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defstruct in pcell (for layout), is it possible?

sjoerdh

Hello,

This is what I want to do:

  • Create a pcell that instantiates other pcells (layout)
  • Perform various "measurements" on this new instance (i.e.: retrieve the bounding box)
  • This information has to be used lateron in the pcell code

I'd like to store this information in a table, where each cell is a defstruct.The code looks like this:

procedure( genCurMir( ... )
    let( ()
        ...
        curMirInst = makeTable( "curMirInst" nil )
        defstruct( instance boundingBox gateCenter drainCenter sourceCentre )
        curMirInst["CELL1"] = make_instance()
        ...
        curMirInst["CELL1"]->boundingBox = instID~>bBox
        ...
    ) ;;; end of let
) ;;; end of procedure genCurMir

After generating the pcell (loading the code containing the command "pcDefinePCell") weird things happen: I am unable to open any view (layout/schematic/symbol/...).Entering commands in the CIW will result (9 out of 10 times) in an error, which is the same error when trying to open any cell-view:

*Error* setq/set: Variable is protected and cannot be assigned to - instance

I have tried creating the defstruct with an other name (blablablabla, definitely not used anywhere else), but the same error, only "instance" replaced by "blablablabla". I have to restart Cedence to regain control.

Furthermore, this created defstruct seems to be global, whereas I created it inside a let. I'd like to keep it local though.

So my question is:

Is it possible to use defstructs in pcells?
If so, what am I doing wrong?

I'd realy like to use this method (table of defstructs) since it is very conveniant.

Any help is highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Sjoerd

Parents

  • Hi Andrew, theopaone and anyone else,

    I've been playing around with table-of-defstructs and table-of-tables, and sofar for most of my coding both work equally simple. However, there's one case which I can't get to work if I use  t-o-t, but is very easy in a t-o-ds. Please see an example below (the output is indented):

    ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
    ; Table of defstructs:
    tempInstDS = makeTable( 'tempInstDSTable nil )
    defstruct(sstCMMinstance instName instOrigin instOrient)
    tempInstDS[1] = make_sstCMMinstance()
    tempInstDS[2] = make_sstCMMinstance()
    tempInstDS[3] = make_sstCMMinstance()
    tempInstDS[1]->instName = "instC"
    tempInstDS[2]->instName = "instB"
    tempInstDS[3]->instName = "instA"
    tempInstDS[1]->instOrient = "R90"
    tempInstDS[2]->instOrient = "R180"
    tempInstDS[3]->instOrient = "MX"
    tempInstDS[1]
        sstCMMinstance@0x11a08878
    tempInstDS[1]->?
        (instOrient instOrigin instName)
    tempInstDS[1]->??
        (instOrient "R90" instOrigin nil instName
            "instC"
        )
    sort(tempInstDS->? 'lessp)
        (1 2 3)
    foreach(key sort(tempInstDS->? 'lessp) printf("%L\n" tempInstDS[key]->? )) =>
        (instOrient instOrigin instName)
        (instOrient instOrigin instName)
        (instOrient instOrigin instName)
        (1 2 3)
    foreach(key sort(tempInstDS->? 'lessp) printf("%L\n" tempInstDS[key]->?? ))
        (instOrient "R90" instOrigin nil instName "instC")
        (instOrient "R180" instOrigin nil instName "instB")
        (instOrient "MX" instOrigin nil instName "instA")
        (1 2 3)
    foreach(key sort(tempInstDS->? 'lessp) printf("%L\n" tempInstDS[key]->instName ))
        "instC"
        "instB"
        "instA"
        (1 2 3)
    ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

    It is the last command I like to replicate using a t-o-t. This is the equivalent:

    ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
    ; Table of tables:
    tempInst=makeTable( 'tempInstTable nil )
    tempInst[list(1 "name")]="instC"
    tempInst[list(2 "name")]="instB"
    tempInst[list(3 "name")]="instA"
    tempInst[list(1 "orient")]="R90"
    tempInst[list(2 "orient")]="R180"
    tempInst[list(3 "orient")]="MY"
    tempInst->?
        ((1 "name")
            (3 "name")
            (2 "name")
            (1 "orient")
            (3 "orient")
            (2 "orient")
        )
    sortcar( tempInst->? 'lessp)
        ((1 "orient")
            (1 "name")
            (2 "orient")
            (2 "name")
            (3 "orient")
            (3 "name")
        )
    foreach( key sortcar( tempInst->? 'lessp) printf( "%L\n" tempInst[key] ))
        "R90"
        "instC"
        "R180"
        "instB"
        "MY"
        "instA"
        ((1 "orient")
            (1 "name")
            (2 "orient")
            (2 "name")
            (3 "orient")
            (3 "name")
        )
    ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

    This is what I tried to get the same output as with the last command of the t-o-ds:

    Since the following works:
    tempInst['(1 "name")]
        "instC"

    I thought I had to do this:
    foreach( key sortcar( tempInst->? 'lessp) printf( "%L\n" tempInst['(car(key) "name")] ))
        output is all nil (6 times)

    I have tried many different constructions for the printf statement, oa:
    printf( "%L\n" tempInst['(key "name")] )
    printf( "%L\n" tempInst[list(car(key) "name")] )

    Even something simple as this doesn't work:
    for(i 1 3 printf( "%L\n" tempInst[list(i "name")] ))
    This truly surprises me since tempInst[list(1 "name")] does work...

    What I try to do:
    The output of the foreach should be all names (and only the names) of each instance.

    The t-o-ds solution is simple, and easy to understand (see the last command of the t-o-ds code). The t-o-t? No solution yet.

    I hope one of you can show me how to do it, or point me into the right direction by describing what I do wrong, so I can figur out myself what I am doing wrong.

    Thank you in advance.

    Kind regards,

    Sjoerd

Reply

  • Hi Andrew, theopaone and anyone else,

    I've been playing around with table-of-defstructs and table-of-tables, and sofar for most of my coding both work equally simple. However, there's one case which I can't get to work if I use  t-o-t, but is very easy in a t-o-ds. Please see an example below (the output is indented):

    ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
    ; Table of defstructs:
    tempInstDS = makeTable( 'tempInstDSTable nil )
    defstruct(sstCMMinstance instName instOrigin instOrient)
    tempInstDS[1] = make_sstCMMinstance()
    tempInstDS[2] = make_sstCMMinstance()
    tempInstDS[3] = make_sstCMMinstance()
    tempInstDS[1]->instName = "instC"
    tempInstDS[2]->instName = "instB"
    tempInstDS[3]->instName = "instA"
    tempInstDS[1]->instOrient = "R90"
    tempInstDS[2]->instOrient = "R180"
    tempInstDS[3]->instOrient = "MX"
    tempInstDS[1]
        sstCMMinstance@0x11a08878
    tempInstDS[1]->?
        (instOrient instOrigin instName)
    tempInstDS[1]->??
        (instOrient "R90" instOrigin nil instName
            "instC"
        )
    sort(tempInstDS->? 'lessp)
        (1 2 3)
    foreach(key sort(tempInstDS->? 'lessp) printf("%L\n" tempInstDS[key]->? )) =>
        (instOrient instOrigin instName)
        (instOrient instOrigin instName)
        (instOrient instOrigin instName)
        (1 2 3)
    foreach(key sort(tempInstDS->? 'lessp) printf("%L\n" tempInstDS[key]->?? ))
        (instOrient "R90" instOrigin nil instName "instC")
        (instOrient "R180" instOrigin nil instName "instB")
        (instOrient "MX" instOrigin nil instName "instA")
        (1 2 3)
    foreach(key sort(tempInstDS->? 'lessp) printf("%L\n" tempInstDS[key]->instName ))
        "instC"
        "instB"
        "instA"
        (1 2 3)
    ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

    It is the last command I like to replicate using a t-o-t. This is the equivalent:

    ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
    ; Table of tables:
    tempInst=makeTable( 'tempInstTable nil )
    tempInst[list(1 "name")]="instC"
    tempInst[list(2 "name")]="instB"
    tempInst[list(3 "name")]="instA"
    tempInst[list(1 "orient")]="R90"
    tempInst[list(2 "orient")]="R180"
    tempInst[list(3 "orient")]="MY"
    tempInst->?
        ((1 "name")
            (3 "name")
            (2 "name")
            (1 "orient")
            (3 "orient")
            (2 "orient")
        )
    sortcar( tempInst->? 'lessp)
        ((1 "orient")
            (1 "name")
            (2 "orient")
            (2 "name")
            (3 "orient")
            (3 "name")
        )
    foreach( key sortcar( tempInst->? 'lessp) printf( "%L\n" tempInst[key] ))
        "R90"
        "instC"
        "R180"
        "instB"
        "MY"
        "instA"
        ((1 "orient")
            (1 "name")
            (2 "orient")
            (2 "name")
            (3 "orient")
            (3 "name")
        )
    ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

    This is what I tried to get the same output as with the last command of the t-o-ds:

    Since the following works:
    tempInst['(1 "name")]
        "instC"

    I thought I had to do this:
    foreach( key sortcar( tempInst->? 'lessp) printf( "%L\n" tempInst['(car(key) "name")] ))
        output is all nil (6 times)

    I have tried many different constructions for the printf statement, oa:
    printf( "%L\n" tempInst['(key "name")] )
    printf( "%L\n" tempInst[list(car(key) "name")] )

    Even something simple as this doesn't work:
    for(i 1 3 printf( "%L\n" tempInst[list(i "name")] ))
    This truly surprises me since tempInst[list(1 "name")] does work...

    What I try to do:
    The output of the foreach should be all names (and only the names) of each instance.

    The t-o-ds solution is simple, and easy to understand (see the last command of the t-o-ds code). The t-o-t? No solution yet.

    I hope one of you can show me how to do it, or point me into the right direction by describing what I do wrong, so I can figur out myself what I am doing wrong.

    Thank you in advance.

    Kind regards,

    Sjoerd

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