How to run dbOpenCellViewByType in ocean mode?

Hi Reinice,

Which version are you using? In IC61x "ocean" is really the same as virtuoso, and so dbOpenCellViewByType is available to use in an ocean session.  However, the warning that you note does not appear to be directly from dbOpenCellViewByType, since this opens a cellview non-graphically in virtual memory, with no need for, or reference to a window.  Can you share the context of dbOpenCellViewByType in your code so that we can see where the warning might be coming from?

Best regards,

Lawrence.

Hi Lawrence,

I 'am using version IC6.1.5.500.132

Here is the context of my dbOpenCellViewByType:

dbOpenCellViewByType(my_lib my_cel "schematic" "" "a")

Thanks and Regards,

Reinice

Hi Lawrence,

How can I determine the contextId of cellview in dbOpenCellViewByType?

Thanks and Regards,

Reinice

Reinice,

The contextId argument is obsolete - it's still there for compatibility with older releases which did support this (that said, I never used it even in the past).

The only explanations I can think of for the "ge" warning is that you either have some dd triggers (registered with ddRegTrigger) which are doing something on data load, or that there's a pcell in your design which is using an inappropriate function.

Unfortunately it's not that straightforward to figure out where a warning comes from.

Regards,

Andrew

Hi Andrew,

Is there another way where I can run my SKILL file in ocean session and not encountering warnings just like mentioned above?

When I run my SKILL file in CIW I' am not encountering such warnings.

Here is the flow of my SKILL file:

1. I open a cellview using dbOpenCellViewByType

2. I instance the Circuit Under Test(ex. Bandgap) in the cellview I just opened using dbCreateInst.

3. I instance the stimulus(ex. vsource, vpwl, gnd) needed to test the Circuit Under Test using also dbCreateInst.

4. I wire the stimulus and Circuit Under Test using schCreateWire.

Thanks and Regards,

Reinice

Hi Reinice,

You can force the warnings to be swallowed by redirecting woport somewhere else. For example:

woport=outfile("/dev/null")

You may be able to call getWarn() after the call which generates the warning - but I still don't understand why you are getting this warning from dbOpenCellViewByType().

Regards,

Andrew.

Hi Andrew,

Actually I' am not really sure if it is dbOpenCellViewByType that's causing the warning.

I' am just wondering why my SKILL file runs ok in CIW(cellview that will be open by dbOpenCellViewByType must be open) and when I run it in ocean session and in CIW(cellview is not opened), it is creating warnings such as above.

Is there a need for a cellview to be opened in a valid graphic editor window for dbOpenCellViewByType to function properly?

Are there any alternatives not requiring for a cellview to be opened?

Thanks and Regards,

Reinice

Reinice,

There is absolutely no need for there to be a graphic window available to use dbOpenCellViewByType - it's completely below the GUI layer.

It's possible that some of your sch.* functions might have a UI dependency - it depends on what you're doing. Even then, I'm slightly surprised... How are you doing the check-and-save?

Regards,

Andrew.

Hi Andrew,

Here are the list of the sch* functions I've used and it's context:

1. schSelectAllFig(cvId)

2. schHiDelete()

3. schCreateWire(cvId "route" "full" list(mydx:mydy mydx_CUT:mydy_CUT) 0.0625 0.0625 0.0)

4. schCreatePin(cvId inputCVId inst_net2 mytype nil mydx:mydy "R0")

5. schCheck(cvId)

Where:

cvId = dbOpenCellViewByType(my_lib my_cell "schematic" "" "a")

inputCVId = dbOpenCellViewByType("basic" "ipin" "symbol" "" 'r)

inst_net2 = net of the terminal

my_type = "input" or "output"

a. How can I know if a sch* function is UI dependent? If it is UI dependent, are there any counter part that does not require UI dependecy? I want my SKILL file to run in ocean session and not only in CIW(requiring cellview to be opened).

b. This is how I do check and save:

schCheck(cvId)

dbSave(cvId)

Are there any alternatives to do check and save using SKILL?

Thanks and Regards,

Reinice