pCell skill for beginners

Hi Lawrence, i've been using your example (thanks for that) and i've had managed to make some good progress (for a beginner). I now can generate a pCell with say M1,VIA1,M2,VIA2 & M3 which has X&Y stretch handles.  I've used M1 as my main ROD rectangle with the other 4 layers as subrectangles.

It works nicely in the sense that I can place & stretch it around, it looks like all the layers are in place and the correct size. I have a couple of immediate issues & a more generic question.

1) How do i set a miimum value for parameters, currently i can stretch the pCell to 0um then i can't recover it, i have to select it (by area for example) then delete it.

2) It fails to run PVS DRC with message: 

  *WARNING* Pcell evaluation for stu_test_skill/GGL_pCell_M1viaM3/layout has the following error(s):
*WARNING* ("eval" 0 t nil ("*Error* eval: undefined function" GGLcreateViaM1M3))
*WARNING* Error kept in "errorDesc" property of the label "pcellEvalFailed" on layer/purpose "marker/error" in the submaster.

FATAL (449): Pcell evaluation failed. This could happen as a result of either a syntax error or the use of an unsupported PIPO function in Pcell SKILL code. Only db*() and rod*() functions can be used in Pcell SKILL code. To continue, either use the 'Ignore Pcell evaluation failure' option in Stream  In/Out Options or fix the Pcell SKILL code.
pvsvirt: PROBLEM happened while processing strmout.

3) This is the more generic Question. Once i have a nice clean pcell code how should i store & implement the Skill for the design team. For example i could just load the code from the project .cdsinit, would that be wise? I noticed that when i start a new session i have to reload the skill function else i get the pCell evaluation failed message in the layout view.

Thanks for you help

Stu

Here is my code, all feedback is very welcome:

procedure(GGLcreateViaM1M3(cv w l "dnn")
  let( (rectRodObj)
  ;; create a rectangle on metal1 with x & y dimensions set by w & l
  rectRodObj = rodCreateRect(
      ?name    "gglVIA1m1m3"
      ?cvId    cv
      ?layer    list("M1" "drawing")
      ?width    w
      ?length    l
      ?origin    list(0 0)
      ?subRectArray     list(
        list(
            ?layer     list("M2" "drawing")
            ?width     w
            ?length     l
            )
        list(
            ?layer     list("M3" "drawing")
            ?width     w
            ?length     l
            )
        list(
            ?layer     list("VIA1" "drawing")
            ?width     0.07
            ?length     0.07
            ?lowerLeftOffsetX    0.05
                       ?lowerLeftOffsetY    0.05
                       ?upperRightOffsetX   -0.05
                      ?upperRightOffsetY   -0.05
                       ?spaceX              0.075
                       ?spaceY              0.075
            )
        list(
            ?layer     list("VIA2" "drawing")
            ?width     0.07
            ?length     0.07
            ?lowerLeftOffsetX    0.05
                       ?lowerLeftOffsetY    0.05
                       ?upperRightOffsetX   -0.05
                      ?upperRightOffsetY   -0.05
                       ?spaceX              0.075
                       ?spaceY              0.075
            )
        )    
  )

;; create a stretch handle for the width & length

  rodAssignHandleToParameter(
    ?parameter        "w"
    ?rodObj        rectRodObj
    ?handleName        "centerRight"
    ?stretchDir        "X"
    ?updateIncrement    0.005
  ); rodAssignHandleToParameter

 rodAssignHandleToParameter(
    ?parameter        "l"
    ?rodObj        rectRodObj
    ?handleName        "upperCenter"
    ?stretchDir        "Y"
    ?updateIncrement    0.005
  ); rodAssignHandleToParameter

  ); let
); procedure

;; Create the PCell, the "drawing routine" is encapsulated in the
;; GGLcreateViaM1M3 function which does all the work

pcDefinePCell(
  list(ddGetObj("stu_test_skill") "GGL_pCell_M1viaM3" "layout")
  (
    (w 0.33)
    (l 0.33)
  )
  let( ((cv pcCellView))
    GGLcreateViaM1M3(cv w l)
  ); let
)

;; Create the CDF for the 'l' and 'w' parameters
let( (cellId cdfId)
  when(cellId = ddGetObj("stu_test_skill" "GGL_pCell_M1viaM3")
    ;; if the cell CDF already exists, delete it
    when( cdfId = cdfGetBaseCellCDF(cellId)
      cdfDeleteCDF(cdfId)
    )
    ;; create the base cell CDF
    cdfId = cdfCreateBaseCellCDF(cellId)
    ;; create the parameters
    cdfCreateParam( cdfId
      ?name    "l"
      ?prompt    "Length"
      ?defValue    0.33
      ?type    "float"
      ?display    "t"
    )
    cdfCreateParam( cdfId
      ?name    "w"
      ?prompt    "Width"
      ?defValue    0.33
      ?type    "float"
      ?display    "t"
    )
    cdfSaveCDF(cdfId)
  ); when
); let for CDF creation

Hi Lawrence, i've been using your example (thanks for that) and i've had managed to make some good progress (for a beginner). I now can generate a pCell with say M1,VIA1,M2,VIA2 & M3 which has X&Y stretch handles.  I've used M1 as my main ROD rectangle with the other 4 layers as subrectangles.

It works nicely in the sense that I can place & stretch it around, it looks like all the layers are in place and the correct size. I have a couple of immediate issues & a more generic question.

1) How do i set a miimum value for parameters, currently i can stretch the pCell to 0um then i can't recover it, i have to select it (by area for example) then delete it.

2) It fails to run PVS DRC with message: 

  *WARNING* Pcell evaluation for stu_test_skill/GGL_pCell_M1viaM3/layout has the following error(s):
*WARNING* ("eval" 0 t nil ("*Error* eval: undefined function" GGLcreateViaM1M3))
*WARNING* Error kept in "errorDesc" property of the label "pcellEvalFailed" on layer/purpose "marker/error" in the submaster.

FATAL (449): Pcell evaluation failed. This could happen as a result of either a syntax error or the use of an unsupported PIPO function in Pcell SKILL code. Only db*() and rod*() functions can be used in Pcell SKILL code. To continue, either use the 'Ignore Pcell evaluation failure' option in Stream  In/Out Options or fix the Pcell SKILL code.
pvsvirt: PROBLEM happened while processing strmout.

3) This is the more generic Question. Once i have a nice clean pcell code how should i store & implement the Skill for the design team. For example i could just load the code from the project .cdsinit, would that be wise? I noticed that when i start a new session i have to reload the skill function else i get the pCell evaluation failed message in the layout view.

Thanks for you help

Stu

Here is my code, all feedback is very welcome:

procedure(GGLcreateViaM1M3(cv w l "dnn")
  let( (rectRodObj)
  ;; create a rectangle on metal1 with x & y dimensions set by w & l
  rectRodObj = rodCreateRect(
      ?name    "gglVIA1m1m3"
      ?cvId    cv
      ?layer    list("M1" "drawing")
      ?width    w
      ?length    l
      ?origin    list(0 0)
      ?subRectArray     list(
        list(
            ?layer     list("M2" "drawing")
            ?width     w
            ?length     l
            )
        list(
            ?layer     list("M3" "drawing")
            ?width     w
            ?length     l
            )
        list(
            ?layer     list("VIA1" "drawing")
            ?width     0.07
            ?length     0.07
            ?lowerLeftOffsetX    0.05
                       ?lowerLeftOffsetY    0.05
                       ?upperRightOffsetX   -0.05
                      ?upperRightOffsetY   -0.05
                       ?spaceX              0.075
                       ?spaceY              0.075
            )
        list(
            ?layer     list("VIA2" "drawing")
            ?width     0.07
            ?length     0.07
            ?lowerLeftOffsetX    0.05
                       ?lowerLeftOffsetY    0.05
                       ?upperRightOffsetX   -0.05
                      ?upperRightOffsetY   -0.05
                       ?spaceX              0.075
                       ?spaceY              0.075
            )
        )    
  )

;; create a stretch handle for the width & length

  rodAssignHandleToParameter(
    ?parameter        "w"
    ?rodObj        rectRodObj
    ?handleName        "centerRight"
    ?stretchDir        "X"
    ?updateIncrement    0.005
  ); rodAssignHandleToParameter

 rodAssignHandleToParameter(
    ?parameter        "l"
    ?rodObj        rectRodObj
    ?handleName        "upperCenter"
    ?stretchDir        "Y"
    ?updateIncrement    0.005
  ); rodAssignHandleToParameter

  ); let
); procedure

;; Create the PCell, the "drawing routine" is encapsulated in the
;; GGLcreateViaM1M3 function which does all the work

pcDefinePCell(
  list(ddGetObj("stu_test_skill") "GGL_pCell_M1viaM3" "layout")
  (
    (w 0.33)
    (l 0.33)
  )
  let( ((cv pcCellView))
    GGLcreateViaM1M3(cv w l)
  ); let
)

;; Create the CDF for the 'l' and 'w' parameters
let( (cellId cdfId)
  when(cellId = ddGetObj("stu_test_skill" "GGL_pCell_M1viaM3")
    ;; if the cell CDF already exists, delete it
    when( cdfId = cdfGetBaseCellCDF(cellId)
      cdfDeleteCDF(cdfId)
    )
    ;; create the base cell CDF
    cdfId = cdfCreateBaseCellCDF(cellId)
    ;; create the parameters
    cdfCreateParam( cdfId
      ?name    "l"
      ?prompt    "Length"
      ?defValue    0.33
      ?type    "float"
      ?display    "t"
    )
    cdfCreateParam( cdfId
      ?name    "w"
      ?prompt    "Width"
      ?defValue    0.33
      ?type    "float"
      ?display    "t"
    )
    cdfSaveCDF(cdfId)
  ); when
); let for CDF creation