How to flatten any Instance in PCD tool to edit/chop the layers ?

This is typically done by creating the instance as a para shape and then using the copy command with a geo expression to descend into the instance - it can then copy all the geometries out of it (either selectively or completely) and the deleting or chopping the results.

There's no explicit flatten command... (although it's been considered - just not been implemented yet as often you'd want to just copy selected items out of a sub-instance rather than flattening and then deleting).

Andrew

I'm interested in this. I've tried to use the flatten command in PCD version 2.5.21 but have not had any success.
My reason is I want to disable the fluid shape in the subInstance from stealing mouse clicks.

Nothing I have tried has worked in or outside of the react after method.

What inputs and options does the flatten command expect?

Oh yeah, there is a spelling mistake in the documentation (isntance).

Kevin,

The flatten command isn't what you want - it's specifically used to flatten the pcell itself as part of react after (and react after is not generally available to all customers; it's provided for special cases). There's a new flatten self command (in 2.5.22) which achieves the same thing in a more robust fashion, is available to all customers, and can reside in the main draw method. This still isn't what you want though.

Kevin Earls said:

My reason is I want to disable the fluid shape in the subInstance from stealing mouse clicks.

Do you mean that you want to stop the dynamic highlighting from showing the dashed line over the fluid shape in the sub-instance? You can't actually stretch the sub-fluid-shape but it does dynamically highlight which is a bit confusing, I agree. Just trying to make sure I understand what you're saying here...

Regards,

Andrew

Kevin,

The flatten command isn't what you want - it's specifically used to flatten the pcell itself as part of react after (and react after is not generally available to all customers; it's provided for special cases). There's a new flatten self command (in 2.5.22) which achieves the same thing in a more robust fashion, is available to all customers, and can reside in the main draw method. This still isn't what you want though.

Kevin Earls said:

My reason is I want to disable the fluid shape in the subInstance from stealing mouse clicks.

Do you mean that you want to stop the dynamic highlighting from showing the dashed line over the fluid shape in the sub-instance? You can't actually stretch the sub-fluid-shape but it does dynamically highlight which is a bit confusing, I agree. Just trying to make sure I understand what you're saying here...

Regards,

Andrew

Your correct, the dynamic highlighting of the internal instance confuses people especially when it doesn’t line up with the top PCell fluid layer. I was asked to disable it. We routinely flatten sub-instances of these guardrings when we build PCells in skill. The flatten command seemed like the likely solution, but I can’t get it to do anything.

Kevin,

This is an issue even with just a normal placement of a fluid PCell in a hierarchical cell. There's an existing CCR on this, so I'll create a case and file a duplicate for you (it's a generic issue with Virtuoso Layout Suite, so trying to workaround this in the PCell doesn't make sense).

Andrew