How to change schematic items like pins and solder dots from outline to solid display?

These are controlled by the packet associated with the wire/drawing and pin/drawing layer-purpose pairs respectively. First of all, check what technology library your schematic is attached to - you can do this (with a schematic window as the current window):

techGetTechFile(geGetEditCellView())~>libName

Then in the CIW use Tools->Display Resource Manager and click "Edit..." on the toolbox that appears. In the Display Resource Manager, select the choice to be "All LPPs" (rather than just All Valid LPPs) and the technology library name to match the name above (in my case gpdk045).

Then search for "wire" - find the wire drawing layer. It will then show you the packet name at the bottom - but you can change the setting (on the right side) from outline to solid. Do the same for pin drawing.

This information comes from a display.drf file - which might either be being loaded via your PDK, or by a display.drf found via the normal search mechanism (in the terminal window that you started virtuoso, run "cdswhich display.drf"). Note that if it's loaded via a SKILL drLoadDrf() call in the library's libInit.il the cdswhich approach won't necessarily help you. You might need to fix the one loaded from the PDK.

It's a bit strange though - I don't think I've seen any PDK which has these set to not be solid...

Regards,

Andrew.