Problem with Virtuoso_Layout_Suite_L

 Hi,

I will assume that you are using IC61x since the non-SKILL PCells warning came about fairly recently. 

Are you concerned about the license warnings, or the section after?  The license messages seem reasonable, assuming that you don't have an "L" or "XL" tier license, the tool will, by default, start at the lowest tier for that tool and work upwards until an available license is found - in this case I'm assuming that the check of the GXL license worked, and that there were no "L" or "XL"  features available.  You can limit the search with the use of environment variables, but the version that you are using will determine which variable to use.  For example, if using the latest IC614 versions and recent IC613 versions (ISR15 and later), you may set the following in your .cdsenv file:

 license VLSLicenseCheckoutOrder string "GXL,XL,L"

(I'm assuming that you don't have XL and L, so look for GXL first).  This and the previous method are detailed in Solution 11587412 

If you are concerned about the latter section, I recommend that you file a customer support service request with Cadence. The tools should not crash, but at the same time,Virtuoso does not support non-SKILL PCells, and it could be the attempted use of these that is causing the problem.  Note that even if a crash is avoided, what can Virtuoso do with non-SKILL Pcells?  It seems that you would need a third-party plugin or software to make their usage possible.

Best regards,

Lawrence.

 Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

 I am using ic614. I am trying to simulate inverter layout( using pcells) to check if cadense is installed properly.  Can you tell how can i use a Skill pcell? 

 Hi,

In the installation there is a "gpdk" - a generic PDK, and this contains PCells for nmos/pmos devices.  Simply add something like the following to your cds.lib to use the gpdk:

define gpdk $(inst_root_with:tools/dfII/bin/virtuoso)/tools/dfII/samples/tutorials/abstract/pdk/gpdk

Copy the display.drf file from the "abstract" directory listed above (you can use something like "cds_root virtuoso" to supply the root of the installation).  Create a new library and attach the gpdk technology to it; create an inverter design in a cellview in your new library using the nmos/pmos devices from the gpdk library. I've not tried to simulate such a design, however, and I don't know if the simulator models are defined for these transistors. These devices are SKILL Pcells.

I hope this helps you!

Regards,

Lawrence.

 i can add the nmos/pmos devices now. Thank you very much