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 Adding gds number to LSW display 

Last post Fri, Dec 21 2012 3:55 PM by jaleco. 8 replies.
Started by jaleco 21 Dec 2012 10:31 AM. Topic has 8 replies.
Page 1 of 1 (9 items)
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  • Fri, Dec 21 2012 10:31 AM

    • jaleco
    • Top 100 Contributor
    • Joined on Wed, Mar 21 2012
    • Posts 58
    • Points 800
    Adding gds number to LSW display Reply

    Is there a way to add layer gds stream numbers (extracted from the techfile with the lpp) to the LSW display?

    I am using v5.1.41
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    • Post Points: 35

  • Fri, Dec 21 2012 10:35 AM

    Re: Adding gds number to LSW display Reply
    Not in IC5141, but you can do this in IC615 (recent ISRs) in the layer palette.

    Andrew
    • Post Points: 20

  • Fri, Dec 21 2012 10:50 AM

    • jaleco
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    Re: Adding gds number to LSW display Reply

    hmmm....as an alternative to modifying the GUI with a new column of gds numbers, there is no way that for example a SKILL script could extract the layer name and gds number from the techfile, concatenate the two separated by say 3 dashes, and populate the LSW with this new layer name and unaltered purpose string...?  Create a new list of lpp's to populate the LSW with?

    Does that sound possible?
    • Post Points: 20

  • Fri, Dec 21 2012 11:06 AM

    • dmay
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    Re: Adding gds number to LSW display Reply

    You could use the "Abbreviation" column in the techPurposes and techLayers sections of the technology file. These are generally used to make a shorter name for displaying in the LSW, but you could add the number without affecting the real name. For example, the purpose drawing has an abbreviation of drw. You could have a datatype number like drw--0 and a layer number like metal1--15. You'll need to widen your LSW so you can see the full name.

    leSetLSWBBox(bBox)

    .cdsenv variable:
    layout  lswLPIconPurposeLength  int     3

    Derek
    • Post Points: 20

  • Fri, Dec 21 2012 11:35 AM

    • jaleco
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    Re: Adding gds number to LSW display Reply

    Thanks Derek,

    I will try this out...
    • Post Points: 5

  • Fri, Dec 21 2012 11:55 AM

    Re: Adding gds number to LSW display Reply
    This (and Derek's suggestion) does seem like a lot of bother to translate the display from a meaningful human-friendly name to a number from a 30 year old database format which is intended to be machine rather than human-read...

    But the abbreviation approach is probably the best bet - assuming that you don't map the same layer (different purposes) to differen stream layer numbers. If you really must...=
    • Post Points: 20

  • Fri, Dec 21 2012 1:17 PM

    • jaleco
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    Re: Adding gds number to LSW display Reply

    ...This could become a much larger industry question if we are asking why CAD users need to use gds numbers. Us humans have to confirm that what layer name we are seeing in the CAD tool is associated with the expected db number that will be or has been machine read, and we have to communicate using layer names as well as db numbers.  The db format (numeric layer identifiers) is frequently used in conjunction with layer name in back-end production, reviews, design/mask changes, vendors, partner firms, etc.  The visual aid of the LSW would help greatly if it displayed both names and numbers, or had the option to turn it on/off.  As long as us humans have to communicate using both systems, I'm confused why it would seem a bother to have the LSW display both...especially if some similar ability has been invested in v6...?
    • Post Points: 20

  • Fri, Dec 21 2012 3:21 PM

    Re: Adding gds number to LSW display Reply
    I'm not saying it isn't useful now and again, but I doubt most people would want to see it all the time (I was one of the AE's who requested this being added into the IC615 layer palette on behalf of a customer). I just thought that having to go through convoluted routes to display it in IC5141 when you'd end up having to see it all the time (I guess you could change the techfile in memory only) seemed overkill to me.

    I'm quite happy to be wrong though - If you think it's worthwhile, that's fine!

    Andrew
    • Post Points: 20

  • Fri, Dec 21 2012 3:55 PM

    • jaleco
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    Re: Adding gds number to LSW display Reply

    Andrew,

    you are right, I would probably prefer NOT to see the gds numbers all the time and the less is more approach to visual clutter is usually best, so ideally the gds numbers would be present when needed - turned on/off via scripting.  I was hoping there was a built in option to add the gds numbers as opposed to a custom SKILL approach.  Being a novice programmer, everything seems convoluted and a bother. But these accomplishments are very satisfying once reached, so I'm not deterred, I am rather encouraged that there is a potential solution! 

    I will see if I can get a function to re-load the techfile with or without a gds concatenated layer abbreviation, and use it to toggle the visibility of the gds number in the LSW.

    Thank you both very much.
    • Post Points: 5
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Started by jaleco at 21 Dec 2012 10:31 AM. Topic has 8 replies.