where to find the tutorial on how to program the skill language?

Here is a cut-and-paste of my related post in January of 2005l; hope it helps!
John Gianni

psitham wrote:
> Can anyone tell me the easiest way to learn SKILL ...
> I tried searching for SKILL on the web
> Is the OpenBook of cadence a good starting point ?.

This question has been asked many times in the past.
Basically, the answer is yes.
To learn SKILL, do two things:
a) Read the SKILL user guides (there are plenty shipped with DFII, aka "Virtuoso")
b) Take a SKILL training class
For example, every year, the International Cadence User Group offers
half-day basic and advanced and Pcell SKILL programming classes for 50
bucks.

Plenty of examples abound on the Internet, for example, I just googled
for keywords of learn SKILL programming & your question popped up many
times.
For example, see this 10 Jun 2002 thread by Reuben Wilcock summarized
below:

Subject: SKILL programming
Newsgroup: comp.cad.cadence
Date: 10 Jun 2002 07:17:10 -0700

Can anyone offer advice on the best way of starting to learn to
program in SKILL - where to get manuals and examples and any other
information. Basically anything to get me started. This is going to be
aiming towards manipulating layouts and pCells - another thing which I
would be grateful for information about.

To which the esteemed Andrew Beckett suggested:
Start by reading the SKILL user guide in openbook or cdsdoc (depending
on which version you're using). The SKILL User Guide is written like
a programming book - and goes through from basics upwards, and has
some simple examples in the manual too.

You might also want to look through the SKILL reference manual, the
Design Framework II SKILL Reference manual, and the Relative Object
Design manual (for pcells).

However, I'd strongly recommend attending one of Cadence's SKILL
classes - you'll find that you'll get up to speed much quicker that
way (I know you'd expect me to say that, but it really is the quickest
way of getting up to speed).

And to which Erik Wanta expounded upon, namely:

Read the following documentation on sourcelink.
- SKILL Language User Guide
- SKILL Language Reference
- DFII SKILL Functions
- Development SKILL Functions
- User Interface SKILL Functions
- Schematic Composer SKILL Functions
- Layout Virtuoso SKILL Functions
- Techfile & Display Resources SKILL Functions
- Floorplanning SKILL Functions
- Analog Artist SKILL Functions
- Open Simulation System Reference
- IPC SKILL Functions
- SKILL++ Object Oriented Programming
- Cadence Application Infrastructure User Guide
- Component Description Format (CDF) User Guide

See also:
http://www.ee.vt.edu/~ha/cadtools/cadence/skill.html
http://www.utdallas.edu/~grinnell/ee7v81
www.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/ipvr/ise/projekte/cadence/AA/CadenceS...

Other messages backed up these two suppositions, e.g.:

Newsgroups: comp.cad.cadence
From: Grant Erwin
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2002 07:36:40 -0800

Don't start by reading SKILL code.
Much too intimidating.
Start by reading the online document "SKILL User's Guide".
I'd print it out and take it home and just try to read it like a
novel.

I don't know of too many people who are successful at picking up SKILL

without going to the Cadence training courses ...

Also, contact your sales or support team and obtain a SKILL Quick
Reference which contains short-form documentation on over 5000 public
SKILL functions.

Here is a cut-and-paste of my related post in January of 2005l; hope it helps!
John Gianni

psitham wrote:
> Can anyone tell me the easiest way to learn SKILL ...
> I tried searching for SKILL on the web
> Is the OpenBook of cadence a good starting point ?.

This question has been asked many times in the past.
Basically, the answer is yes.
To learn SKILL, do two things:
a) Read the SKILL user guides (there are plenty shipped with DFII, aka "Virtuoso")
b) Take a SKILL training class
For example, every year, the International Cadence User Group offers
half-day basic and advanced and Pcell SKILL programming classes for 50
bucks.

Plenty of examples abound on the Internet, for example, I just googled
for keywords of learn SKILL programming & your question popped up many
times.
For example, see this 10 Jun 2002 thread by Reuben Wilcock summarized
below:

Subject: SKILL programming
Newsgroup: comp.cad.cadence
Date: 10 Jun 2002 07:17:10 -0700

Can anyone offer advice on the best way of starting to learn to
program in SKILL - where to get manuals and examples and any other
information. Basically anything to get me started. This is going to be
aiming towards manipulating layouts and pCells - another thing which I
would be grateful for information about.

To which the esteemed Andrew Beckett suggested:
Start by reading the SKILL user guide in openbook or cdsdoc (depending
on which version you're using). The SKILL User Guide is written like
a programming book - and goes through from basics upwards, and has
some simple examples in the manual too.

You might also want to look through the SKILL reference manual, the
Design Framework II SKILL Reference manual, and the Relative Object
Design manual (for pcells).

However, I'd strongly recommend attending one of Cadence's SKILL
classes - you'll find that you'll get up to speed much quicker that
way (I know you'd expect me to say that, but it really is the quickest
way of getting up to speed).

And to which Erik Wanta expounded upon, namely:

Read the following documentation on sourcelink.
- SKILL Language User Guide
- SKILL Language Reference
- DFII SKILL Functions
- Development SKILL Functions
- User Interface SKILL Functions
- Schematic Composer SKILL Functions
- Layout Virtuoso SKILL Functions
- Techfile & Display Resources SKILL Functions
- Floorplanning SKILL Functions
- Analog Artist SKILL Functions
- Open Simulation System Reference
- IPC SKILL Functions
- SKILL++ Object Oriented Programming
- Cadence Application Infrastructure User Guide
- Component Description Format (CDF) User Guide

See also:
http://www.ee.vt.edu/~ha/cadtools/cadence/skill.html
http://www.utdallas.edu/~grinnell/ee7v81
www.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/ipvr/ise/projekte/cadence/AA/CadenceS...

Other messages backed up these two suppositions, e.g.:

Newsgroups: comp.cad.cadence
From: Grant Erwin
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2002 07:36:40 -0800

Don't start by reading SKILL code.
Much too intimidating.
Start by reading the online document "SKILL User's Guide".
I'd print it out and take it home and just try to read it like a
novel.

I don't know of too many people who are successful at picking up SKILL

without going to the Cadence training courses ...

Also, contact your sales or support team and obtain a SKILL Quick
Reference which contains short-form documentation on over 5000 public
SKILL functions.