the load pcell only show error marker

Well, there's a bug in your SKILL code. The first argument to techGetDeviceInClass needs to be a techdb object, and presumably whatever is finding that is failing and returning nil. I can't guess what's wrong since we've not seen your code. What probably ought to be happening is that the code finds that argument using techGetTechFile(pcCellView) or something like that, but I don't know how your code is structured or written, so this is a wild guess.

Normally you would need to use something like Verify->Markers->Explain and click on the instance and this will give some detail - but my guess is that it will give the same error as you've seen.

Regards,

Andrew.

Hi Andrew, the code is :

pcDefinePCell(list(ddGetObj("ILFD") "ind_test" "layout")
((W float 8.8)
(S float 6.6)
(N float 3.0)
(R float 27.0)
)
let(
()
n=fix(N)
;************************main inductor*****************************

(pcLayer = "UTM")
(pcPurpose ="drawing")
if(n==1
then
a=R+W/2+(W+S)*(n-1)
b=a/(1+1.414)
c=2+(W+S)/2
cc=2+(12*1.1)/2
list1=list(-cc:-a -b:-a -a:-b -a:b -b:a -c:a)
list2=list(cc:-a b:-a a:-b a:b b:a c:a)
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellView
list(pcLayer pcPurpose)
list1 W "truncateExtend"))
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellView
list(pcLayer pcPurpose)
list2 W "truncateExtend"))
else
for(i 0 n-2
a=R+W/2+(W+S)*i
b=a/(1+1.414)
c=2+(W+S)/2
list1=list(-c:-a -b:-a -a:-b -a:b -b:a -c:a)
list2=list(c:-a b:-a a:-b a:b b:a c:a)

(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellView
list(pcLayer pcPurpose)
list1 W "truncateExtend"))
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellView
list(pcLayer pcPurpose)
list2 W "truncateExtend"))
);for
a=R+W/2+(W+S)*(n-1)
b=a/(1+1.414)
cc=2+(12*1.1)/2
c=2+(W+S)/2
list1=list(-cc:-a -b:-a -a:-b -a:b -b:a -c:a)
list2=list(cc:-a b:-a a:-b a:b b:a c:a)
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellView
list(pcLayer pcPurpose)
list1 W "truncateExtend"))
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellView
list(pcLayer pcPurpose)
list2 W "truncateExtend"))
)

;********************underpass and via on underpass***************************
b=(R+W/2)/2.414
c=(W+S)/2
N1=fix(N/2)
if( b-c>=5
then
NVx=fix(b-c-4)
delx=b-c-4-NVx+0.64
vx1=-b+1+delx
vx2=c+3
vx3=vx1
vx4=vx2
else
NVx=fix(b-c-2)
delx=b-c-2-NVx+0.64
vx1=-b+delx/2
vx2=c+2+delx/2
vx3=vx1
vx4=vx2
)
if(W<10
then
NVy=fix(W-1)
dely=(W-1-NVy+0.64)/2
wy=W
else
NVy=fix(8.8-1)
dely=(8.8-1-NVy+0.64)/2
wy=8.8
)

(pcLayer1 = "UTM")
(pcLayer2 = "T4M1")
(pcPurpose = "drawing")
(pcMaster = dbOpenCellViewByType("ind8m" "ViaU" "layout" "maskLayout"))
if( N/2==fix(N/2)
then
for(i 0 N1-1
a1=R+W/2+(W+S)*2*i
a2=R+W/2+(W+S)*2*i+1)
a0=R+W/2+(W+S)*2*i-1)
if( i==0
then
listu1=list(-c-3:-a1 c+3:-a1)
listu2=list(-c-3:a1 -c:a1 c:a2 c+3:a2 )
listu3=list(-b:a2 -c:a2 c:a1 b:a1)
vy1=a2-wy/2+0.5+dely
vy2=a1-wy/2+0.5+dely
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellView
list(pcLayer1 pcPurpose)
listu1 W "truncateExtend"))
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellView
list(pcLayer1 pcPurpose)
listu2 W "truncateExtend"))
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellView
list(pcLayer2 pcPurpose)
listu3 wy "truncateExtend"))
(array = dbCreateSimpleMosaic(pcCellView pcMaster "" (vx1:vy1) "R0" NVy NVx 1 1))
(array = dbCreateSimpleMosaic(pcCellView pcMaster "" (vx2:vy2) "R0" NVy NVx 1 1))
else
listu1=list(-c-3:a1 -c:a1 c:a2 c+3:a2 )
listu2=list(-b:a2 -c:a2 c:a1 b:a1)
listu3=list(-c-3:-a0 -c:-a0 c:-a1 c+3:-a1)
listu4=list(-b:-a1 -c:-a1 c:-a0 b:-a0)
vy1=a2-wy/2+0.5+dely
vy2=a1-wy/2+0.5+dely
vy3=-a1-wy/2+0.5+dely
vy4=-a0-wy/2+0.5+dely
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellview
list(pcLayer1 pcPurpose)
listu1 W "truncateExtend"))
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellview
list(pcLayer2 pcPurpose)
listu2 wy "truncateExtend"))
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellview
list(pcLayer1 pcPurpose)
listu3 W "truncateExtend"))
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellview
list(pcLayer2 pcPurpose)
listu4 wy "truncateExtend"))
(array = dbCreateSimpleMosaic(pcCellView pcMaster "" (vx1:vy1) "R0" NVy NVx 1 1))
(array = dbCreateSimpleMosaic(pcCellView pcMaster "" (vx2:vy2) "R0" NVy NVx 1 1))
(array = dbCreateSimpleMosaic(pcCellView pcMaster "" (vx3:vy3) "R0" NVy NVx 1 1))
(array = dbCreateSimpleMosaic(pcCellView pcMaster "" (vx4:vy4) "R0" NVy NVx 1 1))
);end if
);end for
else
for(i 0 N1
a1=R+W/2+(W+S)*(2*i-1)
a2=R+W/2+(W+S)*(2*i)
a0=R+W/2+(W+S)*(2*i-2)
if( i==0
then
listu1=list(-c-3:a1 c+3:a2 )
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellView
list(pcLayer1 pcPurpose)
listu1 W "truncateExtend"))
else
listu1=list(-c-3:a1 -c:a1 c:a2 c+3:a2 )
listu2=list(-b:a2 -c:a2 c:a1 b:a1)
listu3=list(-c-3:-a0 -c:-a0 c:-a1 c+3:-a1)
listu4=list(-b:-a1 -c:-a1 c:-a0 b:-a0)
vy1=a2-wy/2+0.5+dely
vy2=a1-wy/2+0.5+dely
vy3=-a1-wy/2+0.5+dely
vy4=-a0-wy/2+0.5+dely
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellView
list(pcLayer1 pcPurpose)
listu1 W "truncateExtend"))
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellview
list(pcLayer2 pcPurpose)
listu2 wy "truncateExtend"))
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellview
list(pcLayer1 pcPurpose)
listu3 W "truncateExtend"))
(pcInst = dbCreatePath(pcCellview
list(pcLayer2 pcPurpose)
listu4 wy "truncateExtend"))
(array = dbCreateSimpleMosaic(pcCellView pcMaster "" (vx1:vy1) "R0" NVy NVx 1 1))
(array = dbCreateSimpleMosaic(pcCellView pcMaster "" (vx2:vy2) "R0" NVy NVx 1 1))
(array = dbCreateSimpleMosaic(pcCellView pcMaster "" (vx3:vy3) "R0" NVy NVx 1 1))
(array = dbCreateSimpleMosaic(pcCellView pcMaster "" (vx4:vy4) "R0" NVy NVx 1 1))
); end if
);end for
);end if

Something is pretty wrong with the code - whilst the parentheses are balanced, they don't match properly - for example, the let() ends at line 142 out of 181, there's an "else" on line 143 which isn't part of an if, and and the comments in the close parentheses suggest something is awry (the last line is ; end if, but it closes the pcDefinePCell). The comment on line 142 (again) suggests that it's ending a "for" but there's no for.

I reformatted the code to try to make it more understandable, and commented out the line 142 and 143 (the lines I mentioned before) and added another close parenthesis at the end (to close the pcDefinePCell) - this puts everything within the let too. However, now it fails because the if( i==0 on line 98 in your code is referencing the variable i which is a loop variable elsewhere in the code, and this reference is outside the for loop.

So I have no idea what you're expecting this code to do, but it can't work. I've not been able to guess what the real intent was, even after reformatting it to indent it properly so I stood a chance of understanding it. I also don't know why it is causing the error you mention - or maybe that error is unrelated to this PCell (there's no tech functions anywhere in the PCell code). The code as it stands won't generate a PCell super master because it's so broken.

Regards,

Andrew.

thank you Andrew. that's solved the problem! But sorry i made a mistake. this is not the code i want to ask, I paste the wrong code. what i want to ask is the code below: when i load the code in CIW, it returns true. but only a error marker when i call the pcell, can't see the octangle. I have no idea about it. Hope you can help me! thank you so much!

pcDefinePCell(
list(ddGetObj("RFlib") "xfmr_test" "layout"),
(
(di float 3.0e+01)
(w float 5.0e+00)
(gap1 float 5.0e+00)
(layerNum int 6)
)
procedure(pcGenCell(pcCellView "d")
prog((layerNum di w gap1 gap2)
if(!pcCellView
return()
)
(layerNum = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>layerNum))
if(!layerNum then
(layerNum = 7)
)
if(!fixp(layerNum) then
(layerNum = 7)
)
(di = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>di))
if(!di then
(di = 30)
)
if(!floatp(di) then
(di = 30)
)
(w = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>w))
if(!w then
(w = 5.0)
)
if(!floatp(w) then
(w = 5.0)
)
(gap1 = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>gap1))
if(gap1 then
(gap1 = 5.0)
)
if(!floatp(gap1) then
(gap1 = 5.0)
)
(gap2 = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>gap2))
if(!gap2 then
(gap2 = 5.0)
)
if(!floatp(gap2) then
(gap2 = 5.0)
)
let((grid ri ro hgap1 hgap2
h1 h2 pi points1 points2
)
(grid = 0.005)
(pi = 3.141593)
(ri = (grid * round((di / (2 * grid)))))
(ro = (grid * round(((ri + w) / grid))))
(h1 = (grid * round(((ri * tan((pi / 8))) / grid))))
(h2 = (grid * round((((ri + w) * tan((pi / 8))) / grid))))
(hgap1 = (grid * round((gap1 / (2 * grid)))))
(hgap2 = (grid * round((gap2 / (2 * grid)))))
(points1 = tconc(nil
list((- hgap1)
(- ro)
)
))
tconc(points1
list((- h2)
(- ro)
)
)
tconc(points1
list((- ro)
(- h2)
)
)
tconc(points1
list((- ro) h2)
)
tconc(points1
list((- h2) ro)
)
tconc(points1
list((- hgap2) ro)
)
tconc(points1
list((- hgap2) ri)
)
tconc(points1
list((- h1) ri)
)
tconc(points1
list((- ri) h1)
)
tconc(points1
list((- ri)
(- h1)
)
)
tconc(points1
list((- h1)
(- ri)
)
)
tconc(points1
list((- hgap1)
(- ri)
)
)
(points1 = car(points1))
(points2 = tconc(nil
list(hgap1
(- ro)
)
))
tconc(points2
list(h2
(- ro)
)
)
tconc(points2
list(ro
(- h2)
)
)
tconc(points2
list(ro h2)
)
tconc(points2
list(h2 ro)
)
tconc(points2
list(hgap2 ro)
)
tconc(points2
list(hgap2 ri)
)
tconc(points2
list(h1 ri)
)
tconc(points2
list(ri h1)
)
tconc(points2
list(ri
(- h1)
)
)
tconc(points2
list(h1
(- ri)
)
)
tconc(points2
list(hgap1
(- ri)
)
)
(points2 = car(points2))
(layerNumstr = sprintf(layerNum "%d" layerNum))
(lay = list(strcat("M" layerNumstr) "drawing"))
rodCreatePolygon(?name "octh0" ?layer layer ?pts
points1
)
rodCreatePolygon(?name "octh1" ?layer layer ?pts
points2
)
rodAlign(?alignObj
rodGetObj("octh0") ?alignHandle "centerLeft" ?refPoint
list((- ro) ro)
)
rodAlign(?alignObj
rodGetObj("octh1") ?alignHandle "centerRight" ?refPoint
list(ro ro)
)
)
return(t)
)
)

There are a few mistakes in the code (see the comments with "ANDREW"). I corrected them with the original format here:

pcDefinePCell(
list(ddGetObj("RFlib") "xfmr_test" "layout"),
(
(di float 3.0e+01)
(w float 5.0e+00)
(gap1 float 5.0e+00)
; ANDREW - gap2 was missing as a PCell parameter
(gap2 float 5.0e+00)
(layerNum int 7)
)
; ANDREW - commented out this block because 
; it makes no sense within pcDefinePCell
/*
procedure(pcGenCell(pcCellView "d")
prog((layerNum di w gap1 gap2)
if(!pcCellView
return()
)
(layerNum = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>layerNum))
if(!layerNum then
(layerNum = 7)
)
if(!fixp(layerNum) then
(layerNum = 7)
)
(di = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>di))
if(!di then
(di = 30)
)
if(!floatp(di) then
(di = 30)
)
(w = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>w))
if(!w then
(w = 5.0)
)
if(!floatp(w) then
(w = 5.0)
)
(gap1 = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>gap1))
if(gap1 then
(gap1 = 5.0)
)
if(!floatp(gap1) then
(gap1 = 5.0)
)
(gap2 = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>gap2))
if(!gap2 then
(gap2 = 5.0)
)
if(!floatp(gap2) then
(gap2 = 5.0)
)
*/
let((grid ri ro hgap1 hgap2
h1 h2 pi points1 points2
)
(grid = 0.005)
(pi = 3.141593)
(ri = (grid * round((di / (2 * grid)))))
(ro = (grid * round(((ri + w) / grid))))
(h1 = (grid * round(((ri * tan((pi / 8))) / grid))))
(h2 = (grid * round((((ri + w) * tan((pi / 8))) / grid))))
(hgap1 = (grid * round((gap1 / (2 * grid)))))
(hgap2 = (grid * round((gap2 / (2 * grid)))))
(points1 = tconc(nil
list((- hgap1)
(- ro)
)
))
tconc(points1
list((- h2)
(- ro)
)
)
tconc(points1
list((- ro)
(- h2)
)
)
tconc(points1
list((- ro) h2)
)
tconc(points1
list((- h2) ro)
)
tconc(points1
list((- hgap2) ro)
)
tconc(points1
list((- hgap2) ri)
)
tconc(points1
list((- h1) ri)
)
tconc(points1
list((- ri) h1)
)
tconc(points1
list((- ri)
(- h1)
)
)
tconc(points1
list((- h1)
(- ri)
)
)
tconc(points1
list((- hgap1)
(- ri)
)
)
(points1 = car(points1))
(points2 = tconc(nil
list(hgap1
(- ro)
)
))
tconc(points2
list(h2
(- ro)
)
)
tconc(points2
list(ro
(- h2)
)
)
tconc(points2
list(ro h2)
)
tconc(points2
list(h2 ro)
)
tconc(points2
list(hgap2 ro)
)
tconc(points2
list(hgap2 ri)
)
tconc(points2
list(h1 ri)
)
tconc(points2
list(ri h1)
)
tconc(points2
list(ri
(- h1)
)
)
tconc(points2
list(h1
(- ri)
)
)
tconc(points2
list(hgap1
(- ri)
)
)
(points2 = car(points2))
(layerNumstr = sprintf(layerNum "%d" layerNum))
; ANDREW - the variable in the next line was called "lay"
; not layer, and so the rodCreatePolygon failed
(layer = list(strcat("M" layerNumstr) "drawing"))
rodCreatePolygon(?name "octh0" ?layer layer ?pts
points1
)
rodCreatePolygon(?name "octh1" ?layer layer ?pts
points2
)
rodAlign(?alignObj
rodGetObj("octh0") ?alignHandle "centerLeft" ?refPoint
list((- ro) ro)
)
rodAlign(?alignObj
rodGetObj("octh1") ?alignHandle "centerRight" ?refPoint
list(ro ro)
)
)
return(t)
)
; ANDREW - with the commented out block at the top
; around pcGenCell, there was one two many parentheses
;)

Then I reformatted it to make it easier to read:

Both of these seem to work for me (I had to change the lib name and how the layer name was computed, but broadly it was the same)

pcDefinePCell(list(ddGetObj("RFlib") "xfmr_test" "layout")
   ((di float 30.0)
    (w float 5.0)
    (gap1 float 5.0)
    ; ANDREW - gap2 was missing as a PCell parameter
    (gap2 float 5.0)
    (layerNum int 7)
   )
  ; ANDREW - commented out this block because 
  ; it makes no sense within pcDefinePCell
  /*
procedure(pcGenCell(pcCellView "d")
prog((layerNum di w gap1 gap2)
if(!pcCellView
return()
)
(layerNum = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>layerNum))
if(!layerNum then
(layerNum = 7)
)
if(!fixp(layerNum) then
(layerNum = 7)
)
(di = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>di))
if(!di then
(di = 30)
)
if(!floatp(di) then
(di = 30)
)
(w = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>w))
if(!w then
(w = 5.0)
)
if(!floatp(w) then
(w = 5.0)
)
(gap1 = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>gap1))
if(gap1 then
(gap1 = 5.0)
)
if(!floatp(gap1) then
(gap1 = 5.0)
)
(gap2 = ((pcCellView~>parameters)~>gap2))
if(!gap2 then
(gap2 = 5.0)
)
if(!floatp(gap2) then
(gap2 = 5.0)
)
*/ 
  let((grid
       ri
       ro
       hgap1
       hgap2
       h1
       h2
       pi
       points1
       points2
      )
    grid = 0.005
    pi = 3.141593
    ri = grid * round(di / (2 * grid))
    ro = grid * round((ri + w) / grid)
    h1 = grid * round((ri * tan(pi / 8)) / grid)
    h2 = grid * round(((ri + w) * tan(pi / 8)) / grid)
    hgap1 = grid * round(gap1 / (2 * grid))
    hgap2 = grid * round(gap2 / (2 * grid))
    points1 = tconc(nil list(minus(hgap1) minus(ro)))
    tconc(points1 list(minus(h2) minus(ro)))
    tconc(points1 list(minus(ro) minus(h2)))
    tconc(points1 list(minus(ro) h2))
    tconc(points1 list(minus(h2) ro))
    tconc(points1 list(minus(hgap2) ro))
    tconc(points1 list(minus(hgap2) ri))
    tconc(points1 list(minus(h1) ri))
    tconc(points1 list(minus(ri) h1))
    tconc(points1 list(minus(ri) minus(h1)))
    tconc(points1 list(minus(h1) minus(ri)))
    tconc(points1 list(minus(hgap1) minus(ri)))
    points1 = car(points1)
    points2 = tconc(nil list(hgap1 minus(ro)))
    tconc(points2 list(h2 minus(ro)))
    tconc(points2 list(ro minus(h2)))
    tconc(points2 list(ro h2))
    tconc(points2 list(h2 ro))
    tconc(points2 list(hgap2 ro))
    tconc(points2 list(hgap2 ri))
    tconc(points2 list(h1 ri))
    tconc(points2 list(ri h1))
    tconc(points2 list(ri minus(h1)))
    tconc(points2 list(h1 minus(ri)))
    tconc(points2 list(hgap1 minus(ri)))
    points2 = car(points2)
    layerNumstr = sprintf(layerNum "%d" layerNum)
    ; ANDREW - the variable in the next line was called "lay"
    ; not layer, and so the rodCreatePolygon failed
    layer = list(strcat("M" layerNumstr) "drawing")
    rodCreatePolygon(?name "octh0" ?layer layer ?pts points1)
    rodCreatePolygon(?name "octh1" ?layer layer ?pts points2)
    rodAlign(?alignObj rodGetObj("octh0") ?alignHandle "centerLeft" ?refPoint list(minus(ro) ro))
    rodAlign(?alignObj rodGetObj("octh1") ?alignHandle "centerRight" ?refPoint list(ro ro))
   )
  return(t)
 )
; ANDREW - with the commented out block at the top
; around pcGenCell, there was one two many parentheses
;)

Andrew

thank you! it works well.