Virtuoso Studio: Excellent XL - Next-Gen Layouts with Virtuoso Layout XL

Our new AI-powered custom design solution, Virtuoso Studio, leverages our 30 years of industry knowledge and leadership, providing innovative features, reimagined infrastructure for unrivaled productivity, and new levels of integration that stretch beyond classic design boundaries. In this blog series, learn how the best analog design tools just got better to help you keep pace with your challenging design issues.

Ever find yourself wondering if your layout actually matches with the schematic that your circuit designer handed over? 

When your layout includes just a bunch of polygons, using an LVS tool is important. However, if you’re building with Pcells and connecting with path segments, you may not need an LVS tool as often, checking your layout as you work to ensure your layout and schematic are in sync makes life so much easier.

Connectivity-driven layout is a game changer for layout automation—it’s your guarantee that automation is sticking to the design intent. Virtuoso Layout Suite XL is your go-to for all things layout in your custom design platform. With every major release, Cadence keeps leveling up Layout XL, streamlining your workflow and helping you hit those deadlines with way less stress. In this blog series, “Excellent XL,” we’ll dive into what makes Layout Suite XL so powerful for connectivity-driven layouts, how you can keep things XL compliant, and all the cool automation features waiting for you in Virtuoso Studio.

Top IC23.1 Enhancements You Should Be Using

If you have been a long-time Virtuoso Studio user, you will agree that in IC23.1, Cadence packed in a suite of features designed to make your XL workflow smoother than ever. With these upgrades, Virtuoso Studio IC23.1 made connectivity-driven layout simpler, faster, and more reliable—letting you stay focused on design, not on troubleshooting. If you were to ask me my Top 5 IC23.1 Virtuoso Studio features, here’s my handy list for you. If you’re not using the features already, you’re surely missing out! 

Schematic Assistant: Everything You Need, Right in Your Layout

First up, the Schematic Assistant is now right there in your layout window. Say goodbye to flipping between multiple screens just to cross-probe, highlight, or pick and place components. Everything you need is at your fingertips, so you can keep your focus where it matters—on the layout itself.

Incremental Check Against Source: Instant Feedback, Zero Surprises

Another standout is the Incremental Check Against Source. This feature quietly runs in the background, monitoring every edit you make. If you accidentally drop in the wrong instance or mess up the design connectivity, the incremental checker will catch it immediately and let you know. No more surprises down the line!

Application Readiness Checker: Central Control Hub for Clean Layouts

If you push past those early warnings and keep editing, the Application Readiness Checker steps in as your central control center. It helps you review and update your layout, so you can fix any issues before they become real headaches.

Group Array: No More Mosaic Nightmares

Struggling with a large array of devices and the infamous “mosaic nightmare”? The new Group Array feature has you covered. It keeps your devices and dummies clearly mapped and properly connected, eliminating guesswork and preventing wiring mistakes as you go.

Smarter Dummy Management with Interactive Backannotation

When it comes to managing dummy devices, interactive dummy backannotation is a game changer. You now have fine-tuned control over how dummies are represented in the schematic, so those old LVS mismatches and manual corrections are a thing of the past.

Things Got Better in IC25.1

Cadence Virtuoso Studio users, you know the feeling—IC23.1 has been a game changer, chopping hours off your workflow over the past couple of years. But guess what? With Virtuoso Studio IC25.1 release, things have clearly got even better!

• Layout XL Compliance is Now Just One Click Away -  Ever wish you could get your Layout XL compliance back from an LVS clean layout with just a click? Now you can. IC25.1 reads the svdb query output straight from the LVS tools, collects all the information it needs, and updates the logical connectivity of your design data without messing with the physical shapes. This means your layout stays LVS clean and is good to go for layout migration in Virtuoso Studio—no fuss, no risk.
• Fixing Instance Binding Just Got Easier - Not quite LVS clean yet? No problem. Fixing instance binding is way easier now. IC25.1 brings you handy binding color maps. So, when you look at your layout canvas, you’ll see exactly which instances are unbound, missing, or extra—each one is marked clearly. New Bind and Unbind commands make it super intuitive to tell the tool what needs fixing. No more guessing games!
• Demystifying Connectivity Errors with Analyze Marker - And, if you’ve ever scratched your head over connectivity opens and shorts warnings in Annotation Browser, you’ll love this: the new Analyze Marker feature actually explains what’s wrong and how to fix it. Even better, the Fixer usually just takes care of the problem for you, automatically.

Sit back, relax, and watch out for next blogs in the Excellent XL series to learn more details about these features.

Related Resources

Product Manual	Virtuoso Layout Suite XL: Connectivity Driven Editing User Guide Schematic Assistant Design Check Using Application Readiness Checker Incremental Check Against Source Connectivity Analyzer Virtuoso Layout Suite XL: Basic Editing User Guide -- Group Arrays
Training Bytes (Videos)	Schematic Assistant Application Readiness Checker Incremental Check Against Source Group Arrays Interactive Dummy Instance Backannotation

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For more information on Cadence circuit design products and services, visit www.cadence.com.

Happy Reading!

Girish Vaidyanathan