Virtuosity: 20(!) Things I Learned in June by Browsing Cadence Online Support

Wow! There was an amazing amount of new content added last month. A lot of new videos and some Really Useful articles. Enjoy.

Rapid Adoption Kits

1. CPF-AMS Low-Power Mixed-Signal Simulation

CPF-AMS is an extension of mixed-signal simulation to help the designer simulate mixed-signal low-power design with the CPF language. It includes all CPF-related technology applicable in the mixed-signal world, such as power shut off, multiple power supply, and dynamic voltage frequency scaling. This RAK includes an application note and a database with detailed step-by-step instructions.

2. Abstract Generator

An abstract is a high-level representation of a layout view. Abstracts are used in place of full layouts to improve the performance of place-and-route tools, such as Cadence Encounter. The Abstract Generator tool can create Layout Exchange Format (LEF) file information from a Virtuoso database. Includes a database with step-by-step instructions.

Blog

3. SKILL for the Skilled

This is an excellent long-running (20+ to date) series of blog articles covering many different topics in SKILL and SKILL++ programming. They are not for beginners, but are clear and concise enough that someone with a moderate background in SKILL can benefit from the explanations and best practices described.

Solutions

4. How to Configure and Debug License Issues

One of those documents you never think you need—until you do. Tons of details about Cadence licensing, configuration, daemons, startup, performance, and options. Be sure to download the PDF doc attached to the solution, which includes a table of error code descriptions and two pages of links to other license-related content on COS.

5. Overview and search order of different Virtuoso, Library Manager, and Simulation Environment (SE) customization/startup files

This is definitely one I'll be tucking away for future reference. Information about all the various files Virtuoso uses for setup and customization and where it looks for them (.cdsinit, .cdsenv, display.drf, the .cadence directory, .simrc and more)—all in one concise document. Be sure to download the attached PDF doc, as it has quite a bit more information than is shown in the solution itself. Helpful when you find yourself wondering "Why is it doing that and how do I make it stop?" or "I thought I changed that setting. It must be getting it from a different file".

6. Is there a keyboard map for the bindkeys in VSE-L?

Why, yes there is. Bindkeys are great time-savers. If you can could only remember what they are...

7. Improvements in s-parameter (nport) simulation in MMSIM 12.1 and MMSIM 12.1.1

As described in the text of the solution: "The nport has been greatly improved in MMSIM 12.1 and even more so in MMSIM 12.1.1 for the harmonic balance engine and transient analysis." This solution describes the improvements and how to take best advantage of them.

Videos

I'm not going to describe each one, as their titles are fairly self-explanatory. Here are the links to each one.

8. Instance Editing Mode for Filp and Rotate (IC6.1.6)

9. 616 Wire/Bus Width/Space Editing (IC6.1.6)

10. Copy Mode in Quick Align (IC6.1.6)

11. Convert Instance to Mosaic (IC6.1.6)

12. Pad Opening Info (IC6.1.6)

13. Push Wires in Stretch and Create Wire Commands (IC6.1.6)

14. Smart Snapping in Create Rectangle (IC6.1.6)

15. Show Selection Info Toolbar (IC6.1.6)

16. Placing and Routing a Customer Digital Cell Using Virtuoso

17. VSR Interactive Differential Pair Routing