symbol PCELL extraction issue. 

Mitchell,

Bit hard to read the above, but my guess is that you want to just add a call:

dbSetConnCurrent(pcCellView)

in your code (rather than the above). That will then work in both IC5141 and IC61X (which use different mechanisms for this) - you didn't say which version  you're using.

Regards,

Andrew.

For the formatting - maybe you're using Chrome - there's a known issue with formatting with the forums when using Chrome.

Assuming that checking-and-saving the ROM schematic doesn't fix it, it may be a matter of ensuring that the last change dates do not change from previous builds. It's a bit surprising though...

I suggest you log a service request so that this can be investigated more.

Regards,

Andrew.

In IC5141 it's a matter of setting cv~>instancesLastChanged to be an old date - so it appears that the symbol hasn't changed. That said, I've not normally had to do this with a pcell - so I'm a bit surprised...

You'd do:

dbDisableCellViewCounter(pcCellView)
dbReplaceProp(cv "instancesLastChanged" 'time "Jun 27 18:00:00 1999")

or similar. 

In IC615, you'd just put dbDisableCellViewCounter(pcCellView) at the beginning of the pcell code.

Regards,

Andrew.

Andrew,

 After looking at the cells a bit more I noticed that the modifiedButNotSaved parameter was equal to "t".  How can I set this to "nil" using SKILL to see if that will solve my problems.

 Thank you,

Mitchell Cohen

Mitchel,

If you're talking about the pcell submaster having modifiedButNotSaved equal to t that's perfectly reasonable - it should do that. You can't change that (it can't be saved because it's a variant, and it is inevitably modified because of the fact that the pcell code builds the symbol or schematic or whatever).

Andrew.

Andrew,

 Thank you for sticking with me on this...

I have determined that the problem is with the OSSHNL (hierarchical netlister) not for a spectre netlist but for an auCdl netlist .  If you have any "far-out" reasons as to why it says:

"ERROR: Netlister: symbol of instance 'data' modified, please re-extract 'ROM'.

ERROR(OSSHNL): Error(s) found during netlisting. The netlist may be corrupt or may not be produced at all."

Thank you,

Mitchell Cohen

Hi Mitchell,

I'll do some experiments on this tomorrow. I'm sure I've netlisted similar cases before - but I'll re-test - and maybe post an example for you to try and compare.

BTW to everyone watching - we're trying to fix the multiple email notifiers on the forums (all being well, this email will only appear once!)

Regards,

Andrew.

Hi Mitchell,

Try this code - it works for me in IC5141 - I can place an instance and CDL it out with no issues. You'll probably need to change the lib name near the top of the code, which is where it places the new "busset" pcell.

Regards,

Andrew.

/* busset.il

Author     A.D.Beckett
Group      Custom IC, Cadence Design Systems Ltd.
Machine    SUN
Date       Jul 11, 2004 
Modified   
By         

SKILL code for creating the "busset" pcell schematic, symbol,
and the CDF as well.

***************************************************

SCCS Info: @(#) busset.il 04/20/11.13:51:09 1.2

*/

let( (library cell pcellId)
    library="training"
    cell="busset"
    unless(ddGetObj(library)
        error("Couldn't open library %L" library)
    )

    ;--------------------------------------------------------------------
    ; First the schematic
    ;--------------------------------------------------------------------
    pcellId=pcDefinePCell(
        list(ddGetObj(library) cell "schematic" "schematic")

        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; Formal parameters
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        (
            (buswidth 6)
            (busvalue 0)
        )

        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; Code itself
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        let(( cv master instId netH netL 
            busOut driveName driveNet)

        cv = pcCellView
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; Convert parameters, and figure out drive net name
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        when(buswidth<1 buswidth=1)
        for(bit 0 buswidth-1
            if(driveName then
                driveName=strcat("," driveName)
            else
                driveName=""
            ) ; if
            driveName=strcat(
                if(busvalue<bit>==1 "hi" "lo")
                driveName
            )
        ) ; for

        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; open master cell view
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        master = dbOpenCellViewByType( "basic" "cds_thru" "symbol" nil "r" )
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; create the nets
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        netH=dbMakeNet(cv "hi")
        netL=dbMakeNet(cv "lo")
        busOut=dbMakeNet(cv sprintf(nil "bus<%d:0>" buswidth-1))
        driveNet=dbMakeNet(cv driveName)
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; create the terminals
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        dbCreateTerm(netH netH~>name "inputOutput")
        dbCreateTerm(netL netL~>name "inputOutput")
        dbCreateTerm(busOut busOut~>name "inputOutput")
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; create the instance of cds_thru
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        instId = 
            dbCreateInst(
                cv master sprintf(nil "thru<%d:0>" buswidth-1)
                0:0 "R0"
            )
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; Connect it up
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        dbCreateConnByName(busOut instId "dst");
        dbCreateConnByName(driveNet instId "src");

        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; Make the connectivity look up to date - not always needed, but
        ; Assura needs this, for example.
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        dbSetConnCurrent(cv)

        dbClose( master )
        t
        ) ; let
    )
    dbSave(pcellId)
    dbClose(pcellId) 

    ;--------------------------------------------------------------------
    ; Now the symbol
    ;--------------------------------------------------------------------
    pcellId=pcDefinePCell(
        list(ddGetObj(library) cell "symbol" "schematicSymbol")

        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; Formal parameters
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        (
            (buswidth 6)
            (busvalue 0)
        )

        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; Code itself
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        let(( cv netH netL 
            busOut figH figL figBus hp ps pl bw lh
            pxc label)

        cv = pcCellView

        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; Various dimensions
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; half pin size
        hp=0.025
        ; pin spacing
        ps=0.125
        ; pin length
        pl=0.250
        ; box width
        bw=1.4375
        ; label height
        lh=0.0625
        ; param label x coord
        pxc=0.5

        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; create the shapes - first the pins
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        figH = dbCreateRect(cv list("pin" "drawing") list(-hp:-hp hp:hp)) 
        dbCreateLine(cv list("device" "drawing") list(0:0 pl:0))
        figL = dbCreateRect(cv list("pin" "drawing") list(-hp:-ps-hp hp:-ps+hp))
        dbCreateLine(cv list("device" "drawing") list(0:-ps pl:-ps))
        figBus = dbCreateRect(cv list("pin" "drawing")
            list(2*pl+bw-hp:-hp 2*pl+bw+hp:hp)
        ) ; dbCreateRect
        dbCreateLine(cv list("device" "drawing") list(pl+bw:0 2*pl+bw:0))
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; Then the boxes
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        dbCreateRect(cv list("device" "drawing") list(pl:-2*ps pl+bw:ps))
        dbCreateRect(cv list("instance" "drawing") list(0:-2*ps 2*pl+bw:ps))

        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; create the nets
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        netH=dbMakeNet(cv "hi")
        netL=dbMakeNet(cv "lo")
        busOut=dbMakeNet(cv sprintf(nil "bus<%d:0>" buswidth-1))
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; create the terminals
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        dbCreateTerm(netH netH~>name "inputOutput")
        dbCreateTerm(netL netL~>name "inputOutput")
        dbCreateTerm(busOut busOut~>name "inputOutput")
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; create the pins
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        dbCreatePin(netH figH)
        dbCreatePin(netL figL)
        dbCreatePin(busOut figBus)

        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; Put some labels for the pins
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        dbCreateLabel(cv list("pin" "drawing") pl+ps/2:0
            netH~>name "centerLeft" "R0" "stick" lh)
        dbCreateLabel(cv list("pin" "drawing") pl+ps/2:-ps
            netL~>name "centerLeft" "R0" "stick" lh)
        dbCreateLabel(cv list("pin" "drawing") bw+pl-ps/2:0
            busOut~>name "centerRight" "R0" "stick" lh)

        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        ; And other symbol labels
        ;----------------------------------------------------------------
        label=dbCreateLabel(cv list("annotate" "drawing7") bw+pl-ps/2:ps*1.5
            "cdsName()" "centerRight" "R0" "stick" lh)
        label~>labelType="ILLabel"
        label=dbCreateLabel(cv list("annotate" "drawing") pxc:0
            "cdsParam(1)" "centerLeft" "R0" "stick" lh)
        label~>labelType="ILLabel"
        label=dbCreateLabel(cv list("annotate" "drawing") pxc:-ps
            "cdsParam(2)" "centerLeft" "R0" "stick" lh)
        label~>labelType="ILLabel"

        t
        ) ; let
    )
    dbSave(pcellId)
    dbClose(pcellId) 

;------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Now create the CDF
;------------------------------------------------------------------------
    let( (cellId cdfId )
        unless( cellId = ddGetObj( library cell )
            error( "Could not get cell %s." cell )
        )
        when( cdfId = cdfGetBaseCellCDF( cellId )
            cdfDeleteCDF( cdfId )
        )
        cdfId  = cdfCreateBaseCellCDF( cellId )

        ;;; Parameters
        cdfCreateParam( cdfId
            ?name           "buswidth"
            ?prompt         "Bus Width"
            ?defValue       6
            ?type           "int"
            ?display        "t"
        )
        cdfCreateParam( cdfId
            ?name           "busvalue"
            ?prompt         "Bus Value"
            ?defValue       0
            ?type           "int"
            ?display        "t"
        )

        ;;; Simulator Information
        cdfId->simInfo = list( nil )
        cdfId->simInfo->UltraSim = '( nil )
        cdfId->simInfo->ams = '( nil )
        cdfId->simInfo->auCdl = '( nil )
        cdfId->simInfo->auLvs = '( nil )
        cdfId->simInfo->cdsSpice = '( nil )
        cdfId->simInfo->hspiceD = '( nil )
        cdfId->simInfo->hspiceS = '( nil )
        cdfId->simInfo->spectre = '( nil )
        cdfId->simInfo->spectreS = '( nil )

        ;;; Properties
        cdfId->formInitProc            = ""
        cdfId->doneProc                = ""
        cdfId->buttonFieldWidth        = 340
        cdfId->fieldHeight             = 35
        cdfId->fieldWidth              = 350
        cdfId->promptWidth             = 175
        cdfId->paramLabelSet           = "buswidth busvalue"
        cdfId->paramDisplayMode        = "parameter"
        cdfId->paramEvaluate           = "t nil nil nil nil"
        cdfSaveCDF( cdfId )
    ) ; let
) ; let

Andrew,

 I loaded this PCell into my library and tried to netlist it with Virtuoso CDL Out tool (File->Export->CDL) and it fails in the same way stating that the instance was changed and need to re-extract the containing schematic.  It seems to me that this is some type of Cadence Wrapper software issue.

 If you might have some other tricks up your sleeve, it would be nice to try, but thank you for your help.

Mitchell Cohen

Mitchell,

I'm assuming you've placed an instance of busset in your schematic, checked-and-saved that schematic, and then tried to netlist your schematic (rather than netlisting busset itself)?

If so, which subversion of IC5141 are you using (type getVersion(t) in the CIW to find out)?

Thanks,

Andrew.

Andrew,

You are correct with the order of operations I took to try and netlist the schematic.

sub-version 5.10.41.500.6.145

Thanks

Mitchell Cohen

Mitchell,

That's recent enough (from October 2010), so I would expect it to be OK. Can you post the si.log file that you get from the busset example. I've tried various things to break it - and can't. Even loading "busset.il" after creating the schematic (assuming that I don't still have the schematic open) works. If I have the schematic open it prompts me to save it (and then it fails because it hasn't been check-and-saved, but that's reasonable).

I assume you're only loading busset.il from the CIW, and not putting a load in a libInit.il, .simrc, or .cdsinit (which wouldn't work anyway, but would not cause this failure).

Andrew.