Loading Pcell into virtuoso

You should not call pcDefinePCell from within the libInit.il . You would however need to define any custom functions used within the pcDefinePCell because otherwise those will not be available. I suggest (if it's all in one file) doing something like this:

procedure(MyAuxilliaryFunc(x y z)
  ; do something
)

procedure(MyDefinePCell()
  pcDefinePCell(
    list(ddGetObj("libName") "cellName" "layout")
    ; formal params
    (
      ...
    )
    ; body of the PCell - does the work and probably
    ; calls your other custom functions
    MyAuxilliaryFunc(e f g)
 )
)

Loading all this would be fine. You only then need to define the PCell once, by calling MyDefinePCell() - the code in the body of the pcDefinePCell will be stored in the layout view  (or whatever view you're creating) and does not need to be defined again. The auxiliary functions will be loaded each time by virtue of the libInit.il

Andrew

Thank you Andrew, Will apply this structure

Hi Andrew,

I wanted to make sure of my understanding as now I have the Pcell evaluation issue.

My main Pcell code which I load in CIW is just load 5 files as follows:

;Defining Global Parameters
load("Global_Parameters.il")
; Defining CDF Parameters
load("CDF_Parameters.il")
; Defining PCELL Default Variables Definitions
load("PCELL_Default_Variable.il")
; Defining Routing PCELL
load("Routing_PCELL.il")
; Defining Custom Procedures
load("Procedures.il")

Global_Parameters.il is just some fixed values

The main focus here will be on Routing_PCELL.il, Procedures.il & CDF_Parameters.il.
here I have a small sample of the code:

Routing_PCELL.il is as follows:

___________________Pcell Definition Section__________________
pcDefinePCell(
; Cell Identifier
cellIdentifier
;Formal Arguments : Default-Values
(
(fingers default_fingers)
(polyPitch default_PolyPitch)
(cellHight default_cellHight)

)

; Main
let(()

createPR()

);end of let function
);end of pcell definition function

--------------------------------------------------------

Procedures.il is as follows:

procedure(createPR()
fingers = cdfgData~>fingers~>value
polyPitch = cdfgData~>polyPitch~>value
cellHight = cdfgData~>cellHight~>value

rodCreateRect(
?layer list("prBoundary" "boundary")
?width fingers*polyPitch
?length cellHight
?origin list(0 0)
)
)

-----------------------------------------------------------

CDF_Parameters.il is as follows:

let( (cellId cdfId)
when(cellId = ddGetObj("M0_PCELL_v2" "M0_PCELL_v2")
when(cdfId = cdfGetBaseCellCDF(cellId)
cdfDeleteCDF(cdfId)
)
cdfId = cdfCreateBaseCellCDF(cellId)
)

________________________________________Poly Pitch________________________________________
cdfCreateParam( cdfId
?name "polyPitch"
?prompt "Poly Pitch"
?defValue 0.048
?type "float"
)

________________________________________Cell Height________________________________________
cdfCreateParam( cdfId
?name "cellHight"
?prompt "Cell Height"
?defValue 0.208
?type "float"
)

________________________________________Number of Fingers__________________________________
cdfCreateParam( cdfId
?name "fingers"
?prompt "Number of fingers"
?defValue 1
?type int
)
)

Regarding libInit.il file I have loaded ("Procedures.il") inside it

OK, first of all, you should not load CDF_Parameters.il or Routing_PCELL.il from the libInit.il. I'm not sure what's in Global_Parameters.il or PCELL_Default_Variable.il - maybe these are needed to be loaded too?

In addition, the code in Procedures.il is not going to work. Rather than taking the Pcell parameters directly, it is getting them from cdfgData. That won't work - it might work whilst you are instantiating, but won't work if you re-open the design. cdfgData is only set during the create instance or edit properties form, and is the wrong way to communicate to the PCell code. Instead, your function should be something like:

procedure(createPR(fingers polyPitch cellHight)
;  fingers = cdfgData~>fingers~>value
;  polyPitch = cdfgData~>polyPitch~>value
;  cellHight = cdfgData~>cellHight~>value

  rodCreateRect(
    ?layer list("prBoundary" "boundary")
    ?width fingers = fingers*polyPitch
    ?length cellHight
    ?origin list(0 0)
  )
)

and then in the PCell definition code you should have:

pcDefinePCell(
  ; Cell Identifier
  cellIdentifier
  ;Formal Arguments : Default-Values
  (
    (fingers default_fingers)
    (polyPitch default_PolyPitch)
    (cellHight default_cellHight)
  )

  ; Main
  let(()

    createPR(fingers polyPitch cellHight)

  );end of let function
);end of pcell definition function

In other words, pass the variables from your PCell into your construction function. The CDF is just a means of causing the parameters to be set on the instance, and to control what the form looks like - the PCell code should not be trying to refer to the CDF.

Regards,

Andrew

Hi Andrew, 

Thank you so much for your continuous support.

Maybe for a future reference for anyone, I was using check box switch and trying to pass it's value to the my construction functions but it was a big issue, now I used radio button and the structure you guided me to, and it's working fine.

Thank you so much andrew.

Regards.

Ali