how to write a SKILL code for PCELL powergrid

Hi Rudy,

You need to create a PCell parameter to match the CDF parameter that you created, so call it visibilityM3, and you need to also pass this as an argument to the drawing function.  You can actually start with the drawing function and test that outside of the PCell structure for development and testing purposes, and then later update the PCell to match. But for what you've shown above, the bits you need might look like this:

pcDefinePCell(
list(ddGetObj("test_rudy") "power_grid_pcell" "layout")
  (
    (visbilityM3 "TRUE")
  )
  let( ((cv pcCellView))
    powerGridPcell(cv visibilityM3)
  ); let
)

procedure(powerGridPcell(cv m3vis "dt") ;; the template says that the first arg is a db object, second is text string
let( (rectRodObj Nx temp) ;; added Nx and temp to locally defined variables, don't need to declare i

  Nx=7
  temp = 1
  for(i 0 Nx
    when(m3vis=="TRUE"  ;; test the value of the m3vis argument
      temp = 0.63 * i
      rectRodObj = rodCreateRect(
        ?cvId cv
        ?layer list("M3" "drawing")
        ?bBox list(0:temp+0.125 5.04:temp+0.505)
      )
    ); when
  );End for i

); let
); procedure

As an aside, I'd probably use a different term than 'visibility' since that has a different connotation for layout, here you are choosing whether to CREATE the M3 shapes or not, not whether they are visible. I have not tried or tested the above code!

Hopefully this helps you.

Best regards,

Lawrence.

Hi Lawrence,

Thank you so much. i believe i am one step closer to the solution. I added the above code to my code and it compiles successfully. however, when i unchecked the M3 box, and click OK/Apply. i get the following warning.

*WARNING* (DB-270000): dbReplaceInstParamList: Datatype for input parameter 'visibilityM3' does not match the definition

and then cadence automatically put the check mark on the M3 box again.

I tried putting boolean in  

list(ddGetObj("test_rudy") "power_grid_pcell" "layout")

( (visbilityM3 boolean "TRUE")

) 

or changed TRUE to true but all dont seem to solve the problem. 

Do you have any idea on this ?? thanks alot

Rudy

Hi Rudy,

I've not played with boolean CDF parameters for a while but the important thing is how the value is stored/communicated to the PCell - I assumed it will be a string but it could be a true boolean (i.e. t/nil for the value) when it gets to the PCell formal parameter. One thing you can do is to select an instance and then take a look at the value for both cases (on/off) using car(geGetSelectedSet())~>visibilityM3 look at not just the value but the TYPE also (e.g. "TRUE" vs t). I haven't got time to look into it further but hopefully the above helps.

Best regards,
Lawrence.

Thanks alot for your suggestion. it works now. true boolean gets pass into the function. I can now turn on/off metal layers created using rectRodObj.

however, when i do the same for VIA using dbCreateViaShapeArray, i cannot turn off the VIAs by unchecking the box in Edit Instance Properties window. Below is my code. Do you know if there is anything wrong here?

Thanks

Rudy,

You didn't show any of the code that actually does the conditional part (as far as I can see), so I'm not sure how anyone can help you. It can't be anything to do with the fact that you're calling dbCreateViaShapeArray, it must be to do with the logic that you have around the code which calls this function.

Kind Regards,

Andrew.

Hi Rudy,

Andrew is right, assuming that "V3" is your boolean, that is not being passed into the powerGridPcell_via function - you will need to add an argument for this and then use it inside that function: when(V3 dbCreateViaShapeArray(cv "V2" nil tempx1 tempy1 0.16 0.16 0.08 0.08 3 3) ) - for example, which only calls the dbCreateViaShapeArray function if the V3 argument is non-nil (again, you will need to check how the boolean is passed into the function, to make sure that it is t/nil, for example, to work with the statement as shown). Remember that you can call your powerGridPcell_via() function directly with a layout cellview open for testing and development purposes, for example: powerGridPcell_via(dbGetEditCellView() t) ;; assuming passing 't' for the create-via argument [to be added to the function]

Best regards,

Lawrence.

Hi Andrew,

please find below my code. Based on what SkillUser said above, to turn on/off layers i just need to create  PCell parameters that match cdf parameters. i guess thats what you mean by 'the code that does the conditional part'. I can turn on/off metal layers  but cannot turn on/off vias. You can copy the code below and run it. Thanks alot for you help.

Hi Rudy,

You could add a 'when' conditional around your via function where you are calling it from your pcDefinePCell statement, so altering your code it might look like this:

...
powerGridPcell_metal(cv M2 7 nth(0 nth(1 pg_layer_list)))
when(V1
  powerGridPcell_via(cv nth(1 nth(1 pg_layer_list)) 7 7 0.195 0.195 0.825 0.825 0.16 0.16 0.08 0.08 2 2 1.26 1.26)       ;V1
); when
); let...

Hopefully this will help you.

Best regards,

Lawrence.

Hi Lawrence,

Thanks for you reply. However, adding the when condition doesnt help. I still cannot turn on/off the Vias. any other thoughts??

Thanks
Rudy

Hi Rudy,

You will have to post your code in order for anyone to be able to help debug it. Stating things like "doesn't help" or "doesn't work" provides little or no information that would aid debugging.

Regards,
Lawrence.