left 

mouse button. Hold the mouse button down and move the cursor to the 

desired location of the diagonally opposite corner, then release the mouse 

button. 

• Click the left mouse button on the [Draw] Add Circle palette item. Specify 

the center of the circle by pressing the left mouse button. Hold the mouse 

button down, and move the cursor to define the perimeter, then release the 

mouse button. A ghost image of the circle moves with the cursor. 

• Click the left mouse button on the [Draw] Add Polygon palette item. Click 

the left mouse button at each vertex of the polygon. Double-click at the last 



3-68 

vertex. DA-IC automatically draws a segment between the last and first 

vertices to close the figure. 

• Click the left mouse button on the [Draw] Add Arc palette item. Click at 

the desired location for one end of the arc, then click at the other end of the 

arc. A ghost image moves as you move the cursor to define the arc point. 

When the arc is the desired size, click the left mouse button to place it. 

• Choose the Add > Draw > Two Point Line popup menu item. Press the 

left mouse button at one end of the line, hold the mouse button down as you 

move the cursor to the other end of the line, then release the mouse button. 

• Choose the Add >Draw > Dot popup menu item. Click the left mouse 

button at the point you want the dot. 

• Click the left mouse button on the schematic_text palette Add Comment 

Text palette item. Enter the comment text you want to add in the prompt 

bar that appears, then press the Return key. As you move the cursor, a ghost 

image of the text appears and moves with the cursor. Move the text to the 

desired location, and click the left mouse button. 

Making a Symbol From Comment Objects 

Creating a symbol from comment objects is the same as creating a functional 

block, described in the “Creating a Schematic-Based Block” section of this 

chapter. The basic steps are as follows: 

1. In the Schematic Editor, create a rectangle for the symbol body. 

2. Add pins to the symbol body. 

3. Add other property text, as needed. 

4. Select the symbol body, pins, and associated text. 

5. In the symbol_draw palette, choose Check & Save. The symbol is checked 

and, if it passes all checks, DA-IC creates a symbol, registers it (using 

default registration), and instantiates it in the location of the original 

comment objects. 



Converting Electrical Objects to Comments 

You can select electrical objects and convert them to comment objects by 

choosing the Edit > Convert to Comment menu item in the Schematic Editor. 

Create comment objects from symbol objects by performing the following steps: 

1. Select the symbol graphics and text you want to convert. 

2. Choose Edit > Convert to Comment menu item. 

Selected symbol graphics become comment graphics; selected property text 

attached to the symbol body becomes property text attached to the graphics, 

symbol text and other property text become comment text, and are placed at 

their current locations. 

Comment graphics and text cannot be instantiated; therefore, they do not 

appear when an instance of the symbol is placed on a sheet. 

To convert schematic objects to comments, perform the following steps: 

1. Select the objects and text to convert. 

2. Choose the Edit > Convert to Comment menu item. 

Selected nets become lines, selected instances become graphic objects, property 

text attached to the symbol body remains property text now attached to the 

graphics, and visible property text becomes comment text. 

Removing Comment Status 

To remove comment status from comment objects that were created by converting 

selected symbol objects, perform the following steps in the Symbol Editor: 

1. Select the comment graphics and text. 

2. Choose the Edit > Remove Comment Status menu item. 

The objects may now be instantiated on a schematic sheet. This function does not 

restore electrical information that was previously on the symbol. 


Creating FOR, CASE, and IF Frames Creating Schematics 

Creating FOR, CASE, and IF Frames 

FOR, IF, CASE, and OTHERWISE frames are tools provided by the DA-IC 

Schematic Editor to allow repetitive or conditional inclusion of circuitry in the 

final netlist. 

Creating FOR Frames 

There are many times you find yourself repeating the same circuit over and over. 

Although you can copy the circuit so that it appears in its entirety as many times 

as needed, using FOR frames saves disk space, minimizes the number of pages a 

schematic fills, and makes the design easier to understand. Furthermore, by using 

a property value variable in the frame expression, the same schematic sheet can be 

used in different designs that require a different number of frame copies. 

To add a FOR frame that repeats the same circuit “N” times, perform the 


3-70 

1. Position the pointer at the initial edge of the frame. 

2. Click and drag the mouse to the desired size of the frame, and release the 

mouse button. Refer to Figure 3-23 for an example circuit enclosed in a 

FOR frame. 

EN 

I0(I) 

sa0,sa1 

sa0,sa1 

FOR I:= 0 TO N-1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

sa0,sa1 sa0,sa1 


0 

0 

(TPZH) 

(TPHZ) 

sa0,sa1 

(TPZL) 

(TPLZ) 

sa0,sa1 

(TPZH) 0 

(TPZL) 

0 

sa0,sa1 

sa0,sa1 

(TRISE) 

(TFALL) 

Figure 3-23. FOR Frame Example 

0 

0 

0 

0 

sa0,sa1 

0 

0 

sa0,sa1 

sa0,sa1 

sa0,sa1 

sa0,sa1 

0 

0 

sa0,sa1 

OUT(I) 


Creating Schematics Creating FOR, CASE, and IF Frames 

3. Execute the Add > Frame pulldown menu item. The Add Frame dialog 

box displays. 

4. Click For. 

a. Type a Variable value in the text box. 

b. Type a Start value in the text box. 

c. For the Directions setting, select either To or Downto 

d. Type the End value in the text box. 

Refer to “Frexp Property” in Chapter 7 for a description of valid FOR frame 

expression syntax. 

Note 

When creating a net with the FOR frame expression, you must 

name the net if the net crosses the border of the frame. If the net 

does not have a name and crosses the FOR frame border, DA-IC 

will create multiple nets. 

Creating Repeating Instances 

A repeating instance is a short-hand method of creating FOR frames for single 

instances. To create a repeating instance, follow these steps: 

1. Select the instance that you want to repeat in your design. 

2. Execute the Properties > Add schematic popup menu to display the Add 

Property dialog box. 

3. Select the “INST” item in the list box under “Existing Property Name.” 

4. Enter a name followed by a continuous range enclosed in parentheses 

beside “Property Value.” 

5. Choose the type of visibility appropriate in your design for the Inst 

property. 



3-72 

6. Click OK. 

The following rules determine which nets attach to which pins of a repeating 

instance: 

• If a single bit pin is connected to a single bit net, then the net will be 

connected to the pin on each repeated instance. 

• If a single bit pin is connected to a bus or bundle, then the width of the bus 

or bundle must be equal to the number of times the instance is repeated. The 

pin on each repeated instance will be attached to the bus bit or bundle 

member in the matching position. 

• If a wide pin is connected to a bus of the same width, then the bus will be 

connected to the wide pin on each repeated instance. Likewise, if a wide pin 

is connected to a net bundle of the same width, then the net bundle will be 

connected to the wide pin on each repeated instance. 

• If a wide pin is connected to a bus that is wider than the pin, then the bus 

width must be equal to the width of the pin times the number of times the 

instance is repeated. Each sub-bus with a width equal to the width of the pin 

will be connected to the pin on the repeated instance. A wide pin cannot be 

connected to a net bundle with a different width. 

• A bus connected to a wide pin must be named. 

• All other connections are illegal and result in an error during Check 

Schematic. 

Figure 3-73 illustrates an example of a repeating instance. 



DATA(15:0) 

(1) 

(2) 

CLK 

INST = XINST(3:0) 

A(3:0) 

CLK 

(3) 

Bund1{N1, DATA(1:0), N2} BP 

B(3:0) 

(4) 

NEW(3:0) 

(5) 

X(3:0) 

(6) Bund{N1, N2} 

Figure 3-24. Repeating Instance Example 

Assume that the system calls the instance “I$231.” When the sheet is written, DA- 

IC creates a FOR frame with the expression 

“FOR I231_REPEAT := 3 downto 0.” When the EDDM evaluates the FOR 

frame, it generates four instances named XINST#3, XINST#2, XINST#1, and 

XINST#0. Each instance has the same set of pins, A(3:0), B(3:0), CLK, X, BP and 

D(1:0), but some are attached to different nets. 

1. The pin XINST#3/A(3:0) is attached to the net DATA(15:12); the pin 

XINST#2/A(3:0) is attached to the net DATA(11:8); the pin 

XINST#1/A(3:0) is attached to the net DATA(7:4); and the pin 

XINST#0/A(3:0) is attached to the net DATA(3:0). 

2. The net CLK is attached to the CLK pin on each repeated instance. 

3. The pin XINST#3/BP is attached to the net N1; the pin 

XINST#2/BP is attached to the net DATA(1); the pin 

XINST#1/BP is attached to the net DATA(0); and the pin 

XINST#0/BP is attached to the net N2. 

4. The pin XINST#3/B(3:0) is attached to the net NEW(3:0), as is the pin 

XINST#2/B(3:0), and so on. 

5. The pin XINST#3/X is attached to the net X(3), the pin XINST#2/X is 

attached to the net X(2), and so on. 


X 

D(1:0)


3-74 

6. The pin XINST#3/D(1:0) is attached to the net bundle Bund{N1, N2}, as is 

the pin XINST#2/D(1:0), and so on. 

Note 

Creating IF Frames 

The FOR frame expression is created as a “to” expression when 

the subscript is ascending, and as a “downto” expression if the 

subscript is ascending and has no parameters. 

IF frames let you conditionally include circuitry in your schematic. An IF frame is 

created in the same way as a FOR frame, except the IF frame follows its own IF 

frame expression syntax. To create an IF frame follow this procedure: 

1. Position the pointer at the initial edge of the frame. 

2. Click and drag the mouse to the desired size of the frame, and release the 

mouse button. 

3. Execute the Add > Frame pulldown menu item. The Add Frame dialog 

box displays. 

4. Click the If button. 

a. Type a Variable value in the text box. 

b. Select the comparison criteria in the dialog box. 

c. Type the Value in the text box. 

Refer to “Frexp Property” in Chapter 7 for a description of valid IF frame 

expression syntax. The evaluation of an IF frame expressions results in a True or 

False condition. 

• If True, the enclosed circuitry is included in the schematic sheet. 

• If False, the circuitry is not included in the schematic sheet. 

The Check command does not check non-included circuitry. You may want to 

check your circuitry before you create an IF frame around it. 



Creating CASE, OTHERWISE Frames 

CASE frames allow you to define cases when a portion of a circuit is included in a 

schematic sheet. You can have multiple CASE frames in a schematic sheet. 

• If the CASE frame expression evaluates to True, the circuitry is included. 

• If the CASE frame expression evaluates to False, the framed circuit is not 

included. 

• If an OTHERWISE frame exists, the circuitry within the OTHERWISE 

frame is included. 

CASE and OTHERWISE frames are created in the same way as FOR frames, 

except the CASE and OTHERWISE frames have a different frame expression 

syntax. 

To create a CASE or OTHERWISE frame follow the procedure described in 

“Creating FOR Frames”. Refer to “Frexp Property” in Chapter 7 for a description 

of valid CASE and OTHERWISE frame expression syntax. 

Setting Parameters 

You need to provide a value for any variables included in frame expressions. You 

can set a parameter value in DA-IC which is used only when the sheet is checked. 

Although this value is stored with the sheet, it is not recognized outside of the 

sheet or by other tools. Suppose you have framed circuitry that you want repeated 

ten times, and the Frexp property value is “FOR I = 0 TO N-1”. To provide a 

value to be used when the sheet is checked, do the following in the Schematic 

Editor: 

1. Choose the Add > Parameters > Set menu item to display the Set 

Parameter prompt bar. 

2. Enter “N” in the parameter name text entry box, and “10” in the parameter 

value text entry box in the prompt bar. Click OK. 

Another method of assigning a value to the variable is to add a property to the 

symbol body representing the sheet, or to an instance of that symbol on a higher 



level sheet. You can add the property to the symbol body and give it some dummy 

value that you change for different instances of the symbol (similar to Net and 

Rule property values). Here are the steps using the previous frame expression: 

3-76 

1. Open the component in the Symbol Editor. 

2. Select the symbol body (be sure nothing else is selected). 

3. Click in the symbol_text palette [Add] Property palette item. This displays 

the Add Property dialog box. 

a. Enter “N” for the Property Name. 

b. Enter “1” for the Property Value. 

c. Click the Property Type Number. 

d. Click the Stability Switch Variable buttons. 

e. Click the Visibility Switch On. 

f. Click OK. 

4. Move the cursor to a location for the text, and click the left mouse button. 

5. To indicate the meaning of the number on the symbol, choose the [Add] 

Comment Text palette item. 

6. Type “N=” in the text entry box in the displayed prompt bar. Click OK, 

move the cursor to the left of the “1”, and click the left mouse button. 

When you place the symbol on a sheet, you can change the value of N for that 

instance. Because the property stability is variable, its value can be changed at any 

time. 

You can also assign values to variables through backannotation and design 

configurations. Backannotated values take precedence over all others, followed by 

instance-specific values. 


Creating Schematics Checking a Schematic for Errors 

Checking a Schematic for Errors 

All designs must pass a full set of checks for validation. A design must be 

validated before it can be used by downstream processes. For example, schematic 

sheets must be validated or downstream applications issue warnings indicating 

errors exist that may cause problems later in the design process. 

By default, all the checks required by Mentor Graphics applications are enabled. 

For a description of all the checks available, see “Design Checks” in Appendix C. 

Use the following option from the session scope to change the default settings: 

Setup>Check Schematic... 

To execute the default checks, perform the following steps: 

1. Activate the Schematic Editor window you want to check by placing the 

cursor in the window, and clicking the center mouse button. 

2. Click Check & Save. Errors and warnings display in the Check Schematic 

window by default for each individual check. By default, the error log 

displays in its own window, but can be sent to a file or to the transcript. 

Note 

If you select Check & Save form the schematic_edit palette, 

DA-IC does not display the Schematic Error and Warnings log. To 

view the Schematic Error and Warnings log, select the File > 

Check Schematic pulldown menu item. 


Checking a Schematic for Errors Creating Schematics 

3-78 

Figure 3-25 shows a Check Schematic log for a schematic sheet. 

Check #2 dff:Schematic 

Check Schematic "dff/schematic/sheet1" 

Check Sheet "dff/schematic/sheet1" 

Check SymbolPins -------- 0 errors 0 warnings (MGC-required) 

Check Overlap ----------- 0 errors 0 warnings 

Check NotDots ----------- 0 errors 0 warnings 

Check Closedots --------- 0 errors 0 warnings 

Check Dangles ----------- 0 errors 0 warnings 

Check INIT Properties--- 0 errors 0 warnings 

Check Function Blocks --- 0 errors 0 warnings 

Check Owner ------------- 0 errors 0 warnings (MGC-required) 

Check Instance ---------- 0 errors 0 warnings (MGC-required) 

Check Special ----------- 0 errors 0 warnings (MGC-required) 

Check Net --------------- 0 errors 0 warnings (MGC-required) 

Check Frame ------------- 0 errors 0 warnings (MGC-required) 

"dff/schematic/sheet1" passed check: 0 Errors 0 Warnings 

Check Schematic Interface ------- 0 errors 0 warnings 

Check Schematic Instance -------- 0 errors 0 warnings 

Check Schematic Special --------- 0 errors 0 warnings 

Check Schematic Net ------------- 0 errors 0 warnings 

Check Schematic Function Blocks - 0 errors 0 warnings 

"dff/schematic/sheet1" passed check : 0 Errors 0 Warnings 

Figure 3-25. Check Schematic Log 

To set up Schematic checks other than the default schematic checks, perform the 


1. Activate a Schematic Editor window by placing the cursor in the schematic 

window. 

2. Choose Setup > Check... menu item. 


Creating Schematics Checking a Schematic for Errors 

Instance* 

Special* 

Net* 

Frame* 

Symbol Pins* 

Parameter 

Expressions 

The Default Schematic Check Settings dialog box displays as in 

Figure 3-26. 

Errors/ 

Warnings Errors 

Only No 

Check 

Required check category* 

Macro File: 

Userrule Checks: 

All No Check 

Default Schematic Check Settings 

Owner 

Overlap 

Notdots 

Closedots 

Dangles 

INIT Props 

Annotations 

Bus Shorts 

Function Blocks 

Errors/ 


Only No 

Check 

File Mode: 

Add Replace No File 

File: da_check_file 


Figure 3-26. Default Sheet Check Settings Dialog Box 

3. Select the checks you want to execute by clicking the appropriate check 

name button. Select one of the three buttons displayed for each check. 

• Errors/Warnings display both error and warning messages. 

• Errors only display errors only. 

• No check means this check is not executed. 

For more information, see “Design Checks” in Appendix C. 

4. Press OK when check settings are complete. 

Schematic Interface 

Schematic Special 

Schematic Instance 

Schematic Net 

Schematic Net I/O 

Schematic Bus Shorts 

Errors/ 


Only No 

Check 

Display in Window 

Write to Transcript 

The check settings you set using the Setup > Check... menu item are set 

only while in the current DA-IC session. When you exit DA-IC, these 


Saving and Registering a Schematic Creating Schematics 

3-80 

schematic check settings are lost. When DA-IC is re-invoked, the standard 

default checks are re-set. 

Saving and Registering a Schematic 

Before a schematic can be used with a downstream application, it must be 

registered to a component. By default, when you save your schematic, it is 

registered with the component specified when you opened the schematic sheet. 

You can register a schematic with other components. 

For more information on component structure and model registration, see Chapter 

5, “Managing/Registering Models”. 

Saving and Registering to the Default Component 

Interface 

Use the following step to save and register a schematic sheet to the default 

component: 

1. Choose File > Save Sheet from the Schematic Editor window. 

Saving and Registering to a Specified Component 

Interface 

To save a schematic sheet and change the default registration, follow these steps: 

1. Select File > Save Sheet As. The Save Sheet As dialog box displays. 


Creating Schematics Saving and Registering a Schematic 

2. Next to Options?, click the YES button. The Save Sheet As dialog box 

shown in figure 3-27 displays. 

Figure 3-27. Save Sheet As Dialog Box 

3. Enter the following information as necessary: 

o Component Name: Enter a new component name 

o Sheet Name: 

o Schematic Name: 

o Delete Registration From Interfaces: To delete registration from 

component interface(s), type the name of the component interface to 

delete the text entry box. 

o Add Registration From Interfaces: To register the schematic to 

another component interface(s), type the component interface name in 

the text entry box. 


Saving and Registering a Schematic Creating Schematics 

3-82 

o Remove Labels: To remove multiple labels associated with the 

component interface(s), type one label per box in the text entry boxes. 

o Add Labels: To add multiple labels to a component interface(s), type 

one label per box in the text entry boxes. 

4. Click OK. 

For more information on registering schematic models, see 

“Managing/Registering Models” in Chapter 5. 


Creating Schematics Navigating Multiple Page Schematics 

Navigating Multiple Page Schematics 

Design Architect-IC allows you to easily navigate through multi-sheet designs 

using one window. In order to accomplish this, you do not need to open all of the 

sheets in the schematic. This feature is only available in the Schematic scope. 

You can open and edit multiple sheets from within one window. In addition, you 

can switch between existing sheets in the schematic, and also create new sheets. 

This ability exists in source sheets, as well as design sheets. Design navigation 

provides the following three general modes of operation: 

1. moving to the next sheet of a schematic by using the Right Arrow button 

in the title bar of every schematic window. 

2. moving to the previous sheet of the schematic by using the Left Arrow 

button in the title bar of every schematic window. 

3. moving to any schematic sheet or creating a new sheet within a schematic 

by using the Multiple Page icon button in the title bar of every schematic 

window. Figure 3-28 illustrates the schematic sheet navigation buttons. 

Multiple-Page 

Icon 

Previous 

Sheet 

Next 

Sheet 

Figure 3-28. Schematic Sheet Navigation Buttons 


Navigating Multiple Page Schematics Creating Schematics 

Navigating Multi-Sheet Schematics with a Single 

Window 

To use the schematic sheet navigation buttons, you must open at least one 

schematic sheet of the design. To open a schematic sheet, refer to the step-by-step 

procedures in the “Opening/Creating a Schematic” in this chapter. 

Sequentially Traversing a Schematic 

Once the sheet is open and active, you can traverse a multi-sheet design by 

stepping sequentially through the schematic sheets. This is achieved by using 

either the Left Arrow button to step to the previous sheet, or the Right Arrow 

button to step to the next sheet. 

Multiple Page Icon Button 

Design Architect-IC also allows you to jump to any sheet in a schematic or create 

a new schematic sheet within a single window. By clicking on the Multiple Page 

icon button, the Display Specific Sheet dialog box displays. Figure 3-29 

illustrates the Display Specific Sheet dialog box. 

3-84 

Display Specific Sheet 

Existing Create 

sheet1 Editable Passed 

sheet2 

sheet3 

Editable Unchecked 

Editable Passed 

OK Cancel 

Figure 3-29. Display Specific Sheet Dialog Box 


Creating Schematics Navigating Multiple Page Schematics 

The Display Specific Sheet Dialog box presents a list of existing sheets that make 

up the schematic. In addition to the sheet name, the Display Specific Sheet Dialog 

box provides the edit status of the sheet(s) as Closed, Editable, Read Only, or 

Modified. If the sheet is open, the status of the last known Check for the sheet 

(Unchecked, Passed, or Failed) is displayed. 

To open a sheet from within the Display Specific Sheet Dialog box, double click 

the desired sheet. To create a new sheet for the schematic, select the Create 

button. The resultant dialog box allows you to enter the name of a new sheet. See 

Figure 3-30. 

Existing 

Display Specific Sheet 

Sheet Name sheet1 

Create 

OK Cancel 

Figure 3-30. New Sheet Option 

Closing a Multiple Sheet Schematic 

Once you have made edits to an existing schematic sheet or created new sheets for 

the schematic, you can close the schematic using the procedures outlined in 

“Saving and Registering a Schematic” in this chapter. 


Displaying/Editing Registered Models Creating Schematics 

If multiple sheets have been edited, you must specify which of the sheets you want 

to save. Upon closing a schematic, the dialog box in Figure 3-31 displays. 

3-86 

Figure 3-31. Save Multiple Sheets Dialog Box 

All of the sheets with pending edits are selected. You can select all the sheets or 

selected sheets, or unselect all of the sheets. 

! 

Caution 

Multiple sheets edited in schematic 

$TRAINING/danwp/card_reader/my_dff/schematic 

Select Sheet to Save 

sheet1 

sheet2 

sheet3 

Save Selected Save Nothing 

Select All 

Unselect All 

Warning: Edits to unselected sheets will be lost. 

Cancel 

When navigating between sheets in the same window, ensure that 

any Prompt Bars (for example, Move or Add Wire) are cancelled. 

Prompt bars are tied to a window rather than a sheet. 

Displaying/Editing Registered Models 

You can display/edit the models registered to a selected instance from simulation 

mode or the schematic editor. For more information on displaying/editing models 

from simulation mode, see “Displaying/Editing the Default Registered Model”in 

chapter 8. 


Creating Schematics Displaying/Editing Registered Models 

Use the following steps to display/edit the models registered to an instance using 

the Schematic editor: 

1. Open a schematic design and select the instance to display/edit models for. 

2. Click the arrow next to File > Open Down and select Choose Model. The 

Open Down dialog box displays. 

3. Select the model to display from the list box. If a language model, such as 

VHDL-AMS, is selected, other options in the dialog box do not apply. 

4. Click OK. 

The selected model displays. 

If a symbol or schematic/symbol model is selected, the associated 

schematic or symbol displays in DA-IC. 


Netlisting a Schematic Creating Schematics 

3-88 

If a language file is selected, the contents of the model file displays in the 

Notepad editor. 

For information on setting up a default model editor, see “Setting up a 

Language Model Editor” in chapter 2. 

5. Edit and save the model as necessary. 

Netlisting a Schematic 

From DA-IC, you can create SPICE and Verilog netlists with EldoNet. For more 

information on EldoNet, see the EldoNet User’s and Reference Manual. 

A netlist is an ASCII text representation of a schematic design. The netlist allows 

downstream applications, such as Eldo or IC Station, to import and manipulate a 

design created in DA-IC. 

Before creating a netlist, you must assign the appropriate property values to the 

schematic design. The appropriate property values are determined by the 

downstream application. For more information on properties, see Chapter 7, 

“Using Properties”. For more information on netlists, see the EldoNet User’s and 


Creating a SPICE Netlist 

You can create a SPICE netlist for a schematic design from the Session window or 

Simulation mode. The following procedure describes how to netlist from the 

Session window. For more information on creating a netlist from Simulation 

mode, see “Generating a Netlist” in chapter 8. 

1. Check and save the design. 


Creating Schematics Netlisting a Schematic 

2. Select File > Export SPICE. The Export SPICE Netlist dialog box shown 

in Figure 3-32 displays. 

Figure 3-32. Export SPICE Netlist Dialog Box 

3. Select the Output Type: for the netlist. Options include: 

o EldoSPICE - creates a SPICE netlist compatible with the Eldo 

simulator. This is the default setting. 

o HSPICE - creates a SPICE netlist compatible with the HSPICE 

simulator. 

o LVS - creates a layout versus schematic SPICE netlist compatible with 

Calibre. See “Using Advanced Options for a SPICE Netlist”. 

4. If necessary, select a case for object names output in the netlist. Objects 

include: subcircuits/modules, instances, nets, pins, ports, etc. Options 

include: 

o Upper - Outputs object names in uppercase. This is the default setting. 

o Lower - Outputs object names in lowercase. 



3-90 

5. In the Design Path data field, enter the path to the location of the design 

viewpoint for the design. If no design viewpoint is specified, an EldoNet 

viewpoint is created under the component. 

6. Click OK. The SPICE netlist assumes the component name and is written 

to the design viewpoint directory. 

Using Advanced Options for a SPICE Netlist 

Advanced options allow you to specify how the netlister runs and how the output 

netlist is formatted. Use the following steps to specify the advanced options: 

1. Check and save the design. 

2. Select File > Export SPICE from the Session window. The Export SPICE 

Netlist dialog box shown in Figure 3-32 displays. 



3. Next to Options?, click Yes. The dialog box displays the advanced options 

shown in Figure 3-33. 

Figure 3-33. Export SPICE Options Dialog Box 

4. Set the advanced options as necessary. For more information on the 

advanced option settings, see $export_spice() in the Design Architect-IC 




3-92 

5. Click OK. The netlist is written as specified. 

Creating a Verilog Netlist 

Use the following procedure to create a verilog netlist from the Session window. 

1. Check and Save the design. 

2. Select File > Export Verilog. The Export Verilog Netlist dialog box shown 

in Figure 3-34 displays. 

Figure 3-34. Export Verilog Netlist Dialog Box 

3. If necessary, select a case for object names output in the netlist. Objects 

include: modules/subcircuits, instances, nets, pins, ports, etc. Options 

include: 

o Upper - Outputs all object names in uppercase. 

o Lower - Outputs all object names in lowercase. This is the default 

setting. 

o Uppercase Modules - Outputs module/subcircuit names in uppercase 

and all other object names in lowercase. 



4. In the Design Path data field, enter the path to the location of the design 

viewpoint for the design. If no design viewpoint is specified, an EldoNet 

viewpoint is created under the component. 

5. Click OK. The Verilog netlist assumes the component name and is written 

to the design viewpoint directory. 

Using Advanced Options for a Verilog Netlist 

The advanced options allow you to specify how the netlister runs and how the 

output netlist is formatted. Use the following steps to specify the advanced 

options: 

1. Check and Save the design. 

2. Select File > Export Verilog from the Session window. The Export 

Verilog Netlist dialog box shown in Figure 3-34 displays. 



3-94 

3. Next to Options?, click Yes. The dialog box displays the advanced options 


Figure 3-35. Export Verilog Options Dialog Box 

4. Set the advanced options as necessary. For more information on the option 

settings, see $export_verilog() in the Design Architect-IC Reference 


5. Click OK. The specified netlist is written. 


Creating Schematics Invoking IC Station Directly from DA-IC 

Invoking IC Station Directly from DA-IC 

You can invoke IC Station from within DA-IC. Invoking IC Station in this manner 

allows you to create a schematic, create or open a cell, and begin doing Schematic 

Driven Layout (SDL) without having to open IC Station independently. You can 

specify the Process file and rules file to load during IC Station invocation. If a 

design kit is loaded, the process file and SDL rules file provided with the kit are 

automatically loaded as the default arguments for SDL. 

Because the viewpoint, layout cell, process, and rules file information is 

associated with the schematic component, those values automatically load as 

default argument values for subsequent DA-IC sessions. Calibre Interactive can 

also access this viewpoint when creating its source netlist. 

Use the following steps to open a new layout cell for SDL from the active 

schematic in DA-IC: 

1. Select File > Invoke IC Station. The Invoke IC Station dialog box 

displays. 


Invoking IC Station Directly from DA-IC Creating Schematics 

3-96 

2. Click Create New to create a new layout cell. The Invoke IC Station dialog 

box expands to include additional options. 

3. Enter a name for the new cell in the Cell Path field. The name can be a 

string containing any alphanumeric character. 

4. Enter the name of the process to load in the Process field. 

5. Click SDL for the Design Style, to specify Schematic Driven Layout. 


Creating Schematics Invoking IC Station Directly from DA-IC 

6. Enter the name of the rules files to load in the SDL Rules field. 

7. Specify the configuration to use in the Config Name field. A configuration 

consists of a viewpoint object, one or more backannotation objects, and 

setup information. The configuration determines which viewpoint is used 

and, therefore, which primitives are set in the viewpoint. For more 

information, see the “Opening/Creating a Design Configuration” section in 

Chapter 12, “Editing in Design Context,” of the Design Architect-IC User’s 


8. Specify the configuration setup for the configuration you want to create by 

clicking one of the options in the Configuration Type field. 

• SPICE_Netlister: the default viewpoint setup for doing SPICE 

netlisting with EldoNet. 

• Verilog_Netlister: the default setup for doing Verilog netlisting with 

EldoNet. 

• IC_Station_Flat: the default setup for doing SDL at the device level. 

This is the default. 

• IC_Station_Hierarchical: the default setup for doing SDL from the cell 

level. 

9. Click OK. 

When creating new cells, IC Station invokes with both the specified cell window 

and the source schematic window open. The specified rules and process files are 

loaded. You can begin placing and routing. If you open an existing cell, only the 

cell window displays. 

For more information about the arguments on the Invoke IC Station dialog box, 

refer to the $sdl_create_cell() function reference page in the IC Station Reference 

Manual. For more information on Schematic-Driven Layout (SDL), see Chapter 

3, “Schematic-Driven Layout (SDL),” in the IC Station Device Level Automation 



Invoking IC Station Directly from DA-IC Creating Schematics 

3-98 


Chapter 4 

Creating Symbols 

This chapter introduces the Symbol Editor in Design Architect-IC (DA-IC) and 

provides procedures for creating symbols. The following topics are available: 

Symbol Creation Overview 

Symbol Editor Features 

Opening a Symbol Editor Window 

Setting Up the Symbol Editor 

Setting Grid and Pin Spacing and Snap 

Setting Symbol Body Attributes 

Drawing a Symbol Body 

Drawing an Arc 

Drawing a Circle 

Drawing a Dot 

Drawing a Line 

Drawing a Polyline 

Drawing a Rectangle 

Drawing a Polygon 

Slicing Geometric Objects 

Joining Sliced Objects into Polylines and Polygons 

Adding and Naming Symbol Pins 

Adding a Single Pin 

Adding Multiple Pins 

Creating Consecutive Pins 

Adding and Naming a Pin Bundle 


Symbol Creation Overview Creating Symbols 

4-2 

Bundles Connected to Ports 

Checking a Symbol for Errors 

Saving and Registering a Symbol 

Saving a Symbol and Deleting The Registration 

Saving a Symbol and Changing The Registration 

Registering Multiple Symbols to One Component Interface 

Symbol Creation Overview 

Symbols are used to represent schematic components. You can use/modify 

symbols that come in DA-IC custom libraries or create your own. Once created, 

instances of these symbols are used throughout your schematic design. Using 

instances of a symbol allows you to reuse the same component throughout your 

design without having to create it more than once. 

You can open the Symbol Editor from Design Manager-IC or from within Design 

Architect-IC. For more information on invoking Mentor Graphics applications 

from Design Manager-IC, see the Design Manager-IC User's Manual. 

When you open the Symbol Editor, a set of symbol-specific palettes, popup, and 

pulldown menus display. 

Symbol Editor Features 

The Symbol Editor allows you to: 

• Create symbol body graphics 

• Set up templates for creating comments, property text, grids, and pages 

• Edit objects (moving, copying, or deleting) 

• Report on symbol objects' status 

• View a symbol 


Creating Symbols Opening a Symbol Editor Window 

• Add pins and properties to the symbol 

• Create and edit non-instantiable comments 

• Check a symbol for errors 

• Save and register a symbol 

• Access online help 

Use the following procedures to edit/create symbols. 

Opening a Symbol Editor Window 

Use the following steps to open a Symbol Editor window from the DA-IC Session 

window: 

1. Click Open Symbol on the session_palette menu. 

To browse for a component, click the Navigator button. For more 

information, see “Browsing for Files” in Chapter 2 “Getting Started”. 

If the specified component does not exist, a new component and symbol are 

created. If a symbol name is not specified, the symbol name defaults to the 

leaf name of the component. If the symbol does not exist within the 

component, a new symbol is created. 

Replace the symbol name by pressing the Options... button (this opens the 

expanded Open Symbol Options dialog box), then type the new symbol 

name in the Symbol Name text box. Also, from the expanded Open Symbol 

Options dialog box, you can open the symbol as editable or read-only. If 

you want to execute a startup file for this symbol, click Yes for that option, 

and enter the file pathname. 

2. After you complete the selections, click OK. 


Setting Up the Symbol Editor Creating Symbols 

Setting Up the Symbol Editor 

Before you start working on a symbol, you can change some or all of the default 

attribute settings for your symbol editing environment. Attributes such as pin 

spacing, grid spacing and snap, and symbol body attributes are all set to default 

settings when a new Symbol Editor window is opened. Menu items contained in 

the Setup and Set menus set these attributes. 

4-4 

The following procedures show you how to setup these attributes. 

Setting Grid and Pin Spacing and Snap 

The procedure for setting grid and pin spacing is the same as in the Schematic 

Editor setup. For more information, see “Setting Grid, Pin Spacing and Snap” in 

Chapter 3. 

Setting Symbol Body Attributes 

To set up symbol body text and graphical drawing attributes, perform the 


1. Choose the Setup > Symbol Body... pulldown menu item. 

The Setup Symbol Body dialog box displays as in Figure 4-1. 


Creating Symbols Setting Up the Symbol Editor 

Figure 4-1. Setup Symbol Body Dialog Box 

2. Click on the Line Style you desire (solid, dotted, long dash, short dash, 

centerline, and phantom). 

3. Click on the Line Width you desire (1 pixel, 3 pixels, 5 pixels, or 7 pixels). 

4. Type in the Font Name you desire. Fonts and font registries for all 

workstations are located in $MGC_HOME/registry/fonts. The default is the 

“stroke” font. 

5. Type in the Text Height you desire. The default height is 0.75 user units. 

6. Type in the Text Orientation you desire (0 or 90 degrees). The default is 0 

degrees (horizontal). 

7. Click to set the Restricted Flipped/Rotated Text to On or Off. 


Drawing a Symbol Body Creating Symbols 

4-6 

8. Click on the text Vertical Justification you desire (Top, Center, or 

Bottom). 

9. Click on the text Horizontal Justification you desire (Left, Center, or 

Right). 

10. Click to set the Orthogonal Drawing Mode to On or Off. 

11. Click on the Text Transparency you desire to On or Off. 

12. Click on the Fill Type you desire (Clear, Solid, or Stipple). 

13. Type in the Dot Size (diameter) you desire. The default size is 0.1 user 

units. 

14. Click on the Dot Style you desire (Square, Circle). 

15. Press OK, when symbol body attribute selection is complete. 

Drawing a Symbol Body 

A symbol body can be made up of the following graphical entities: 

• Arcs 

• Circles 

• Dots 

• Lines 

• Polygons 

• Polylines 

• Rectangles 

In addition, a symbol body typically has short lines called “whiskers” that project 

from the symbol body border to indicate where the pins will be connected. These 

“whiskers” are not a required part of the symbol, but rather a convention used in 

the Mentor Graphics component libraries. 


Creating Symbols Drawing a Symbol Body 

Access the menu items used to draw the symbol body from the Add popup menu. 

You can also perform these tasks by clicking the left mouse button on the 

appropriate symbol_draw [Add] palette item. 

Before you start drawing your symbol, set the dot style, dot width, line style, line 

width, and polygon fill that determines the attributes of the graphical entities. To 

use something other than the default values for these attributes, select the 

Setup > Symbol Body menu item to change the default values. This topic is 

discussed in the “Setting Symbol Body Attributes” procedure. 

All graphical entities can be selected, moved, copied, or deleted. 

Drawing an Arc 

To draw an arc, perform the following: 

1. Click the symbol_draw [Add] Arc palette item, or choose the Add > Arc 

popup menu item. The Add Arc prompt bar is displayed with the location 

cursor on “Initial Point”. 

2. Move the mouse so the moving pointer displays in the active window. 

3. Click the left mouse button at the desired initial arc point. The location 

cursor in the prompt bar moves to “End Point”. 

4. Click the left mouse button at the desired end point for the arc. The location 

cursor moves to “Arc Point”. 

5. Click the left mouse button at the desired arc point location. 

The prompt bar disappears and the completed arc displays. The basepoint is 

positioned on the arc's end point. Line style and width are controlled by values 

specified in the Setup > Symbol Body dialog box, discussed in the “Setting 

Symbol Body Attributes” in this chapter. 

Drawing a Circle 

The steps in the following list outline the procedure for adding a circle: 



4-8 

1. Click the left mouse button on the symbol_draw [Add] Circle palette item, 

or choose the Add > Circle popup menu item. The Add Circle prompt bar 

appears with the location cursor on “Center”. 

2. Position the moving cursor to the desired center point of the circle. Press, 

but do not release, the left mouse button. The location cursor moves to 

“Circle Point”. 

3. Position the moving pointer to indicate the perimeter of the circle (the left 

mouse button is still depressed). A ghost image of the circle appears in the 

window. Release the mouse button. 

The prompt bar disappears, and the completed circle displays. The basepoint is 

positioned in the center of the circle. The line style, line width, and fill type of the 

circle are controlled by the values specified in the Setup > Symbol Body dialog 

box, discussed in the “Setting Symbol Body Attributes” of this chapter. 

Drawing a Dot 

To add a graphical dot, perform the following: 

1. Select the Add > Dot popup menu item. The Add Dot prompt bar appears 

in the active symbol window. The location cursor is on “At Location”. 

2. Click the left mouse button at the desired dot point. The prompt bar 

disappears and the dot displays in the active symbol window. The basepoint 

is positioned on the dot. 

Dot style and size are set by values specified in the Setup > Symbol Body dialog 

box, as discussed in the “Setting Symbol Body Attributes” section of this chapter. 

Drawing a Line 

To add a line, perform the following steps: 

1. Select the Add > Two Point Line popup menu item. The Add Line prompt 

bar displays with the location cursor on “Endpoints”. 



2. Position the moving pointer at the desired location for the initial point of the 

line. Press, but do not release, the left mouse button. 

3. Position the moving pointer away from the initial point. You will see a line 

from the initial point to the current location of the moving pointer. With the 

left mouse button still depressed, position the moving pointer to the 

location of the end point. Release the left mouse button. 

The prompt bar disappears and the line displays. The basepoint is located on the 

initial point. The line style and line width are controlled by the values specified in 

the Setup > Symbol Body dialog box, discussed in the “Setting Symbol Body 

Attributes” section of this chapter. 

Execute this menu item when you want to draw whiskers for pins on a symbol. 

Place the cursor at the desired point of the border of the symbol as the initial point 

of the line. As you add whiskers, it is important to remember that pins always snap 

to the nearest grid point (as defined by the value of the arguments in the Setup > 

Grid dialog box) regardless of whether objects snap to grid. Therefore, terminate 

whiskers on a displayed grid coordinate which matches the pin spacing. 

Drawing a Polyline 

To add multiple contiguous lines, perform the following steps: 

1. Select the symbol_draw [Add] Polyline palette item. 

The Add Polyline prompt bar displays with the location cursor on “Points”. 

2. Click the left mouse button at the initial point of the polyline. 

3. Click the left mouse button at each vertex of the polyline. 

4. Continue with step 3, until you have created all the vertices of the polyline. 

5. On the last vertex, double-click the left mouse button. 

The prompt bar disappears and the polyline displays in the active window. DA-IC 

locates the basepoint on the initial creation point of the polyline. 



The line style and the line width of the polyline are controlled by the values 

specified in the Setup > Symbol Body dialog box. 

Drawing a Rectangle 

To create a rectangle, perform the following steps: 

4-10 

1. Select the Add > Rectangle popup menu item, or the symbol_draw [Add] 

Rectangle palette item. The Add Rectangle prompt bar displays with the 

location cursor on “Rectangle”. 

2. Position the moving pointer at the desired location of one corner of the 

rectangle. Press, but do not release, the left mouse button. 

3. Position the moving cursor away from the initial edge with the left mouse 

button still depressed. A ghost image displays in the size of the rectangle. 

At the desired location for the diagonally opposite corner of the rectangle, 

release the left mouse button. 

The prompt bar disappears and the rectangle appears in the active symbol 

window. The basepoint is positioned on the lower left edge of the rectangle. The 

line style, line width, and fill type (clear, solid, or stipple) of the rectangle are 

controlled by the values specified in the Setup > Symbol Body dialog box. 

Drawing a Polygon 

To create a polygon, perform the following steps: 

1. Choose the symbol_draw [Add] Polygon palette item, or select the Add > 

Polygon popup menu item. The Add Polygon prompt bar appears with the 

location cursor on “Points”. 

2. Position the moving pointer at the initial point of the polygon. Click the left 

mouse button. 

3. Move the cursor to the next polygon vertex and click the left mouse button. 



4. Repeat step 3 until you have created all vertices of the polygon. At the last 

vertex, double-click the left mouse button, indicating you have completed 

the polygon. A polygon is always a closed figure; the segment between the 

initial point and the last point is automatically drawn for you. 

The prompt bar disappears and the polygon appears in the active window. The 

basepoint of the polygon is located at the initial point. The line style, line width, 

and fill type (clear, solid, or stipple) of the polygon are controlled by the 

line_style, line_width, and polygon_fill arguments as defined in the 

Setup > Symbol Body dialog box, discussed in the “Setting Symbol Body 

Attributes” section of this chapter. 

Symbol bodies can be created using several polygons layered on top of each other. 

For example, a symbol body that looks like a motor can be created using this 

technique. The layered position of an object can be changed using the POP TO 

FRONT and PUSH TO BACK icons on the DRAW palette. 

Slicing Geometric Objects 

The $slice() function is an interactive function that allows you to cut a geometric 

object into two or more pieces. 

You slice an object using the following procedure: 

1. Select the object. 

2. Choose Edit > Comment Operations > Slice menu item, or execute the 

following keyboard command: $slice() 

The Slice prompt bar appears. 

3. Draw a slice line by pressing the left mouse button, dragging the mouse 

across the object, then releasing the mouse button. 

The selected object is first “exploded” into the lines that define it, then the lines 

are sliced by the slicing line. This does not apply to arcs and circles. An arc is 

sliced into 2 or 3 arcs, depending on how many times the slicing line passes 

through the arc. A circle is sliced into two arcs if and only if the slicing line passes 

into and back out of the circle. If there is only one intersection between the circle 

and the slicing line, no slice will occur. 



In all cases, the original object is deleted and in its place are the new objects 

created by the slice. The new objects do not have any relationship with the old 

object. You have the ability to choose whether only one of the new, sliced objects 

inherits the properties from the original object or whether all new sliced objects 

inherit the properties. In either case, all of the property values are displayed in 

exactly the same diagram location as the original property values. For example, if 

a box is split into six pieces, and there is one property on the original graphics, 

each of the six lines will have that property and there will be six property values at 

the same diagram location. If you want only one piece of sliced graphics to inherit 

the properties, you can choose that option, then one property value only will 

replace the original. 

You can get the original object back by selecting the pieces of the geometric 

object, and executing the menu item Add > Polygon or Add > Polyline. 

Joining Sliced Objects into Polylines and Polygons 

The Add Polygon function takes a selection of polylines and lines, and if the 

selection is all end to end with at most one cycle, the selected graphics will be 

made into a single polygon. The procedure is as follows: 

4-12 

1. Select a group of polylines and lines. 

2. Execute the closeness criteria, using the $set_closeness_criteria() 

command. 

If the line endpoints are within the closeness criteria, the lines automatically 

join. 

This Add Polygon command may add an extra line to close the polygon. If the 

selection is not end to end, the error “Error: Unable to connect line/polyline 

segments to form polygon” displays. If the polylines and lines form more than one 

cycle, the error “Error: Unable to create polygon, selected items form more than 

one cycle” displays. 

The selected polylines and lines can be made into a single polyline by executing 

the menu item: Add > Polyline. 


Creating Symbols Adding and Naming Symbol Pins 

Adding and Naming Symbol Pins 

Once you have drawn the symbol body, you must include information on where 

the symbol's input and output pins are on the symbol body. A pin is named by 

adding a Pin property to the pin. 

Pins are graphic entities that represent a connection point. The presence of a Pin 

property tells the system that an object is a pin, while the value assigned to that 

Pin property separates that pin from all the others on that symbol. 

Pin names appear as Pin properties on the symbol. A pin and its Pin property 

value define where and what electrical connections will be made to the 

component. Pin properties on a symbol pin should match Net properties on the 

symbol's underlying schematic sheet in order to establish cross-hierarchy 

connections. Pins on a component define where an electrical connection may be 

made to the component when it is placed on a schematic sheet. 

You can add pins by clicking the symbol_draw [Add] Pin palette item, or by 

executing the Add > Pin(s) popup menu item. 

Pins must be placed on the pin grid that defines the minimum spacing between 

pins. Select the Setup > Grid menu item (see “Setting Grid and Pin Spacing and 

Snap”) to define the pin grid. Setting the displayed grid points to match the pin 

grid makes it easy to see where pins can be placed. 

Adding a Single Pin 

To add a single pin to a symbol, perform the following steps: 

1. Press Shift-F4 (Add Pin). The Add Pin prompt bar displays. 

2. Enter a text string that represents the name of the pin. 

3. Press the Tab key. The location cursor moves to “Pin Location”. 

4. Click in the symbol for the location of the new pin. 

5. Press and hold the left mouse button, then move the ghost image of the pin 

name to the desired location. Release the left mouse button. 


Adding and Naming Symbol Pins Creating Symbols 

The prompt bar disappears and the pin name appears at the specified location. 

Adding Multiple Pins 

To add multiple pins to a symbol, perform the following steps: 

4-14 

1. Select the symbol_draw [Add] Pin palette item. The Add Pin(s) dialog box 

appears. 

2. Specify a value for Name Height by clicking one of the buttons or typing a 

value in the text entry box. This value is the height of the pin name with 

respect to the pin grid. 

3. Click one of the Name Placement buttons: 

• Manual: Specify the pin location and text location. 

• Name (with diamond): Specify the pin location; the text is 

automatically placed next to the pin. 

• Name (with diamond and whisker): Specify the pin location; the pin 

and whisker are created, and the text is placed next to the pin. When 

you choose this option, specify pin locations one pin grid away from the 

symbol body to allow space for the whisker. 

4. Select the Pin Type property (IN, OUT, IXO) or you may omit it. 

5. Select the Pin Placement specifying whether the pin is placed to the left, 

top, bottom, or right of the symbol body. 

6. Enter the pin names (pin property values) in the dialog box, one per line. 

Use the Tab key to move to the next line. All pins specified at the same time 

have the same pintype and placement. 

7. Click OK. The Add Pin prompt bar appears in the active symbol window. 

The name of the first pin is displayed as the “Pin Property Value”, whereas 

the location cursor is on “Pin Location”. 

8. Click the left mouse button at the desired pin location. If you chose manual 

name placement, click the left mouse button at the desired pin name 

location. If not, the pin name is placed automatically. 



9. The Add Pin prompt bar displays again, with the name of the next pin. 

Repeat step 7 for each pin you specified in the dialog box. After the last pin 

has been specified, the prompt bar disappears. 

Creating Consecutive Pins 

When you need to create many pins of the same type and on the same side of the 

symbol body, the Copy Multiple and Sequence Text commands are helpful. The 

following steps show you how to add, copy, and renumber the pins on the symbol 

for the $MGC_PLDLIB/16hd8 component. 

1. Choose the symbol_draw [Add] Pin palette item. This displays the Add 

Pin(s) dialog box. 

2. Enter the following information in the dialog box: 

a. Name Height: 0.75 

b. Name Placement: Name with whisker 

c. Pintype: IN 

d. Pin Placement: left side 

e. Pin name(s): 1 

Click OK using the Select (left) mouse button. 

3. When the Add Pin prompt bar appears, click the left mouse button at the pin 

location in the symbol edit window. 

4. Move the Pintype property text (“IN”) by placing the cursor over the text, 

and pressing the Select Text and Move function key. Hold the key while 

you move the cursor to the new text position, as shown in Figure 4-2. 

Figure 4-2. Pintype Property Text Location 

5. Press F2 (Unselect All). 

IN 


1


4-16 

6. Using F1 (Select Area Any), select the pin, whisker, and property text. 

7. Choose the Copy > Multiple menu item from the popup menu. Enter “9” in 

the Count text entry box. Click the left mouse button one pin grid below the 

selected pin. The left panel of Figure 4-3 shows the result. 


9. Click the left mouse button on the symbol_text [Edit] Sequence Text icon. 

Enter the following information in the Sequence Text dialog box: 

a. New Prefix: P 

b. Beginning Index Number: 1 

c. Step By: 1 

d. Click OK 

10. The Select Area prompt bar displays; select the pin names (1s). 

a. Move the cursor to “P10”, and press the Change Text Value function 

key. 



b. Enter “P11” in the New Value text entry box in the prompt bar, and 

click OK. The pins and text should look like the center panel of Figure 

4-3. 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

Figure 4-3. Copying Pins and Sequencing Text 

11. Change the select filter to select only pins, then select the pins. 

a. Click the symbol_text [Add] Property palette item. 

b. In the Add Property dialog box, choose “PIN_NO” from the scrolling 

list of property names. 

If it is not there, enter it in the New Property Name text entry box. 

Enter “1” as the property value. 

c. When you click OK, you are prompted for the text location. As you 

move the cursor in the edit window, an elastic string connects each 

piece of text with its pin. 

d. Move the cursor so the text for each pin is just above the whisker, then 

click the left mouse button to place the text. 


P1 

P2 

P3 

P4 

P5 

P6 

P7 

P8 

P9 

P11 

Copy pin Sequence text 

Change text value 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

IN 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

11 

P1 

P2 

P3 

P4 

P5 

P6 

P7 

P8 

P9 

P11 

Add and sequence 

PIN_NO property


4-18 


13. Using F1 (Select Area Any), select the newly created property text, then 

click the symbol_text [Edit] Sequence Text palette item. In the dialog box, 

specify the following: 

• New Prefix: (no prefix) 

• Beginning Index Number: 1 

• Step By: 1 

After you click OK, the pins and text should look like the right panel in 

Figure 4-3. That completes the pins on the left side of the symbol. 

You use nearly the same steps to create the pins, on the right side of the symbol, as 

you did for the pins on the left side. 


2. Click the symbol_draw [Add] Pin palette item, and enter the following 

information in the Add Pin dialog box: 

• Name Height: 0.75 

• Name Placement: Name with whisker 

• Pintype: OUT 

• Pin Placement: right side 

• Pin name(s): O 

Click OK using the Select (left) mouse button. 

3. When the Add Pin prompt bar appears, place the pin to the right of pin 2. 

Move the “OUT” text to just below the pin whisker. 


5. Using F1 (Select Area Any), select the new pin, whisker, and property text. 

Copy it directly below the original, and opposite pin 9. 



6. Unselect, then add another pin opposite pin 3. This pin has a Pintype 

property value of “IXO” and pin name “P”. 

7. Select the pin, whisker, and property text. 

a. Choose Copy > Multiple from the popup menu. 

b. Enter “5” in the Count text entry box. 

c. Press the Tab key, and click the left mouse button below the selected 

pin and opposite pin 4. 

The IXO and OUT pins should now appear as shown in the left panel of 

Figure 4-4. 

d. Press the F2 (Unselect All) function key. 

Figure 4-4. IXO and OUT Pins on PLD Symbol 

8. Select the Pin property text (“O” and “P”) and click the left mouse button 

on the symbol_text [Edit] Sequence Text palette item. When the dialog 

box displays, enter the following information: 

a. New Prefix: P 

O 

P 

P 

P 

P 

P 

P 

O 

OUT 

IXO 

IXO 

IXO 

IXO 

IXO 

IXO 

OUT 


P19 

P18 

P17 

P16 

P15 

P14 

P13 

P12 

19 

18 

17 

16 

15 

14 

13 

12 

OUT 

IXO 

IXO 

IXO 

IXO 

IXO 

IXO 

OUT


4-20 


c. Step By: -1 

d. Click OK 


10. Set the select filter to select only pins (Setup >Select Filter), then select the 

pins on the right side of the symbol. 

11. Click the symbol_text [Edit] Add Property palette item. 

a. In the dialog box, choose the PIN_NO property name. 

b. Enter a dummy property value, such as “Z” (you will change it in the 

next step, but it should be unique). 

c. Click OK, and place the text just above the whisker, as you did on the 

left side of the symbol. 


13. Click the symbol_text [Select] By Property palette item. Specify the 

following information in the dialog box, then click OK: 

a. Property Name: PIN_NO 

b. Property Value: Z (or whatever name you gave in the previous step) 

c. Click the Text button 

14. Click the left mouse button on the symbol_text [Edit] Sequence Text icon. 

When the dialog box displays, enter the following information: 

a. New Prefix: (no prefix) 


c. Step By: -1 


Creating Symbols Adding and Naming a Pin Bundle 

d. Click OK 

Now the right side of the symbol should look like the right panel in 

Figure 4-4. 

15. Finish the symbol by adding a rectangle for the symbol body, adding 

properties, checking, and saving. Figure 4-5 shows the finished symbol. 

1 

IN 

2 

IN 

3 

IN 

4 

IN 

5 

IN 

6 

IN 

7 

IN 

8 

IN 

9 

IN 

11 

IN 

Figure 4-5. $MGC_PLDLIB/16hd8 Symbol 

Adding and Naming a Pin Bundle 

P1 

P2 

P3 

P4 

P5 

P6 

P7 

P8 

P9 

P11 

16HD8 

A pin bundle is an ordered collection of individual pins and/or wide pins. The pins 

in a pin bundle must be unique. If a pin occurs in a pin bundle, it cannot occur as 

an individual pin on the symbol or in a different pin bundle. 

You can create a pin bundle by adding a Pin property to a symbol. The value of 

the Pin property must include a comma-separated list of pins or wide pins. 

Proper pin connectivity is defined by a set of checks, described in Appendix C, 

“Design Checks”. 


P19 

P18 

P17 

P16 

P15 

P14 

P13 

P12 

19 

OUT 

18 

IXO 

17 

IXO 

16 

IXO 

15 

IXO 

14 

IXO 

13 

IXO 

12 

OUT

Adding and Naming a Pin Bundle Creating Symbols 

A member of a pin bundle is defined as a pin or wide pin contained in the list of a 

pin bundle. The members of a pin bundle must be enclosed within curly braces; 

for example, “U2_pins{P8,P9,P(3:0)}”. 

When a pin bundle is defined on a symbol, a corresponding pin bundle is also 

created on the part interface. When the symbol is instantiated, a pin bundle can be 

connected to either a net bundle or a bus, as long as the widths are the same. 

You create a pin bundle using the following steps: 

4-22 

1. Add a pin to a symbol. 

2. Select the new pin. 

3. Execute the Add > Properties menu item to display the Add Multiple 

Property dialog box. 

4. Select the “PIN” property in the list box under “Existing Property Name.” 

5. Name the pin using bundle syntax beside “Property Value.” 

6. Choose the stability and visibility switches appropriate for your needs. 

7. Click OK. 

You can edit a pin bundle by changing the value of the Pin property. Errors caused 

by editing the syntax of a pin bundle are identified only when the symbol is 

checked. For more information on creating properties, see “Assigning Properties” 

in Chapter 7. 

Pin bundles have the following characteristics: 

• A pin bundle name must be unique within the scope of the symbol. 

Therefore, there cannot be two different pin bundles with the same name, or 

both a pin and a pin bundle with the same name. 

• A pin can only occur once in the list of pins of a pin bundle. 

• A pin cannot exist both on the symbol by itself and in a pin bundle, since 

this would cause multiple references to the pin on the symbol. 


Creating Symbols Checking a Symbol for Errors 

• A pin bundle can contain other pin bundles as long as the nested bundles do 

not also occur on the symbol by themselves. 

• A pin can belong to only one pin bundle. 

• Connection of the items in a pin bundle to a net bundle or bus is done by 

position, not by name. 

• A pin bundle can have properties, which are propagated to the individual 

pins in the pin bundle when a design is evaluated. 

For more information on net bundles, refer to “Creating and Naming a Net 

Bundle” in Chapter 3. 

Bundles Connected to Ports 

When you create a pin bundle on a symbol, you can connect a model of the 

symbol to the pins in one of two ways: 

• Create a net bundle in the model using the same name and the same 

members in the Net property, as those contained in the Pin property that 

designate the pin bundle. 

• Create nets in the model with the same names as the members of the pin 

bundle. 

The nets do not have to be connected to portin or portout symbols, but their names 

do have to match the pins in the pin bundle. 

Checking a Symbol for Errors 

All symbols must pass a set of required checks before the symbol can be placed on 

a schematic sheet. By default, all the checks required by Mentor Graphic 

Applications are enabled. 


Use the following option from the session scope to change the default settings: 


Saving and Registering a Symbol Creating Symbols 

Setup>Check Symbol... 

To execute the default checks, perform the following steps: 

To check the symbol, Click Check & Save on the symbol_draw palette menu. 

Errors and warnings are display in the Check Symbol window by default for each 

individual check. Figure 4-6 shows an example of a Check Symbol error log after 

a successful symbol check. This error log may be diverted to a file by choosing 

the Check > Set Defaults menu item, and specifying a filename in the dialog box 

that displays. 

4-24 

Check #3 alu:Symbol 

Check Symbol "alu/alu" 

Check Body -------- 0 errors 0 warnings (MGC-required) 

Check Interface ---------- 0 errors 0 warnings 

Check Pin ----------- 0 errors 0 warnings (MGC-required) 

Check Special --------- 0 errors 0 warnings (MGC-required) 

"alu/alu" passed check: 0 errors 0 warnings 

Figure 4-6. Check Symbol Log 

Saving and Registering a Symbol 

After the symbol is created and ready to be saved, select the File > Save 

Symbol > Default Registration menu item. The symbol is now saved and 

marked as the default symbol for the component. A component interface is 

created, and the default symbol is registered to the component interface. The 

component interface is also defined as the default component interface for the 

component. The component interface name is created from the component leaf 

name. 

Saving a Symbol and Deleting The Registration 

To save the symbol and delete the registration, execute the File > Save Symbol > 

Options... menu item. The Save Symbol – Change Registration dialog box 


Creating Symbols Saving and Registering a Symbol 

appears; click the Yes box. DA-IC saves the symbol, but does not register it to a 

component interface. 

Saving a Symbol and Changing The Registration 

To save the symbol and change the registration, perform the following steps: 

1. When the symbol is ready to be saved, execute the File > Save Symbol > 

Options... menu item. The Save Symbol - Change Registration dialog box 

displays. 

2. To change registration from the default component interface, click the No 

button on the Delete Registration? option. 

3. To register the symbol to another component interface, click the Yes button 

on the Change Interface? option, then enter the new component interface 

name in the Register With Interface: text entry box. 

To mark the component interface as the new default interface for the 

component, click the Yes button on the Mark This Interface As Default? 

option. 

4. Select Yes or No as appropriate for the Overwrite Interface? option. 

5. Select Yes or No as appropriate for the Force Save If Unchecked? option. 

6. After registration changes are made, click OK. 

Registering Multiple Symbols to One Component 

Interface 

To save and register more than one symbol to a single component interface, 

perform the following steps (This procedure assumes that you have already 

created one symbol for the component. Refer to “Saving and Registering a 

Symbol” procedure in this chapter if you have not already saved one symbol for 

the component.): 



4-26 

1. Click Open > Symbol from the session_palette. A dialog box displays to 

allow you to browse to find a symbol. 

The selected symbol displays in a Symbol Editor window. 

2. Choose File > Save Symbol As from the main menu bar. 

The Save Symbol As dialog box appears. 

3. Enter the pathname to the component that contains the first symbol in the 

Component Name field. For example, if the existing symbol is named 

“7496” and the pathname to the component is “$CUSTOM_PARTS/7496” 

enter “$CUSTOM_PARTS/7496”. 

4. Enter a new symbol name in the Symbol Name text box. For example, to 

create an alternate symbol for rotated instances of a 7496 shift register, you 

could enter “7496_rot” for the alternate symbol name. 

5. Click the OK button to close the Save Symbol As dialog box. 

6. Choose the “Open Symbol” item from the palette to open your newly 

created symbol. Use the navigator to select the newly created symbol from 

the menu. 

The new alternate symbol is displayed in a Symbol Editor window. 

7. Make any required changes to the alternate symbol. For example, you may 

want to rotate the symbol body and reposition property text. 

8. Choose Check > With Defaults from the main menu bar to check the 

alternate symbol. 

A report window displays with a summary of the check. Fix any problems 

reported, and repeat this step. 


Creating Symbols Saving and Registering a Symbol 

9. Choose File > Save Symbol > Default from the main menu bar to register 

the alternate symbol with the default component interface. 

! 

Caution 

If the symbol is not valid for the component interface (for 

example, the number of pins on the symbol do not match the 

number of pins in the component interface), the File > 

Save Symbol > Default menu item will query you as to whether 

you want to save the symbol and update the component interface. 

If you choose to save the symbol, any other model registered to 

that component interface is invalidated 

The symbol is now saved and registered to the default component interface. 

The default symbol label remains on the original symbol. 

10. Execute steps 1 – 9 until all alternate symbols are created and registered to 

the same component interface. 

To check that the proper symbol registration occurred, activate the Symbol Editor 

window for one of the new symbols, and execute the Report > Property Settings 

menu item. This displays a report listing all component properties for the specified 

component. 



4-28 


Chapter 5 

Managing/Registering Models 

This chapter provides a model registration overview, introduces the simulation 

model registration feature in Design Architect-IC (DA-IC), and provides 

procedures for creating and managing models. The following topics are available: 

Registering Models for Simulation 

Supported Modeling Types 

Invoking the Model Registrar 

Create Mode 

Manage Mode 

Edit Mode 

Choosing a Model 

Registering a Model to an Existing Symbol 

Editing an Existing Symbol for a Model 

Generating a Symbol for a Model 

Creating a Symbol for a Model 

Registering a Model from a Symbol 

Mapping a Model to a Symbol 

Setting a Default Model Registration 

Checking a Model Registration 

Viewing the Registered Models for a Symbol 

Editing a Model Registration 

Renaming a Model Registration 

Copying a Model Registration 

Deleting a Model Registration 


Registering Models for Simulation Managing/Registering Models 

5-2 

Restoring Deleted Model Registrations 

Closing the Model Registrar 

Using the Model Registrar in Batch Mode 

Registering Models for Simulation 

Simulation models are ASCII language files such as VHDL or SPICE that 

describe the physical and/or electrical characteristics of a design element. Models 

provide the detailed behavioral information about design elements needed for 

simulating a schematic design. 

A simulation model is considered registered when it has a netlist control file 

(NCF) and a symbol. EldoNet uses the model information in the NCF when 

netlisting a schematic design. For more information on the NCF, see the EldoNet 

User’s and Reference Manual. Once a model is registered, you can: 

• Instantiate it on a schematic design. 

• Use it interchangeably with other models. 

• Netlist and simulate a design containing it. 

Several registered models can be used interchangeably for a component of a 

design, each model having different physical and/or electrical characteristics or 

language types. 

Supported Modeling Types 

Design Architect-IC model registration supports the following model types: 

• HDL —VHDL, VHDL-AMS, Verilog-A, and Verilog models compiled by 

ADVance MS. Before registering HDL models, you must compile model 

files into an adms.ini file and a design library. For more information, see 

“Compiling ADVance MS designs” in Chapter 4 of the ADVanceMS User’s 

Manual. You can set the $WORK environment variable to specify a 

compiled library within the adms.ini. 


Managing/Registering Models Registering Models for Simulation 

• EldoSPICE -— SPICE files compatible with Eldo. 

• Schematic — schematic models cannot be registered through Model 

Registrar. However, they can be edited and manipulated. 

Invoking the Model Registrar 

Model registration for DA-IC is performed via the Model Registrar program. The 

Model Registrar is a discrete application invoked from menu options in DA-IC. 

Depending on the task you need to perform, the Model Registrar can be invoked 

in three modes as follows: 

• Create Mode — Displays the Create dialog box allowing you to create new 

model registrations. For more information, see “Create Mode” in this 

chapter. 

• Manage Mode — Displays the Model Registrar dialog box allowing you to 

create new model registrations or edit, copy, delete, and rename existing 

model registrations. For more information, see “Manage Mode” in this 

chapter. 

• Edit Mode — Displays the Model Registrar dialog box allowing you to 

edit the symbol to model parameter and pin mapping. To invoke this mode, 

an instance with a valid registered model associated with it must be 

selected. For more information, see “Edit Mode” in this chapter. 

• Batch Mode — Invokes the Model Registrar from the command line and 

displays the appropriate Model Registrar dialog box depending on which of 

the three modes is specified: create, manage, or edit. For more information 

on these three modes, see sections “Create Mode”, “Manage Mode”, and 

“Edit Mode”. For more information on batch mode, see section “Using the 

Model Registrar in Batch Mode. 



Create Mode 

From the Session window, choose File > Model Registration > Create or from 

the Schematic_edit palette menu, choose Model Registration > Create. The 

Create dialog box shown in Figure 5-1 displays. 

5-4 

Figure 5-1. Create Dialog Box 



Manage Mode 

Select a symbol instance and choose Model Registration > Manage from 

the Schematic_edit palette menu. The Model Registrar dialog box shown in 

Figure 5-2 displays. 

Edit Mode 

Figure 5-2. Model Registrar Dialog Box 

Select the symbol instance and choose Model Registration > Edit from the 

schematic_edit palette menu. The Model Registrar dialog box shown in Figure 5-3 



displays. If there is an invalid model registration associated with the selected 

instance, the Manage Mode is invoked. 

5-6 

Note 

Figure 5-3. Model Registrar Dialog Box 

To invoke the Edit mode, an instance with a valid model 

registration associated with it must be selected. The 

VIEW== must be present on the instance. 



Choosing a Model 

Use the following steps to choose a model when creating a new model 

registration: 

1. From the Session menu bar, choose File > Model Registration > Create. 

The Create dialog box displays. 

2. Select a Model Type. For more information, see “Supported Modeling 

Types” in this chapter. Depending on the model type specified, the dialog 

box changes to display list boxes specific to the model type. 



5-8 

3. Enter the path to the model as follows: 

o HDL - You should not need to enter anything. The compiled libraries 

specified in the adms.ini file should display in the Library list box. The 

design units contained in the highlighted library should display in the 

Design Unit list box. If no libraries display, select the File > Model 

Registration > Choose adms.ini File and specify an adms.ini file. For 

more information, see “Supported Modeling Types” in this chapter. 

o ELDOSPICE - Click Choose File next to the Model File field and 

select the file containing the SPICE models. The subcircuits contained 

in the file display in the Sub-Circuit list box. 

4. Select the model to register from either the Design Unit or Subcircuit list 

box. 

Registering a Model to an Existing Symbol 

Use the following steps to register the model to an existing symbol: 

1. Select a model in the Model Registrar Create dialog box. For more 

information, see “Choosing a Model” in this chapter. 

2. Click Choose Component next to the Component field and select the 

component containing the symbol to register the model to. The symbols 

contained in the component display in the Symbol list box. 

3. Select a symbol in the Symbol list box. 

4. Enter a name for the new registration in the Registration field. If no name is 

entered, the model name is used. 



5. Click Register to automatically perform the registration or Edit Mapping 

to manually map the symbol to the model. For more information, see 

“Mapping a Model to a Symbol” in this chapter. 

i 

By default, the model registration is written to the Component NCF. To 

specify which NCF the model is written to, click the right mouse button 

on Register and select the NCF to save the model registration to. 

Editing an Existing Symbol for a Model 

The Model Registrar allows you to create or edit a symbol with the Symbol 

Editor. For information on creating a symbol, see “Creating a Symbol for a 

Model” in this chapter. 

Use the following steps to edit an existing symbol: 



2. Click Choose Component next to the Component field and select the 

component containing the symbol to register the model to. The symbols 

contained in the component display in the Symbol list box. 



5-10 

3. Select a symbol in the list box and click Open Symbol. The Symbol Editor 

displays the symbol. 

4. Edit the Symbol. For more information on using the Symbol Editor, see 

Chapter 4, “Creating Symbols”. 

5. Click Check & Save. If the new symbol has no errors, it is saved, and the 

Create dialog box displays. For information on correcting errors, see 

“Checking a Model Registration” in this chapter. 






i 



on Register and select the NCF to save the model registration to. 

Generating a Symbol for a Model 

The Model Registrar allows you to define and generate a pinlist/symbol or create 

a symbol with the Symbol Editor. For information on using the Symbol Editor, 

see “Creating a Symbol for a Model” in this chapter. 

Use the following steps to generate a new symbol with the Model Registrar: 



2. Click Choose Component next to the Component field and select a 

component container to save the registration to. If no component container 

is specified, the model registration is written to a new component container 



with the model name in the working directory. Any existing symbols in the 

component container display in the Symbol list box. 

3. Enter the name for the symbol and click Add New. The symbol name is 

inserted in the Symbol list box. 

4. Select the new symbol in the Symbol list box and click Symbol Layout 

Properties. The Symbol Layout Properties dialog box displays. 

5. Next to the Pinlist File field, click Choose File to specify a name and 

location to write the pinlist file to. A pinlist is created from the symbol 

attributes specified in this dialog box. DA-IC generates a symbol using the 

pinlist. If no filename is specified, the pinlist is saved to the Component 

path with the “symbol name”.pinlist. 



5-12 

6. Click the arrow in the Choose Shape data field and choose a symbol shape 

from the list. 

7. If necessary, modify the values in the following fields: 

o Pin Spacing - The minimum spacing requirements for the selected 

symbol shape display by default. For more information on pin spacing 

units and current setups, see “Setting Grid, Pin Spacing and Snap” in 

Chapter 3. 

o Shape Arguments - The minimum width and height size requirements 

for the selected symbol shape display by default. For more information 

on spacing units and current setups, see “Setting Grid, Pin Spacing and 

Snap” in Chapter 3. 

8. Select the appropriate attributes for each of the symbol pins and click OK. 

The Create dialog box displays. For more information on pin attributes, see 

“Adding and Naming Symbol Pins” in Chapter 4. 

i 






i 

Click on a pin name in the Pin Name field of the Symbol Layout 

Properties dialog box to edit it. If you change pin names, you need to 

re-map symbol pins to model ports. 



on Registration and select the NCF to save the model registration to. 



Creating a Symbol for a Model 

The Model Registrar allows you to define and generate a pinlist/symbol or create 

a symbol with the Symbol Editor. For information on generating a pinlist/symbol 

in the Model Registrar, see “Generating a Symbol for a Model” in this chapter. 

Use the following steps to create a new symbol: 



2. Click Choose Component next to the Component field and select a 

component container to save the registration to. If no component container 

is specified, the model registration is written to a new component container 

with the model name in the working directory. Symbols contained in the 

component container display in the Symbol list box. 

3. Enter the name for the symbol and click Add New. The symbol name is 

inserted in the Symbol list box. 

4. Select the new symbol in the Symbol list box and click Open Symbol. The 

Symbol Editor displays a blank page. 

5. Create the Symbol. For more information on using the Symbol Editor, see 

Chapter 4, “Creating Symbols”. 



5-14 

6. Click Check & Save. If the new symbol has no errors, it is saved, and the 

Create dialog box displays. For information on correcting errors, see 







i 




If the model registration contains errors, the edit mapping dialog box 

displays. For more information, see “Mapping a Model to a Symbol” and 


Registering a Model from a Symbol 

Use the following steps to register a model to a selected symbol in the Schematic 

Editor: 

1. Open the schematic in DA-IC and select the symbol instance you want to 

register a model to. 



2. Choose Model Registration > Registration > Create from the palette 

menu. The Model Registrar dialog box displays with the symbol name and 

location filled in. 

3. Specify a model. For more information, see “Choosing a Model” in this 

chapter. 






i 






Mapping a Model to a Symbol 

The model ports and parameters are automatically mapped to the symbol pins and 

properties by name when the registration is executed. Use the following steps to 

manually map the symbol to the model: 

5-16 

1. From the create dialog box, click Edit Mapping. A dialog box displays the 

model ports, symbol pins, and current mapping for the model registration. 

Mapped pins display in green, unmapped pins display in red, and open and 

not mapped pins display in orange. 

Model ports 

Current mapping 

Symbol pins 

2. Map the desired Model Ports to the Symbol Pins using one of the following 

methods: 

o Click Add As Property — Adds the selected model parameter name 

and value as a property to the symbol. 



o Click Map by Name — Maps the Model Ports to the Symbol Pins with 

matching names. The Model Registrar defaults to this mapping 

automatically. 

o Select a port under Model Ports and a corresponding pin under Symbol 

Pins and click Map Selected — Maps the selected port and pin together 

and displays them in under Mapped Pins. 

o Select a pin/port pair under Mapped Pins and click 

Unmap Selected — Deletes the selected pin/port mapping. 

o Click Open under Model Ports to specify that a Model Port is OPEN or 

unconnected - The open port is displayed in orange. 

o Click Unmap All — Deletes all current pin/port mapping. 

3. Click Next to map the model parameters to the symbol properties. A dialog 

box displays the model parameters, symbol properties, and current mapping 

for the model registration. Mapped properties display in green and 

unmapped properties display in red. 



5-18 

Model parameters 

Current mappings 

Symbol properties 

4. Map the desired Model Parameters to the Symbol Properties using one of 

the following methods: 

o Click Map by Name — Maps all Model Parameters to the Symbol 

Properties with matching names. The Model Registrar defaults to this 

mapping automatically. 

o Select a parameter under Model Parameters and a corresponding 

property under Symbol Properties and click Map Selected — Maps the 

selected parameters and properties together and displays them under 

Mapped Parameters. 



o Select a parameter/property pair under Mapped Pins and click Unmap 

Selected — Deletes the selected parameter/property mapping. 

o Click Unmap All — Deletes all current parameter/property mapping. 

5. When you finish mapping the model to the symbol, click Register to 

complete the model registration. 

i 




Setting a Default Model Registration 

The default model registration is used by the netlister when no model is specified 

for a symbol. When creating or editing a model registration, click the default 

button to set the current model as the default. 



Viewing the Registered Models for a Symbol 

Use the following steps to view all models registered to a selected symbol: 

5-20 

1. Open a schematic design. 

Click to specify the 

named model 

registration as the 

default. 



2. Select the symbol and choose Model Registration > Registration > 

Manage from the palette menu. The Model Registrar dialog box displays. 

Validity status 

3. All models associated with the selected symbol display including: 

o Validity status — For more information, see “Checking a Model 

Registration” in this chapter. 

o Model Type — Language type for the model. For more information, 

see “Supported Modeling Types” in this chapter. 

o Model Name — Name of the model. 

o Registration Name — Name of the model registration. 

o Permission — Read, write, locked permissions for the model 

registration. 

o TD — Indicates the default model. 



Checking a Model Registration 

New model registrations are checked for validity before they are saved. The 

following checks are performed: 

5-22 

• Symbol pins and model ports match the registration pin alignment. 

• All model parameters are mapped to symbol properties or have a default 

value. 

• Model and symbol have not been modified since the registration was 

created. 

If the checks do not pass, a descriptive error message displays in the Model 

Registrar transcript window. 

Use the following steps to check an existing model registration: 

1. Open the schematic design and select the symbol instance. 

2. Choose Model Registration > Registration > Manage from the palette 

menu. The Model Registrar dialog box displays. 

3. Select the model to check. Each model is preceded by a check status 

indicator as follows: 

Indicates the model passed all checks and is 

considered valid. 



4. Choose Registration > Check Registration. The selected model is 

checked and the status indicator is updated to reflect the current status. 

Note 

If the model still contains errors, check the symbol-to-model mapping. 

For more information, see “Mapping a Model to a Symbol” in this chapter. 

Editing a Model Registration 

Use the following steps to edit an existing model registration: 


Indicates the model has not been checked. 

Indicates the model has been checked and that it 

contains errors. Click on the icon to display an 

error description. 

To check all registrations listed, choose Registration > Check all 

Registrations. 

2. Select the symbol instance and choose Model Registration > Registration 

> Manage from the palette menu. The Model Registrar dialog box displays. 



5-24 

3. Select the model you need to edit and choose Registration > Edit 

Registration from the pulldown menu. The Model Registrar dialog box 

displays. 

4. If necessary, click Open Symbol to edit the symbol for the model 

registration with the Symbol Editor. For more information, see “Editing an 

Existing Symbol for a Model” in this chapter. 

5. If necessary, click the button next to Default Registration to specify the 

model registration as the default. For more information, see “Setting a 

Default Model Registration” in this chapter. 



6. If necessary, click the Pin Alignment tab to edit the model port to symbol 

pin mapping. For more information, see “Mapping a Model to a Symbol”in 

this chapter. 

7. If necessary, click the Parameter Alignment tab to edit the model parameter 

to property mapping. For more information, see “Mapping a Model to a 

Symbol” in this chapter. 

8. Click Save to save the changes to the model registration. The Model 

Registrar dialog box displays. 

9. Check the registration. For more information, see “Checking a Model 

Registration” in this chapter. 

Renaming a Model Registration 

Use the following steps to rename an existing model registration: 






5-26 

3. Select the model you need to rename and choose Registration > Change 

Registration Name from the pulldown menu. The Change Registration 

Name dialog box displays. 

4. Enter the new name and click OK. 

Copying a Model Registration 

Use the following steps to copy an existing model registration to another Netlist 

Control File (NCF): 






3. Select the model registration you need to copy and choose Registration > 

Copy Registration from the pulldown menu. The Copy Registration dialog 

box displays. 

4. Click the arrow in the lower data field to display a list of writable NCFs. 

5. Select an NCF to copy the registration to. If nothing is selected, the 

registration is copied to the same NCF the original resides in. 

6. Click OK. The model registration is copied to the selected NCF. 

Deleting a Model Registration 

Use the following steps to delete an existing model registration: 






5-28 

3. Select the model registration you need to delete and choose Registration > 

Delete Registration. The selected model registration is deleted. 

Note 

If multiple model registrations with the same name exist, only the 

model registration in the highest priority NCF is deleted. If 

another model registration with the same name is contained in 

another NCF, it displays. 

Restoring Deleted Model Registrations 

When you delete model registrations with the Model Registrar, they are sent to the 

trash bin. From the trash bin, you can delete them permanently or restore them to 

the Model Registrar. The trash bin contains only the model registrations deleted in 

the current session. Use the following steps to delete or restore model registrations 

from the trash bin: 

1. From the Model Registrar, choose Component > Trash Bin. Model 

registrations deleted from the current session display. 

2. Select a registration and click one of the following options: 

o Restore - Moves the selected model registration from the trash bin back 

to the Model Registrar. 

o Remove - Deletes the selected model registration permanently. 

3. Click Close. The Deleted Registrations window closes. 

If you exit the Model Registrar with registrations in the trash bin, you are 

prompted to delete or restore them. 



Closing the Model Registrar 

Use the following step to exit the Model Registrar: 

• Click Exit. The Model Registrar closes. 

Using the Model Registrar in Batch Mode 

You can invoke the Model Registrar in batch mode from the command line. Batch 

mode allows you to easily register models to one or more symbols. In batch mode, 

the Model Registrar reads a user-created configuration file that performs the same 

action as the interactive Model Registrar. 

Note 

Creating a Batch File Using the Model Registrar 

Use one of the following methods to create a batch file: 

• Creating a Batch File Using Model Registrar From a Shell 

• Creating a Batch File Using Model Registrar From Within Design 

Architect-IC 

Creating a Batch File Using Model Registrar From a Shell 

Note 

To register HDL models, the anacad environment variable must be 

set and anacad must be initialized as shown: 

set anacad 

. $anacad/com/init_anacad 

To use Model Registrar from a shell, the ADMSIM environment 

variable must be set to the path of the adms.ini file. 



To register a single model and write the registration to a batch file, invoke the 

Model Registrar from a shell using the create option as shown: 

5-30 

$MGC_HOME/bin/mr_ic -create -tobatch batch_file -mrf 

-create — Invokes the Model Registrar in create mode for a single model 

registration. 

-tobatch — Captures model registration information in the batch_file file. 

-mrf — Creates a mapping rule file containing the pin and parameter 

mapping rules used for this registration. If no mapping_rule_file argument, 

the following default mrf file is used 

component_directory/_.mrf 

Register as many models as you want using the create option; the registration 

information is appended to the batch_file and the mapping rules are saved in 

individual mapping_rule_file files. You can also invoke the Model Registrar using 

the manage option from a shell and register multiple models. For complete 

command syntax, execute the following command from a shell: 

$MGC_HOME/bin/mr_ic -help 

Creating a Batch File Using Model Registrar From Within Design 

Architect-IC 

To register multiple models and write the registration to a batch file, invoke the 

Model Registrar from Design Architect-IC by clicking Model Registration > 

Manage from the session palette. This action is equivalent to invoking in manage 

mode from a shell as shown below: 

$MGC_HOME/bin/mr_ic -manage 

To specify the -tobatch option in this mode, choose Options > Setup from the 

Model Registrar to display the Setup Model Registration dialog box. Use this 

dialog box to create a mapping rule file, a batch file, and a log file while in 

manage mode. 

To begin registering models in this mode, choose Registration > Create 

Registration. You can register as many models as you want using this method, 



and the registration information is appended to the batch_file and the mapping 

rules are saved in individual mapping_rule_file files. 

Creating a Batch File Manually 

Batch files are ASCII files containing all of the information necessary to perform 

a registration(s). Batch files can be manually created with a text editor following 

the guidelines described in this section. 

Batch File Syntax 

Each entry in a batch file contains a set of registration information organized as 

follows: 

 

< Registration Name> 

 

Table 5-1 presents typical values for entries in the batch file. Note that soft 

pathnames, that are present in the location map, are supported. 

Model 

Language 

Model 

Library 

Model 

Name 

Component 

Path 

Symbol 

Name 

Registration 

Name 

NCF 

Destination 

Table 5-1. Example Registration Argument Values 

HDL EldoSpice Schematic Required/ 

Optional 

WORK $DESIGN/models/ 

Inv.cir $DESIGN/symbols 

/Inv Required 

INV(ADMS) Inv_subckt schematic Required 

$DESIGN/symbols/ 

Inv $DESIGN/symbols/ 

Inv $DESIGN/symbols/ 

Inv Required 

Inv Inv Inv Required 

Inv_hdl Inv_spice Inv_schematic Optional 

1 0 3 Optional 



In the batch file, the NCF Destination argument is specified as follows: 

5-32 

Model 

Language 

Pinlist 

Path 

Mapping 

Rule File 

Path 

Table 5-1. Example Registration Argument Values 

0: User NCF 

1: Component NCF 

2: Library NCF 

3: Global NCF 

HDL EldoSpice Schematic Required/ 

Optional 


Inv/Inv.pinlist $DESIGN/symbols/ 

Inv/Inv.pinlist $DESIGN/symbols/ 

Inv/Inv.pinlist Optional 


Inv/Inv_hdl.mrf $DESIGN/symbols/ 

Inv/Inv_spice.mrf $DESIGN/symbols/ 

Inv/Inv_schem.mrf Optional 

For more information about the NCF Destination, refer to the section 

“Determining a Location for the NCF” in Chapter 2 of the EldoNet User’s and 


Table 5-2 lists default values for the optional arguments in a batch file entry. 

Table 5-2. Default Values for Optional Arguments 

Model Language Default Value 

Registration Name Model Name 

NCF Destination NCF Component (1) 

Pinlist Path in the component directory 

If the file does not exist in the default location, the argument is 

ignored. 

Mapping Rule File Path in the component directory 

If the file does not exist in the default location, the argument is 

ignored. 



Batch File Processing 

Batch files are processed according to the following rules: 

• An entry line in the batch file is skipped if the Model Registrar cannot 

register or if some information is missing. An error message is added to the 

log. 

• If the symbol does not exist, or if there is no mapping rule file, the argument 

is replaced by "". The other optional arguments are replaced by "" to be 

ignored. 

• If the symbol is already registered, you can re-use the pinlist file generated. 

It resides in the component directory under the name 

.pinlist. If the pinlist file is not defined and the 

symbol does not exist, the symbol is generated with default characteristics 

(box shape, default pin locations). 

• If the is not defined, the registration name assumes 

the model by default. If the is not defined, the 

registration is saved in the NCF Component file as “1”. 

Mapping Rules Files 

Mapping rules files must respect case-sensitive syntax as described in the section 

“Mapping Rules Files Syntax”. They are automatically generated by the Model 

Registration process and have a .mrf suffix. By default, they are created in the 

component directory with the format: .mrf. You can 

specify a different location by specifying an explicit pathname for the -mrf 

argument during model registration. 

Mapping rules files contain information to map ports to pins and to map 

parameters to properties. The following levels of mapping are possible: 

• Name Mapping — Maps the ports with the pins according to their names. 

• Alphanumerical Mapping — Maps the ports with the pins according to their 

alphabetical order. 



5-34 

• Specified Mapping — Maps the specified ports with the specified pins. 

Mapping Rules Files Syntax 

The .mrf file must use the following case-sensitive syntax: 

set pinMappingRules 

set propMappingRules 

• The pinRule and the propRule can be one of the following: name, alpha, 

specific. 

• If the rule is specific for the pinMappingRules, the following lines should 

be added: 

set portMappingRuleList { } 

set pinMappingRuleList { } 

set portOpenRuleList {} 

In this case, will be mapped with , will be mapped 

with , and so on. will be left unmapped. will be 

OPEN. 

• If the rule is specific for the propMappingRules, the following lines should 

be added: 

set paramMappingRuleList { } 

set propMappingRuleList { } 

In this case, will be mapped with , will be 

mapped with , and so on. will be left unmapped. 

If a pin or param mapping is not defined for an instance, it remains 

unmapped. 

• If a rule file is not specified, the mapping is performed by name. 



Registering Models Using a Batch File 

To invoke the Model Registrar and use the batch file created in either of the 

previous sections, invoke the Model Registrar from the shell using the batch 

option as shown: 

model_registrar -batch batch_file 

-batch — Invokes the Model Registrar using the batch_file argument as 

input for registration. 

-log — Generates a log file for the batch session. If the log_file file is 

specified, the log information is written to this file; otherwise it is written to 

stdout. 

-nogui — Specifies that the Batch Mode application is not displayed. This 

option is not recommended because it removes progress and result status 

from the screen. 

Before re-registering (updating) models that have already been registered in batch 

mode, you must delete the associated NCF files from each component. 

If the Model Registrar does not have enough information to register a specific 

entry in the batch_file file, the entry is skipped. 

If you do not specify a batch_file argument with the batch option, the Model 

Registrar invokes in the manage mode. You can register without explicitly 

running Design Architect-IC. If the file format is not correct, the Model Registrar 

returns an error. 



5-36 


Chapter 6 

Using Function Blocks 

This chapter describes Function Block (FB) creation, manipulation, and 

conversion procedures. Function Block creation involves the following two-step 

process: 

1. Creating FB Definitions and FB Instances - this procedure involves 

assembling and manipulating FB Definitions and FB Instances. 

2. Creating Made FB Definitions and FB Instances - this operation 

converts existing unmade FB Definitions or FB Instances to Made FB 

Definitions or Made FB Instances. 

Function Block Terminology 

The following states, unmade and made, represent Function Blocks at specific 

development stages, as follows: 

• Made - A standard Made FB Definition or Made FB Instance symbol 

converted from an FB Definition or FB Instance. 

• Unmade - An editable and re-sizable FB Definition or FB Instance. 

i 

! 

Caution 

Do not edit Function Blocks in simulation mode or design context. 

Use the Schematic Editor only to create or edit Function Blocks. 

All Function Blocks must be “made” before you invoke simulation 

mode or design context. 

Refer to the “Terminology” section in Chapter 12 for additional Function 

Block Terminology. 


Chapter Structure Using Function Blocks 

Chapter Structure 

6-2 

Setting up a Function Block Set a made or unmade Function Block’s 

default line style and color settings. 

Creating Made FB Definitions 

and FB Instances 

Create FB Definitions and FB Instances. 

Net Construction Connect FB Definitions and FB Instances. 

Manipulating FB Definitions 


Creating Made FB Definitions 


Unmaking Made FB 

Definitions and Made FB 

Instances 

Edit and manipulate FB Definitions and FB 

Instance. 

Produce Made FB Definitions and Made FB 

Instances from FB Definitions and FB 

Instances. 

Return Made FB Definitions and Made FB 

Instances to their unmade form. 

Checking Function Blocks Test either made or unmade Function Blocks 

using the $$check() function. 


Using Function Blocks Setting up a Function Block 

Setting up a Function Block 

A Function Block object’s default line style settings are set using the Schematic 

Setup Function Blocks dialog box, as shown in Figure 6-1 on page 6-4. Default 

color settings are set using the Session Set Color dialog box, represented in 

Figure 6-2 on page 6-5. When set, the default settings apply to Function Blocks 

created and made during the Design Architect-IC session. 

Note 

These settings affect all subsequently-created Function Block 

objects. Line style changes have no effect on existing Function 

Block objects unless the object changes state, that is made to 

unmade state, or unmade to made state 

Use the following steps to set the default line style for a Function Block: 

1. Invoke Design Architect-IC and open the appropriate sheet. 


Setting up a Function Block Using Function Blocks 

6-4 

2. Select Setup > Function Blocks.... The Setup Function Blocks dialog box 

shown in Figure 6-1 displays. 

Setup Function Blocks 

Made Function Block Defs Unmade Function Block Defs 

Line Style Line Style 

Made Function Block Insts 

Line Style 

Unmade Function Block Insts 

Line Style 


Figure 6-1. Setup Function Blocks Dialog Box 

3. Select the appropriate line style(s). 

4. Select whether passthru nets are on or off. For more information regarding 

passthru nets, refer to “Constructing Passthru Nets” in this chapter. By 

default, passthru nets are on. 

5. Select whether the Make Failure Popup notification is issued if errors are 

detected while Creating Made FB Definitions and FB Instances. 

6. Select whether the Interface Change popup is issued if Interface Pin 

Changes are detected during the Make Operation. 

7. Once the Selections are made, click OK. 

Passthru Nets 

On 

Off 

Make Failure Popup 

On 

Off 

Popup On Interface Change 

On 

Off 


Using Function Blocks Setting up a Function Block 

In addition, this setting can be captured in a startup file using the 

$setup_function_block() function. 

Perform the following steps to setup the Function Block object’s default color 

settings: 

1. Invoke Design Architect-IC. 

2. From the Session Pulldown Menu Bar, select Setup > Display... or use the 

$setup_color() function. 

The Setup Display dialog box displays, as shown in Figure 6-2. 

Figure 6-2. Set Color Dialog Box 


Creating FB Definitions and FB Instances Using Function Blocks 

6-6 

3. Click the appropriate radio button to select the object, then use the scroll list 

to select that object’s desired color. 

4. Click OK. 

In addition, you can capture this setting in a startup file using the $set_color() 

function and, subsequently, you can pre-load the startup file during invocation. 

Both the line styles and colors for a specific Function Block object can be set “onthe-fly” 

during a session. For more detailed information, refer to “Setting Colors 

On-the-Fly” in this chapter. 

Creating FB Definitions and FB 

Instances 

FB Definitions and FB Instances are created on the schematic sheet. The sections 

listed below contain the step-by-step procedures used in creating FB Definitions 

and FB Instances: 

• Creating FB Definitions 

• Creating FB Instances 

• Adding FB Pins 

At the most rudimentary level, creating FB Definitions and FB Instances consists 

of enclosing pre-existing circuitry within an FB Definition rectangular boundary, 

adding the required FB_NAME property, and, if used, the optional FB_INST 

property. These Function Block-specific properties are described in Table 6-1 

below. 

Table 6-1. Function Block-Specific Properties 

Property Definition 

FB_NAME Required - A string property identifying an FB Definition’s 

unique name. 


Using Function Blocks Creating FB Definitions and FB Instances 

Table 6-1. Function Block-Specific Properties 

Property Definition 

FB_INST Optional - A user-specified string property identifying the 

future Made FB Instance’s name. 

This property can be used for arrayed FB Instances, for 

example “RAM_INST[15:0]”. 

Note: When an FB Instance or FB Definition is made, this 

property becomes the standard symbol INST property. 

The Add Popup Menu, described in Figure 6-3, contains the available Function 

Block functions. 

Add Function Block Instance 

$add_fb_inst() 

Add Function Block Definition 

$add_fb_def() 

Add Function Block Pin 

$add_fb_pins() 

Figure 6-3. Add Popup Menu with Function Block Options 

FB Definitions and FB Instances Usage Models 

When do you use an FB Definition and when do you use an FB Instance? 



An FB Definition is primarily used to initially design and manipulate the 

contained circuitry, as well as the FB Definition boundary, in a variety of different 

ways depending on the intended use. 

An FB Instance’s principal application is FB Definition reuse. An FB Instance can 

be resized and have pins, moved, or deleted. Note that an FB Instance is based on 

an existing FB Definition. For additional information and usage instructions, refer 

to the “Manipulating FB Definitions and FB Instances” section in this chapter. 

Creating FB Definitions 

6-8 

Follow the steps below to add FB Definitions to a schematic sheet. 

1. Invoke Design Architect-IC and open a schematic sheet. 

2. Navigate to a schematic area where you want to create the FB Definition. 

For example, Figure 6-4 is a simple circuit to be used inside an FB 

Definition. 



Note 

Figure 6-4. Example Schematic 

3. To define the FB Definition’s rectangular extent, right click within the 

schematic window to call the Add Popup menu. 

Note 

Schematic#1 source1 sheet1 

FB Definitions cannot contain internal ports or external 

connectors. 

After an FB Definition is created, it can be resized, moved, or 

copied. Refer to the “Manipulating FB Definitions and FB 

Instances” section in this chapter for specific instructions. 

Figure 6-5 shows the Function Block menu options in the Add popup menu. 



6-10 

Figure 6-5. Function Block Options in the Add Popup Menu 

This option is also available using the Schematic Add pulldown menu. 

4. From the Add popup or pulldown menu, choose Function Block Def: 

The Add Function Block Definition prompt bar displays. 

ADD FB D FB Name rect INST Name 

Name Placement auto 

OK Cancel 

Function Block Name 

Function Block Inst Name (optional) 

Name Placement 

- Auto 

- Manual 

• FB Name - Contains the FB Definition’s user-specified name. This is 

also the FB_NAME property. 



• INST Name - Contains an optional, user-specified Instance name. This 

is also the FB_INST property. 

Note 

Both the FB Names and INST Names must be unique for each FB 

Definition. In other words, there cannot be two FB Definitions in 

the same schematic with identical FB Names and/or INST Names. 

• Name Placement - Determines how the FB Name and FB Inst Names 

are applied to the FB Definition. Use one of the following two options: 

o Auto - If selected, the FB_NAME and, if used, FB_INST properties 

are applied automatically to the FB Definition in the upper left- and 

upper right hand-corners of the rectangle, respectively. 

o Manual - If selected, the user manually places the FB_NAME and, if 

used, FB_INST property’s name, to the FB Definition. 

5. Within the Add Function Block Definition prompt bar, perform the 


a. Enter the FB Definition’s name in the prompt bar’s “FB Name” field. 

b. If used, enter the FB Instance’s name in the prompt bar’s “INST Name” 

field. 

c. Use the stepper button to select either Auto or Manual Name 

Placement. Auto is the default selection. 

6. Verify the settings, then click OK. 

The prompt bar will not close until you create the FB Definition’s bounded 

rectangular area on the schematic sheet. The rectangular area must be larger 

than a 1x1 pin grid and always snaps to the grid. 

7. Move the cursor over to the upper-left corner of the circuit. The cursor turns 

to a “+” to create the FB Definition’s rectangle. 



6-12 

8. Position the cursor and hold down the left mouse button, then drag the 

cursor over the circuitry elements you want included within the FB 

Definition. Figure 9 provides an example of this step. 


9. After positioning the rectangle, release the left mouse button. 

The FB Definition’s rectangle boundary, represented by dashed lines, is 

now instantiated and remains selected. Figure 6-6 provides an example of 

an instantiated FB Definition assigned the FB_NAME property of “mux” 

and the optional user-specified FB_INST property of “mux_1”. 



FB_NAME Property 


mux 

Figure 6-6. FB Definition Example 

The FB Definition’s rectangular boundary default color is green. If required, the 

default colors are modified in accordance with the instructions contained in the 

“Setting up a Function Block” or “Setting Colors On-the-Fly” sections in this 

chapter. 

Once the FB Definition is created, you can add FB Pins to connect the object. For 

detailed procedures, refer to the “Adding FB Pins” section in this chapter. 

Creating FB Instances 

FB_INST Property 

mux_1 

Definition 

Boundary 

FB Instances are designed to reuse an existing FB Definition. FB Instances cannot 

enclose other schematic objects and the design must contain exactly one parent 



FB Definition with a matching FB_NAME property. The following two methods 

are used in creating FB Instances: 1) Using the 

Miscellaneous > Convert Function Block > Create Instance From Definition 

pulldown menu item, or 2) Using the Add Popup Menu. 

6-14 

1. Using the “Create Instance From Definition” Menu Item - This is the most 

efficient method for creating FB Instances. Once an FB Definition is 

constructed, an FB Instance is created from the existing FB Definition for 

reuse within the schematic. For example, you can create the FB Instance in 

Figure 6-10, on page 6-17, from the existing FB Definition in Figure 6-18, 

on page 6-25, and place the Instance on the active sheet. 

Perform the following steps to create an FB Instance from an existing FB 

Definition: 

a. Open the schematic that contains the FB Definition and select the FB 

Definition’s rectangular boundary. 

b. Use the right mouse button (or the F4 function key) to call the Function 

Block popup menu. This option is also available via the Schematic 

Miscellaneous > Convert Function Block pulldown menu. 

c. Within the Function Block popup menu, select Convert Function 

Block > Create Instance from Definition, as demonstrated in 

Figure 6-7. 



Function Block 

Other Menus 

Unselect All 

Move [a-MMB] 

Copy [c-MMB] 

Delete 

Undo 

Redo 

Properties 

Add FB Pins 

Make Function Block 

Unmake Function Block 

Convert Function Block 

Resize 

Align 

Instance to Definition 

Create Instance from Definition 

Figure 6-7. Function Block Popup Menu 

d. The Create Function Block Definition from Instance prompt bar is 

called as shown in Figure 6-8. 

CRE FB I F D At Location 

OK Cancel 

Figure 6-8. Create Function Block Definition to Instance Prompt 



6-16 

e. Upon execution, move the white-bounded FB Instance ghost image to 

the appropriate location on the schematic sheet, as shown in Figure 6-9. 

mux mux_1 

Schematic #1 source1 sheet1 

Figure 6-9. Positioning a FB Instance 

f. Click the left mouse button to place the FB Instance. 



Figure 6-10 shows the FB Definition and the newly-created FB Instance. 

Figure 6-10. FB Instance Created from a FB Definition 

Note 

mux mux_1 


mux mux_2 

If the FB Definition contains the optional FB_INST property, this 

property must be changed to a unique name on the created FB 

Instance. 

FB Instances can be resized, moved, or copied. Refer to the chapter’s 

“Manipulating FB Definitions and FB Instances” section in this chapter for 

specific instructions. 



6-18 

2. Using the Add Popup Menu - Figure 6-11 is an example FB Definition 

parent that serves as the FB Instance’s basis: 


mux 

Figure 6-11. Example FB Definition 

To create an FB Instance, use the following procedure: 

a. On the active sheet containing the FB Definition, navigate to a 

schematic area where you want to create the FB Instance. 

b. To define the FB Instance’s rectangular extent, right click within the 

schematic window to call the Add Popup menu. 

Figure 6-12 shows the Function Block menu options in the Add popup 

menu that are available for use. 



Figure 6-12. Add Popup Menu with Function Block Menu Options 

These options are also available using the Schematic 

Add pulldown menu. 

c. From the Add popup menu, select Function Block Inst: 

d. The Add Function Block Instance prompt bar is called. 

ADD FB I FB Name rect INST Name 

Name Placement auto 

OK Cancel 


Function Block Inst Name (optional) 

Name Placement 

- Auto 

- Manual 

• FB Name - The field that contains the existing FB Definition’s userspecified 

name. This is also the FB_NAME property. 



6-20 

Note 

• INST Name - An optional field that contains a user-specified FB 

Instance name. This is also the FB_INST property. 

Both the FB Names and INST Names must be unique for each FB 

Instance. In other words, there cannot be two FB Instances on the 

same sheet with identical FB Names and INST Names. 

• Name Placement - Determines how the FB Name and FB Inst 

Names are applied to the FB Instance. Use one of the following two 

options: 

a. Auto - If selected, the FB_NAME and, if used, FB_INST 

properties are applied automatically to the FB Instance in the 

upper left- and upper right hand-corners of the rectangle, 

respectively. 

b. Manual - If selected, the user manually adds the FB_NAME and, 

if used, FB_INST property’s Names to the FB Instance. 

e. Within the Add Function Block Instance prompt bar, perform the 


i. Enter the existing FB Definition’s name in the prompt bar’s FB 

Name field. 

Figure 6-11’s FB Definition’s name is “mux”. In this example, 

“mux” is entered in the prompt bar’s FB Name field. 

ii. If used, enter the FB Instance’s name in the prompt bar’s “INST 

Name” field. 

In the example, the name “circuit_01” is entered in the field. 

iii. Use the stepper button to select either Auto or Manual Name 

Placement. Auto is the default selection. 

f. Verify the settings, then click OK. 



The prompt bar will not close until you create the FB Instance’s 

bounded rectangular area on the schematic sheet. The rectangular area 

must be larger than a 1x1 pin grid and snaps to the grid. 

g. Move the cursor over the schematic’s extent. The cursor turns to a “+” 

to create the FB Instance’s rectangle. 

h. Position the cursor and hold down the left mouse button and, by 

“dragging” the cursor across the sheet, create the FB Instance. 

Figure 6-13 provides an example of this step. 


Figure 6-13. FB Instance Creation Example 

i. After positioning the rectangle, release the left mouse button. 

The FB Instance rectangle, represented by dashed lines, is now 

instantiated and remains selected. Figure 6-14 provides an example of 



6-22 

an instantiated FB Instance based on the FB Definition “mux” and 

containing the optional user-specified FB_INST property of 

“circuit_01”. 



mux 

Function Block Instance Name 

circuit_01 

Figure 6-14. FB Instance Example 


Instance 

Boundary 

The FB Instance’s rectangular boundary default color is yellow. If 

required, the default colors can be modified in accordance with the 

instructions contained in the “Setting up a Function Block” and “Setting 

Colors On-the-Fly” sections in this chapter. 

Once the FB Instance is created, you can add FB Pins to connect the object. For 

detailed procedures, refer to the “Adding FB Pins” section in this chapter. In 

addition, unmade FB Instances can be resized, moved, or copied. For specific 

instructions, refer to the “Manipulating FB Definitions and FB Instances” section 




Adding FB Pins 

Perform the following steps to add FB Pins to FB Definitions and FB Instances: 

Note 

Every FB Definition or FB Instance must have at least one pin. 

The pins are placed on the top, bottom, or left and right sides of an 

unmade FB Definition or FB Instance. However, FB Pins cannot 

be placed on the boundary corners. Refer to the “FB Pins” section 

in Chapter 12 for more information. 

1. Within the schematic, press the right mouse button and select 

Function Block Pins: from the Add popup menu, shown in Figure 6-15: 

Figure 6-15. Function Block Pins in the Add Popup Menu 

The Add Function Block Pin prompt bar is called, as shown in Figure 6-16: 

ADD FB P loc 

OK Cancel 

Figure 6-16. Add Function Block Pin Prompt Bar 



6-24 

2. Move the cursor to the position where the net intersects the FB Definition’s 

or FB Instance’s boundary, as shown in Figure 6-17, or to any other 

location on the FB Definition’s or FB Instance’s rectangular boundary. 

Add Pin Here 

mux 


mux_1 

Figure 6-17. FB Pin Placement 

3. Position the cursor and press the left mouse button to place the FB Pin. 

4. Repeat Step 2 for the remaining user-specified locations on the FB 

Definition or FB Instance. 


Using Function Blocks Net Construction 

Figure 6-18 illustrates an FB Definition with associated FB Pins. 

Net Construction 

Note 


mux mux_1 

Figure 6-18. FB Definition with FB Pins 

Prior to creating FB Definition’s and Instance’s net connections, 

review the “FB Definition and FB Instance Net Constructs” 

section in Chapter 12. 

Use the following procedures to add wires, bundles, and busses to existing FB 

Definitions and FB Instances: 


Net Construction Using Function Blocks 

Constructing Internal Nets 

Internal net constructs are only applied to FB Definitions. These nets connect the 

FB Definition’s internal circuitry, including internal FB Pin connections, within 

the FB Definition’s boundary. 

6-26 

Warning 

To avoid incorrect or erroneous passthru net connections, passthru 

net construction must adhere to specific architectural constraints. 

For a more detailed explanation, see the “FB Definition and FB 

Instance Net Constructs” section in Chapter 12. 

To construct an FB Definition’s internal nets, follow the steps below: 

1. Use the standard Drawing and Routing Nets procedures to connect the 

underlying circuitry. 

2. For example, Figure 6-19 represents internally-connected circuitry within a 

yet-to-be-created FB Definition: 

Figure 6-19. Example Circuit 



3. Next, create an FB Definition and enclose the circuitry within the FB 

Definition’s rectangular boundary. For detailed procedures, consult the 

“Creating FB Definitions” section in this chapter. 

Continuing with the example circuit in Figure 6-19, an FB Definition is 

created with the circuitry confined within the FB Definition’s boundary, as 

demonstrated in Figure 6-20: 

Figure 6-20. Example of an Enclosed Circuit within an FB Definition 

4. Add FB Pins to the FB Definition’s boundary following the steps in the 

“Adding FB Pins” section in this chapter. 


Net Construction Using Function Blocks 

6-28 

5. Connect the internal circuit’s input and output nets to the respective FB 

Pins, as demonstrated in Figure 6-21. 

Figure 6-21. Completed FB Definition Example 

Constructing External Nets 

mux mux_1 

External nets are standard Design Architect-IC wires, busses, and bundles 

constructs. Note that if no external nets are connected to an FB Definition, then 

the FB Definition is turned into an unconnected FB Definition comment when the 

FB Definition is made. 

To add external nets to an FB Definition or FB Instance, follow the steps below: 

1. Navigate to the FB Definition or FB Instance. 

2. Use standard Drawing and Routing Nets procedures to connect wires, 

bundles, and/or busses to the FB Definition’s or FB Instance’s FB Pins. 



3. Add ports and other I/O objects, as appropriate. 

Note 

An FB Definition is used in either a connected or unconnected 

state. See Usage Paradigm in Chapter 12 for additional 

information. 

Constructing Passthru Nets 

Passthru nets are used exclusively with FB Definitions. These nets connect to an 

FB Pin’s inner pin and are then connected to an object outside the FB Definition’s 

boundary. 

Use the following procedure to add passthru nets to an existing FB Definition: 

1. Navigate to the FB Definition. 

2. Use standard Drawing and Routing Nets procedures to connect passthru 

nets to the FB Definition. 

Constructing Flythru Nets 

Flythru nets are also used exclusively with FB Definitions, but are not part of the 

FB Definition’s contents. For flythru net methodology information, see Flythru 

Nets in Chapter 1. 

Use the following procedure to add flythru nets to an existing FB Definition: 

1. Navigate to the FB Definition. 

2. Use standard Drawing and Routing Nets procedures to add flythru nets to 

the FB Definition. 

FB Definition and FB Instance Checks 

After an FB Definition’s or FB Instance’s internal and external electrical 

connectivity is established, the schematic source sheet must be checked for 


Manipulating FB Definitions and FB Instances Using Function Blocks 

possible errors. To do this, follow “Checking Function Blocks” procedures in this 

chapter. 

Manipulating FB Definitions and FB 

Instances 

FB Definitions and FB Instances are manipulated by: 

6-30 

• Converting FB Instances to FB Definitions 

• Selecting FB Definitions and FB Instances 

• Adding or Removing Objects from within an FB Definition 

• Stretching or Resizing FB Definition and FB Instance Boundaries 

• Setting Colors On-the-Fly 

Note 

This section only applies to FB Definitions or FB Instances: Once 

a Function Block is made, it must be reverted to its original 

unmade and “editable” FB Definition or FB Instance before it can 

be edited. Refer to the “Unmaking Made FB Definitions and Made 

FB Instances” section in this chapter for specific procedures. 

FB Definitions and FB Instances can also be moved, copied, or deleted. 

Converting FB Instances to FB Definitions 

An FB Instance can be converted to an FB Definition. To perform this operation, 

carry out the following procedure: 

1. Open the schematic that contains the FB Instance and select the objects’s 

rectangular boundary. 

2. Select Miscellaneous > Convert Function Block > Instance to 

Definition. The selected FB Instance is now an FB Definition. 


Using Function Blocks Manipulating FB Definitions and FB Instances 

You can manipulate FB Definitions and FB Instances in the following ways: 

1. Add or remove objects from within an FB Definition’s rectangular 

boundary. 

2. Add, move, or remove FB Pins from the FB Definition’s boundary. 

3. Stretch or resize an FB Definition’s or FB Instance’s boundary rectangle. 

Selecting FB Definitions and FB Instances 

FB Definitions, FB Instances, and FB Pins are selectable items. As such, the 

Select Filter can be used to select Function Block-specific objects. 

To set the Select Filter to choose Function Blocks or Function Block Pins for a 

session, perform the following steps: 

1. Choose the Setup > Select Filter... pulldown menu item. 

The Setup Select Filter dialog box is called, as represented by Figure 6-22. 



6-32 

Setup Select Filter 

Add/Route Text Draw 

Selection Filter will allow selection of: 

Comments 

Frames 

Instances 

Nets 

Pins 

Segments 

Symbol Pins 

Comment Text 

Vertices 

Figure 6-22. Setup Select Filter Dialog Box 

By default, the FBs (Function Blocks) filter is selected. 

2. Click the appropriate radio buttons, then click OK. 

The Select Filter now selects the specified objects. 

Adding or Removing Objects from within an FB 

Definition 

A given FB Definition’s internal parts can contain objects found on traditional 

schematic sheets. However, FB Definitions cannot contain ports or external 

connectors. 

You can add or remove any schematic objects within the FB Definition’s 

rectangular boundary using standard schematic edit tools. Refer to Chapter 3 

Creating Schematics for specific editing operating procedures. 

FBs 

Properties FB Pins 

Reset to MGC Defaults Set All Clear All 




In addition, FB Definitions can contain other FB Definitions and FB Instances, 

but recursion of these objects is not allowed. FB Pins can also be added and 

removed from the FB Definition (or FB Instance), however, special procedures 

must be followed if the FB Definition has been made, then unmade. For more 

information, see “Interface Pin Changes” in this chapter. 

Stretching or Resizing FB Definition and FB Instance 

Boundaries 

When an FB Definition’s or FB Instance’s rectangular boundary is resized or 

stretched, the boundary remains perpendicular. With one exception: any FB Pins 

on the FB Definition’s or FB Instance’s resized boundary remain attached to the 

boundary. The exception to this rule occurs when the boundary is reduced to the 

point that the side where the pin is located no longer exists. In this case, the FB 

Pin is removed from the boundary. 

If FB Definitions are resized, then the boundary rectangle is resized, but the FB 

Definition’s contents are not. 

Use the following procedures to resize an FB Definition or FB Instance: 

1. On the active sheet, unselect all objects using a stroke. 

2. Navigate to the FB Definition or FB Instance you want to resize. 

3. Place the mouse pointer on the FB Definition’s or FB Instance’s boundary 

and click the left mouse button to select the object. 

4. With the object selected, press the F4 key to open the Function Block 

popup menu. 

5. Within the Function Block popup menu, click on Resize as shown in 

Figure 6-23: 



6-34 


Other Menus 

Unselect All 

Move [a-MMB] 

Copy [c-MMB] 

Delete 

Undo 

Redo 

Properties 

Add FB Pins 




Resize 

Align 

Figure 6-23. Resize in the Function Block Popup Menu 

The Stretch prompt bar displays, as shown in Figure 6-24. 

Stretch Begin End 

OK Cancel 

Figure 6-24. Stretch Prompt Bar 

6. Place the active cursor on the FB Definition’s or FB Instance’s 

rectangular boundary, then press and hold the left mouse button. Refer to 

Figure 6-25 below. 



Figure 6-25. Stretch Operation 

7. With the left mouse button still pressed, move the mouse to stretch the FB 

Definition’s or FB Instance’s rectangular boundary. 

8. Release the left mouse button to complete the stretch operation. 

Setting Colors On-the-Fly 


mux mux_1 

Stretch Begin End 

OK Cancel 

Function Block color settings are set by default using the “Setting up a Function 

Block” procedures on page 6-3. The default color settings can be temporarily 

overridden using the Schematic Setup Color dialog box 



Note that this method only applies to Function Block objects created after the 

dialog box is called and does not affect existing Function Block objects on the 

active schematic sheet. 

To temporarily alter new Function Block objects’ colors, perform the following 

steps: 

6-36 

1. Within the Schematic Editor, choose the Setup > Color... pulldown menu 

item. 

The Setup Color Dialog box is called as shown in Figure 6-26. 

Figure 6-26. Setup Color Dialog Box 

2. Click the appropriate radio button to select the object, then use the scroll list 

to select that object’s desired color. 

3. Click OK. 

Comments 

Frames 

Pin 

Nets 

Symbol Bodies 

Setup Color 

Violet 

VioletRed 

Wheat 

White 

Yellow 

YellowGreen 

Made Function Block Insts 

Unmade Function Block Insts 

Made Function Block Defs 

Unmade Function Block Defs 



Using Function Blocks Creating Made FB Definitions and FB Instances 

If a Function Block is made and unmade, then the object’s color changes to the 

current settings. 

Creating Made FB Definitions and FB 

Instances 

Once FB Definitions and FB Instances are created, the Function Block objects and 

their respective contents are “made” into individual schematic and symbol 

objects. 

Note 

Prerequisites 

The $undo() function cannot unmake a Made FB Definition or 

Made FB Instance. 

Ensure that the following prerequisites are satisfied before creating a Made FB 

Definition or Made FB Instance from an FB Definition and FB Instance, 

respectively: 

• At least one FB Definition exists on the sheet. 

• There is a corresponding FB Definition for each FB Instance on the sheet. 

• Each FB Definition contains at least one symbol instance and one FB Pin. 

• External net connections are added to the desired FB Definitions and/or FB 

Instances. If an FB Definition is not connected to a net, the underlying 

schematic is replaced by comment graphics. 

• Internal net connections are added to the FB Definition. 

• The sheet containing the FB Definitions and/or FB Instances passes all 

checks. For more information, see “Checking Function Blocks” in this 

chapter. 


Creating Made FB Definitions and FB Instances Using Function Blocks 

Procedures 

Use the following procedure to create Made FB Definitions and Made FB 

Instances from FB Definitions and FB Instances: 

6-38 

1. Creating Selected FB Definitions or FB Instances 

Use this procedure to create Made FB Definitions and Made FB Instances 

from selected, or a single, FB Definition(s) and FB Instance(s), 

respectively: 

a. Navigate to the appropriate FB Definitions and/or FB Instances on the 

active sheet. 



i 

For example, Figure 6-27 below provides an example of an FB 

Definition. 

IN_1 

IN_2 

IN_3 


mux mux_1 

Figure 6-27. FB Definition Illustration 

b. Select the appropriate FB Definition and/or FB Instance. 

For more information on Function Block object selection procedures, 

refer to “Selecting FB Definitions and FB Instances” in this chapter. 

c. Press the F4 key (or the right mouse button) to call the Function Block 

Popup menu. 

d. Within the Function Block popup menu, choose the 

Make Function Block > Selected... menu option. 

OUT_1 


Creating Made FB Definitions and FB Instances Using Function Blocks 

6-40 

The selected FB Definitions and/or FB Instances are converted to Made FB 

Definitions and/or Made FB Instances, and changed to a “sandy brown” 

color, as in Figure 6-28 below. 

IN_1 

IN_2 

IN_3 


mux mux_1 

Figure 6-28. Made FB Definition Example 

OUT_1 

At this point, the Made FB Definition or Made FB Instance can be 

“unmade,” if necessary. To do this, follow the procedure in the “Unmaking 

Made FB Definitions and Made FB Instances” section in this chapter. 

2. Creating All Made FB Definitions and/or Made FB Instances on a 

Sheet 

Use this procedure to create Made FB Definitions and/or Made FB 

Instances for all unmade FB Definitions and/or FB Instances on the active 

sheet: 



a. Within the active sheet, press the F4 key (or the right mouse button) to 

call the Function Block Popup menu. 

b. Within the Function Block popup menu, choose the 

Make Function Block > All... menu option. 

All FB Definitions and/or FB Instances are converted to Made FB 

Definitions or Made FB Instances, and changed to a sandy-brown color. 

Errors Encountered During the Make Function Block 

Operation 

The Make Function Block operation reports an error and stops if any of the 

following situations occur: 

• Creating a Made FB Definition from an FB Definition with the same name 

on the active sheet. 

• Making an FB Instance that does not have a corresponding FB Definition 

on the active sheet or any other sheet in the schematic. 

• Underlying sheet Check errors. 

• Symbol Check errors. 

• Content and pin Check errors. 


Unmaking Made FB Definitions and Made FB Instances Using Function Blocks 

Interface Pin Changes 

Under certain circumstances outlined below, the Make Function Block operation 

reports an interface pin change, as in Figure 6-29. 

6-42 

The following FB definitions have been re-made with interface pin changes. 

FB instances of these definitions should be un-made and re-made to reflect the changes 

MUX_1 

Figure 6-29. Interface Pin Change Notification Box 

The following events normally cause this situation to occur: 

1. An FB Definition has been created and FB Instances are created from the 

FB Definition. Then, the FB Definition is deleted from the sheet, and a new 

FB Definition is created with the deleted FB Definition’s name. 

2. A Made FB Definition is converted (unmade) back to an FB Definition, the 

FB Pins are modified (that is, added, moved, or deleted), and then the FB 

Definition is changed back into a Made FB Definition. 

In the event this message is received, unmake the Made FB Instance(s) identified 

in the notification message, for example, “MUX_1” in Figure 6-29, then remake 

the FB Instance(s). 

Unmaking Made FB Definitions and 

Made FB Instances 

Ok 

Made FB Definitions or Made FB Instances can be “unmade” and reverted back to 

their corresponding FB Definitions or FB Instances. In addition, if a Made FB 

Definition or Made FB Instance contains nested Made FB Definitions or Made FB 

Instances, then the Unmake Function Block operation can unmake the nested 


Using Function Blocks Unmaking Made FB Definitions and Made FB Instances 

Made FB Definitions or Made FB Instances layer-by-layer from top down, as 

specified by the user. 

Note 

The $undo() function cannot unmake a Made FB Definition or 

Made FB Instance. 

Use the following procedures to unmake Made FB Definitions and/or Made FB 

Instances: 

1. Unmaking Selected Made FB Definitions and/or Made FB Instances 

a. Navigate to the appropriate Made FB Definition or Made FB Instance, 

and select the object. 

b. Press the F4 key (or the right mouse button) to call the Function Block 

Popup menu. 

c. Within the Function Block popup menu, choose the 

Unmake Function Block > Selected menu option, as shown in 

Figure 6-30. 




Resize 

Align 

Selected 

All 

1 Level 

ALL Levels 

Specify 

Figure 6-30. Unmake Function Block Menu Patch 

The Selected option’s menu provides for the following unmake options: 

o 1 Level - Unmakes the single, upper-most hierarchical level for a 

selected Made FB Definition and/or Made FB Instance containing 

nested Made FB Definitions and/or Made FB Instances. 

o All Levels - Unmakes every hierarchical level of all selected Made 

FB Definition and/or Made FB Instances. 


Unmaking Made FB Definitions and Made FB Instances Using Function Blocks 

6-44 

o Specify - Allows the user to specify the number of hierarchical 

levels to be unmade. If this option is chosen, then the user is 

presented with the Select Number of Unmake Levels dialog box, as 


Select Number of Unmake Levels 

Levels: 


Figure 6-31. Select Number of Unmake Levels Dialog Box 

d. Within the popup menu, select the appropriate option. 

e. The selected Made FB Definition and/or Made FB Instance is reverted 

to its original FB Definition and/or FB Instance. 

2. Unmake All Made FB Definitions and/or Made FB Instances on the 

Active Sheet 

a. Within the active sheet, press the F4 key (or the mouse’s right button) 

to call the Function Block Popup menu. 

b. Within the Function Block Popup menu, choose the Unmake Function 

Block > All menu option. 

The All option’s menu provides for the following unmake options: 

o 1 Level - Unmakes the single upper-most layer for all Made FB 

Definitions and/or Made FB Instances containing nested Made FB 

Definitions and/or Made FB Instances on the active sheet. 

o All Levels - Unmakes all layers for all Made FB Definitions and 

Made FB Instances on the active sheet. 


Using Function Blocks Checking Function Blocks 

o Specify - Allows the user to specify the number of layers to be 

unmade. If this option is chosen, then the user is presented with the 

Select Number of Unmake Levels dialog box. 

c. Within the popup menu, select the appropriate option. 

d. Depending on the option selected, all Made FB Definitions and/or 

Made FB Instances on the active sheet are reverted to their original FB 

Definitions and/or FB Instances. 

Checking Function Blocks 

Design Architect-IC provides Function Block-specific schematic checks. For 

more information on performing a schematic check, see “Checking a Schematic 

for Errors”in Chapter 3. 

To setup, view, or modify Check Schematic settings, perform the following steps: 

1. Within the schematic session, choose the Setup > Check... pulldown menu 

item. 

2. The Default Schematic Check Settings dialog box displays, as illustrated in 

Figure 6-32: 


Checking Function Blocks Using Function Blocks 

6-46 

Figure 6-32. The Default Schematic Check Settings Dialog Box 

3. Next to Function Blocks, check one of the following options: 

• Errors/Warnings: If selected, then both errors and warnings are 

reported. 

• Errors Only: If selected, only errors are reported. 

• No Check: If selected, the Function Block-specific checks are not 

performed. 

4. Click OK. 



Chapter 7 

Using Properties 

At the beginning of the design process, you must know which properties are 

required by other Mentor Graphics applications you plan to use. If you do not 

assign the necessary properties, downstream applications cannot process your 

design. 

For information about specific properties, see the 

IC Flow Properties Reference Manual. 

Introduction to Properties 

Properties are “name/value pairs” assigned to specific graphic objects within a 

design. The graphic object is the property “owner.” Properties that are created 

without an owner are called “logical” properties. Properties contain design 

information that typically cannot be represented graphically. 

Properties have many functions. They can define device timing characteristics, 

establish horizontal and vertical connectivity in multi-sheet and multi-level 

designs, define a variety of design characteristics that cannot be conveyed by the 

images of components and wires that make up a schematic diagram, and much 

more. 

To show how properties provide information to a design, consider that schematic 

designs in Design Architect-IC contain two types of information: 

• Connectivity information, which is conveyed graphically by pin and net 

connection. 

• Property information, which describes some characteristic of a component 

that is not identifiable from the schematic drawing alone. 


Introduction to Properties Using Properties 

Symbols and schematics created in Design Architect-IC communicate 

connectivity information. For example, a schematic diagram shows graphically 

that transistor A is connected to transistor B. The diagram alone cannot tell you 

the dimensions of the transistors. That information comes from the values of the 

W and L properties attached to the instances of transistors A and B. 

7-2 

Properties have the following characteristics: 

• A property has an owner type (optional), a name, a type, and a 

corresponding value. The value can be either a number, triplet, expression, 

or character string. 

• A property can be assigned to the individual objects that compose the 

schematic sheet in a component library; for example, instance, net, and pin 

objects. 

• Backannotated properties are generally supplied by downstream 

applications such as IC Extract. Backannotations can be merged back to the 

original source design. 

• Some downstream applications require a specific set of properties in order 

to operate properly. For more information, see the IC Flow Properties 


• Certain properties are assigned automatically by downstream Mentor 

Graphics applications when they execute. 


Using Properties Introduction to Properties 

• Some components may not have all the properties required for them to be 

processed by other Mentor Graphics programs. If this is the case, you can 

assign the necessary properties to the components in your designs by using 

the various property commands. 

• Structured Logic Design (SLD) properties are special properties that are 

built into Design Architect-IC. When the source design is evaluated, SLDs 

are converted to connectivity information, and are not accessible as 

properties in the evaluated design. Refer to 

“Structured Logic Design Properties” in this chapter for more information 

about SLD properties. 

Some of the fundamental properties assigned to components in various libraries 

are described in “Structured Logic Design Properties” in this chapter. A 

comprehensive description of individual properties is available in the 

IC Flow Properties Reference Manual. 

Table 7-1 lists examples of properties. 

Property 

Name 

Table 7-1. Property Structure 

Property 

Value 

Property Type Property 

Owner 

Model NAND String Instance or 

Symbol Body 

Net cl_line String Net 

cap_net 10, 15, 20 Triplet Net 


Property Ownership Using Properties 

Property Ownership 

Ownership is a key element in understanding the use of properties. When certain 

kinds of objects “own” certain properties, those properties can only be attached to 

those objects. Selectable items can own properties, but certain classes of 

properties and certain classes of objects work better together, while others do not. 

For example, pins own the property called cap_pin. You can assign a value to the 

cap_pin property and attach that value to a specific pin in the design. However, it 

would not be correct to attach that value to a net in the design. The cap_pin 

property has no semantic meaning in the context of nets. 

Property Names Versus Property Values 

Another important concept is the distinction between property names and property 

values. Properties always have a name and a value; the name describes the 

property, while the value is data that describes a characteristic of the design. 

Property names are entered and stored as strings of ASCII text. Property values 

can be represented as text strings, numbers, triplets, or expressions. Property types 

are discussed in the “Property Types” section of this chapter. 

For example, in Design Architect-IC the cap_pin property might have a value of 

“5, 10, 15” on one pin, and a value of “10, 20, 30” on another. The numbers 

represent minimum, typical, and maximum delays, respectively, in nanoseconds 

on the owning pin. The property name cap_pin does not vary from pin-to-pin; the 

property value can vary. Property name and value restrictions are discussed after 

property types. 

Property Types 

A property value must have a property type assigned to it. A property type 

identifies the property value's data type. The legal property types are: 

7-4 

• A character string. 

• A number (integer, real, exponential). 


Using Properties Property Name/Value Restrictions 

• An expression (arithmetic or string expression). 

• A triplet. The special property type “triplet” is a 3-valued property used to 

describe the best-case/typical/worst-case values used in timing analysis. 

The three values of a triplet may be separated by a comma or spaces. If you 

are entering triplet values in a command or function, enclose the values in 

quotes (for example, “5,7,10”). When entering triplet property values in a 

prompt bar or dialog box, do not enclose the values in quotes (5,7,10). The 

value, whether entered as a string, a number, or an expression type, will be 

evaluated as a number. 

If only one value is specified, it is used for the best-case, typical, and worstcase 

values. If two values are specified, then the first is used for the bestcased 

value, and the second is used for typical and worst-cased values. 

It is important for you to know what the property type is before entering a 

property value. For example, if the property type of property name “A” is a 

character string, and you enter the value of 95, this value will be interpreted as a 

character string “95” not the numerical value of 95. 

When you add the property value, the Add Property command, by default, sets the 

property type to the value set by the previous Set Property Type command for that 

property name. Use the -Type option with the Add Property command to change 

any of the property values listed previously. 

After a property value is attached to an object, its property type can only be 

modified through the Change Property Type command. The Change Property 

Type command can be used to change the property type to a string, number, 

expression, or triplet. 

Property Name/Value Restrictions 

Operating systems, AMPLE, and downstream applications all impose restrictions 

on property names and values. Design Architect-IC does not check for violations 

of all these restrictions. The following topics summarize the known restrictions. 


Property Name/Value Restrictions Using Properties 

Property Name Restrictions 

Any identifiers saved in the design database, such as property names, must begin 

with a letter (a-z, A-Z), or a dollar sign ($). 

Subsequent characters can be any of the aforementioned characters, an underscore 

(_), or a digit (0-9). 

Property names are not case sensitive in Design Architect-IC, and must have less 

than 512 characters. Property names and values are stored as C Language style 

null terminated strings and, therefore, cannot contain a null character. 

Property Value Restriction 

Property values set to “string” have no character restrictions. However, 

downstream applications must be able to recognize the string. For example, you 

should not use a hyphen (-) character as the first character of a name Property 

value, as some downstream tools will interpret this as a unary minus. Property 

values have no character length restriction. Property values are case insensitive, 

although, you can change the case for display purposes. 

Property values set to “number” can be integers, real numbers, or exponential 

decimal numbers. Downstream applications that use the design viewing and 

analysis package (for example, Design Viewpoint Editor-IC) do not handle 

exponential notation and non-decimal radix notation. 

Property values of type “expression” are evaluated as AMPLE expressions and, 

therefore, must follow AMPLE syntax. 

Property values of type “triplet” include one, two, or three values. Each of these 

must evaluate to a number. If any of the three values is an expression, the 

expression must follow AMPLE syntax. 

Special Case Restrictions 

If a property value is the name of an object that must be recognized by the design 

database, the same property name restrictions apply. These include values of the 

7-6 


Using Properties Property Name/Value Restrictions 

Pin, Net, and Inst properties. For example, the Net property value is the name of 

the net, which is stored in the design database. 

The following list describes additional restrictions for net and pin names: 

• “_$”, “_B$”, “_b$”, “N$”, “n$”, “I$”, “i$”, “P$”, “p$”, “G$”, “g$”, “B$”, 

“b$”, “R$”, and “r$” are reserved for the leading characters for handles 

(such as net, instance, and pin handles) and for internal use. 

• Even though a net/pin name is declared to be a “string” in Design Architect- 

IC, if the value includes “( )”, “[ ]”, or “< >”, the system will attempt to 

evaluate the string within the delimiters. 

• Pin/Net/Inst property values cannot contain a slash (/), back slash (\), a 

space ( ), a period (.), a hyphen (-), an escape, or tab character. 

• “[ ]”, “( )”, and “< >” are reserved to delimit bus subscript notation. The bus 

width is indicated between the delimiters. The numerical values for the bus 

width can be indicated in binary (prefix with “0b”), octal (prefix 

with “0o”), decimal (no prefix), or hexadecimal (prefix with “0x”). 

• A comma (,), colon (:), and semicolon (;) should only appear as part of a 

bus subscript syntax. 

• A period (.) should only be used for separating parts of a record in VHDL. 

• In any name that might be evaluated (names surrounded by parentheses), 

the entire string within the parentheses is considered an AMPLE expression 

and must follow the AMPLE expression syntax. 

Mentor Graphics discourages the use of non-printing characters and special 

characters in net/pin names because of their meanings in different applications 

and operating systems. 

Properties and Color 

By default, properties display in the same color as the object that owns them. For 

example, symbol body properties display in cyan, pin properties display in 

magenta, and net properties display in goldenrod. Normally, if a property value is 


Property Name/Value Restrictions Using Properties 

annotated in the context of a design viewpoint, the annotated value displays in red 

(by default), so you can tell which values are annotated. For more information on 

design viewpoints, see Chapter 11, “Editing in Design Context”. 

Design Architect-IC allows you to change the color of a property to distinguish it 

from the owning object. When you do this, both the original value of the property 

and the annotated value of the property display in the new color. 

For example, if you view a schematic sheet in the context of a design viewpoint, 

annotated property values may display in red (by default) or a different color if the 

property color has been changed. In this case, Design Architect-IC allows you to 

temporarily change the color of all annotations, so you can tell which property 

values are annotated. Choose Setup > Objects..., click Design Context and 

choose YES for Override Annotation Color in the form. 

7-8 


Using Properties Symbol Properties 

Symbol Properties 

Like other properties, symbol properties provide information about the object that 

owns the property. Symbol properties have additional characteristics and 

functions other properties do not. For example, a symbol property: 

• Can be owned by a piece of symbol graphics or by the “logical symbol.” 

• Can be created either graphical or non-graphical, if owned by the logical 

symbol. 

• Has a property stability and property visibility switch. 

• Is brought forth to the instance when the symbol is instantiated on a 

schematic sheet. Refer to “Updating Properties on an Instance” in this 

chapter for information about how an instance of a symbol is updated. 


Symbol Properties Using Properties 

Logical Symbol Properties 

Regular symbol properties are attached to symbol body graphics and can be 

invisible, or displayed graphically on the symbol. They are created when you add 

a property (with the Add Property command) to a selected symbol graphic. This 

action attaches the property to a selected symbol object, for example, a symbol 

body or symbol pin. 

A symbol property that has no graphic owner is a logical symbol property. These 

are created by adding a property with nothing selected, and are not attached to 

symbol body graphics, but rather are owned by the “logical symbol.” The logical 

symbol is the symbol entity, rather than the collective symbol graphics, and 

represents the function of the component. 

Logical symbol properties can be either graphic or non-graphic. A graphic 

property has a location, which is displayed in gold to distinguish it from properties 

owned by the symbol body, and has a name, value, and property attributes. 

A non-graphic property is not displayed, but has a name, value, and property 

attributes. Non-graphic properties are intended for program generated properties 

that do not need to be displayed or changed. 

If you delete a symbol body that has properties attached, those properties become 

graphic logical symbol properties at their original locations. 

If you add the property graphically, you must select the text itself (rather than 

owner graphics) to change the property through a change property command, or to 

move or copy the property. If you add a logical symbol property that already 

exists on a symbol, the value of that property (wherever it occurs on the symbol) 

changes to the value of the property being added. To list the logical symbol 

properties for the symbol, enter the Report Object command. Both graphical and 

non-graphical logical symbol properties are included in the component interface 

when the symbol is saved and registered. 

7-10 


Using Properties Symbol Properties 

Property Stability Switches 

In the Symbol Editor, when you add properties to a symbol, a property stability 

switch is placed on the property. These switches control the changeability of the 

symbol property when an instance of the symbol is placed on a schematic sheet. 

The following switches define four levels of stability: 

• -Fixed specifies that property value, type, and name cannot be altered or 

deleted on any instance on a schematic sheet, although property attributes 

can be changed. 

• -Protect specifies that property value, type, and name can be altered on an 

instance when it is instantiated on a schematic sheet. However, once 

instantiated, the instance-specific property value cannot be changed, only 

the property attributes can be changed. 

• -Variable specifies that property value, type, name, and text attributes can 

be altered on an instance when it is instantiated or any time after. 

• -Nonremovable specifies that property value, type, name, and text 

attributes can be altered on an instance at instantiation time or after, but the 

property cannot be deleted from the instance. 

The default property stability switch setting is -Variable (except for Pin 

properties), and can be changed with the Setup Property Text command and the 

$set_property_stability_switch() function. The Change Property Stability Switch 

command changes the property stability for selected property names without 

changing the default switch settings. 

The default property stability switch setting for Pin properties is -Fixed. 

Note 

In order to change the stability switch of a Logical Symbol Body 

property, no object should be selected. Therefore, it is best to enter 

the $unselect_all() function first, then, select the property with the 

$select_by_property() function and specify the property name and 

value. You can change the stability attribute using the 

$change_property_stability_switch() function. 


Symbol Properties Using Properties 

Property Visibility Switches 

In the Symbol Editor, when you add properties to a symbol with the Add Property 

command, a property visibility switch is placed on the property and is set to 

“Visible” or “Hidden”. The Visibility Switch controls the visibility of the symbol 

property when an instance of the symbol is placed on a schematic sheet. Hidden 

properties are not selectable. When adding graphic properties to a symbol, all 

properties are visible in the symbol window. 

The default property protection switch setting is -Visible, and can be changed with 

the Setup Property Text command and the $set_property_visibility_switch() 

function. The Change Property Visibility Switch command changes the property 

visibility for selected property names without changing the default switch settings. 

Property attributes listed in report windows may include “-Not Visible” and “- 

Hidden”. If both of these are listed, the property was hidden when added, and the 

property visibility has not been changed. If “-Hidden” is listed without “-Not 

Visible”, the property visibility was changed to visible on the sheet. 

There is also a property visibility switch attached to the properties added to the 

instance of the symbol. This switch controls the visibility of properties added to 

the instance of the symbol, and is set in the Schematic Editor. 

7-12 


Using Properties Updating Properties on an Instance 

Updating Properties on an Instance 

The following topics describe how properties are updated automatically and 

manually, as well as how modified property values and attributes are flagged, and 

how those flags affect the update process. 

Attribute-Modified Properties 

A property on an instance becomes Attribute_Modified when the graphical 

attributes of the property are changed. When you change the appearance of 

property text, you are making attribute modifications, and the property is flagged 

as Attribute_Modified. Some examples of commands that change graphical 

attributes (assuming the operation is performed on a property, not the owner) 

include Move (of a property attached to the instance), Change Text Height, 

Change Property Justification, and Change Text Font. 

The Attribute_Modified flag has no meaning in the Symbol Editor. A description 

of how Attribute_Modified properties affect the update process begins with 

“Property Merge Options” in this chapter. 

The Attribute_Modified flag can be manually set and reset using the 

Miscellaneous > Property Settings > Mark Property Attributes: menu item 

from the Schematic scope. 

Value-Modified Properties 

When you change the value of a property, the Value_Modified flag is attached to 

that property. A property becomes Value_Modified when one of the following 

actions occur: 

• You change the property value with the Add Instance, Change Text Value, 

Change Property Value, or the Delete commands. 

• You mark the property using the Mark Property Value command. 

A Value_Modified property, by definition, is also Attribute_Modified. Properties 

on the symbol and the instance that are Value_Modified appear in report windows 

as “Value Modified”. The Value_Modified flag has no meaning in the Symbol 


Updating Properties on an Instance Using Properties 

Editor. A description of how Value_Modified properties affect the update process 

begins in the “Property Merge Options” section of this chapter. 

Mark Property Attributes 

The Mark Property Attributes command operates on a property whose value is 

selected or on all the properties owned by selected objects. You can mark a 

property’s attributes as either “Modified” or “Not Modified”, depending upon 

how you want those properties updated. 

7-14 

! 

Caution 

You can also mark and unmark a property’s attributes by choosing the 

Miscellaneous > Property Settings > Mark Property Attributes: menu item; in 

the prompt bar, enter the property name and choose either “modified” or 

“notmodified” by clicking the stepper button. 

Mark Property Value 

The Mark Property Value command operates on selected property values, or on a 

specified property name. You can mark a property value as either “Modified” or 

“Not Modified”, depending upon how you want those properties updated. 

! 

Caution 

If a property’s attributes are modified with the Change Property 

Attributes or Change Text Attributes command, then clearing the 

Attribute Modified flag with the Mark Property Attributes - 

Notmodified command also causes the attributes to immediately 

revert back to their original values on the symbol. 

If a property value was modified with the Change Property Value 

or Change Text Value command, then clearing the 

Value_Modified flag with the Mark Property Value -Notmodified 

command also causes the value to revert back to the original value 

on the symbol immediately. 

You can also mark and unmark properties by choosing the Miscellaneous > 

Property Settings > Mark Property Value: menu item; in the prompt bar, enter 

the property name and choose either “modified” or “notmodified” by clicking the 

stepper button. 


Using Properties Updating Properties on an Instance 

Property Merge Options 

The property update process is controlled by property merge options on the 

Update and Replace commands. The Open Schematic dialog box also has options 

to control how a sheet is updated when it is opened; this is discussed in the 

following section, “Automatic Update Process”. The update process can change 

some or all of the properties you have placed on an instance, depending on which 

property merge option you use with the Update or Replace command and how the 

properties were modified before the update. How the properties are merged onto 

the instance of the symbol is based on the following two property merge settings: 

• -Clear: Symbol body graphics are updated. All instance-specific properties 

are deleted. All other properties and property attributes are reset to the 

current symbol values. Any new properties on the current symbol are added 

to the instance. This is the default for the Replace command. 

• -Auto: Symbol body graphics are updated. All instance-specific and 

Value_Modified properties remain unchanged. All other properties are reset 

to the current symbol values. Any new properties on the current symbol are 

added to the instance. If the Attribute_Modified flag is not set on a property 

whose value is updated, then the attributes are also updated. This is the 

default for the Update command. 

Automatic Update Process 

Properties on an instance of a symbol can be updated when a schematic sheet is 

opened, giving instances on the sheet new, updated versions of the symbol. When 

you open a sheet, you can specify an update option or the default 

auto_update_mode for the Session. You can set the default from a startup file, 

especially if you use the same update option whenever you open a sheet. 

The Open Schematic and Open Design Configuration commands have an 

auto_update_mode switch. This switch has the same -Clear and -Auto settings 

described page “Property Merge Options” in addition to a -Noupdate setting, 

which means that no update should be performed when the schematic sheet is 

opened. The default switch setting for these commands is -Noupdate, unless you 

explicitly change it. 


Updating Properties on an Instance Using Properties 

If you open a schematic sheet via a menu path and dialog box, you can change the 

switch setting by clicking on the Options... button, then clicking Auto, None, or 

Clear for the Auto Update Mode. Changing the switch setting when opening a 

schematic sheet only applies to that sheet; it does not change the default setting for 

the Session. 

The $set_auto_update_mode() function lets you change the default setting for the 

auto_update_mode switch. Auto_update_mode controls only automatic updates 

when a sheet is read; it does not specify a default property merge for the Update 

and Replace commands. 

The $get_auto_update_mode() function returns the default. The following 

example retrieves, then resets the auto_update_mode default. 

7-16 

$get_auto_update_mode() // @noupdate $set_auto_update_mode(@auto) 

$get_auto_update_mode() // @auto 

The $get_auto_update_inst_handles() function returns a vector of handles for all 

the instances that were out of date when the sheet was read. These instances will 

have been updated if the auto_update_mode option was not @noupdate. This 

system function only returns valid results immediately after the sheet is opened. 

Property Update Examples 

Table 7-2 shows examples of how the Value_Modified and property merge 

switches control which properties are merged onto the instance of the symbol. 

The second column shows the properties on the symbol at the time of 

instantiation. The “Properties on Instance” show how the property values were 

changed at instantiation time. 

Assume the original symbol was edited to have the property values shown in the 

“Properties on Edited Symbol” column. The “Merged Properties” column shows 

the results of updating the instance of the symbol. 


Using Properties Parameters 

In the “Properties on Instance” and “Merged Properties” columns, an asterisk (*) 

indicates the property is Value_Modified. 

Merge 

Switch 

Properties 

on Symbol 

-Clear Model=AND 

NW=1u 

-Symbol Model=AND 

NW=1u 

-Instance Model=AND 

NW=1u 

-Auto Model=AND 

NW=1u 

Parameters 

Table 7-2. Property Update Examples 

Properties on 

Instance 

Model=OR * 

cap_pin=“10 20 30” 

My_property=16 

Model=OR * 

cap_pin=“10 20 30” 


Model=OR * 

cap_pin=“10 20 30” 


Model=OR * 

cap_pin=“10 20 30” 


Properties on 

Edited Symbol 

Model=NAND 

NW=2u 

Model=NAND 

NW=2u 

Model=NAND 

NW=2u 

Model=NAND 

NW=2u 

Merged 

Properties 

Model=NAND 

NW=2u 

Model=NAND 

cap_pin=“10 20 30” 

NW=2u 


Model=OR * 

cap_pin=“10 20 30” 

NW=1u * 


Model=OR * 

cap_pin=“10 20 30” 

NW=2u 


A parameter is a variable that is resolved outside of the design through a 

temporary value in Design Architect-IC or through a parameter rule in the design 

viewpoint. For example, the value of a property may be an arithmetic expression 

that contains one or more variables. The value of that property cannot be 

determined until the variables are resolved. The method the system uses to resolve 

variables is defined by a set of rules which dictates the position in the design tree 

where the system looks for the variables. Parameters are one of the rules used to 

evaluate property value variables. 

Briefly stated, as each instance in a design is evaluated, the system looks at the 

instance properties in an attempt to resolve expressions that contain variables. For 

those variables which are unresolvable at the instance level, the search continues 

up through the design tree. The search for the variable's value continues until a 


Parameters Using Properties 

match is found, or the root level of the design is reached. If the root level of the 

design is reached and the variable has not been resolved, the system looks through 

the parameter list in the design viewpoint. See 

“Rules for Resolving Property Value Variables” in this chapter for a detailed 

explanation of this process. 

Given this method of evaluation for property value variables on schematic sheets, 

there are two commands that help you create and evaluate designs more 

efficiently. These commands are Set Parameter, used in the Schematic Editor 

within the Design Architect-IC Session window, and Add Parameter, used in the 

Design Viewpoint Editor-IC (DVE-IC). The following two paragraphs briefly 

describe the purpose of these two commands. 

The Set Parameter command supplies dummy parameter values for variables in 

property value expressions on a schematic sheet. Without these dummy values the 

Check command, when executed, reports warnings about expression variables 

that cannot be resolved. The ability to check syntax reduces the number of 

problems that otherwise would not be discovered until you create a design 

viewpoint. Basically, the Set Parameter command offers a method to flag 

forgotten variables entered on a schematic that need to be identified in DVE-IC. 

These parameters are not known to the design viewpoint until you execute the 

Add Parameter command in DVE-IC. 

The Add Parameter command in DVE-IC lets you specify a particular value for a 

variable. Issuing this command for a variable adds the definition of the parameter 

to the parameter list for the current design viewpoint. If the system cannot resolve 

the variable's value by the time the root of the design is reached, the parameter list 

is searched for the value, and the variable can be resolved. 

7-18 


Using Properties Using Expressions as Property Values 

Using Expressions as Property Values 

A property value can have a property type defined as an expression. An 

expression is a combination of variable(s), constant value(s), and arithmetic or 

logical operator(s) defined by AMPLE expression syntax. For example, “x + 5” is 

a simple expression with a variable “x”, and the constant value “5,” added 

together with the arithmetic operator “+”. A full discussion of arithmetic operators 

and expression syntax is included in the AMPLE for IC Flow User's Manual. 

Expressions can be defined for any property values. Expressions are typically 

used to redefine property values in commonly used components, without having 

to redesign the component. Expressions can also be used within the range 

specification for a net or pin name (net and pin property values). Variables in 

expressions are evaluated as needed. For example, expressions are evaluated 

when a sheet or schematic is checked, or when a design viewpoint is created with 

expressions defined. All expressions must follow AMPLE expression syntax as 

described in the AMPLE for IC Flow User's Manual. 

Rules for Resolving Property Value 

Variables 

When the design is evaluated in the context of a design viewpoint and the system 

finds an undefined variable in an expression, it starts a search up through the 

design tree to find a value for that variable. Figure 7-1 illustrates the search path 

the system uses to find the value. As soon as a valid value is found, the search 

stops. 

The search is described as follows: 

1. The property owner object (net, instance pin, or instance body) is searched 

first. 

2. If the owner in the above step is an instance pin, the body properties of the 

attached instance are searched next. (If the owner is a net, this step is skipped.) 

3. The body property list of the instance’s component interface table is searched 

next. (If the owner is a net, this step is skipped.) 


Rules for Resolving Property Value Variables Using Properties 

4. Does the design have more levels of hierarchy? If yes, the search moves up one 

level to the parent instance on the upper sheet. The properties on the instance 

body are checked first, then the body property list of the instance’s component 

interface table is searched next. 

7-20 

During each step in the search up the design tree, the value of a parameter may 

be overridden by a backannotation specified in a connected backannotation 

object. If more than one backannotation object is connected, the BA objects are 

searched in prioritized order. 

No 

5 

Design Viewpoint 

Parameter List 

Does 


Contain 

Higher 

Levels 

? 

Yes 

4 

Move up to next 

hierarchical level 

in the design 

Owner 

Object 

Comp. Interface 

Body Properties 

3 

Figure 7-1. Parameter Evaluation Rules 

5. After the parent instance on the top sheet is searched, the design viewpoint 

Parameters list is searched. 

1 

Start Evaluation 

Parent 

Instance 

D Q 

CLK 

QB 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 

2 

Back 

Annotation 

Files

Using Properties Rules for Resolving Property Value Variables 

In order for the value of the variable to be used in evaluation, you must add a 

parameter prior to evaluation of the design. 

You can declare variables for the width of a parameterized bus, the number of bits 

in a parameterized register, and many other types of expressions. These property 

value variables can be declared in Design Architect-IC or through 

backannotations. When defining property value variables, remember to set the 

property value type to expression. Variables can also be set up in CASE, IF, and 

FOR frames, instance names, net names, pin names, and subscripts. 

For example, suppose you design a generic register and declare a variable 

“bank_size”. In DVE-IC, you assign the bank size of this register to be 300 bits. 

ADD PArameter "bank_size" 300 -Numeral 

Whenever a downstream application encounters an unresolved property variable 

named “bank_size” during evaluation, it assigns it the value 300. 

If an unresolved variable is anywhere in the design hierarchy or the design 

viewpoint, an error message is generated. 

Facts About Property Variable Resolution 

The following list presents some facts and tips about property value resolution 

rules and their effect on property value evaluation: 

• Property values assigned to primitives take precedence over property values 

assigned to objects which are higher up in the design tree. 

• A common mistake is to assign constant property values on a device's 

lower-most schematic sheet, expecting to be able to use a different property 

value when the design is evaluated. This is not a valid technique. The 

property values at the outer-most leaves of the design tree are the property 

values first found, according to the scoping rules. 

If you want to pass a property's value down to a schematic sheet from 

higher up in the design tree, the property on the lower schematic sheet must 

consist of an expression containing variable(s) that are resolved further up 



7-22 

in the hierarchy. The property value is retrieved when the expression is 

evaluated. 

• Property variable values assigned as parameters with the Add Parameter 

command in Design Viewpoint Editor-IC specify global values for those 

variables. To find out more about the Add Parameter command, see the 

Design Viewpoint Editor-IC User's and Reference Manual. 

• Property variable values originating with the symbol model (kept in the 

component interface) specify “local” values. That is, they specify the value 

of the property variable that is used on all underlying sheets of that symbol. 

This rule is important because it allows you to specify that certain portions 

of a design have a different value for a property variable than is specified by 

the Add Parameter command in DVE-IC. 

Example of Property Variable Resolution 

As an example of property variable resolution, suppose you have created the 

design hierarchy shown in Figure 7-2. In this design, the top-most schematic 

contains an instance for device A (among other instances). The underlying 

schematic sheet for device A contains instances for three devices designated as B, 

C, and D. Instances B, C, and D also have their underlying sheets. 

Figure 7-2 also shows the four symbol models to the right of the design. Each 

graphic represents the symbol model and component interface pair to which each 

device is associated. Note that some properties appear to the right of each graphic. 

Finally, the figure also shows the viewpoint of the design and its parameter list. 

This parameter list is created using the Add Parameter command from Design 

Viewpoint Editor-IC. 

To show how the same parameter in different legs of the design can evaluate to 

different values, consider the following scenario. Suppose instance B in the design 

has a pin with a cap_pin property whose value is the triplet “5, 10, 15”, while 

instances C and D have pins with “cap_pin” properties whose values are “cap”. 

Furthermore, these property values appear on the schematic sheet making them 

specific to the instance. Because the value for cap_pin on instance B is not an 

expression, the value will always be “5, 10, 15”. 


Using Properties Rules for Resolving Property Value Variables 

The value for cap_pin on instance C, on the other hand, is unresolved. Note, 

however, that the symbol model for device C has a property named “cap” and its 

value is the triplet “10, 20, 30”. When the design is evaluated, the property value 

resolution rules in this case begin by looking at the instance of device C itself. 

Finding no definition for the parameter “cap”, the system looks to the symbol 

model and its properties next. At this point, “cap” becomes defined for instance C 

and the search stops. 

For instance D, notice that the value for cap_pin is identical on the schematic 

sheet. Here, though, the symbol model for D does not have a property that defines 

“cap”. Note also that no definition for “cap” exists in the next higher level of the 

design. That is, “cap” is not defined in instance A or as part of the symbol model 

for device A. The design viewpoint's parameter list, however, does define “cap” 

as the triplet “15, 25, 35”. 

When the design is evaluated, the property variable resolution rules first look at 

the instance of D. Because no value for “cap” is found there, the system checks 

the properties associated with the symbol model for device D. Again, no 

definition for “cap” exists. Having exhausted its search on this level of the design, 

the system moves up one level of hierarchy and performs the same ordered search 

beginning with instance A and, finally, the symbol model for device A. Like the 

underlying sheet, no definition for “cap” is found. Finally, the design's viewpoint 

is searched and “cap” is determined to be the triplet “15, 25, 35” for instance D. 

To summarize this example, even though both instance C and D use the same 

parameter for the property cap_pin because of property variable resolution rules, 

the system evaluates “cap” to different values. 



7-24 

A 

Instance A's 

Underlying Schematic Sheet 

1. 

3. 

1. 

1. 

cap_pin = "5 10 15" 

C 

Top-most 

Schematic Sheet 

cap_pin = (cap) 

Instance B's 

Underlying Sheet 

TEST 

PULSE 

START 

ANALOG_OUT 

_CLR 

LATCH 

RES 

A 

B 

C U14 

D 

CLK 

R1 

ENP 

ENT 

R3 

R4 

74LS04 D Q 

3 

4 

CLK 

U10a _Q 

5 

1 

2 

B 

_PRE 

_CLR 

74LS74A 

10 

74LS08 

8 

9 U11c 

0 

74259 

Q0 8 

Q0 0 

Q1 9 

Q1 1 

U7 

Q2 10 

Q3 11 

U8 

Q2 2 

D Q3 3 

Q4 12 

Q4 4 

Q5 13 

Q5 5 

Q6 14 

Q6 6 

Q7 15 

Q7 7 

A2 

A1 

A0 

_E 

9 

A2 

A1 

A0 

_CLR 

_E 

4 74LS08 74LS04 

6 11 10 

5 

U10d 

FULL 

PARITY 

ACCESS(15:0) 

D 

cap_pin = (cap) 

Design Viewpoint 

5. 

Parameter List 

cap = 15 25 35 

Instance C's 


TEST 

PULSE 

START 

ANALOG_OUT 

_CLR 

LATCH 

RES 

A QA 

B QB 

C U14 QC 

D QD 

CLK 

R1 

ENP 

ENT RCO 

_LOAD 

_CLR 

R3 

74LS161A 

R2 

R4 

74LS04 D Q 

3 

4 

CLK 

U10a _Q 

_PRE 

_CLR 

74LS74A 

10 

74LS08 

8 

9 U11c 

0 

74259 

74259 

Q0 8 

Q0 0 

Q1 9 

Q1 1 

U7 

Q2 10 

D Q3 11 

U8 

Q2 2 

D Q3 3 

Q4 12 

Q4 4 

Q5 13 

Q5 5 

Q6 14 

Q6 6 

Q7 15 

Q7 7 

A2 

A1 

A0 

_CLR 

_E 

A2 

A1 

A0 

_CLR 

_E 

74LS04 

5 

6 

U10b 

1 74LS08 74LS04 

4 74LS08 74LS04 

3 9 U11a 

8 U11b 6 11 10 

2 

5 

U10c 

U10d 

Figure 7-2. Property Variable Resolution Example 

FULL 

PARITY 

ACCESS(15:0) 

2. 

4. 

2. 

A 

B 

Instance D's 


TEST 

PULSE 

START 

ANALOG_OUT 

_CLR 

LATCH 

RES 

A QA 

B QB 

C U14 QC 

D QD 

CLK 

ENP 

ENT RCO 

_LOAD 

_CLR 

R1 

R3 

74LS161A 

R2 

R4 

74LS04 D Q 

3 

4 

CLK 

U10a _Q 

_PRE 

_CLR 

74LS74A 

10 

74LS08 

8 

9 U11c 

0 

74259 

74259 

Q0 8 

Q0 0 

Q1 9 

Q1 1 

U7 

Q2 10 

D Q3 11 

U8 

Q2 2 

D Q3 3 

Q4 12 

Q4 4 

Q5 13 

Q5 5 

Q6 14 

Q6 6 

Q7 15 

Q7 7 

A2 

A1 

A0 

_CLR 

_E 

C 

D 

A2 

A1 

A0 

_CLR 

_E 

74LS04 

5 

6 

U10b 

1 74LS08 74LS04 

4 74LS08 74LS04 

3 9 U11a 

8 U11b 6 11 10 

2 

5 

U10c 

U10d 

FULL 

Symbol 

Models 

model = A 

model = B 

cap = "10 20 30" 

model = C 

PARITY 

ACCESS(15:0) 

model = D 


Using Properties Structured Logic Design Properties 

Structured Logic Design Properties 

Structured Logic Design (SLD) properties are special properties built into Design 

Architect-IC. SLD properties pass design information to routines in Design 

Viewpoint Editor-IC that evaluate the design and can only be added or changed on 

a schematic source sheet. 

To edit the SLD properties on a schematic sheet, open a design configuration from 

Design Architect-IC. A design configuration consists of a design viewpoint and its 

backannotation object. To create a design configuration: 

1. Create a schematic sheet. 

2. Check and save the schematic sheet. 

3. In the session scope, create a new design configuration. 

4. Open the new design configuration and add/edit SLD properties. 

While editing the design configuration, the “annotations” switch is on (default). 

When this switch is ON, all property edits are stored in the design configuration, 

except edits to SLD properties, which are made directly on the schematic source 

sheet. 

To turn the annotations switch OFF, choose Setup > Objects..., click Design 

Context and choose NO for Show Annotations. When the annotations switch is set 

to OFF, all property edits are stored with the schematic sheet. 

When editing properties from the design configuration, you should have 

annotations ON to edit all properties except SLD properties. The state of the 

annotations switch displays in the Design Architect-IC status line. The upper case 

“A” in the status line shown in Figure 7-3 indicates annotations are ON. A lower 

case “a” indicates annotations are OFF. 


Structured Logic Design Properties Using Properties 

. 

7-26 

Figure 7-3. Status Line Showing Annotations ON 

The Design Architect-IC objects which have valid SLD properties are listed in 

Table 7-3: 

Table 7-3. DA-IC Objects Associated with Specific SLD Properties 

DA-IC Objects SLD Properties 

Bodies/Instance Class Rule Inst Global 

Pins/Vertices Class Rule Net Pin 

Function block Function 

block 

Frames Frexp 

Table 7-4, summarizes SLD properties. Note that the property values marked with 

an asterisk (*) can include special notation; see “Frexp Property” and 

“Special Notation for CASE, FOR, and IF Property Values” in this chapter. The 

following pages describe SLD properties in more detail. 

Table 7-4. Structured Logic Design Properties 

Property 

Name 

Property Value Description 

Class C Connector: Connects differently named 

nets together. 

Class G Global: Connects a net globally across 

the design. For example, Ground. 



Class I Intra-page connector: Identifies a net 

connected to another net by the same 

name on the same sheet. 

Class P Port: Establishes design I/O 

connectivity with a pin on the symbol 

above it in a hierarchical design. 

Class R Ripper: Extracts a range of nets from a 

bus. 

Class O Off-page connector: Identifies net 

connected to a net on another sheet of 

the schematic. 

Class N Null: Defines object as electrically 

inert. 

Class dangle Identifies a dangling instance pin or net 

vertex that should not cause a check 

warning. 

Frexp CASE * Identifies a CASE frame. 

Frexp FOR * Identifies a repeated frame. 

Frexp IF * Identifies a frame to be included 

conditionally. 

Frexp OTHERWISE * Otherwise case for the CASE frame. 

Function 

block 

Function 

block 

Function 

block 

Table 7-4. Structured Logic Design Properties [continued] 

Property 

Name 


fb_def Identifies an unconnected Made FB 

Definition. 

Represents the name of the FB instance 

or FB Definition. 

fb_inst Represents the future instance name of 

the FB Definition or FB Instance. 



7-28 

Table 7-4. Structured Logic Design Properties [continued] 

Property 

Name 

Class Property 


Global global_name Name of a global net (used with Class 

“G” property value). 

Inst Instance name on a schematic sheet. 

Net () Name of a net or bus. 

Pin () Name of pin on symbol. 

Rule Identifies bus lines to extract with 

ripper (“Class” R). 

The Class property identifies its owner object as having some special 

characteristic. Ports, off-page connectors, net connectors, and rippers all have 

Class property values that define these devices. The Class property is placed on an 

instance or symbol body. Instances or symbol bodies tagged with the Class 

property are specially treated by Design Architect-IC and DVE-IC; they are not 

included in the evaluated design viewpoint. For more information on the special 

instances defined using the Class property, see Appendix E, “Special Instances”. 

Properties on pins propagate to the net vertices under the pins when an instance 

having the Class property is placed on a sheet or updated, if those properties may 

be owned by nets and do not already exist. If you wish to propagate properties in 

this manner, you must explicitly declare “net” as a legal owner of the desired 

properties using the $set_property_owner() function in the Symbol Editor. 

When an instance with a Class property attached is placed on a sheet, making a 

connection to an existing net, the Init and Net properties which may have been 

placed on the pin of the symbol are propagated to the net vertex under the instance 

pin, assuming the net vertex does not already have an Init or Net property. If an 

Init property already exists on the net vertex, it is replaced by the instance pin's 

Init property only if the new instance is a global instance (Class property 

value = G). 



If the property is created on a symbol, its behavior upon symbol instantiation is 

determined by the values specified for the symbol_visibility_switch and 

symbol_stability_switch arguments in the $add_property() function. If these 

switches are not specified, the values of the property_visibility_switch and 

property_stability_switch internal state variables are used. 

You can also use the Class property to declare a valid dangling net vertex or 

instance pin. Add the Class property with a value of “dangle” to a pin or net vertex 

to indicate that the Check command should not issue a warning because that 

object is unconnected. 

For example, if you want to connect only one output pin of an instance of a flipflop, 

you can add this property to the other output pin to identify it to the Check 

command as an acceptable dangling pin. To add the Class property to a pin or net, 

you may first need to execute the Set Property Owner command to declare pins 

and/or nets as valid owners of this property. 

Global Property 

The Global property defines a global net such as VCC and GND. The Global 

property is assigned with the Class property value “G” and forms a property/value 

pair for the device body. If you assign the Global property to a body without also 

assigning the Class G property to the body, the design will pass the Check 

command without generating an error or warning. However, the net will not be 

recognized as global in that case. Global connectivity is established directly 

downward and at the same level in hierarchy by giving nets the same name as the 

Global property value. 

Inst Property 

All schematic items have unique object handles which are assigned, maintained, 

and used by the application. Usually, they are not visible to you. You can also 

assign names (with the visibility and other attributes under your control) that can 

be used to identify each instance. This is accomplished by assigning unique names 

(for example “U23-A”) to instances with the Inst property. 



The values used with Inst property assignments must be unique on all sheets of a 

schematic. The Check -Schematic command detects repeated “Inst” values for the 

current schematic sheet level in Design Architect-IC. 

Net Property 

The Net property value is used to name the net and is assigned to a net vertex. 

Pin Property 

The Pin property value placed on a symbol pin is used to name the pin. The pin 

property on the symbol provides the connectivity interface between levels of 

design hierarchy. 

Rule Property 

The Rule property is used on ripper devices with the Class property value “R” and 

specifies which wire or group of wires is to be ripped, or branched, from a bus. 

The Rule property must be assigned to objects with the Class property value “R”. 

The Check command generates an error message if the Class property value “R” 

is present without the Rule property. 

You must adhere to the following guidelines when assigning the Rule property to 

a Class “R” device: 

7-30 

• You must observe proper syntax for the Rule property value. For more 

information, see “Understanding Basic Pin, Bus, and Net Naming Syntax” 

in Chapter 3. The width of the Rule property must match the width of the 

ripped bus. 



Frexp Property 

This property is used to define frames. Frames provide you with the ability to 

repeat or conditionally include a circuit in a schematic sheet. The number of 

iterations, or the conditions determining inclusion or selection are controlled by 

parameters assigned during design creation and evaluation, and make use of the 

frame expression assigned as a value to the Frexp property. The frame expression 

uses similar constructs to those used in high level programming languages. 

All frames must have the Frexp property assigned to them with a valid Frexp 

property value. The value assigned to the Frexp property must adhere to a specific 

syntax which uses key words such as FOR, IF, CASE, OTHERWISE, DOWNTO, 

and TO with the assignment, equality, and relational (:=, ==, !=, =) 

characters. For example “FOR i := 1 TO 5” is correct, but “FOR i += 1 TO 5” is 

not. The syntax for FOR, IF, CASE, and OTHERWISE frames is discussed next. 

Function Block Properties 

There are three properties used to define Function Blocks, as follows: 

• FB_DEF is a string property used to identify an unconnected, Made FB 

Definition. 

• FB_NAME is a required string used to represent the name of an FB 

Instance or FB Definition. 

• FB_INST is an optional string used to represent the future instance name of 

the FB Definition or FB Instance. 



Special Notation for CASE, FOR, and IF Property 

Values 

The Frexp property contains specific syntax that can be used to indicate property 

values. The clause or range required is defined before each description. Names or 

values that you must supply appear in italics, and any punctuation shown is 

necessary. Except for the FOR example, property value syntax described in these 

examples is defined by the AMPLE language. 

These values are only applicable to the Frexp property. 

CASE 

Clause: parameter==”value” or parameter == “value” 

In the CASE frame clause, if the value equals the parameter, the circuitry defined 

within the frame is included in the schematic sheet. If not, and an OTHERWISE 

frame exists, the OTHERWISE frame is included. The CASE parameter name 

follows the rules for AMPLE identifiers, whose default value is declared with the 

Set Parameter command. The value is any valid AMPLE expression. 

OTHERWISE 

Clause: variable_name 

The OTHERWISE value is used in conjunction with the CASE value. If the 

evaluation of the CASE value is false, the OTHERWISE frame is included. The 

variable_name is a local variable which follows the rules for AMPLE identifiers. 

FOR 

Clause: variable_name := expression TO expression 

7-32 

or 

Clause: variable_name := expression DOWNTO expression 

The FOR frame expression specifies that the frame contents are to be repeated on 

the sheet “n” times. The variable “n” can be a variable in a frame expression on an 



outer frame. The value of “i” as it iterates through the values 0 to n-1 in the 

following example can be used to evaluate the value within this frame. 

Example: FOR i := 0 TO n-1 

Note 

DOWNTO works the same way as the TO example, except it decrements the start 

index value by one. For example, FOR i := n-1 TO 0, would generate the “i” 

values of n-1, n-2, to 0, in that order. 

The variable_name is a local variable which follows the rules for AMPLE 

identifiers. Frame expressions on frames in an inner nest can involve the dummy 

variables assigned in outer nest, or property names valid for Design Architect-IC 

instance items. 

Note 

When creating a net with the FOR frame expression, you must 

name the net if the net crosses the border of the frame. If the net 

does not have a name and crosses the FOR frame border, Design 

Architect-IC will create multiple nets. 

In expressions of this type, the “:=” operator must be preceded and 

followed by a space, and the colon (:) must be followed 

immediately by the equal sign (=), with no intervening spaces. 



Positive and negative integers and integer expressions can be used as indices. 

Integers are treated as unsigned values, so you will receive a warning message if 

you use negative indices. These messages inform you that names in the design 

database may be different than expected (as they will be represented in two'scomplement 

form). For example, a net name expression such as $strcat(“OUT_”, 

I) used in the FOR frame expression “FOR I := -1 TO 0” produces the net names 

“OUT_65535” and “OUT_0”, instead of “OUT_-1” and “OUT_0”. 

Because the evaluated value of -1 is larger than the terminating value of 0, a 

warning message is issued, and the design logic within the frame is omitted from 

the design viewpoint. 

7-34 

Note 

To avoid unexpected (and possibly unpleasant) results, Mentor 

Graphics strongly recommends that you do not use negative 

indices. 

The relative size of indices used in a FOR frame expression affects the number of 

iterations generated as follows: 

• When the start index is less than the end index, the number of iterations is 

equal to (end_value - start_value +1). Ten iterations are generated with the 

expression “FOR I := 1 TO 10”. 

• Only one iteration exists if the start index equals the end index, such as 

“FOR I := 1 TO 1”. 

• When the start index is greater than the end index, no iterations are 

generated. An example of this is “FOR I := 10 TO 1”. A warning message is 

displayed if this occurs. 


Using Properties Assigning Properties 

Figure 7-4 illustrates a typical FOR Frame. 

EN 

I0(I) 

FOR I := 0 TO N-1 

IF 

Clause: expression 

sa0,sa1 

sa0,sa1 

0 

0 

Figure 7-4. Typical FOR Frame 

In the IF expression, if the expression evaluates to FALSE (or zero) at design 

evaluation time, the frame is not included in the design. Otherwise, the frame is 

included. 

Frame expressions can involve property names that are valid for instance items. In 

the following example, the contents of the IF frame are included on the sheet, if 

the instance property “logic” is set to the property value “TTL”. 

Example: IF logic == “TTL” 

Assigning Properties 

0 

0 



0 

0 

(TPZH) 

(TPHZ) 

sa0,sa1 

(TPZL) 

(TPLZ) 

sa0,sa1 

(TPZH) 0 

(TPZL) 

0 

sa0,sa1 

sa0,sa1 

(TRISE) 

(TFALL) 

OUT(I) 

Assigning properties to a design is important if you intend to use the design with 

other Mentor Graphics applications. Some properties are required for specific 

downstream applications, others are optional. 


0 

0 

0 

0 

sa0,sa1 

0 

0 

sa0,sa1 

sa0,sa1 

sa0,sa1 

sa0,sa1 

0 

0 

sa0,sa1

Assigning Properties Using Properties 

Setting Up Property Text Attributes 

The following procedures let you set the appearance of properties on a symbol or 


To set up property text attributes in a Schematic Editor window, perform the 


7-36 

1. Choose the Setup > Objects menu item. 

2. Choose Property Text. 

This displays the Setup Object Property Text dialog box as illustrated in 

Figure 7-5. 



Figure 7-5. Setup Objects Property Text Dialog Box 

3. Specify text font name in the Font text box. To make font selection simpler, 

click the Menu... button to display a list of suggested fonts. 

If you want to use an unregistered font, you must enter a complete 

pathname to the font; the pathname must begin with a slash (/). 

4. Specify text height by entering a number in the Height text box. The 

default height is .1875 user units. 



7-38 

5. Specify text orientation by entering “0” or “90” in the Orientation text 

box. These numbers represent the angle of orientation, measured in degrees 

at which the text is placed on the sheet. 

6. Specify the vertical text justification by clicking the left mouse button on 

the Vertical Justification button Top, Center, or Bottom. 

7. Specify the horizontal text justification by clicking the left mouse button on 

the Horizontal Justification button Left, Center, or Right. 

8. Specify whether text should be visible or invisible on the schematic sheet 

by clicking the left mouse button on the Set Visibility button On or Off. 

9. Specify text transparency (on/off) by clicking the left mouse button on the 

Set Transparency button On or Off. 

10. Under the Auto Inst Name Settings, set the following items: 

a. Specify whether Auto Instance Name Placement should be enabled by 

clicking the left mouse button on the Auto Instance Name Placement 

button On or Off. 

b. Specify the Name Offset distance by entering a value in the Name 

Offset text box. 

c. Specify Indent Offset value by entering a number in the Indent Offset 

text box. 

11. Specify the restriction of flipped or rotated text (on/off) by clicking the left 

mouse button on the Restrict Flipped/Rotated Text button On or Off. 

To set up property text attributes in a Symbol Editor window, perform the 


1. Follow steps 1-11 in the previous procedure. In a Symbol Editor window, 

the Set Property Text dialog box includes two additional attribute fields to 

be specified. Attributes, set with the “Setup” commands, change the 

internal state variable for each attribute. 



2. Specify visibility (visible, hidden) by clicking the left mouse button on the 

Set Visibility Switch button. 

3. Specify the property stability switch (Variable, Fixed, Protected, or 

Nonremovable) by clicking the left mouse button on the Set Stability 

Switch button. Refer to “Property Stability Switches” in Chapter 7 for a 

description of how stability switches on properties can protect a property 

from being changed. 

You can also set up property text or comment text in the Schematic Editor, and 

property text or symbol body text in the Symbol Editor by clicking the 

[Text] Setup icon. The dialog box has buttons at the top for you to specify the 

type of text. When you click the Property button, other items in the dialog box are 

the same as in the Setup Property Text dialog box for each editor. 

Adding a Single Property 

To add a property name and value to a selected object in a Schematic Editor 

window, perform the following steps: 

1. Select object(s) (for example, net, pin, and instance). For information about 

selecting and unselecting objects, see “Selecting and Unselecting Objects” 

in Chapter 2. 

2. Click the left mouse button on the schematic_edit [Text] Add Property 

palette item. The Add Property dialog box displays. 

3. Select a property name from the scrolling list of properties, or type the new 

property name in the Property Name text box. 

4. Type the property value in the Property Value text box. When entering 

property values in a dialog box, do not use quotes. 

5. Fill in the rest of the dialog box, as appropriate. Refer to “Setting Up 

Property Text Attributes” for more information about property attributes. 

6. When property attributes are set, click OK. The Add Property prompt bar 

appears. 



7-40 

7. Move the cursor to the window of the selected object(s). Notice the elastic 

string attached to the selected object(s) and the property value text. 

8. Move the text to the desired location, and click the left mouse button. The 

property value text is placed at that location. 

If the property value is to remain invisible when the symbol is instantiated on a 

schematic sheet, the property value will have a solid DimGray rectangle as a 

background. The color and background of this rectangle can be changed from the 

DA-IC Session menu Setup > Property Display... 

To add a property name and value to a selected object in a Symbol Editor window, 


1. Select object (for example, symbol body and pin). For information about 

selecting and unselecting objects, refer to the see “Selecting and 

Unselecting Objects” in Chapter 2. 

Note 

When adding properties to a symbol body, select only one symbol 

body object. A symbol body can be constructed with a set of 

symbol body graphics (arcs, rectangles, polylines, and so forth). If 

you select more than one piece of the symbol body, the property 

will be added to each of the selected pieces. This will create an 

error when you check the symbol. If an object is not selected when 

the Add Property command is executed, the property will be added 

to the logical symbol. 

2. Click the left mouse button on the schematic_edit [Text] Add Text icon. 

The Add Property dialog box displays. 

3. Select a property name from the scrolling list of properties, or type the new 

property name in the New Property Name text box. 

4. Type the property value (no quotes) in the Property Value text box. 

5. Fill in the rest of the dialog box, as appropriate (graphics, property type, 

visibility switch, stability switch). For more information about symbol 

property switches, refer to “Symbol Properties” in Chapter 7. 



6. Press OK when all desired switch settings are set. The Add Property 

prompt bar appears. 

7. Move the cursor to the window of the selected object(s). Notice an elastic 

string is attached to the selected object(s) and the property value text. Move 

the property value text to the location you want to place the text, and click 

with the left mouse button. The property value text is placed at that 

location. 

Adding Multiple Properties to the Same Object 

To add multiple property name/value pairs with the same property attributes to 

selected objects in a Schematic or Symbol Editor window, perform these steps: 

1. Select object(s) (for example, net, pin, and instance). For information about 

selecting and unselecting objects, see “Selecting and Unselecting Objects” 

in Chapter 2. 

2. Execute the Properties > Add menu item available from the Instance, Net, 

and Draw Schematic Editor popup menus, and the Add and Symbol Body 

& Pins Symbol Editor popup menus. 

The Add Multiple Property dialog box displays. 

3. Type the property name and value for each pair of properties you want to 

add to the selected object(s). When you type in the Property Name text 

box, another text box displays, that allows you to enter as many property 

name/value pairs as you wish. 

4. Fill in the rest of the dialog box as appropriate. Refer to “Setting Up 

Property Text Attributes” for more information about setting up property 

attributes 

5. When property attributes are set, click OK. 

The Add Property prompt bar displays. 

6. Move the cursor to the window of the selected object(s). An elastic string is 

attached to the selected object(s) and the property value text. Move the 



7-42 

property value text to the desired location, and click the left mouse button. 

The property value text is placed at that location. 

7. Repeat Step 6 for each property name/value pair entered. 

Repeat Adding Properties to Changing Selection 

To add a single property to a selected object(s), select another object(s), add a 

single property to the newly selected object, and repeat this process as many times 

as required, perform the following steps: 

1. Select object(s) (for example, net, pin, and instance). For information 

about selecting and unselecting objects, see “Selecting and Unselecting 

Objects” in Chapter 2. 

2. Execute the Properties > Add popup menu item. 

An Add Multiple Property dialog box displays. 

3. Select a property name from the “Existing Property Name” box, or type the 

property name in the Property Name text box. 

4. Type the property value in the Property Value text box. 

5. Fill in the rest of the dialog box, if appropriate. Refer to “Setting Up 

Property Text Attributes” for more information about setting up property 

attributes 

6. When property attributes are set, click OK. 

The Add Property prompt bar appears. 

7. Move the cursor to the window of the selected object(s). An elastic string 

attaches to the selected object(s), and the property value text. Move the 

property text with the cursor to the location you want to place the text, and 

click the left mouse button. The text is placed at that location. 

8. After the property value text is placed, the Select Area prompt bar appears. 

Select another object and repeat steps 3 – 7, or press the Cancel button to 

exit this process. 



Deleting Property Name/Value 

To delete hidden or visible property name/value pairs, perform the following 

steps: 

1. Select properties to be deleted. For information about selecting and 

unselecting objects, refer to the see “Selecting and Unselecting Objects”in 

Chapter 2. 

2. Execute the Edit > Delete > Selected menu item, or click the right mouse 

button and select the Delete > Property from the popup menu. 

The Delete Property dialog box displays. 

3. Type the property name to be deleted in the Property Name text box. 

Multiple property names can be entered in the dialog box. 

4. Press OK after you enter the property name(s). 

Setting Property Owners 

To define what types of objects can own a particular property on a schematic 

sheet, perform the following steps: 

1. Type $set_property_owner() in a prompt bar. The Set Property Owner 

dialog box (Schematic Editor) displays. 

2. In the Property Name text box, type the property name for which you want 

to set property ownership. 

3. Click on the object types that can own the property (for example, the 

Instances or Nets buttons). You can specify more than one object type. 

4. Press OK when object type selection is complete. 

For conceptual information about property ownership, refer to “Property 

Ownership” in Chapter 7 of this manual. 



Deleting Property Owners 

To remove certain object types from the legal owner list of a particular property 

on a schematic sheet, perform the following steps: 

7-44 

1. Select an instance in your schematic. 

2. Choose the Delete > Property Owner popup menu item. The Delete 

Property Owner dialog box (Schematic Editor) displays. 

3. Type the property name whose owner list you want to modify in the 

Property Name text box. 

4. Press the left mouse button on the buttons associated with the object types 

you want to remove from the owner list of the specified property name. 

More than one object type can be specified. 


To delete object types from the owner list of a particular property on a symbol, 


1. Select an instance in your schematic. 

2. Choose the Delete > Property Owner popup menu item to display the 

Delete Property Owner dialog box (Symbol Editor). 

3. Type the property name whose owner list you want to modify in the 

Property Name text box. 

4. Click the left mouse button on the buttons for the object types you want to 

remove from the owner list of the specified property. More than one object 

type can be specified. 


For conceptual information about property ownership, refer to “Property 

Ownership” in Chapter 7 of this manual. 



Listing Property Information 

To list property information for specified objects, perform the following steps: 

1. Select the properties, or the owners of the properties, for which you want to 

extract information. Instead of selecting objects, you can enter the handle 

names of the objects in the dialog box that displays after the next step. 

2. Execute the Report > Specified Object menu item. The Report Object 


3. Click on the buttons associated with the objects for which you want 

property information. Select more than one object. By default, the report 

displays in the transcript window, and to a file named “da_report_file” in 

your current directory. 

If you selected the object that owns the property, you must ask for a report 

on both the object and attached properties. 

4. Press OK when object selection is complete. 

Property attributes listed in report windows may include “-Not Visible” and 

“-Hidden”. If both of these are listed, the property was hidden when added, 

and the property visibility has not been changed. 

If “-Hidden” is listed without “-Not Visible”, the property visibility was 

changed to visible on the sheet. 

Changing Property Values 

To change a single property text value, perform the following steps: 

1. Click on the piece of text to change, and choose Change Values: from the 

Property/Text popup menu 

2. Enter the new value in the prompt bar, then press Return, or click OK. 



To change the values of selected properties on a sheet or symbol, follow these 

steps: 

7-46 

1. Select the properties to change, either by setting the select filter, or by 

choosing the Select > Area > Property menu item. 

2. Choose the Properties > Change Values popup menu item or 

schematic_text [Edit] Change Value palette item. This displays the 

Change Property Value By Handle prompt bar with the current value, 

name, type, and object handle. 

3. Enter the new property value in the text entry box. Click OK. Another 

prompt bar appears for the next property to change. Repeat this step for 

each selected property. 

To change the value of the same property attached to several objects, perform the 

following steps (this example changes the Pintype property value): 

1. Press Unselect All key [F2]. 

2. Move the cursor close to a pin whose Pintype property you wish to change, 

and press F1 (Select Anything). Be sure that only the pin is selected. If the 

line connected to the pin is highlighted, unselect everything, and move the 

cursor slightly further away from the pin to select it. Repeat for each pin 

whose Pintype property value you want to change. The select count in the 

status line shows how many objects are selected. 

3. Choose the Properties > Modify popup menu item. This displays the 

Modify Properties dialog box. 

4. Click the left mouse button on the “PINTYPE - Multiple Occurrences” 

entry, then click OK. 

5. Click the Replace button to the right of the Property Value entry. Enter the 

new Pintype property value. You also can change the property type and 

some attributes in this dialog box. Click OK. The property values are 

changed for the selected pins. 



The following steps show another method of changing various pieces of 

unselected text: 

1. Choose the Property/Text > Change Values popup menu item to display 

the dialog box. 

2. Enter a new text value for one you want to replace. When you begin 

entering a value, another text entry box appears in the dialog box. Enter 

new values, one per text entry box, for all the values you want to change. 

3. Click OK. The first value entered in the dialog box displays in the message 

area. Click the left mouse button on the text you want to replace with the 

new value. 

4. The old value is replaced by the new value shown in the message area, and 

the next value is shown in the message area. Continue specifying the text to 

replace with the new value shown in the message area, until all specified 

values are placed. 

The value_modified flag can be reset to “Not Modified” by using the menu 

Miscellaneous > Property Settings > Mark Property Value: See “Mark 

Property Attributes” in Chapter 7 for details. 

Changing Property Attributes 

To change property attributes for a specified property on a schematic sheet, 


1. Select the property owners (nets, instances) for which you want to change 

property attribute information. Execute the Properties > Modify popup 

menu item. The Modify Properties dialog box displays. 

2. Select the property name you want to change by clicking the left mouse 

button on the property name. You can select more than one property name 

by holding down the Ctrl key while selecting the property names. 

3. Click OK when the property name selection is complete. A Modify 

Properties dialog box opens for the first property name selected. 



7-48 

4. Make the desired property attribute changes. 

5. Click OK when the property attribute selection is complete. The next 

Modify Property dialog box displays for the second property that was 

selected. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each property selected. 

To change property attributes for a specified property on a symbol, perform the 


1. Select the property owners for which to change property attributes. 

2. Select Edit > Property Operations > Modify menu item. A dialog box 

appears that includes a list of property names for a selected object. 

3. Click the left mouse button on the property name you want to change. You 

can select more than one property name by holding down the Ctrl key while 

selecting the property names. 

4. Click OK when the property name selection is complete. A Modify 

Properties dialog box opens for the property name(s) selected. 

In the Symbol Editor window, the Modify Properties dialog box has two 

additional property settings (stability and visibility switch) that are not 

available in a Schematic Editor window. 

5. Make the property attribute changes. 

6. Click OK when the property attribute selection is complete. The next 

Modify Property dialog box displays for the second property that was 

selected. For each property selected, repeat steps 5 and 6. 

Note 

In order to change the stability switch of a Logical Symbol Body 

property, no object should be selected. Therefore, it is best to 

execute an $unselect_all() function first. You then select the 

property with the $select_by_property() function and specify the 

property name and value. To change the stability attribute, use the 

$change_property_stability_switch() function. 



The attribute_modified flag can be reset to “Not Modified” by using the menu 

Miscellaneous > Property Settings > Mark Property Attributes: See “Mark 

Property Attributes” in Chapter 7 for details. 

Changing Property Text Color 

To change the color of all selected property text to White, for example, perform 


1. Select the property text for which you want to change the color. Execute the 

popup menu item Properties > Change Attributes > Text Color:. The 

Change Color dialog box displays, as shown in Figure 7-6: 

Figure 7-6. Change Color dialog box 

2. Move the window slider button down to the bottom, then click White. Click 

OK. 

Note 

Change Color 

Violet 

VioletRed 

Wheat 

White 

Yellow 

YellowGreen 


When you change the color of a property, the annotated value of 

that property text is also changed from the default color red to the 

new color. 



Changing the Background of Hidden Property Text 

To change the background color of all hidden property text to white, for example, 


7-50 

1. Activate the DA-IC Session window, then execute the menu item 

Setup > Property Display... 

The “Hidden Property Display in Symbol Editor” portion of the Setup 

Property Display dialog box appears in Figure 7-7. 

Hidden Property Display in Symbol Editor 

Display background? No Yes 

Background Color 

Violet 

VioletRed 

Wheat 

White 

Yellow 

YellowGreen 

Setup Property Display 

Background Pattern 

Solid 

Stipple 

Figure 7-7. Setup Property Display dialog box 

2. Move the window slider button down to the bottom, then click White, and 

click OK to close the dialog box. 

Changing Multiple Properties on the Same Object 

To edit multiple property name/value pairs, on a single selected object in a 

Schematic or Symbol Editor window, perform these steps: 



1. Select an object (for example, a symbol body) in the Symbol Editor 

window. 

2. Execute the popup menu Properties > Modify Multiple... 

• In the Schematic Editor window, available in the Instance, Net, and 

Draw popup menus 

• In the Symbol Editor window, available in the Symbol Body & Pins 

popup menus. The Modify Editable Properties dialog box displays, as 

shown in Figure 7-8: 

Modify Editable Properties 

Name 

Value 

Visibility Type 

BLOCK_NAME ADD_CONVERT 

Visible string 

MODEL schematic Visible string 

OK 

Reset 

Cancel 

Visible void 

Figure 7-8. Modify Editable Properties dialog box 

3. Enter the new value and/or attributes of the property names you want to edit 

or add to the selected object. 

4. When the property values and attributes are set, click OK. If you are adding 

a new property, the Add Property prompt bar appears. 

5. If you are adding a property, move the property value text to the desired 

location, and click the left mouse button. The property value text is placed 

at that location. 

6. Repeat Step 5 for each new property name/value pair entered. 



7-52 


Chapter 8 

Running Design Simulation 

This chapter provides information on using the simulation and waveform viewer 

functions in Design Architect-IC (DA-IC). The simulation and viewer functions 

allow you to simulate, view, and edit designs from within one environment. The 

following topics are available: 

Simulation Mode Overview 

Supported Language Types 

Requirements 

Using the HSPICE Simulator 

Running a Simulation 

Setting up a Default Viewpoint 

Invoking Simulation Mode 

Setting Up the Default Simulator and Viewer 

Setting Ground/Node 0 

Setting up the Simulation Environment 

Creating Default Simulation Environment Setups 

Restoring Simulation Environment Setups 

Copying a Simulation Configuration 

Setting up Standard Simulator Options 

Adding Forces 

Adding Safe Operating Areas 

Specifying a Circuit Temperature 

Setting up Parameter Variables for Models 

Reordering, Enabling/Disabling, Editing, and Deleting Sweep Analyses 


8-2 

Setting up a Sweep Analysis 

Setting up a Monte Carlo Analysis 

Setting up Simulation Analyses 

Setting up a DCOP Analysis 

Setting up a DC Analysis 

Setting up an AC Analysis 

Setting up an AC Noise Analysis 

Setting up a Transient Analysis 

Setting up a Transient Noise Analysis 

Setting up a Steady State Analysis 

Setting up a Modulated Steady State Analysis 

Setting up an Oscillator Steady State Analysis 

Setting up a Steady State Noise Analysis 

Setting up a Steady State AC Analysis 

Setting Model Libraries for Simulation 

Selecting/Editing Registered Models 

Displaying/Editing the Default Registered Model 

Including SPICE Command Files 

Entering Additional Simulator Commands 

Setting Probes 

Plotting Simulation Results 

Deleting Plots and Probes 

Displaying the Current Simulation Setups 

Displaying the Simulation Command File 

Displaying the DCOP Values 

Hiding the DCOP Values 

Displaying Small Signal DCOP Parameters 

Reporting DCOP Values for a Selected Object 

Using Estimated Pre-layout Parasitic Extractions 




Using Post-layout Parasitic Extractions 

Setting up the Netlist 

Understanding Analog/Digital Converters 

Defining Default Analog/Digital Converters for Auto-Insertion 

Editing Default Analog/Digital Converter Parameters 

Deleting Default Analog/Digital Converters 

Inserting Analog/Digital Converters on Instances 

Inserting Analog/Digital Converters on Nets 

Inserting Analog/Digital Converters on Pins 

Deleting Analog/Digital Converters 

Associating an SDF File with an Instance 

Displaying SDF File Setups 

Deleting SDF File Setups 

Changing SDF File Setups 

Deleting Unused References\Invalid Backannotations 

Checking the Design Before Simulation 

Generating a Netlist 

Running the Simulation 

Extracting Waveform Measurements 

Exiting Simulation Mode 

Viewing Waveforms 

About Xelga 

Invoking Xelga 

Crossprobing Schematics with Xelga 

Closing Xelga 

About Design Architect-IC View (DA-IC View) 

Invoking DA-IC View 

Crossprobing Schematics with DA-IC View 

Closing DA-IC View 


Simulation Mode Overview Running Design Simulation 

8-4 

About EZwave 

Invoking EZwave 

Crossprobing Schematics with EZwave 

Closing EZwave 

Simulation Mode Overview 

From the simulation mode in DA-IC, you can set up and invoke Eldo, 

ADVanceMS, HSPICE, or any SPICE-compatible simulator. Eldo is used for 

analog and RF designs, and ADVanceMS is used for mixed signal designs. The 

palette menu in DA-IC provides the most commonly used options for setting up 

the simulation analysis and allows you to enter additional commands for the 

simulator. 

Simulation mode uses Design Viewing and Analysis Support (DVAS) 

functionality used by other Mentor Graphics applications. DVAS is a set of 

scopes, functions, and commands used to manipulate windows, check syntax, and 

select, display, highlight, analyze, report, protect, group, and name objects. For 

more information on DVAS, see the Design Viewing and Analysis Support for IC 

Flow Manual. 

For more information on simulation concepts and commands, see the following 

manuals: 

• ADVance MS User’s Manual 

• Eldo User’s Manual 

• Eldo RF User’s Manual 

Note 

Source schematics cannot be edited directly from simulation 

mode. However, you can still add, change, and delete properties 

using backannotations and then merge the backannotations to the 

source schematic. 


Running Design Simulation Supported Language Types 

Supported Language Types 

The supported language types and simulator/viewer to use for each is listed in 

table 8-1 

For information on setting the simulator and viewer, see “Setting Up the Default 

Simulator and Viewer” in this chapter. 

Requirements 

Depending on which simulator and viewer you use, one or more of the following 

separately licensed applications are required for the simulation mode: 

• Eldo 

• HSPICE 

• Eldo RF 

• Xelga 

Table 8-1. Supported Simulation Language Types 

Design Type Language Type Simulator Viewer 

Analog 

Mixed signal 

• ADVance-MS 

VHDL 

VHDL-AMS 

Verilog 

Analog SPICE 

EldoSPICE 

HSPICE 

Verilog-A 

RF SPICE 

EldoSPICE 

Verilog-A 

ADVance MS Xelga 

Eldo 


EldoRF Xelga 

Xelga 

DA-IC View 


Using the HSPICE Simulator Running Design Simulation 

For more information, see “Configuration and Compatibility” in Chapter 1 of the 

Design Architect-IC Release Notes. 

Using the HSPICE Simulator 

You can use DA-IC to set up and run analog simulations with HSPICE. The 

simulation command file created by DA-IC is formatted for HSPICE, and the 

simulation palette changes to provide only simulation options available for 

HSPICE. 

For information on setting up DA-IC to use HSPICE, see “Setting Up the Default 

Simulator and Viewer” section in this chapter. 

8-6 

The following HSPICE-specific setups are available: 

• HSPICE Options 

• HSPICE 

• Measurements 

• Adding an HSPICE Voltage Source 

For more information on the HSPICE-specific setups, see your HSPICE reference 

manual. 

HSPICE Options 

Open the Setup HSPICE Options dialog box with the Options menu item on the 

Simulation palette menu. All the fields are labelled according to the HSPICE 

option name, so you can find descriptions of these fields in your HSPICE manual. 

DA-IC uses the information in this dialog box to construct HSPICE .OPTIONS 

statements. 

The HSPICE Options dialog box is separated into the following functionality 

groups: 

• General IO: General control options for input and output. 

• General Oth: Miscellaneous control options. 


Running Design Simulation Using the HSPICE Simulator 

• Model Analysis: Options for model analysis of MOSFETs and other 

devices. 

• DC Accuracy: Accuracy options for DC operating point and sweep 

analysis. 

• DC Converge: Convergence options for DC operating point and sweep 

analysis. 

• DC Other: Matrix, IO, and Pole Zero options for DC operating point and 

sweep analysis. 

• TR/AC Accuracy: Accuracy options for transient and AC small signal 

analysis. 

• TR/AC Timestep: Timestep options for transient and AC small signal 

analysis. 

• TR/AC Other: Algorithm, speed, and IO options for transient and AC 

small signal analysis. 


The Setup > HSPICE palette menu item on the Simulation palette menu opens an 

additional menu with the following three menu items: 

• Alter: Opens the Edit .ALTER Blocks dialog box in which you construct 

HSPICE .ALTER statements. You can add, edit, or remove existing 

.ALTER statements. Each .ALTER statement can contain one or more 

parameter redefinitions. You must have already declared parameters with 

Setup Parameters. 

• IC: Opens the Set IC Nodeset prompt bar in which you set transient initial 

conditions (node voltages) for the selected nets in the design. DA-IC uses 

this to build the .IC statement in the simulation command file. 

• Nodeset: Opens the Set IC Nodeset prompt bar in which you initialize 

specified node voltages for a DC operating point analysis. This helps the 

DCOP convergence, and is applied to selected nets. DA-IC uses this to 

build the .NODESET command in the simulation command file. 


manual. 


Running a Simulation Running Design Simulation 

8-8 

Measurements 

Open the Define Measure dialog box with Measurements > Define menu item on 

the Simulation palette menu. DA-IC uses the information in this dialog box to 

construct HSPICE .MEASURE statements. 


manual. 

Adding an HSPICE Voltage Source 

Open the Add Voltage Source dialog box, shown in Figure 8-1, with the Add 

Source menu item from the Schematic Edit palette menu. A generic voltage 

source is then added in the format expected by HSPICE. This is reflected in the 

netlist when you click on either the Netlist or Run buttons on the Simulation 

palette menu. 

Figure 8-1. Add Source Dialog Box 

Running a Simulation 

Design Architect-IC (DA-IC) allows you to set up and run a design simulation 

from the schematic_sim_palette in simulation mode. Setting up and running a 

simulation from DA-IC creates the following files and stores them under a 

viewpoint for the active design: 

Command file — .cir file used for input to the simulator. Created from the setups 

specified from the schematic_sim_palette. 


Running Design Simulation Running a Simulation 

Netlist file — .spi file created by the default netlister invoked from the 

schematic_sim_palette. Used for input to the simulator. 

Output file — .chi file created by the simulator. Contains detailed log of 

simulation activity. 

Viewer input file — .wdb, .cou, .dou, or jwdb file types created by the simulator 

for the waveform viewer to read. The type of file created depends on the simulator 

and viewer selected. For more information on viewer input files, see “Viewing 

Waveforms” in this chapter. 

Changing the Default Editor for Simulation Mode 

The default editor for simulation mode is Notepad. You can change the default 

editor by setting the MGC_SIM_EDITOR environment variable. 

For example: setenv MGC_SIM_EDITOR ‘nedit -nowrap’ sets the editor to the 

Nedit editor with no wordwrap. 

Setting up a Default Viewpoint 

Simulation mode uses a viewpoint to tell the netlister and simulator how to 

interpret a design. For more information, see Design Viewpoint Editor-IC User’s 

and Reference Manual. 

All files associated with the simulation are stored under the specified viewpoint. 

You can set up a default viewpoint to use. If no viewpoint is specified, an EldoNet 

viewpoint is created when simulation mode is invoked. Use the following steps to 

specify a default viewpoint: 



8-10 

1. From the Session scope, select Setup > Simulation Configuration.... . The 

Setup Simulation Configuration dialog box displays: 

2. If necessary, enter a name for the viewpoint. Use this option to specify a 

name that is different from the default. 

3. Select a Viewpoint Type from the list box or click Avail.Viewpoints to 

select from existing viewpoints. The following default viewpoint types are 

available: 

• IC_Station_SDL_Flat — Viewpoint set up for doing Schematic 

Driven Layout (SDL) at the device level. 

• IC_Station_SDL_Heir — Viewpoint set up for doing SDL at the cell 

level. 

• Spice_Netlister — Viewpoint set up for doing SPICE netlisting with 

EldoNet. This is the default. 

• Verilog_Netlister — Viewpoint set up for doing Verilog netlisting 

with EldoNet. 



4. Click OK. The selected file is set to the default. 

Invoking Simulation Mode 

Note 

You must close all symbol windows and “make” all function 

blocks before entering simulation mode. 

Use the following steps to invoke simulation mode in DA-IC: 

1. Capture your schematic design. 

2. Check and save the schematic design. The design should be error free. 



8-12 

3. Click Simulation on the schematic_edit palette. The Entering Simulation 

Mode dialog box displays: 

4. If necessary, enter a name for the viewpoint in the Config Name field. By 

default, all open schematic sheets are saved and closed, and the active sheet 

is reopened in a design viewpoint for simulation. If no viewpoint for the 

active sheet exists, DA-IC creates a new SPICE Netlister viewpoint named 

“eldonet.” For more information, see “Setting up a Default Viewpoint” in 

this chapter. 

5. If necessary, select the viewpoint Configuration Type. For information on 

the configuration types, see the “Setting up a Default Viewpoint” section in 

this chapter. SPICE_Netlister is used by default. 

6. If necessary, click on a Cleanup Viewpoint option. Options include: 



• Yes — Deletes any unused design references or invalid 

backannotations from the active viewpoint. For example: 

backannotations attached to objects deleted from the design. 

When changes occur, the configuration is automatically saved. 

• No — Leaves all references and backannotaions intact. 

7. If necessary, click on a Save Modifications and Close Sheets option. 

Options include: 

• All Sheets — Closes all sheets before entering simulation mode. 

Checks and saves any sheets with unsaved edits before closing them. 

Notepad and Report windows are left open and unaffected. Default 

setting. 

• Sheets in Design Only — Closes only sheets related to the active 

design before entering simulation mode. Checks and saves sheets with 

unsaved edits before closing them. Unrelated open sheets and Notepad 

and Report windows are left open and unaffected. May take several 

minutes to determine which sheets are part of the design. The time 

varies depending on schematic size. 

8. If necessary, click on Re-initialize viewpoint. Options include: 

• Yes — Deletes all backannotations and simulation settings from the 

viewpoint associated with the active schematic. 

• No — Keeps all backannotations and simulations settings with the 

active viewpoint. 

9. If necessary, click Do not show this dialog box again. to prevent this 

dialog box from displaying the next time you enter simulation mode. You 

can re-enable the dialog box from (Session) Setup > Simulation 

Configuration... 

10. Click OK. The active schematic displays in simulation mode. 



Setting Up the Default Simulator and Viewer 

DA-IC must be set up to use a specific viewer and simulator before running a 

simulation. You must be in simulation mode to access the following setup options: 

8-14 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Session > Simulator/Viewer. The 

Setup Simulator/Viewer dialog box displays. 

2. Click the appropriate button to specify a simulator. Options include: 

• Eldo — Selects the Eldo simulator 

• ADMS — Selects the ADVance-MS simulator in command-line mode. 

• ADMS Interactive — Selects the ADVance-MS simulator in graphical 

user interface mode. 

• HSPICE — Selects the HSPICE analog simulator. 

• Other — Allows you specify a SPICE-compatible simulator. Click 

Advanced... to specify the simulator invoke commands. 



3. Click the appropriate button to specify a viewer. For more information, see 

“Viewing Waveforms” in this chapter. Options include: 

i 

• DA-IC View — Selects Design Architect-IC View. 

• Xelga — Selects Xelga 

• EZwave — Selects EZwave. 

If you select the ADMS simulator with the Xelga waveform viewer, you 

are prompted to select JWDB or COU/DOU viewer output files. For 

more information, see the “About Xelga” section in this chapter. 

4. Click Advanced... to set up or change the location of the simulator/viewer 

application and its input/output commands. If the simulator/viewer 

applications are properly installed and setup, you should not need to change 

these settings. For more information, see 

$$sim_setup_simulator_viewer_advance() in the Design Architect-IC 


5. If necessary, enter a different working directory and click OK. The working 

directory specifies the location of the simulator invoke/setup files. 

To use ADVanceMS, you must set the working directory to the location of 

the adms.ini file. For more information on the adms.ini file, see 

Chapter 11, “System Initialization/Project File” in the ADVanceMS User’s 




Setting Ground/Node 0 

Use the following steps to specify which nets are ground: 

8-16 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Session > Netlister. The Setup 

SPICE Netlister dialog box displays. 

2. Enter the names of the nets to use as ground in the data field labeled Node 0 

and click OK. Use commas to separate multiple net names. 



Setting up the Simulation Environment 

Use the following steps to set up the simulation environment for the current 

session: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Session > Environment. The 

Setup Simulation Environment dialog box displays. 



8-18 

2. If necessary, enter a new working directory for the simulation under 

Simulation Depository. By default, the working directory is the viewpoint 

directory for the active design. 

To use ADVanceMS, you must set the working directory to the location of 

the adms.ini file. For more information on the adms.ini file, see Chapter 11, 

“System Initialization/Project File” in the ADVanceMS User’s Manual. 

3. If necessary, enter new filenames for the following input and output 

simulation files. 

o Command File 

o Netlist File 

o Output File 

By default, the file names reflect the active design name. For more 

information on the input and output files, see “Running a Simulation” in 

this chapter. 

4. If necessary, change the Auto-Run Simulation Setup setting. This setting 

determines what functions are automatically performed with the 

“Run simulator” option on the simulation palette. The following options 

are available: 

o Run Simulation Only — Runs a simulation only. 

o Run Simulation and Display Waveforms — Runs a simulation and 

displays the resultant waveforms. 

o Generate Netlist and Run Simulation — Generates a netlist and runs 

a simulation. Default setting. 

o Generate Netlist, Run Simulation, and Display Waveforms — 

Generates a netlist, runs a simulation, and displays waveforms. 

5. If necessary, toggle the Auto-close Windows setting. This setting allows 

you to set up the netlist/simulation terminal windows to close automatically 



upon completion of a netlist/simulation operation. The option is enabled 

when the box displays black. The following settings are available: 

o enabled — Netlist/Simulation terminal windows close automatically 

upon completion of the netlisting/simulation operations. 

o disabled — You must press Enter to close netlist/simulation terminal 

windows upon completion of the netlisting/simulation operations. 

Default setting. 

6. If necessary, enable the Automatically run check design option to 

configure the “Run Simulator” button on the schematic_sim _palette to 

automatically check the design before running a simulation. For more 

information, see the “Checking the Design Before Simulation” section of 

this chapter. 

7. If necessary, change the Annotated Property Text settings. Allows you to 

specify a font and font height for backannotation text displayed on the 

schematic. Options include: 

8. Font — Click the Menu button to display a list of the available fonts to 

select from. 

9. Height — Enter a height measurement in inches. 

10. If necessary, change the DCOP Display to change the decimal places to 

display. 

11. Under Info Block Display Options, select which simulation settings display 

on the on the active schematic. For more information, see “Displaying the 

Current Simulation Setups” in this chapter. 

12. Click OK. The environment settings are written to a sim_setup file under 

the active viewpoint. 

For more information on setting up the simulation environment, see 

$sim_setup_sim_environ() in the Design Architect-IC Reference Manual. 



Creating Default Simulation Environment Setups 

Use the following step to save the simulation settings from the current session as 

the default environment setups. Once default setups are created, all new 

configurations assume the specified default settings when they are created. 

8-20 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Session > Save Setup As Default. 

The current simulation environment settings are saved to a sim_setup file under 

“$HOME/mgc/”. The “mgc” directory is created if none exists. For information 

on the simulation environment settings, see “Setting up the Simulation 

Environment” in this chapter. 

Restoring Simulation Environment Setups 

Use the following steps to restore the simulation environment setups from a 

previously created sim_setup file: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Session > Restore Setup From. 

The Restore Setup From dialog box displays. 

2. Enter the path to the setup file to restore setups from and click OK. You are 

prompted to verify you want to overwrite the current sim_setup file. 

3. Click Yes to overwrite the file. The simulation environment assumes the 

setups in the file. 

For more information on the environment settings, see “Setting up the Simulation 

Environment” in this chapter. 

Copying a Simulation Configuration 

A Copy Configuration option that allows you to save the simulation session setups 

from the active design to a new file. The simulation configuration includes all the 

setups from the current session that are not design-specific. The new file is used to 

easily set up another simulation session. Use the following steps to create a copy 

of a simulation configuration: 



1. Open the appropriate design and invoke simulation mode. 

2. Select Session > Copy Configuration on the palette menu. The Copy 

Configuration dialog box displays. 

3. Enter a name for the new configuration. 

4. Click OK. 

A viewpoint is created with the specified name under the active component. The 

copy of the simulation configuration is saved under the new viewpoint. 

Backannotations from the source configuration are renamed with the new 

configuration name. 

Setting up Standard Simulator Options 

Use the following steps to specify the setup options for the simulator: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Options > Standard. The Setup 

Options dialog box displays. 

2. Click one of the categories at the top of the dialog box to display a 

description of the associated setups on the next line. 

Click Category 

Description 



8-22 

The dialog box changes to display the setup options associated with each 

category. 

3. Enter the appropriate settings in data fields or click the button next to the 

option to enable it. The button displays black when enabled. Click on the 

button that names each option to display detailed information about the 

option. 

4. Click OK. The setups from all categories are inserted in the simulation 

command file. 

For more information, see “.OPTION” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 

Adding Forces 

A Forces option on the Simulation Palette allows you to use forced voltage or 

current sources for design simulation. To add a force to a design: 

1. Select the two nets you want to insert the force on. 

Detailed 

information 

displays 



The first net selected is considered the Signal net. This is the name of the 

pin to insert the force on. The second net is considered the Reference Net. 

This is the name of the net or pin to apply the source to. 

2. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Forces > Add Force. 

The Add Force dialog box displays: 

3. Enter the Name of the force. You cannot use a force name that already 

exists. 

4. Verify the Signal and Reference Net names. 

5. Select whether the force type is Voltage or Current. 

6. Select the Source Type and enter the associated values: 

Source Type Values 

DC Magnitude 

AC DC offset, magnitude, phase (in degrees) 

EXP 

(Exponential) 

Initial value, target value, rise delay, rise 

time, fall delay, and fall time 

Pattern High value, low value, delay, rise time, fall 

time, pattern duration, pattern, and repeat 

Pulse Initial value, pulsed value, delay(s), rise 

time, fall, time, pulse width, and period 



8-24 

7. Select OK. A force property is added to the signal net. 

Editing Forces 

To edit an existing force: 

1. Select the net attached to the force. 

2. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Forces > Edit/Delete Forces. 

The Edit/Delete Forces dialog box displays. 

3. Select the force you want to edit and click Edit Selected. 

The Add Force dialog box opens and contains the information for the 

selected force. 

4. Edit the information and click OK. 

Deleting Forces 

Source Type Values 

SFFM (Single 

Frequency FM) 

SIN 

(Sinusoidal) 

PWL (Piece 

Wise Linear) 

To delete one or more forces on a selected net: 

Offset, peak amplitude, carrier frequency, 

modulation index, and signal frequency 

Offset, peak amplitude, frequency, time 

delay or phase delay, and damping factor 

Time/value pairs 

1. Select the net attached to the force you want to delete. 

2. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Forces > Edit/Delete Forces. The 

Edit/Delete Forces dialog box displays. 

To delete one force, select the force and then click Delete Selected. 



To delete all the forces for a design, click Delete All. 

3. Click OK. The specified forces are deleted. 

Reporting Forces 

To review a report on the forces for the current schematic: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Forces > Report Force. 

A report window displays the name, signal, reference net, source type, force 

type, and parameters for all forces on the active schematic. 

Checking Forces 

To check the forces on an open schematic: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Forces > Check Force. 

The following checks are performed for all the forces on the active 

schematic: 

o Checks if any of the forces have the same names. 

o Checks if the signal and reference of a force exist. 

o Checks if any signal has more than one voltage force source associated. 

o Checks if all forces have both a backannotation property and a force file 

entry. If this check fails, the force is eliminated automatically from the 

database and a warning message displays. 

A report window displays errors or warnings if any checks fail. 

Adding Safe Operating Areas 

An option on the Simulation Palette allows you to add Safe Operating Area (SOA) 

limits to models, schematic-based instances, and expressions in simulation mode. 

These SOAs are used during simulation when enabled as Simulation Analysis 



options. For information on enabling SOAs for simulation, refer to sections 

“Specifying SOAs and Netlisting for DCOP, DC, and AC Analyses” and “SOAs 

and Netlisting for Transient Analysis.” 

To add an SOA to a design: 

8-26 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, click Safe Operating Area > Add SOA. 

The Setup Safe Operating Area dialog box displays. 

2. Click Instance, Model, or Extract to specify the type of design to which 

the SOA is to be added: 

o Instance — Specifies to add the SOA to a specific schematics-based 

instance that is one of the supported device types: resistor, capacitor, 

inductor, diode, voltage source, current source, bjt, and mosfet. Default. 

Choosing this option automatically displays the Instance Name and 

Instance Parameter fields. 



o Model — Specifies to add the SOA to a specific model. The model 

must be a model of one of the supported device types. All devices with 

this model name are checked for meeting the SOA. Choosing this 

option automatically displays the Model Name and Model Parameter 

fields. 

o Extract — An extract. Choosing this option automatically displays the 

Extract Name field. For more information on extracts, refer to the 

.EXTRACT simulation command in the EldoUser’s Manual. 

3. Specify the Instance Name and Instance Parameter, Model Name and 

Model Parameter, or Extract Name fields, based on the type of design 

you selected in the previous step: 

• ... Name — Specifies the specific instance, model, or extract name to 

add the SOA to. 

• ... Parameter — Specifies the parameter name. Supported parameters 

vary by device type and are defined in Table 8-2. 

• Select Extract and Define Extract — Selects a previously entered 

extract command or defines a new one. 

Table 8-2. Parameters Supported by Type 

Device Type Supported 

Parameter 

Parameter Definition 

Resistor I current through the device 

Capacitor 

Inductor 

POW power dissipated by the device 

Diode VDIP voltage difference across the terminals 

Voltage Source 

Current Source 

VPOS, VNEG voltage on positive/negative pin 



8-28 

Table 8-2. Parameters Supported by Type 

Device Type Supported 

Parameter 

Parameter Definition 

BJT IB IC IE IS current into the terminals 

VBE, VBC, VBS, 

VCE, VCS, VES 

voltage across the terminals 

VC, VS, VB, VE voltage in the terminals 


MOS/JFET IG, IS, ID, IB current into the terminals 

VGD, VGS, VGB, 

VBS, VBD, VDS 

voltage across the terminals 

VS, VD, VG, VB voltage in the terminals 


4. Enter a text string in the SOA Label field to name the SOA limit being 

created. 

5. Enter limits for the SOA into the Minimum and Maximum fields: 

• Minimum — Specifies the minimum value for the Safe Operating 

Area. A value of “*” means unspecified, and no check in this direction 

is performed. Default: “*”. 

• Maximum — Specifies the maximum value for the Safe Operating 

Area. A value of “*” means unspecified, and no check in this direction 

is performed. Default: “*”. 

6. Click Add SOA Definition to add the SOA definition to the sim_setup file 

and to the SOA list area of the dialog box. 

The SOA List Area contains the SOA definitions. This field is modified by 

the following: 



Deleting SOAs 

• Edit — Populates the Add SOA window. You can change the 

settings and add them back to the list. 

• Delete — Deletes the selected SOA in the list. 

• Delete All — Deletes all of the SOAs. 

To delete SOAs, do the following: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, click Safe Operating Area > Delete 

SOA. 

The Delete SOA dialog box displays listing all currently defined SOAs for 

the active design. 

2. Select the SOA you want to delete and click OK. 

You can also delete an SOA from within the Setup Safe Operating Area dialog 

box using Delete and Delete All; this dialog box is accessed by clicking Safe 

Operating Area > Add SOA. 

Reporting SOAs 

To report SOAs, do the following: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, click Safe Operating Area > Report 

SOA. 

A report window displays the SOA Label, Name, Type, Parameters, and 

Minimum and Maximum Limits. For a description of these fields, refer to 

section “Adding Safe Operating Areas” on page 8-25”. 

Showing SOA Results 

SOA results automatically display following simulation if violations occur. To 

explicitly show SOA results after netlisting and simulation, do the following: 



8-30 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, click Safe Operating Area > Show 

Results. 

Specifying SOAs and Netlisting for DCOP, DC, and AC Analyses 

To enable or disable defined SOAs and specify simulator behavior for SOA 

violations, do the following: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, click Setup > Analyses to display the 

Setup Simulation Analysis dialog box. 

2. Click any of the DCOP, DC, or AC analysis options and click the 

corresponding Setup button to display the associated Setup... dialog box. 

3. Click the desired SOA options for the analysis option: 

• Safe Operating Area Check — Specifies the SOAs checked during 

simulation. 

• SOA Autostop — Specifies whether simulation stops when an SOA 

limitation is violated. If SOA limits are violated, a report window 

displays after simulation and the instances that violate the limitation are 

highlighted. 

• Add Checks — Displays the Setup Safe Operating Area dialog box 

allowing you to define new SOAs and delete or modify existing SOAs. 

SOAs and Netlisting for Transient Analysis 

To enable or disable defined SOAs, restrict when SOA checks occur, and specify 

simulator behavior for SOA violations, use the following: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, click Setup > Analyses to display the 

Setup Simulation Analysis dialog box. 

2. Click Transient and click the corresponding Setup button to display the 

Setup Transient Analysis dialog box. 

3. Click the desired SOA options for the analysis option: 



• Safe Operating Area Check — Specifies the SOAs checked during 

simulation. 

• Setup — Displays the Setup Check SOA dialog box in which you can 

specify the following: 

o SOA Autostop — Specifies whether simulation stops when an SOA 

limitation is violated. If SOA limits are violated, a report window 

displays after simulation and the instances that violate the limitation 

are highlighted. 

o Start Time* — Specifies a start time to restrict the SOA check for 

Transient analysis. 

o Stop Time* — Specifies a stop time to restrict the SOA check for 

Transient analysis. 

• Add Checks — Displays the Setup Safe Operating Area dialog box 

allowing you to define new SOAs and delete or modify existing SOAs. 

Specifying a Circuit Temperature 

Use the following steps to specify a circuit temperature for the simulation: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Lib/Temp/Inc > Temperature. 

The Set Temperature dialog box displays. 

2. Enter a temperature in Celsius and click OK. A .TEMP command is 

inserted in the simulation command file. 

To disable the .TEMP command, delete the value from the Temperature field and 

click OK. The .TEMP command is deleted from the simulation command file. 

For more information, see “.TEMP” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 



Setting up Parameter Variables for Models 

Use the following steps to assign values to parameter variables used in models: 

8-32 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Parameters. The Setup Parameters 


2. In the Name data field, enter the name of the parameter variable. 

3. In the Value data field, enter a value for the named parameter variable. 

4. Click OK. One .PARAM command is inserted into the simulation 

command file for each name/value pair specified. 

For more information, see “.PARAM” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 

Reordering, Enabling/Disabling, Editing, and Deleting 

Sweep Analyses 

A sweep analysis sets up the simulator to run several simulations varying a 

specified parameter or device. Use the following steps to reorder, enable/disable, 

edit, or delete the existing sweeps set up for a simulation: 



1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Multiple Runs > Sweep. The Edit 

Sweep List dialog box displays a list of sweeps set up for simulating the 

current design. The sweeps are listed in the order they are performed. 

2. Select a sweep from the list and click the following options as necessary: 

o Up — Moves the selected sweep up one position in the list. 

o Down — Moves the selected sweep down one position in the list. 

o Top — Moves the selected sweep to the top position in the list. 

o Bottom — Moves the selected sweep to the bottom position in the list. 

o Delete — Deletes the selected sweep from the list. 

o Delete All — Deletes all the sweeps from the list. 

o Enable/Disable — Enables or disables the selected sweep. Depending 

on the current status of the sweep, this option toggles the setting. 

o Enable All — Enables all the sweeps in the sweep list. 



8-34 

o Disable All — Disables all the sweeps in the sweep list. 

o Edit Sweep — Displays the setups for the selected sweep and allows 

you to edit them. For more information on setting up sweeps, see 

“Setting up a Sweep Analysis” in this chapter. 

o Add Sweep — See “Setting up a Sweep Analysis” in this chapter. 

3. Click OK. The .STEP command(s) are changed/deleted in the simulation 

command .cir file as specified. 

For more information, see “.STEP” in Chapter 10 the Eldo User’s Manual. 

Setting up a Sweep Analysis 

A sweep analysis sets up the simulator to run several simulations varying a 

parameter or device. Use the following steps to set up sweeps for simulation: 

1. Select an instance. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Multiple Runs 

> Sweep. The Sweep List Editor dialog box displays. Options include: 



• Edit Sweep — Allows you to change the settings of an existing sweep. 

• Add Sweep — Adds a new sweep. Refer to “Add a Sweep Analysis.” 

• Edit Corner Table — Allows you to view a list of runs from the sweep 

analyses performed on the active design. From the list, you can enable 

or disable specified runs for the next sweep analysis. Refer to “Setup a 

Corner Case Sweep Analysis.” 

• Multi_Run Mode — Allows you to select either a Corner Case 

analysis or Nested Sweep analyis for the next simulation run. 

2. Adjust the order or enable/disable a sweep with the buttons on the right. 



Add a Sweep Analysis 

8-36 

1. To add a sweep analysis, click Add Sweep on the Sweep List Editor Dialog 

box. The Setup Sweep dialog box displays. 

2. Next to Sweep:, click the parameter to sweep. The dialog box changes 

depending on which parameter you choose. Options include: 

o Temp — Selects temperature sweep. 

o MOSL — Selects MOS length sweep. Enter the name of the MOS 

component to sweep. 

o MOSW — Selects MOS width sweep. Enter the name of the MOS 

component to sweep. 

o Dipole — Selects dipole sweep. Enter the R,C, or L dipole component 

to sweep. 

o Param — Selects globally-defined parameter sweep. Enter the name of 

a global parameter to sweep. 

o Instance — Selects an instance from the current design to sweep. Enter 

the instance name and the parameter on the instance to sweep. The 

instance must be primitive. This sweep does not support sweeping 

parameter models from .MODEL statements. 



o Library — Selects a SPICE library sweep. Enter a path to the library 

and space-separated model variants within the library to sweep. At least 

one variant must be entered. 

3. Click on a Sweep Type to enable it. Options include: 

o Lin./Num Pts — Appends a LIN parameter to the .STEP command to 

specify a linear sweep with a number of points. Enter an initial sweep 

value, final value, and the number of points to sweep in between. 

o Lin./Incr.— Appends an INCR parameter to the .STEP command to 

specify a linear sweep by increment. Enter an initial sweep value, final 

value, and a number to increment each sweep by. Select the Use 

adaptive increments option to automatically adapt the value of the 

increment based on the convergence of each sweep point. For more 

information, see the “Automated Sweeps” section of the Eldo RF 

User’s Manual. 

o Logarithmic — Appends a DEC parameter to the .STEP command to 

specify a logarithmic sweep. Enter an initial sweep value, final value, 

and a number of sweeps per decade. 

o Octave — Appends an OCT parameter to the .STEP command to 

specify an octive sweep. Enter an initial sweep value, final value, and a 

number of points per octive. 

o List — Appends a LIST parameter to the .STEP command to specify a 

list of individual values for the sweep. Enter a list of space-separated 

discrete values to sweep. 

4. Click OK. Inserts a .STEP command in the simulation command .cir file. 

For more information, see “.STEP” in Chapter 10 the Eldo User’s Manual. 

Setup a Corner Case Sweep Analysis 

1. To set up corner case analysis for simulation, Select Edit Corner Table on 

the Sweep List Editor dialog box. The Corner Case Editor displays. The 

Corner Case Editor contains a list of each individual sweep run in a list box. 



8-38 

The nested sweep values are listed in the order in which the sweeps are 

defined. A sweep which has been disabled in the sweep editor, removes the 

individual sweep runs from the corner case editor. 

2. Change the Enable Status of the individual sweep runs listed as desired. 


o Enable All — Enables all sweep values for the next simulation run. 

o Disable All — Disables all sweep values for the next simulation run. 

o Enable Selected — Enables selected sweep values for the next 

simulation run. Multiple selections are allowed. 

o Disable Selected — Disables selected sweep values for the next 

simulation run. Multiple selections are allowed. 



o Enable Corners — Enables all corner case values for the next 

simulation run. This operation does not effect the enabled/disabled 

status of non-corner sweeps. 

o Disable Corners — Disables all corner case values for the next 

simulation run. This operation does not effect the enabled/disabled 

status of non-corner sweeps. 

o Invert State — Inverts the current state of all listed sweep values. 

3. After adjusting the corner cases, select Close to execute the Corner Case 

Editor. 

Setting up a Monte Carlo Analysis 

The Monte Carlo (MC) analysis gathers statistical data derived from estimates of 

the random variability of all circuit components. MC analysis is used in 

conjunction with AC, DC and transient analyses. For more information, see 

Chapter 15, “Monte Carlo Analysis” in the Eldo User’s Manual. 

Use the following steps to set up a Monte Carlo analysis: 

1. Select a plot type and analysis type with the Probes/Plot > Plot Selected 

option on the schematic_sim_palette menu. For more information, see 

“Plotting Simulation Results” in this chapter. 

2. If necessary, select reference objects for standard deviation. 



8-40 

3. Select Multiple Runs > Monte Carlo from the schematic_sim_palette. 

The Setup Monte Carlo Analysis dialog box displays. 

Figure 8-2. Setup Monte Carlo Analysis Dialog Box. 

4. If desired, Click Enable MC to enable the Monte Carlo analysis. 

5. Enter the Number of Runs. The default is 10. 

6. If desired, enter the number for Individual Run. This field can be blank. 



7. Select the Results to Save. Options include: 

o Min, Max, Nominal — Saves the simulation runs with nominal, 

maximum, and minimum results to the output file. 

o All except Nominal — Saves the results of each simulation run except 

the nominal to the output file. 

o All — Saves the results of all simulation runs to the output file. 

8. Select the Variances Enabled. Options include: 

o Both Dev and Lot — Variances followed as specified in the Random 

Variable Definitions section. 

o Dev Only — Only Dev variances specified in the Random Variable 

Definitions section are used. Lot variances are ignored. 

o Lot Only — Only Lot variances specified in the Random Variable 

Definitions section are used. Dev variances are ignored. 

9. If desired, select to Perform sweep with every MC run. 

10. If desired, select Random number changes independent of previous runs. 

11. If desired, enter a number for the Seed for random number generator. 

12. Select the Reference Objects. Voltage sources and nets are automatically 

obtained from the currenlty selected instances and nets on the schematic 

each time the Setup Monte Carlo Analysis dialog box is invoked. If desired, 

these may be modified in the dialog box. Options include: 

o None — Specifies to use no reference object a reference for the worst 

case analysis. 

o Voltage Sources — Specifies to use a voltage source as the reference 

object. You must specify or verify the Voltage Sources and the Current 

Type. 



8-42 

o Nets — Specifies to use a net as the reference object. You must specify 

or verify the Net and the Voltage Type. 

13. Select the Random Variable Definitions. Options include: 

o Add — Adds a definition to the random variable definitions. This 

option displays the Add Random Variable Definition dialog box. 


• Variable Type — Specifies Parameter or Temperature. 

• Parameter Name — Specifies the parameter name. Enter or verify 

an existing design parameter. If you are using the Parameter option, 

you can select a design parameter from the scrollable list. 

• Parameter Value — Specifies the parameter value. 

• Dev Variance — Specifies the individual variance value. Uniform 

distribution is the default. Select if you want to use the Gaussian 

distribution. Also, select if you want the DevX Variance to vary with 

each instance usage in every run. 


Running Design Simulation Setting up Simulation Analyses 

• Lot Variance — Specifies the lot variance value. Uniform 

distribution is the default. Select if you want to use the Gaussian 

distribution. 

o Edit — Allows you to edit a selected random variable definition. 

o Enable/Disable — Enables or disables a selected random variable 

definition. 

o Enable All — Enables all of the listed random variable definitions. 

o Disable All — Disables all of the listed random variable definitions. 

o Delete — Deletes a selected random variable definition. 

o Delete All — Deletes all of the listed random variable definitions. 

14. Click OK. A .MC command is inserted in the simulation command file. 

For more information, see “.MC” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 

Setting up Simulation Analyses 

From the Analyses option on the schematic_sim_palette, you can set up the 

following analyses: 












Setting up Simulation Analyses Running Design Simulation 

8-44 



The DCOP analysis determines the operating point of a circuit with inductors 

shorted and capacitors open. 

Use the following steps to set up a DC operating point analysis: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Analyses. The Setup Simulation 

Analysis dialog box displays. 

2. Click the button next to DCOP to enable DCOP analysis. 



3. Click the Setup... button adjacent to DCOP. The Setup DCOP dialog box 

displays. 

4. Enter the following information: 

o Transient Time(s) — Specifies, in seconds, the transient times for the 

analysis. 

o Save DC File — Specifies a nodeset file to save simulation results to 

for use by subsequent simulations. Inserts a .SAVE command in the 

simulator command file. If no file is specified, the results are discarded. 

5. Click OK. A .OP command is inserted in the simulation command file. 

For more information, see “.OP” and “.SAVE” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s 



A DC analysis determines the operating point of a circuit with all capacitors open 

and inductors shorted. A DC analysis determines the stable condition of an analog 

circuit prior to transient or AC analysis. For more information, see “.DC” in 

Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 

Use the following steps to set up a DC analysis: 



8-46 



2. Click the button next to DC to enable DC analysis. 



3. Click the Setup... button adjacent to DC. The Setup DC Analysis dialog 

box displays. 

4. Next to Sweep:, click the parameter to sweep. The dialog box changes, 

depending on which parameter you choose. Options include: 

o Source — Selects a voltage source sweep. Enter the pathname of the 

voltage source and the start, stop, and step voltages to sweep. Inserts a 

SNAM argument for the .DC command. 

o Temp — Selects temperature sweep. Enter the start, stop, and step 

temperatures in Celsius. Inserts a TEMP argument for the .DC 

command. 

o MOSL — Selects MOS length sweep. Enter the pathname of the MOS 

component and start, stop, and step lengths for the sweep. 

o MOSW — Selects MOS width sweep. Enter the pathname of the MOS 

component and start, stop, and step widths to sweep. 

o None — No sweep is performed. 



8-48 

5. Enter the name of the Nodeset file. The Nodeset file is generated by the 

DCOP analysis. For more information, see “Setting up a DCOP Analysis” 


6. Verify the Save All DCOP Voltages option is selected. Saves all DCOP 

voltages in the results file. When disabled, DCOP voltages are discarded 

after the simulation run. 

7. Click OK. A .DC and .OP command are inserted in the simulation 

command file. 

For more information, see “.DC” and “.OP” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s 



The AC analysis performs a small signal analysis that computes the magnitude 

and phase of output variables as a function of frequency. 

Use the following steps to set up an AC analysis: 





2. Click the button next to AC to enable AC analysis. 



8-50 

3. Click the Setup... button adjacent to AC. The Setup AC Analysis dialog 

box displays. 


o Start Freq: — Starting frequency in hertz. 

o Stop Freq: — Stopping frequency in hertz. 

5. If necessary, click the box next to Initial Conds (-UIC) to toggle the 

setting. 

Yes — Adds the UIC parameter to the .AC command in the simulation 

command file. No DC analysis is performed before the AC analysis. Instead 

the file specified in the Use File Name: field is used as the starting point for 

the analysis. For more information, see “.AC” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo 


No — A DC analysis is performed before the AC analysis, and the results 

are used for the starting point for the AC analysis. 

6. Select a Sweep: type. Options include: Decade, Octive, and Linear. 

7. Depending on the Sweep: type selected, enter a number value for points per 

decade, points per octave, or number of points for linear. 



8. Enter a filename for the Use File Name: field if the Initial Conds (-UIC) is 

set to Yes. The file comes from the results of a transient simulation. For 

more information, see “.AC” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 

9. Select IC or Nodeset for the file entered in Step 8. This setting determines 

how voltages in the file are interpreted as follows: 

o IC — voltages in the file are interpreted as .IC values. For more 

information, see “.IC” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 

o Nodeset — voltages are interpreted as .NODESET values. For more 

information, see “.NODESET” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s 


10. Select a Pole Zero Analysis: type. Adds a .PZ statement to the simulator 

command file. For more information, see “.PZ” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo 


11. Click OK. The Setup Simulation Analysis dialog box displays. 

12. Click OK. A .AC command is inserted in the simulation command file. 

For more information, see “.AC” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 


The AC Noise analysis analyzes the noise generated by specified AC components 

and must be used in conjunction with an AC analysis. For more information, see 

“.NOISE” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 

Use the following steps to set up an AC noise analysis: 

1. Set up an AC analysis. For more information, see “Setting up an AC 

Analysis” in this chapter. 

2. Select a net for the input source and a net for the output source on the active 

design. 



8-52 



4. Click the button next to Noise to enable AC noise analysis. 



5. Click the Setup... button adjacent to Noise. The Setup Noise Analysis 


6. The names of the nets selected on the active design should display in the 

Output Noise Net 1: and Input Noise Source: fields. If not, enter the 

appropriate net names. 

7. To specify a second net for comparison, enter a net name for Output Noise 

Net 2:. If no net is specified, ground is assumed. 

8. Enter the nth frequency points to store for print-out. The contribution of 

every noise generator in the circuit is printed at every nth frequency point. 

If no value is entered, nothing is printed. 

9. Select the noise to plot from the following options: 

o Linear Input Noise — Determines if the .PLOT statement inputs noise 

for the analysis. When enabled, a .PLOT statement is added to the 

simulator command file with the INOISE parameter. 

o Linear Output Noise — Specifies whether the .PLOT statement 

outputs noise when performing a noise analysis. When enabled, a 



8-54 

.PLOT statement is added to the simulator command file with the 

ONOISE parameter. 

o db Input Noise — Determines if input noise in dB is printed for the 

analysis. When enabled, a .PLOT statement is added to the simulator 

command file with the NOISE and DB (INOISE) parameters. 

o db Output Noise — Determines if output noise in dB is printed for the 

analysis. When enabled, a .PLOT statement is added to the simulator 

command file with the NOISE and DB (ONOISE) parameters. 

10. Click OK. The Setup Simulation Analysis dialog box displays. 

11. Click OK. A .NOISE command is inserted in the simulation command file. 

For more information, see “.NOISE” and “.PLOT” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo 



The Transient Analysis calculates the transient output variables for as a function 

of time over a user-specified interval. The output variables are those contained 

within the .PRINT and .PLOT commands in the simulator command file. For 

more information, see “.TRAN” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 

Use the following steps to set up a transient analysis: 





2. Click the button next to the Transient option to enable transient analysis. 



8-56 

3. Click the Setup... button adjacent to Transient. The Setup Transient 


4. Enter values in the following fields: 

o Stop Time — Value in seconds for the analysis duration. Inserts a 

TSTOP parameter with the .TRAN command. 

o Max Time Step — Value in seconds for the maximum internal 

timestep. Inserts a HMAX parameter with the .TRAN command. 

o Output Start Time — Value in seconds for the time at which the 

simulator will begin producing data points during a transient 

simulation. 

5. If necessary, click the button next to Initial Conds (-UIC) to toggle the 

setting. 

Yes — sets the simulation to start with initial conditions. Inserts a -UIC 

keyword with the .TRAN command in the simulation command file. 

No — Eldo solves for the quiescent operating point before the transient 

analysis is performed. 

6. Enter a file name in the Use File Name: field if the Initial Conds (-UIC) is 

set to Yes. The file provides the starting point values for the transient 

analysis. 

For more information, see “.TRAN” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 



1. Select IC or Nodeset for the file entered in Step 6. Determines how 

voltages in the file are interpreted as follows: 

o IC — voltages in the file are interpreted as .IC values. For more 

information, see “.IC” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 

o Nodeset — voltages are interpreted as .NODESET values. For more 

information, see “.NODESET” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s 


2. Click OK. A .TRAN command with the specified parameters is inserted in 

the simulation command file. 

For more information, see “.TRAN” and “.AC” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s 



A transient analysis must be enabled in order to perform this analysis. Use the 

following steps to set up a transient noise analysis: 

1. Set up a transient analysis. For more information, see “Setting up a 

Transient Analysis” in this chapter. 



8-58 



3. Click the button next to the Noise Tran option to enable transient noise 

analysis. 



4. Click the Setup... button adjacent to Noise Tran. The Setup Noise Transient 


5. Enter values in the following fields: 

o Lower — Value in hertz that specifies the low end frequency used for 

the analysis. Adds an FMIN parameter to the simulator command file. 

o Upper — Value in hertz that specifies the top end frequency used for 

the analysis. Adds an FMAX parameter to the simulator command file. 

o Number of Simulations — Number of simulations to perform with the 

specified noise sources. Adds an NBRUN parameter to the simulator 

command file. 

o Number of Sinusoidal Sources — Number of Sinusoidal noise 

sources. Adds an NBF parameter to the simulator command file. 



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o Noise Source Amplification Factor — Noise source amplification 

factor. Only affects internal noise computations. Adds an AMP 

parameter to the simulator command file. 

o Random Number Generator Initialization — Initial value for the 

random number generator. Must be an integer between 0 and 2 31 -1. 

Adds a SEED Parameter to the simulator command file. 

6. Next to MOS Noise Source, select one of the following options to add a 

value to the NOMOD parameter in the simulator command file. Options 

include: 

o All — Use thermal and flicker noise 

o Only Flicker — Use flicker noise 

o Only Thermal — Use thermal noise 

7. If necessary, click Nominal Simulation to toggle the setting. When 

enabled, only one noisy simulation is performed. Adds a NONOM 

parameter to the simulator command file. 

8. If necessary, click Single Runs to toggle the setting. When enabled, 

performs one run for the root mean square (RMS) noise results. When 

disabled, forces the algorithm to perform several runs sequentially to 

compute the RMS noise results. Adds an MRUN parameter to the simulator 

command file. 

9. Click OK. Inserts a .NOISETRAN command with the specified parameters 

in the simulation command file. 

For more information, see “.NOISETRAN” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s 



A Steady State analysis determines the steady state of an RF circuit submitted to 

periodic or quasi-periodic, large signal excitation. For more information, see 

“Steady-State Analysis” in Chapter 2 of the Eldo RF User’s Manual. 



Use the following steps to set up a steady state analysis: 



2. Click the button next to the SST option to enable steady state analysis. 



8-62 

3. Click the Setup... button adjacent to SST. The Setup Steady State Analysis 


4. Enter any number of fundamental frequencies with corresponding 

harmonics to use for simulation; additional Fund Frequency and # 

Harmonics fields progressively display. 

5. If necessary, click Yes next to Save SST? to toggle the setting. 

o Yes — saves the simulation results and inserts a .SAVE command into 

the simulation command file. For more information, 

see “Save and Restart Capabilities” in Chapter 2 of the Eldo RF User’s 


o No — discards them 

6. If necessary, click Yes next to Restart SST? to toggle the setting. 

o Yes — restarts the analysis. 

o No — uses previously saved results as an initial estimation for analysis. 

7. Click OK. A .SST command is inserted into the simulation command file. 

For more information, see “Steady-State Analysis” in Chapter 2 of the Eldo RF 





The Modulated Steady State (SST) analysis is used to analyze modulated RF 

signals. The analysis allows the combination of Steady State analysis with respect 

to the high-frequency carrier and Transient analysis with respect to the modulated 

signal. For more information, see “Modulated Steady-State Analysis Types” in 

Chapter 2 of the Eldo RF User’s Manual. 

Use the following steps to set up a modulated steady state analysis from the 

palette menu in simulation mode: 

1. Set up a steady state analysis. See “Setting up a Steady State Analysis.” 





8-64 

3. Click the button next to the MODSST option to enable modulated steady 

state analysis. 

4. Click the Setup... button adjacent to MODSST. The Setup Steady State 



o Printer Output Increment — Enter the number in seconds to calibrate 

the printed/plotted simulation results. 

o Mod SST duration — Enter the number in seconds for the duration of 

the modulated steady state analysis. 

6. Click OK. Inserts .MODSST_TPRINT and .MODSST_TSTOP commands 

in the simulator command file. 

For more information, see “Modulated Steady-State Analysis” in Chapter 2 of the 

Eldo RF User’s Manual. 


The Oscillator Steady State analysis determines the spectral content and 

waveform of all autonomous circuit nodes at steady state. A good estimation of 

the oscillation frequency must be provided to guarantee rapid convergence. For 

more information, see Steady-State Analysis for Autonomous Circuits” in 


Use the following steps to set up an oscillator steady state analysis from the 

palette menu in simulation mode: 





2. Click the SST Oscil option to enable steady state oscillator analysis. 



8-66 

3. Click the Setup... button adjacent to SST Oscil. The Oscillator Steady State 



o Initial guess — Estimated oscillation fundamental frequency in hertz. 

The value should be positive; otherwise, the analysis issues a warning, 

and takes the absolute value. When this parameter is not specified, the 

simulator automatically performs a Local Stability analysis and uses the 

estimation of the oscillation frequency if the circuit is stable; otherwise, 

the simulation stops. 

o Harmonics — Number of harmonics of the oscillation frequency. 

Value should be a non-negative integer or the analysis aborts with an 

error message. 

o Label — Name for the results. If a label is specified, then 

“LABEL”= result is used in the output file instead of 

=results. For more information, see “.EXTRACT” in 


5. Click OK. Inserts .SST OSCIL and .FUND_OSC commands in the 

simulation command file. 

For more information, see “Steady-State Analysis of Autonomous Circuits” in 





The Steady State Noise analysis determines the output noise spectrum for 

amplifiers and mixers and phase noise for oscillators. 

Use the following steps to set up a steady state noise analysis from the palette 

menu in simulation mode: 

1. Set up a steady state analysis. For more information, see “Setting up a 

Steady State Analysis” in this chapter. 

2. Select up to two nets on the active schematic to calculate noise from. 





8-68 

4. Click the button next to SSTNoise to enable steady state noise analysis. 

5. Click the Setup... button adjacent to SSTNOISE. The Setup Steady State 

Noise Analysis dialog box displays. 

6. Next to Frequency:, select a frequency. The dialog box changes, 

depending on which option you choose. Options include: 



o By Range — Selects frequency sweep between two frequency values. 

a. Enter a start and stop frequency in hertz. 

b. Select logarithmic, octive, or linear sweep type. 

c. Enter a number of points per decade/octive/linear frequency to 

plot/print. 

o By Points — Enter specific list of frequency points to sweep. 

7. Enter a Reference Harmonic:. Inserts a .SSTNOISE command with a 

HARM parameter in the simulator command file. For more information, 

see “Steady-State Noise Analysis” in Chapter 2 of the Eldo RF User’s 


8. Enter Output Net 1: — Enter the output voltage node (net name) to 

compute noise from. Select the net on the active schematic, before invoking 

the Setup Steady State Noise Analysis dialog box, to enter the name 

automatically. 

9. Enter Output Net 2: — Enter an optional second output voltage node (net 

name) to compute noise from. Select the net on the active schematic, before 

invoking the Setup Steady State Noise Analysis dialog box, to enter the 

name automatically. 

10. Select the type of noise to plot. Click the button below the option to enable 

it. Options include: 

o Linear Output Noise — plots linear noise. 

o db Output Noise — plots linear noise in dBc/Hz. 

o Linear Phase Noise — plots phase noise. 

o db Phase Noise — plots phase noise in dBc/Hz. 

o Linear Am Noise — plots amplitude noise. 

o db Am Noise — plots amplitude noise in dBc/Hz. 



8-70 

For more information, see “Steady State Noise Analysis Results” in the 

Eldo RF User’s Manual. 

11. Enter device names for the NOISE() parameter of the .PLOT and .PROBE 

commands in the following fields: 

o Device Noise 1: Specifies a device to contribute to the total output 

noise spectrum. 

o Device Noise 2: Specifies a second device to contribute to the total 

output noise spectrum. 

o Device Noise 3: Specifies a third device to contribute to the total output 

noise spectrum. 

For more information, see “Steady State Noise Analysis Results” in 


12. Click OK. Depending on the specified options, .SSTNOISE, .PLOT, and 

.PROBE commands are inserted in the simulator command file. 

For more information , see “Steady State Noise Analysis” in Chapter 2 of the Eldo 

RF User’s Manual. 


The Steady State AC analysis is used for circuits that exhibit frequency 

conversion, such as mixers. It can also be used for simplified multi-tone Steady 

State Analysis in cases where one signal is considered small relative to the others. 

For more information, see “Steady-State AC Analysis (SSTAC)” in Chapter 1 of 

the Eldo RF User’s Manual. 

Use the following steps to set up a steady state AC analysis from the palette menu 

in simulation mode: 

1. Set up a steady state analysis. For more information, see “Setting up a 

Steady State Analysis” in this chapter. 





3. Click the SSTAC option to enable steady state AC analysis. 

4. Click the Setup... button adjacent to SSTAC. The Setup Steady State AC 


5. Next to Frequency:, select a frequency option. The dialog box changes, 

depending on which option you choose. Options include: 

o By Range — Selects frequency sweep between two frequency values. 

a. Enter a start and stop frequency in hertz. 

b. Select logarithmic, octive, or linear sweep type. 

c. Enter a number of points per decade/octive/linear frequency to 

plot/print. 

o By Points — Enter specific list of frequency points to sweep. 



8-72 

6. Next to Harmonics:, enter an optional value to add a HARM parameter to 

the .SSTAC command in the simulator command file. This string specifies 

both the HARM parameter and the intermodulation of the corresponding 

harmonic. 

7. Next to X Axis, select the X axis parameter to plot the analysis results 

against. If selected, appends an XAXIS parameter to the .SSTAC 

command. Options include: 

o None — Doesn’t generate an XAXIS parameter. 

o FreqIn — Plots the output against the input frequency. 

o FreqOut — Plots the output against the output frequency. 

o AbsFreqIn — Plots the output against the absolute input frequency. 

o AbsFreqOut — Plots the output against the absolute output frequency. 

8. If necessary, click the box next to Save SST? to toggle the setting. 

o Yes — Saves the simulation results and inserts a .SAVE command into 

the simulation command file. For more information, see 

“Save and Restart Capabilities” in Chapter 2 of the Eldo RF User’s 


o No — Discards the results after the simulation run. 

9. Click the box next to Restart SST? to toggle the setting. 

o Yes — Restarts the analysis. 

o No — Uses previously saved results as an initial estimation for 

analysis. 

10. Click OK. A .SSTAC command is inserted into the simulation command 

file. 

For more information, see “Steady-State AC Analysis” and 

“Save and Restart Capabilities” in Chapter 2 of the Eldo RF User’s Manual. 



Setting Model Libraries for Simulation 

Use the following steps to specify model libraries and associated model variants 

in the simulation command file. You can specify up to 12 libraries from DA-IC. 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Lib/Temp/Inc > Libraries. The 

Set Library Paths dialog box displays. 

2. Enter a pathname for each component library used in the schematic design 

in the Library Path data fields. To add more than six library entries, click 

Entries 7-12. 

3. Click the Lib Variants button related to each library path and select a 

library variant to use with each library. The name of the library variant is 

required for 2002.1 release of ADVance MS and greater. For compatibility 

with older versions of ADVance MS that do not require the library variant, 

enable the schematic_sim_palette > Options > Standard > Misc > 

NOINCLIB option. 



8-74 

4. Click the Library Search Paths button to specify those directories in 

which you want the simulator to search for model libraries. The Set Library 

Search Paths dialog box displays. 

5. For each directory you want the simulator to search, enter the pathname to 

it in the Library Search Path field and click Set Library Path. The 

directory pathname you specified is displayed in the Libraries Search Paths 

list area; you can delete an entry by clicking the Delete Entry button. 

6. Click OK to close the Set Library Search Paths dialog. A .OPTION 

statement for each entry in this dialog box is inserted into the commands 

file with the following format: 

.OPTION SEARCH=path 

7. Click OK to close the Set Library Paths dialog box. A .LIB command for 

each entry is inserted into the simulation command file. 

For more information, see “.LIB” and .OPTION in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s 




Selecting/Editing Registered Models 

Several models may be registered to a symbol in DA-IC. For more information on 

model registration, see Chapter 5, "Managing/Registering Models". 

The following sections provide instructions for displaying, selecting, and editing 

registered models from simulation mode in DA-IC: 

• Displaying/Selecting Registered Models 

• Displaying/Editing the Source for a Selected Model 

• Displaying/Editing the Source for Registered Models 

• Crossprobing the Schematic Viewpoint 

• Selecting a Model for All Copies of a Specified Instance 

• Closing the Model Selector 

• Model Selector Limitation 

Displaying/Selecting Registered Models 

Use the following steps to display the registered models associated with instances 

on the active schematic: 



8-76 

1. From simulation mode, click Model Selector on the palette menu. The 

Model Selector dialog box displays to prompt for what design level to 

initially load models for. 

2. Select the desired level and click OK. To save time when loading large 

designs, load only the top level. Regardless of how many levels you choose 

to load initially, you can load and display more models as you click on 

instances in the tree. 

Note 

If you initially load only a portion of the design into the Model 

Selector, a tree view of the loaded level displays, and the List tab 

is disabled. Loading only the top level allows the Model Selector 

to invoke as quickly as possible, and loading the entire design 

results in the longest invoke time 

The Model Selector displays the design instances in a hierarchical “tree” 

format as shown in Figure 8-3. Each instance is preceded by a colored icon 

that indicates the language-type of the model it currently uses as described 

in Table 8-3. 



Language 

Component name 

Instance name 

Language-type icon indicator 

Top level of the active schematic 

Registration name 

Figure 8-3. Model Selector Tree Display 



8-78 

Table 8-3. Model Selector Model-Type Icons 

This icon Represents this model type 

Yellow oval Schematic 

Gold rectangle SPICE/EldoSPICE 

Blue oval Verilog 

Blue rectangle VHDL 

Cyan rectangle VHDL-AMS 

Gray rectangle Nullblock 

Cyan oval Verilog-A 

Gold plus sign Mixed models 

Skeleton HDL-FB, HDL-A, unrecognized, 

or faulty model language. May not 

netlist and simulate. 

3. Select an instance. The registered models available for use with the selected 

instance display in the rightmost (Model Browser) window. 

To display common models between instances, select the desired 

instances. When multiple instances are selected, the Model Browser 

displays only those models common to the selected instances. 

To select multiple instances within the same hierarchy, select the parent 

item and then select Edit > Select in Tree. This selects all of the instances 

in the hierarchal tree, excluding the parent items, and displays the common 

registered models. Select a model from the Model Browser window. The 

new model is applied to all of the selected instances. 

To display the schematic instances in a list format, click the List tab. 

The leftmost window displays the unique design components in a list 

without showing the relationships that exist between them. Select an 

instance to display the associated registered models in the Model Browser. 

Select a model from the Model Browser window. The new model is applied 



to all copies of the selected instance, design-wide. The instance displays 

updated with the selected model. 

Note 

4. If you need to undo a change, select Edit > Undo Model Change: 

From the tree view, this undoes each change applied to a selected instance 

or instances. 

From the list view, this undoes all changes for the affected instance. 

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all the instances are updated with the desired 

models. 

6. Click Apply. The new model(s) are applied to the corresponding 

instance(s) and the View property is backannotated to the instance(s). The 

View property is used by EldoNet to select the correct model to output in 

the netlist. For more information, see the “View” property in Chapter 3, 

“Using Design Properties,” in the EldoNet User’s and Reference Manual. 

or 

To display updated instances after applying a schematic 

model, you must apply the model selection, save, and reload the 

design. For more information, see the “Model Selector Limitation” 

section in this chapter. 

Click Reset to cancel the model selections and revert to the last applied 

models. 

Displaying/Editing the Source for a Selected Model 

Depending on the selected instance, the Model Selector displays a subordinate 

schematic or the source code for the currently selected model as follows: 

1. Select an instance in the Model Selector. For more information, see the 

“Displaying/Selecting Registered Models” section in this chapter. 

2. Select Edit > Open Instance. If more than one instance is selected, this 

option is disabled. 



8-80 

If the selected instance is primitive, the source code for the currently 

selected model displays in the default text editor. 

If the selected instance is a nullblock, nothing displays. A nullblock-type 

instance has no model or schematic associated with it. 

If the selected instance has an underlying schematic, the underlying 

schematic displays in DA-IC. 

Note 

For information on setting up a text editor, see 

“Setting up a Language Model Editor” in Chapter 3, “Getting 

Started,” of the Design Architect-IC User’s Manual. 

3. Edit and save the schematic/model as necessary. 

Displaying/Editing the Source for Registered Models 

Registered models are valid models available for selection/use with a particular 

instance. The Model Selector allows you to edit the models registered to a selected 

instance as follows: 

1. Select an instance in the Model Selector. For more information, see the 

“Displaying/Selecting Registered Models” section in this chapter. The 

registered models associated with the instance display in the rightmost 

window (Model Browser). 

2. Double-click on a model displayed in the Model Browser. 

If the model is a language-type model, the source code for the currently 

selected model displays in the default text editor. 

If the model is a nullblock, nothing displays. A nullblock-type instance 

has no model or schematic associated with it. 



If the model is a schematic, the schematic displays in DA-IC. 

Note 

3. Edit, save, and close the schematic/model as necessary. 

Crossprobing the Schematic Viewpoint 

1. Click the Tree tab. 

For information on setting up a text editor, see 

“Setting up a Language Model Editor” in Chapter 3, “Getting 

Started,” of the Design Architect-IC User’s Manual. 

2. Select an instance in the tree. You can only crossprobe one instance at a 

time. 

3. Select Options > Cross Probe. The selected instance highlights on the 

active schematic. If the instance is on a lower-lever schematic, the lowerlevel 

schematic displays with the appropriate instance highlighted. 

Selecting a Model for All Copies of a Specified Instance 

Use the following steps to select a model for all copies of a specified instance in 

the active schematic viewpoint: 

1. Click the List tab in the Model Selector. Each unique instance on the active 

viewpoint displays in a list. 

2. Select the instance from the list. Models registered for the selected instance 

display in the Model Browser. 

3. Select the desired model from the Model Browser. The List window 

updates to display the selected model. At this point, the change is pending. 

4. Click Apply to change the model selection for all the copies of the selected 

instance. 



Closing the Model Selector 

Select Model Selector > Quit Model Selector. Model Selector also closes if you 

exit DA-IC. If models are selected but not applied, you are prompted to save or 

discard changes. Options include: 

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• Cancel — Cancels the close model selector operation and returns you to the 

Model Selector. 

• Discard — Discards changes and closes the Model Selector. 

• Apply — Applies the changes and closes the Model Selector. 

Model Selector Limitation 

If you apply a schematic model to an instance, the Tree window does not 

automatically update associated subinstances. Use the following steps to update 

the Tree window after applying a schematic model: 

a. Once the model is selected, click Apply. 

b. Select File > Reload Design. A dialog box displays prompting you to 

save changes. 

c. Click Yes to save the design. The design is reloaded, and the Tree 

window displays the updated schematic models. 

Displaying/Editing the Default Registered Model 

Use the following steps to display/edit the default model registered to an instance: 

1. From simulation mode, select the instance to display/edit models for. 

2. Select File > Open Down. The default model displays. The VIEW property 

specifies the default model. For more information, see “View” in the 

EldoNet User’s and Reference Manual. 

If a symbol or schematic model is the default, the associated schematic or 

symbol displays in DA-IC. 



If a language model is the default, the contents of the model file displays 

in an editor. For information on setting up a specific text editor, see “Setting 

up a Language Model Editor” in Chapter 2. 

If no default model is specified for the instance, the schematic model 

displays. If no schematic model exists, you are prompted to create one. 

3. Edit and save as necessary. 

Including SPICE Command Files 

Use the following steps to insert references to files containing SPICE command 

statements in the simulation command file. Up to 12 references can be inserted 

from DA-IC. 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Lib/Temp/Inc > Include Files. 

The Set Include Paths dialog box displays. 

2. Enter the pathname to each file needed for the simulation in the Include 

Path data fields. To enter more than six Include Path entries, click Entries 

7-12. 



8-84 

3. Click OK. Each specified Include Path is appended to .INCLUDE 

command and inserted into the simulation command file. 

For more information, see “.INCLUDE” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s 


Entering Additional Simulator Commands 

Use the following steps to manually specify one or more commands to insert in 

the simulator command file. For a complete list of simulator commands, see 

“Simulator Commands” in the Eldo User’s Manual. 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Options > Additional. The Set 

Additional Commands dialog box displays. 

2. Enter the desired commands into the text entry field. 

3. Click OK. The specified commands are saved to the simulation command 

file. 

Setting Probes 

Probes specify which signals are saved to the output file. Use the following steps 

to set up the probes for the simulation: 



1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Probes/Plots > Probes. The Set 

Probes dialog box displays. 

2. Next to Probe, select the nodes to probe. Options include: 

o All — Probes all nodes in the active schematic. 

o Selected — Probes the nodes selected on the active schematic. 

o All Nets — Probes all nets in the active schematic. 

o All Insts — Probes all instances in the active schematic. 

3. Select a Probe type. Options include: 

o Current — Probes current. 

o Voltage — Probes voltage. 

4. Select an optional Analysis Type to output. One or more options can be 

selected. The box displays black when the option is enabled. Options 

include: 

o DC — DC analysis. 

o AC — AC analysis. 



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o TRAN — Transient analysis. 

o TSST — Time domain steady state analysis. For more information, see 

“Display Commands” in Chapter 2 of the Eldo RF User’s Manual. 

o FSST — Frequency domain steady state analysis. For more 

information, see “Display Commands” in Chapter 2 of the Eldo RF 


o SSTAC — Steady state AC analysis. For more information, see 


5. Select an AC Output type for the waveform output for noise analysis. Refer 

to the FOUR parameter of the “.PROBE” statement in the Eldo User’s 

Manual. Options include: 

o Default — Magnitude in dB. 

o Real-Imaginary — Both real part and imaginary. 

o DB-Phase — Phase. 

o All — All of the above. 

6. Click OK. ONE or more .PROBE statements are inserted in the simulator 

command file. 

For more information, see “.PROBE” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 

Plotting Simulation Results 

Use the following steps to specify the signals to plot for the waveform viewer: 

1. Select the nets, pins, and instances on the active schematic design to plot. 

To plot the difference between two components, select exactly two 

components. 



2. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Probes/Plot > Plot Selected. The 

Set Plots dialog box displays. 

3. Select the Plot Type:. Options include: 

o Current — Plots current for the selected components. 

o Voltage — Plots voltage for the selected components. 

o Power — Plots power for the selected components. 

o Signal — Plots the signal for the selected components. 

4. Next to Harmonic:, enter the harmonic to plot for the Modulated SST 

analysis. 

5. Select the Analysis Type: to plot. Options include: 

o DC — DC analysis. 

o AC — AC analysis. 



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o FOUR — Fourier analysis. 

o TRAN — Transient analysis. 

o TSST — Time domain steady state analysis. For more information, see 


o FSST — Frequency domain steady state analysis. For more 

information, see “Display Commands” in Chapter 2 of the Eldo RF 


o SSTAC — Steady state AC analysis. For more information, see 

Display Commands in Chapter 2 of the Eldo RF User’s Manual. 

o FMODSST — Time frequency domain steady state analysis. For more 

information, see “Modulated Steady-State Analysis Results” in Chapter 

2 of the Eldo RF User’s Manual. 

o TMODSST — Time domain steady state analysis. For more 

information, see “Modulated Steady-State Analysis Results” in Chapter 

2 of the Eldo RF User’s Manual. 

o FOURMODSST — Frequency domain steady state analysis. For more 

information, see “Modulated Steady-State Analysis Results” in 


6. Select the AC Outputs: to plot. Options include: 

o Default — Magnitude in dB. 

o Real — Real part. 

o Imaginary — Imaginary part. 

o Mag — Magnitude. 

o Mag-DB — Magnitude in dB. 

o Mag DBM — Magnitude in dB with reference to milliwatts. 



o Phase — Phase. 

o Real-Imaginary — Both real part and imaginary part. 

o DB-Phase — Phase in dB. 

o All — All of the above. 

7. Select the Display FFT Option: to plot. Options include: 

o Real — Real part. 

o Imaginary — Imaginary part. 

o Mag — Magnitude. 

o Mag-DB — Magnitude in dB. 

o Phase — Phase. 

8. Click OK. Depending on the number of components on the schematic and 

the options selected, one or more .PLOT statements are inserted in the 

simulator command file. 

If exactly two components are selected, the Setup Difference Plot dialog 

box displays allowing you to plot a waveform that represents the difference 

between the two components. 



8-90 

If necessary, Specify how to plot the difference between the selected 

objects. Options include: 

o Individually —Plots the signal from each object. 

o Object1, Object2 — Plots the voltage magnitude difference between 

the objects on a Smith chart. 

o VP(Object1) - VP(Object2) — Plots the voltage phase difference 

between the objects. 

o VDB(Object1) - VDB(Object2) — Plots the voltage magnitude 

difference between the objects. 



Click OK. The corresponding .PLOT statement(s) are inserted into the 

simulation command file. 

For more information, see “.PLOT” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo User’s Manual. 

Deleting Plots and Probes 

Use the following steps to delete plot and probe commands from the simulation 

command file: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Probes/Plots > Delete Plot/Probe. 

The Delete Probes/Plots dialog box displays. 

2. Next to Delete which?, select either Probes, Plots, or Both to delete. 

3. Next to Delete all or only selected objects?, select one of the following 

options: 

o All — Depending on the option selected in step 2, deletes all probes 

and/or plots. 

o Selected — Depending on the option selected in step 2, deletes plot, 

probes, or both from the selected components on the active schematic. 

o From List — Depending on the option selected in step 2, displays a list 

of the plots and/or probes contained in the simulation command file to 

select from. 



8-92 

4. Click OK. The specified .PLOT and .PROBE commands are deleted from 

the simulation command file. 

For more information, see “.PLOT” and “.PROBE” in Chapter 10 of the Eldo 


Displaying the Current Simulation Setups 

Use the following steps to display the simulation setups on the active schematic: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Session > Show Settings Block.A 

block displays attached to the cursor. 

2. Move the cursor to a location on the schematic to place the block and click 

the left mouse button. A block containing the simulation setups for the 

active schematic displays in the selected location. 

Simulation 

setups 



Note 

To update the simulation setups, choose Commands > Show 

from the schematic_sim_palette. 

Displaying the Simulation Command File 

Use the following step to display the simulation command file: 

From the schematic_sim_palette, select ASCII Files > View Commands. The 

simulation command file displays for viewing in a Notepad window. 

For information on using Notepad, see the Notepad for IC Flow User’s and 


For information on setting up a specific text editor, see “Setting the Default Text 

Editor” in Chapter 2. 

Displaying the DCOP Values 

You must configure a DCOP analysis and perform a simulation before using this 

function. For more information, see “Setting up a DCOP Analysis” in this chapter. 

Use the following steps to display the DCOP values on the active viewpoint: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, click DCOP and select one of the 

following options from the submenu: 

o Show Voltages — Displays DCOP voltage values on respective pins in 

the active viewpoint. 

o Show Currents — Displays DCOP current values on respective pins in 

the active viewpoint. Includes DCOP current values for all subcircuit 

pins. 

o Show All — Displays both voltage and current DCOP values on 

repective pins on the active viewpoint. 



8-94 

If more than one simulation run is available, you are prompted to select a 

run to get DCOP results from. 

2. Click OK. 

The DCOP values display adjacent to corresponding nets/pins on the active 

viewpoint in red. Updated DCOP values do not display automatically, you 

must repeat this procedure to update DCOP values for subsequent 

simulations. 

Hiding the DCOP Values 

Use the following step to remove all DCOP values from the active viewpoint: 

Select DCOP > Hide All from the schematic_sim_palette. All DCOP values are 

deleted. 

Displaying Small Signal DCOP Parameters 

Small signal parameters are SPICE model parameters generated during a DCOP 

analysis and backannotated onto leaf subcircuit pins. You can view the small 

signal parameter values for selected instances in a report window and/or the 

transcript window. 

Use the following steps to display the small signal parameters: 

1. Select the instances on the schematic to report associated small signal 

parameters for. 



2. Select DCOP >Report SS Params from the schematic_sim_palette menu. 

The Choose Small Signal Params Run dialog box displays. 

3. Select a small signal run from the list to get values from. 

4. If necessary, select one of the following options: 

o Report — Displays the small signal parameter values for selected 

instances in a report window. Default. 

o Transcript — Displays the small signal parameter values for selected 

instances in the DA-IC transcript window. 

o Both — Displays the small signal parameters for the selected instances 

in both a report window and the DA-IC transcript window. 

o Use values from this small signal file until next simulation run — 

Displays the values from the specified run for all subsequent small 

signal reports until another simulation is run. 

5. Click OK. The small signal parameters display as specified. 



Reporting DCOP Values for a Selected Object 

You must configure DCOP analysis and perform a simulation before you can 

report DCOP values. For more information, see “Setting up a DCOP Analysis”in 

this chapter. 

You can report DCOP values in the message area by moving the cursor over an 

object and using F9 as follows: 

8-96 

• F9 — Reports the DCOP voltage for the net nearest the cursor. 

• Ctrl-F9 — Reports the DCOP current for the primitive device, instance, or 

subcircuit nearest the cursor. 

• Press Shift-F9 — Reports the DCOP small signal parameters for the 

primitive device closest to the cursor. For more information, see the 

“Displaying Small Signal DCOP Parameters” section in this chapter. 

Using Estimated Pre-layout Parasitic Extractions 

In cases where parasitic values for certain nets are known or can be forecasted 

based on previous design experience, you can simulate your schematic-based 

analog design using estimated pre-layout parasitic values by using the four 

procedures in this section: 

Creating a Parasitic Element 

Creating a Symbol for the Parasitic Element 

Instantiating and Modifying Parasitic Elements 

Setting Up Simulation for Estimated Parasitics 

When you have completed them, you are ready to netlist and re-simulate your 

design. 

Creating a Parasitic Element 

Use the following steps to create a parasitic element schematic in DA-IC: 

1. Click Schematic from the palette and enter the name of the schematic sheet 

on which to create a parasitic element; click OK. 



2. Create a parasitic element schematic, similar to the example figure shown, 

by doing the following: 

a. Click Library > Device Lib > Resistor > Ideal on the palette and place 

the resistor on the sheet. You can also use a resistor from the MGC 

Design Kit. 

For information on the MGC_IC_DEVICE_LIB library, refer to the 

section “Libraries” in Appendix D of the Design Architect-IC User’s 

Manual. For more information on design kits, refer to your foundry's 

website. 

b. Select Edit > Modify from the menu. The Modify Properties dialog 

box displays. Select the resistance property, either RESISTANCE or R, 

and click OK. The Modify Property dialog box displays. Enter RES in 

the Value field, click Expression in the Type field, and click OK. 

Specifying expression enables these properties to inherit the values 

from the symbol associated with the parasitic element schematic. For 

information on modifying properties, refer to section “Using 

Properties” in Chapter 7 of the Design Architect-IC User’s Manual. 

c. Click Library > Device Lib > Capacitor > Ideal on the palette and 

place the capacitor on the sheet. You can also use a capacitor from the 

MGC Design Kit. 



8-98 

d. Select Edit > Modify from the menu. The Modify Properties dialog 

box displays listing all of the properties on the selected capacitor. Select 

the capacitance property, either CAPACITOR or C, and click OK. The 

Modify Property dialog box displays. Enter CAP in the Value field, click 

Expression in the Type field, and click OK. 

e. Click Back > Library > Generic Lib > Ground and place the ground 

on the sheet. You can also use a ground from the MGC Design Kit. 

f. Click Port > Portin and place the instance on the sheet. You can also 

use a port from the MGC Design Kit. 

g. Position your cursor over the NET property value on the portin and 

press Shift-F; enter IN into the New Value field of the Change Property 

Value prompt bar; click OK. 

h. Click Port > Portout and place the instance on the sheet. 

i. Position your cursor over the NET property value on the portout and 

press Shift-F; enter OUT into the New Value field of the Change 

Property Value prompt bar; click OK. 

j. Click Back > Edit > Wire on the palette and use the left-mouse button 

to add wires connecting the instances on the sheet similar to that shown 

in the example. 

k. Click Unselect All on the palette. 

l. Select Add > Frame from the menu to add an IF Frame. The Construct 

Frame prompt bar displays. 

i. Specify the frame area by pressing the left-mouse button and 

drawing a rectangle that encompasses all of the parasitic devices on 

the schematic except the ports; release the mouse. The Add Frame 


ii. Click IF to specify the frame type. 



iii. Enter SIMULATION into the Variable field, enter 1 into the Value 

field, and click OK. 

m. Click Unselect All on the palette. 

n. Select Add > Parameter from the menu. The Set Parameter dialog box 

displays. Enter SIMULATION into the Name field, enter 1 into the Value 

field, and click OK. 

Adding this parameter allows the sheet to be checked without 

generating any errors or warnings. 

For information on IF frames, refer to section “Creating IF Frames” in 

Chapter 3 of the Design Architect-IC User’s Manual. 

3. Select File > Check Schematic. A report window displays. Correct any 

errors and re-check until all errors are removed. 

4. Select File > Save Sheet 

Creating a Symbol for the Parasitic Element 

Use the following steps to create a symbol for the parasitic element schematic 

from the schematic: 

1. Select Miscellaneous > Generate Symbol from the menu. The Generate 

Symbol dialog box displays. See Figure 8-4. 



8-100 


2. Enter a name into the Component Name field and, (optionally) a symbol 

name in the Symbol Name field. 

3. Click the Edit Symbol button in the Once generated... field. 

4. Click OK. The newly-created symbol is opened. 

5. Select the symbol body and select Add > Properties from the menu. The 

Add Multiple Properties dialog box displays. 



a. Enter RES in the Property Name field; enter the default amount of 

resistance for the parasitic element in the corresponding Property Value 

field. 

b. Enter CAP in the Property Name field; enter the default amount of 

capacitance for the parasitic element in the corresponding Property 

value field. 

c. Click OK. 

6. Select the symbol body again and select Add > Properties from the menu. 

The Add Multiple Properties dialog box displays again. 

a. Enter CLASS in the Property Name field. 

b. Click Expression in the Property Type field. 

c. Enter the following AMPLE expression format in the Property Value 

field: 

(SIMULATION == 0) ? "C" : "" 

In this example, when the condition parameter evaluates to true, the 

CLASS property evaluates to C; otherwise it evaluates to the null 

string. 

d. Click Hidden in the Visibility field. 

e. Click OK. 

For more information on specifying expression-type properties, refer to 

section “Using Expressions as Property Values” in Chapter 7 of the 

Design Architect-IC User's Manual. 

7. Select File > Check Symbol to check the symbols for errors. A report 

window displays. Correct any errors and re-check until all errors are 

removed. 

8. Select the File > Save Symbol menu item to save and register the symbol. 



8-102 

9. Press the Close Window icon in the upper-left hand corner of the symbol 

sheet and select Close from the menu to close the symbol sheet. 

Instantiating and Modifying Parasitic Elements 

Use the following steps to add the parasitic element to nets on the active 

schematic: 

1. For each net that you want to add an estimated parasitic element to, select 

Add > Instance from the menu and place the parasitic element on top of 

the net. For each instantiation, the parasitic element splits the net and inserts 

the component. 

For more information on instantiating symbols, refer to section 

“Selecting and Placing Active Symbols” in Chapter 3 of the Design 

Architect-IC User’s Manual. 

2. For each net, select the net, select Edit > Modify from the menu, and adjust 

the values of the resistance and capacitance properties on that net to be 

specific for the net. 

For more information on modifying properties, refer to section “Using 

Properties” in Chapter 7 of the Design Architect-IC User’s Manual. 

Setting Up Simulation for Estimated Parasitics 

Use the following steps in simulation mode, to set the value of the viewpoint 

parameter so that it turns on the parasitic elements. 

1. Click Edit > Add Parameters in the schematic area. The Add Parameters 


2. Enter SIMULATION into the Name field. 

3. Enter 1 into the Value field to turn on all estimated parasitics. Enter 0 into 

the Value field to turn off all estimated parasitics. 

4. Click Expression in the Property Type field. 

5. Click OK. 



Using Post-layout Parasitic Extractions 

You can backannotate and resimulate parasitic signals resulting from post-layout 

parasitic extractions using the following three procedures included in this section. 

Registering and Simulating the Entire Parasitic Netlist 

Connecting Distributed Parasitics 

Connecting Lumped Parasitics 

DA-IC supports Detailed Standard Parasitic Formatted (DSPF) files for parasitic 

backannotation. A DSPF file, because of its structured format, allows DA-IC to 

associate a given design-wide net with its parasitic sub-network. xCalibre, 

IC Extract, and other third-party extraction tools can generate the DSPF file 

format. 

Usage Requirements 

To ensure the parasitic backannotations work properly, you must conform to the 

following rule: 

• When generating the DSPF file in IC Extract or xCalibre, you must specify 

the option that generates names to match the schematic, not the IC layout. 

Registering and Simulating the Entire Parasitic Netlist 

This method is effective if your design is fairly small and if you do not need to 

debug parasitics on individual nets. However, this method does not allow you to 

use the original schematic for setting up .PLOT statements for parasitic nets 

within the instance being simulated and does not allow crossprobing between 

schematic nets and their associated parasitics. 

Use the following steps to register and instantiate parasitics on your design: 

1. Register the SPICE subcircuit, that contains the layout netlist and parasitic 

elements generated by an extraction tool, to the symbol whose layout was 

used for the extraction. 



8-104 

For information on how to register the SPICE subcircuit, refer to the section 

“Registering Models for Simulation” in Chapter 5 of the 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual. 

2. Modify the model names and device types of the devices in the netlist to 

match the simulation device types and model names using a text editor. 

This is needed because extraction tools may generate new types and names. 

3. From simulation mode, use the Model Selector to do one of the following: 

• Switch the simulation model. The Model Selector will automatically 

annotate the VIEW property. 

• Modify the VIEW property value to be: ELDOSPICE= 

where reg_name is the name in the Registration field at the bottom of 

the Model Registrar Create dialog box. 

For information on how to switch the simulation model, refer to the section 

“Displaying/Selecting Registered Models” in Chapter 8 of the 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual. 

You are now ready to simulate and view simulation results. 

Connecting Distributed Parasitics 

This method is effective for larger layout designs and for debugging parasitics on 

individual nets. Distributed parasitics consist of a parasitic backannotation object 

that represents the individual parasitics for each net in an instance. The files are 

loaded into the design and can be used alternately with other sets of files. 

Distributed RC re-simulation is useful for timing analyses. 

Use the following steps to load/connect a distributed parasitic parasitic 

backannotation object to a net in the active design: 

1. From simulation mode, select the net to connect the parasitic parasitic 

backannotation object to. 



2. Select Parasitics > Connect Distributed. The Connect Distributed 

Parasitics dialog box displays: 

3. Specify to create a new or connect an existing parasitic parasitic 

backannotation object. A parasitic back annotation object must be 

connected to, or associated with, the design configuration before individual 

parasitic sub-networks can be associated with nets. Options include: 

o Create New — Creates and connects a new parasitic back annotation 

object to the design configuration. Default setting. 

o Connect Existing — Displays a list box of the distributed parasitic 

back annotations previously created that can be re-connected. All of the 

settings associated with that backannotation are restored. 

4. Enter a name for the parasitic backannotation object in the Parasitic BA 

Name field. This name uniquely identifies the backannotation object, or set 

of annotations, in future operations. 

5. Enter the pathname to the DSPF file in the DSPF Path field. 



8-106 

6. Select the application used to create the parasitic parasitic backannotation 

object. If this field is specified incorrectly it will result in incorrect output. 


o IC Extract — The DSPF was created using IC Extract. Default setting. 

o xCalibre — The DSPF was created using xCalibre as part of Calibre 

Interactive. When this option is used, a name mapping sequence must 

be used by the program to convert the net names specified in the DSPF 

to the actual names on the schematic. This is done when a selected net 

is turned on. 

7. If IC Extract is used as the extraction tool, specify an option in the 

“Primitive paths in SPF prepended with element prefix?” field. Options 

include: 

o Yes — Specifies that the paths for primitive devices in the DSPF file 

are named with a primitive prefix appended to the beginning of the 

name. For example: m_/I$1/I$4. DA-IC needs to know that the 

primitive prefix m_ is not actually part of the name, but that the actual 

instance is /I$1/I$4. 

o No — Specifies no primitive prefixes are used in the parasitic file. 

Default setting. Required for ICextract. 


“Subcircuit names in SPF need to be prepended with X” field. Options 

include: 

o Yes — Specifies that the hierarchical instance names in the DSPF file 

need to be prepended with an X to match the net name with the actual 

schematic net name. For example: /1/4/OUT becomes /X1/X4/OUT. 

DA-IC needs to know how to map the net name in the DSPF to the 

actual schematic net name. In some cases, such as when flat extraction 

is specified, the default output from IC Extract leaves out the 'X' 

character for each hierarchical instance name in the DSPF NET 

statement. 



o No — Specifies no X pre-pending for hierarchical instance names in the 

DSPF file. Default setting. 

9. Enter the instance path in the Instance Path field for the instance to connect 

the parasitics to. This is needed because in simulation context, the design 

layed out is represented by an instance on the test bench schematic along 

with stimuli to test the circuit. This instance path is the EDDM hierarchical 

pathname for the design instance. For example: /I$3. If an instance on the 

schematic is selected, this field will be pre-filled in with the corresponding 

instance path. 

10. Click OK. The DSPF file is scanned and associated with the specified 

instance, and a backannotation object is created. The schematic closes and 

then re-opens. A message displays to indicate the parasitic backannotation 

object has been connected and individual net parasitics can be turned on 

using Parasitics > Distributed > Turn Selected On. 


Connecting Lumped Parasitics 

This method also supports the ability to debug parasitics on individual nets and 

stores parasitic values in a backannotation object. Lumped parasitics consist of 

single capacitance values for each design-wide net; these are the cumulative 

values for all capacitors found in the parasitic sub-network for that net. 

The same DSPF file that is generated by extraction programs for distributed 

backannotation carries the lumped value for each net in the NET statement for that 

net (after the net name). When lumped values are backannotated, they are 

represented as cap_net properties on each net. 

Use the following steps to associate a DSPF file and to load/connect a lumped 

parasitic back annotation object to an instance in the active design: 

1. From simulation mode, select the instance, representing an instance of the 

extracted layout design, to connect the parasitics to. 



8-108 

2. Select Parasitics > Connect Lumped. The Connect Lumped Parasitics 

dialog box displays: 

3. Specify to create a new or connect an existing parasitic backannotation 

object. A parasitic back annotation object must be connected to, or 

associated with, the design configuration before individual parasitic subnetworks 

can be associated with nets. Options include: 

o Create New — Creates and connects a new parasitic back annotation 

object to the design configuration. Default setting. 

o Connect Existing — Displays a list box of the lumped parasitic back 

annotations previously created that can be re-connected. All of the 

settings associated with that backannotation are restored. 

4. Enter a name for the parasitic backannotation object in the Parasitic BA 

Name field. This name uniquely identifies the backannotation object, or set 

of annotations, in future operations. 

5. Enter the pathname to the DSPF file in the DSPF Path field. 



6. Select the application used to create the parasitic files. If this field is 

specified incorrectly it will result in incorrect output. Options include: 

o IC Extract — The DSPF was created using IC Extract. Default setting. 

o xCalibre — The DSPF was created using xCalibre as part of Calibre 

Interactive. When this option is used, a name mapping sequence must 

be used by the program to convert the net names specified in the DSPF 

to the actual names on the schematic. This is done when a selected net 

is turned on. 


“Primitive paths in SPF prepended with element prefix?” field. Options 

include: 

o Yes — Specifies that the paths for primitive devices in the DSPF file 

are named with a primitive prefix appended to the beginning of the 

name. For example: m_/I$1/I$4. DA-IC needs to know that the 

primitive prefix m_ is not actually part of the name, but that the actual 

instance is /I$1/I$4. 

o No — Specifies no primitive prefixes are used in the parasitic file. 

Default setting. Required for IC Extract. 


“Subcircuit names in SPF need to be pre-pended with X” field. Options 

include: 

o Yes — Specifies that the hierarchical instance names in the DSPF file 

need to be prepended with an X to match the net name with the actual 

schematic net name. For example: /1/4/OUT becomes /X1/X4/OUT. 

DA-IC needs to know how to map the net name in the DSPF to the 

actual schematic net name. In some cases, such as when flat extraction 

is specified, the default output from IC Extract leaves out the 'X' 

character for each hierarchical instance name in the DSPF NET 

statement. 

o No — Specifies no X pre-pending for hierarchical instance names in the 

DSPF file. Default setting. 



8-110 

9. Enter the instance path in the Instance Path field for the instance to connect 

the parasitics to. This is needed because in simulation context, the design 

layed out is represented by an instance on the test bench schematic along 

with stimuli to test the circuit. This instance path is the EDDM hierarchical 

pathname for the design instance. For example: /I$3. If an instance on the 

schematic is selected, this field will be pre-filled in with the corresponding 

instance path. 

10. Enter the names of the global nets from the design, if any, into the Global 

Net Names field. The net names must be separated by spaces. This is 

necessary for DA-IC to understand that the lumped capacitances associated 

with these nets in the DSPF file are associated with the global nets of the 

same name on the schematic. 

11. Click OK. The DSPF file is scanned and associated with the specified 

instance, and a backannotation object is created. The schematic closes and 

then re-opens. A message displays to indicate the parasitic backannotation 

object has been connected and the cap_net properties have been created. 

Note, the cap_net properties are invisible. You can see their values by 

selecting a net and using the Report > Objects > Long menu item. The 

cap_net value is listed in picofarads units. 


Turning On/Off All Distributed Parasitics 

DA-IC allows you to turn on/off all parasitic backannotations for the active 

schematic. By default, all parasitics are turned off when loaded into DA-IC. 

Use the following step to turn on all parasitic backannotations: 

• From simulation mode, select Parasitics > Distributed > Turn All On. All 

the parasitics are activated and display in red on the active design. You can 

now view the parasitics for an individual net. For information on viewing 

parasitics on a net, refer to section “Viewing Parasitic Elements for 

Individual Nets” in this chapter. 

Use the following step to turn off all parasitic backannotations: 



• From simulation mode, select Parasitics > Distributed > Turn All Off. 

All the parasitics are deactivated and hidden from view. 

Turning On/Off Selected Distributed Parasitics 

DA-IC allows you to turn on/off selected distributed parasitic backannotations. 

Partially turning off parasitics allows you to focus on debugging the parasitics for 

an isolated piece of the design. By default, all parasitics are turned off when 

loaded into DA-IC. 

Use the following steps to turn on parasitic backannotations for a selected net: 

1. From simulation mode, select a net. 

2. Select Parasitics > Distributed > Turn Selected On. The parasitic 

backannotation displays in red next to the selected net indicating it is turned 

on. You can now view the parasitic for the selected net. For information on 

viewing parasitics on a net, refer to section “Viewing Parasitic Elements for 

Individual Nets” in this chapter. 

Use the following steps to turn off parasitic backannotations for a selected net: 

1. From simulation mode, select a net. 

2. Select Parasitics > Distributed > Turn Selected Off. The parasitic 

backannotation for the selected net is deactivated and hidden from view. 

Viewing Parasitic Elements for Individual Nets 

When distributed parasitics are turned on for a net(s), you can view its associated 

parasitics. 

Use the following step to view the parasitics for a net: 

1. Draw the “L” stroke (down, then to the right). The “L” stroke detects the 

nearest net, checks whether parasitics exist, and displays them in the list 

area of the Show Parasitic dialog box. If no parasitics are attached to the 

net, that information is written to the message area. The Show Parasitics 

dialog box displays the following three types of net information: 



8-112 

Interface nets — Nets within the parasitic sub-network for the net that 

connect to the intentional devices in the layout. These are most likely the 

parasitic nets of interest because they represent the end points of the 

parasitic sub-network. 

Internal nets — Nets that are internal to the parasitic sub-network and 

connect the resistors and capacitors of the sub-network. 

Parasitic elements — Nets that represent the parasitic resistors and 

capacitors that make up the parasitic sub-network. These nets begin with 

either “r” or “c”. You can see the values associated with each element. 

2. Click OK to exit the dialog box. 

Setting Up Plot Statements for Parasitic Nets 

When distributed parasitics are turned on for a net(s), you can set up the 

associated parasitic nets for plotting. 

Use the following steps to plot the associated parasitics subnet waveforms for a 

selected net (s): 

1. Select the parasitic subnet(s) whose waveform you want to crossprobe. 

2. Click Probes/Plot > Plot Selected from the palette from the 

schematic_sim_palette palette. The Set Plots dialog box displays. For more 

information on these options, see “Plotting Simulation Results” in this 

chapter. 

3. Click OK. The Select Parasitic Nets dialog box displays allowing you to 

select the parasitic nets for plotting. The Select Parasitic Nets dialog box 

displays the selected net name and the parasitic sub-nets that represent that 

net in the DSPF file. 

4. Select one or more parasitic sub-nets whose waveform you want to view. 

You can use the Ctrl-left mouse button to select single entries or hold down 

and drag the left mouse button across a group of adjacent nets you want to 

select. 



The nets selected in this step are automatically plotted when the waveform viewer 

invokes. 

Post-processing the Extracted Netlist 

When you load a distributed backannotation object, the netlist found in the 

Instance section of the DSPF file is used as the netlist of intentional devices in the 

layout that are to be re-simulated along with the associated parasitics that are 

turned on. To provide a netlist that can be re-simulated, this netlist must be postprocessed 

to reinsert simulation model names and original device types that may 

have changed as a result of the extraction tool. 

To post-process the netlist to update simulation model names and device types, 

use the following menu item: 

• Parasitics > Distributed > Process Extracted Netlist 

This command displays the Process Extracted Netlist dialog box that allows 

you to specify a set of string replaces to occur on the extracted netlist. You 

should use caution to be sure that the string replaces you specify do not 

affect net names or other information within the extracted netlist. 

To view the extracted netlist and make manual changes to it, use the following 

menu item: 

• Parasitics > Distributed > Edit Extracted Netlist 

Netlisting and Running Simulations with Parasitics 

Netlisting and running simulations with parasitics involve running the same 

commands used to netlist/run the original design. 

Use the following palette commands to netlist and perform simulation: 

1. Click Netlist. 

2. Click Run Simulator. 

When you netlist with a distributed parasitic backannotation connected, a series of 

.CONNECT statements appear at the top of the generated netlist. These 



.CONNECT statements connect all of the parasitic nets for a given net together, 

initially. 

When parasitics for a particular net are turned on, the statements for that net are 

commented out and the parasitics for that net are then included in the netlist. 

Crossprobing a Parasitic Net From the Schematic to the Viewer 

Use the following steps to crossprobe from nets on the DA-IC schematic to their 

associated parasitic sub-nets on the waveform: 

8-114 

1. Select the net(s) whose waveform you want to view. 

2. Click Cross Probe > Voltages - Default. The Select Parasitic Nets dialog 

box displays. 

3. Select from a parasitic net from the list area and click OK. The 

corresponding parasitic sub-net waveform is highlighted in the waveform 

viewer. Note, there is no reverse-cross-highlighting from the parasitic subnet 

waveform in the viewer back to the net in the schematic. 

Disconnecting Parasitics 

Use the following steps to disconnect a parasitic backannotation object from the 

active configuration: 

1. Select Parasitics > Disconnect. You are prompted to verify the disconnect 

parasitics operation. 

2. Click OK. The specified parasitic backannotation object is disconnected. 

Note, when parasitic backannotation objects are disconnected, they still 

remain on disk and can be re-connected later. 



Deleting Parasitic Backannotation Objects 

Both distributed and lumped parasitic backannotation objects can be disconnected 

from the current configuration and then deleted. 

Use the following command to delete disconnected backannotation objects: 

• Click Parasitics > Delete. The Delete Parasitic BA dialog box displays 

listing the backannotation objects that have been created to-date. 

• Select one or more backannotation objects and click OK. Note, if the 

backannotation object being deleted is still connected to the current 

configuration, the schematic window temporarily closes and then re-opens. 

Setting up the Netlist 

Use the following steps to set up netlisting options for the current design from 

simulation mode: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Session > Netlister. The Setup 

SPICE Netlister dialog box displays: 



8-116 

2. Select the Output Type. Options include: 

o EldoSPICE: Outputs EldoSPICE format. Default setting. 

o HSPICE: Outputs HSPICE format. 

o LVS: Outputs LVS (Layout vs. Schematic) format. 

3. If necessary, change the Output Names in What Case? setting. This 

setting determines if output names are in Upper or Lower Case. 

4. If necessary, change the Bus Pins Alphabetically? setting. This setting 

determines if bus pins are listed alphabetically or numerically 

o Yes — Lists bus pins alphabetically. 

o No — Lists bus pins in numeric order. 



5. If necessary, change the Pseudo Bus Pins Alphabetically? setting. This 

setting determines if pseudo bus pins are listed alphabetically or 

numerically. 

o Yes — Lists pseudo bus pins alphabetically. 

o No — Lists pseudo bus pins in numeric order. 

6. If necessary, change the Use CDL format? setting. This setting determines 

t if the netlist contains forward slashes according to CDL syntax. 

7. If necessary, change the Force Re-Netlisting? setting. This setting 

determines when a netlist is generated based on design changes. The 

following options are available: 

o Yes — Regardless of design changes, always generates a new netlist 

before simulation. 

o No — Generates a new netlist only if the schematic sheet, 

backannotations, or netlist setups have changed. Default setting. 

8. If necessary, change the No .include Statement? setting. This setting 

determines whether to remove .include statement. 

9. If necessary, change the Top-Level Cells First? setting. This setting 

determines whether to list top levels first. 

o Yes — Netlists top levels first. 

o No — Does not netlist top levels first. 

10. If necessary, change the Wrap Netlist in .subckt? setting. This setting 

determines whether the netlist is wrapped in a subcircuit. 

o Yes — Wraps netlist in subcircuit. 

o No — Does not wrap netlist in subcircuit. 

11. If necessary, change the Use DFI Mode? setting. This setting determines 

whether EldoNet uses DFI or SVC to produce netlist. 



8-118 

o Yes — Uses DFI. 

o No — Uses SVC format. 

12. If necessary, change the Generate a .subckt for the Top Cell? setting. 

This setting determines when to generate a .subckt for the top cell. 

o Yes — Generates a .subckt for the top cell. 

o No — Does not generate a .subckt for the top cell. 

o If Symbol Exists — Generates a .subckt for the top cell if a symbol 

exists. 

13. If necessary, change the Back Annotated Instances Share Same 

Subcircuit? setting. This setting determines whether backannotated 

instances share the same subcircuit. 

o Yes — Backannotated instances share the same subcircuit. 

o No — Backannotated instances do not share the same subcircuit. 

14. If necessary, change the Set Node 0 setting. This setting contains a 

comma-separated list of nets to connect to node 0. Default is GROUND. 

15. If necessary, change the Additional Globals setting. This setting adds a 

.GLOBAL to the netlist for each global specified. 

16. If necessary, change the Input Pin Types setting. This setting redefines the 

specified pin types to the input pin type. 

17. If necessary, change the Output Pin Types setting. This setting redefines 

the specified pin types to the output pin type. 

18. If necessary, change the Inout Pin Types setting. This setting redefines the 

specified pin types to the inout pin type. 

19. If necessary, change the Omit Pin Types setting. This setting redefines the 

specified pin types to the OMIT pin type. 



20. Click OK. The specified settings are saved and become the default settings 

for netlists generated from simulation mode. 

Understanding Analog/Digital Converters 

Analog/Digital converters are used for mixed signal design simulation with 

ADvance MS (ADMS). 

SPICE converters are built-in Eldo converters internally represented as SPICE 

subcircuits. VHDL-AMS converters are defined by the user in the VHDL-AMS 

language and compiled using the ADMS vacom compiler. For more information, 

see “Detailed/non-detailed converters insertion” in Chapter 6 of the ADVanceMS 


You can define default converters and allow ADMS to insert them automatically, 

or configure and insert them one at a time. 

For more information on inserting Analog/Digital converters, see the following 

topics in this chapter: 

Defining Default Analog/Digital Converters for Auto-Insertion 







Understanding Analog/Digital Converter Properties 

Defining Default Analog/Digital Converters for Auto- 

Insertion 

Use the following steps to define default converters in the simulation command 

file. ADMS chooses from these converters when automatically inserting them 

during simulation. 



8-120 

1. With no schematic objects selected, click Mixed Signal > Insert A2D/D2A 

on the schematic_sim_palette. The Converter-Automatic Insertion dialog 

box displays. 

2. Select a Converter Type:. Depending on the selection, the dialog box 

changes. Options include: 

• SPICE — Specifies a SPICE converter. Next to Converter 1:, select 

one of the following options: 

o A2D — Specifies an analog to digital converter. 

o D2A — Specifies a digital to analog converter. 

Under Mode:, select the type of electrical signal to transmit through the 

ports of the converter. Options include: 

o bit — Specifies two logical values: 1 and 0 

o x01 — Specifies three logical values: X, 0, and 1 



o x01z — Specifies four logical values: X, 0, 1, and Z 

o MVL4 — Specifies four logical values: X, 0, 1, and Z for A2D 

converters and two logical values: 1 and 0 for D2A converters 

o Std Logic — Specifies up to nine logical values: U, X, 0, 1, Z, W, L, 

H, and - 

o real — Specifies real or float values 

o integer — Specifies integer values 

• VHDL-AMS — Specifies VHDL-AMS compiled converter. Select a 

compiled converter from the list box. 

3. Under Setup Parameters, enter the parameter Name and Value to associate 

with the converter. When you specify a VHDL-AMS converter, you must 

supply a working VHDL-AMS library that contains parameter values for 

the converter. To specify a library, select Mixed Signal > Choose ADMS 

Library from the schematic_sim_palette. For more information, see 

Chapter 3, “Using Design Libraries” in the ADVanceMS User’s Manual. 

Each time you enter a Parameter/Value pair in the dialog box, additional 

fields display allowing you to enter more parameters. For more information 

on parameter values, see “Converter model declaration” in the ADVance 

MS User’s and Reference Manual. 

4. To define a second converter, click Yes next to Specify Second 

Converter?. Options and data fields for the second converter configuration 

display. Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 of this procedure. 

5. Click OK. A set of .MODEL and .DEFHOOK commands are written to the 

simulation command file that represent the default converters. 

6. The Converter-Automatic Insertion dialog box displays empty allowing 

you to continue defining more converters. 

7. Define another default converter or click Cancel to quit entering 

converters. 



For more information, see 

Chapter 6, “The Automatic and Explicit Insertion of Converters” in the 

ADVanceMS User’s Manual. 


Use the following steps to edit the parameters defined for default converters in the 

simulation command file: 

8-122 

1. With no schematic objects selected, click Mixed Signal > Edit Default 

A2D/D2A on the schematic_sim_palette. The Edit Default Converter 

Parameters dialog box displays. 

2. Select a converter to edit and click OK. The Converter Parameters dialog 

box displays. 

3. Enter, delete, and change the parameters as needed. Each time you enter a 

Parameter/Value pair in the dialog box, additional fields display allowing 



you to enter more parameters. For more information on parameter values, 

see “Converter model declaration” in the ADVance MS User’s and 


4. Click OK. The new parameter values are written to the simulation 

command file. 


Use the following steps to delete specified default converters from the simulation 

command file: 

1. With no schematic objects selected, click Mixed Signal > Delete 

A2D/D2A on the schematic_sim_palette. The Delete Default Converter 


2. Select a converter to delete and click OK. The selected converter is deleted 

from the simulation command file. 


When you insert a converter on an instance, it applies to all pins owned by the 

instance. Use the following steps to insert analog to digital (A2D) or digital to 

analog (D2A) converters on instances: 



8-124 

1. Select up to two instances to insert converters on. You must set up the 

converters in the order that you select them. For example, the first instance 

selected is the first instance setup in the Insert Converter-Instance dialog 

box. 

You can insert up to two converters at a time as long as they both use the 

same language type. Selected objects can only be instances. 

2. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Mixed Signal > Insert A2D/D2A. 

The Insert Converter-Instance dialog box displays. 

















H, and - 



• VHDL-AMS — Specifies VHDL-AMS compiled converter. Select a 

compiled converter from the list box. 

4. Next to Detailed Conv?, select an option for merging/splitting the digital 

net at the point of insertion. For more information, see 

“Detailed/non-detailed converters insertion” in Chapter 6 of the 

ADVanceMS User’s Manual. Options include: 

• Yes — Splits digital nets. 

• No — Merges digital nets. 




the converter. To specify a library, select File > Model registration > 

Choose ADMS Library from the session window. For more information, 

see Chapter 3, “Using Design Libraries” in the ADVanceMS User’s 




8-126 



on parameter values, see “Explicit insertion of converters” in the ADVance 


6. To insert a second converter, click Yes next to Specify Second 

Converter?. The dialog box displays options and data fields for the second 

converter configuration. Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 of this procedure. 

7. Click OK. The converter(s) is attached to the cursor and the selected 

instances. 

8. Click the mouse near the instance(s) to place the text indicator(s) for the 

converter(s). The following text indicators are used: 

• VHDL-AMS converters — Inst_ 

• SPICE converters — depending on the type: Inst_A2D or Inst_D2A 


Chapter 6, “The Automatic and Explicit Insertion of Converters” in the 



Converters cannot be inserted on nets connected to ports, because ADVanceMS 

only sees the highest level nets. 

Use the following steps to insert analog to digital or digital to analog converters 

on nets: 

1. Select the nets to insert converters on. You can insert multiple converters 

on multiple selected nets, but the converters must all be the same. Selected 

objects can only be nets. 




The Insert Converter- Net dialog box displays. 
















8-128 


H, and - 



• VHDL-AMS — Specifies VHDL-AMS compiled model. Select a 

compiled model from the list box. 

4. Next to Detailed Conv?, select an option for merging/splitting the digital 

net at the point of insertion. For more information, see 

“Detailed/non-detailed converters insertion” in Chapter 6 of the 

ADVanceMS User’s Manual. Options include: 

o Yes — Splits digital nets. 

o No — Merges digital nets. 

5. Under Setup Parameters, enter the parameter Name and the associated 

parameter Value to specify the converter behavior. 





6. Click OK. The converter is attached to the cursor and the selected net. 

7. Click the mouse near the net to place the text indicator for the converter. 

The following text indicators are used: 

• VHDL-AMS converters — Net_ 

• SPICE converters — depending on the type: Net_A2D or Net_D2A 

Repeat this step for each selected net. 




Chapter 6, “Automatic and Explicit Insertion of Converters” in the ADVanceMS 



Converters cannot be inserted on pins connected to nets connected to ports, 

because ADVanceMS only sees the highest level nets. 

Use the following steps to insert analog to digital or digital to analog converters 

on pins: 

1. Select the pins to insert converters on. You can insert multiple converters 

on multiple selected pins, but the converters must all be the same. Selected 

objects can only be pins. 


The Insert Converter-Pin dialog box displays. 







8-130 











H, and - 



• VHDL-AMS — Specifies VHDL-AMS compiled model. Select a 

compiled model from the list box. 




the converter. To specify a library, select File > Model registration > 

Choose ADMS Library from the session window. For more information, 

see Chapter 3, “Using Design Libraries” in the ADVanceMS User’s 






5. Click OK. The converter is attached to the cursor and the selected pin. 



6. Click the mouse near the pin to insert the text indicator for the converter. 

The following text indicators are used: 

• VHDL-AMS converters — Pin_ 

• SPICE converters — depending on the type: Pin_A2D or Pin_D2A 

Repeat this step for each selected net. 


Chapter 6, “Automatic and Explicit Insertion of Converters” in the 



Use the following steps to delete an analog/digital converter from pins, nets, and 

instances: 

1. Select the pins, nets, and instances to delete the converters from. You can 

select any combination of objects. 

2. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Mixed Signal > Delete A2D/D2A. 

The converters are deleted from the selected objects. 

Understanding Analog/Digital Converter Properties 

The property syntax for VHDL-AMS converter properties is described in Table 

8-4. 

Table 8-4. VHDL-AMS Converter Properties 

Component Property Name Property Value 

Instance DEFHOOK [DETAILED] HOOK 

Pin HOOK [param1=val1 param2=val2 ...] 

Net HOOK [param1=val1 param2=val2 ...] 



The property syntax for SPICE converter properties is described in Table 8-5. 

8-132 

Table 8-5. SPICE Converter Properties 

Component Property Name Property Value 

Instance DEFHOOK [DETAILED] A2D Mode =x01[param1=val1 

param2=val2 ...] D2A 

Pin A2D/D2A [DETAILED] Mode =bit [param1=val1 

param2=val2 ...] 

Net A2D/D2A [DETAILED] Mode = std_logic 

[param1=val1 param2=val2 ...] 

Associating an SDF File with an Instance 

You can specify Standard Delay Format (SDF) files for digital blocks in mixedsignal 

designs. SDF files are used by ADVance MS to introduce timing delays 

associated with digital blocks into a simulation. For more information on SDF 

files, see Chapter 11, “Standard Delay Format (SDF),” in the ADVance MS User’s 


Once an SDF file is associated with an instance, you can change the settings that 

tell ADVance MS how to interpret/respond to the SDF. Settings include: delay 

scale, error and/or warning display, and multi-source delay. 

Use the following steps to associate an SDF file with a digital instance for 

simulation: 

1. From simulation mode, select a digital instance to associate an SDF file 

with. 



2. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Mixed Signal > Add SDF. The 

Add SDF to Instance dialog box displays: 

3. Enter the pathname to the SDF file in the SDF Path field. 

4. If necessary, choose a Delay Selection. Options include: 

o Min — Selects the minimum timing value from the SDF file. 

o Max — Selects the maximum timing value from the SDF file. 

o Typ — Selects the typical timing value from the SDF file. Default 

setting. 

5. Click OK. The specified SDF is associated with the selected instance. To 

view the SDF file and settings, see “Displaying SDF File Setups” on 

page 8-133. 

Displaying SDF File Setups 

SDF file associations display on the schematic with the current simulation setups. 

Display SDF file associations as follows: 

1. From simulation mode, select Session > Show Settings Block from the 

palette menu. The settings block displays attached to your cursor. 



Move the mouse to position the settings block, and click the left mouse button to 

to place it on the schematic. A text block displays the current simulation setups, 

including the SDF setups, on the schematic. 

Deleting SDF File Setups 

Use the following steps to delete SDF file associations from the current simulation 

setups: 

8-134 

1. From simulation mode, select Mixed Signal > Edit SDF from the 

simulation palette menu. The Edit SDF Paths dialog box displays. 

Instances currently associated with SDF files are listed along with the 

pathname to the associated SDF file. 



2. To delete an SDF association from an instance, delete the pathname to the 

SDF file from the instance. 

! 

Caution 

Deleting the first listed association, deletes all SDF associations 

listed. 

Changing SDF File Setups 

Use the following steps to change the settings associated with how ADVance MS 

interprets each SDF file: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Mixed Signal > Edit SDF. The 

Edit SDF Paths dialog box displays. 

2. If necessary, change the Disable SDF warnings setting. The box displays 

black when option is enabled. Options include: 

o Enabled — ADVance MS displays no SDF-related warning messages. 

o Disabled — ADVance MS displays all SDF-related warning messages. 

Default setting. 



8-136 

3. If necessary, change the Reduce SDF errors to warnings setting. The box 

displays black when option is enabled. Options include: 

o Enabled — ADVance MS displays all SDF-related errors as warnings. 

o Disabled— ADVance MS displays SDF-related errors. Default setting. 

4. If necessary, change the Multi-Source Delay setting. This setting 

determines how ADVance MS selects from multiple PORT and 

INTERCONNECT constructs terminated at the same port. Options include: 

o Latest — Uses the latest value. Default setting. 

o Min — Uses the smallest value. 

o Max — Uses the largest value. 

o Off — No multi-source delay setting is used. 

5. If necessary, change the Delay Selection associated with each SDF file. 


o Min — Selects the minimum timing value from the SDF file. 

o Max — Selects the maximum timing value from the SDF file. 

o Typ — Selects the typical timing value from the SDF file. Default 

setting. 

6. Click OK. SDF settings are changed. 

Deleting Unused References\Invalid Backannotations 

Unused references and invalid backannotations can occur in a configuration if you 

delete design components or symbols that were once referenced by the viewpoint 

or delete design objects (nets, pins, instances) that had backannotations associated 

with them. These unused references and invalid backannotations may cause 

unexpected results when the design is netlisted. 



Use the following steps to delete unused references and invalid backannotations 

from the active design configuration: 

1. From simulation mode, select File > Cleanup Unused References to 

delete any unused design references from the active viewpoint. 

2. From simulation mode, select File > Delete Invalid BA Entries to delete 

invalid backannotations from the active viewpoint. For example: 

backannotations attached to objects deleted from the design. 

You can also execute both of these functions from the dialog box that displays as 

you enter simulation mode. For more information, see the “Invoking Simulation 

Mode” section of this chapter. 

When changes occur as a result of using these options, the configuration is 

automatically saved. 

Checking the Design Before Simulation 

Use the following step to check the syntax of the entire design hierarchy with 

respect to the configuration rules defined in the viewpoint including, mismatched 

connections, unique names, parameter values, and more. For a detailed listing of 

the checks, see the “Design Checking” section in the Design Viewing and Analysis 

Support for IC Flow Manual. 

Setup your design for simulation and before you generate a netlist, select one of 

the following options to check the design: 

• File > Check Design > Warning/Basic Checks to check the syntax of the 

complete design hierarchy and return all warnings and errors. 

• File > Check Design > Errors Only to check the syntax of the complete 

design hierarchy and return only errors. 

The Design Syntax Messages window displays information, warning, and error 

messages. You can set up DA-IC to automatically check the design before 

simulation. For more information, see the “Setting up the Simulation 

Environment” section in this chapter. 



Setting up the Design Check 

Use the following steps to specify which set of checks are run, how the design 

check results are returned, and check the design as specified. The settings are only 

used for this design check and return to the default settings for all subsequent 

design checks. 

8-138 

1. From simulation mode, select File > Check Design > Check Options. The 

Check Design dialog box displays. 

2. If neccessary, select a Display in Window option. Options include: 

o Yes — Displays the results of the check in a new window. Default. 

o No — Disables the check design results window. 

3. If neccessary, select a Write to Transcript option. Options include: 

o Yes — Writes the results of the check in the transcript. Default. 

o No — Disables the transcript of the check results. 

4. If neccessary, select a Warning checks option. Options include: 

o All Warnings — displays all warnings returned. Default. 



o Synthesis Subset — checks a design created with synthesis tools and 

filters out extraneous warning messages. 

o No Warnings — only returns errors. 

5. If neccessary, select a Write to File option. Options include: 

o Yes — Writes design check results to a specified file. 

o No — Check design results are not written to a file. Default. 

6. Click OK. The active design is checked and returns the results as specified. 

For informaton, see “Checking the Design Before Simulation” in this 

chapter. 

To filter which properties are checked, use the Filter Property Check command 

with property names and enter the properties to filter. For more information, see 

$filter_property_check() in the Design Viewpoint Editor-IC User’s and Reference 


These checks can also be run from Design Viewpoint Editor-IC. For more 

information, see the “Design Checking” section in Chapter 2 of the Design 

Viewpoint Editor-IC User’s and Reference Manual. 

For more information, see $design_check() in the Design Viewpoint Editor-IC 

User’s and Reference Manual. 

Generating a Netlist 

A current netlist is needed for simulation. The active design is automatically saved 

before the netlist is generated. Use the following steps to generate a netlist of the 

active design: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Netlist. The schematic design is 

automatically saved, and EldoNet is invoked in a transcript window. A 

transcript window displays the status for the netlist operation. 

2. Note any errors reported in the transcript window and press the Return key. 



8-140 

3. Correct any errors reported in the transcript window. 

4. Repeat step 1, 2, and 3 until the netlist is error free. 

For information on setting up DA-IC to netlist only when the design changes, see 

“Setting up the Simulation Environment”. 

Running the Simulation 

Before simulation, you must create a netlist. For more information, see 

“Generating a Netlist”. By default, the “Run” option on the 

schematic_sim_palette generates a netlist and then runs the simulation. For more 

information, see “Setting up the Simulation Environment”. 

Use the following steps to generate a netlist and run a simulation on the active 

design from the schematic_sim_palette menu: 

1. Use the appropriate procedures in this chapter to set up the simulation and 

the results. 

2. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Run Eldo. If the design changed 

since the last netlist was created, EldoNet is invoked in a terminal window 

and generates a netlist. The terminal window displays the progress of the 

netlister. Then, the default simulator is invoked on the active design in a 

terminal window. The terminal window displays the progress of the 

simulation. 

For information on setting up the default simulator, see “Setting Up the 

Default Simulator and Viewer” in this chapter. 

3. Note any errors reported in the terminal windows and press the Return key 

to close each window. 

4. Correct any errors reported in the terminal windows. 

5. Repeat step 2, 3, and 4 until the simulation runs error free. For information 

on viewing the simulation results, see “Viewing Waveforms” in this 

chapter. 



Extracting Waveform Measurements 

You can insert .DEFWAVE, .EXTRACT, and .DEFMAC statements in the 

simulation command file to extract waveform information and use it to define 

other waveforms. Use the following steps to create .DEFWAVE, .EXTRACT, or 

.DEFMAC statements in the simulation command file from the 

schematic_sim_palette: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Measurements > Edit. The Edit 

Measurements dialog box displays. 

2. Enter the waveform definitions and/or measurements to extract from the 

simulation and click OK. A sim.measures file is created and a .INCLUDE 

command is inserted in the simulation command file. 

For more information, see “.DEFWAVE”, “.DEFMAC”, and “.EXTRACT” in 


Defining an Extract Statement 

This option allows you to define a statement that extracts waveform information 

during simulation using predefined functions. These measurements are valid when 

using Eldo. To define a new extract definition, perform the following steps: 



8-142 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Measurements > Define. The 

Define Extract dialog box displays. 

2. Enter the name of the function to define into the Function field. Click the 

Menu button in the Function area to display a list of the available functions; 

a short description of each listed function is available by clicking one of the 

Help buttons located to the right of the Menu button. 

3. Click one of the buttons in the Measure field to specify the characteristic 

that you want the extract statement to measure. 

4. Click one of the buttons in the Format field to specify the format of the 

measured output. Default means that the characteristic is output exactly as 

specified (this is primarily for AC analysis). 

5. Enter a label in the Label field. When the measurement is output to either 

an ASCII file or a waveform viewer, the measurement is labeled with the 

string entered in this field. If a value is not provided, Eldo assigns a default 

string. 



6. Enter a simulation type into the Analysis field. This specifies the type of 

simulation analysis set when the measurement is taken. Click the Menu 

button in the Analysis field to display the list of available types; a 

description of each listed type is available by clicking the Help button in the 

Analysis field. 

7. Specify any additional options in the Option field. You can specify 

unlimited options for the extract statement. 

8. Click OK. A .EXTRACT statement is saved to the sim.measure file in the 

viewpoint directory, and a .INCLUDE statement is added to the simulation 

command file. 

For more information, see the “.EXTRACT” section in Chapter 10, “Simulator 

Commands,” of the Eldo User's Manual. 

Defining a RF Extract Statement 

This option allows you to define a statement that extracts RF measurements. 

These measurements are valid when using the RF extensions to Eldo. To define an 

RF extract definition, perform the following steps: 

1. From simulation mode, select one or more instances, nets, or pins in the 

schematic to define a measurement for. 

2. Select Measurements > Define RF from the palette. The Define RF 

Extract dialog box displays. The following computations may be defined: 

• total harmonic distortion (THD) 

• power efficiency (PE) 

• power-added efficiency (PAE) 

• Gain 

• 3rd order intermodulation (IM3, IM5, and IM7) 

• 3rd order intercept point (IP3) 

• 1 db compression point 



8-144 

3. Specify the computation to define by clicking one of the buttons in the 

Extract field, and complete the associated fields that display with each 

option. You can click on the Help button to display a short description of 

the measurement returned by each available computation option. 

4. Click OK. A .EXTRACT statement is saved to the sim.measure file in the 

viewpoint directory, and a .INCLUDE statement is added to the simulation 

command file. 

For more information, see the “Extract Command” section of Chapter 2, 

“Command Syntax,” in the Eldo RF User’s Manual. 

Exiting Simulation Mode 

Use the following step to exit simulation mode, close the viewpoint, and open the 

active design in the schematic editor: 

Click End Sim on the schematic_sim_palette menu. The schematic_edit palette 

menu displays. 


Running Design Simulation Viewing Waveforms 

Viewing Waveforms 

From the simulation mode in DA-IC, you can set up and invoke the following 

waveform viewers: 

• Xelga 

Displays waveforms from analog, digital, RF, and mixed-signal design 

simulations performed by Eldo, Eldo RF, HSPICE, and ADVanceMS. For 

more information, see “About Xelga” in this chapter. 

• Design Architect-IC View (DA-IC View) 

Displays waveforms from analog, digital, RF, and mixed-signal design 

simulations performed by Eldo or HSPICE. For more information, see 

“About Design Architect-IC View (DA-IC View)” in this chapter. 

• EZwave 

Displays waveforms from analog, digital, and mixed-signal design 

simulations performed by Eldo and ADVanceMS. For more information, 

see “About EZwave” in this chapter. 

About Xelga 

Xelga is an interactive waveform viewer invoked from the simulation palette in 

DA-IC. The viewer allows you to display the following waveform types: 

• .wdb, .cou, .dou, .ext. and .aex — Various waveform output formats 

available from Eldo and ADVanceMS. 

Xelga reads a simulation results database named JWDB (Java Waveform 

Database) which is the default output database for AdvanceMS. For more 

information, see “JWDB database format” section in the Xelga User’s Manual. 

This section describes how to set up and use Xelga from the DA-IC interface. For 

more information on using the Xelga viewer, see the Xelga User’s Manual. 


Viewing Waveforms Running Design Simulation 

Invoking Xelga 

To invoke Xelga, your ANACAD environment variable must point to the location 

of the Xelga application. To use Xelga, it must be set up as the default waveform 

viewer before the simulation is run. 

Use the following steps to invoke Xelga and display waveforms from the 


8-146 

1. Set up Xelga as the default waveform viewer. For more information, see 

“Setting Up the Default Simulator and Viewer” in this chapter. 

2. Set up and run the simulation for the active schematic. If you change the 

viewer, you must re-run the simulation to output the correct waveform 

format for the viewer. 

3. From the schematic_sim_palette, select View Waves. 

Xelga opens and displays the waveforms generated for the active 

schematic. 

Crossprobing Schematics with Xelga 

Xelga allows the bidirectional crossprobing of design components in DA-IC. For 

example: 

You can highlight a component of the active schematic in DA-IC, and the viewer 

displays the corresponding waveform. 

OR 



You can select a waveform in the viewer and DA-IC highlights the associated 

component in the active schematic. 

Note 

You can only crossprobe “primary” nets. For example, a net 

named 'OUT' on the top level schematic is connected to an 

instance pin called 'INSTOUT' that maps to a net called 

'INSTOUT' on its underlying schematic. You can crossprobe the 

net 'OUT' at the top level, but you cannot crossprobe the net 

'INSTOUT' in the lower level schematic. 

After you run a simulation on a schematic, use the following steps to crossprobe 

the schematic: 


2. Select one or more pins/nets on the schematic to crossprobe. 



8-148 

3. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Cross Probe. The following menu 

displays. 

4. Select the type of waveform to display. For more information, see 

$da_ic_crossprobe() in the Design Architect-IC Reference Manual. The 

following prompt bar displays. 

Hold the left mouse button down and draw a rectangle around the 

component to crossprobe on the schematic. The corresponding waveform is 

highlighted in Xelga. 



If you select one of the six “Diff” options on the bottom of the submenu, 

two pins/nets must be selected. The Setup Difference Probe dialog box 

displays. 

Select an order for the difference to be evaluated and click OK. A negative 

or positive value is determined by the selection order. By default, the value 

of the second-selected net/pin is subtracted from the value of the firstselected 

net/pin. 

The waveform viewer displays/highlights a waveform representing the 

difference between the two components. 

5. Select a waveform in Xelga. The corresponding component is highlighted 

in DA-IC. 

Closing Xelga 

Use the following steps to close Xelga: 

Select File > Exit. Xelga closes. DA-IC and the current viewpoint are active 

About Design Architect-IC View (DA-IC View) 

DA-IC View is an interactive waveform viewer invoked from the 

schematic_sim_palette in DA-IC. The viewer allows you to display analog, 

digital, RF and mixed-signal waveforms from waveform database .wdb files 

created during simulation. 



For information on viewing and manipulating waveform data, see the 

Design Architect-IC View User’s and Reference Manual. 

Invoking DA-IC View 

Use the following steps to invoke DA-IC View and display waveforms from the 


8-150 

1. Set up DA-IC View as the default waveform viewer. For more information, 

see “Setting Up the Default Simulator and Viewer” in this chapter. 

2. Set up and run the simulation for the active schematic. 


DA-IC View opens and displays the results from the latest simulation in a 

waveform database window and in a Chart window. The waveform 

database and Chart windows contain waveforms specified with the .PLOT 

command in the simulation command file. For more information on setting 

up .PLOT commands, see “Plotting Simulation Results” in this chapter. 

If DA-IC View does not respond, see “No Response from DA-IC View”in 

Chapter 10. 

Crossprobing Schematics with DA-IC View 

DA-IC View allows the bidirectional crossprobing of design components in DA- 

IC. For example: 

You can highlight a component of the active schematic in DA-IC, and the viewer 

displays the corresponding waveform. 

OR 

You can select a waveform in the viewer and DA-IC highlights the associated 

component in the active schematic. 



After you set up and run a simulation on a schematic, use the following steps to 

crossprobe the schematic: 


2. From the schematic_sim_palette, select Cross Probe and choose a signal 

type from the submenu to probe. 

For more information, see $da_ic_crossprobe() in the Design Architect-IC 

Reference Manual. The crossprobe prompt bar displays. 

3. Hold the left mouse button down and draw a rectangle around the net to 

crossprobe on the schematic. The corresponding waveform displays in a 

Chart window of the viewer. If the corresponding waveform is already 

displayed in the Chart window, it is highlighted. 



8-152 

If you select one of the six “Diff” options on the bottom of the submenu, 

two pins/nets must be selected. The Setup Difference Probe dialog box 

displays. 

Select an order for the difference to be evaluated and click OK. A negative 

or positive value is determined by the selection order. By default, the value 

of the second-selected net/pin is subtracted from the value of the firstselected 

net/pin. 

The waveform viewer displays/highlights a waveform representing the 

difference between the two components. 

4. Click on a waveform in the Chart or Waveform Database window of the 

viewer to select it. You can select multiple waveforms. 

5. Select DA-IC Highlight from the Chart or Waveform Database popup 

menu. The nets associated with the selected waveforms are highlighted on 

the schematic. Highlighted nets on the schematic continue to accumulate 

until you deselect them in DA-IC. 

For more information on using DA-IC View, see the 

Design Architect-IC View User’s And Reference Manual. 

Closing DA-IC View 

Use the following steps to close DA-IC View: 

Select MGC > Exit. DA-IC View exits. DA-IC and the current viewpoint are 

active. 



About EZwave 

EZwave is an interactive waveform viewer invoked from the simulation palette in 

DA-IC. In the DA-IC environment, EZwave provides the following capabilities: 

• Ability to crossprobe low-level design nets and have the low-level name 

preserved within the viewer. 

• Multiple analysis simulations display the results for each analysis type in its 

own folder. 

• Multiple run simulations, which can create a large number of waveforms 

for each design signal, display within the viewer with a single waveform 

name. 

• Multiple run simulations generate individual waveforms for each .PLOT 

statement in the commands file; they display the group of all waveforms 

associated with a given .PLOT statement as a single unique waveform 

name in the viewer. 

Invoking EZwave 

Use the following steps to invoke EZwave and display waveforms from the 


1. Set up EZwave as the default waveform viewer. For more information, see 

“Setting Up the Default Simulator and Viewer” in this chapter. 

2. Set up and run the simulation for the active schematic. 



8-154 

3. From the schematic_sim_palette, click View Waves on the palette and 

select one of the submenu items or just click View Waves to execute the 

New Window menu item. 

The following viewing options are available on the submenu: 

• New Window — Opens a new Graph window in EZwave and plots the 

entire set of waveforms identified in the .cir file. 

• Overlay — If there is a database from a previous simulation already 

opened and it has at least one waveform plotted, plots the new result 

waveforms together with the previously existing ones on the same axes 

and waveform rows. Note, this option is only enabled if EZwave is 

already invoked and connected to DA-IC. 

• Select HSPICE Results — Displays a list of the available waveform 

files. Select a file, and then use the New Window or Overlay menu 

options to plot the waveform file. 

Note, this option is only available on the View Waves submenu when 

the HSPICE simulator is specified as your Simulator and the most 

recent simulation created multiple result files 

EZwave opens and displays the waveform results from the latest simulation 

in a Graph window. For more information on setting up .PLOT commands, 

see “Plotting Simulation Results” in this chapter. 

If multiple run simulation analysis options (sweeps, Monte Carlo, etc.) 

were specified, those waveforms are represented in the Waveform List 

Panel by a single waveform icon and a “+” sign. You can access individual 

waveforms within that wavform group by clicking the '+' sign to expand the 

list to show the individual waveform names. For example, V(INP) expands 

to show the individual waveforms V(INP)_1, V(INP)_2, ..., V(INP)_N. 



Crossprobing Schematics with EZwave 

After you set up and run a simulation on a schematic, use the following two 

sections to crossprobe between DA-IC and the EZwave viewer. 

Crossprobing from DA-IC to EZwave 

After you set up and run a simulation on a schematic, use the following steps to 

crossprobe from DA-IC to EZwave: 

1. From the schematic_sim_palette, select View Waves > New Window. 

The EZwave application displays in a separate window. You can reposition 

DA-IC and EZwave on the screen so that both can be viewed at the same 

time. 

2. Select a net on the schematic. You can select two nets if you want to 

generate and view a “differential” signal — that is, view a waveform of 

their difference. 



8-156 

3. From the schematic_sim_palette, click Cross Probe and choose a signal 

type from the submenu to probe. 

• If you select one of the six “Difference” options on the bottom of the 

submenu, two pins/nets must be selected in step 2. When the Setup 

Difference Probe dialog box displays, select an order for the difference 

to be evaluated and click OK. 



A negative or positive value is determined by the selection order. By 

default, the value of the second-selected net/pin is subtracted from the 

value of the first-selected net/pin. 

The waveform viewer displays/highlights a waveform in the Graph 

window of the viewer representing the difference between the two 

components. 

• If you choose any of the other eleven signal choices, the corresponding 

waveform displays in the active Graph window of the viewer without 

prompting for a selection order. 



Crossprobing from EZwave to DA-IC 

To crossprobe from EZwave to DA-IC, perform the following steps: 

8-158 

1. Click on a waveform name listed in the Waveform Name Panel of the 

viewer, located by default on the right side of the Graph window, to select 

it. You can select multiple waveform names. 

2. Click the Waveforms cross selection icon from the EZwave toolbar. 

The nets associated with the selected waveform names are highlighted on 

the DA-IC schematic. Highlighted nets on the schematic continue to 

accumulate until you deselect them in DA-IC 

For information on using EZwave, click the Help button in the upper righthand 

corner of the application to display the Online Help options. 

Closing EZwave 

Use the following step to close the EZwave viewer: 

1. Select File > Exit from the EZwave menu. 

EZwave closes. DA-IC and the current viewpoint are active. 


Chapter 9 

Managing Designs 

This in provides information and procedures for managing schematic designs in 

Design Architect-IC (DA-IC). The following topics are available: 

Design Management Overview 

Component Window 

Component Hierarchy Window 

Viewing Design Hierarchy 

Renaming a Component 

Changing Component References 

Releasing Designs 

Version Operations 

Design Verification 

Reference and Object Checking 

Configuration Build 

Application Invocation 

Updating Parts on all Schematics in a Design 

Reporting on Objects 

Reporting on Component Interfaces 

Reporting on Schematic and Symbol Objects 

Reporting on Object Status 


Design Management Overview Managing Designs 

Design Management Overview 

You can copy, move, resize, group, delete, and release design objects with Design 

Manager-IC or within DA-IC. For complete information about these topics, refer 

to the Design Manager -IC User's Manual. 

9-2 

! 

Caution 

You can manage schematic designs with the Design Manager-IC or use the 

following design management tools provided on the MGC > Design 

Management pulldown menu in DA-IC: 

• Copy Object 

• Move Object 

• Delete Object 

• Change References 

• Component Window allows you to view or edit detailed information about 

a component. 

• Component Hierarchy window allows you to view design configuration and 

component information without having to exit the application. 


Do not edit attribute files. Editing an attribute file directly can 

corrupt the associated design object. Use the Design Manager-IC 

or or use the design management tools provided on the MGC > 

Design Management pulldown menu in DA-IC to edit ALL 

design references. These tools automatically update the attribute 

files for you. 

The Component Window allows you to view or edit detailed information about a 

component. Some of the things you can do in the Component Window are: 

• List the Part Interfaces for models, labels, pins, pin properties, and body 

properties for a given component. 


Managing Designs Design Management Overview 

• Register and unregister component models. 

• Add/delete or edit labels for a component. 

• Show all objects contained by the component, and optionally filter out 

objects depending on type. 

Click MGC > Design Management > Open Component Window pulldown 

menu or the session window palette. A window appears that is divided into four 

distinct information list areas, and each list area has a separate popup menu. The 

four list areas are: 

• Component Information 

Displays an indented list of the component and its contents. Icons next to 

items indicate the object type. Multiple components can be shown at one 

time. Use the setup form to filter the types you want to view. 

• Models 

Displays all registered models for each part interface selected in the 

component list area. Labels are shown indented underneath the model 

name. Models are distinguished for a given component by the gray header 

bar. 

• Pins 

Displays pin names and properties for each selected part interface. 

• Body Properties 

Displays the body property name and value for each selected part interface. 

Figure 9-1 shows the initial display of the Component window. The following 

restrictions apply to the Component Window in Design Architect: 

• If you are editing a symbol in a Symbol Editor window, you cannot make 

model registration or label changes to the component that contains the 

symbol in the Component Window. 



9-4 

• You cannot select a symbol or schematic model listed in the Component 

Window to open the symbol or sheet. 

• You cannot change the component displayed in the Component Window 

from the Design Architect Active Symbol window. 

• If you modify a component in the Component Window, sheets in the 

component are not automatically updated to display the change. 

C 

Component Information 

$TRAINING/danwp/my_df 

my_dff (Default) 

ANSI 

my_dff 

part 

schematic 

schem_id 

sheet1 

schemaitc2 

schem_id 

sheet1 

my_dff 


[$TRAINING/danwp/card_reader/my_dff] 

Pins 

my_dff [$TRAINING/danwp/card_reader/my_dff] 

D 

CLK 

PRE 

CLR 

Q 

QB 

my_dff 

Registered Model Info 

Graphical Models 

$TRAINING/danwp/card_reader/my_dff/my_dff 

$TRAINING/danwp/card_reader/my_dff/ANSI 

default_sym 

Functional Models 

$TRAINING/danwp/card_reader/my_dff/schematic 

schematic 

$schematic 

default 

$TRAINING/danwp/card_reader/my_dff/schematic2 

schematic2 

$schematic2 

Body Properties 

[$TRAINING/danwp/card_reader/my_dff] 

qfall = 0 

qbfall = 0 

qrise = 0 

qbrise = 0 

model = schematic 

Figure 9-1. Component Window 




The Component Hierarchy Window allows you to view design configuration and 

component information without having to exit the application. It also allows you 

to: 

• Display a component hierarchy in the context of a specific viewpoint. 

• Display design hierarchies that are not dependent on viewpoints. 

• Display instance information for a given component. 

• Display the path to a single instance. 

• Display the hierarchy as an indented list or a graphical tree. 

• Probe other applications. 

• Display the value of a specified property, rather than the instance name next 

to component, in the hierarchy listing. 

Because you look at a physical or logical hierarchy listing, rather than a file 

system, you get information concerning the instances names, property values, 

object designations, and model information. 

Viewing Design Hierarchy 

You can view the hierarchy of your design by performing the following steps: 

1. Choose the MGC > Design Management > Open Hierarchy Window > 

Specify menu item. 

The Open Hierarchy Window dialog box displays. 

2. Enter the pathname of the component whose hierarchy you want displayed, 

or use the navigator button to bring up the dialog navigator to find the 

component. 

3. Click OK when you have completed the form. The hierarchy is displayed in 

an IDW Hierarchy window. 



9-6 

4. Select a component in the IDW Hierarchy window by clicking the left 

mouse button on the component name. 

5. Press the right mouse button in the IDW Hierarchy window to display the 

associated popup menu.The Hierarchy Window uses the mgc_component 

as the standard starting point for showing design hierarchy. Figure 9-2 

shows the Hierarchy window. 


Current Component: $TRAINING/danwp/card_reader/add_convert 

add_convert (schm:schematic) 

rip (primitive) 

ground (primitive) 

74259 (primitive) 

vcc (primitive) 

res.alt (primitive) 

portin (primitive) 

inv (primitive) 

and2 (primitive) 

portout (primitive) 

74ls161a (primitive) 

my_dff (schm:schematic) 

latch (primitive) 

inv (primitive) 

buf (primitive) 

portin (primitive) 

portout (primitive) 

Figure 9-2. Hierarchy Window 

The following restrictions apply to the Hierarchy Window in DA-IC: 

• Cross-highlighting between open Schematic Editor Windows and the 

Hierarchy Window is not supported. 

• When instances are added or deleted in a Schematic Editor Window, the 

changes are not reflected in a Hierarchy window, until you reopen the 

design. 



Renaming a Component 

Renaming a component renames the file set (all objects that are of the same file 

set) that is selected, and then changes references within the file set (container) 

hierarchy to reflect the change. External design object references that point to 

objects in the renamed container are not updated. These references will need to be 

updated. 

When you change the name of the component container, the Design Manager only 

changes the objects at this level in the hierarchy. Examine Figure 9-3. 

Changing the name here 

does not change the name here 

Figure 9-3. Renaming a Component Containing a Symbol 

For the typical component, the symbol name is the same as the component name. 

If you change the name of the component in the Design Manager, the symbol 

name remains the same. The Design Manager updates the component interface to 

reflect the new path, so that when the component is requested in an application, 

the references are preserved. 

For general information about renaming a component, refer to “Renaming a 

Design Object” in the Design Manager-IC User's Manual. 

Changing Component References 

74ls74 

symbol 

74ls74 

In the Design Manager, you can change or delete the references that you 

previously created in the Design Manager or in an application. After you move or 

delete a design object, or if a design object has unresolved references, use the 

MGC > Design Management > Change References menu item to fix broken 

references. This displays a dialog box in which you specify a new reference target 

path. You can enter multiple reference changes at one time. 


part


The Design Manager environment does support operating system relative 

pathnames, such as “.” and “..”. Although the Change Object References 

command allows you to change a reference to any string, you should always 

specify a path that begins with / or a “$” (such as $MGC_GENLIB) in order to 

provide soft pathname and location map compatibility. For general information 

about changing design or library component references, refer to “Working with 

References” in the Design Manager-IC User's Manual. 

Releasing Designs 

A released design is a protected copy of a design object, or objects defined in a 

configuration object. When you release a design, you are only releasing a single 

version. If the original design object is at version number 8, the released design 

object becomes version number 1. 

Containment relationships are preserved, and references are automatically 

updated to reflect the new location. Important record-keeping information is 

stored in the copied configuration object. The Protect property is added to these 

design objects, and you are not allowed to modify a released design. If you need to 

edit released data, use one of the following options: 

9-8 

• Edit the original design and release it again using the same configuration. 

Only the files that have changed since the original release will be merged. If 

the original design has significantly evolved, this may not be possible. 

• Copy the released design to a new location. This copy is not protected. 

Make changes to the copy, then release it. 

For general information about setting up a configuration object and releasing a 

design or library component, refer to “Managing Designs” in the Design 

Manager-IC User's Manual. 

For more information about releasing a design, refer to “Releasing a 

Configuration” in the Design Manager-IC User's Manual. 


Managing Designs Design Verification 

Version Operations 

Idea Station applications normally maintain two versions of a design object. For 

large designs, retaining two versions can consume large amounts of disk storage. 

Changing the version depth does not immediately remove excess versions; it only 

prunes versions when the next version manager operation occurs. The next Design 

Manager or application write that occurs will update versions using the version 

manager. 

For general information about working with design or library component versions, 

refer to “Working with Versions” in the Design Manager-IC User's Manual. 

Design Verification 

The following topics list several methods for verifying the accuracy of a design 

object manipulation. 

When referencing a design object, if you provide a relative pathname that does not 

begin with the dollar sign ($) character, that relative pathname will be converted 

to an absolute pathname, based on the value of the environment variable 

MGC_WD. You must ensure that the value of MGC_WD is set to the correct 

value for your current working directory. If is not set properly, an incorrect 

pathname for the reference may be stored. 

Reference and Object Checking 

Compare references before and after a Design Manager-IC operation. The 

following discussion describes the process to ensure that DA-IC manipulated the 

references correctly: 

1. Activate a navigator window in the Design Manager-IC. Use the navigator 

buttons to move to the directory that contains the component container that 

you will manipulate through some Design Manager-IC operation. 

2. Click on the specified component container. Click the Explore Contents 

(down arrow) button to display the contents of the selected container. You 


Design Verification Managing Designs 

9-10 

see the model icons associated with the component, in addition to the part 

icon. 

3. Select all the icons at that level by depressing the mouse button, dragging it 

so all icons are within the specified selection area, then release it. 

4. Choose Report > Show References > For Object from the pulldown 

menu. A report window for each selected object displays containing the 

current references of each object. 

5. Click on the schematic model icon. Click the Explore Contents button to 

view the sheet icons associated with the schematic. 

6. Select all the sheets. Choose Report > Show References > For Design 

from the pulldown menu bar. A report window for each selected sheet 

displays, containing the current references of each object. 

7. When you have completed the Design Manager-IC operation on the 

specified object, check the references of the manipulated object at all levels 

to verify that the manipulation was successful. 

This method of verification is recommended when you have a relatively small 

design that is completely self-contained. If you have a design that references 

external objects, this method can quickly become time-consuming. In that case, 

use the configuration build method described in the “Configuration Build” section 

of this chapter. 

Configuration Build 

For some scenarios, such as copy and move, creating a configuration from the 

results and doing a build can check that all the references can be resolved. This 

method of verification is recommended when you have a relatively large design 

that is either self-contained and/or references external objects. 

To do a configuration build, perform the following steps: 

1. Activate a navigator in the Design Manager-IC. 


Managing Designs Design Verification 

2. Use the navigator buttons to move to the directory that contains the toplevel 

design container that you manipulated through some Design 

Manager-IC operation. 

3. Open a configuration window by clicking on the CONFIG icon in the 

Navigator palette. A new Untitled Configuration window appears. 

4. Click on the design container and drag it into the new configuration 

window. 

5. Choose Configuration > Build from the Configuration window’s popup 

menu. The build operation begins with the primary entry, traverses its 

contents and its references, and adds secondary entries to the configuration. 

When the build is complete, the configuration window displays the 

pathnames of all primary and secondary entries, and the pathnames to all 

the references associated with the entries. 

Application Invocation 

The simplest method of verifying that a design has been manipulated correctly is 

to invoke the appropriate application on the manipulated design. 

• If you have manipulated a design that contains symbol and schematic 

models, invoke DA-IC on that design. 

• If you have manipulated a design that contains design viewpoints, invoke 

DVE-IC on that design. 

• If you have manipulated a design that contains symbol and schematic 

models and also contains design viewpoints, invoke both DA-IC and 

DVE-IC on the design. 

! 

Caution 

This is not a bullet-proof check. A design copy could still contain 

references to the original. If the original is available, the invocation 

on the copy appears to work. However, when the original is moved 

or deleted, the copy will not run. Therefore, a visual reference check 

is good insurance. 


Updating Parts on all Schematics in a Design Managing Designs 

Updating Parts on all Schematics in a 


When you install a new parts library, you may want to update all instances of parts 

on all sheets in a design. Perform the following steps to update an entire design: 

9-12 

1. Choose the File > Update All Schematics item from the main menu bar. 

The Update All Schematics dialog box appears. 

2. Enter the pathname to the top-level sheet in the design in the Top Level 


3. Click one of the Update Type buttons to specify how instances should be 

updated when the sheet is opened. The following list describes the update 

action for each button: 

• Auto: Instance-only and Value_Modified properties are not changed; 

new properties on the current symbol are added to the instance. 

• Clear: Instance-only properties are deleted; all other properties are 

reset to the current symbol values. 

• Noupdate: Out-of-date instances are not updated when the sheet is 

opened. 

4. If desired, restrict the sheets that are updated. The following list describes 

the methods for restricting the update: 

• Enter a level at which to stop updating sheets at the hierarchy in the 

Stop Level field. The default value of zero updates the entire hierarchy. 

• Enter a series of strings in the Filter fields. If the reference pathname to 

a sheet in the hierarchy contains one of the strings, the sheet is not 

updated. 

• Choose the Yes button beneath Preview. This causes a second dialog 

box to appear after you execute the current dialog box. A list of all 


Managing Designs Reporting on Objects 

sheets that met the criteria specified in the Stop Level and Filter fields 

is displayed. You then select sheets from the list to be updated. 

5. Click the OK button to update the sheets. 

Reporting on Objects 

The following topics include procedures for reporting on various schematic 

objects. 

Reporting on Component Interfaces 

To list all models, labels, and component interfaces for any design, perform the 


1. Activate the Session window by clicking the mouse button in the session 

window. 

2. Execute the File > Open > Component Interface menu item. The Open 

Component Window dialog box displays. 

3. Click OK. The contents of the Component Report displays as in Figure 9-4. 

Figure 9-4. Report Interfaces Example 


Reporting on Objects Managing Designs 

To list all models, pins, and body properties in a design, perform the following 

steps: 

9-14 

1. Activate the Session window by clicking the left mouse button in the 

Session window. 

2. Execute the File > Open > Component Interface menu item. The Open 

Component Window dialog box displays. 

3. Select the Options... button. The Open Component Window Options dialog 

box displays. 

a. Enable the Model, Pin, or Properties buttons as desired. 

b. Click OK to close the Options menu. 

4. Click OK. The Component Window displays with detailed Mode, Pin, and 

Model Properties information displayed. See Figure 9-5. 

Figure 9-5. Component Window Transcript 



Reporting on Schematic and Symbol Objects 

To list all schematic and symbol object information for selected objects on a 

symbol or schematic sheet, perform the following steps: 

1. Select the objects for which you want to gather information. 

2. Execute the Report > Selected Object menu item. This menu item reports 

information for all selected objects. By default, the report generated is 

directed to a DA-IC window; it can also be sent to a file. Refer to the 

“Report Object” command in the Design Architect-IC Reference Manual 

for information reported about each object. 

To list information for specified object types on a symbol or schematic sheet, 


1. Select the objects for which you want to obtain information. Instead of 

selecting objects, you can type the handle names of the objects in the 

Report Object dialog box. 

2. Execute the Report > Specified Object menu item. The Report Object 

dialog box appears. 

3. Click the left mouse button on the buttons corresponding to the objects for 

which you want information. More than one object type may be selected. 

By default, the Report generated is directed to a DA-IC window, and to a 

file named “da_report_file” in your current directory. 

When listing property information, if you have selected the object that 

owns the property, you must ask for a report about both the object and the 

attached properties. 

4. Click OK when object type selection is complete. Figure 9-6 illustrates the 

type of information found on a report of a schematic sheet when instance, 

net, pin, and property text attribute object types are specified. 

Property attributes listed in report windows may include “-Not Visible” and 

“-Hidden”. If both of these are listed, the property was hidden when added, 

and the property visibility has not been changed. 



9-16 

If “-Hidden” is listed without “-Not Visible”, the property visibility was 

changed to visible on the sheet. 

Figure 9-6. Report Object Example 

Reporting on Object Status 

Report #2 dff 

Reporting: Instance, Net, Pin, Property 

Text Attribute 

Instance Name Location 

I$2 $MGC_GENLIB/latch/latch (-1.00,3.50) 

flipped vertically 

I$6 $MGC_GENLIB/inv/inv (1.50,-0.25) 

Net N$3 Net Name: ----- 

Vertex Location Attached Vertices Vertex Pins: Name of 

V$67 (-2.75,-0.25) V$191 P$66 OUT 

V$17 (-1.00,-0.25) V$191 P$16 EN 

V$191 (-1.75,-0.25) V$67 

V$17 

V$193 

V$193 (-1.75,3.50) V$191 

V$43 

To report the status of all schematic or symbol object checks, perform the 


1. Click an object the Symbol or Schematic Editor window on which you want 

to generate the status report. 

2. Execute the Report > Selected Object menu item. This menu item reports 

the status of all enabled categories for the schematic sheet or symbol in the 

active window. By default, the report generated is directed to a DA-IC 

window, and a file named “da_report_file” in your current directory. 

To report the status of specified check types on a symbol or schematic sheet, 




1. Place the cursor in the Symbol or Schematic Editor window for the type of 

check status you want to report on, and click the center mouse button. 

2. Execute the Report > Specified Object menu item. A Report Object dialog 

box appears. 

3. Click the left mouse button on the buttons corresponding to the checks for 

which you want a status report—More than one check can be selected. By 

default, the Report generated is directed to a DA-IC window, and a file 

named “da_report_file” in your current directory. 

Click OK when check types are selected. 



9-18 


Chapter 10 

Troubleshooting 

Use the information in this chapter to determine how to correct problems when 

design components or processes do not behave as expected. 

No Response from DA-IC View 

If DA-IC View invokes, but will not crossprobe with DA-IC, DA-IC may be out 

of IPC ports. 

If multiple DA-IC sessions are running on one computer, DA-IC may run out of 

ports. To fix the problem, set the following environment variable to 100 or higher: 

MGC_DA_IC_PORT_SEARCH_DEPTH 

For more information on the IPC server, see the -NOipc option of the da_ic shell 

command in the Design Architect-IC Reference Manual. 

Cannot Invoke ADVance MS, Eldo, 

DA-IC View, or EldoNet 

The standard UNIX/Linux Xterm application is used by Design Architect-IC to 

display netlisting and simulation results and must be present in your search path to 

invoke ADVance MS, Eldo, DA-IC View, and EldoNet. 

Set your $PATH environment variable to a valid installation of the Xterm 

application. 


Cannot Invoke ADVance MS, Eldo, DA-IC View, or EldoNet Troubleshooting 

10-2 


Chapter 11 

Editing in Design Context 

Design Architect-IC (DA-IC) allows you to edit in the context of a design using 

design configurations. 

A design configuration consists of a viewpoint and a blank backannotation object 

for a specified downstream tool. By default, the design viewpoint and 

backannotation object assume the name of the downstream application it is 

created for. For example, a viewpoint created for AccuSim is named accusim. 

Design configurations allow you to merge changes from backannotation objects 

onto the source schematic and edit schematics in design context. 

The actual design viewpoint can only be edited with a tool called the Design 

Viewpoint Editor-IC. For more information on design viewpoints, see 

Design Viewpoint Editor-IC User’s and Reference Manual. 

You can create/open a design configuration for the active schematic from the 

File > Design Configuration pulldown menu or by invoking simulation mode. 

Click Simulation on the schematic_edit palette menu to invoke simulation mode. 

In Simulation Mode 

When the simulation mode is invoked, DA-IC automatically saves the active 

design and creates and opens a design configuration for it. If a design 

configuration already exists, DA-IC opens it. By default, the design configuration 

is created for EldoNet and is named eldonet. You can specify which application to 

create a design configuration for from the Session scope with the Setup > 

Simulation Configuration option. 


Properties in the Context of a Design Editing in Design Context 

In simulation mode, editing in design context facilitates the design and simulation 

cycle by allowing you to make changes to the source schematic. The following 

editing functions are currently supported from simulation mode: 

11-2 

• Move and Copy 

• Add/Delete Wire 

• Add/Delete/Change Property 

• Add/Delete Instance 

• Flip, Rotate, and Connect 

Editing Function Blocks from simulation mode/design context is not supported. 

All Function Blocks must be “made” before entering simulation mode/design 

context. 

Design context functions the same whether invoked from File > Design 

Configuration or by entering simulation mode. 

Properties in the Context of a Design 

The following sections describe how to set the visibility of new backannotations, 

view properties, and add new properties in the context of a design. 

Setting New Annotation Visibility 

You can customize the visibility of new backannotated objects by creating a dofile 

that is called automatically when opening a schematic in the context of a design. 

Existing backannotations are not affected. The dofile must be named 

setup_new_ba_properties.dofile and contains calls to the 


Editing in Design Context Properties in the Context of a Design 

$set_new_annotation_visibility() function. DA-IC searches for the dofile in the 

following order, and uses the first occurrence of the file that it finds: 

1. $HOME/mgc_custom/da_ic/setup_new_ba_properties.dofile 

2. $MGC_HOME/mgc_custom/da_ic/setup_new_ba_properties.dofile 

3. $MGC_HOME/mgc_custom/new/da_ic/setup_new_ba_properties.dofile 

The following code block shows a sample listing of a 

setup_new_ba_properties.dofile: 

{ local original_mode = $set_transcript_mode(@off); 

$set_new_annotation_visibility(@visible, 'baprop1', 'baprop2'); 

$set_new_annotation_visibility(@hidden, 'baprop3', 'baprop4'); 

$set_transcript_mode(original_mode);} 

If the DES_ARCH_HIDE_BA_ONLY_PROPS environment variable is set to any 

value, the dofile overrides and hides all new backannotation properties. 

Adding Properties 

In design context, there are three commands that control whether properties are 

added to the schematic sheet or the backannotation object. The Set Edit Mode 

option controls whether schematic sheet edits are “on” or “off”; the Show 

Annotations option turns backannotations editing “on”, and the Hide Annotations 

option turns backannotation editing “off”. 

The combination of setting backannotations on/off and schematic sheet edits 

on/off controls where and how properties are added. Table 11-1 describes the four 

possible scenarios for adding properties. 

Table 11-1. Where Properties are Added 

Annotations On Annotations Off 

Edits On Adds properties to 

backannotation object. 

Edits Off Adds properties to 

backannotation object. 

Adds properties to 


Cannot add properties. 


Properties in the Context of a Design Editing in Design Context 

11-4 

Note 

Viewing Annotations vs. Evaluations 

You can display property values on the schematic sheet in unevaluated or 

evaluated form with the Setup > Objects.... > Design Context >Evaluate 

Expression option. 

DA-IC uses design configuration rules defined in the design viewpoint to resolve 

and evaluate properties. For more information on property resolution rules, see 

“Rules for Resolving Property Value Variables” in Chapter 7 of this manual. 

You can set the properties to display from the backannotation object or on the 

source schematic sheet only with the Setup > Objects.... > Design Context > 

Show Annotations option. From simulation mode, you can display annotations 

with the Toggle option on the palette menu. 

Table 11-2 describes the four viewing options. 

Annotations 

On 

Annotations 

Off 

If you edit the schematic sheet in the context of a design, save your 

sheet before you change the edit mode to “off”. 

Table 11-2. Property Values Displayed 

Evaluations On Evaluations Off 

Displays evaluated properties 

from backannotation object 

and schematic sheet. 

Displays evaluated properties 

from schematic sheet. 

Displays unevaluated 

properties from 

backannotation object and 


Displays unevaluated 

properties from schematic 

sheet. 

If you change or add a property value as an expression, you must execute the 

Miscellaneous > Property Settings > Recalculate Properties menu option to 

display the new property expression in its evaluated state. 


Editing in Design Context Merging Backannotations to Schematic 

Merging Backannotations to Schematic 

You can merge backannotations into the schematic sheet when editing in the 

context of a design. When a design configuration is open with backannotations 

and schematic edits “on”, you can merge all backannotations displayed on the 

current schematic sheet with the Miscellaneous > Design Context > Merge 

Annotations > All menu item. From simulation mode, you can merge annotations 

with the Merge option on the palette menu. 

The Merge Annotations option replaces all the schematic sheet property values 

with the property values from the connected backannotation objects on the 

currently-viewed sheet. When the schematic sheet is saved, merged property 

values are removed from the backannotation object. 

If the property has a stability switch value that does not allow changes to the 

schematic sheet value, property values may not successfully merge. 

Backannotations for a symbol's fixed properties are stored in the viewpoint. 

! 

Caution 

If the schematic sheet is used in more than one place in your 

design, and you merge backannotations to that one sheet, all other 

components (that use this sheet) see the changes. Since all 

occurrences of the component see the changes, you should not 

merge to reusable sheets. 

Viewing Backannotations 

In the following example, a design configuration is opened in the context of a 

design viewpoint with the viewing of backannotations enabled. Next, a design 

configuration in the same viewpoint is opened on another instance with 

backannotations enabled. The purpose of this example is to show how to enable 

and disable the viewing of backannotations in the context of a design viewpoint in 

DA-IC. You can also see the relationship between identical sheets used in 

multiple instances. 


Viewing Backannotations Editing in Design Context 

For this example, assume that you have the following: 

11-6 

• A design named “my_design” with two 74161 instances, and with instance 

handles I$1 and I$2; see Figure 11-1. 

my_design(Design Context) 

74161 74161 

I$1 

Instance handles 

Figure 11-1. “my_design” Design 

• A design viewpoint called “default,” which is associated with my_design. 

• A backannotation object called “default” connected to the viewpoint called 

“default”. Version 1 of the backannotation object displays in the Design 

Viewpoint Editor-IC window, as shown in Figure 11-2. 

I$2 

Back Annotation: default 

Instance Pathname (Property Name, Property Value) 

/I$1/I$3 (phy_comp, “U1") 

/I$2/I$3 (phy_comp, “U2") 

Pin Pathname (Property Name, Property Value) 

Net Pathname (Property Name, Property Value) 

Figure 11-2. “default” Backannotation Window 


Editing in Design Context Viewing Backannotations 

Assume that you use DA-IC to open my_design in the “context of a design 

viewpoint,” as follows: 

From the session scope of DA-IC, choose the File > Design Configuration > 

Open menu item. Navigate to my_design, and choose Open as Editable. Click 

OK. 

By default, both the viewing of backannotations and the evaluation of parameters 

are enabled, as shown in Figure 11-1. As mentioned previously, and in the next 

examples, the viewing of backannotations and the evaluation of parameters are 

initially turned off. 

To view the sheet under the I$1 instance, select the instance and enter the Open 

Down command. A new window displays the schematic sheet for 74161 with 

instance handle I$1 in the context of the “default” design viewpoint. 

For more information about design configuration rules, see the 

Design Viewpoint Editor-IC User's and Reference Manual. Remember that the 

backannotation object is connected. The “74161” window for I$1 is shown in 

Figure 11-3. 

Schematic#2 74161 

I$3 I$4 

A1 A2 

phy_comp properties 

Figure 11-3. “default: I$1” Window 

The schematic sheet of instance I$1 has two symbols, I$3 and I$4, both of which 

have a property named “phy_comp”. Because backannotations are not currently 


Viewing Backannotations Editing in Design Context 

being viewed, the property values in the design view of the sheet are A1 and A2, 

which are the same values as the source schematic sheet. 

The first line in the “default” backannotation window shows that the instance 

“I$1/I$3” has a “phy_comp” property whose backannotation property value is 

“U1”. When you display backannotations with the Show Annotations command, 

the phy_comp property value for instance I$1/I$3 changes from “A1” to “U1”, as 

shown in Figure 11-4. Turning on backannotations does not change the phy_comp 

property value on the schematic sheet, which is still “A1”. 

11-8 


I$3 I$4 

U1 A2 


Figure 11-4. “default: I$1” Window with Backannotations 

To turn off the display of backannotation values, use the Hide Annotations 

command. 


Editing in Design Context Viewing Backannotations 

If you specify instance handle I$2 of “my_design” and Open Down to component 

74161, a window displays the schematic sheet for the 74161, that is, I$2 in the 

context of the “default” design viewpoint. In the view of I$2, shown in Figure 

11-5, notice it is identical to I$1, and that backannotations are not displayed and 

evaluation is disabled. 


I$3 I$4 

A1 A2 



The second line in the “my_ba” backannotation window defines that the instance 

“I$2/I$3” has a “phy_comp” property, whose backannotation property value is 

“U2”. When you turn on the display of backannotations, the “phy_comp” property 

value for instance I$2/I$3 changes from “A1” to “U2”; see Figure 11-6. 


I$3 I$4 

U2 A2 


Figure 11-6. “default: I$2” Window with Backannotations 


Evaluating Properties Editing in Design Context 

The 74161 component instance I$3 is referenced with two unique properties in the 

context of “default” viewpoint for the same reusable component. Because the 

74161 component is reused in the design, merging the backannotations to the 

schematic sheet gives only the current-viewable property value to the schematic 

sheet. 

Evaluating Properties 

In the next example, a design configuration is opened in DA-IC with the 

evaluation of property values and the viewing of backannotations disabled to 

show the schematic sheet property values. Property evaluation is then enabled to 

show the property values resulting from applying the design viewpoint parameters 

and hierarchy to the schematic sheet properties. Next, the display of 

backannotations is enabled. This example illustrates the concept of the evaluation 

and resolution of property values with respect to backannotations. 

While editing in the context of a design, you can set the evaluation property values 

to be either “on” or “off” with the Setup > Objects... > Evaluate Expressions 

menu option. If “on” is specified, all property values are evaluated; if “off” is 

specified, property values display unevaluated. 

For the example shown in Figure 11-7, the “my_design” design configuration has 

a property named COMP whose value is 74161, and the phy_comp source 

property value for I$1/I$4 was changed to “$strcat(COMP, '_U2')”. 

11-10 


Editing in Design Context Evaluating Properties 

my_design(Design Context) 

I$1 

COMP properties 

74161 74161 

Figure 11-7. “my_design” Design Configuration with COMP 

Property 

From Design Viewpoint Editor-IC, the “default” backannotation object has a new 

phy_comp property value defined for I$1/I$4, as shown in Figure 11-8. 

Figure 11-8. “default” Backannotation Window with I$1/I$4 

If you specify instance handle I$1 in the Open Design Sheet command, a window 

displays the schematic view of the sheet for the 74161; that is, I$1 in the context 


I$2 

Back Annotation: default_1 


/I$1/I$3 (phy_comp, “U1") 

/I$2/I$3 (phy_comp, “U2") 

/I$1/I$4 (phy_comp, “MIL5") 


Net Pathname (Property Name, Property Value)

Evaluating Properties Editing in Design Context 

of the “default” design viewpoint. Notice in Figure 11-9 that backannotations do 

not display and evaluation is disabled. 

11-12 


I$3 I$4 

A1 $strcat(COMP, '_U2') 


Figure 11-9. “default” with Expression 

If evaluation is enabled using the Set Evaluations command, or from the Setup > 

objects... dialog box, the displayed phy_comp property value for I$1/I$4 changes 

to “74161_U2”, shown in Figure 11-10. 


I$3 I$4 

A1 74161_U2 


Figure 11-10. “default” with Expression Evaluated 


Editing in Design Context Expressions in Backannotation Objects 

If you enable backannotations, the displayed phy_comp property value for I$1/I$4 

changes to the value specified in the connected backannotation object, “MIL5”, 

regardless of the evaluation setting, shown in Figure 11-11. 


I$3 I$4 

U1 MIL5 


Figure 11-11. “default” with Backannotations Enabled 

Expressions in Backannotation Objects 

You can also place expressions in backannotation objects. In this situation, the 

display setting of the evaluation and backannotations is important. If you display 

backannotations when evaluation is disabled, the unevaluated property value in 

the backannotated property displays. If evaluation and backannotations are 

enabled, the evaluated backannotation value displays. 

In the next example, a design configuration is opened in DA-IC with evaluation of 

property values and viewing of backannotations disabled to show the schematic 

sheet property values. The display of backannotations is then enabled to show the 

unevaluated value of the backannotated property. Next, property evaluation is 

enabled to show the resulting property value. 

In the next example, the backannotation object is modified to use an expression 

for the I$1/I$4 phy_comp property value, as shown from Design Viewpoint 


Expressions in Backannotation Objects Editing in Design Context 

Editor-IC in Figure 11-12. Assume that the “my_design” is the same as Figure 

11-7. 

11-14 

Back Annotation: default_1 


/I$1/I$3 (phy_comp, “U1") 

/I$2/I$3 (phy_comp, “U2") 

/I$1/I$4 (phy_comp,$strcat(COMP,‘_ref’) 


Net Pathname (Property Name, Property Value) 

Figure 11-12. “default” Backannotation Window with Expression 

Before backannotations display, the sheet appears as shown in Figure 11-13, with 

the phy_comp property values of A1 and A2. 


I$3 I$4 

A1 A2 




Editing in Design Context Expressions in Backannotation Objects 

When backannotations display without evaluation, the I$1/I$3 phy_comp 

property value changes to “U1”, and the I$1/I$4 phy_comp property value 

changes to “$strcat(COMP, '_ref')”, as shown in Figure 11-14. 


I$3 I$4 

U1 $strcat(COMP, '_ref') 


Figure 11-14. “default” with Backannotation Expression 

After evaluation is enabled with the Set Evaluations command or from the Setup> 

Objects... dialog box, the I$1/I$4 phy_comp property value changes to 

“74161_ref”, as shown in Figure 11-15. 


I$3 I$4 

U1 74161_ref 


Figure 11-15. “default” with Backannotation Expression Evaluated 


Applying Edits to the “In-Memory” Design Editing in Design Context 

Applying Edits to the “In-Memory” 


When you open a design configuration from DA-IC and turn annotations on, you 

can edit both the annotations and the source schematic at the same time. 

Assume, for example, that you graphically add a hierarchical instance to the root 

sheet while you are editing in the context of a design viewpoint. Before you can 

Open Down into this new hierarchical instance, you must apply this edit to the 

image of the design data that is in memory with the File > Apply Edits menu 

option. 

Apply Edits option updates the in-memory design, so you can see the effects of 

your edits without updating the sheets that are saved on disk. 

An ampersand “&” displays in the banner of the Schematic window, as shown in 

Figure 11-16 to indicate there are edits which have not yet been applied to the inmemory 

design. 

11-16 

Apply Edits needed 

my_design(Design Context)& 

COMP properties 

Figure 11-16. “&” In the Schematic Window 

After you choose the File > Apply Edits pulldown menu, the “&” disappears. 

When Objects are Deleted 

Sometimes, during the course of editing a design, an object (for example, an 

instance) is deleted and replaced by another instance. If the original instance owns 

one or more properties that are backannotated through a backannotation object, 

the backannotations become unattached. DA-IC allows you to check and report 


Editing in Design Context Opening Non-Existent Schematics and Components 

unattached annotations, and either reattach them to current objects, or delete them 

from the design. 

Opening Non-Existent Schematics and 

Components 

DA-IC can create a sheet in a new schematic inside an existing component that is 

opened in the context of a design viewpoint. For example, assume that you use 

DA-IC to open a schematic in the context of a design viewpoint, and the 

schematic has an instance of a component that contains only a symbol. If you open 

down on the instance, DA-IC creates a new (blank) schematic sheet for you. You 

can then edit, check, and save the sheet from the context of the design viewpoint. 

You can also create a sheet in a new schematic inside a new component. You can 

open the new sheet as a design sheet. 

Opening/Creating a Design Configuration 

Under the File > Design Configuration... menu select one of the three available 

options: Create, Open, and Close. 

• Create a Design Configuration allows you to create and set a viewpoint 

using the Mentor Graphic tools relevant to an IC design. Enter the 

Component Name in the text field or use the Navigator button to select the 

component, then select the design configuration from the list displayed in 


Opening Non-Existent Schematics and Components Editing in Design Context 

11-18 

the dialog box. Refer to Figure 11-17. 

Component Name card_reader 

OK 

Create Design Configuration 

Setup Configuration For: 

Continuum_ModelSim 

Continuum 

AccuSim 

IC_Station_SDL_Flat 

IC_Station_SDL_Hier 

QSPro 

SPICE_Netlister 

VHDL_Netlister 

Reset 

Cancel 

Navigator... 

Figure 11-17. Create Design Configuration Dialog Box 

• Open a Design Configuration [F3] allows you to select a pre-existing 

viewpoint where DA-IC opens the top level schematic/sheet1 in the context 

of the Choose from Available Design Types option viewpoint, or opens a 

predefined viewpoint automatically. Refer to Figure 11-18. 

Help 



Component Name card_reader 

Open Design Configuration 

Choose from Available Design Configurations 

Open as: Editable Read Only Options... 

Open Schematic from Hierarchy Window? Yes No 

OK 

Reset 

Cancel 

Navigator... 

Figure 11-18. Open Design Configuration Dialog Box 

Also, from the expanded Open Design Configuration dialog box, you can 

open the sheet as Editable or Read Only, and enter a startup filename that 

can execute internal state functions for setup purposes. 

Selecting the Options button displays the Open Design Configuration 

Options dialog box where you select the Available Top Layer Sheets in 

your design, and set the Auto Update Mode. The Auto Update Mode 

specifies whether instances should be updated when the sheet is opened, 

and if so, how the properties are merged. Click the stepper button to choose 

between the following: 

• Auto: Instance-only and Value_Modified properties are not changed; 

new properties on the current symbol are added to the instance. 

• No Auto Update: When the sheet is opened, out-of-date instances are 

not updated. 

• Clear: Instance-only properties are deleted; all other properties are 

reset to the current symbol values. 


Help


11-20 

Control the visibility of existing properties by using a startup file when 

opening a schematic. Enter the file pathname in the Startup Field Path text 

entry field in the Open Design Configuration Options dialog box. After the 

argument selections are complete, press OK in the Options dialog box and 

in the Open Design Configuration dialog box. 

For more information about how properties are updated, refer to “Updating 

Properties on an Instance” in Chapter 7. 

Creating Backannotations 

To create backannotations, perform the following steps: 

1. Create a new “Design Context” using File > Design Configuration > 

Create menu item. The Create Design Configuration menu displays as in 

Figure 11-17. 

2. Type the name of the design in the Component Name text field, or use the 

Navigator tool to select the component. 

3. Select the simulation configuration you desire from the “Setup 

Configuration For:” list displayed. 

4. Click OK. 

DA-IC displays the selected component design in Design Context, and you may 

begin your backannotation changes as desired. 

Editing Backannotations 

To edit backannotations, perform the following steps: 

1. Open an existing configuration in “Design Context” using File > Design 

Configuration > Open menu item. The Open Design Configuration menu 

displays as in Figure 11-18. 

2. Type the name of the design in the Component Name text field, or use the 

Navigator tool to select the component. 



3. Click the “Choose from Available Design Configurations” box. The 

Choose Design Configuration dialog box appears displaying all available 

simulation configurations. 

a. Select the simulation configuration you desire. 

b. Click OK. 

4. Select Open as Editable or Read Only as desired. 

5. Enable “Open Schematic from Hierarchy Window?” choosing Yes or No as 

desired. 

6. Choose the Options button to display the Open Design Configuration 

Options dialog box. 

a. Select from the displayed “Available Top Level Sheets:” as desired, if 

additional sheets exist. 

b. Select “Open Existing Sheet” or “Create New Sheet”. 

c. Select Auto, None, or Clear options for the “Auto Update Mode:” 

d. Type a Startup File Path, accept the default path displayed, or use the 

Navigator to select the Startup File desired. 

e. Click OK to close the Open Design Configuration Options window. 

7. Click OK to display an existing Design Configuration. 

8. Edit design as required. 

Viewing Evaluated Properties 

To view evaluated properties on your design sheet, perform the following steps: 

1. With the cursor in the design sheet window, click the center mouse button. 



11-22 

2. Type “set evaluations” in the window area. The Set Evaluations prompt bar 

displays. Click the up arrow until the “Mode” is set to “on”. 

With evaluations on, all properties display “evaluated”. 

Merging Backannotations 

When a design configuration is open, with backannotations displayed and 

schematic edits “on”, you can merge all backannotations shown on the current 

schematic sheet. To merge backannotation to the schematic sheet, perform the 


1. Place the cursor in design sheet window and click the center mouse button. 

Turn on the display of backannotations. 

2. Open a design in Design Context, and verify the Display of 

backannotations is enabled using the Setup > Objects > [Design Context] 

Display Backannotations On. 

3. In the design, select the Miscellaneous > Design Context > 

Merge Annotations menu item. This menu item merges all viewable 

backannotation properties to the schematic sheet. 

After this menu item is executed, and if you decide to save the sheet, the 

backannotation objects will no longer contain the property values that were 

successfully merged into the schematic sheet. 

! 

Caution 

If the schematic sheet is used in more than one place in your 

design, when you merge backannotations to that one sheet, all 

other components (that use the sheet) see the changes. Since all 

occurrences of the component see the changes, you should not 

merge to reusable sheets. 



Locking Schematic Sheet for Edits 

To lock a schematic sheet for edits, perform the following steps: 

1. In the schematic sheet window, click the left mouse button on the parent 

instance for the schematic sheet you want to lock for editing. 

2. Add the property name “Source_edit_allowed” with the property value 

“false” to the instance. Changing source_edit_allowed property value to 

“true” unlocks the schematic sheet below the parent instance for editing. 

For more information, see “Adding Properties” in this chapter. 

Opening a Non-Existent Schematic in Design Context 

DA-IC has the ability to create a sheet in a new schematic inside an existing 

component which is opened as a design sheet. For example, assume that you use 

DA-IC to open a schematic in the context of a design viewpoint and that the 

schematic has an instance of a component that contains only a symbol. If you open 

down (on) the instance, DA-IC will create a new (blank) schematic sheet for you. 

You can then edit the sheet, then check and save the sheet - all without leaving the 

context of the design viewpoint. 

Opening a Non-Existent Component in Design Context 

DA-IC also has the ability to create a sheet in a new schematic inside a new 

component that can be opened as a design sheet. The general procedure is as 

follows: 

1. In the DA-IC session_palette click the [Open] Schematic item. 

2. Enter the new schematic name in the Component name text field. 

3. Select Editable in the Open as: box. 

4. Click on the Options... button. The Open Schematic Option dialog box 

displays. 

a. Choose New Sheet for the non-existent component. 



11-24 

b. Verify or change the Schematic Name. 

c. Verify or change the Sheet Name. 

d. Verify or change the Startup File Path. 

e. Click OK. 

5. Click OK in the Open Schematic dialog box. 

DA-IC creates all the new design objects from the ground up: the new component, 

the new component interface, the new schematic, the new sheet and the new 

design viewpoint. A new design context window is then opened on the new 

(blank) schematic sheet and ready for your edits. 


Chapter 12 

Function Block Concepts 

Function Blocks allow you to create and reuse hierarchical design components 

from within a schematic. Function Blocks are created with the Schematic Editor 

and can consist of a schematic design as well as symbols. Once created, the 

Function Block can be instantiated on other design sheets and schematics. 

Function Blocks support both top-down and bottom-up design methodologies. For 

procedures to create Function Blocks, see Chapter 3. 

! 

Caution 

Do not edit Function Blocks in simulation mode or design context. 

Use the Schematic Editor only to create or edit Function Blocks. 

All Function Blocks must be “made” before you invoke simulation 

mode or design context. 

Function Block Objects 

Function Blocks consist of three user-created objects, as follows: 

• FB Definition - A defined schematic area that contains editable electrical 

circuitry. The FB Definition serves as the basis for the FB Instance, Made 

FB Definition, and Made FB Instance. 

• FB Instance - An existing FB Definition’s instantiated copy. An FB 

Instance is not a symbol instance. A sheet that contains an FB Instance must 

contain exactly one parent FB Definition within the design. 

• Made FB Definition or Made FB Instance - A hierarchical symbol object 

converted from an existing FB Definition or FB Instance. 

Figure 12-1 shows an FB Definition being reused as an FB Instance throughout a 

design. 


12-2 

mux 


FB Instance 

FB Definition 



Figure 12-1. FB Definition and FB Instance Usage Model 

FB Instances are instantiated and then electrical connectivity is constructed. 

Subsequently, the FB Instances and, in some cases, the FB Definition, are 

converted or “made” into hierarchical Made Function Blocks. 

Function Block Development States 

mux 

FB Instances are 

exact electrical copies 

of the parent FB Definition 


A Function Block object exists in one of two (possible) development states: made 

or unmade. 

mux 

mux 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 

mux 

mux 

FB Instances


• Made - The Function Block object is a standard symbol instance converted 

from an FB Definition or FB Instance. 

• Unmade - The Function Block object is an editable and resizable FB 


A made or unmade state defines the Function Block object at a specific 

development phase. 

Terminology 

Table 12-1 lists the Function Block-specific term used in this document. 

Table 12-1. Function Block Terminology 

Function Block Term Definition 

symbol instance A standard Design Architect-IC symbol 

instance. 

FB Definition An unmade Function Block Definition. 

FB Instance An unmade Function Block Instance. 

Made FB Definition a A symbol instance converted from an 

unmade connected FB Definition, and 

connected to at least one net. 

Comment graphics converted from an 

unmade unconnected FB Definition. 

Made FB Instance A symbol instance converted from an 

unmade FB Definition of an FB Instance. 

a. Note: The Made FB Definition can be in either form depending on whether it is connected or unconnected. 


Unmade Function Blocks Function Block Concepts 

Understanding Function Block Properties 

Table 12-2 lists unique Function Block properties. 

Unmade Function Blocks 

In this state, FB Definitions and FB Instances are unmade Function Block objects. 

The FB Definitions and FB Instances can be edited and manipulated because they 

are not yet symbol instances. 

FB Definition 

12-4 

Table 12-2. Function Block Properties 

Property Value Definition 

FB_DEF UNCONNECTED A string property that identifies an 

unconnected Made FB Definition. 

FB_INST Optional - A user-specified string property 

representing the future instance name of the 

FB Definition or FB Instance. 

This property can be used for arrayed FB 

Instances. For example: “RAM_INST[15:0]”. 

FB_NAME Required - A string property that represents 

the name of the FB Definition or FB Instance. 

The FB Definition is the source object for the FB Instances, Made FB Definitions, 

and Made FB Instances. Figure 12-2 shows objects that enclose editable electrical 

circuitry. FB Definitions are named, rectangularly-shaped, schematic sheet 

objects enclosing editable electrical circuitry. 


Function Block Concepts Unmade Function Blocks 

FB_NAME Property 


mux 

FB Pins (I/O ports) 

mux_1 

Figure 12-2. FB Definition 

FB Definitions are composed of the following elements: 

FB_INST Property 

Boundary 

• FB Definition Boundary - A user-specified sheet area that envelopes 

electrical circuitry. With the exception of Passthru Nets and Flythru Nets, 

the FB Definition contains all objects within the rectangular boundary. 

• FB_NAME Property - A required string property that identifies an FB 

Definition. 

• FB_INST Property - An optional, user-specified string property that 

identifies the future instance name of the Made FB Definition. Arrayed FB 



12-6 

Instances are formed this way using the FB_INST property. Example: 

“RAM_INST[15:0]”. 

• FB Pins - Unique pin objects placed on an FB Definition’s boundary. The 

FB Pins serve as electrical connectivity ports into and out of the FB 

Definition. 

Normally, an FB Definition is created first because the FB Instance, Made FB 

Definition, and Made FB Instance are based on the FB Definition. For additional 

information, refer to the “Usage Paradigm” section in this chapter. 

FB Instance 

Figure 12-3 shows that an FB Inst is a comment rectangle. 

FB_NAME Property FB_INST Property 


mux mux_2 

FB Pins (I/O ports) 

Figure 12-3. FB Instance 

Boundary 


Function Block Concepts Unmade Function Blocks 

The FB Instance is an instantiation of an FB Definition. Unlike the FB Definition, 

the FB Instance does not contain any visible circuitry, but is the FB Definition’s 

electrical equivalent. 

Note 

An FB Instance must have a corresponding FB Definition located 

on the same sheet or on a different sheet within the schematic. If 

the source FB Definition is on a different sheet, then it must be 

converted to a Made FB Definition prior to checking the 

schematic. 

FB Instances incorporate the following elements: 

• FB Instance Boundary - A comment rectangle. Passthru Nets and Flythru 

Nets do not apply to FB Instances. 

• FB_NAME Property - A required string property. The property indicates 

which FB Definition the FB Instance is based upon. 

• FB_INST Property - An optional, user-specified string property that 

identifies the future Made FB Instance’s name. Arrayed FB Instances are 

formed using this property. For example, “RAM_INST[15:0]”. 

o Usage: If an FB Instance is created from an FB Definition that contains 

a defined FB_INST property. Then the FB_INST property, on the 

newly-created FB Instance object, must be changed to a unique name to 

avoid errors when checking Function Blocks. 

• FB Pins - Unique pin objects that are placed on an FB Instance’s boundary 

and serve as input/output ports for electrical connectivity into and out of the 

FB Instance. After the FB Instance is created, these pins must be added. 

The circuit designer can parameterize and array FB Instances exactly as 

traditional symbol-based instances. Refer to the “Usage Paradigm” section in this 

chapter. 



FB Pins 

FB Pins create electrical connectivity into and out of an FB Definition or FB 

Instance, and each FB Definition or FB Instance must have at least one FB pin. 

Once placed on an unmade FB Definition or FB Instance, the FB Pins can be 

selected, moved, deleted, or copied. However, the FB Pins are only positioned on 

the FB Definition’s or FB Instance’s boundary. 

There are two FB Pin types available: FB Definition Pins and FB Instance Pins. 

12-8 

Note 

FB Pins are placed on the top, bottom, or left and right sides of an 

FB Definition or FB Instance. 

• FB Definition Pins: FB Definitions use magenta-colored pins exclusively 

in DA-IC. The pins have two connections to accommodate nets. 

Figure 12-4. FB Definition Pin 

o Pin Names: FB Definition Pins are not named explicitly. When the FB 

Definition is converted to a Made FB Definition, these pins assume the 

inside net’s name. If the inner net is not named, then, when converted, 

the FB Pin is automatically named based on the inside net’s handle 

name. 

o If a wide net is connected to an inside net, using the appropriate bus or 

bundle syntax, then the connected FB Definition Pin is wide and 

matches the connected wide net’s width. 


Function Block Concepts Made Function Blocks 

• FB Instance Pins: These pins are exclusively associated with FB Instances, 

and they are represented by a diamond-shaped pin instance that contains a 

single pin. 

Note 

Figure 12-5. FB Inst Pin 

When the FB Pin is added, the FB Pin type placed on an FB Definition, or FB 

Instance boundary, is automatically selected. 

Made Function Blocks 

A Made FB Definition or a Made FB Instance is a hierarchical symbol instance 

converted from an FB Definition or FB Instance, as shown in Figure 12-6. 

! 

Caution 

Since an FB Instance is a representation of an existing FB 

Definition, the FB Instance Pins on all four sides must correspond to 

the FB Definition’s pins. 

Prior to creating a Made FB Definition or Made FB Instance, an 

FB Definition’s or FB Instance’s external and internal electrical 

connectivity must be established. For more information, refer to 

the “FB Definition and FB Instance Net Constructs” section in this 

chapter. 


Made Function Blocks Function Block Concepts 

12-10 

IN_1 

IN_2 

IN_3 


mux mux_1 

Figure 12-6. Made FB Definition 

OUT_1 

The Made FB Definition and Made FB Instance 

Creation Operation 

The Make Function Block operation creates a Made FB Definition or Made FB 

Instance from an FB Definition or FB Instance. The resultant object’s creation 

(how it is created) depends on whether the operation is performed on an FB 


1. Made FB Definition: When FB Definitions are made, the circuitry within 

the FB Definition’s comment rectangle moves to a new, underlying 

schematic. A new symbol is also generated from the circuitry that 

represents the underlying schematic containing the circuitry’s outline. This 


Function Block Concepts Usage Paradigm 

newly-generated symbol replaces the comment rectangle and enclosed 

circuitry. 

Note 

If the FB Definition does not have nets connected to its pins, then 

its converted Made FB Definition changes to comment graphics. 

The resulting Made FB Definition’s pin names use the net names attached 

to the FB Definition’s inner pins. If these nets are unnamed, then the net’s 

handle is used to generate pin names. For example, if a pre-transformed FB 

Definition pin is connected to net “N$5” inside the FB Definition’s 

boundary, then the Made FB Definition’s pin name is “N_5”. 

2. Made FB Instance: When FB Instances are converted, the FB Instance’s 

comment rectangle is used to generate the Made FB Instance that represents 

the FB Definition's underlying schematic. During the operation, the FB 

Instance’s pins are checked to see if they match the FB Definition’s pins. 

Each FB Instance side must contain an identical number of pins on the FB 

Definition’s corresponding side. When this is true, the FB Instance’s pins 

are named to match the FB Definition’s pins. If the pins do not match, the 

operation issues an error message and terminates. 

Usage Paradigm 

At the most rudimentary level, a single FB Definition is created and then reused as 

an FB Instance throughout the schematic’s sheet, as shown in Figure 12-1. Once 

electrical connectivity is created within the sheet, the FB Definitions and FB 

Instances are converted into Made FB Definitions and Made FB Instances, 

respectively. The next section describes two usage models recommended for this 

implementation: 


Usage Paradigm Function Block Concepts 

Models 

12-12 

1. Unconnected FB Definition Usage Model - The usage model illustrated in 

Figure 12-7 is the most efficient. 

FB Definition 

mux 

I_01 

I_04 

I_07 

I_10 

I_02 

I_03 

I_05 

I_06 

I_08 

I_09 

I_11 

I_12 

FB Instances 

OUT_3 

Figure 12-7. Unconnected FB Definition Usage Model 

Create an FB Definition, then FB Instances (based on the FB Definition) 

are created with the Function Block popup menu (Figure 12-8) or the 

$create_fb_inst_from_def() function. 

mux 

mux 

mux 

mux 

OUT_1 

OUT_2 

OUT_4 




Other Menus 

Unselect All 

Move [a-MMB] 

Copy [c-MMB] 

Delete 

Undo 

Redo 

Properties 

Add FB Pins 




Resize 

Align 

Instance to Definition 

Create Instance from Definition 

Figure 12-8. The Function Block Popup Menu 

The FB Instances are instantiated throughout the schematic sheet or design, 

and establish the FB Instances’ electrical connectivity. However, the FB 

Definition is not wired into the schematic. 

When transformed into a Made FB Definition, the unconnected FB 

Definition is converted into a comment graphic, and does not appear in a 

design’s netlist. 

2. Connected FB Definition Usage Model - Alternatively, an FB Definition 

is created and wired into the schematic, as demonstrated in Figure 12-9. 



12-14 

I_01 

I_04 

I_07 

I_10 

I_02 

I_03 

I_05 

I_06 

I_08 

I_09 

I_11 

I_12 

FB Definition 

mux 

mux 

mux 

mux 

OUT_1 

OUT_2 

OUT_3 

OUT_4 

FB Instances 

Figure 12-9. Connected FB Definition Usage Model 

During conversion into a Made FB Definition, the FB Definition converts 

to a Made FB Definition “in place”. The Made FB Definition is a symbol 

that represents the underlying schematic. In this case, the Made FB 

Definition becomes an electrical part of the design, and is netlisted along 

with the other Made FB Instances. To edit the Made FB Definition, convert 

the object back to an FB Definition, apply the edits, and then “re-make” the 

FB Definition. 



Nested Function Blocks 

You can nest Function Blocks, both FB Definitions and FB Instances, within the 

FB Definition, as shown in Figure 12-10. 

I_01 

I_02 

I_03 

I_04 

I_05 

I_06 

mux 

mux_1 

mux_1 

Figure 12-10. Nested Function Blocks 

OUT_1 

FB Definitions 

FB Instance 

OUT_2 

To nest Function Blocks, you must adhere to the following design rules: 

• Only FB Definitions can contain nested FB Definitions and FB Instances. 

• An FB Definition cannot contain a nested FB Instance of itself; you cannot 

nest within FB Definition “A” an FB Instance created from FB Definition 

“A”. 

After you construct an FB Definition that contains nested Function Block objects, 

you subsequently convert the FB Definition to a Made FB Definition symbol 

instance. During the conversion operation, each nested FB Definition and FB 

Instance is converted in sequence, beginning with the inner-most Function Block 

object and progressively working to the outer-most Function Block Object. 



If you need to revert the Made FB Definition back to its unmade form, then use 

the Unmake Function Block operation, as with any other Made FB Definition. 

With nested Function Blocks, you can revert selected levels of nested hierarchy or 

revert all levels, as shown in Figure 12-11. 

12-16 


Other Menus 

Unselect All 

Move [a-MMB] 

Copy [c-MMB] 

Delete 

Undo 

Redo 

Properties 

Add FB Pins 




Resize 

Align 

Selected 

All 

1 Level 

ALL Levels 

Specify 

Figure 12-11. Unmake Function Block Menu Option 



FB Definition and FB Instance Net Constructs 

In general, an FB Definition’s and FB Instance’s internal and external electrical 

connectivity is established following the Design Architect-IC standard 

Drawing and Routing Nets procedures. However, there are specific exceptions to 

these procedures that are outlined in this section. 

Warning 

Nets consist of the following categories: 

1. Internal FB Definition Nets 

2. External Nets 

3. Passthru Nets 

4. Flythru Nets 

Internal FB Definition Nets 

Prior to generating a Made FB Instance, external net connections 

must be added to FB Instances. 

Internal net constructs are only applied to FB Definitions. These nets connect the 

FB Definition’s internal circuitry, including internal FB Pin connections, within 

the FB Definition’s boundary. Figure 12-12 is an example of an FB Definition’s 

internal nets. 



12-18 

Note 

Internal 

Nets 

Definition’s Boundary 

mux mux_1 

Figure 12-12. FB Definition’s Internal Net Example 

Internal nets are considered part of the FB Definition’s contents. 

FB Definition internal nets are nets fully contained within the FB Definition’s 

boundary, which connect to one or more instance pins. 



External Nets 

External nets are standard Design Architect-IC wires, busses, and bundles 

constructs. These nets are externally connected to an FB Definition or FB Instance 

via the FB Definition’s or FB Instance’s FB Pins, as shown in Figure 12-13. 

External Nets 

mux mux_1 

Figure 12-13. External Net Example 



Passthru Nets 

Passthru nets are constructions used exclusively with FB Definitions. 

Figure 12-14 shows a passthru net connected to an inner FB Pin that “passes over” 

the FB Definition’s rectangular boundary. 

12-20 

mux mux_1 

Passthru Nets 

Figure 12-14. Passthru Net Examples 

The Made FB Definition and Made FB Instance Creation Operation excludes 

passthru net segments from the Made FB Definition that extend outside an FB 

Definition’s boundary, but the rest of the net is copied into the underlying 

schematic. After the operation, the original passthru net remains on the top-level 

schematic in its entirety. 

Note, you must enable passthru nets, or these nets are flagged as errors when 

Checking Function Blocks. To enable passthru nets, refer to the “Function Block 

Setup” section in Chapter 3, or use the $set_fb_passthru() function. 



Flythru Nets 

Flythru nets are not part of the FB Definition’s contents. Flythru nets intersect an 

FB Definition, as shown in Figure 12-15. 

mux mux_1 

Flythru Net 

Figure 12-15. Flythru Net Example 

Flythru nets are excluded from an FB Definition’s or FB Instance’s contents 

during The Made FB Definition and Made FB Instance Creation Operation, and 

remain part of the upper-level schematic sheet. 



12-22 


Chapter 13 

Using Hotkeys 

Hotkeys are tools within Design Architect-IC that allow the user to perform 

schematic and symbol functions or operations via the keyboard. Hotkeys provide 

the user with a shortcut for accessing commonly-used commands. Additionally, 

you can customize hotkeys. 

Note 

A Hotkey is an alphanumeric keyboard key that is tied to an Advanced Multi- 

Purpose Language (AMPLE) function that contains any number of AMPLE 

commands. The command executes by pressing the keyboard key when hotkeys 

are enabled. The commands can be attached to any of the 62 alphanumeric keys 

(“a” through “z”, “A” through “Z”, and “1” through “0”). 

Hotkey Types 

Hotkey usage is limited to the Design Architect-IC Schematic and 

Symbol Scopes. 

You can select from one of the following three Hotkey types: 

1. Using DA-IC Predefined Hotkeys - a predefined set of hotkeys supplied 

with Design Architect-IC. Please refer to Appendix A, “Predefined 

Hotkeys”, for a complete list of these hotkeys. 

2. Using User-Defined Hotkeys - user-modified hotkeys. When the user 

creates these Hotkey values, the values are stored in the 

$HOME/mgc/da_hotkeys directory and, if present, are loaded by default 

when hotkeys are enabled. To create User-Defined Hotkeys, refer to 

“Using User-Defined Hotkeys” in this chapter. 


13-2 

Using Hotkeys 

3. Using Custom Hotkeys - Hotkeys customized by the user. A predefined set 

of hotkeys is copied to a specified location and modified using the AMPLE 

editor. To customize a specific set of hotkeys, refer to the “Using Custom 

Hotkeys” section in this chapter. 

Note 

When enabled, you can bypass the hotkeys at any time and bring 

up a command window by using the F11 key, or by selecting any 

unmapped alphanumeric key. 

Hotkey User Interface Overview 

The user enables, customizes, and loads hotkeys by using the hotkeys menu 

contained within the Design Architect-IC user interface. As stated previously, the 

hotkeys menu is available only in the Schematic and Symbol Editors and is 

contained in the Miscellaneous pulldown menu as illustrated in Figure 13-1. 

Figure 13-1. Hotkeys Cascading Menu (Schematic Scope) 


Using Hotkeys 

Alternatively, you can invoke Hotkey functionality using the Hotkey AMPLE 

functions. For additional information on Hotkey AMPLE functions, refer to 

Chapter 15, “Hotkey Function Dictionary”. 

Figure 13-2 below illustrates the hotkeys menu and cross-references each menu 

option’s respective AMPLE function. 

Enable 

Load... 

Report 

Define... 

Customize... 

Disclose Current 

Hotkey Settings 

$report_hotkey_settings() 

Customize Hotkey Settings 

Start With: 

DA-IC Editing 

Copy To: 


Enables User-Defined Hotkeys 

(if previously defined) 

$set_hotkey_mode() 

Load Hotkey Settings 

Choices 


User-defined 

Custom 

Enable Hotkeys 


Define Hotkey 

Select a Command: 

Add Arc 

Add Bus 

Add Circle 

Add Dot 

Add Frame 

Add FB Defn 

Add FB Inst 

Add FB Pin 

Add Instance 

Add Line 


Customize Hotkeys 

Figure 13-2. Hotkey Cascading Menu 

Load a 

different Hotkey 

set 

$load_hotkey_settings() 

Create User-Defined 

Hotkeys “on the fly” 

$define_hotkey() 

$copy_edit_hotkey_settings() 


Using DA-IC Predefined Hotkeys Using Hotkeys 

Using DA-IC Predefined Hotkeys 

This Design Architect-IC release incorporates a predefined DA-IC Editing 

Hotkey set. A list of these keys and their respective mapped functions is available 

in Appendix A, “Predefined Hotkeys”. To load the DA-IC Editing Hotkeys, use 

the following steps. 

If you want to use a different set of hotkeys, refer to “Using User-Defined 

Hotkeys” or “Using Custom Hotkeys” in this chapter. 

Loading DA-IC Editing Hotkeys 

13-4 

1. From the Design Architect-IC menu bar, choose 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Load as illustrated in Figure 13-3. 

Figure 13-3. Loading Hotkeys (Schematic Scope) 


Using Hotkeys Using DA-IC Predefined Hotkeys 

The Load Hotkey Settings dialog box appears as shown in Figure 13-4: 


Choices 



Figure 13-4. Load Hotkey Settings dialog box 

2. Click the DA-IC Editing button, if not already selected, in the Choices 

section of the dialog box. The Enable Hotkeys radio button is selected by 

default; in order to use the hotkeys, they must be enabled. 

Refer to Appendix A, “DA-IC Hotkey Set” for a list of predefined keys. 


User-defined 

Custom 


The DA-IC Editing Hotkeys are now enabled. You can verify this within 

the Status bar as shown in Figure 13-5. 


Using User-Defined Hotkeys Using Hotkeys 

13-6 

Figure 13-5. Design Architect-IC Status Bar with Hotkeys Enabled 

(Schematic Scope) 

The DA-IC Editing Hotkeys are now ready to use. To invoke a command or 

function, type the alphanumeric key you want. 

Using User-Defined Hotkeys 

If the DA-IC Editing Hotkey set of functions do not fit your needs, modify the 

default DA-IC Editing Hotkeys set by redefining any of the alphanumeric keys. 

This process is outlined below. Note, once you create User-Defined Hotkeys, the 

keys will be loaded by default whenever hotkeys are enabled. 

Note 

Creating User-Defined Hotkeys 

Hotkeys are enabled 

AMPLE functions can be mapped to a hotkey. For more 

information, see $define_hotkey(). 

1. From the Design Architect-IC menu bar, choose 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Define as illustrated in Figure 13-6. 


Using Hotkeys Using User-Defined Hotkeys 

Figure 13-6. Defining Hotkeys (Schematic Scope) 

The Define Hotkey dialog box appears as in Figure 13-7. 

Define Hotkey 


Add Arc 

Add Bus 

Add Circle 

Add Dot 

Add Frame 

Add FB Defn 

Add FB Inst 

Add FB Pin 

Add Instance 

Add Line 


Figure 13-7. Define Hotkey Dialog Box 


Using User-Defined Hotkeys Using Hotkeys 

13-8 

The Define Hotkey dialog box presents a scroll list of commonly-used 

Design Architect-IC commands that you can map key-by-key to the desired 

alphanumeric key. A complete list of cross-referenced Design Architect-IC 

commands, contained in the Define Hotkey dialog box, can be found in 

Appendix B, “Hotkey Commands”. 

2. To define a Hotkey, select the desired command from the list box, then 

click OK. 

An informational message prompts you to select an alphanumeric key. 

3. Press the alphanumeric key you want to map. 

Supply a comment: The dialog box appears, as in Figure 13-8. 

Supply a comment: 


Figure 13-8. User-Defined Hotkey Comment Dialog Box 

This dialog box allows you to link a short description of the selected 

command to the key. You must enter a comment for each User-Defined 

Hotkey that you create. When you perform a Report Hotkeys command, 

these comments appear. 

4. Type a comment in the dialog box, and click OK. 

The selected alphanumeric key is now mapped to the chosen AMPLE 

command, and is defined for future Design Architect-IC sessions. The 

resultant mapped key is automatically created and stored in the 

$HOME/mgc/da_hotkeys directory. Within this directory, the individual 

alphanumeric keys are mapped key-by-key to files with the following 

naming syntax: 


Using Hotkeys Using User-Defined Hotkeys 

key_.ample 

For example, if you mapped the “a” key to the “Add Arc” command, then 

the a file named “key_a.ample” would be created in the 

$HOME/mgc/da_hotkeys directory. The “key_a.ample” file, in this 

example, would contain the following: 

extern da_window@@$key_label_a = “Add Arc“; 

function da_window@@$key_a(),INDIRECT 

{ 

} 

$$add_arc(); 

As stated previously, User-Defined Hotkeys load by default when hotkeys 

are enabled. 

After defining a Hotkey, a prompt appears (Figure 13-9) asking you if you 

want to define additional hotkeys. 

? 

Define more hotkeys? 

Yes No 

Figure 13-9. Define more hotkeys? dialog box 

5. Click Yes to define additional hotkeys, then repeat steps 2 – 4. 

6. Click No when you are finished creating User-Defined Hotkeys. 


Using Custom Hotkeys Using Hotkeys 

Loading User-Defined Hotkeys 

Once you have created User-Defined Hotkeys, they are available for use in the 

Design Architect-IC. To load the User-Defined Hotkeys in a different Design 

Architect-IC session, perform the following steps: 

13-10 

1. Within the Schematic or Symbol scope, select 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Enable from the Design Architect-IC main 

menu bar. 

The previously assigned User-Defined Hotkeys are now available for use. 

Alternatively, you can use the Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Load menu option 

(described below) to load the User-Defined Hotkeys. This is helpful if you want to 

toggle between a Custom Hotkey set and the User-Defined set within the same 

session. 

1. Within the Schematic or Symbol scope, select 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Load from the Design Architect-IC main 

menu bar. 

The Load Hotkey Settings dialog box displays. 

2. Click the User-defined button in the Choices section of the dialog box. The 

Enable Hotkeys button selects by default. 

3. Click Yes to load the User-defined Hotkeys, and dismiss the dialog box. 

The User-Defined Hotkeys are now available for use. 

Using Custom Hotkeys 

You can also customize hotkeys to allow for greater latitude in defining userspecific 

commands and functions. When creating a Custom Hotkey set, Design 

Architect-IC copies the existing DA-IC Editing set to a user-specified location, 

then invokes the AMPLE editor. The following steps outline the procedures for 

creating and loading Custom Hotkeys. 


Using Hotkeys Using Custom Hotkeys 

Customizing Hotkeys 

1. Within the Schematic or Symbol scope, choose the 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Customize... menu option from the Design 

Architect-IC menu bar as shown in Figure 13-10. 

Figure 13-10. Hotkey Customize Menu Option (Schematic Scope) 

The Customize Hotkey Settings dialog box displays. 

Copy To: 

Customize Hotkey Settings 

Start With: 



Figure 13-11. Customize Hotkey Settings dialog box 



13-12 

This dialog box prompts you to provide a location and filename to copy 

the DA-IC Editing Hotkeys to. The DA-IC Editing Hotkey set serves as the 

basis for defining Custom Hotkeys. 

2. Enter an appropriate path, then click OK. 

The AMPLE Editor is invoked on the copied file. At this point, you can 

customize the AMPLE functions. For information regarding AMPLE and 

the AMPLE editor, please refer to the following manuals: 

• AMPLE for IC FLow User's Manual provides overview information, 

flow-diagram descriptions, explanations of important concepts, and 

task-oriented procedures for customizing the common user interface 

and writing AMPLE functions. 

• AMPLE for IC Flow Reference Manual contains information about 

AMPLE statements and functions that are common to all applications. 

3. When you have completed editing the AMPLE file, move the mouse 

pointer onto the window menu button in the upper-left corner of the 

AMPLE editor window. 

4. Press and hold the Select or Menu mouse button. The window becomes 

active, and a pulldown menu appears. 

5. With the Select or Menu mouse button depressed, drag the mouse pointer 

onto the Close menu item, shown in Figure 13-12. 


Using Hotkeys Using Custom Hotkeys 

Figure 13-12. Close Window Pulldown Menu 

A Save Changes dialog box, similar to Figure 13-13, prompts you to save 

the edits that you have made to the AMPLE userware file. 

Save changes to $HOME/hotkeys? 

Yes No Cancel 

Figure 13-13. Save Changes dialog box 

6. Remove the dialog box and AMPLE editor window by selecting Yes using 

the Select mouse button. 



Loading Custom Hotkeys 

To load your newly-created Custom Hotkey set, complete the following steps: 

13-14 

1. From the Design Architect-IC menu bar, choose the 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Load pulldown menu item. 

The Load Hotkey Settings dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 13-14: 


Choices 


Figure 13-14. The Load Hotkey Settings dialog box 

2. Click Custom in the Choices section of the dialog box. The Enable 

Hotkeys radio button selects by default; in order to use the Hotkeys, they 

must be enabled. 


User-defined 

Custom 




Using Hotkeys Reporting Hotkey Status 

The Specify Custom Hotkey File dialog box, shown in Figure 13-15, 

prompts you to enter the path to and filename of the Custom Hotkey 

AMPLE file created in the previous steps. 

Figure 13-15. Specify Custom Hotkey File dialog box 

4. Enter the path to and filename of the Custom Hotkey file, or use the file 

Navigator, then click OK. The Custom Hotkey set is now loaded and the 

Hotkeys are enabled. 

Reporting Hotkey Status 

To determine which Hotkey set for a given Design Architect-IC session is 

currently loaded, use one of the following menu options: 

• Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Report - This option is available once an 

initial Hotkey set has been loaded during the session. 

• Report > Hotkeys 

Specify Custom Hotkey File 

Filename Navigator... 



Enabling and Disabling Hotkeys Using Hotkeys 

When invoked, the Report option returns a dialog box that contains a scroll list of 

currently-defined Hotkeys and their definitions. Figure 13-16 provides an 

example of this dialog box. 

13-16 

Report Hotkey Settings 


Hotkey Definitions: 

a = Add Pin 

b = Add Bus/Bundle 

c = Copy 

d = Delete 

e = Report Object 

f = Flip Horizontal 

i = Add Instance 

m= Move 

n = Name Nets 

o = Open Down 

View Source Code 

Print List 


Figure 13-16. Report Hotkey Settings Dialog Box 

Enabling and Disabling Hotkeys 

This section assumes that you have either created a set of User-Defined or Custom 

Hotkeys, or you want to use the DA-IC Editing Hotkeys. 

Enabling Hotkeys 

Select to View the AMPLE 

Function 

Select to print the Hotkey AMPLE 

Functions 

By default, Hotkeys are disabled in Design Architect-IC. Hotkeys are enabled via 

the Design Architect-IC user interface, as detailed in the following steps, or via 

the command line by using the $load_hotkey_settings() function. If a User- 

Defined Hotkey set has been created, then these key-by-key Hotkey values are 


Using Hotkeys Enabling and Disabling Hotkeys 

loaded by default when the Hotkeys are enabled. To load a Custom Hotkey set, 

refer to “Using Custom Hotkeys” in this chapter. 

1. From the Design Architect-IC menu bar, choose the Miscellaneous > 

Hotkeys > Enable pulldown menu item.. 

If a User-Defined set of Hotkeys has not been created, then the following 


2. To load an initial set of Hotkeys, click Yes. 

Note 

? 

No hotkeys loaded yet. Load some? 

Yes No 

If you select No, then the Hotkeys are enabled, but none are loaded. 

The follow message displays: 

Please load hotkeys before trying to use them. 

Prior to using the functionality, you must load a Hotkey set. 



13-18 

The Load Hotkey Settings dialog box appears, as displayed in 

Figure 13-17. 

Figure 13-17. Load Hotkey Settings Dialog Box 

3. Within the dialog box, select one of the three Hotkey types and click on 

OK. 

The specified Hotkeys are now enabled. 

Disabling Hotkeys 


Choices 


User-defined 

Custom 



1. From the Design Architect-IC menu bar, choose the Miscellaneous > 

Hotkeys > Disable pulldown menu item. 


Using Hotkeys Enabling and Disabling Hotkeys 

Figure 13-18. Disabling Hotkeys via the Miscellaneous Pulldown 

(Schematic Scope) 

The Hotkeys are now disabled. 



13-20 


Chapter 14 

Creating DA-IC Userware 

This chapter contains information about customizing userware for Design 

Architect-IC. The information is organized as follows: 

• “Customization Guidelines”, beginning on page 14-2 describes 

maintenance levels required for a variety of customization tasks. 

• “Design Architect-IC Scopes”, beginning on page 14-3 describes scopes, 

scope hierarchy, and provides information about how Design Architect-IC 

searches userware files for a particular function. This is intended for all 

users who want or need to customize their userware. 

• “Simple Customizing”, beginning on page 14-11, describes how to find 

source files, and how to name and where to place customized userware files 

so Design Architect-IC will load them at the proper time. This includes 

startup files and personality modules. Examples show how to customize the 

default title blocks, create new functions, and create new menus. This 

information should be sufficient for most users. 

• “Advanced Customizing”, beginning on page 14-23, describes how to 

create and display a new palette menu, and how to add items to an existing 

menu. This information is for system administrators, site librarians, and 

library developers. 


Customization Guidelines Creating DA-IC Userware 

14-2 

• “Recommendations”, beginning on page 14-47 lists recommended practices 

to follow when customizing Design Architect-IC. 

! 

Caution 

Do not use any undocumented functions when you customize 

userware; undocumented functions can change or be deleted at any 

time. Because some undocumented functions do appear in the 

transcript window, be careful when creating a function with text 

from the transcript window. 

For detailed information, please refer to the 

Customizing the IC Flow Common User Interface manual and the AMPLE for IC 

Flow User's Manual. 

Customization Guidelines 

When customizing a Mentor Graphics application, the type of customization 

performed determines the amount of rework necessary each time you upgrade to a 

newer version of Mentor Graphics software. The following list describes the three 

levels of rework used in this appendix: 

Light The time required to make changes at each software update is 

minimal; it is worth the productivity gains from customization. 

Moderate The time required to make these changes at each software update 

must be justified by productivity gains. 

Heavy The time necessary to perform this level of rework at each 

software update does not justify customization. Mentor Graphics 

does not provide support for customization tasks that fall into this 

category. 


Creating DA-IC Userware Design Architect-IC Scopes 

Table 14-1 categorizes common customization tasks. 

Table 14-1. Customization Tasks Categorized by Re-work Level 

Light Moderate Heavy 

Creating New 

Functions Using 

Documented Userware 

Overloading 

Documented MGC 

Functions 

Both the “Simple Customizing” and “Advanced Customizing” sections contain 

“Userware Example” subsections. Each of the userware listings call out the level 

of rework necessary to support a specific type of customization. 

Design Architect-IC Scopes 

Creating New 

Functions Using 

Undocumented 

Userware 

Creating New Menus Adding to MGC Menus Creating Userware 

Dependent on Window 

Sizes or Shapes 

A scope is a portion of the environment in which userware or an AMPLE 

identifier has meaning. Userware scoping controls which functions and external 

variables are available in areas within an application. Each function has a scope 

associated with it. For example, some schematic editing functions such as 

$add_frame() and $add_net() have no meaning in the Symbol Editor, so they are 

placed in the schematic scope, which is not accessible to the Symbol Editor. Other 

functions such as $move() and $copy() have meaning in all editors within Design 

Architect-IC and reside in the da_window scope that is available to all editors. 

Scope hierarchy is the arrangement of scopes into successive levels, with each 

level subordinate to the one above. The scope hierarchy is determined by area 

containment. This means that a function defined in a particular window is 

available within that window, and also available in all other windows opened from 

within that original window. For example, a function defined in the DA-IC 

Session window is available in all windows opened within that session, such as a 

schematic window and a symbol window. 


Design Architect-IC Scopes Creating DA-IC Userware 

Userware scopes and the arrangement of those scopes for each window in an 

application is determined by the application developers. You cannot change this 

hierarchy or add new scopes. However, you can add new functions or modify 

existing functions in the scope hierarchy. 

When you are adding functionality to an application, the scope in which you place 

the userware determines which windows have access to that userware. Userware 

placed in the schematic scope is available in all schematic windows, but not in a 

symbol window. When a function is called, the scope hierarchy of the active 

window is searched, beginning at the top, until the function is found. If the 

function exists in more than one scope, the first function found that matches the 

specified name is executed. 

Scope Specific Userware Directories 

Each scope has corresponding AMPLE files that contain all the AMPLE userware 

for that scope. These AMPLE files are stored in the Mentor Graphics Software 

Tree. The AMPLE files for scopes common to all Mentor Graphics Falcon 

Framework applications, including Design Architect-IC, can be found in the 

following directory: 

14-4 

${MGC_HOME}/shared/pkgs/base.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

The AMPLE files for scopes specific to Falcon Framework-IC applications, 

including Design Architect-IC, can be found in the following directories: 

${MGC_HOME}/pkgs/base_ic.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

${MGC_HOME}/pkgs/core_ic.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

${MGC_HOME}/pkgs/ddms_do_ic.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

${MGC_HOME}/ddms_mule_ic.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

${MGC_HOME}/dm_ic.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

${MGC_HOME}/pkgs/ele_ic.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

${MGC_HOME}/pkgs/plot_tk_ic.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 



${MGC_HOME}/pkgs/uims_ic.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

${MGC_HOME}/pkgs/vdd_ic.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

${MGC_HOME}/pkgs/ftxt_ic.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

The AMPLE files for scopes specific to Design Architect-IC can be found in the 

following directories: 

${MGC_HOME}/pkgs/bed.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

${MGC_HOME}/shared/pkgs/da_ic.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

${MGC_HOME}/shared/pkgs/hdtxt.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

${MGC_HOME}/shared/pkgs/vhdl_ed.[platform]/userware/${LANG} 

The platform pattern in the directories (above) refers to a character string that 

uniquely identifies your host platform. You can use the following script to return 

the correct platform suffix for your workstation: 

$MGC_HOME/bin/get_mgc_vco_ic 

In the following example, the pathname to the scope file for the ovl_area scope is 

based on the following conditions: the MGC_HOME shell environment variable 

is set to “/usr2/mgc_tree”, your workstation is a SUN workstation, and the LANG 

shell environment variable is set to “En_US” (resolves to En_na in the 

mgc_lang_map file): 

/usr2/mgc_tree/shared/pkgs/uims_ic.ss6/userware/En_na/ovl_area.ample 

For detailed information on the MGC_HOME and LANG shell environment 

variables, refer to the AMPLE for IC Flow User's Manual. 



Scope Search Order 

Table 14-2 shows the order that scopes are searched for functions called from 

each window. 

14-6 

Table 14-2. Scopes Searched in each Window 

Window Type Scopes Searched 

IDW Component idw_component_list_area 

list_m_of_n_area 

list_area 

area 

dme_base_tk 

dme_do_tk 

dme_dn_tk 

plot_ui_tk 

ui_base 

ample 

idw_component_window 

framed_area 

da_session 

session_area 

ovl_area 

IDW Hierarchy idw_comp_gfx_area 

area 

dme_base_tk 

dme_do_tk 

dme_dn_tk 

plot_ui_tk 

ui_base ample 

idw_dh_window 

framed_area 

da_session 

session_area 

ovl_area 



Table 14-2. Scopes Searched in each Window [continued] 


Notepad notepad 

ptxt_area 

rtxt_area 

btxt_area 

area 

dme_base_tk 

dme_do_tk 

dme_dn_tk 

plot_ui_tk 

ui_base 

ample 

framed_area 

da_session 

session_area 

ovl_area 

Schematic Editor fb_schematic 

schematic 

da_window 

bed_window 

area 

dme_base_tk 

dme_do_tk 

dme_dn_tk 

plot_ui_tk 

ui_base 

ample 

framed_area 

da_session 

session_area 

fb_session 

ovl_area 



14-8 



Session fb_session 

da_session 

session_area 

ovl_area 

framed_area 

area 

dme_base_tk 

dme_do_tk 

dme_dn_tk 

plot_ui_tk 

ui_base 

ample 

Symbol Editor symbol 

da_window 

bed_window 

area 

dme_base_tk 

dme_do_tk 

dme_dn_tk 

plot_ui_tk 

ui_base 

ample 

framed_area 

da_session 

session_area 

ovl_area 





Transcript rtxt_area 

btxt_area 

area 

dme_base_tk 

dme_do_tk 

dme_dn_tk 

plot_ui_tk 

ui_base 

ample 

framed_area 

da_session 

session_area 

ovl_area 

Userware Editor input_area 

ptxt_area 

rtxt_area 

btxt_area 

area 

dme_base_tk 

dme_do_tk 

dme_dn_tk 

plot_ui_tk 

ui_base 

ample 

framed_area 

da_session 

session_area 

ovl_area 



14-10 



VHDL Editor hdtxt_area 

ptxt_area 

rtxt_area 

btxt_area 

area 

dme_base_tk 

dme_do_tk 

dme_dn_tk 

plot_ui_tk 

ui_base 

ample 

framed_area 

da_session 

session_area 

ovl_area 

You can find the name of the top level scope of the active window by entering the 

following statement in a popup command line: 

$window_scope_name() 

The name of the scope appears in the transcript. You can find the complete scope 

hierarchy for the active window by entering the following statement in a popup 

command line: 

$ask_scope_frame_name() 

This function displays the scope hierarchy in a list dialog box. The ample scope 

appears at the bottom of the list as “” because you cannot add 

functionality to the ample scope after an application is invoked. 


Creating DA-IC Userware Simple Customizing 

Simple Customizing 

Plan carefully before you begin customizing. Your new and customized functions 

will be interacting with all other existing functions. Because other userware may 

be dependent upon menu items, it is usually better to add menu items using the 

$add_menu_item() function, rather than modifying existing menus. Library 

menus are discussed beginning on page 14-28. For information about customizing 

other menus, refer to the Customizing the IC Flow Common User Interface 

manual. 

If you want to modify userware without overwriting, refer to section 

“Modification of Functions” in the AMPLE for IC Flow User's Manual. 

DA-IC Startup Files 

When you are familiar with your DA-IC environment, you can use startup files to 

define your own menus, keys, strokes, or any functions used to initialize your 

working environment. Startup files are written in the AMPLE language, and have 

access to the full capability of DA-IC functions within a specific window scope. 

Before you begin writing DA-IC startup files, refer to the AMPLE for IC Flow 

User's Manual for information about how to write AMPLE macros and additional 

startup file examples. Refer to the Customizing the IC Flow Common User 

Interface Manual for instructions for customizing your user interface. 

In DA-IC, a startup file can be specified for the initial opening of a Session 

window, Schematic Editor window, Symbol Editor window, and VHDL Editor 

window. 

DA-IC supports four levels of startup files: 

• Site-specific: $MGC_HOME/shared/etc/cust/startup/name.startup 

• Workstation-specific: $MGC_HOME/etc/cust/startup/name.startup 

• User-specific: $HOME/mgc/startup/name.startup 


Simple Customizing Creating DA-IC Userware 

14-12 

• Component-specific: pathname to startup file specified in the Open Sheet 

and Open Symbol dialog boxes. 

A, “name” can represent “da_session”, “schematic”, “symbol”, and “vhdl” for 

each respective DA-IC environment. $HOME is the value of the HOME 

environment variable for your shell, typically your login directory. 

$MGC_HOME is the value of the MGC_HOME environment variable that 

specifies the location of your Mentor Graphics software. $MGC_WD is the value 

of the MGC_WD environment variable that specifies the current working 

directory. 

All applications search for startup files and execute them in the following order: 

1. Site-specific startup files, if they exist. 

2. Workstation-specific startup files, if they exist. 

3. User-specific startup files, if they exist. 

Component-specific startup files are executed when a pathname is specified in the 

Startup File Path text box for the dialog box that opens a symbol, sheet, or a 

VHDL document. A default value for this pathname can be specified with the 

$set_environment_dofile_pathname() function. 

When debugging a startup file, be aware that function calls within the startup file 

are not (by default) transcribed when executed from a startup location. To 

transcribe the lower-level functions in the startup file, first set the transcript mode 

to “bottom”. For example, to test a new startup file, type in the active session 

window: 

$set_transcript_mode(@bottom) 

Type in an active schematic window: 

$dofile(your_home/mgc/startup/schematic.startup) 

The previous commands set the transcript mode to “bottom” and execute the 

startup file “schematic.startup” in an active schematic window. 



You can place the sample startup files in the following code blocks in any of the 

supported startup file locations. Refer to the Design Architect-IC Reference 

Manual and the AMPLE for IC Flow Reference Manual for descriptions of the 

functions used in these files. 

// This startup file sets up the DA Session environment 

// and sets the selection model to individual selection 

// rather than additive selection. The following Session 

// setup options are specified: 

// 

// Mouse button click speed = average 

// Input device = mouse 

// Window layout = quadrant tiling 

// Visible: menu bar, window title, message area, palette, 

// status line, softkey area, Active Symbol window. 

// Not visible: Context window. 

$form_setup_session(125, "mouse", @quad, [@true], [@true], 

[@true], [@true], [@true], [@true], [@true], []); 

$set_selection_model(@individual); 



The next example sets up the editing environment in the Schematic Editor, then 

sets the default sheet checks. 

14-14 

// This startup file sets net, property text, and comment 

// attributes, then sets default sheet checks. 

// 

// Net attributes: 

// width = p1, dotted line, orthogonal mode = off, 

// snap angle = 44.9, snap = on, dotsize = 0.025, 

// dotstyle = square, junction dots at rippers, 

// closedots displayed, bus_width = p3, autoroute = on, 

// autoripper = on, ripper_symbol = "$MGC_GENLIB/rip", "1X1" 

// 

// Property Text attributes: 

// font = "stroke", ht=0.1875, left-bottom justification, 

// horizontal, transparent, visible 

// 

// Comment attributes: 

// style = shortdash, width = p3, fill = clear, 

// font = "stroke", height = 0.1875, 

// left-bottom justification, horizontal, transparent 

$setup_net(@p1, @dot, @off, 44.9, @on, 0.025, @square, @on, 

@on, @p3, @on, @on, "$MGC_GENLIB/rip", "1X1"); 

$setup_property_text("stroke", 0.1875, @left, @bottom, 0, 

@on, @on); 

$setup_comment(@shortdash, @p3, @clear, "stroke", 0.1875, 

@left, @bottom, 0, @on); 

// The following list shows the default sheet checks set by 

// the next function: 

// checkfile not saved, report in window and transcript 

// no user-defined checks 

// errors and warnings reported for: instances, 

// special symbols, nets, frames, expressions, pins, 

// notdots, closedots, dangling nets and pins 

// errors only reported for: parameters, property owners, 

// overlapping instances, 

$setup_check_sheet("da_check_file", @nofile, @window, 

@transcript, "", void, @all, @all, @all, @all, 

@errorsonly, @all, @all, @errorsonly, @errorsonly, 

@all, @all, @all, @nocheck); 



While startup files should not be used to define custom userware functions, they 

are the simplest method for customizing Design Architect-IC. 

For an example of a personal startup file, refer to page 14-19. 

Source Location 

Most people do not (and should not) have permission to alter source code files in 

the MGC_HOME directories. To customize a particular area of userware, copy 

the .ample file containing the functions you need to one of your directories, then 

alter your copy, and load it as described later in this appendix. 

To find the location of the file you need to copy, choose the MGC > Userware > 

Edit Source pulldown menu item. Enter the name of the function (do not enter the 

parentheses) you want to alter in the prompt bar that appears. 

For example, if you want to modify the $add_property() function for symbols, 

activate a symbol window and choose the MGC > Userware > Edit Source 

menu item. Enter “$add_property” in the prompt bar. The source file that contains 

the definition of the Symbol Editor $add_property() function is displayed in a 

Notepad window. The pathname of the file appears in the window title bar. 

This method of finding the source location can help you identify functions that 

have been overwritten. You can also use $list_overwritten_functions() to ensure 

that you haven't overwritten important userware. 

Most Design Architect-IC userware is in one of the following directories: 

or 

${MGC_HOME}/shared/pkgs/da_ic/userware/${LANG} 

${MGC_HOME}/pkgs/da_ic/userware/${LANG} 

The first directory contains the .ample files, which are loaded at startup. The 

$MGC_HOME/pkgs directory contains .dofile, and .ample_c files, and other items 

such as the ASCII help files accessed from the Help > More Help menu. 



Personality modules and VHDL editing functions are not in the da_ic package. 

Each personality module has its own package name such as analog_da. 

How to Load Userware 

Userware may be loaded into Design Architect-IC, or loaded and immediately 

executed by DA-IC. Loading userware makes new functions available to the user, 

but does not immediately execute them. You can load userware by invoking the 

$load_userware() function or choosing the MGC > Userware > Load menu item 

in the DA-IC session. This is useful when you want to test userware as you 

develop it. 

When immediate execution of commands and functions in the userware file is 

required, you can use the $dofile() function. The $dofile() function executes 

statements outside of function declarations. If there is a function declaration in a 

.dofile, the function is loaded, but not executed; the function needs to be called to 

be executed. 

Users and system administrators can also create startup files that are executed at 

DA-IC invocation time, or the first time a new type of window is created. 

However, these cannot be compiled, and so are not recommended for extensive 

customizations, such as loading customized libraries and adding menu items to 

access those libraries. 

For more information on startup files, see, Startup Files in the AMPLE fot IC Flow 

User's Manual. 

AMPLE_PATH Environment Variable 

You can use the AMPLE_PATH environment variable to communicate the 

location of customized scope specific dofiles to Design Architect-IC. This 

variable can contain one or more partial pathnames, separated by colons (:), to 

your userware files, which may reside anywhere on the network. For example, the 

following statements (in a Bourne shell) set and export the AMPLE_PATH 

variable: 

14-16 

AMPLE_PATH=$HOME/mgc_custom:$HOME/mgc/userware 

export AMPLE_PATH 



You can use the same statements in a Korn shell, or use a single statement: 

export AMPLE_PATH=$HOME/mgc_custom:$HOME/mgc/userware 

The search begins with the last pathname in the list, and works back to the first 

pathname in the list (right to left). Each new definition for a function replaces any 

previous definition in that scope. 

All Falcon Framework applications will load userware, compiled or not, supplied 

in a directory specified in the AMPLE_PATH environment variable. The 

directory name you specify must contain another directory with the same name as 

the application package. That application package contains the userware you want 

to load for that application. 

For example, if you placed your schematic userware customizations in 

$HOME/mgc_custom/da_ic/schematic.dofile, you specify $HOME/mgc_custom 

as one of the pathnames in the AMPLE_PATH variable. This is explained in 

“Scope Specific Dofiles” on page 14-18. 

If the AMPLE_PATH variable does not exist, the system searches for userware 

files in the default location, $HOME/mgc/userware/, where $HOME 

is an environment variable whose value is the pathname of the user's home 

directory. 

If the AMPLE_PATH variable was created, but was not set, or was explicitly set 

to be blank (“”), the system does not look in the default location; only application 

and site specific userware are loaded. 

In addition to the normal Falcon userware loading options, Design Architect-IC 

makes special accommodations for the creators of libraries which should appear 

in the Design Architect-IC Schematic Editor Libraries menu, and for people 

developing Design Architect-IC personality modules. 

These features include: 

• Scope specific dofiles 

• DES_ARCH_PKGS_TO_LOAD environment variable 

• Invoke-time Bourne Shell Scripts 



14-18 

• DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST environment variable 

• Schematic menu files 

The last two items in the list are discussed in “Advanced Customizing” beginning 

on page 14-23. For complete information about the AMPLE_PATH variable and 

how userware is loaded, refer to the Customizing the IC Flow Common User 

Interface manual and the AMPLE for IC Flow User's Manual. 

Scope Specific Dofiles 

An AMPLE_PATH pathname must have a subdirectory, da_ic, to indicate to 

Design Architect-IC to load those files. Design Architect-IC will execute 

userware in the following files during scope initialization, if the files are located in 

$AMPLE_PATH/da_ic: 

da_session.dofile 

schematic.dofile 

da_window.dofile 

symbol.dofile 

You can also have a userware file, hdtxt_area.dofile, which is not in this list. 

Design Architect-IC looks for this file in $AMPLE_PATH/hdtxt because the 

application package “hdtxt” defines the scope hdtxt_area (the VHDL window). 

For example, assume you have the following customized userware files: 

$HOME/mgc_custom/new/da_ic/schematic.dofile 

$HOME/mgc_custom/da_ic/schematic.dofile 

$HOME/mgc_custom/da_ic/da_window.dofile 

Also assume you set your AMPLE_PATH variable as follows: 

$ AMPLE_PATH=$HOME/mgc_custom/new:$HOME/mgc_custom 

$ export AMPLE_PATH 

After all standard Design Architect-IC userware is loaded, your files are loaded in 

the following order: 

1. $HOME/mgc_custom/da_ic/da_window.dofile 

2. $HOME/mgc_custom/da_ic/schematic.dofile 



3. $HOME/mgc_custom/new/da_ic/schematic.dofile 

DES_ARCH_PKGS_TO_LOAD Environment Variable 

Personality modules are packages of userware customized for use by downstream 

applications. Mentor Graphics supplies the hotkeys_da personality module which 

loads automatically to enable hotkey functionality within DA-IC. 

You can use the DES_ARCH_PKGS_TO_LOAD environment variable to specify 

which personality modules are automatically loaded. Only the modules listed in 

the variable are loaded by DA-IC. The value of the variable must be a quoted 

string of package names with each name separated by a space. The packages are 

loaded in the order specified (first one listed is loaded first). Each new definition 

for a function replaces any previous definition in that scope. 

If DES_ARCH_PKGS_TO_LOAD is not defined prior to invoking DA-IC, none 

of the personality modules in the $MGC_HOME/pkgs directory are loaded. 

Use one of the following methods to set DES_ARCH_PKGS_TO_LOAD: 

• Set the variable in $HOME/.profile. 

• Write a script to set and export the variable, then invoke Design Architect- 

IC. For example, if you always want specific modules loaded, you could 

create a Bourne shell script with the following commands: 

DES_ARCH_PKGS_TO_LOAD='module names' 

export DES_ARCH_PKGS_TO_LOAD 

$MGC_HOME/bin/da_ic 

Personal Startup Example 

An ASIC Vendor wants to set up a toolkit where only their component libraries 

are available. Because all of their files are outside of the $MGC_HOME tree, they 

use AMPLE_PATH. They don't want any other libraries or personality modules to 

be loaded, but they do want to preserve the users' power to make userware 

changes in their $HOME/mgc/userware directory. 

!/bin/sh 



14-20 

# 

# ASIC_VENDOR Driver for Design Architect-IC 

# This file is in a directory in the user's shell's $PATH, 

# and will be executed when the user types: 

# 

# asic_vendor_da 

# 

library_pathname="$MGC_HOME/user/asic_vendor/libraries" 

echo "ASIC_VENDOR Driver for Design Architect-IC," 

echo " version 1.1, 6/6/1992 ${library_pathname}" 

if [ "${AMPLE_PATH}" = "" ] 

then 

# set default search path and add new path 

AMPLE_PATH=${HOME}/mgc/userware:${library_pathname} 

else 

AMPLE_PATH=${AMPLE_PATH}:${library_pathname} 

if 

export AMPLE_PATH 

# unset to turn off loading of other packages 

unset DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST 

export DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST 

$MGC_HOME/bin/da_ic $@ 

Userware Examples 

The following text shows sample customization tasks that require light 

maintenance for subsequent releases of Mentor Graphics software. 

Creating New Functions Using Documented Userware 

Rework Level: Light -- Userware functions created using calls to documented 

Mentor Graphics functions require little or no maintenance from one release to the 

next. All user visible changes to documented functions are listed in release notes. 

To make sure that userware functions do not overload Mentor Graphics functions, 

use a unique prefix at the beginning of all custom functions. In addition to 

preventing overloaded functions, the prefix alerts users to the origin of the 

function. 



The following code block contains a sample userware function and command 

registration of the function. The prefix, 'vndr_', is used in the function name and 

during command registration. The prefix is not used with the 'c_int' external 

variable because the variable is removed after command registration 

1 function vndr_part_copy( part :string, 

2 props : switch name [on, off], 

3 depth : label integer [0, 4] 

4 ), SEALED 

5 { 

6 $writes_file($stdout, 

7 $strcat( "The part string is : ", part, 

8 "\nThe props switch is : ", props, 

9 "\nThe depth label is : ", depth, "\n")); 

10 } 

11 extern c_int = $register_command("par.t co.py", "vndr_"); 

12 $register_args("of.f", @off, c_int); 

13 $register_args("d.epth", "depth", c_int); 

14 $register_alias("pcopy", cint); 

15 $undefine_id(@c_int); 



Creating New Menus 

Rework Level: Light -- New menus created in userware that call documented 

functions or custom userware functions require light maintenance. 

New menus must be created for all custom menus, to delete a menu item from an 

existing menu, or to reorder the items on an existing menu. All menu types 

available in the Common User Interface are created with the $create_menu() 

function. The following lines show the syntax for the $create_menu() function: 

14-22 

$create_menu(`scope_name', menu_type, 'menu_name', columns, 

'bgd_color', items) 

The following code block creates a pulldown menu for the VNDR menu bar item 

in Design Architect-IC; Figure N-1 shows the resulting menu. 

1 function vndr_pulldown_menu(),INVISIBLE 

2 { 

3 $create_menu(“schematic”, @pulldown,”vndr_pulldown”,1,, 

4 $menu_text_item(“Display Library _Palette”, 

5 '$replace_part_palette(“VNDR_Root_Palette”)') 

6 ); 

7 } 

Design Architect-IC 

Setup Miscellaneous Libraries Check Report View Help VNDR 

dae ) ( my_des | schematic | sheet1 ) (inv | inv) ( ) 

Display (4.0189, Library -0.7736) Palette 

Figure N-1. Sample Menu Item 


Creating DA-IC Userware Advanced Customizing 

Advanced Customizing 

! 

Caution 

The following text is for component library developers and others 

who do major customization. These methods alter the MGC 

Tree, and are not intended for most users. 

DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST Environment Variable 

The DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST environment variable specifies a list of 

package names in the $MGC_HOME/pkgs directory that contain userware to be 

loaded into Design Architect-IC scopes. When this variable is set, the specified 

packages are loaded, in addition to any automatically loaded userware packages. 

When DES_ARCH_PKGS_TO_LOAD is set, the packages specified by both of 

these variables are loaded. 

You can place customized userware in .ample and .dofile files in 

$MGC_HOME/pkgs/dir_name/userware/${LANG} and instruct Design Architect- 

IC to load it by setting the DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST variable to dir_name. 

If you assign multiple values to the variable, separate the values with colons (:). 

For example, suppose you have three projects. Project A needs customized 

userware for the Symbol Editor, whereas Project B needs customized userware for 

the Schematic Editor. Project C needs the customized userware from both the 

other projects. You will create the following two subdirectories in which to place 

your userware files: 

$MGC_HOME/pkgs/project_a/userware/${LANG} 

$MGC_HOME/pkgs/project_b/userware/${LANG} 

Project A users need to set this variable: 

$ DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST=project_a 

$ export DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST 

Users in Project B need to set this variable: 

$ DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST=project_b 



Advanced Customizing Creating DA-IC Userware 

Users in Project C need to set this variable to get both of the customizations: 

14-24 

$ DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST=project_a:project_b 


Design Architect-IC will load any of the following files with .ample extensions, 

provided there is no *.ample_c file, and will execute any of the following files 

with .dofile extensions in the ...userware/${LANG} directory: 

da_session.ample 

da_window.ample 

schematic.ample 

symbol.ample 

hdtxt_area.ample 

da_session.dofile 

da_window.dofile 


symbol.dofile 

hdtxt_area.dofile 

For better performance, you can compile .ample files into a single file, and place 

the compiled file in the ...userware/${LANG} subdirectory. The name of the 

compiled file must be the same as the package name. 

For example, the pathname of the compiled file used by Project A in the previous 

example must be: 

$MGC_HOME/pkgs/project_a/userware/${LANG}/project_a.ample_c 

If there is no compiled userware in the directory, or the compiled file does not 

include userware for one or more scopes, DA-IC loads uncompiled .ample files 

such as: 

$MGC_HOME/pkgs/minico_da/userware/${LANG}/schematic.ample 



DES_ARCH_AUX_PKGS_LIST Example 

In this example, a group has received permission to place their userware inside the 

$MGC_HOME tree, so they can use DES_ARCH_AUX_PKGS_LIST to inform 

Design Architect-IC of the location of userware to load. User settings of 

environment variables will be supplemented, not replaced. 

#!/bin/sh 

# 

# This script adds a pkg name to the DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST 

# environment variable which DA-IC will check for in the 

# $MGC_HOME tree to load userware and libraries. 

library_package_name="minico_da" 

echo "Using ${library_package_name} version 0.1" 

if [ "${DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST}" = "" ] 

then DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST=${library_package_name} 

else DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST= 

${DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST}:${library_package_name} 

fi 

export DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST 



Environment Variable Summary 

Table 14-3 shows how to set environment variables to load the desired userware. 

In the AMPLE_PATH column, “default” is $HOME/mgc/userware. 

14-26 

Table 14-3. Environment Variable Summary 

Userware Loaded DES_ARCH_ 

AUX_PKG_LIST 

DES_ARCH_ 

PKGS_TO_LOAD 

AMPLE_PATH 

Only standard DA-IC unset unset “ “(blank) 

Default userware: 

Custom 

in 

$HOME/mgc/userware 

Default userware 

Userware not in default 

location 

Default userware 

Specific personality 

modules 

and/or other pkgs in 

MGC tree 


mods 

Other packages in MGC 

tree 


mods 


location 


mods 

Other packages in MGC 

tree 


location 

unset unset unset 

unset unset set to default + 

desired directories 

unset set to desired 

packages 

set to desired 

packages 


packages 


packages 


packages 


packages 

unset 

“ “ 


directories 


directories 



Table 14-3. Environment Variable Summary [continued] 

Userware Loaded DES_ARCH_ 

AUX_PKG_LIST 


modules 

and/or other pkgs in 

MGC tree 


modules 


location 


location 

DES_ARCH_ 

PKGS_TO_LOAD 


packages 


packages 

AMPLE_PATH 


“ “ 


directories 

unset unset set to desired 

directories


Schematic Menus 

The schematic.dofile File 

A common use for the schematic.dofile is to call AMPLE functions that create 

library menu definitions. 

When you want to access other component libraries, such as those from thirdparty 

vendors, the userware that defines the menus and adds them to the Libraries 

pulldown menu needs to be loaded. The following must be true: 

14-28 

• If the libraries are placed in the $MGC_HOME tree, then one or both of the 

following files must exist: 

or 

$MGC_HOME/pkgs/lib_pkg_name/userware/${LANG}/ 

schematic.ample 


lib_pkg_name.ample_c 

• You also must have: 



• You must add the lib_pkg_name to the list of package names for the 

DES_ARCH_AUX_PKG_LIST environment variable, and export the 

variable. 

Note 

The Libraries pulldown menu exists only when the analog_da 

personality module is successfully loaded. 



The schematic.menu and schematic.ample Files 

The following text contains an example of a schematic.menu file and a 

schematic.ample file, and suggestions on how to use them. 

HINTS: 

Note 

Some of the command lines in the following text have been 

adjusted so that they fit properly on the page. 

1. Check that your HOME environment variable is set to 

// by typing “env” in a unix shell. If you do not have this 

variable, have your system administrator create it. 

2. Create a directory called mgc/userware/da_ic in your home directory: 

mkdir $HOME/mgc 

mkdir $HOME/mgc/userware 

mkdir $HOME/mgc/userware/da_ic 

3. If you desire to create a userware directory elsewhere than at 

$HOME/mgc/userware, set the AMPLE_PATH environment variable to include 

that directory; otherwise, this step is not necessary. (See the discussion starting on 

page 14-16.) The AMPLE_PATH should be added to your startup/login file so 

you will not have to set it each time you log in. 

4. Copy the schematic.ample file to your userware directory: 

cp $MGC_HOME/shared/pkgs/mgc_digital_uw/userware/default\ 

/schematic.ample 

$HOME/mgc/userware/da_ic/schematic.ample 

5. Copy the schematic.menu file to your userware directory: 

cp $MGC_HOME/pkgs/mgc_digital_uw/userware/default\ 

/schematic.menu 

$HOME/mgc/userware/da_ic/schematic.menu 



Use the schematic.ample and the schematic.menu files below as examples of how 

to modify your copy of the two files. In all the places that need changing, there are 

//comments indicating a CHANGE from the existing function to the new function. 

Included also are the line numbers of where the function changes are located in 

the files. 

6. Once you have completed your schematic.ample and schematic.menu files, 

test them by invoking Design Architect-IC, open a sheet, and pull down the 

libraries menu. Your top library name should now be in this menu. Check out the 

remainder of your library palette to ensure it works as desired. 

7. Compile your schematic.ample file to speed up the invocation of Design 

Architect-IC. This creates a file called da_ic.ample_c. This compiles ALL 

userware in your directory, so if you have subsequent changes to the source 

(.ample) files, you will need to delete the da_ic.ample_c file, make your changes 

and re-compile. 

14-30 

For Example: 

compile_userware -i $HOME/mgc/userware -o $HOME/mgc/userware 

-p da_ic 

Examples of SCHEMATIC.MENU and SCHEMATIC.AMPLE: 

Start of schematic.menu 

//----------------------------------------------------------// 

//This schematic.menu file is meant for customizing MGC released 

// libraries/parts to Design Architect-IC 

// Date created: Thu Mar 5 14:06:38 SIN 1995 // 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

// Start a block so that local variables can be defined 

{ 

// Turn transcripting off 

local old_mode = $set_transcript_mode(@off); 

// Call the function to build the toplevel menu 

//-------------------------------------------------------- 

//------Line 16 

//------CHANGE $MGC_Digital_Libraries_menu 



//------TO $custom_menu 

//------------------------------------------------------------ 

$custom_menu(); 

// Add the toplevel menu to the DA-IC library menu 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

//----Line 18 

//CHANGE $add_library_menu_item('MGC _Digital Libraries' 

,"$replace_part_palette('MGC Digital Libraries')" 

, "mgc_libraries_pulldown"); 

//------TO $add_library_menu_item('University _Libraries' 

,"$replace_part_palette('UniversityLibraries')"); 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

$add_library_menu_item('University_Libraries' 

, "$replace_part_palette('University Libraries')"); 

// Return transcripting to its original level 

$set_transcript_mode(old_mode); 

// End the block 

} 

End of schematic.menu. 

Start of schematic.ample 

//----------------------------------------------------------- 

// 

// This schematic.ample file is meant for customizing 

// MGC released libraries/parts to Design Architect-IC 

// 

// Date created : Mon Feb 10 10:23:53 SIN 1992 

// 

// Change History: 

// o added character mnemonics to the pulldown menus for 

// keyboard manipulation in addition to mouse activation 

... 

// feature 

// - Kuek Fong ( Sep 1995 ) // 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

--- 



//------------------------------------------------------------ 

//------Line 42 

//------CHANGE function $MGC_Digital_Libraries_menu(), INVISIBLE 

//------TO function $custom_menu(), INVISIBLE 

//THIS MUST MATCH THE NAME IN THE SCHEMATIC.MENU FILE WHERE THE 

//CALL TOFUNCTION TO BUILD TOP LEVEL MENU IS DEFINED 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

function $custom_menu(), INVISIBLE 

{ 

extern rom_logic = " "; // logic selection for rom_lib only 

extern logic = " "; // logic selection for libraries 

//other than rom_lib 

extern casetype = " "; // for symbol type selection 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

//------Line 49 

//------CHANGE $create_library_menu(@available 

, @palette, "MGC Digital Libraries",, 

//------TO $create_library_menu(@available 

, @palette, "University Libraries",, 

//THIS MUST MATCH THE LIBRARY NAME DEFINED IN SCHEMATIC.MENU 

//WHERE YOU ADD THE TOP LEVEL MENU TO THE DA-IC LIBRARY NAME!! 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

$create_library_menu("schematic", @palette, "University 

Libraries",, 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

//------Line 50 (see the NOTE below!) 

//------ADD MENU TEXT ITEM TO BE INCLUDED IN MAIN PALETTE 

// FOR EXAMPLE: ,$menu_text_item("dev_lib" 

, '$show_sub_palette("dev_lib")', , @off) 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

,$menu_text_item("dev_lib",'$show_sub_palette("dev_lib"0', 

,@off) 

//------There are currently 32 text items in the above function. 

//Change the library names to your own, and delete the extra 

//entries as necessary. 

// 

//NOTE: Line numbers below are based on an unedited 

//schematic.palette! Use those numbers as a guide to find the 

//functions listed. 

14-32 



//------DELETE lines 85 through 309. (See NOTE above!) 

//------------------------------------------------------------ 

//------Line 310 (See NOTE above!) 

//-----CHANGE function $mgc_libraries_pulldown_menu(), INVISIBLE 

//------TO function $university_libraries_pulldown(), INVISIBLE 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

function $university_libraries_pulldown_menu(), INVISIBLE { 

$create_menu("schematic" 

,@popup 

//----------------------------------------------------------- 


//------CHANGE ,"mgc_libraries_pulldown" 

//------TO ,"university_libraries_pulldown" 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

,"university_libraries_pulldown" 

,$menu_default_columns 

,$menu_default_color 

,$menu_context_item( "($is_diagram_in_edit_mode() )" 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 


//------CHANGE ,"Display _Libraries Palette" 

, "$replace_part_palette('MGC Digital Libraries')" ) 

//------TO ,"Display _Libraries Palette" 

, "$replace_part_palette('UNIVERSITY Libraries')" ) 

//THIS NAME MUST MATCH THE MENU NAME IN $CREATE_MENU IN THE TOP 

//MENU FUNCTION CUSTOM_MENU REDEFINED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 

//FILE. 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

} 

); 

,"Display _Libraries Palette" , "$replace_part_palette 

('UNIVERSITY Libraries')" ) 

,$menu_context_item( "($in_edit_mode )" 

,"Set _Interfaces Defaults" , "$init_global_types() 

" ,,, "parts_interface_pulldown" ) 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

// Library Palettes Created On Demand 

// 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 



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

// DEFINE YOUR DEVELOPMENT LIBRARY MENU BEGINNING ON LINE 331 

// FOR EXAMPLE: 

//------CHANGE 

//function $ac_lib_menu(), INVISIBLE 

//{ 

// $create_library_menu( @available // 

, @palette 

// ,"ac_lib" 

// , 1, 

// ,$menu_text_item("ground" 

//,"$add_or_replace_instance('gen_lib','$MGC_GENLIB/ground')") 

// ,$menu_text_item("portin" 

//,"$add_or_replace_instance('gen_lib','$MGC_GENLIB/portin')") 

// ... 

// ,$menu_text_item("74ac824" 

//,"$add_or_replace_instance('ac_lib','$MGC_ACLIB/74ac824')") 

// ); 

//} 

//------TO 

//function dev_lib_menu(), INVISIBLE 

//{ 

// $create_menu("schematic" 

// , @palette 

// ,"dev_lib" 

// , 1, 

//,$menu_text_item("ground" 

//,"$add_or_replace_instance('dev_lib','$MGC_GENLIB/ground')") 

// ,$menu_text_item("portin" 

//,"$add_or_replace_instance('dev_lib','$MGC_GENLIB/portin')") 

// ,$menu_text_item("portout" 

//,"$add_or_replace_instance('dev_lib','$MGC_GENLIB/portout')" 

// ,$menu_text_item("vcc" 

//,"$add_or_replace_instance('dev_lib','$MGC_GENLIB/vcc')") 

// ); 

//} 

//------------------------------------------------------------- 

End of schematic.ample. 

14-34 



Design Architect-IC Menu Customization Functions 

The following text describes the $create_library_menu() and 

$add_library_menu_item() functions and provide examples for adding menus and 

menu items in Design Architect-IC. The function 

$prompt_for_diagram_location() describes which returns the interactive cursor 

input location in user units instead of pixels. 

$create_library_menu() 

This function is defined in the ui_base scope. The pathname is: 

$MGC_HOME/shared/pkgs/da_ic/userware/${LANG}/ui_base.ample. 

Usage 

$create_library_menu(instance_replace_mode, menu_type, “menu_name”, 

columns, bgd_color, “item1”, “item2”, ... “itemN”) 

Description 

Place the $create_library_menu() function in your schematic.ample file. 

This function allows library developers to inform Design Architect-IC about their 

support for calling $replace() on components listed in their menu. Library 

developers should use this function instead of $create_menu(). If they use 

$create_menu(), their menus will work in $$add_instance mode at all times. 

The defaults for menu_name, columns, and bgd_color are values of internal 

variables set by the Session. 

Arguments 

• instance_replace_mode 

This argument determines whether instance replacement functionality is 

available in the palette popup menu. If it is available, “Replace Instance” 

appears in the palette popup menu when an instance is selected. After an 

instance has been replaced, the menu item toggles to “Add Instance”. The 



14-36 

two possible values of instance_replace_mode are @available and 

⇒ @unavailable. 

• menu_type 

This is the name of the type of menu you are creating. Choose one of the 

following: ⇒ @popup, @pulldown, or @palette. 

• menu_name 

This string specifies the name of the menu. The default is the value of the 

$menu_default_popup_name variable. 

• items 

This repeating argument defines items in your menu. Each menu item must 

be quoted. 

• columns 

This optional integer specifies the number of columns you want in your 

menu. It defaults to the value of the $menu_default_columns variable. 

• bgd_color 

This optional string defines the background color for the menu. The default 

is the value of the $menu_default_color variable. 



$add_library_menu_item() 

This function is available in the schematic scope. The pathname is: 

$MGC_HOME/shared/pkgs/da_ic/userware/${LANG}/schematic.ample. 

Usage 

$add_library_menu_item(“display_text”, “action”, “submenu_name”) 

Description 

The $add_library_menu_item() function is to be used in the schematic.dofile file 

by library developers who want their menu access added to the Libraries pulldown 

menu. The developer calls this with his choice of display_text which is what will 

actually display in the pulldown. 

Arguments 

• display_text 

This string specifies the text that actually appears in the menu. 

• action 

This will ordinarily be a call to make your palette menu appear in the 

palette area. This is the call “$replace_part_palette()” in the example at the 

end of this function definition. The action call should be placed inside of 

quotes, because it is a string. 

• submenu_name 

This string is the name of the submenu, and is only needed if there is going 

to be a cascade menu off of this newly added menu item. 



Example(s) 

Here is an example of how the mgc_digital_uw package makes its call: 

14-38 

$add_library_menu_item("MGC _Digital Libraries", 

"$replace_part_palette('MGC Digital Libraries')", 

"mgc_libraries_pulldown"); 

“MGC Digital Libraries” is the display_text; 

“$replace_part_palette('MGC Digital Libraries')” is the action; 

“mgc_libraries_pulldown” is the submenu_name. 

When this function is called, Design Architect-IC creates the specified menu item 

and adds it onto the Libraries pulldown menu. 



$add_or_replace_instance() 

As a library developer, you should write a function that does exactly what you 

want it to do. The $add_or_replace_instance() function can serve as a guide if it 

does some or most of what you want. Once you have written your function, call it 

from your own menus. The pathname to the file in which the 

$add_or_replace_instance() function is defined is: 

$MGC_HOME/shared/pkgs/da_ic/userware/$LANG/schematic.ample 

Copy the function to your own schematic.ample file, and edit the function to 

match your needs. Be sure to give the edited function a unique name; DO NOT 

name it “$add_or_replace_instance()”. Also, user-defined functions should not 

begin with “$”. If you do not rename the function, your function will overwrite the 

one supplied by Mentor Graphics, and the Mentor Graphics menu will not work 

correctly. 

The following is a short version of the $add_or_replace_instance() function. 

function sample_add_or_replace_instance( comp : string, 

smbl : optional string { default = "" } 

), INDIRECT 

{ 

if ($does_component_exist(comp) != "") { 

$set_active_symbol(comp,smbl); 

if (session_area@@$instance_replacement_mode == @off) 

$place_active_symbol(); 

else 

$$replace(comp,smbl,@clear); 

$set_instance_replacement_mode(@off); 

else 

$message($format("Cannot find component %s. Please 

ensure logical name is defined or have the component 

installed.",comp),@warning); 

} 

Keep in mind that the $add_or_replace_instance() function is only a guide; it is 

not meant to be used “as is” by library developers. It was written specifically to be 

called by the Mentor Graphics gen_lib menus. Notice that the function exists only 

in the file in which it is used as a call from the menus defined by the same group. 



If you want your menus to allow “replace” as well as “add” functionality, it is 

necessary to put the following line after the add or replace action is complete: 

14-40 

$set_instance_replacement_mode(@off); 

This is the only way that the palette menu knows to change the popup menu item 

from “Replace Instance” back to “Add Instance”. 



$prompt_for_diagram_location() 

Scope: bed 

Usage 

$prompt_for_diagram_location(@multi_window, @multi_window_paint, 

@ignore_grid) 

Description 

The $prompt_for_diagram_location() function is used as an argument in the 

$prompt_dynamic() function to retrieve the cursor location in user units. Another 

function $prompt_for_location() can be used, but is less useful because the 

location is returned in pixels. 

Arguments 

The arguments for this function can be specified in any order and include the 

following: 

• @multi_window 

Enables inter-window dynamics. If omitted, the dynamic suspends 

whenever the mouse cursor is outside the active window. If specified, the 

dynamic resumes when the mouse cursor is over any Bed_window showing 

the same Bed_diagram as the active window. Dynamic graphics are only 

rendered in the window that contains the mouse cursor. Note that a builtin 

command only “knows” that inter-window dynamics occurred by checking 

the area names returned in the Bed_diagram_location ... 

• @multi_window_paint 

This argument enables multi-window rendering of dynamic graphics. If 

omitted, the dynamic only displays in the window that contains the mouse 

cursor. If specified, the dynamic displays in all windows into the same 

diagram as the window that contains the mouse cursor. 



14-42 

• @ignore_grid 

Example 

Does not return the nearest grid location. 

The following code shows how the $prompt_for_diagram_location() is used in the 

$$slice() function. 

function $$slice( 

pt1 : diagram_location, 

pt2 : diagram_location, 

all_props : Boolean {default = FALSE}) { 

$invis_clear_saved_prompt(); 

$slice(pt1, pt2, all_props); 

} 

function $$slice_prompt(),INVISIBLE 

{ 

$create_prompt("da_window", @$$slice, "Slice", 

$prompt_arg(@pt1, "First Point"), 

$prompt_dynamic(@pt1, 

"($prompt_for_diagram_location(@multi_window, @multi_window 

_paint))"), 

$prompt_arg(@pt2, "Second Point"), 

$prompt_dynamic(@pt2, "($prompt_for_diagram_line(pt1, 

@wait_for_lmb_up, @multi_wi 

ndow, @multi_window_paint))"), 

$prompt_arg(@all_props, "Copy Properties to all Comments") 

); 

} 

Related Functions 

$prompt_for_location() 

$prompt_dynamic() 

$create_prompt() 



Userware Examples 

The following text shows sample userware customizations that vary in 

maintenance levels from light to heavy. 

Adding a Palette Library Menu 

Rework Level: Light -- New menus created in userware that call documented 

functions or custom userware functions require light maintenance. 

The my_lib_menu() function in this example also belongs in the 

schematic.ample file. It shows how to add a palette library menu. This 

function should also be written with a unique name, so that it does not interfere 

with existing Mentor Graphics component library functions. The function 

should be written to include functionality necessary for the successful use of 

your customized library parts. 

Note 

Every custom library palette menu function you create must have a 

name the ends with “_menu()” in order for the palette menu to 

work correctly. 

// This function defines the palette menu for your customized 

// parts. These are sample parts. 

function my_lib_menu(), INVISIBLE 

{ 

$create_library_menu( @available 

, @palette 

,"my_lib" 

, 1, ,$menu_text_item("ground", 

"$sample_add_or_replace_instance('$MGC_GENLIB/ground')") 

,$menu_text_item("portin", 

"$sample_add_or_replace_instance('$MGC_GENLIB/portin')") 

,$menu_text_item("portout", 

"$sample_add_or_replace_instance($MGC_GENLIB/portout')") 

,$menu_text_item("vcc", 

"$sample_add_or_replace_instance('$MGC_GENLIB/vcc')") 

,$menu_text_item("74act00", 

"$sample_add_or_replace_instance('$MGC_ACTLIB/74act00')") 

,$menu_text_item("74act11000", 

"$sample_add_or_replace_instance($MGC_ACTLIB/74act11000')") 

); 



} 

The items below go into a schematic.dofile file. The function calls in this file add 

the menu(s) and menu item(s) that you defined in the schematic.ample file. 

14-44 

// Start a block so that local variables can be defined 

{ 

// Turn transcripting off 

local old_mode = $set_transcript_mode(@off); 

// Call the function to build the toplevel menu 

my_lib_menu(); 

// Add the toplevel menu to the DA-IC library menu 

$add_library_menu_item('My _Library', 

"$replace_part_palette('my_lib')"); 

// Return transcripting to its original level 

$set_transcript_mode(old_mode); 

// End the block 

Adding to MGC Menus 

Rework Level: Moderate -- Adding to existing menu items requires little 

maintenance, unless the name of a menu changes from one release to the next. 

Also, when adding items to context-sensitive menus (for example, the popup 

menus in the Design Architect-IC schematic window), check the names of the 

menus at each release. 

Items are added to an existing menu with the $add_menu_item() function. The 

syntax for the function is as follows: 

$add_menu_item(menu, item, menu_name); 

When calling the $add_menu_item() function, use either the menu argument or 

the menu_name argument, not both of the optional arguments. The menu and 

menu_name arguments are described in the following list: 

menu The menu id. This is the value returned when the 

$create_menu() function is called. If this value is not 

stored in an external variable, then the value is lost. 

menu_name The text string that is the menu name. 



The names of the default popup, palette, and menu bars for a scope are stored in 

reserved AMPLE variables: $menu_default_popup_name, 

$menu_default_palette_name, and $menu_default_menu_bar_name respectively. 

The simplest way to determine the name of the menu is to activate the window 

associated with the menu, and then call the $writeln() function with the 

appropriate reserved AMPLE variable name as an argument. If this method fails, 

examine the source userware to determine the menu name. 

The following code block shows an example call to $add_menu_item(). Notice 

the use of the reserved AMPLE variable in the function call to minimize the 

potential for rework in a future software release. 

1 $add_menu_item(,$menu_bar_item(“V_NDR”,“vndr_pulldown”), 

2 $menu_default_menu_bar_name); 



The code block that follows could be placed in the schematic.dofile file to 

customize the menus in Design Architect-IC; the list explains the code block: 

14-46 

Line(s) Action(s) 

2 and 8 Stores the existing transcript mode in the “trans_mode” local 

variable, and then restores transcripting to original mode. 

3-4 Adds the “VNDR” item to the menu bar. 

5-6 Adds the “VNDR Library” item to the Libraries pulldown menu. 

7 Stores the name of the default palette menu for later use. 

1 { 

2 local trans_mode = $set_transcript_mode(@off); 

3 $add_menu_item(, $menu_bar_item("V_NDR", 

4 "vndr_pulldown"), $menu_default_menu_bar_name); 

5 $add_library_menu_item('V_NDR Library', 

6 '$replace_part_palette("VNDR_Root_Palette")'); 

7 extern vndr_dpal = $menu_default_palette_name; 

8 $set_transcript_mode(trans_mode); 

9 } 


Creating DA-IC Userware Recommendations 

Recommendations 

Here are a few recommendations to make your customization easier: 

• Look at existing Mentor Graphics userware for examples of how to use 

AMPLE. Look in: 

$MGC_HOME/shared/pkgs/da_ic/userware/En_na 

• Create a separate file that adds to Mentor Graphics userware, instead of 

modifying the Mentor Graphics userware. This will make maintenance 

much easier as you receive new releases. 

• Create separate palettes and menus, rather than changing or adding directly 

to Mentor Graphics palettes and menus. This also makes maintenance 

easier. 

• Do not create userware that is dependent upon screen locations. Creating 

any userware that is dependent on the size or position of any portion of an 

application window is not only going to require a large amount of 

maintenance from one software release to another, but may require changes 

for each platform that Mentor Graphics supports. 


Recommendations Creating DA-IC Userware 

14-48 


Chapter 15 

Hotkey Function Dictionary 

Function Summary 

Table 15-1 alphabetically lists the Hotkey functions included in this chapter and 

gives a brief description of each function. 

Table 15-1. Function Summary 

Function Description 

$copy_edit_hotkey_settings() Copies one of the predefined Hotkey 

settings to a specified work area and 

invokes the AMPLE editor on the new 

file. 

$define_hotkey() Assigns a Design Architect-IC 

command to an alphanumeric key. 

$get_hotkey_mode() Returns the enable status of Hotkeys. 

$get_hotkey_settings() Returns a vector of vectors that contains 

Hotkey names and their comments. 

$load_hotkey_settings() Loads either predefined, user-defined, 

or custom Hotkey settings. 

$report_hotkey_settings() Displays a list of all loaded Hotkeys 

and their comments. 

$set_hotkey_mode() Specifies whether Hotkeys are enabled 

or disabled. 


Function Description Legend Hotkey Function Dictionary 

Function Description Legend 

This section contains descriptions of Hotkey functions. Many of these functions 

are linked to a command and a menu item. This flexibility lets you use the method 

you like best for performing any particular task. The function descriptions in this 

section are in alphabetical order, and follow a standard format. Each function 

description begins at the top of a page, followed by sections listed here: 

Function Title 

This section contains the function's name, applicable scope, and window. The 

Scope and Window subsections are defined as follows: 

Usage 

15-2 

Scope: A scope is a portion of the environment in which userware or an 

AMPLE identifier has meaning. The Hotkey functions have meaning in the 

da_window scope. 

Window: The Hotkey functions are only available in the Design Architect- 

IC Schematic and Symbol Editor windows. 

This subsection shows how to use the function by listing the following: 

Function usage line (always presented) 

Command usage line (only if registered as a command) 

Menu path (only if available through a menu item) 

1. Function usage line - shows exact and literal AMPLE syntax along with 

the argument order. 

Required Arguments Optional Argument 

$function_name(arg1, “arg2”, arg3) 

Figure 15-1. Function Usage Line Legend 


Hotkey Function Dictionary Function Description Legend 

A function call usually begins with a dollar sign, with the arguments 

enclosed in parentheses (shown in Figure 15-1). The arguments are 

separated by commas and are structured as follows: 

• Required arguments are in standard font. 

• Optional arguments are in italic font. 

Any argument that has more than one listed value has a place-holder in the 

usage line. The “Arguments” subsection lists values for that function list, 

and explains the exact names. 

The usage line shows all vector arguments in this subsection, as they appear 

on the prompt bar, or in the dialog box. The description of each argument 

shows all sub-arguments used directly within a program or on a command 

line. For example, the description expands the vector argument 

[to_location] to [x, y, “window”]. Then, it expands the vector argument 

[“name”] to [“name1”, “name2”, ..., “nameN”]. In this example, the values 

“name1” and “name2” are required values and additional values are 

optional. 

The usage line presents rest arguments in a manner similar to vectors, but 

without brackets. For example, when a rest argument such as “name” 

appears in italics on the usage line, you can enter zero or more values. 

Similarly, when a rest argument such as “string” appears in standard font on 

the usage line, the description of that argument expands to “string1”, ..., 

“stringN”. 

2. Command usage - If the function is linked to an equivalent command, this 

subsection also shows the command usage. 

FUNction NAme arg1 “arg2” arg3 Command Syntax 

FUN NA arg1 “arg2” arg3 

What is entered 

Figure 15-2. Example of Function Command Usage 


Function Description Legend Hotkey Function Dictionary 

15-4 

The command usage line shows exact and literal AMPLE syntax, and the 

order of required arguments. Figure 15-2 shows the uppercase characters 

that indicate the minimum set of characters that you must type. If you omit 

all spaces from the minimal typing, you can execute the “expert command”. 

Required arguments are in standard font; optional arguments are in italic 

font. 

The command usage line shows a placeholder for arguments that can have 

more than one listed value, or that can have multiple values entered. It 

shows vectors and rest arguments as they appear in “Function Usage”. 

3. Menu path - If the function can be called from a menu item, this subsection 

shows the complete menu path. 

For example, Figure 15-3 shows the $copy_edit_hotkey_settings() called 

from the menu path (Schematic and Symbol Editor) 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Customize...: 

Figure 15-3. Menu Path Example 


Hotkey Function Dictionary Function Descriptions 

Description 

This subsection contains a detailed description of the function's behavior and any 

of its undo capabilities. 

Arguments 

This subsection displays a bulleted list of required and optional arguments, and 

also provides descriptions. Required arguments are listed in bold, standard text; 

optional arguments are listed in bold, italic text. 

Examples 

This subsection contains examples of function usage and (where applicable) 

command and menu usage. 

Function Descriptions 

The following pages contain an alphabetical listing of Hotkey functions. 


$copy_edit_hotkey_settings() Hotkey Function Dictionary 

$copy_edit_hotkey_settings() 

Scope: da_window 

Window: Schematic Editor and Symbol Editor 

Usage 

$copy_edit_hotkey_settings(style, “destination”) 

COPy EDit Hotkey Settings style, “destination” 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Customize... 

Description 

Copies one of the predefined hotkey settings to a specified work area, and invokes 

the AMPLE editor on the new file. After compiling and saving the file, the user 

can load the file in subsequent sessions as a “custom” hotkey file. 

Arguments 

• style 

A name that specifies which Hotkey settings to copy from the 

$MGC_HOME/shared/pkgs/da_ic/userware directory. It must use the 

following argument: 

⇒ @da_editing: Design Architect-IC editing key mappings. 

• destination 

A string that specifies where to copy the Hotkey settings. 

Example 

This example copies the Design Architect-IC editing Hotkey settings into the file 

“my_hotkey_settings” in the $HOME directory and invokes the AMPLE editor on 

this new file. 

15-6 

$copy_edit_hotkey_settings(@da_editing,"$HOME/my_hotkey_settings") 


Hotkey Function Dictionary $define_hotkey() 




Usage 

$define_hotkey(“key_name”, “function_name”, “comment”) 

DEFine HOtkey “key_name” “function_name” “comment” 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Define... 

Description 

Assigns a Design Architect-IC command to an alphanumeric key. 

Figure 15-4 shows that the $define_hotkey() function calls a dialog box that 

contains a scroll list of Design Architect-IC commands. 

Define Hotkey 


Add Arc 

Add Bus 

Add Circle 

Add Dot 

Add Frame 

Add FB Defn 

Add FB Inst 

Add FB Pin 

Add Instance 

Add Line 


Figure 15-4. $define_hotkey() Dialog Box 

The user selects one of the commands, then selects an alphanumeric key to map 

the command to. After the key is selected, the user is prompted to enter a 

descriptive comment that is saved along with the key mapping. 


$define_hotkey() Hotkey Function Dictionary 

A complete list of cross-referenced Design Architect-IC commands contained in 

the $define_hotkey() dialog box can be found in Appendix B, “Hotkey 

Commands”. 

The $define_hotkey() function saves the assignment to an individual hotkey file in 

the $HOME/mgc/da_hotkeys directory. The name of the alphanumeric key is used 

in the Hotkey file name. For example, if the “a” key is mapped, then the function 

creates a resultant file named “key_a.ample” for that key. 

To load all hotkey files, you can use $load_hotkey_settings(@user). 

If used with the arguments, the function maps an AMPLE function to a userspecified 

alphanumeric key. If no arguments are specified, then the function calls 

the $define_hotkey() dialog box illustrated in Figure 15-4. 

Arguments 

• key_name (key_name) 

An optional string that contains the alphanumeric key to assign. 

• function_name (function_name) 

An optional string that contains the AMPLE function’s name. 

• comment (comment) 

An optional string that contains a comment describing the AMPLE function. 

Examples 

This example assigns the AMPLE $add_arc() function to the “a” key, and the 

comment “Add Arc”. 

$define_hotkey("a","$add_arc()","Add Arc") 

15-8 


Related Functions 



Hotkey Function Dictionary $get_hotkey_mode() 

$get_hotkey_mode() 



Usage 


GET HOtkey Mode 

Description 

Returns (in the Session transcript) the status of the current Hotkey setting. The 

return values are as follows: 

@off - Disables hotkeys. 

@on - Enables hotkeys. 

Examples 

The following is an example of the $get_hotkey_mode() function, invoked from 

the command line, when the Hotkeys are enabled: 


In the transcript, the following value is returned: 

// @on 


$get_hotkey_settings() Hotkey Function Dictionary 

$get_hotkey_settings() 



Usage 


GET HOtkey Settings 

Description 

Returns a vector of vectors that contains Hotkey names and their respective 

comments. 

Examples 

The following is an example of the $get_hotkey_settings() function from the 

command line: 

15-10 

Note 

If it does not have a comment, a Hotkey is not included in the 

vector. If none of the Hotkeys have comments, or if the Hotkeys are 

not loaded, then the function returns [void]. 


In the transcript, a list of settings similar to the following is returned: 

// [[“a”, “Add Pin”], [“b”, “Add Bus/Bundle”], [“c”, \ 

“Copy”], [“d”, “Delete”], [“e”, “Report Object”], \ 

[“f”, “Flip Horizontal”], [“i”, “Add Instance”], \ 

[“m”,“Move”], [“n”, “Name Nets”], [“o”, “Open Down”],\ 

[“p”,“Pivot”], [“q”, “Check Sheet/Symbol”], [“r”, \ 

“Rotate 90”], [“t”, “Add Text”], [“u”, “undo”], \ 

[“v”, “Select Vertex”], [“w”, “Add Wire”], [“x”, \ 

“Select Text and Move”], [“z”, “Zoom In”], [“bs”, \ 

“Set Basepoint”], [“cs”, “Choose Symbol”], [“fs”, \ 

“Flip Vertical”], [“ms”, “Modify Properties”], [“os”,\ 

“Open Up”], [“ps”, “add Property”], [“rs”, “Rotate -90”], \ 

[“ts”, “Change Text Value”], [“us”, “Unselect All”], \ 

[“vs”,“View All”], [“zs”, “Zoom Out”]] 


Hotkey Function Dictionary $load_hotkey_settings() 




Usage 

$load_hotkey_settings(style, enable) 

LOAd HOtkey Settings style enable 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Load 

Description 

Loads either predefined, user-defined, or custom Hotkey settings, and enables the 

Hotkeys. 

If no arguments are specified, then the Load Hotkey Settings dialog box is called, 

as in Figure 15-5 below: 


Choices 


User-defined 

Custom 



Figure 15-5. $load_hotkey_settings() Dialog Box 

The predefined Hotkeys are located in the following directory: 

$MGC_HOME/shared/pkgs/ic_da/userware/En_na 


$load_hotkey_settings() Hotkey Function Dictionary 

The $HOME/mgc/da_hotkeys directory contains user-defined Hotkey settings. 

The custom Hotkey settings are located in a directory chosen by the user. 

Arguments 

• Style 

A name that specifies which Hotkey settings to load. One of the following 

three choices must be specified: 

@user - user-defined key mappings 

@da_editing - Design Architect-IC editing key mappings 

@custom - custom key mappings 

• Enable 

A value that specifies whether Hotkey mode is enabled. Possible values are: 

⇒ @yes - enable hotkey mode 

@no - do not enable hotkey mode 

Examples 

This example loads the default Design Architect-IC key mappings and enables 

hotkeys. 

15-12 

Note 

If the Hotkeys are already enabled, the @no argument will not 

disable the Hotkeys. 

$load_hotkey_settings(@da_editing,@yes); 


Hotkey Function Dictionary $report_hotkey_settings() 




Usage 


REPort HOtkey Settings 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Report 

Report > Hotkeys 

Description 

Displays a list of all loaded Hotkeys and their comments. Figure 15-6 shows the 

dialog box that is called when you issue this function: 

Report Hotkey Settings 


Hotkey Definitions: 

a = Add Pin 

b = Add Bus/Bundle 

c = Copy 

d = Delete 

e = Report Object 

f = Flip Horizontal 

i = Add Instance 

m= Move 

n = Name Nets 

o = Open Down 

View Source Code 

Print List 


Figure 15-6. $report_hotkey_settings() Dialog Box 


$report_hotkey_settings() Hotkey Function Dictionary 

The dialog box contains a scroll list of Hotkey definitions. From this dialog box, 

the user has the option to view the AMPLE source code for a Hotkey definition, or 

print the list of Hotkey definitions. 

Examples 

This example calls the Report Hotkey Settings dialog box, and displays all the 

currently loaded Hotkey definitions. 

15-14 

Note 

A Hotkey is not included in the list, if it does not have a comment. If 

no commented Hotkeys are currently loaded in the system, a 

warning message displays. 



Hotkey Function Dictionary $set_hotkey_mode() 

$set_hotkey_mode() 



Usage 

$set_hotkey_mode(mode) 

SET HOtkey Mode mode 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Enable 

Miscellaneous > Hotkeys > Disable 

Description 

Specifies whether Hotkeys are enabled or disabled. 

If no argument is provided, then the $set_hotkey_mode() prompt bar is called 

(Figure 15-7). 

Arguments 

• mode 

@off - disable Hotkeys 

@on - enable Hotkeys 

Figure 15-7. $set_hotkey_mode() Prompt Bar 

Examples 

The following example enables Hotkeys. 

$set_hotkey_mode(@on) 

SET HO M Mode off 

OK Cancel 


$set_hotkey_mode() Hotkey Function Dictionary 

15-16 


Appendix A 

Predefined Hotkeys 

Design Architect-IC provides a predefined hotkeys for commonly used 

commands as described in the following table. 

Table A-1. DA-IC Hotkey Set 

Key Action 

a add pin 

b add bus/bundle 

c copy 

d delete 

e report object 

f flip horizontal 

g 

h 

i add instance 

j 

k 

l 

m move 

n name nets 

o open down 

p pivot 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 A-1

A-2 


Key Action 

q 

r rotate 90 degrees 

s 

t add text 

u undo 

v select vertex 

w add wire 

x select text and move 

y 

z zoom in 2.0 

A 

B set basepoint 

C check sheet/symbol 

D 

E 

F flip vertical 

G 

H 

I 

J 

K 

L 

M modify properties 





Key Action 

N 

O open up 

P add property 

Q 

R rotate -90 degrees 

S save sheet/symbol 

T change text value 

U unselect all 

V view all 

W 

X 

Y 

Z zoom out 2.0 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

0 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 A-3

A-4 



Appendix B 

Hotkey Commands 

The following table contains the Design Architect-IC commands included within 

the Define Hotkey dialog box. 

Table B-1. Hotkey Commands 

Menu Selection AMPLE Function 

Add Arc $$add_arc() 

Add Bus $add_bus() 

Add Circle $add_circle() 

Add Dot $add_dot() 

Add Frame $add_frame() 

Add Function Block Def $add_fb_def() 

Add Function Block Inst $add_fb_inst() 

Add Function Block Pin $add_fb_pins() 

Add Instance $add_instance() 

Add Line $add_line() 

Add Net $add_net() 

Add Pin $add_pin() 

Add Polygon $add_polygon() 

Add Polyline $add_polyline() 

Add Property $add_property() 

Add Rectangle $add_rectangle() 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 B-1

B-2 



Add Text $add_text() 

Add Wire $add_wire() 

Align Left $align(@left) 

Align Right $align(@right) 

Align Top $align(@top) 

Align Bottom $align(@bottom) 

Apply Edits $apply_edits() 

Change Color $change_color() 

Change Property Value $change_property_value() 

Check Sheet/Symbol $$check() 

Connect $connect() 

Convert FB Inst to Def $convert_fb_inst_to_def() 

Convert To Comment $convert_to_comment() 

Copy $copy() 

Create FB Inst From Def $create_fb_inst_from_def() 

Delete $delete() 

Disconnect $disconnect() 

Flip Horizontal $flip(@horizontally) 

Flip Vertical $flip(@vertically) 

Group $group() 

Make FB/All $make_fb(@all) 

Make FB/Selected $make_fb(@selected) 

Merge Annotations $merge_annotations() 






Modify Frame $modify_frame() 

Move $move() 

Open Down $choose_model() 

Open Top $open_top() 

Open Up $open_up() 

Pivot $pivot() 

Place Active Symbol $place_active_symbol() 

Pop To Front $pop_to_front() 

Push To Back $push_to_back() 

Reconnect Annotations $reconnect_annotations() 

Redo $redo() 

Resize FB $resize_fb() 

Rotate $rotate(90) 

Scroll Down By Unit $scroll_down_by_unit() 

Scroll Down By Window $scroll_down_by_window() 

Scroll Horizontally $scroll_hz() 

Scroll Left By Unit $scroll_left_by_unit() 

Scroll Left By Window $scroll_left_by_window() 

Scroll Right By Unit $scroll_right_by_unit() 

Scroll Right By Window $scroll_right_by_window() 

Scroll Up By Unit $scroll_up_by_unit() 

Scroll Up By Window $scroll_up_by_window() 

Scroll Vertically $scroll_vt() 


B-4 



Select All $select_all() 

Select Area $select_area() 

Select Area/FB $select_area(..., @fb, ...) 

Select Area/FB Pins $select_area(..., @fbpin) 

Select Branches $select_braches() 

Select FB w/contents $select_fb() 

Select Instances $select_instances() 

Select Nets $select_nets() 

Select Pins $select_pins() 

Select Property Owner $select_property_owner() 

Select Text $select_text() 

Select Vertices $select_vertices() 

Slice $slice() 

Stretch $stretch() 

Undo $undo() 

Ungroup $ungroup() 

Unmake FB/All $unmake_fb(@all) 

Unmake FB/Selected $unmake_fb(@selected) 

Unmake FB/1 level $unmake_fb(@selected, 1) 

Unmake FB/2 levels $unmake_fb(@selected, 2) 

Unmake FB/3 levels $unmake_fb(@selected, 3) 

Unselect All $unselect_all() 

Unselect FB w/contents $unselect_fb() 






Unselect Prop Owner $unselect_property_owner() 

Update $update() 

View All $view_all() 

View Area $view_area() 

View Selected $view_selected() 

Zoom In $zoom_in(2) 

Zoom Out $zoom_out(2) 


B-6 



Appendix C 

Design Checks 

This appendix describes the design checks available in Design Architect-IC (DA- 

IC). An asterisk indicates the checks required by Mentor Graphics applications. 

All required checks are enabled by default. 

In addition to validating a design, checks provide the following functions: 

• Verifies syntax on a symbol or schematic is correct and can be used by 

other Mentor Graphics applications. 

• Issues warning to identify possible user error. 

• Provides informational messages. 

• Automatically names instances and nets by their handles. DA-IC also 

provides optional checks, including common electrical rules, that allow you 

to customize your design check. 

The checks are organized into the following groups: 

• Symbol Checks 

• Schematic Sheet Checks 

• Schematic Checks 

Symbol Checks 

This section lists the symbol checks available in DA-IC. To change which checks 

are performed, from the Symbol Editor, choose Setup>Check... and select the 

desired checks in the Default Symbol Check Settings dialog box. 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 C-1

Symbol Checks Design Checks 

For more information, see “Checking a Symbol for Errors” in Chapter 4. 

A symbol must pass the required checks before it can be instantiated. 

Special Symbols* 

The following checks are required for special symbols. Error messages are 

generated if these checks are not passed. 

Pin* 

C-2 

• Does a port connector (symbol with Class “P” property value) have only 

one pin? 

• Does an off-page connector (symbol with Class “O” property value) have at 

least one pin? 

• Does a net connector (symbol with Class “C” property value) have at least 

two pins? 

• Does a global (symbol with Class “G” property value) have one and only 

one pin? 

• Does a bus ripper (symbol with Class “R” property value) have one pin 

with Pin property value “Bundle”? 

• Does a bus ripper (symbol with Class “R” property value) have at least two 

pins? 

• Does a null instance (symbol with Class “N” property value) have no pins? 

The following checks are required for symbol pins; error messages are generated 

if they are not passed. 

• Does each symbol pin have a Pin property? 

• Do pin properties on a symbol have valid pin name syntax? 


Design Checks Schematic Sheet Checks 

Body* 

• Does a symbol have at least one pin (unless the symbol has a Class “N” 

property value)? 

• Does a property value on a pin have an invalid expression syntax? 

The following checks are required for symbol bodies; error messages are 

generated if they are not passed. 

• Does a symbol body have a graphical representation? 

• Is the same property value assigned different values on different pieces of 

the symbol body? 

• Do property values on the symbol body have valid expression syntax? 

Interface 

The following checks are performed on pin and port interfaces for the symbol. 

Error messages are generated if they are not passed. 

• Does a pin on the symbol match a net on the schematic? 

• Does a port on the schematic have a matching pin on the symbol? 

• Does a pin on a symbol have a matching port on the schematic? 

Schematic Sheet Checks 

This section lists the schematic sheet checks available in DA-IC. To change which 

checks are performed, from the Schematic Editor, choose Setup>Check... and 

select the desired checks in the Default Schematic Check Settings dialog box. 

These checks are performed on the active schematic sheet. 

For more information, see “Checking a Schematic for Errors” in Chapter 3. 


Schematic Sheet Checks Design Checks 

All schematic sheets must pass the required checks before being used by 

downstream applications. 

Instance* 

The following checks are required for instances. Error messages are generated if 

the schematic sheet fails any of the following checks: 

C-4 

• Does an Inst property value (instance name) have valid syntax? 

• Is an Inst property value (instance name) unique within the sheet, except for 

within unmade FB definitions? 

• Are instances with duplicate Inst property values (instance name) in the 

same FB definition? 

• Does an instance reference a version of a part which exists and is current? 

• Do the instance pins match pins of a referenced symbol? 

• Does a symbol model exist for the instance? 

• Do instance property values have valid syntax? 

• Does a Pin property value have valid pin name syntax? 

The following checks generate warning messages if they are not passed: 

• Can an instance name (Inst property value) be evaluated? 

• Can a pin name (Pin property value) be evaluated? 

• Can a property value on an instance or pin be evaluated? 

Special Instances* 

The following checks are required for special instances, such as ports, connectors, 

globals, and bus rippers. Error messages are generated if the schematic sheet fails 

any of the following checks. 



• Does a port connector (Class “P” property value) have only one pin? 

• Does an off-page connector (Class “O” property value) have at least one 

pin? 

• Does a net connector (Class “C” property value) have at least two pins? 

• Does a global (Class “G” property value) have one pin? 

• Does a bus ripper (Class “R” property value) have one pin with pin property 

“Bundle”? 

• Does a bus ripper (Class “R” property value) have at least two pins? 

• Does a null instance (Class “N” property value) have no pins. 

• Does a pin of a port connector (Class “P” property value) connect to a 

named net? 

• Do all nets attached to the pins of a net connector (Class “C” property 

value) have the same width? 

• Does a global (Class “G” property value) have a Global property value with 

valid net name syntax? 

• Does a bus ripper (Class “R” property value) have a Rule property attached 

to an instance or an output pin? 

• Does a Rule property value of a bus ripper (Class “R” property value) have 

valid subscript syntax? 

• Is the output pin of a bus ripper (Class “R” property value) attached to a 

named net whose width matches the width specified by the “Rule” property 

value? 

• Is an input pin of a bus ripper (Class “R” property value) attached to a bus? 

• Is a pin of an off-page connector (Class “O” property value) connected to a 

named net? 



C-6 

• Does the signal name of an implicit ripper exactly match the name of a 

corresponding signal in the net or net bundle? 


Net* 

• Does a net connector (Class “C” property value) connect two nets with the 

same name? 

• Do pins of a net connector (Class “C” property value) connect to a named 

net? 

• Does a Global property value (Class “G” property value) contain a 

subscript? 

• Can a Global property value (Class “G” property value) be evaluated? 

The following checks are required for nets. Error messages are generated if the 

schematic sheet fails any of the following checks. 

• Does a property value assigned to a segment of a net conflict with values on 

different segments of the same net? 

• Does a Net property value have valid net name syntax? 

• Does a range specified in the net name (Net property value) conflict with 

the range of a connected pin? 

• Does a pin connected to an unnamed net have conflicting range 

specifications? 

• Does a property value have valid expression syntax? 

• Does a single net have the same name as a bus or bundle? 

• Are the members of a net bundle listed in at least one occurrence of the net 

bundle in a schematic? 



• Do all occurrences of a named net bundle in a schematic contain the same 

signal names in the same order? 

• Does the combined width of the nets and bus bits in a net bundle match the 

width of a connecting pin bundle or wide pin? 

• Does a net that is ripped by name from a net bundle actually exist in the net 

bundle? 

• Does a net bundle name contain a parameterized expression? 

• Does a net bundle have the same name as an individual net or bus? 


• Can the net name (Net property value) be evaluated? 

• Can the pin name (Pin property value) be evaluated? 

• Can all property values be evaluated? 

• Are two globals shorted together? 

Frame* 

The following checks are required for frames. Error messages are generated if the 

schematic sheet fails any of the following checks. 

• Does an instance or its pins overlap a frame border? 

• Does a frame border overlap the border of another frame? 

• Does a frame have a frame expression? 

• Does a frame expression have valid syntax? 

Warning messages are generated if the schematic sheet fails any of the following 

checks: 

• Can the frame expression (Frexrep property value) be evaluated? 



C-8 

• Does a frame contain an instance? 

• Can all property values on a frame be evaluated? 

Symbol Pins* 

The following symbol pin check is performed on schematic sheets. Error 

messages are generated if the schematic sheet fails any of the following checks. 

• Are there symbol pins left on schematic sheets? 

• Do all pins occur only once within a pin bundle? 

• Is there an individual pin by itself on the symbol that is also contained in a 

pin bundle? 

• Is a pin contained in more than one pin bundle? 

Parameter 

The following informational check is performed on parameters, and causes a 

parameter listing to be generated. 

• Identify parameters which are required to evaluate property values and 

object names in the sheet. 

Expressions 

The following informational check is performed on expressions, and causes an 

expression listing to be generated. 

• Identify expressions in the sheet that require evaluation and the parameters 

they require. 

Owner 

The following checks are performed on properties. Error messages are generated 

if the schematic sheet fails any of the following checks: 



• Is the Pin property attached to a pin? 

• Is the Inst property attached to an instance? 

• Is the Net property attached to a net? 

• Is the Global property attached to an instance, not of type Class “G” or 

Class “N”? 

• Is the Rule property attached to an instance not of type Class “R” or Class 

“N”, or attached to a pin of a ripper instance? 

• Is the Frexrep property attached to a frame? 

Overlap 

The following informational check is performed on instances, and causes an 

instance listing and an error to be generated if not passed. 

• Identify the position of two instances where the bounding box of one 

instance overlaps the bounding box of the other. 

• Class instances are positioned such that their bounding boxes may overlap 

those of other class or non-class instances. Each instance type is grouped 

separately within the warning message 

Notdots 

The following informational check is performed on not-dots, and causes a not-dot 

listing to be generated. 

• Identify all points where not-dots exist on a schematic sheet. 

Closedots 

The following informational check is performed on close dots, and causes a close 

dot listing to be generated. 



C-10 

• Identify all points where different vertices are visually difficult to 

distinguish (where the close dot symbol is displayed on the sheet). 

Dangles 

The following informational checks are performed on dangling nets and pins and 

cause a net and pin listing to be generated. 

• Identify all dangling nets. A dangling net is a net vertex without an attached 

pin and not marked as a legal dangling net by the user (net with Class 

“dangle” property value). 

• Identify all dangling vertices. 

• Identify all dangling pins. A dangling pin is a pin not attached to a net and 

not marked as a legal dangling pin by the user (pin with Class “dangle” 

property value). 

• Valid dangles can be marked as such by adding a Class property with value 

of “dangle” to any vertex on the net or pin. 

Init Props 

The following Init property checks are performed; error messages are generated if 

they are not passed. 

• A net has two different global components attached to it; for example, both 

Vcc and Ground attached to the same net. 

• A net has a forcing Init property value “xxF”, but has no global attached to 

it. This can result from adding a global such as Vcc to a net, then deleting 

the global. 

• A net has an Init property value that does not match the Init property value 

on the pin of the attached global instance. 

This can result from adding a global Vcc to a net (causing the Init property 

on the net to have a value of 1SF), then adding a global Ground to the same 



net (causing the Init property value to change to 0SF), then deleting the 

Ground global. The result would be a net with Init = 0SF, but with a Global 

Vcc which specified Init = 1SF. 

Annotations 

The following informational checks are performed on back annotations when 

DA-IC is invoked on a design in the context of a design viewpoint. 

• Identify all annotations to fixed or protected properties. 

• Identify all annotations that are unattached. When an unattached annotation 

is found, the design pathname to the object which no longer exists in the 

design is reported along with a list of annotated properties on the object. 

These unattached annotations can be reattached to another design object 

using the pulldown menu item Miscellaneous >Reconnect Annotations. 

Note 

Bus Shorts 

The following checks are performed on nets; warning messages are generated if 

they are not passed. 

• Does any net and a global have the same name? 

• Are global nets shorted? 


The annotation checks are only performed when DA-IC is invoked 

on a design viewpoint. Otherwise, this option is ignored. 

Unless otherwise noted, the following checks are only performed on unmade 

Function Blocks (FB); error messages are generated if they are not passed. 



C-12 

• Does each FB instance have a corresponding FB definition with the same 

FB_NAME property? 

• Does each FB instance have at least one pin? 

• Does each FB definition have at least one pin? 

• Do the pins on the FB instance match the pins on the corresponding FB 

definition? 

• Do the boundaries of any FB intersect the boundaries of any symbols, 

instances, or other FBs? 

• Do all external nets connected to an FB definition go through pins on the 

FB definition? 

• Does any FB Definition contain an FB Definition with the same 

FB_NAME property? 

• Do any FB definitions contain ports? 

• Do any FB pins connect to the same net physically or by name? 

• Does each FB definition contain at least one instance? 

• Do all FB definitions in a schematic have a unique FB_NAME property? 

Analog/Digital Converters 

The following checks are performed on converters; warning messages are 


• Is a Conv_Display property present on the associated component? 

• Is the Conv_Display property value equal to A2D, D2A, HOOK, or 

DEFHOOK? 


Design Checks Schematic Checks 

Schematic Checks 

This section lists optional schematic checks available in DA-IC. To change which 

checks are performed, from the Schematic Editor, choose Setup>Check... and 

select the desired checks in the Default Schematic Check Settings dialog box. 

Schematic checks are performed on the entire schematic; they are not required by 

Mentor Graphics applications, however, if selected, they can produce errors that 

will keep the schematic from being validated. 

For more information, see “Checking a Schematic for Errors” in Chapter 3. 

Schematic Interface 

The following checks are performed on pin and port interfaces for the schematic. 

Error messages are generated if the schematic sheet fails any of the following 

checks. 

• Does a pin on the symbol match a net on the schematic? 

• Does a port on the schematic have a matching pin on the symbol? 

• Does a pin on a symbol have a matching port on the schematic? 

Errors are produced for each interface pin that does not have a net on the 

schematic with a matching name. The name of the pin (PIN property) is compared 

to the name of the net (NET property). 

If there is a corresponding net for each pin, then the net is checked for an attached 

input port, output port, or bidirectional port instance. This check is only performed 

for interface pins that meet the following three criteria: 

• There is a net on the schematic with the same name as the interface pin 

• The net with the same name has a port instance attached to it 

• The interface pin has a PINTYPE property with a case-insensitive value of 

“IN”, “OUT”, “IO”, or “IXO”. 


Schematic Checks Design Checks 

Schematic Special 

The following special checks are performed on instances. Warning messages are 


C-14 

• Does an on/off-page connector have a matching on/off-page connector on 

the schematic? 

• Are two nets with the same name on different sheets of the schematic 

connected through on/off-page connectors? 

Schematic Instance 

The following check is performed on instances, and an error message is generated 

if the schematic sheet fails. 

• Is the Inst property value (instance name) unique within the schematic 

except for within unmade FB definitions? 

Schematic Bus Shorts 

The following checks are performed on nets for the schematic; warning messages 

are generated if they are not passed. 

• Does any net and global have the same name in a schematic? 

• Are any global nets shorted? 

Schematic Net I/O 

The following series of schematic checks examine every electrical net in the 

schematic. For a schematic check, all PINTYPE property names and values, 

regardless of case, are examined. For each net, a warning is produced if the 

following two conditions exist: 

• The net is connected to at least one pin with a PINTYPE property of “IN”, 

an Output Point, or a Global 


Design Checks Schematic Checks 

• More than one Source is attached to the net. 

Note 

To avoid this check, assign the net a property with the name 

“MULTI_SOURCE” and any value. 

The following definitions apply to this check: 

• Port - an instance of a symbol with a CLASS property of “P” or “E”. Ports 

have exactly one pin of indeterminate width. Class “P” ports are not written 

to the EDDM connectivity database as instances, while class “E” ports are 

written. 

• Global - an instance of a symbol with a CLASS property of “G”. 

• Input Port - either a Port with a pin having a PINTYPE property of “OUT” 

or a Port with the symbol name of “portin”, regardless of case. 

• Output Port - either a Port with a pin having a PINTYPE property of “IN” 

or a Port with the symbol name of “portout”, regardless of case. 

• Bidirectional Port - either a Port with a pin having a PINTYPE property of 

“IXO” or “IO”, or a Port with the symbol name of “portbi”, regardless of 

case. 

• Source - either a pin on a net with a PINTYPE property of “IXO”, “IO”, or 

“OUT”, or an Input Port, Bidirectional Port, or a Global. 

• Sink - either a pin on a net with a PINTYPE property of “IXO”, “IO”, or 

“IN”, or an Output Port or a Bidirectional Port. 


Schematic Checks Design Checks 

C-16 


Appendix D 

Migrating Userware to DA-IC 

This appendix summarizes the changes between Design Architect (DA) and 

Design Architect-IC (DA-IC). The information in this chapter is intended to help 

developers of custom userware transition from DA to DA-IC. For more 

information, see: 

• Scope Specific Userware Directories and Source Location in 

Chapter 15. 

• Design Architect-IC Reference Manual 

• Customizing the IC Flow Common User Interface manual 

• AMPLE for IC Flow User’s Manual 

The changes are organized into the following sections: 

• Scopes 

• User Interface 

• User Functions 

• Files 

• Libraries 

Scopes 

All DA scopes remain the same in DA-IC except for the addition of two new 

scopes as follows: 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 D-1

User Interface Migrating Userware to DA-IC 

D-2 

• fb_schematic - Added on top of the schematic scope, this new scope 

provides schematic level functions for Function Blocks. 

• fb_session - Added on top of the session scope, this new scope provides 

session level functions for Function Blocks. 

As a result of adding these two scopes, calls to the $window_scope_name() 

function results differently in DA-IC as shown in Table 5-1. Any custom userware 

using the $window_scope_name() function requires changes. 

User Interface 

Significant changes have been made to the DA-IC user interface as follows: 

• PCB specific menu items removed 

• IC netlister integrated 

• Icon-based palette menus are now text-based 

• Pulldown, popup, and palette menus reorganized and streamlined 

• Dialog boxes restructured 

• Hotkey functionality added 

• Default behavior changed 

Table D-1. Window Name Changes 

Scope Results in DA Results in DA-IC 

Session da_session fb_session 

Schematic schematic fb_schematic 

Custom userware that modifies elements in the user interface may require changes 

to work with DA-IC. For example, if userware adds a menu item to a menu in DA 

that doesn’t exist in DA-IC, the userware must be modified. 


Migrating Userware to DA-IC User Interface 

Menu Changes 

This section summarizes the menu changes in DA-IC. 

The following table describes the Session scope menus that changed in DA-IC. 

Table D-2. Session Scope Menu Changes 

Menu Description of Change 

File pulldown Restructured 

Setup pulldown 

Session popup 

Session Palette Restructured and converted icons to text 

The following table describes the Schematic scope menus that changed in DA-IC. 

Table D-3. Schematic Scope Menu Changes 



Edit pulldown 


Miscellaneous pulldown 

Report pulldown 

View pulldown 

Library pulldown Removed 

Check pulldown 

Add pulldown Added 

Select pulldown 

Add popup Restructured 


User Interface Migrating Userware to DA-IC 

D-4 

Table D-3. Schematic Scope Menu Changes [continued] 


Instance popup Restructured 

Function Block popup 

Net popup 

Property/Text popup 

Draw popup 

Mixed Selection popup 

Selection Free popup Removed 

Schematic_edit palette Restructured and converted icons to text 

Schematic_text palette 

Schematic_draw palette 

The following table describes the Symbol scope menus that changed in DA-IC. 

Table D-4. Symbol Scope Menu Changes 



Edit pulldown 


Miscellaneous pulldown 

Report pulldown 

View pulldown 

Check pulldown Removed 

Add pulldown Added 

Select pulldown 

Add popup Restructured 


Migrating Userware to DA-IC User Interface 

Table D-4. Symbol Scope Menu Changes [continued] 


Symbol Body & Pins popup Restructured 

Property/Text popup 

Mixed Selection popup 

Selection Free popup Removed 

Symbol_draw palette Restructured and converted icons to text 

Symbol_text palette 

Softkey Changes 

The softkeys are hidden by default in DA-IC. 

Some softkeys are remapped to reflect the changes in the user interface as follows: 

Table D-5. Remapped Softkeys 

This scope... This softkey... Is mapped to... 

Session F1 Open Schematic 

Session F3 Open Design Configuration 

Session F6 Open Language 

Session F7 Removed 

Schematic F5 (Shift) Place Symbol 

(Ctrl) Add Property 

(Alt) Check Schematic 


User Functions Migrating Userware to DA-IC 

Default Behavior Changes 

The following default behavior is changed in DA-IC: 

D-6 

• Auto net and instance name placement is enabled in the Schematic 

scope. For more information, see the“$name_instances()” function in the 


• Resizable instances are enabled in the Schematic scope. For more 

information, see the “$allow_resizable_instances()” function in the Design 


• Property name display is enabled for the following properties in the IC 

Starter Library: L, W, M, PW, NW, WP, WN, PL, NL, and LN. For more 

information, see the “$show_name_and_value()” function in the Design 


• Border updated during Check. The File > Check Schematic pulldown 

menu and the Check and Save palette menu options update the schematic 

border during the check. For more information, see the “$update_border()” 

and “$$check()” functions in the Design Architect-IC Reference Manual. 

User Functions 

The arguments and/or return values for the following user functions are changed 

in DA-IC: 

• $copy() 

• $print_all_schematics() 

• $update_all_schematics() 

• $setup_net() 

• $$check() 

• $report_object() 


Migrating Userware to DA-IC Files 

• $select_all() 

• $select_area() 

• $set_color() 

• $$setup_check_sheet() 

• $setup_color() 

• $setup_select_filter() 

• $setup_unselect_filter() 

• $unselect_all() 

• $unselect_area() 

Custom userware that uses any of these functions may need to be modified to 

work with DA-IC. 

Files 

In the v8.9_1 release, the names of files are renamed for DA-IC. The following 

sections describe the changes. 

Executables 

All Falcon and DA executables, driver scripts, and link scripts located in 

$MGC_HOME/bin are renamed. The filenames are renamed to include an “_ic” 

to the end of the name for DA-IC. For example, da is renamed da_ic. The 

following table lists the files renamed in DA-IC. 

Table D-6. Executable Filename Changes 

Name in DA... Name in DA-IC... 

X11term X11term_ic 


Files Migrating Userware to DA-IC 

D-8 

Table D-6. Executable Filename Changes [continued] 


ample ample_ic 

cdpMode12View cdpMode12View_ic 

cdpOccPropSet2BAMgr cdpOccPropSet2BAMgr_ic 

cdpView2Model cdpView2Model_ic 

cdp_miflist cdp_miflist_ic 

cdp_mifsort cdp_mifsort_ic 

cdp_sample cdp_sample_ic 

cdplink cdplink_ic 

change_references change_references_ic 

check_rgy check_rgy_ic 

checkref checkref_ic 

chref chref_ic 

cib cib_ic 

compile_userware compile_userware_ic 

config_erc config_erc_ic 

config_nc config_nc_ic 

copy_object copy_object_ic 

copy_version copy_version_ic 

da da_ic 

ddms_dump_stream ddms_dump_stream_ic 

ddms_gen_type_rep ddms_gen_type_rep_ic 

ddms_gen_type_rgy_index ddms_gen_type_rgy_index_ic 

ddms_locenv ddms_locenv_ic 


Migrating Userware to DA-IC Files 



ddms_type_rgy_tool ddms_type_rgy_tool_ic 

ddms_which_map ddms_which_map_ic 

ddplink ddplink_ic 

delete_object delete_object_ic 

dfilink dfilink_ic 

dmgr dmgr_ic 

dve_chk_component dve_chk_component_ic 

dve_chk_design dve_chk_design_ic 

dve_chk_symbol dve_chk_symbol_ic 

dve dve_ic 

freeze_version freeze_version_ic 

get_hard_name get_hard_name_ic 

get_mgc_vco get_mgc_vco_ic 

get_soft_name get_soft_name_ic 

list_contents list_contents_ic 

list_references list_references_ic 

listref listref_ic 

mdb_test mdb_test_ic 

mgc_font_collect mgc_font_collect_ic 

mgc_font_convert mgc_font_convert_ic 

mgc_xinfo mgc_xinfo_ic 

miflist miflist_ic 

move_object move_object_ic 


Files Migrating Userware to DA-IC 

Header Files 

D-10 



resolve_mgc_path resolve_mgc_path_ic 

revert_version revert_version_ic 

salvage_object salvage_object_ic 

set_mgc_env set_mgc_env_ic 

set_version_depth set_version_depth_ic 

show_object_info show_object_info_ic 

unfreeze_version unfreeze_version_ic 

Some of the header files in $MGC_HOME/shared/include are renamed for DA-IC 

as listed in the following table. Source files using these header files need to be 

renamed also. 

Table D-7. Header Filename Changes 


ampl_dll_attr.h ampl_dll_attr_ic.h 

ample_interface.h ample_interface_ic.h 

cdpdr.h cdpdr_ic.h 

cdpdw.h cdpdw_ic.h 

ddp.h ddp_ic.h 

ddp_dll_attr.h ddp_dll_attr_ic.h 

ddp_eval.h ddp_eval_ic.h 

dfip.h dfip_ic.h 


Migrating Userware to DA-IC Libraries 

Libraries 

Libraries are renamed, added, and removed for DA-IC. This section describes the 

changes. 

The $MGC_GENLIB library palette is removed from DA_IC. 

Three new IC-specific libraries are added to DA-IC as described in the following 

table: 

Table D-8. New IC Libraries 

Library Description 

$MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB Sub library that contains symbols used for 

generic parts, such as ports. 

$MGC_IC_SOURCES_LIB Sub library that contains symbols for 

different voltage and current sources. 

$MGC_IC_DEVICE_LIB Sub library that contains symbols used for 

the main components in full custom IC 

design. 

Your location map variables must be modified to reflect the new library 

configurations. 

All Falcon and DA libraries in $MGC_HOME/lib are renamed for DA-IC as 

listed in the following table. 

Table D-9. Library Filename Changes 


libmgc_ample.so 

libmgc_ample.sl 

libmgc_bed.so 

libmgc_bed.sl 

libmgc_core.so 

libmgc_core.sl 

libmgc_ample_ic.so 

libmgc_ample_ic.sl 

libmgc_bed_ic.so 

libmgc_bed_ic.sl 

libmgc_core_ic.so 

libmgc_core_ic.sl 


Libraries Migrating Userware to DA-IC 

D-12 

libmgc_ddms.so 

libmgc_ddms.sl 

libmgc_ftxt.so 

libmgc_ftxt.sl 

libmgc_stubs.so 

libmgc_stubs.sl 

libmgc_uims.so 

libmgc_uims.sl 

libmgc_vdd.so 

libmgc_vdd.sl 

Table D-9. Library Filename Changes 


libmgc_ddms_ic.so 

libmgc_ddms_ic.sl 

libmgc_ftxt_ic.so 

libmgc_ftxt_ic.sl 

libmgc_stubs_ic.so 

libmgc_stubs_ic.sl 

libmgc_uims_ic.so 

libmgc_uims_ic.sl 

libmgc_vdd_ic.so 

libmgc_vdd_ic.sl 


Appendix E 

Special Instances 

This appendix describes the special instances contained in the generic_lib 

provided with Design Architect-IC (DA-IC). 

Special instance connectors are not part of the final evaluated design, and are not 

translated into physical components. They are used to pass connectivity 

information to the Design Viewpoint Editor-IC (DVE-IC) and other downstream 

applications that define or use an evaluated design. They are created by adding 

specific Class property values to an instance. Refer to “Class Property” in Chapter 

7 for more information about Class properties. 

You may create special instance symbols or use the components provided with 

DA-IC. The following special instances are provided with DA-IC: 

• Net Connector. The net connector is used to connect two nets that have 

different net names. The net name is assigned by adding the Net property to 

a net vertex. It is not possible to attach more than one name to a net because 

conflicting property values are not allowed. Two nets with different net 

names can be connected by attaching the first net to the pin on one side of 

the net connector, and the second net to the pin on the other side of the net 

connector. If two nets with the same name are attached to a net connector, 

or if a net attached to a net connector is unnamed, when the sheet is 

checked, the Check command issues a warning. 

A net connector has a Class property value “C” and at least two pins. The 

netcon component is a Mentor Graphics-supplied net connector. For more 

information, see “Using the netcon Component” in Chapter 3. 

• External Port. An external port establishes any signals connected to that 

instance as externals, regardless of the level of hierarchy. The simulator 

ignores the instance behaviorally in the same way that it would a port 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 E-1

E-2 


instance at the top level of a design. The instance is included in the 

evaluated design, and can be seen and annotated by downstream 

applications. 

An external port has a Class property value of “E” that identifies a port as 

an external port, regardless of its position in the design hierarchy. 

• Off-Page Connector. The off-page connector is used to connect nets with 

the same name across different sheets in a schematic. Nets with the same 

name, that are not graphically connected in the schematic, are automatically 

connected. To identify a net as connected, by name across sheet boundaries 

of the schematic, attach each net to a pin of an off-page connector. 

An off-page connector has a Class property value “O”, and at least one pin. 

The offpag.out and offpag.in components are Mentor Graphics-supplied 

off-page connectors, and are located in the gen_lib library. 

• Port. The port component is used to indicate a net making a connection 

external to the schematic. The number and net names of the ports on a 

schematic should match the pins on the interface of the symbol representing 

that schematic. Refer to “Component Interface” in the Component Interface 

Brower-IC User’s and Reference Manual for a definition of a component 

interface, and section “Managing/Registering Models” in this manual for a 

discussion about symbol registration. If the net name attached to a port in 

the schematic does not match the name of a pin on its representative symbol 

when the schematic is checked, the Check command issues an error. 

A port has a Class property value “P”, and must have exactly one pin. The 

portin and portout components are Mentor Graphics-supplied port 

components, located in the gen_lib library. 

• Bus Ripper. A bus ripper is similar to a net connector. It connects two nets 

of possibly different names, and provides a way to rip off a single-bit or 

sub-bus of a bus for connection to a different net. For example, it permits 

connecting net N(1) to B(1) of bus B(0:7). 

The bus must be attached to the ripper pin named “Bundle”. The ripped nets 

must be attached to the corresponding ripper pins. In addition, the value of 

the Rule property attached to the ripper must have a valid bus range syntax 



to identify the bits to be ripped from the main bus; for example, a value bit 

“1” of range “0:3”. The net must be named so that its width matches the 

width specified by the Rule property. 

When ripping bits from a two-dimensional bus, the value of the Rule 

property must be set to rip one bit from the bus or to rip a range of bits from 

a row or column of the bus. The following list shows the syntax and a 

sample Rule property value for each possible type of rip. The sample values 

assume that the bus is named “data(0:2;0:2)” and that the width of the nets 

attached to the rip component match the width specified in the Rule 

property: 

x;y Rip one value from the matrix. For example: 

Rule = 0;0 

x;y 1:y 2Rip a range of values from a row in the matrix. For example: 

Rule = 1;0:2 

x 1:x 2;y Rip a range of values from a column in the matrix. For example: 

Rule = 0:2;1 

A bus ripper instance has a Class property value “R”. It must have at least 

two pins. One pin must have a Pin property with value “Bundle”. A Rule 

property must be associated with the instance body or with each nonbundled 

pin. The value of the Rule property must have a valid bus range 

syntax. 

The rip component is a Mentor Graphics-supplied component, located in 

the gen_lib library. The rip component provides a wide variety of ripper 

symbols capable of ripping varying numbers of bits from a bus. Refer to 

“Creating a Bus Ripper Component” in Chapter 3 for an example of how to 

create a bus ripper. 

• Implicit Ripper. An implicit ripper separates a named bit from a bus or a 

member from a net bundle. It differs from a standard ripper symbol in that: 


E-4 

o The implicit ripper is not an actual symbol in any library. 


o Since connection is established by name, implicit rippers do not have a 

Rule property attached to them. 

You can visually differentiate an implicit ripper from a standard ripper in 

that the implicit ripper instance is the same color as a net. The name of the 

net connected to the implicit ripper must exactly match the name of a bus 

bit or member of a net bundle. You can configure implicit rippers to 

connect at a 45-degree angle, much like standard rippers, or in a straight 

line. 

Figure E-4 illustrates some examples of implicit rippers. 

ADDR(7:0) 

Straight rippers 

ADDR(0) 

ADDR(4) 

BUND1{s1, x, y, ADDR(7:0), s2} 

x 

Angled rippers 

Figure 15-8. Implicit Ripper Examples 

Implicit rippers are the default when you invoke Design Architect. Implicit 

rippers do not define any explicit connectivity; rather, electrical 

connectivity is established only by name. 

ADDR(3) 

ADDR(7) 



You can set the ripper mode to “auto” using the $setup_ripper() function, 

which you can access through the Setup > Ripper pulldown menu. Auto 

rippers must be used if you need to pull off a bit in a bus and connect it to a 

wire with a different name, or if you want to pull off part of a bus, and 

connect it to a smaller bus. 

• Globals. A global instance is a component that has a Global property and a 

Class property assigned to the symbol body. The value of the Global 

property is the name of the net (for example, Ground and Vcc). The value 

of the Class property is “G”. The global symbol must have at least one pin 

and a Global property. Examples from the Mentor Graphics-supplied 

gen_lib component library are Vcc and Ground. 

A global instance can exist at any level of the design. Nets that connect to 

the global instance, without creating a physical net route, must have a Net 

property value that is the same as the Global property value on the global 

instance to establish electrical connectivity. 

• Null Instance. A null instance is a component that carries the component's 

properties, but represents the component as electrically inert. In many 

cases, the null function of a component can be provided using comments 

instead. A null instance has a Class property value “N” and no pins. 

• Intra-page Connector - An intra-page connector is a class instance that 

allows you to specify connections by name within a sheet but does not 

produce warnings during check sheet. The class property value attached to 

the intra-page connector is "I". You must attach the class property "I" to the 

net in order to have no check sheet warnings occur regarding connection by 

name. The user must also attach the class property "I" to dangling vertices. 

If any net by the same name has one or more dangling vertices, DA-IC 

produces a check sheet warning that lists the handles of all nets with the 

same name. 


E-6 



Index 

.chi, 8-9 

.cir, 8-8 

.COU, 8-9 

.DOU, 8-9 

.JWDB, 8-9 

.spi, 8-9 

.WDB, 8-9 

A 

Adding FB Pins, 6-23 

Adding forces, 8-22 

Adding Panels, 2-51 

Adding properties in Design Context, 11-3 

ADVance MS 

adms.ini file, 5-2, 8-15, 8-18 

design library, 5-2 

AMPLE_PATH, 14-16, 14-19 

setting, 14-16 

angled ripper, 3-14 

Annotations 

reconnecting, 11-16 

setting the color, 2-8 

Applying Edits, 11-16 

Assigning Properties, 7-35 

Assigning Property Owners, 7-35 

Auto ripper, 3-14 

Auto Sequence Text, 3-44 

Auto_ripper_mode, 3-14 

Automatic Net Routing, 3-26 

Automatic Placement 

Net Name, 3-13 

B 

Back annotation 

changing the color, 2-8, 7-7 

creating, 11-20 

editing, 11-20 

expressions in, 11-13 

merging, 11-5, 11-22 

Index 

viewing, 11-4, 11-5 

Bits 

extracting from bus, E-3 

Boundaries 

resizing, 6-33 

Branches 

selection, 2-17 

Bundles 

connected to ports, 4-23 

net, 3-3, 3-24 

Bus ripper, E-2 

connecting, 3-42 

creating implicit rippers, 3-47, 3-48 

extracting lines, 3-42 

installing, 3-40 

instantiation, 3-46 

using the automatic 1x1, 3-46 

Buses, 3-24 

bus_net_name, 3-32 

connected sub-bus, 3-41 

connections, 3-31 

creating, 3-31, 3-32 

indicating width, 3-28, 7-7 

least significant bit (lsb), 3-32 

most significant bit (msb), 3-32 

multi-dimentional, 3-35 

representing graphically, 3-35 

C 

Check command 

setting up, 3-77, 4-23 

Checking a model registration, 5-22 

Checking forces, 8-25 

Checks 

close dot, C-9 

dangling net and pin, C-10 

expression analysis, C-8 

instance, C-14 

instance overlap, C-9 

notdots, C-9 

Design Architect-IC User’s Manual, v8.9_10 Index-1

parameter analysis, C-8 

pin and port interface, C-13 

required frame, C-7 

required instance, C-4 

required net, C-6 

required property ownership, C-8 

required special instance, C-4 

required special symbol, C-2 

required symbol body, C-3 

required symbol pin, C-2, C-8 

special instance, C-14 

Class property, 7-28, E-2 

Color 

changing for properties, 7-49 

setting for design objects, 2-7 

setting the annotation color, 2-8 

setting the color configuration, 2-8 

Colors 

setting on the fly, 6-35 

Comment objects 

adding, 3-64 

attributes, 3-66 

convert objects to comments, 3-65 

schematic sheets, 3-67 

types, 3-65 

uses, 3-65 

Commlib, 1-4 

Compiling models for ADVance MS, 5-2 

Component 

change references, 9-7 

delete, 2-30 

hierarchy window, 9-5 

rename, 9-7 

Component interface 

registration, multiple symbols, 4-25 

reporting, 9-13 

Component library 

choosing from, 3-19 

Connecting a Bus Ripper, 3-42 

Index-2 

Index (cont.) 

Index 

Converting Electrical Objects to Comments, 3- 

69 

Copy 

objects, 2-23 

objects between windows, 2-27 

repeat, 2-24 

to a line, 2-25 

to an array, 2-26 

Create a symbol pin list, 3-62 

Create mode, 5-4 

Creating a Bus, 3-32 

Creating a Bus Ripper, 3-36 

Creating Function Blocks 

adding Function Blocks Pins, 6-23, 12-8 

Function Block Definition Prompt Bar, 6- 

10, 6-19 

Function Block Definitions, 6-8 

Function Block Pin placement, 6-24 

Creating Panels in Read-Only Mode, 2-53 

Crossprobing schematics 

with DA-IC View, 8-150 

with Xelga, 8-146 

Custom Hotkeys 

customizing, 13-11 

defined, 13-2 

loading, 13-14 

usage, 13-10 

Custom userware 

$add_library_menu_item(), 14-37 

$add_or_replace_instance(), 14-39 

$create_library_menu(), 14-35 

$prompt_for_diagram_location(), 14-41 

.ample files, 14-24 

.dofile, 14-24 

adding a palette menu, 14-43 

AMPLE_PATH, 14-16, 14-19 

DES_ARCH_AUX_PKGS_LIST, 14-23, 

14-25 

DES_ARCH_PKGS_TO_LOAD, 14-19 

dofiles, 14-18 


Index 

finding source, 14-15 


personality modules, 14-19 

schematic menu files, 14-28 

scope specific dofiles, 14-18 

D 

DA-IC Editing Hotkeys 

defined, 13-1 

loading, 13-4 

usage, 13-4 

DA-IC Startup Files, 14-11 

Dangling net, 7-29 

Default text editor 

MGC_SIM_EDITOR, 8-9 

Delete, 2-31 

Deleting a component, 2-30 

Deleting a model registration, 5-27 

Deleting forces, 8-24 

Deleting Panels, 2-51 

DES_ARCH_AUX_PKGS_LIST, 14-23, 14- 

25 


Design Architect-IC 

exiting, 2-4 

printing, 2-38 

Design checking, C-1 

close dot checks, C-9 

dangling net and pin checks, C-10 

expression analysis checks, C-8 

frame checks, C-7 

init property checks, C-10 

instance checks, C-3, C-4, C-13 

instance overlap checks, C-9 

net checks, C-6, C-14 

parameter analysis checks, C-8 

property ownership checks, C-8 

required special symbol checks, C-3 

required symbol body checks, C-3 

special instance checks, C-4, C-14 

Index (cont.) 

Design Context 

add properties, 11-3 

locking sheet for edits, 11-23 

merge back annotations, 11-5 

opening a non-existant component, 11-23 

opening a non-existant schematic, 11-23 

view properties, 11-4 

Design Management 

change component references, 9-7 

configuration build, 9-10 

delete design object, 2-30 

object checking, 9-9 

reference checking, 9-9 

release a design, 9-8 

rename design object, 9-7 

verification, 9-11 

versions, 9-9 

viewing hierarchy, 9-5 

Design Navigation, 3-83 

closing a multiple sheet schematic, 3-85 

left arrow button, 3-83 

multiple page icon button, 3-83, 3-84 

navigating multi-sheet schematics, 3-84 

right arrow button, 3-83 

Design Viewpoints 

applying edits, 11-16 

evaluating properties, 11-10 

Device Lib, 1-4 

Drawing 

Arc, 4-7 

circle, 4-7 

dot, 4-8 

line, 4-8 

polygon, 4-10 

polyline, 4-9 

rectangle, 4-10 

Dynamic Cursor 

setting the shape, 2-9 


E 

Edit mode, 5-5 

Editing forces, 8-24 

Environment variable 

$WORK, 5-2 

Environment variables 

AMPLE_PATH, 14-16 

ANACAD, 8-146 

Component Libraries, 1-4 

DES_ARCH_AUX_PKGS_LIST, 14-23, 

14-25 

DES_ARCH_HIDE_BA_ONLY_PROPS, 

11-3 


HOME, 11-3, 14-12 

MGC_HOME, 14-12 

MGC_SIM_EDITOR, 8-9 

MGC_WD, 2-4, 14-12 

userware, 14-26 

Error checking 

annotations, C-11 

close dot checks, C-9 

dangling net and pin checks, C-10 

expression analysis checks, C-8 

frame checks, C-7 

init property checks, C-10 

instance checks, C-3, C-4, C-13 

instance overlap checks, C-9 

net checks, C-6, C-14 

parameter analysis checks, C-8 

property ownership checks, C-8 

reports, 9-16 

required special symbol checks, C-3 

required symbol body checks, C-3 

special instance checks, C-4, C-14 

Expressions, 7-19 

Expressions in back annotation objects, 11-13 

External Port, E-1 

Index-4 

Index (cont.) 

Index 

F 

FB Definition 

adding or removing internal objects, 6-32 

as source object, 12-4 

boundary, 12-5 

checking, 6-45 

converting from FB Instance, 6-30 

defined, 12-1 

example of, 12-5 

FB Pins, 12-6 

FB_INST property, 12-5 

FB_NAME property, 12-5 


usage, 12-2 

FB Definition Creation, 6-6 

FB Definitions 

creating, 6-8 

manipulating, 6-30 

selecting, 6-31 

FB Instance 

boundary, 12-7 


defined, 12-1 

example of, 12-6 

FB_INST property, 12-7 

FB_INST property usage, 12-7 

FB_NAME property, 12-7 


usage, 12-2 

FB Instances 

converting to FB Definition, 6-30 

creation, 6-13 

manipulating, 6-30 


FB Objects 


FB Pins 

adding, 6-23 

FB Definition pin naming, 12-8 

FB Definition Pins usage, 12-8 


Index 

FB Instance Pins usage, 12-9 


Wide Nets connected to, 12-8 

Flip objects, 2-33 

Forces, 8-22 

Frames, 3-70, 3-74, 3-75 

setting parameters, 3-75 

Frexp property, 7-31 

CASE value, 7-32 

FOR value, 7-32 

IF value, 7-35 

OTHERWISE value, 7-32 

Function Block Definition Prompt Bar 

FB Name, 6-10, 6-19 

INST Name, 6-11, 6-20 

Name Placement, 6-11, 6-20 

Function Block Objects 

changing colors, 6-35 


defined, 12-1 

development states, 12-2 

FB Definition, 12-1 

FB Instance, 12-1 

made, 12-3 

Made FB Definition, 12-1 

Made FB Instance, 12-1 


symbol instance, 12-3 

unmade, 12-3 

Function Block Properties 

defined, 12-4 

FB_DEF, 12-4 

FB_INST, 12-4 

FB_NAME, 12-4 

Function Block Property, 7-31 

Function Block Setup, 6-3 

Function Block Usage 

connected model, 12-13 

defined, 12-11 

net constructs, 12-17 

Index (cont.) 

two-step process, 6-1 

unconnected model, 12-12 


Add Popup Menu, 6-7 

adding Function Blocks Pins, 6-23, 12-8 

Definitions, 6-8 

Function Block Definition Prompt Bar, 6- 

10, 6-19 

Function Block Pin placement, 6-24 

INST Name, 6-11, 6-20 

terminology, 12-4 

Functional blocks, 3-53 

Functions 



$ask_scope_frame_name(), 14-10 

$copy_edit_hotkey_settings(), 15-6 


$define_hotkey(), 15-7 

$dofile(), 14-16 

$get_hotkey_mode(), 15-9 

$get_hotkey_settings(), 15-10 

$load_hotkey_settings(), 15-11 

$load_userware(), 14-16 

$mgc_add_or_replace_instance(), 14-39 

$prompt_for_diagram_location(), 14-41 

$report_hotkey_settings(), 15-13 

$set_hotkey_mode(), 15-15 

$window_scope_name(), 14-10 

G 

Generic Lib, 1-4 

Global property, 7-29 

Globals, E-5 

H 

Handles, 2-35 

Hidden Symbol Property Text, 2-11 

Hotkeys 

bypassing, 13-2 


default set, 13-6 

defined, 13-1 

disabling, 13-16 

enabling, 13-16 

function summary, 15-1 

Menu, 13-2 

reporting status, 13-15 

scopes, 13-1 

types, 13-1 

I 

IC Station, 3-95 

ICprint, 2-43, 2-47 

Implicit ripper examples, E-4 

Implict ripper, 3-14 

INST Name, 6-11, 6-20 

Inst property, 7-29 

character restrictions, 7-7 

Instance, 3-2 

instantiation, 3-2 

placing, 3-19 

repeating, 3-23, 3-71 

replace, 3-20, 3-22 


selection, 2-18 

special, 3-3 

updating, 3-20 

Instantiation, 3-2 

1x1 bus ripper, 3-46 

Invocation 

from DA-IC, 2-2 

from operating shell, 2-3 

IC Station, 3-95 

J 

Joining sliced objects, 4-12 

L 

Language File 

Opening, 3-8 

Index-6 

Index (cont.) 

opening, 3-8 

Loading personality modules, 14-19 

M 

made 

defined, 12-3 

Made FB Definition 


defined, 12-1 

Made FB Definitions 


unmaking, 6-41 

Made FB Instance 


defined, 12-1 

Made FB Instances 

unmaking, 6-42 

Made FB Intances 


Made Function Blocks 

creation of, 12-10 

explanation, 12-9 

hierarchy, 12-9 

made FB Definition, 12-10 

Made FB Instance, 12-11 

Manage mode, 5-5 

Manipulate graphical objects 

copy to an array, 2-26 

copy to line, 2-25 

select, 2-16 


repeat moving, 2-23 

Manipulating graphical objects 

basepoint change during move, 2-22 

Menus 




adding a palette, 14-43 

library, 14-28 

Index 


Index 

Name Nets, 3-50 

Palette Popup, 3-22 

Window, 2-4 

Merging annotations, 11-5 

MGC_SIM_EDITOR, 2-9, 8-9 

Model editor 

specifying, 2-9 

Model Registrar 

exiting, 5-29 

overview, 5-3 

Model Registration 

Displaying/Editing Registered Models in 

Simulation Mode, 8-82 

Model registration, 5-1 

add as property, 5-16 


choosing a model, 5-7 

component field, 5-13 

copying, 5-26 

creating, 5-4 

default, 5-19 

deleting, 5-27 

Edit Mapping, 5-12 

editing, 5-5, 5-23 

editing an existing symbol, 5-9 

exiting, 5-29 

from a symbol, 5-14 

generating a symbol for a model, 5-10 

invoking, 5-3 

managing, 5-5 

map by name, 5-17 

map selected, 5-17 

mapping a model to a symbol, 5-16 

naming a model, 5-12 

Open Symbol, 5-13 

pins and properties, 5-16 

ports and parameters, 5-16 

registering a model to an existing symbol, 

5-8 

renaming, 5-25 

Index (cont.) 

restoring, 5-28 

supported models, 5-2 

symbol layout properties, 5-11 

Symbol list box, 5-13 

unmap all, 5-17 

unmap selected, 5-17 

viewing registered models, 5-19 

Model selection, 8-75 

Move 

basepoint change during, 2-22 

objects, 2-22 

objects between windows, 2-23 

repeat, 2-23 

Multi-Dimentional Buses, 3-35 

N 

Naming Nets 

Automatic Placement, 3-13 

Net, 3-24 

dangling, 3-30, 7-29 

Net Bundles, 3-3, 3-24 


naming, 3-49 

rip members, 3-52 

Net connector, E-1 

Net naming syntax, 3-27 

Net property, 7-30 


Net router, 3-26 

Net vertices 


disconnecting, 3-26 

netcon, E-1 

Netlist file (.spi), 8-9 

Netlisting 

EldoNet, 3-88 

Netlisting a Schematic, 3-88 

Nets 


auto_ripper_mode, 3-14 


auto_route_mode, 3-26 


construction of, 6-25 

creating external nets, 6-28 

creating flythru nets, 6-29 

creating internal nets, 6-26 

creating passthru nets, 6-29 

disconnecting, 3-26 

drawing, 3-25 

External Nets, 12-19 

Flythru Nets, 12-21 

Internal FB Definition Nets, 12-17 

moving net names, 3-30 

naming, 3-28 

Passthru Nets, 12-20 

renaming, 3-29 

renaming all segments, 3-29 

routing, 3-25, 3-26 

selecting attached, 2-18 

terminating dangling net, 3-30 

valid dangles, 3-30 

No default ripper, 3-14 

Null instance, E-5 

O 

Object handles, 2-35 

Off-page connector, 3-58, E-2 

Opening a Language File, 3-8 

Opening a Non-Existant Component in Design 

Context, 11-23 

Opening a Non-Existant Schematic in Design 

Context, 11-23 

Opening multiple sheets, 3-7 

Operating Procedures 

CASE frames, 3-70 

FOR frames, 3-70 

IF frames, 3-70 

P 

Palette 

Index-8 

Index (cont.) 

adding a palette menu, 14-43 

Library, 14-43 

Palettes 

popup menu, 3-22 

Panels 

adding, 2-51 

creating in Read-only mode, 2-53 


printing in Read-only mode, 2-53 

viewing, 2-51 

Parameter 

definition of, 7-17 

setting, 3-75 

Personality modules, 14-19 


Pin 

grid, 4-4 

spacing, 4-4 

Pin Bundle 

adding, 4-21 

naming, 4-21 

Pin list, 3-62 

Pin naming syntax, 3-27 

Pin property, 7-30 


Pins 

selecting attached, 2-19 

Pivot objects, 2-32 

Plotting Simulation Results, 8-86 

difference, 8-86, 8-89 

Polygons 

making from polylines, 4-12 

Port, E-2 

Printing 

all sheets in a hierarchy, 2-42 

configuration, 2-51 

From Schematic Editor window, 2-46 

From Symbol Editor window, 2-46 

ICprint, 2-47 

Print/Plot, 2-50 

Index 


Index 

Schematic sheet, 2-46 

Schematics with protected objects, 2-50 

Printing in Design Architect, 2-38 

Printing Panels in Read-Only Mode, 2-53 

Properties 

adding multiple, 7-41, 7-50 

adding single, 7-39 

AMPLE, 7-19 

attribute_modified, 7-13 

auto_update_mode, 3-21 

automatic update, 7-15 

changing attributes, 7-47 

changing hidden symbol property text, 2- 

11, 7-50 

changing the color, 7-49 

changing values, 7-45 


dangling nets, 3-30 


deleting owners, 7-44 

evaluating, 11-10 

in context of a design, 11-2 

introduction, 7-1 

listing information, 7-45 

logical symbol, 7-10 

mark property attributes, 7-14 

mark property value, 7-14 

merge options, 7-15 

name restrictions, 7-6 

names versus values, 7-4 

net, 3-28 

parameters, 7-17 

propagation, 7-28 

repeat adding, 7-42 

setting attributes, 7-36 

setting owners, 7-43 

stability switches, 7-11 

structure, 7-3 

symbol, 7-9 

types, 7-4 

Index (cont.) 

update switches, 7-15 

updating, 3-20, 7-13 

value restrictions, 7-6 

value_modified, 7-13 

viewing evaluated, 11-21 

visibility switches, 7-12 

Properties variable resolution 

examples, 7-22 

facts, 7-21 

Property 


Property concepts, 7-1 

introduction to, 7-1 

structure, 7-3 

Property ownership, 7-4 

R 

Reconnecting Annotations, 11-16 

Removing Comment Status, 3-69 

Reopening a selection set, 2-21 

Repeating instances, 3-23, 3-71 

Replacing properties, 3-20 

Report Groups, 2-30 

Reporting forces, 8-25 

Reporting on 

check status, 9-16 

objects, 9-15 

Reselecting a selection set, 2-21 

Resizing Instances, 2-29 

Ripper 

angled, 3-14 

auto, 3-14 


creating a bus ripper, 3-36 

implicit, 3-14 

no default, 3-14 

straight, 3-14 

Ripping 

bits from bus, E-2 

bits from two-dimensional bus, E-3 


Ripping Members from Net Bundles, 3-52 

Rotate objects, 2-32 

Routing 

automatic net, 3-26 

Rule property, 7-30 

S 

Schematic 

adding comment objects, 3-64 


auto_update_mode, 3-8 

convert comment objects to symbol, 3-68 

creating a bus, 3-31 

creating a sheet for a symbol, 3-56 

creating a symbol for, 3-60 

creating additional sheets, 3-57 

creating CASE frames, 3-75 

creating FOR frames, 3-70 

creating IF frames, 3-74 

functional blocks, 3-53 

grid snap, 3-9 

grid spacing, 3-9 

net attributes, 3-11 

new sheet, 3-7 

open down, 3-60 

opening a sheet, 3-6 

placing symbol, 3-19 

registering, 3-80 

reporting on objects, 9-15 

saving, 3-80 

setting edit environment, 3-9 

Schematic Editor 

library menus, 14-28 

Schematic Sheets 

creating comment objects, 3-67 

Scopes 

finding name, 14-10 

hierarchy, 14-3 

Selecting Multiple Objects, 2-16 

Selection 

Index-10 

Index (cont.) 

attached branches, 2-17 

attached instances, 2-18 

attached nets, 2-18 

attached pins, 2-19 

Nets with the same name, 2-18 

object name, 2-19 

Setting the mouse behavior, 2-10 

Selection filters 

setting, 2-22 

Selection Set 

reopening, 2-21 

reselecting, 2-21 

Sequence Text, 3-44 

Setup 

Mouse Selection Behavior, 2-10 

Sheets 

error checking, 3-77 

opening multiple, 3-7 

viewing capabilities, 2-37 

viewing entire, 2-36 

viewing portions, 2-36 

viewing the contents, 2-36 

Simulation 

output file (.chi), 8-9 

overview, 8-1 

plotting difference, 8-86, 8-89 

plotting results, 8-86 

requirements, 8-5 

results file (.wdb, .cou, .dou), 8-9 

running, 8-8 

Simulation command file (.cir), 8-8 

Simulation setup 

auto-close windows, 8-18 

procedure, 8-17 

single-click, 8-18 

SLD properties 

Class, 7-28 

Frexp, 7-31 

Global, 7-29 

Inst, 7-29 

Index 


Index 

Net, 7-30 

Pin, 7-30 

Rule, 7-30 

Slicing graphic objects, 4-11 

Sources Lib, 1-4 

Special instances, 3-3 

bus ripper, 3-37 

net connector, 3-49 

using off-page connectors, 3-58 

using port symbols, 3-59 

Startup files, 14-11 

straight ripper, 3-14 

Symbol 

add pins, 4-13 

adding multiple pins, 4-14 

adding single pin, 4-13 

bus ripper, 3-39 

consecutive pins, 4-15 

convert comment objects to symbol, 3-68 

create from schematic, 3-56 

draw symbol body, 4-6 

edit sheet of, 3-60 

joining sliced parts, 4-12 

opening, 4-3 

pin names, 4-13 

pin spacing, 4-4 

placing, 3-19 

registering, 4-24 

registering multiple symbols, 4-25 

reporting on objects, 9-15 

saving, 4-24 

setting edit environment, 4-4 

slicing, 4-11 

symbol body attributes, 4-4 

Symbol layout properties, 5-11 

Symbol properties 

logical symbol, 7-9 

stability switches, 7-11 

update switches, 7-15 

visibility switches, 7-12 

Index (cont.) 

Symbol registration, 4-25 

Symbol window pulldown menu bar, 4-2 

T 

Text 

auto sequence, 3-44 

U 

Ungroup Objects, 2-30 

unmade 

defined, 12-3 

Unmade Function Blocks 

defined, 12-4 

FB Definition, 12-4, 12-5 

Unselection 

everything, 2-21 

multiple objects, 2-20 

single object, 2-20 

Updating properties, 3-20 

attribute_modified, 7-13 

auto option, 7-15 

auto_update_mode, 3-21, 7-15 

automatic, 7-15 

clear option, 7-15 

default, 7-15 

during open sheet, 7-15 

examples, 7-16 

instance of symbol, 7-13 

instance option, 7-15 

mark property value, 7-14 

merge options, 7-15 

symbol option, 7-15 

value_modified, 7-13 

User-Defined Hotkeys 

Define Hotkey Dialog Box, 13-8 

defined, 13-1 

defining, 13-6 


location, 13-8 

naming syntax, 13-8 


usage, 13-6 

Userware 

finding source, 14-15 


Using the Dialog Navigator, 2-14 

V 

Valid dangling nets, 3-30 

Value_Modified flag, 7-13 

Versions, 9-9 

View design 

centered, 2-37 

selected, 2-37 

zoom in, 2-37 

zoom out, 2-37 

View properties in design context, 11-4 

Viewing Panels, 2-51 

Viewing registered models, 5-20 

W 

Waveforms 

viewing, 8-1 

Windows 

copying objects between, 2-27 

moving objects between, 2-23 

Index-12 

Index (cont.) 

Index 


Trademark Information 

Updated: 11/20/02


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copies merged with other software, and shall make those records available to Mentor Graphics upon request. 

You shall not make Software available in any form to any person other than employees and contractors, 

excluding Mentor Graphics' competitors, whose job performance requires access. You shall take appropriate 

action to protect the confidentiality of Software and ensure that any person permitted access to Software does not 

disclose it or use it except as permitted by this Agreement. Except as otherwise permitted for purposes of 

interoperability as specified by applicable and mandatory local law, you shall not reverse-assemble, reversecompile, 

reverse-engineer or in any way derive from Software any source code. You may not sublicense, assign 

or otherwise transfer Software, this Agreement or the rights under it, whether by operation of law or otherwise 

(“attempted transfer”) without Mentor Graphics' prior written consent and payment of Mentor Graphics thencurrent 

applicable transfer charges. Any attempted transfer without Mentor Graphics’ prior written consent shall 

be a material breach of this Agreement and may, at Mentor Graphics’ option, result in the immediate termination 

of the Agreement and licenses granted under this Agreement. The provisions of this section 4 shall survive the 

termination or expiration of this Agreement. 

5. LIMITED WARRANTY. 

5.1. Mentor Graphics warrants that during the warranty period, Software, when properly installed, will 

substantially conform to the functional specifications set forth in the applicable user manual. Mentor 

Graphics does not warrant that Software will meet your requirements or that operation of Software will be 

uninterrupted or error free. The warranty period is 90 days starting on the 15th day after delivery or upon 

installation, whichever first occurs. You must notify Mentor Graphics in writing of any nonconformity 

within the warranty period. This warranty shall not be valid if Software has been subject to misuse, 

unauthorized modification or installation. MENTOR GRAPHICS' ENTIRE LIABILITY AND YOUR 

EXCLUSIVE REMEDY SHALL BE, AT MENTOR GRAPHICS' OPTION, EITHER (A) REFUND OF 

THE PRICE PAID UPON RETURN OF SOFTWARE TO MENTOR GRAPHICS OR (B) 

MODIFICATION OR REPLACEMENT OF SOFTWARE THAT DOES NOT MEET THIS LIMITED 

WARRANTY, PROVIDED YOU HAVE OTHERWISE COMPLIED WITH THIS AGREEMENT. 

MENTOR GRAPHICS MAKES NO WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO: (A) SERVICES; (B) 

SOFTWARE WHICH IS LICENSED TO YOU FOR A LIMITED TERM OR LICENSED AT NO COST; 

OR (C) EXPERIMENTAL BETA CODE; ALL OF WHICH ARE PROVIDED “AS IS.” 

5.2. THE WARRANTIES SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION 5 ARE EXCLUSIVE. NEITHER MENTOR 

GRAPHICS NOR ITS LICENSORS MAKE ANY OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR 

STATUTORY, WITH RESPECT TO SOFTWARE OR OTHER MATERIAL PROVIDED UNDER THIS 

AGREEMENT. MENTOR GRAPHICS AND ITS LICENSORS SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL 

IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE 

AND NON-INFRINGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. 

6. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. EXCEPT WHERE THIS EXCLUSION OR RESTRICTION OF LIABILITY 

WOULD BE VOID OR INEFFECTIVE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL MENTOR 

GRAPHICS OR ITS LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR 

CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS OR SAVINGS) WHETHER BASED ON 

CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, EVEN IF MENTOR GRAPHICS OR ITS 

LICENSORS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT 

SHALL MENTOR GRAPHICS' OR ITS LICENSORS' LIABILITY UNDER THIS AGREEMENT EXCEED 

THE AMOUNT PAID BY YOU FOR THE SOFTWARE OR SERVICE GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM. IN 

THE CASE WHERE NO AMOUNT WAS PAID, MENTOR GRAPHICS AND ITS LICENSORS SHALL 

HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER.

7. LIFE ENDANGERING ACTIVITIES. NEITHER MENTOR GRAPHICS NOR ITS LICENSORS SHALL 

BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES RESULTING FROM OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OF 

SOFTWARE IN ANY APPLICATION WHERE THE FAILURE OR INACCURACY OF THE SOFTWARE 

MIGHT RESULT IN DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY. 

8. INDEMNIFICATION. YOU AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS MENTOR GRAPHICS 

AND ITS LICENSORS FROM ANY CLAIMS, LOSS, COST, DAMAGE, EXPENSE, OR LIABILITY, 

INCLUDING ATTORNEYS' FEES, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF 

SOFTWARE AS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 7. 

9. INFRINGEMENT. 

9.1. Mentor Graphics will defend or settle, at its option and expense, any action brought against you alleging that 

Software infringes a patent or copyright or misappropriates a trade secret in the United States, Canada, 

Japan, or member state of the European Patent Office. Mentor Graphics will pay any costs and damages 

finally awarded against you that are attributable to the infringement action. You understand and agree that as 

conditions to Mentor Graphics’ obligations under this section you must: (a) notify Mentor Graphics 

promptly in writing of the action; (b) provide Mentor Graphics all reasonable information and assistance to 

defend or settle the action; and (c) grant Mentor Graphics sole authority and control of the defense or 

settlement of the action. 

9.2. If an infringement claim is made, Mentor Graphics may, at its option and expense: (a) replace or modify 

Software so that it becomes noninfringing; (b) procure for you the right to continue using Software; or (c) 

require the return of Software and refund to you any license fee paid, less a reasonable allowance for use. 

9.3. Mentor Graphics has no liability to you if infringement is based upon: (a) the combination of Software with 

any product not furnished by Mentor Graphics; (b) the modification of Software other than by Mentor 

Graphics; (c) the use of other than a current unaltered release of Software; (d) the use of Software as part of 

an infringing process; (e) a product that you make, use or sell; (f) any Beta Code contained in Software; (g) 

any Software provided by Mentor Graphics' licensors who do not provide such indemnification to Mentor 

Graphics' customers; or (h) infringement by you that is deemed willful. In the case of (h) you shall reimburse 

Mentor Graphics for its attorney fees and other costs related to the action upon a final judgment. 

9.4. THIS SECTION 9 STATES THE ENTIRE LIABILITY OF MENTOR GRAPHICS AND ITS 

LICENSORS AND YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY WITH RESPECT TO ANY ALLEGED 

PATENT OR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT OR TRADE SECRET MISAPPROPRIATION BY ANY 

SOFTWARE LICENSED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT. 

10. TERM. This Agreement remains effective until expiration or termination. This Agreement will automatically 

terminate if you fail to comply with any term or condition of this Agreement or if you fail to pay for the license 

when due and such failure to pay continues for a period of 30 days after written notice from Mentor Graphics. If 

Software was provided for limited term use, this Agreement will automatically expire at the end of the 

authorized term. Upon any termination or expiration, you agree to cease all use of Software and return it to 

Mentor Graphics or certify deletion and destruction of Software, including all copies, to Mentor Graphics' 

reasonable satisfaction. 

11. EXPORT. Software is subject to regulation by local laws and United States government agencies, which 

prohibit export or diversion of certain products, information about the products, and direct products of the 

products to certain countries and certain persons. You agree that you will not export any Software or direct 

product of Software in any manner without first obtaining all necessary approval from appropriate local and 

United States government agencies. 

12. RESTRICTED RIGHTS NOTICE. Software was developed entirely at private expense and is commercial 

computer software provided with RESTRICTED RIGHTS. Use, duplication or disclosure by the U.S. 

Government or a U.S. Government subcontractor is subject to the restrictions set forth in the license agreement 

under which Software was obtained pursuant to DFARS 227.7202-3(a) or as set forth in subparagraphs (c)(1)

and (2) of the Commercial Computer Software - Restricted Rights clause at FAR 52.227-19, as applicable. 

Contractor/manufacturer is Mentor Graphics Corporation, 8005 SW Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 

97070-7777 USA. 

13. THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY. For any Software under this Agreement licensed by Mentor Graphics from 

Microsoft or other licensors, Microsoft or the applicable licensor is a third party beneficiary of this Agreement 

with the right to enforce the obligations set forth in this Agreement. 

14. AUDIT RIGHTS. With reasonable prior notice, Mentor Graphics shall have the right to audit during your 

normal business hours all records and accounts as may contain information regarding your compliance with the 

terms of this Agreement. Mentor Graphics shall keep in confidence all information gained as a result of any 

audit. Mentor Graphics shall only use or disclose such information as necessary to enforce its rights under this 

Agreement. 

15. CONTROLLING LAW AND JURISDICTION. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND 

CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF OREGON, USA, IF YOU ARE LOCATED IN NORTH OR SOUTH 

AMERICA, AND THE LAWS OF IRELAND IF YOU ARE LOCATED OUTSIDE OF NORTH AND SOUTH 

AMERICA. All disputes arising out of or in relation to this Agreement shall be submitted to the exclusive 

jurisdiction of Dublin, Ireland when the laws of Ireland apply, or Wilsonville, Oregon when the laws of Oregon 

apply. This section shall not restrict Mentor Graphics’ right to bring an action against you in the jurisdiction 

where your place of business is located. 

16. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be void, 

invalid, unenforceable or illegal, such provision shall be severed from this Agreement and the remaining 

provisions will remain in full force and effect. 

17. MISCELLANEOUS. This Agreement contains the parties’ entire understanding relating to its subject matter 

and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous agreements, including but not limited to any purchase order terms 

and conditions, except valid license agreements related to the subject matter of this Agreement (which are 

physically signed by you and an authorized agent of Mentor Graphics) either referenced in the purchase order or 

otherwise governing this subject matter. This Agreement may only be modified in writing by authorized 

representatives of the parties. Waiver of terms or excuse of breach must be in writing and shall not constitute 

subsequent consent, waiver or excuse. The prevailing party in any legal action regarding the subject matter of 

this Agreement shall be entitled to recover, in addition to other relief, reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses. 

Rev. 020826, Part Number 214231

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