How to do a plot in Cadence?

Alex,

Not sure why plotconfig is core dumping. However, given that the .cdsplotinit file is pretty simple syntax, it's really not difficult to write - as has been repeatedly mentioned, this is covered in the plotting documentation at <ICinstDir>/doc/plot/plot.pdf

Create a .cdsplotinit file in your home directory or working directory which looks like this:

My Plotter|Generic 300 dpi Adobe PostScript Level 1 Plotter: \
        :manufacturer=Adobe: \
        :type=postscript1: \
        :spool="lp -dcds": \
        :query=lpstat -ocds: \
        :remove=cancel $1 cds: \
        :resolution#300: \
        :maximumPages#30: \
        :paperSize="A" 2400 3150 75 75:

Change the "cds" in the spool, query and remove lines to the name of your printer. Best to make sure that you can send files to the printer using the spool command from UNIX first, same with query and remove commands.

The Export Image is only in IC61X releases (I can't remember precisely when it was introduced - but it should be in IC614 I think). It's not in IC5141.

Other image capture tools are things like ksnapshot, gnome-screenshot and numerous others - but these are still capturing raster images at screen resolution rather than vector drawings.

Regards,

Andrew.

Andrew,

 I tried your .cdsplotinit. When I tried to do a design=>Plot in the schematic editor, the CIW window says:

*WARNING* syntax error line 8 

 :paperSize="A" 2400 3150 75 75:<-----|

I also checked the plot.pdf. Some setups about spool environment require root access which I could not. But my need is quite simple, plot a schematic view and save it into a file on my local file system. I think this does not need to much configurations. Like I can print a pdf file to a another one with different format (multiple-pages/pamphlets in one page) and save it as a new pdf file by using Adobe PDF printer instead of actually printing it out by a HP LaserJet 4250 for example. Maybe being lack of certain knowledge causes some understanding for me. You may know a neat way to do it. No idea about what exactly printer installed on the Linux Server of the school.

B.T.W. I have found the export function: File => Export Image  which gives you different type of fiel format like PNG, JPG ... ICO all of which are raster based as you said.

 Regards,

Alex 

Alex,

Maybe you have strange characters in the file (not sure - it works for me OK - but if I give the file "DOS" line endings, it's a problem).

Can you do:

cat -vet .cdsplotinit

(from a UNIX prompt) and post the results here?

The plotting support in Virtuoso is quite archaic - and predates the common setup of printers that now happens in Unix and Linux flavours but didn't happen a long time ago. It's also used to set special options and paper sizes (still needed for PostScript file access). Once you've done this basic setup (which is covered clearly in the docs) you can get a PostScript file that you can manipulate to your heart's content.

Regards,

Andrew.

Andrew,

The result is as follows: 

My Plotter|Generic 300 dpi Adobe PostScript Level 1 Plotter: \^M$

        :manufacturer=Adobe: \^M$

        :type=postscript1: \^M$

        :spool="lp -dcds": \^M$

        :query=lpstat -ocds: \^M$

        :remove=cancel $1 cds: \^M$

        :resolution#300: \^M$

        :maximumPages#30: \^M$

        :paperSize="A" 2400 3150 75 75:

 Before going to the detail of docs, can you inform me that is it necessary to have root administrator (computer server administrator) involved. They are not quite familiar with Cadence tool. I can only manipulate my local file and cannot install any printer or whatever settings on the server side.

Regards, 

Alex 

Alex,

There's no need to have an adminstrator involved. Two things here - you have an unterminated line as the last line (this is probably a function of using a Windows-based text editor) - and secondly you have "DOS" line endings.

So, please add a blank line at the end of the file, and then in UNIX type:

dos2unix .cdsplotinit

Then I think it should work (you can choose to plot to file).

Andrew.

Hi Andrew,

 I am very happy!!!

By using your .cdsplotinit and following your instructions, I got the high definition plot.

I have added the setenv LD_LIBRARY_PATH $CDSHOME/tools/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH at the last line of .cshrc to overwrite previous library path setting.

All is good now.

Thank you so much!!!

Regards,

Alex 

Hi Andrew,

 Now the plot is black & white. Is there a way to get a colorful plot (vector based). This is useful especially for a layout plot. Can I get a colorful .ps or .eps file format?

Thanks,

Alex 

Alex,

I really wish you would just read the documentation I keep pointing you to. This is clearly covered in the PostScript chapter (look in the pdf and search for "color" having navigated to the PostScript chapter).

It's easy - just change the type from type=postscript1 to type=postscript2

Regards,

Andrew.

Hi Andrew,

  I am copying the Cadence IC6 sample cdsplotinit to my directory ($CDS_INST_DIR/tools/plot/etc/cdsplotinit)

In schematic view, when I select print, I see:

Loading /ubc/ece/home/soc/staff/roozbeh/temp/test/tsmc65oa/.cdsplotinit

But I get the following warnings and no plotter is loaded. i.e. in print options, I cannot select any plotter or size etc.

*WARNING* No plotters are defined in the configuration database

*WARNING* No Size is not a valid paper size for No Plotters.

*WARNING* No Size is not a valid paper size for No Plotters.

*WARNING* No Plotters unknown plotter.

I even tried running plotconfig, it simply lists the same plotters listed in the above cdsplotinit file and no matter what I do, does not move them to the selected section and does not produce any files.

Do you have any suggestions?

roozbeh

It is not intended that you directly copy that file to your site .cdsplotinit. It's a template that is used to build the actual .cdsplotinit by plotconfig.

You can copy entries from the file but precede the lines with a name for the printer. So for example, you could take:

start

Encapsulated PostScript: \
	:manufacturer=Adobe: \
	:type=epsf: \
	:maximumPages#1: \
	:resolution#300: \
	:paperSize="5x5 inches" 1500 1500: \
	:paperSize="8x8 inches" 2400 2400: \
	:paperSize="Unlimited"  72000 72000:

Generic 300 dpi Adobe PostScript Level 1 Plotter: \
        :manufacturer=Adobe: \
        :type=postscript1: \
        :maximumPages#30: \
        :resolution#300: \
        :paperSize="A" 2400 3150 75 75:

and then add in the printer names with a pipe character before each entry:

My Encap|Encapsulated PostScript: \
	:manufacturer=Adobe: \
	:type=epsf: \
	:maximumPages#1: \
	:resolution#300: \
	:paperSize="5x5 inches" 1500 1500: \
	:paperSize="8x8 inches" 2400 2400: \
	:paperSize="Unlimited"  72000 72000:

My PS|Generic 300 dpi Adobe PostScript Level 1 Plotter: \
        :manufacturer=Adobe: \
        :type=postscript1: \
        :maximumPages#30: \
        :resolution#300: \
        :paperSize="A" 2400 3150 75 75:

Or you could delete your .cdsplotinit and then use plotconfig. Pick something like the plotter model (note, these will all be ancient printers, but it's the type that makes the difference) you want in the bottom list and double click on it to add it to the top (having picked site, group (working dir) or personal (home dir) as the destination. Then you can select the printer in the top list and press the setup or queue button to customise it (e.g. change the name, available paper sizes etc). That's probably the easiest way to get started.

Regards,

Andrew.