Difference between icecaps tech file and QRC Techgen tech file

 Can you explain what you mean by "generating ice"? The .tch file you already generated with Techgen should be all you need.

Hello Kari

Thanks for your kind and quick response. I am trying to use Ice & Fire QX to generate the Ice and Fire (Equilvalent Resistance and Capacitance) and Ice & Fire QX requires the tech file.

Previoulsy, I follow the Techgen procedure and use 

Shell> Techgen -cell 

to generate the tech file successfully. However, when I use this tech file in Ice & Fire QX, this type of tech file is not acceptable. I am wondering if somebody has the experience in using Ice & Fire QX.

Thanks for your help and patience.

Best Regards

Ho-Hsin

 Ah, so you're extracting RCs with QX. Do you have access to QRC? Can you paste the exact warning you're getting? I'm thinking it may be a version issue between the .tch file and QX.

Hello Kari,

The error message is the following when I try to generate the Fire & Ice QX:

You are using an Icecaps tech file that was generated by an incompatible version of Icecaps.
You should regenerate the Icecaps tech file using a current version of icecaps

My Fire&Ice QX and voltagestorm are all 6.2.2a version

Best Regards

Ho-Hsin

 If you type "which qx" and "which Techgen", are they coming from the same release directory? Just make sure you use the Techgen that came with the version of QX you're using. But, I believe QRC is what came with 6.2.2. I just looked at a 6.2.1 hierarchy, and QX was not there. QRC is what replaced it.

Hello Kari

I checked my Techgen version which is p7.1.0006 and my QX version and its associated voltagestorm stuff is 6.2.2a.

Is it the problem? If yes, is there any solution I can fix it.

Best Regards

Ho-Hsin

 Like I said, you need to use a version of Techgen that matches your version of QX. 

Hello Kari,

Thanks for your quick response.

Do you mean I have to downgrade the version of Techgen ? If yes, would you mind helping me check which version of Techgen is matching to QX 6.2.2a ? My techgen version now is 7.1.0006.

Or is there the other way I could fix the problem ?

Best Regards

Ho-Hsin

 Yes, you need to use Techgen from your 6.2.2a tool path, if that's where your QX is coming from. At this point, you probably need to talk to whoever maintains the tool installations at your company.

Hello Kari

Thanks for your kind again.

Actually I have seen the manuals in "Ice&Fire QX Transistor Level Extraction Manual" and the manual mentions that we need

"A technology file created by IceCaps or provided by Cadence. If you have not yet
generated a technology file, see Chapter 2, “Interconnect Modeling,” in the Data
Preparation Manual."

But when I check the data preparation manual, there is no chapter 2, interconnect modeling.

Originally, I would like to use IceCaps to generate the tch file. However, I had no information about it because of the missing manuals. Then, you suggested me to use the Techgen.

Right now, would you mind giving me more details about Icecaps (Read the missing manuals). I am thinking to reuse icecaps to regenerate the icecaps tech file and I am sure the version of Icecaps and QX are compatible, they both are 6.2.2a .

Thanks for your help again 

Ho-Hsin