Stats

  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 13
  • Subscribers 126
  • Views 17802
  • Members are here 0
This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

Spectre simulation not running at C-extraction level

Debasish

I am getting errors during spectre simulation at C-extracted level. The circuit is getting simulated at schematic level. C-extraction is done using Assura41. The spectre version,OS and error message are listed below. I got this error message by running the simulation from terminal window using./runsimulation. The log file is also pasted below.

=================================

 IC5 Sub version: sub-version 5.10.41.500.6.151 (32-bit addresses)

Debian Linux ti15 2.6.32-5-amd64 #1 SMP Sun May 6 04:00:17 UTC 2012 x86_64 GNU/Linux

 /cad/tools/cadencetools/mmsim_7_2/tools/bin/spectre: line 267:  1933 Killed        ${APPBINPATH}/${PROGRAM} "$@" 0<&3

==================================

Cadence (R) Virtuoso (R) Spectre (R) Circuit Simulator
Version 7.2.0.373.isr13 64bit -- 25 Sep 2010
Copyright (C) 1989-2010 Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Cadence, Virtuoso and Spectre are registered trademarks of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All others are the property of their respective holders.

Protected by U.S. Patents:
        5,610,847; 5,790,436; 5,812,431; 5,859,785; 5,949,992; 5,987,238;
        6,088,523; 6,101,323; 6,151,698; 6,181,754; 6,260,176; 6,278,964;
        6,349,272; 6,374,390; 6,493,849; 6,504,885; 6,618,837; 6,636,839;
        6,778,025; 6,832,358; 6,851,097; 6,928,626; 7,024,652; 7,035,782;
        7,085,700; 7,143,021; 7,493,240; 7,571,401.

Includes RSA BSAFE(R) Cryptographic or Security Protocol Software from RSA Security, Inc.

User: ee11s004   Host: ti15   HostID: 70A7333   PID: 1933
Memory  available: 14.3608 GB  physical: 16.7498 GB
CPU Type: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2600 CPU @ 3.40GHz
          Processor PhysicalID CoreID Frequency
              0         0        0     1600.0
              1         0        1     1600.0
              2         0        2     1600.0
              3         0        3     1600.0
              4         0        0     1600.0
              5         0        1     1600.0
              6         0        2     1600.0
              7         0        3     1600.0


Simulating `input.scs' on ti15 at 11:00:31 AM, Wed Jun 12, 2013 (process id: 1933).
Command line:
     \
        /cad/tools/cadencetools/mmsim_7_2/tools.lnx86/spectre/bin/64bit/spectre  \
        -env artist5.1.0 +escchars +log ../psf/spectre.out -format sst2  \
        -raw ../psf +lqtimeout 900 -maxw 5 -maxn 5 +aps input.scs  \
        +error +warn

Loading /cad/tools/cadencetools/mmsim_7_2/tools.lnx86/cmi/lib/64bit/5.0/libinfineon_sh.so ...
Loading /cad/tools/cadencetools/mmsim_7_2/tools.lnx86/cmi/lib/64bit/5.0/libphilips_sh.so ...
Loading /cad/tools/cadencetools/mmsim_7_2/tools.lnx86/cmi/lib/64bit/5.0/libsparam_sh.so ...
Loading /cad/tools/cadencetools/mmsim_7_2/tools.lnx86/cmi/lib/64bit/5.0/libstmodels_sh.so ...
Auto-loading AHDL component.
Finished loading AHDL component in 0 s (elapsed).
Installed AHDL simulation interface.
Time for NDB Parsing: CPU = 5.94037 s, elapsed = 10.2763 s.
Time accumulated: CPU = 5.94037 s, elapsed = 10.2763 s.
Peak resident memory used = 423 Mbytes.

Existing shared object for module res_va is up to date.
Installed compiled interface for res_va.
Existing shared object for module db_bin2dec is up to date.
Installed compiled interface for db_bin2dec.

Notice from spectre during circuit read-in.
    "input.scs" 1116: Remove instances `I1|I2|I2|I1|I1|I7409|avD59_1' because its terminals connected together.
    "input.scs" 1118: Remove instances `I1|I2|I2|I1|I1|I7410|avD59_1' because its terminals connected together.
    "input.scs" 1120: Remove instances `I1|I2|I2|I1|I1|I7411|avD59_1' because its terminals connected together.
    "input.scs" 1122: Remove instances `I1|I2|I2|I1|I1|I7412|avD59_1' because its terminals connected together.
    "input.scs" 1124: Remove instances `I1|I2|I2|I1|I1|I8427|avD59_1' because its terminals connected together.
        Further occurrences of this notice will be suppressed.

  • Quek

    Hi Debasish

    I don't seem to see any error messages in the spectre log file. Spectre reported that some instances will be removed but it seems to be able to continue. If you meant those messages, here are my suggestions:

    a. Instead of generating a C_only extracted view, generate an lvs_extracted_view which has no parasitics. This will tell us if the problem lies with lvs connections or parasitic extraction.

    b. Have you checked the ".../avD59_1" instance in the netlist? Are its terminals really shorted together? You can check Assura layout netlist to see if the problem already exists after lvs?

    - Go to the Assura lvs run directory
    - Execute the following cmd:
    terminal>vldbToCdl design.ldb > design.ldb.ascii
    - Check the file design.ldb.ascii

    By the way, Assura does not do parasitic extraction. It is only for drc/lvs. I think you meant either Assura RCX or QRC. RCX has already been retired and is now replaced by QRC.

    Best regards
    Quek

  • Debasish

     Hi Quek,

    I am able to run spectre at the schematic level. I meant Assura RCX for C-extraction.

     There are two blocks at the top level. If I C-extract them seperately and run simulations at the top level, its running. But when I do C-extraction of the top level, which includes the interconnections between these blocks, I am getting this error. The top level is DRC and LVS clean from both Assua and Calibre.

     I tried lvs_extracted_view also. I am getting the same notices about "../avD59_1". The log file is exactly the same as before. I cross checked in the netlist, the terminals of avD59_1 are shorted together. Also just to isolate the problem with avD59, I deleted all the instances of avD59 from the extracted netlist. Still spectre is getting stuck.

     I checked db_top.ldb.ascii file. It looks normal, contains the netlist. avD59 terminals are shorted together. What else should I look in here? 

     Regards

    Debasish

     

     

  • Quek

    Hi Debasish

    >>> Still spectre is getting stuck
    Do you mean that spectre hang after those warnings? Are there any messages about convergence, unable to find dc operating point, etc? I am curious about what exactly happens after those warnings.

    If the design looks ok, how about using a higher version of spectre? Your current version 7.2 is already very out-dated. The latest version is 12.1.


    Best regards
    Quek

  • Debasish

    Hi Quek,

    Spectre gets stuck after those notices. In CIW window, it just says "Errors enocuntered during simulation, check the log file". But in log file, I don't see anything except the notices.

    Its getting stuck at the circuit readin stage. Its not getting into the calculating dcOp.

    I have tried 12.1 also, the results are the same.

    Regards

    Debasish

  • Quek

    Hi Debasish

    This seems very strange. Would you please upload the spectre log file? Please use the "upload file" function, not cut&paste.


    Thanks
    Quek

  • Debasish

    Hi Quek,

     Please see the attached log file.

    Regards

    Debasish

  • Quek

    Hi Debasish

    Thank you very much for the log file. This is really very strange. Unfortunately, I am afraid that I am also just as puzzled as you are. I think you will have to contact your local Cadence support for more help. Please kindly provide them with a testcase.


    Best regards
    Quek

  • Debasish

     

    Hi Quek,

    The strange thing is log file doen't contain the error messages. I will try contactin local Cadence support group. Thanks for your pointers.

     Regards

    Debasish

  • Andrew Beckett

    Debasish,

    One thing to try is to go into the "netlist" directory (look in the header when you do Simulation->Netlist->Display to show the path, or look under the location of your "project dir" in Setup->Simulator/Dir/Host, and then go to simulation/<cellname>/spectre/<viewName>/netlist).

    Then look at the "runSimulation" script, and remove the entries saying something like:

     +inter=mpsc +mpssession=spectre0_28655_1

    And then save this file and run (from UNIX):

    ./runSimulation

    and see if it reveals more information - maybe it is failing and explains why it is failing.

    Regards,

    Andrew.

  • Debasish

     Hi Andrew,

    I didn't find "+inter=mpsc..."  like commands in runsimulation. Also while running simulation in MMSIM12.1 today, I got the below message in CIW.

     *Error* ipcBeginProcess: Unable to fork() child process due to system error - %s - "Cannot allocate memory"

    Going by the error, it seems like memory problem. I didn't get the above message in MMSIM7.2. Any suggestions to solve memory problem?

    Regards

    Debasish

Community Guidelines

The Cadence Design Communities support Cadence users and technologists interacting to exchange ideas, news, technical information, and best practices to solve problems and get the most from Cadence technology. The community is open to everyone, and to provide the most value, we require participants to follow our Community Guidelines that facilitate a quality exchange of ideas and information. By accessing, contributing, using or downloading any materials from the site, you agree to be bound by the full Community Guidelines.