ChipNDaleMessagesDoc.tioga
Copyright © 1983, 1986 by Xerox Corporation. All rights reserved.
Created by Ch. Jacobi, 1983
last edited by Ch. Jacobi, March 26, 1986 6:01:10 pm PST
Last Edited by: Jacobi July 28, 1986 4:00:59 pm PDT
####################################################
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 86 15:29:13 PDT
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: New ChipNDale features
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
Some new ChipNDale features and bug corrections
New user features
A new help button in control panel
The output command is interruptable using ESC-DEL
Reading a design: Tries to automaticaly load the technology, if it is not already loaded and the user profile allows it:
ChipNDale.AutoLoad.technologyKey: TRUE
technologyKey one of: CMosB, cmos, nmos, chipnsil; defaults to FALSE [GFIs ! ]
[Its the key, NOT the name]
Revised change layer command: {left-right or
CTRL}-'
works for 9 different object classes (among others rectangles, texts, splines, polygons, pins)
Common text commands for CMosB and ChipNSil [actually, the old different commands still work, but the new ones are identical in both technologies and may be easyer to remember]
draw text: Y-midddle
edit text: Y-left
change font: F-left
change layer: '-left
The control panel has a name field on the generator line. If this field is not "← interactive", the U-middle command does not ask in the Terminal viewer what object should be drawn, but takes the value from the name field. [Experimental feature]
try U-middle with
generator: DIRECTORY name: name of any object in directory
generator: IMPORT name: SSI.And.icon
generator: INCLUDE name: SSI.And.icon
TerminalIO viewer allows to edit inputs; it also behaves better on splits. [Fixed by using edited viewers; the actual bug in typescripts is neither understood nor fixed]
Listing the objects in the directory makes a new viewer, instead of a list in the TerminalIO viewer. [You don't want the list to scroll away exactly when you need it...]
New client features
[Of course, absolutely no interface change outside a release]
CDPanelExtras
procedures to make [editable] text fields in the control panel
CDCommandOpsExtras
procedure to place an instance down without specifying where
CDViewerInternals
private module to control the reset scale command [space-ESC]
CDViewer
DesignOf works also for control panel viewers and nested viewers inside control panel
CDSequencer
the ref: REF field in CommandRec can also be initialized with a ViewerClasses.Viewer
Christian
####################################################
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 86 19:09:55 PDT
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: last weeks hacks
To: DAToolsUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
Some of my hacks from last week:
DF: [DATools]<DATools6.1>Top>TerminalIO2.df
Keeps a log file TerminalIO.log; idea from Bertrand
DF: [DATools]<DATools6.1>Top>Core.df
New module CoreDirectory
DF: [DATools]<DATools6.1>Top>CDConvertTechnologies23.df
New package with redesigned (technology independent) procedure for the
conversion of ChipNDale technologies.
Currently only CMosA to CMosB
DF: [DATools]<DATools6.1>Top>CDHierarchyMarks23.df
Experimental Hack, NOT RELEASED.
Allows to interactively designate full path names; use program menu.
DF: [DATools]<DATools6.1>Top>CDCommon23.df
New commands.
Push: push into objects of funny classes work
Push by name: Tries harder to find an instance; might even make one.
X-left: to push into the schematic of a selected icon
[Only if icon is created with new Sisyph or has right property]
A-space: to view everything on all pushed levels
CDSequencer.CheckAborted also checks aborts issued from command tools
I have noticed that lots of people don't remember some old ChipNDale commands;
try those as a refresher and remember only the ones you like:
- Zoom in using mouse; ESC-space; ESC-space; ESC-space
- In control panel: SHIFT-select a layer
- When a pop up menu is visible, push a second mouse button down
before releasing the other
- /-left when you worked with funny grids before
- G-left on selected wiress
Christian
####################################################
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 86 16:19:16 PDT
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: Splines in ChipNDale
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
ChipNDale now knows about arbitrary lines, polygons and splines
/Cyan/DATools6.1/top/cdCommon23.df
For details see the documentation:
/Cyan/DATools6.1/top/cdDoc23.df
ChipNDale.tioga, chapter 2.15.
So far you can't DRC splines, but mask generation works!
####################################################
From: Beretta.pa
Subject: Gismo for DATools 6.1
To: DAToolsUsers^.pa
Cc: DesignTool Coordinator <Preas.pa>
Reply-to: Beretta.pa
DF: [DATools]<DATools6.1>Top>Gismo.df
Documentation: [DATools]<DATools6.1>Gismo>GismoDoc.tioga
Maintainer: Beretta.pa
Added a new command and client interface to verify the sex and surround of diffusion:
Diffusion and wells for CMOS-B
Verifies for every diffusion rectangle that it lies in a well of the opposite sex and with sufficient surrounding. Substrate and p-well are given the same sematics. If twin-wells are used, this utility verifies that wells of the opposite type do not overlap.
Spinifex user will not need this utility unless they lay out the n-wells and the p-diffusion separately.
Since it is common not to lay out the wells in a hierarchical manner, the hierarchy is flattened out completely.
####################################################
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 86 10:21:38 PDT
From: jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale (version 2.3) for DATools 6.1
To: CedarImplementors^.pa, ChipNDaleImplementors^.pa, DAToolsImplementors^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: jacobi.pa
ChipNDale (version 2.3) for DATools 6.1
The other design tools may follow soon
The following is interesting for design tool implementors only
The switch to Cedar 6.1 does NOT include a ChipNDale release; ChipNDale version 2.3 has identical interfaces for Cedar version 6.0 and 6.1, however the implementation differs.
Higher level tools might use the switch to incorporate interface changes between ChipNDale releases.
Designers should switch to Cedar6.1 only with the general Cedar user community; not with the implementors crowd.
No improvements or minor bug corrections on the ChipNDale versions using Cedar 6.0 will be done any more.
The following tools are available in Cedar 6.1 version on Cyan: /DATools/DATools6.1/Top/...
ReleasedChipNDale.df
CDDesign23.df
CDCommon23.df
CDDoc23.df
CDCmosA23.df
CDCMosB23.df
ChipNSil23.df
CDNmos23.df
Spinifex23.df
CDBackgroundCheck23.df
Gismo.df
TerminalIO2.df
GraphicsSubset.df
CStitching2.df
ColorMaps2.df
D2Basic1.df
CDChipmonkColors23.df
CDCifGen23.df
CDColorPDPlot23.df
CDCounting23.df
CDExtras23.df
CDInterpressPlot23.df
CDLabel23.df
CDMakeProc23.df
CDOverlapRemover23.df
CDReadCif23.df
CDRecognizer23.df
CSMonitor23.df
SXMaintenance23.df
####################################################
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 86 15:28:40 PST
From: jacobi.pa
Subject: New ChipNDale features
To: DAToolsUsers^.pa, ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: jacobi.pa
New ChipNDale feature check utility
This tool allows the user to check whether certain features are used or not. It could be used as a mean for subclassing technologies. It implements checking the selection for usage of particular layers, atomic objects, object sizes or calling user defined check procedures.
Df file:
included in CDExtras23.df
Command(s):
CDFeatureCheckDragon.cm and then the program menu
The user can easily make other commandfiles of his own to check for different subsets of a technology.
Documentation:
CDFeatureCheckDoc.tioga
Interactive usage changes
<space-B>: Text & Property menu (previously: <space-N>)
<space-N>: Name & Property menu (previously: other entry in Text & Property menu)
<space-Y>: Display menu (previously <space-B>). Module is no more resident but loaded on demand only. [CDColor.load in CDExtras23.df]
save:
a) if used after output command: will use new file name from last output command
b) Designs are (background) saved also when the control panel viewer is only viewer of design. (Note: The background save does not switch file name after an output command)
enforce control panel: in viewer commands menu (previously special commands menu)
selection by layer: <lf>-left or right (previously: documentation was wrong)
[Edited]-flag on viewer caption.
GFI war
(Chipmonk) busses are loaded only when used; saves 1 gfi.
[If you think you should complain about saving a single gfi your dead wrong and also not the first person trying to do that. If some more people join that crowd I won't even try to save the next gfi. Did you ever add the saved gfi's since last release? (I bet you forgot to count the removing of the color commands module implementing the display menu, mentioned only 9 lines above...)]
Coherence
There is a relation between being able to check what features are used and loading an object class automaticely: How do you protect yourself from using designs which cause fancy, unwanted features to be loaded!
[The load mechanism is private to CDIO]
Christian
####################################################
PreMessage23.tioga
-- Jacobi, March 18, 1986 2:44:44 pm PST
ChipNDale 2.3 released.
The main changes for clients are
Clean up of my very long pending list. (Including name changes)
Recursive properties allowed again.
Expand mechanism has weakened, clearly stated (not necessarily simple) invariants.
Multiprogramming possibilities for clients improved.
Interactive usage is not essantialy changed.
The file [Cyan]<DATools6.0>CDCommon23>doc>renames23.tioga contains list of
changed names and instructions how to use the EditTool to substitute these names
quickly. It can not be complete, some changes depend on context or need manual inspection.
To get rid of old load files, it might be a good idea to delete CD*!*, delete CMos*!*, NMos*!*; bringover environment [To get ChangeWorkingDirectory again] and bringover ChipNDale. Do that (or use a new subdirectory). Lots of old loadfile are replaced with cm files; the old files will deceive you for sure if you don't delete them.
/Cyan/DATools6.0/Top/CDDesign23.df contains pointers to other tools already converted to release 2.3. As soon as the additional tools you might need are converted to ChipNDale 2.3 you might switch to ChipNDale 2.3 at your own paste. It is not possible for me to wait with a release until all tools are ready; I do not have the necessary control, nor do I think such tight control would be good. Most of the Core related tools are already available for version 2.3. Check /Cyan/DATools6.0/Top/DAWorld.df for those tools.
ChipNDale version 2.2 will be archived; any improvements or bug corrections on 2.2 made after this release will not be added to the archive. I will not delete version 2.2 without previous message to ChipNDaleUsers^.pa and DAToolsUsers^.pa. Version 2.1 will be deleted unless somebody get serious problems.
Changes in interfaces
This is not a complete list of changes,
it contains only changes clients should know
CD
Comments about invariants are improved
ContextFilter uses booleans instead of Imager.color; ContextColors: new concept
OutlineProc uses a layer
names of layers are changed
commentLayer is now a technology independent layer
old inside rect features are removed
further proc removed; use properties
uses HashTable for directory, but exported as REF ANY (module changes too often)
registration of object classes is more elegant
creation of Draw-Records is more elegant
parent object classes, for object oriented tricks...
CDBottomUp (CDExtras23.df)
Handle has more fields for client
This module should be used more! It allows analysis tools to monitor whether cells or subcells where changed since last analysis, and to do the analysis of subcells in the right order.
CDCells
SetSimplificationTreshhold: new proc (simplifyOn is real; speed up)
SetBorder: new proc (new field drawBorder: BOOL)
CDCleanUp
comments improved
procedures can have a root object
new proc RemoveProperties
CDCommandOps
procedures return Rope; dont write directly anymore
LambdaRope: from CDExtras
InstRope: renamed
BoundingBox: from CDExtras
CallWithResource can wait until resource is freed
CDColors
Imager colors are handled identical to bricks
CDDirectory
ExpandProcs AnotherProcs redesigned. The actual expansion or copy works exactly as before, but the procedures return to the caller what he might do with the result. (If a procedure caches the result, the caller now knows that he must not change the result...) There are new higher level procedures to convert or copy immutable returned objects into mutable state.
creation of objectclasses in directory is more elegant
implementation does no more use LOOPHOLE
CDDirectoryOps
procedures have better names
CDExtras
procedures moved to proper places
ToRope, ToLambda, BoundingBox --> CDCommandOps
RemoveProperties --> CDCleanUp
PushedCellName --> CDCells
CDInstances
Transform: Removed
SplitPointed: Removed
Copy: New
Composed: New
DeComposed: New
ComposedList: New name
DeComposedList: New name
TransformList removed
CDIOExtras
included into CDIO
CDLayers
new procedure Kind.
(new procedure MakePaint)
CDMarkObjects
removed; use CDSymbolicObjects
CDPanelExtras
included into CDPanel
CDPinObjects
removed; use CDSymbolicObjects
CDPrivate
New low level features to implement enumeration of (mutable) designs. Necessary, so CDSequencer can implement enumeration of designs to be periodically saved without importing CDViewers.
CDProperties
use module PropertyLists instead of Properties.
A new module PropertyLists is made instead to change Properties to avoid version conflicts; Properties will no more be supported.
property list will not be reordered; vanila user can now safely enumerate properties
output and copy without monitor lock (no reorder to prevent): properties can have (recursive) CD-types with property lists again
procedures renamed; new names are easier to remember
properties registration can set a boolean field which causes the property to be removed on edits.
CDPropertyTools
Should be used by all tools which set up parameters by setting global properties. This module allows to undo such a setup without exactly knowing the set up.
CDTextExtraction
replaces CDPropertyExtraction; (Same features but better parameters).
CDSequencer
Is now the only way to serialize calls
no private data fields visible anymore
procedures Quit and AbortDesignsCommand are renamed
new procedure to initialize a designs queue (So designs created by patchwork are immutable unless dialogue opened)
CDSimpleRules
new MaxWidth feature (for limited size cuts)
CDSymbolicObjects
direction has a none constant. The direction constants have a certain order (Not changed); if you define direction constants of your own, try to use the same order unless you have a reason not to. (The selected order makes computations with CD.Orientation easy).
CDViewer
CreateViewer has field to tell whether design should be opened for queued (interactive) commands.
ShowArrow, RemoveArrow removed; use module CDVArrow instead
CSMonitor (CSMonitor23.df)
Monitor request returns the viewer
Redesplay feature
CStitching (CStitching2.df)
replaces CornerStitching. Main difference: the new definition module is such that both implementations could use it. (The changed module has a different name, so you could still use the old one; don't)
Better statement of what operations are legal when
Renaming; better and shorter.
... en replaced by eN: for emphasis on asymetry.
Some functional changes
CD
Uses less GFI's (>8 implementation modules merged, removed or changed to use less gfi's)
Displaying cells is faster (again)
The viewer lock problem on the color display is improved; not locking has been reported yet.
InterpressPlot (CDInterpressPlot23.df)
now draws borders
Hierachical property extraction (CDExtras23.df)
New package. I'm not sure whether property extraction should be hierarchical, but this is a good test of CDBottomUp.
Background design rule checker (CDBackgroundCheck23.df)
semi new
The old CDColors commandtool command is removed from basic ChipNDale and included into CDExtras23.df.
-- Christian
####################################################
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 86 13:50:47 PST
From: Beretta.pa
Subject: SoS22 for DATools 6.0
To: DAToolsUsers^.pa
Cc: DesignTool Coordinator <Preas.pa>
Reply-to: Beretta.pa
DF: [DATools]<DATools6.0>Top>SoS22.df
Documentation: [DATools]<DATools6.0>SoS22>SoSDoc.tioga
Maintainer: Beretta.pa
a) Increased robustness against semantic changes in upstream packages. The heuristic enhancement of the violation reporting is now on by default.
b) Optimized dynamic memory allocation & deallocation and procedure calls in inner loops [made memory usage more local]. Running time decreased appromaxitely by a factor 5 (more precisely this affects a term i(i+1) of the time complexity, for i = number of cell instances).
c) Abandoned the catholic data flow in favor of a geometric one, which allows exact pruning. Expected value of the average running time decreased appromaxitely (at least) by a factor 30 .
Client programs may require major rework.
Enjoy.
####################################################
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 86 11:50:09 PST
From: Beretta.pa
Subject: Gismo for DATools 6.0
To: DAToolsUsers^.pa
Cc: DesignTool Coordinator <Preas.pa>
Reply-to: Beretta.pa
DF: [DATools]<DATools6.0>Top>Gismo22.df
Documentation: [DATools]<DATools6.0>Gismo22>GismoDoc.tioga
Maintainer: Beretta.pa
Added a flat design rule checker for via flatness. Accepts only the CMOS-B technology.
To use interactively execute the Gismo.Load file, select the cells to be verified, select the entry "via flatness" in the ChipNDale program menu.
To use by programme look at ViaFlatness.mesa.
####################################################
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 86 16:11:48 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: hack attack
To: DAToolsUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
hack attack
/datools/datools6.0/top/BackgroundCheck22.df
load program
BackgroundCheck.load
start program
use program menu
Simple flat distance checks in background.
For speed reasons the program is restricted to the displayed area, and is disabled if the displayed area is too large.
Not part of release 2.2: Internal interfaces are not stable
Christian
####################################################
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 86 12:24:55 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: CMosB: new cmos technology
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, DAToolsUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
CMosB: new CMos technology for the Dragon project is now released.
Design rules and atomic objects according to the Dragon design rule document.
Additional Comment layer for comments or schematic diagrams. Texts should be used in comment layer only, even if generated by programs.
Commands
<0-middle> draw text in comment layer
<0-left> replace selected text in comment layer
<0> select comment layer for drawing
<CTRL-F> change font
To set control panel numbers to fractions of lambda:
CTRL-right: divide by 2
CTRL-left: multiply by 2
Use the names and property menu to extract properties from texts. (In Helvetica tioga fonts, not italic)
There is a conversion program for conversion from CMosA to CMosB; but you have to set up how conversion of certain objects (which are different in CMosA and CMosB) should happen. [See the load file ConvertCMosB.load]
CMosA remains valid.
Transition time for previous usage of un-released versions:
Designs made with previous (not released!) versions of CMosB contain features which can NOT be read in with the released version of CMosB. For one week the released version will be able to read in and convert those features from some un-released versions. Ater this week the conversion code will be removed (and NOT archived) [Don't worry: as long as you used only released features of released technologies, your designs since version 0.0 can all be converted to the newest version; Those conversion programs ARE archived]
Christian
####################################################
Date: Mon, 13 Jan 86 17:22:01 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale 2.2; some new features
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, DAToolsUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
ChipNDale 2.2; some new features
New modules
CDViewerBase
This module allows independent implementation of different atoms usable by ViewerOps.GetViewer or ViewerOps.SetViewer on ChipNDale viewers
It is used to implement setting grid and ticks by programs.
CDBottomUp
A module which allows easy implementation of bottom up calls which cache the results. (Cached results are flushed when a cell is edited). It can be used by extractors and design rule checkers.
(In CDExtras22.df)
CDPropertyTools
Property features useful to pass parameters to simple, non reentrant tools.
Allows removing all the properties set up by previous set ups, without really knowing what atoms or layers the previous set up really used.
CDPropertyExtraction
A module which allows setting properties by extracting text objects. This makes it possible to set the properties in a way always visible to the designer. Useful in ChipNSil [and CMosB]. To allow it to nicely coexist with other approaches, this is restricted to non italic Helvetica fonts.
New commands
Restore View: <esc-space>
<space-n>: name and property pop up menu has lot's of new entries
Other Features
Labels: can be generated now also from spline fonts. The hack to convert all texts to labels (good for pd plots) is now built in to CDLabel <space-p>.
Recognizer: Uses less VM. [Works also with CMosB].
Christian
####################################################
Date: Mon, 13 Jan 86 15:13:31 PST
From: Beretta.pa
Subject: Spinifex22 for DATools 6.0
To: DAToolsUsers^.pa
Cc: DesignTool Coordinator <Preas.pa>
Reply-to: Beretta.pa
DF: [DATools]<DATools6.0>Top>Spinifex22.df
Maintainer: Beretta.pa
a) The command CMosSpinifex has been replaced with the two commands CMosASpinifex and CMosBSpinifex to conform with the ChipNDale naming scheme of the two CMos technologies.
b) In CMosB, the separation rule for transistor gates is 2ýl, while the source/drain diffusion beyond gate is 3l. Since Spinifex must be able to detect transistors generated by mistake, and since at the moment when the design rules are checked Spinifex cannot know the origin (other than its node) of a piece of material, for each pair of transistors placed at minimal distance a number (2 per corner) of violations "Poly over Diffusion" will be displayed. I hope you will be able to live with this.
c) The December 1985 versions of Corner Stitching contain an error which causes Spinifex not to be able to find any design rule violations at all. Please make sure the date of CornerStitchingImpl.bcd is e 10-Jan-86 19:02:09 PST.
####################################################
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 85 15:35:09 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: ColorMaps for DATools 6.0
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, DAToolsUsers^.pa
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
DF: [DATools]<DATools6.0>Top>ColorMaps2.df
A new package to read or write the contents of the color map to or from files.
ChipNDale CMos and NMos do not load the color map tools any more, but read their color maps from files. Since ColorMaps is independent of ChipNDale, the color map entries can now be included in checkpoints. ChipNDale's interactive color map tools can still be used; however they are loaded on demand only and their use is typically reduced to the creation of new color map files.
The ColorMaps module opens a button which allows interactive selection of registerd colormap files. It further implements the command tool commands
ColorMap filename
to read in a color map from a file.
OutputColorMap filename
to write the current color map onto a file (independent how the color map was created).
Merry Christmas
Christian
####################################################
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 85 19:41:19 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale PD plots over night
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, Diebert
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
Todays hack attack on plotting...
If you want to make a plot over night you can start the plot command and then run the commandfile CDSendPlotToBitBucket.cm (Stored in [DATools]<DATools6.0>top>CDColorPDPlot22.df).
With some luck, and if your machine isn't power'd down too early, this commandfile will send the bits to the device as soon as they are ready...
Edit the command file yourself for your favorite plotter and have fun
Christian
####################################################
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 85 19:35:20 PST
From: Beretta.pa
Subject: Gismo for DATools6.0
To: DAToolsUsers^.pa
Cc: DATools Coordinator <Preas.pa>
Reply-to: Beretta.pa
DF: [DATools]<DATools6.0>Top>Gismo22.df
Maintainer: Beretta.pa
A new start for a small collection of small interactive design rule checkers verifying single rules. Use the load file Gismo.Load and use the ChipNDale program menu to apply them interactively.
Currently available: Well tester. This utility enumerates all wells in a set of selected cells. Any well that contains p-diffusion and has not a proper contact is flagged to be in error.
####################################################
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 85 12:42:34 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: New modules for ChipNDale 2.2
To: DAToolsImplementors^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
New modules for ChipNDale 2.2
CDPanelExtras
Allows to specify lambda based int's in the control-panel
(This allows implementation of fractional lambda step moves [ctrl-right-mouse in panel])
CDSymbolicObjects
A unifying module implementing pins, alignment marks and (new) segments.
pins: 2 dimensional
segments: 1 dimensional
marks: 0 dimensional
These objects can be used to define interfaces.
The new module replaces the modules CDPinObjects and CDMarkObjects. The two replaced modules will disappear with version 2.3 (with automatic conversion of objects to the new module).
(user interface: draw empty pins to get segments or marks [;-middle])
3 GFI's saved by collapsing some command modules (if counted after removal of replaced modules)
ChipNSil colors will not be initialized if ChipNSil is not the first technology started (saves 30 seconds). New CDSilBW load file which does not even loads the color module (1 more GFI saved for Lissy).
Thanks to Jeff and Praedip
Christian
####################################################
Date: Mon, 4 Nov 85 17:48:35 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale 2.2 released
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, ChipNDaleDiscussion^.pa, DAToolsUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
ChipNDale 2.2 released.
Global structure changes
Tioga level structure introduced.
Most definition modules commented.
You wouldn't believe it, but I have removed more than I have introduced.
40 words in mds are saved (20 at some speed cost, 20 for free just by carefull checking)
2 GFI's are saved by mergin modules. (Well, I will not merge modules which do not belong together)
Use of the DATools directory.
The main df file is now called CDCommon22; All ChipNDale df file names have three parts: "CD", the main name, and the version number.
CornerStitching is made independant of ChipNDale. A module D2Base serves to define basic data structures common to CornerStitching and ChipNDale.
TerminalIO is version numbered.
(ChipNDale 2.2 requires TerminalIO 2.0, CornerStitching 1.0 and D2Base 1.0)
The documentation df file is version numbered; the actual documentation file names do not contain version numbers anymore.
Definition modules changed
CD
lambda removed, lambda field included into the technology. This will allow increasing lambda if it proves necessary for second sourcing.
ObjectClass.reservedForCDEnvironment removed. The module was CDEnvironment was removed earlier.
InterestSize new proc. Vanilla procedure, but used fairly often.
ContextFilter simpler (saves memory)
DrawInformation
specialFonts,
checkPriority boolean flags; (cleaner)
Properties renamed to PropList (resolves name conflict with new module Properties)
CDAtomicObjects
size is interest rect size. Designers creating designs by program will be thankful.
CDColors
Allows specifying of context filters. Good for ChipNSil.
CDDefaultProcs
CDDefaultProcsExtras merged in.
CDDrawQueue
replaces CDDraw; is simpler (and [not measurable] faster)
CDExtras
ToLambda has lambda parameter.
SelectedBox new procedure.
CDImports
All names and comments beautyfied
Load now has a design-name (previous: design) Not giving the user access to the cached design allows to share it with CDRemote.
CreateImport if necessary loads the design first... If all you want are the defaults, CreateImport the only procedure of this module you need.
CDIO
UseWorkingDirectory removed; Cedar does not allow this without dirty trick
ReadDesign has new working directory parameter
CDIOExtras
New module; all silly simple procedures; but they were coded inline in zillion places before
CDLayers
new module; replaces CDDefaults and CDDefaultsExtras. May now be used by arbitrary clients without invalidating the control panel.
CDMenus
comments made understandable
new procedure ImplementMenuEntryCommand for conveniance
CDObjectProcs
removed; replace it with CDProperties. This module was not used so often that it could not as well be implemented using properties.
CDOrient
Get rid of forgotten 45...
CDPanel
setting and querrying the default layer is removed; use CDLayers directly
panel get the changes if other source cause a change in default layer width
lambda from technology
CDProperties
PropRef: TYPE = REF Properties; --must never be NIL;
this allows to put properties on more types, but to have a smaller (faster) select statement. Important types like Objects and Instances still have direct properties.
Properties: use module Properties instead of Atom; uses substantially less memory and is a little bit faster, at cost of more expensive enumeration of properties.
Properties MUST NOT be enumerated without CDProperties's monitor lock. If you want to enumerate properties in a vanilla program, make a copy first and enumerate the copy. (Otherwise a GetProp from a concurrent process fools your enumeration; [ChipNDale actually doesn't care])
Properties can not contain objects which contain Properties. Would wedge when written to files.
CDRemote
replaces CDGenerateRemote; easier to use
CDTexts
comments removed, (I didn't remember if they were correct or wrong)
MakeFont is only procedure to create a font
CDUtil
usefull stuff for client generation of chipndale objects; replaces old modules CDSimpleCells and CDSimpleCells2 (without changes)
CDValue
new procedure StoreConditional. This allows implementation of arbitrary initializations in an atomic way without introducing monitors. This is specially useful for programs which are already monitored, recursive monitor entry for initialization will not wedge.
Registration has new registrationKey parameter (like CDProperties always had)
CMosObjects
size is interest rect size
CornerStitching
Beautified; The definition module now documents legal conditions to call procedures
Enumerations have split into two procedures with less parameters each.
ChangeTile no more inline, but works for every tile.
TerminalIO
WriteF, WriteF1, WriteRopes, TOS new procedures
time outs for RequestSelection and Confirm
Confirm replaces UserSaysYes
TerminalIOExtras: RequestRope with timeout. This procedure has been introduced into an "Extras" module, because the correctness of its implementation depends on assumptions which have been checked by experiments.
Further tools changed
Interpress plot
Font substitution for all scales; different format of font substitution file. Thanks to Don.
PD plot
Supports c150.
Special colors for ChipNSil-stick diagrams on c150
Supports c400.
All the coordinate transform between design and device is rewritten. Removed some rounding errors.
Label generation
New hack to make a flat cell with labels matching all texts in tioga fonts. Handy for plotting. Label generation is still restricted to Tioga fonts.
Cursor tracking
Dandelions use different, faster cursor for drawing vectors.
CMos
The commands use "CMosA" instead of "CMos", this allows to distinguish it from CMosB which will be released soon.
The following df files are available in the release now:
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/ReleasedChipNDale.df
--Read comments in this df file before applying bringover
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDDesign22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDDoc22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDCommon22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDCMos22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDNMos22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/ChipNSil22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDColorPDPlot22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDInterPressPlot22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CSMonitor22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDExtras22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDLabel22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDCifGen22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDMakeProc22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDOverlapRemover22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDRecognizer22.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/D2Basic1.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CornerStitching1.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/GraphicsSubset.df
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/TerminalIO2.df
Browsing shows you some more tools, but released and beeing available does not mean the same thing!
As soon as the additional tools you might need are converted to ChipNDale 2.2 you might switch to ChipNDale 2.2 at your own paste. It is not possible for me to wait with a release until all tools are ready; I do not have the necessary control, nor do I think such tight control would be good.
Please make sure that all files with version numbers < 2.0 are converted. (Files written with 2.1 are safe for some more time to go, but I will soon remove the code which converts from older file versions.)
ChipNDale version 2.1 will be archived; any improvements or bug corrections on 2.1 made after this release will not be added to the archive. I will not delete version 2.1 without previous message to ChipNDaleUsers^.pa unless the next release already happened.
####################################################
Date: Thu, 10 Oct 85 09:26:34 PDT
From: jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale now on DATools6.0 directory
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, ChipNDaleDiscussion^.pa, DAToolsUsers^.pa
Cc: jacobi
Reply-to: jacobi.pa
ChipNDale and it friends for ChipNDale version 2.1 have been moved to the new <DATools6.0> directory. There are no changes, this is not a new release but only a new directory structure.
The <ChipNDale> directory will be used as a private development directory. Do not rely on you files not beeing deleted there.
<DATools6.0> sits on Cyan but is refered as [DATools]<DATools6.0>. Use Iago to add the pseudoserver [DATools]. For a quick test, the PseudoServerAdd command will also be sufficient.
All old members of ChipNDaleUsers^.pa have been included into the new dl DAToolsUsers^.pa. If you need ChipNDale only as illustrator and not as design tool you might consider to remove yourself from DAToolsUsers^.pa.
The ChipNDale umbrella df files are
To get version 2.1
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/CDDesign21.df
To get the current release, what ever it is (currently also 2.1). Don't use this df file without reading its comments first.
/DATools/DATools6.0/Top/ReleasedChipNDale.df
TerminalIO is now available as package independent of ChipNDale; to be compatible with ChipNDale version 2.1 you have to use TerminalIO version 1.0
Christian
####################################################
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 85 19:07:43 PDT
From: jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale improvements
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: jacobi.pa
ChipNDale improvements
It might be time to bringover again
bringover /cedar/chipndale/6.0/top/cddesign21
ChipNSil
Texts are displayed faster
Rounding bugs corrected; texts now stay inside its bounding box
Method how to solve the problem "** size of text wrong, probably different font.."
Command file CDGetFonts.cm to get fonts
CD
CDRemote is improved module which will replace CDGenerateRemote
CDInterpressPlot
Versatec plotter works
Other minor bug corrections
Christian
####################################################
Date: Fri, 23 Aug 85 13:12:51 PDT
From: Beretta.pa
Subject: Patient died under surgery
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Reply-to: Beretta.pa
While Spinifex was languishing in the intensive care station of the VLSI CAD-Tool Group, resting between a two reanimation interventions, his friends decided that his life was no longer worthwhile. Euthanasia, the supreme nurse, was called who turned off the oxygen valves.
The body will rest on /Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/Spinifex21, on the side of interimCore in the ChipNDale subdirectory.
The surgery applied to the late Spinifex since the last medical bulletin include:
~ Corrected handling of well geometry.
~ Added the processing of a property $Crystal for transistors in order to test Crystal.
~ Names of NMos transistors for Thyme have been corrected.
~ Spinifex output for Rosemary is uniformly expressed in l units.
~ An address fault errors when determining ports has been fixed.
~ A confusion between coordinates relative to the bounding box and to the interest rect of a cell has been solved.
~ Fixed several bugs around Quad-CIF trees.
~ Added the processing of a property $Export for wires in order to force a wire in a root cell to be a port.
~ Reimplemented cleanly the usage of Red-Black Trees.
~ Rewrote the analysis of transistors.
~ Added the extraction of Core data structures.
An independent extraction of Core data structures is being implemented for CMos by Bertrand. Other birth anouncements will be published in this DL.
Giordano
####################################################
Date: Fri, 16 Aug 85 10:52:22 PDT
From: jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale grid command
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: jacobi
Reply-to: jacobi.pa
I got mad about drawing schematics... You get a new little hack.
Move to grid (Use the Special Commands Menu)
Move all the selected objects to the nearest grid point
Christian
####################################################
Date: 9 Aug 85 11:39:57 PDT
From: gbier.pa
Subject: Another new tool
To: ChipNdaleUsers^.pa
Cc: gbier
Reply-to: gbier.pa
DF File: /Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/top/CDOverlapRemover21.df
Start program: CMosCifOverlap
Execute: Use the Program menu
CMosCifOverlap finds all wires of type ndif that lie completely on top of wires of type pdif and removes the ndif wire from the design. Its most probable use is after reading in a design using XeroxCmosCif. Currently when reading in a design using XeroxCmosCif, all rects of type pdif in CIF are given a ChipNDale representation of both an ndif and pdif wire. CMosCifOverlap can be used to remove the ndif.
OverlapRemover is a general tool that takes two layers, a keepLayer and a throwAwayLayer, and whenever a wire of type throwAwayLayer is found that lies completely on keepLayer, then the throwAwaLayer wire is thrown away. An example of how to register the layers can be found in /Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/CDOverlapRemover21/CMosCifOverlapImpl.mesa
Several people have asked me about the convenience of the cornerstitching implementation. I think that this program is a good (simple!) example of using cornerstitching. If interested in such take a look at /Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/CDOverlapRemover21/OverlapRemoverImpl.mesa
--George
####################################################
Date: Mon, 5 Aug 85 10:45:26 PDT
From: gbier.pa
Subject: A New Tool
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: gbier
Reply-to: gbier.pa
A New Tool: Recognizer
DF File: /Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/top/CDRecognizer21.df
Start program: CMosRecognizer
NMosRecognizer
Execute: Use the Program menu
Recognizer will replace drawn transistors and contacts with the corresponding ChipNDale primitive. It is particularly useful for ReadCif designs since ReadCif does not know about ChipNDale transistors etc. From the program menu two choices for invocation of the command exist: "Recognize All" which will traverse the hiearchy of the design finding transistors throughout the whole design and "Recognize Top" which will only search the top level of the design.
Any comments or suggestions (but no complaints) direct to GBier.pa
Enjoy
--George
####################################################
Date: 1 Aug 85 14:35:22 PDT
From: serlet.pa
Subject: Alps21 Released
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: serlet
Reply-to: serlet.pa
DF file: [Cedar]<ChipNDale>6.0>Top>Alps21.df
User Manual: [Cedar]<ChipNDale>6.0>Alps21>PWAlpsDoc.tioga
How it works: [Cedar]<ChipNDale>6.0>Alps21>AlpsDoc.tioga (still rough)
PWAlps is a PLA-like generator, looking a lot like PWPLA for its input, but generating a completely different layout.
Bertrand
####################################################
Date: 29 Jul 85 15:53:45 PDT
From: jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale's make proc command
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: jacobi.pa
Generating Program Text
DF File: /Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CDMakeProc21.DF
Start program: CDMakeProc
Commands: Use the program menu and select "make text"
The command generates a file (and a viewer) with a program text. This program will generate the selected object... Of course you have to compile and run the program first.
There is no guarantee that the generated program will run with any other ChipNDale version than the one used to generate it. It might be more work to transfer source text to a newer ChipNDale version, than to transfer the .dale file.
Not all ChipNDale features are handled for the program; Give it a try, look if the command generates a program powerful enough, or, if not, you have bad luck.
I do not intend to do any AI to get an optimal program...
####################################################
Date: 12 Jul 85 19:30:18 PDT
From: jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale 2.1 released
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, ChipNDaleDiscussion^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
ChipNDale 2.1 released.
Very difficult naming issue resolved. We can't go on for ever with naming ChipNDale versions 0.xx. ChipNDale is no more so experimental to bear a number starting with 0. But what's a good number?
1.0 is missleading because it sounds so important. I really don't know which version deserves this great change in numbering. The new version (internally named 0.21 before) is a nice improvment, but its difference with the predecessor version is not much bigger than for any other version.
1.2: simply skipping the 1.0... how boring
21 instead a 0.21? It corresponds more with the truth but there is not enough structure..
6.0 or 6.1 in association with Cedar 6; this would create confusion later because the ChipNDale version number would increase faster as the Cedar version number.
2.1: its a decimal left shift... It would also be a fine number for normal people who start counting with one... (furthermore, I don't have to change any subdirectory names...)
Release means: Definition modules will not be recompiled; This does not mean that all tools are already converted to the new release. (Spinifex is not yet ready)
Version 0.19 will be destroyed in about a week (without archive). For deleting version 0.20 I will wait until 3 seconds after all the Dragon designers did their conversion to Cedar 6 and an archive is made.
Please, after switching to version 2.1 of ChipNDale, convert all designs to this version. To convert a file: read it in and write it out. It will automatically be written in the newest file format version. Version 2.2 might no more be able to read in files written with any ChipNDale version 0.x.
Principal changes
Great renaming
ObPtr -> Object
ApplicationPtr -> Instance
...
A file exist which helps you setting up the edit-tool
(temporarily stored on /Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/CD21/Replace.tioga)
Port to Cedar 6.0
Graphics replaced by Imager
CDConditions, CDEnvironment removed and replaced by Object generation environment
(Objects must not depend on environment anymore)
ChipNDale is now substantially simpler!!! (but not smaller)
Definition module changes
CDX is split:
IncludeOb, RemoveApp goes into CDCells
SimpleGetOrigin, SimpleSetOrigin goes into new private module
all the rest stays in CDX; this module is no more loaded automaticaly with ChipNDale. Tell me any use; otherwise it might disappear.
CDGenerate, CDGenerateBackdoor
new modules implementing a new object generating environment
CDGenerateImports, CDGenerateRemote
modules using the generating environment
CDCells
new procedure IsPushedIn,
stuff moved from CDX
changed procedure for push
CDTexts
re-done, using Imager fonts
CDDefaultProcs
new internal module implementing default procedures
CDDirectory
Include substantially faster!
CDDirectoryOps
new module
Procedures to clean up the directory, Rename objects...
CDExtras
procedures MergeIn, MergeInObjects removed; I think they caused more troubles than they are worth.
new procedures ToRope, GetTechnology
CDColors
Some new bits per pixel modes. 1 b/p in color is now different from bw. (This in preparation for some changes in the Cedar color device handling)
CD
saveRect mechanism removed
procedure HitRect with object instead of instance
new procedure to enumerate technologies
CDBasics
procedure IsPushedIn removed
CDInstances
new procedure HitInstance
CDProperties
Copy has purpose parameter... Defaults right for most purpose's
CDSequencer
new procedure QuitCommand
CDMarks
now easier to use, harder to missuse
CDViewHighlight
New module; allows implementation of independent highlight mechanisms;
Thought for HighlightNode and similar uses.
CDSimpleRules
Improved from RoutingTechnology. Implemented for nmos and cmos
New object generation environment
Registration mechanism to implement patchwork or other module generators.
Calling generators from programs is possible.
Supports cacheing of generated objects.
Indirect calls (Generator may be called recursively).
Calls from command interpreter.
Intercepting calls at each level in the hierarchy of a generated object.
Multiple instances (name spaces) of generators. Each project (chip) may have a generator name space of its own. In addition, there are several tool name spaces.
Different Generators built on top of the new registration mechanism.
User defined...
Use of directory.
Include from other design.
Import from other design.
(Auto-regenerated on top of user defined).
Supporting the possibility to call generators from programs and NOT supporting any hidden environment informations it will lead to: Any new, great generation feature will be callable from the generator. But since there will be no generator magic, the program will as easy be callable using standard Cedar imports. As a consequence every generator will be able to call every other generator, (Even if made by a programmer who didn't care).
Related modules
PopUpMenu
24 bit mode, position parameter...
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/top/GraphicsSubset.df
New package to simulate the graphics clipper of Cedar5.2.
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/top/CDExtras21.df
New df file contains stuff which might be useful but is not bound into ChipNDale
Contains module(s):
CDSimpleCells: new, utility for object generators
CDFeedBack: moved from cd21.df
CDX: moved from cd21.df
Black and white Versatec plot
Not yet ported to ChipNDale 2.1; I don't know yet how to handle stipples with the Imager
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CDInterpressPlot21.df
New package; Black and white only, no stipples. Good for ChipNSil.
Chipmonk compatibility
Busses on Chipmonk read
Is no more an object class, but simply cells are created
Colors
The 4 bit per pixel color mode is no more compatible with Chipmonk's colors.
CMos
Data structure for P—Well simmilar to N—Well (but not commands)
Atomic objects are now implemented using CDAtomicObs
Writing a Chipmonk file is not (yet?) available for 0.21
NMos
all the (n, p) well layers and features removed
Commands and behavior
Viewing
Drawing stops immediately when the scale changes, new scheduling of viewer painting
Transform to cell command
no more necessary; removed
Debug command (^-middle)
Improved, allows inclusion of object...
Push command
Can do an expand if necesary
Save command
new, gets also an entry on panel
ChipNSil fonts
try the difference between TiogaFonts and PressFonts; they work both
User profile has scaling entry (use for PressFonts).
Generate command
U-middle: Generate an object
U-Space: Generator menu. (Set up generators... but NOT generate object)
Selected generator environment (name space) is displayed on panel.
The following tools are available now:
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CDDesign21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CD21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CDCMos21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CDNMos21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/Chipnsil21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CDColorPDPlot21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CDPressPlot21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CDInterPressPlot21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CSMonitor21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CDExtras21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CDLabel21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/GraphicsSubset.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CDCifGen21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/CDChipmonkColors21.df
/Cedar/ChipNDale/6.0/Top/TerminalIO.df
Enjoy
Christian
####################################################
Date: 3 Jul 85 14:38:13 PDT
From: serlet.pa
Subject: PadFrame router Released
To: Chipndaleusers^.pa
Cc: serlet
Reply-to: serlet.pa
DF file: [indigo]<chipndale>5.2>top>Onion20.df
Onion is a simple PadFrame router. I have a copy of the paper from which I stole the algorithm, for those who are interested. The interface (Onion.mesa) is not very clean, just enough for Louis', Rick' and Pradeep' chips; don't hesitate to bug me about it.
To start it, just type "Onion".
####################################################
Date: 1 Jul 85 16:30:13 PDT
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale, cmos and mask..
To: ChipNDaleUsers^
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
ChipNDale, cmos and masks or CIF
Warning: Whoever wants to create masks for cmos should be aware that well contacts should not be close to any other diffusion. (Problem because of the shrink of the nwell for CIF generation).
Contact me or Ed
Christian
####################################################
Date: 14 Jun 85 15:41:42 PDT
From: serlet.pa
Subject: Alps20 Released
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, ChipndaleDiscussion^.pa
Reply-to: Bertrand <Serlet.pa>
Cc: Serlet
DF file: [indigo]<chipndale>5.2>top>Alps20.df
Documentation: [indigo]<chipndale>5.2>Alps20>PWAlpsDoc.tioga
PWAlps is a PLA-like generator, looking a lot like PWPLA for its input, but generating a completely different layout. Documentation is still rough, it is only a brief manual how to use PWAlps, but very soon a paper on Alps principle itself should come. This version should be able to generate big Alps structures.
Knowing how to use PWPLA is a good way for starting use of PWAlps. For further problems come and see me.
Bertrand
####################################################
Date: 10 Jun 85 15:34:12 PDT
From: serlet.pa
Subject: Extras for CD and PW code writers
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, ChipndaleDiscussion^.pa
Reply-to: Bertrand <Serlet.pa>
Cc: Serlet, ChipndaleImplementors^.pa
In /indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/CDE20.df (CDE like CDExtras), 3 small interfaces:
- CDExpr (already used by PWPLA and Alps) for reading interpreted parameters
- CDAbuts (low-weight abuts internally used by PW20)
- PWPins for manipulating easily pins (it is conceptually a complement to CDPinObjects, part of CD)
I maintain those packages.
Bertrand
####################################################
Date: 14 May 85 17:55:54 PDT
From: jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale Chipmonk compatibility and Colors
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: jacobi
Reply-to: jacobi.pa
ChipNDale Chipmonk compatibility and Colors
ChipNDale does no more load the Chipmonk compatibility package by default. When you want to read or write Chipmonk files you have to load the appropriate program. See the documentation file ChipndaleTools20.tioga.
The 4 bit per pixel mode is no more loaded by default; If you want 4 bit per pixel colors, you have to load it yourself. (See the documentation)
The cmos 8 bit per pixel tool is improved and a button on the screen top allows you to reset cmos 8 bit colors completely.
Christian
####################################################
Date: 9 May 85 11:50:02 PDT
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale measure command
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
New measure command
I tried to draw a rectangle of exact length 630 lambda yesterday !?@3#...
Now I do it the following way:
I set an arrow mark at the beginning (A-middle). Using the statistic command (CTRL-middle quick) I search for the position of the endpoint. Then I draw the rectangle backwards from the endpoint to the arrow mark. Finally I remove the arrow mark with (ESC-A) and check if the size of the rectangle is right (again statistic command).
Measure, statistic, grid, ticks, control panel now use all the same length units... (lambda's)
Christian
####################################################
Date: 8 May 85 18:02:46 PDT
From: Gasbarro.pa
Subject: ReadCif for Chipndale20
To: ChipndaleUsers^.pa
Reply-To: Gasbarro
ReadCif, the cif file reader for Chipndale is now available for Chipndale20. New features include the ability to read non-rectilinear polygons, wires and flashes. Chipndale20 allows these features to be displayed and plotted (they don't DRC). New technology files for XeroxNmosCif, XeroxCmosCif, MosisCmosCif, and StanfordCmosCif. Full documentation on [Indigo]<Chipndale>Documentation>ChipndaleTools20.tioga.
--Jim
####################################################
Date: 7 May 85 18:51:13 PDT
From: serlet.pa
Subject: PW20 and PWPLA20 released
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, ChipndaleDiscussion^.pa
Reply-to: Bertrand <Serlet.pa>
Cc: Serlet, Monier, ChipndaleImplementors^.pa
Both packages are in the standard place, /indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/PW20.df and /indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/PWPLA20.df
While Louis is concentrating on the EU, until July, I'll assume the maintenance of these two packages. They have been adapted for CD20. For the user, it probably means no difference, other than slightly different messages on CD typescript. The big internal difference is the use of the Expand mechanism and the definition of a new class of CD objects (Abuts).
Bertrand
####################################################
Date: 7 May 85 15:17:16 PDT
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale 0.20 released
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, ChipndaleDiscussion^.pa
Cc: Jacobi, ChipndaleImplementors^.pa
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
ChipNDale 0.20 Release
There is no backward compatibility from version 0.20 to Version 0.19.
Use /indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/CDDesign20.df to get to the version 0.20 df files.
Version 0.18 will be deleted.
Version 0.19 will not be deleted before the next release or a message
General changes
Drawing into a Graphics context has new mechanism.
Constructing cells by program is much faster. (Speeds up Patchwork, reading a design from a file...)
Level is renamed to Layer. Please don't complain, I have changed hundreds of files.
New expand mechanism.
(Arbitrary angled Polygons can be plotted on the color versatec plotter; However, with Cedar 6, this might be no more possible; try to avoid this features until we know if it can be supported or not)
Pins and Marks are called symbolic objects; drawing of symbolic objects is made optional.
I will not support Parquet and its application anymore, since Patchwork is available.
Changes in definition modules
CD
InterestRect new feature
insideRect feature removed
oldInsideRect feature temporary introduced; will disappear with the next release again.
New convention: Objects must either not have children or not call the context draw proc
ObjectsProcs
description: ROPE
describeProc with application
symbolic: BOOL
DrawInformation
environment: BOOL
symbolics: BOOL
CDAtomicObjects
is a new mechanism which will be used to replace the implementation of contacts and transistors in a future release; This mechanism is used already for the implementation of cmos buried contacts.
D2Basic
renamed from old PlanarBaseTypes
CDCells
IsCell: PROC [ob: CD.ObPtr] RETURNS [BOOL]
PushInCellPointed removed
IncludeApplication, RemoveApplication removed; use CDX instead
CDDirectory
EnumerateChildObjects has default for x
Rename has new fiddlename parameter
Include, Remove and Rename will call back class implementor
new Expand mechanism
CDSimpleOps
renamed from old CDCommands
FlushDeletedCache: PROC [design: CD.Design];
DeletePointed, CopyPointed, TransformPointed removed
CDCommandOps
IsPushedIn: PROC [d: CD.Design] RETURNS [BOOL]
CornerStitching
Tesselation has client data and stopFlag
CDImports
HasUnloadedImports: PROC [d: CD.Design] RETURNS [BOOL]
CDMarks
Checks for concurrency errors included
CDMark
module removed; it is no more possible to implement a Chipmonk-like tip table
CDEnvironment
SomeChildPropagates: PROC [ob: CD.ObPtr] RETURNS [BOOL]
CDConditions
Commands of this modules are disabled (unless your a priviledged user). CDConditions might disapear in a future version.
CDIO
MakeShortName: PROC [design: CD.Design] RETURNS [name: Rope.ROPE];
CDPinObjects
The old, never released, pin package on /ivy/jacobi/top/CDPins19.DF will get absolutely no support anymore. The df file is already deleted.
CDPolygons
IsPolygon: PROC [ob: CD.ObPtr] RETURNS [BOOL];
CDRepetitions
IsRepetition: PROC [ob: CD.ObPtr] RETURNS [BOOL];
CreateRepetitionCell removed; use the Expand proc instead
CDInterestrects
Module removed; it is now the object class implementor who provides the interest-rect feature
CDSequencer
type Command changed
procedure ExecuteCommand changed
new procedure ExecuteProc
CDViewer
CDViewerExtras merged in
procedure DesignOf changed
new procedure VisibleRect
CDX
The origin feature simplified: Object class implementor has to completely provide implementation of SetOrigin himself if the class is supposed to have immutable non default origins.
InludeRelative --> IncludeOb
New procedure RemoveApp
CDPanel
Panels can be changed at run time.
New buttons and labels.
CDTexts
Texts have the origin set as specifyed by the font.
CDCreateLabels
CharCells have the origin set as specifyed by the font.
Changes in user interface
Show Instance-names command (temporary on I-middle)
ChipNSil: Fonts selected with menu
Pop up menus for:
<space-M> Draw mode
<space-,> Simplification
<space-.> Ticks
<space-/> Grid
DF files
Df files which belong to ChipNDale but are not completely obvious have a prefix CD in their names. (Still cmos20 but CDCifGen20).
(renamed: ColorPDPlot*, CornerStitching*, cif*, vplot*, PressPlot*, FlatCif*, Label*)
The /Indigo/ChipNDale/ directory
There is far more stuff stored on /Indigo/ChipNDale/ than what actually is inside my maintenance umbrella! I can not maintain other peoples stuff.
The fact that something is stored on /Indigo/ChipNDale/ does not mean I have even looked at it. Stuff without version number, with a wrong version number, or with an outdated version number, will be deleted. /Indigo/ChipNDale/ is not a back up storage.
Not be supported as separate df files anymore
ShowErrors: built into cd20
CmosColors: built into cmos20
Available df files
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>cdDesign20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>cd20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>nmos20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>cmos20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>chipnsil20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>Spinifex20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>CDVPlot20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>CDColorPDPlot20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>CDCornerStitching20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>CDPressPlot20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>CDCifGen20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>CDFlatCif20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>CDLabel20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>CSMonitor20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>CDCounting20.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>cddoc.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>PopUpMenu.df
[indigo]<ChipNDale>5.2>top>TerminalIO.df
ask the authors
CDPropTool, EbesMask, MakeCP, MakePLA, Parquet, PW, PWPLA, ReadCif, VersatecChipNSilHack
Christian
####################################################
Date: 26 Apr 85 09:42:05 PST
From: McCreight.pa
Subject: CDPropTool19
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: McCreight
Reply-to: McCreight.pa
/Indigo/ChipNDale/5.2/Top/CDPropTool19.df contains an amusing little tool designed to help those of you who have gotten tired of setting ChipNDale properties in the standard way. After starting ChipNDale, you start CDPropTool by typing "CDPropTool" to the CommandTool. The tool is pretty self-explanatory; it gives some feedback to the ChipNDale terminal window.
If you push a SetPropOnSelected screen button, the active property-value pair is the one in the record viewer below. If you push another screen button, the active property-value pair is shown in the button's label. If you use the left mouse button, the tool sets the active property-value pair on all selected applications; if you middle-button, the tool just copies the property-value on the button to the record viewer (so, for example, you can edit the value). Button labels, except for the first one, are replaced in least-recently-used order.
The tool also puts a (time-varying) line in all ChipNDale pop-up menus relating to properties.
Ed
####################################################
Date: 16 Apr 85 10:46:59 PST
From: monier.pa
Subject: VersatecChipnsilHack19
To: ChipndaleUsers^.pa
Reply-to: monier.pa
If you use ChipnSil and want to plot your design on the Versatec, check
/Indigo/Chipndale/5.2/VersatecChipnsilHack19.df
It is a quick fix that will allow you to produce the largest schematics/floorplan/block diagrams ever seen in this hemisphere. There is even a doc.
-- Louis
PS: If you don't use ChipnSil, you should.
####################################################
Date: 12 Mar 85 19:05:22 PST
From: Gasbarro.pa
Subject: ReadCif for Chipndale
To: ChipndaleUsers^.pa
Reply-To: Gasbarro
I have recently completed a Cif input parser for Chipndale and am looking for alpha users. If you are interested, try bringing over /Ivy/Gasbarro/Top/ReadCif19.df to ///Commands. There is an sample technology file included in the df called StanfordCmosCif.cm which you can use as a prototype. The layer names used in your Cif file will probably differ. Running this command file will register the command "ReadCif" with the commander. To read in a Cif file type ReadCif <filename(.cif)> to the CommandTool. ReadCif will ask you for Cif units per lambda in the Chipndale terminal window and report any errors there. ReadCif attempts to preserve cell names and hierarchy. It does not detect overlapping rectangles, such as poly over dif, and turn them into Chipndale primatives, nor does it preserve signal names. Report any problems to me.
-- Jim
####################################################
Date: 8 Mar 85 19:53:04 PST
From: shand.pa
Subject: New Spinifex Version.
To: ChipNDaleDiscussion^.pa
Cc: shand
Reply-to: shand.pa
New Spinifex version.
This new version fixes a number of bugs and treats floating n-wells differently, and allows logo to be ignored for DRC.
Faster
It should be much faster on large designs as a result of fixing a bug which caused it to improperly prune some region searches when processing cell interaction. As a result of this bug fix Spinifex was able to process Rick Barth's 277988 transistor CrossRAM in 50 minutes on 4MW dorado. Previously this design caused Spinifex to exceed MDS limits after several hours of processing.
Extraction bug fixed
A serious bug which sometimes caused connections between arrayed subcells to be ignored has been fixed.
More Liberal requirements on n-well connections.
The
Correct in isolation requirement has been relaxed somewhat in the case of n-well contacts. Previously every well containing PDiff in every cell had to be connected to some nWellContact. Now the rule is as follows:
The topmost cell of the particular spinifex invocation must conform to the old requirement
For each cell any well in a direct subcell of that cell which is not connected, must be connected to some well in the parent cell. The assumption is that eventually in some higher cell the well connection will be made, if some intermediate cell do something with the unconnected well Spinifex will complain.
In the example I have run this new rule dramatically reduce the number of reports of Floating n-well. In only one case was a simple fix required (by introducing some well into an intermediate cell).
Ignoring LOGOs
Soon Spinifex users will be able to override normal spinifex processing of some cells and provide a substitute user defined extraction to be used instead, in the meantime Spinifex users can use this facility to ignore parts of their design which cause spurious error reports (such as logos). If a ChipNDale cell has a ROPE property called $SpinifexCircuitDescription attached to it that cell and all its children will be ignored. For compatibility with future versions the ROPE attached to this property should be "()" (that is open parenthesis followed by close parenthesis). Whilst for now the will cause the offending cell to act as if it is not there at all, in the final version checks will be made to ensure that that cell does not interact with other parts of the design.
Mark and Giordano
--------------------------------------
Date: 11 Mar 85 03:36:46 PST
From: shand.pa
Subject: More Spinifex Features.
To: ChipNDaleDiscussion^.pa
Cc: shand
Reply-to: shand.pa
Treat this as an addendum to my message of last Friday evening.
Further Features in latest version of Spinifex.
Summary: changes to the way n-well errors are reported, elimination of some spurious nodes from extracted output, location of nodes provided in extracted output and command to highlight a node based of (x y) location (from extracted output).
n-Well Error Reporting.
In my last message I described the new n-Well connection rules that Spinifex implements. Now I have also changed the reporting of such errors. Previously Spinifex tried to placed error material over the entire well when reporting such errors, now it just chooses some point on the well and places a small marker there. In addition, for the case of a well connected to more than one other node, each of these nodes are flagged in a similar manner to the well.
Clean Extracted Output
Previously Spinifex would sometimes introduce nodes into the interface of a cell's extracted output which were near to rather than actually connected to material in other cells. Such nodes have now been eliminated from cell interfaces.
Node Location Information in Extracted Output
Spinifex now includes location information for nodes in Extracted Output. For thyme these are comments similar to the existing ALIAS comments, for rosemary they are NodeLocHint attributes in node descriptions.
New node highlighting command
It is now possible to highlight a node by specifying its (x y) co-ordinates numerically. This new command is accessed through the Program-Menu (same as is used for Spinifex itself). The format expected is two space separated numbers so that it is easy to copy node coordinates directly from Spinifex output files when using this command.
--------------------------------------
Giordano & Mark
####################################################
Date: 8 Mar 85 16:18:54 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: How to remove errors from ChipNDale designs
To: ChipNDaleDiscussion^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
How to remove errors from ChipNDale designs
With next bringover you get a spinifex version which handles errors differently.
Spinifex will not recognize errors of old Spinifex versions as beeing made by itself and will not remove them.
Solution 1) interactive, for each cell with errors
(If you have a new enough ChipNDale version...)
Make the error layer beeing the default layer:
middle mouse button down while ESC down and the cursor is pointing to an error rectangle in current cell
Select all of current default layer:
left (or right) mouse button down while ESC and SHIFT are down
Delete the selection.....
Solution 2) use the commandtool or an interpreter:
(If you have the necessary bcd files for it...)
← &d ← CDViewer.FindDesign["name of design", FALSE]
if the design is found (&d#NIL)
← CDErrors.RemoveAllMessages[&d, NIL, NIL]
← CDOps.DoTheDelayedRedraws[&d]
Christian
####################################################
Date: 4 Mar 85 10:47:45 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: Labels for ChipNDale
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
New module to generate Labels for ChipNDale
DF file: /Indigo/ChipNDale/5.2/top/Label19.df
Documentation: ChipNDaleTools19.tioga
This module differs substantially from the 0.18 version.
Christian
####################################################
Date: 1 Mar 85 09:55:22 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: New ChipNDale module CDErrors
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
New module CDErrors allows inclusion and removing of error messages into ChipNDale objects of any type.
####################################################
Date: 19 Feb 85 16:56:06 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: New ChipNDale commands
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, ChipndaleDiscussion^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
New ChipNDale commands to find error messages
Select and show the next error in this cell:
next-{left or right or CTRL}
or use the special commands pop up menu space-s
[This (old) module is now built in]
Push into a cell by name: use the cell pop up menu space-c
Christian
####################################################
Date: 18 Jan 85 17:50:51 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale Colors (and plots)
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, ChipNDaleDiscussion^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
ChipNDale Colors on the Screen
Now both NMos and CMos have 8 bit per pixel colors. The user profile entry
ChipNDale.ColorStartBits: 4 or
ChipNDale.ColorStartBits: 8
tells ChipNDale which bit-per-pixel mode to start; only this mode will be set up according to the other user profile options.
ChipNDale Color Plots
The plot package is improved such that plots can be made on the
Versatec color plotter
Inkjet printer (MrCoffee) (Thankyou, SDD folks)
Puffin (Lilac)
Use the new df-file
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/ColorPDPlot19.df
commandiles for stipple initialization
VersatecNMos.cm
VersatecCMos.cm
LilacCMos.cm
...
The Inkjet printer can use the same stipples as the Versatec color plotter does, there is no separate commandfile needed. John Dillon can instruct you on how to use MrCoffee. Be patient with the device, it is not real fast.
Lilac does not yet has reasonable stipples! Sorry, I had no time to make them already now. The stipples for the Versatec plotter do not look good on Lilac. But while the versatec is down, you might still be happy to have at least some silly replacement.
Command
H-middle is the new Hardcopy command. Draw a rectangle and select the device in the menu. Check on terminal if reasonable stipples have been loaded.
####################################################
Date: 18 Jan 85 18:32:43 PST
From: Beretta.pa
Subject: Chipnsil
To: ChipndaleUsers^.pa
Reply-to: Beretta.pa
Cedar Sil models can be converted to Chipndale designs and edited with Chipnsil.
The program CDSilConversionImpl registers the command CDReadSil with the CommandTool. This command converts a *.sil file into a *.dale file. Sil macros are automatically converted to cells and imported, when referenced. The Sil colors are mapped into Chipndale levels. Chipnsil's user interface is very close to that of Chipndale.
Usage
- Bring over /Indigo/Chipndale/5.2/Top/Chipnsil19
- @Chipnsil
- @CDSil
- CDReadSil <Sil file name>
The following entries in the user profile are recommended:
Chipndale.chipnsil.Font0: "Helvetica10"
Chipndale.chipnsil.Font1: "Helvetica10I"
Chipndale.chipnsil.Font2: "Helvetica10B"
Chipndale.chipnsil.Font3: "Helvetica7"
Chipndale.chipnsil.Font4: "Helvetica7I"
Chipndale.chipnsil.Font5: "Helvetica7B"
Chipndale.chipnsil.Font6: "Template64"
Chipndale.chipnsil.Font7: "Gates32"
Chipndale.chipnsil.Library5: "///Chipnsil/SilLib5.dale"
Chipndale.chipnsil.Library6: "///Chipnsil/SilLib6.dale"
Chipndale.chipnsil.Library7: "///Chipnsil/SilLib7.dale"
Chipndale.chipnsil.Library8: "///Chipnsil/SilLib8.dale"
Chipndale.chipnsil.Library9: "///Chipnsil/SilLib9.dale"
Sil Options:
Sil.Font0: Helvetica10
Sil.Font1: Helvetica7
Sil.Font2: Template64
Sil.Font3: Gates32
Sil.Font5: ///sil/Sil.lb5
Sil.Font6: ///sil/Sil.lb6
Sil.Font7: ///sil/Sil.lb7
Sil.Font8: ///sil/Sil.lb8
Sil.Font9: ///sil/Voicelb9.sil
Known errors and restrictions
- The production of PD files is very slow
- The Sil `background' attribute is ignored
- Colors are not displayed in color (therefore only the layer `neutral' should be used for the moment)
- Like Alto Sil, Chipnsil uses Strike fonts, while Cedar Sil uses Spline fonts. Font information is always converted correctly, but text may be displayed using an alternate font.
- Strings of macros as they occour in the synoptic tables are not aligned correctly.
Converting Sil files is a one-way operation. There are no plans for a program to convert Chipnsil files into Sil files.
Have fun
Giordano
####################################################
Date: 17 Jan 85 15:42:03 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale 0.19 TIP Table
To: ChipndaleUsers^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
A new tip table for ChipNDale 0.19
The new tiptable is a little bit less orthogonal than the old was, however the frequent commands are simpler and you will far less invoke the wrong commands by using a neighbour key. The explanation do not mention the mouse actions, which should be obvious to users of the old tip table. The new tiptable is a mixture of the old tiptable, Louis tip table and some brand new ideas from Praedip and me.
The new tip table is used for default immediately. The old tiptable is still works but will NOT be maintained. Check your user profile if you dont get the new tiptable.
Whats different
The frequent commands
move: use CTRL instead of Q
copy: use SHIFT instead of TAB-Q
stretch: use TAB instead of CTRL
push: use C instead of V (All cell commands use C)
pop: use SHIFT C instead of V middle mouse button
Deselect: use ESC instead of SHIFT
Area select: no key necessary
Commands which do not depend upon a mouse position can also be issued with CTRL instead of a mouse button.
Some more tidbits; (which you don't need to learn now)
connecty move: use TAB-CTRL instead of TAB-SHIFT; warning:
Using the CTRL as speed up for some commands caused the following trouble: TAB-CTRL ASWZ: is that step connecty move or a set up for step stretch? The conflict is resolved reasonable (find out yourself), but it is now non orthogonal.
Expand cell: can only be done with a pop up menu
Split wire: use \ instead of B
Touching area select: swat key (guess how is Touching area DE select ?)
Undelete: ESC-D insted D middle
Show all: TAB-Space
Show selected: CTRL-Space
Show a rectangle on OTHER viewer: Space Shift left instead of space right
Select all: Space right.
Draw the other viewers: V-middle
There are some more changes which you will find natural and use without explanation! Do you find out which ?
Summary
In Summary, if you keep the following meanings for keys in hour head, you will be able to remember most of the commands:
ESC: NOT
TAB: Stretch
CTRL: Move, Execute
CTRL-TAB: Stretchy move
SHIFT: COPY, Chose the other thing (P+ N-, other Viewer)
Space: Viewer, Menu
WASZ: Directions
ERT: Transforms
D: Delete
QWE: Transistor, Pullup (nmos)
Mouse left: deselct everything else, select pointed
Mouse right: keep selection, add pointed
Mouse middle: draw
####################################################
Date: 3 Jan 85 17:36:37 PST
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: ChipNDale 0.19 released
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa, ChipndaleDiscussion^.pa
Cc: Jacobi, ChipndaleImplementors^.pa
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
ChipNDale 0.19 released
ChipNDale 0.19 contains only modest improvements in definitions to keep track of older implementation changes; It had to be done now, because I want the public and my private ChipNDale version to get into synch again.
Tiptable mechanism change
Layered tiptables allow division of tiptables in personalized layers, technology specific and the general default tiptable. Special tools can provide a tiptable fragment to be included using the user profile.
The user profile option is now identical to Tiogas tip table user profile:
Chipndale.CMos.TIP: Default
or Chipndale.CMos.TIP: listOfUserTipTables Default
or Chipndale.CMos.TIP: listOfUserTipTables
or Chipndale.CMos.TIP: /indigo/chipndale/5.2//cmos19/chipndalecmos.tip /indigo/chipndale/5.2//cd19//chipndale.tip
Note that
1) they key has a new name; this prevents from usage of old tiptables without really intending it. (But: old tip-tables still work)
2) you must specify full path names. (Because the user profile is querried with different working directories at different times...; This is NOT a ChipNDale problem)
Idea to layer tiptables from Pradeep: As I got no feedback at all which features caused people to use different tiptables we make it possible to have layered tiptables. At some time I will brouse at peoples personalized tiptables additions. I then will no more get the glorious feedback that an other Tiptable is used, but will see exactly which feature is disabled and what is added. Please: Do not simply replace the standard tiptable if having your extras in a layered tiptable also works.
Changes in the ChipNDale base
CD
new mechanism to keep track of nesting
not need for CONS on nested objects any more
makes drawing faster
DrawRecord has no more a pushLevel field (I think nobody used it); the new mechanism draws conditional objects also correct if you are pushed in.
Cells key field removed
new field in the objectprocs for the benefit of CDX
CDApplications
I-O appendices cleaned: I -> interest; O -> outer; IX inside;
clients please use only I and O, NOT IX.
BoundingRect with I or O
HighPosI, HighPosO removed
CDConditions
changed to take use of CDEnvironment.
CDDirectory
key features removed (now must use properties)
EnumerateChildren relaxed
CDEnvironment:
new interface
CDMenus:
Menus can be removed, they don't appear double
CDOps
PROC LayerName (the old inline coding was used only 2 times in chipndale!, but 5 times in Spinifex)
CDOrient:
All orientations get a constant
MapPosition removed
new procedure MapPoint (is DIFFERENT from MapPosition)
MapRect, ComposeOrient are now faster
CDProperties
ownerKey field removed
property records gets property list for additional procedures...
CDRepetition:
exports Index procedure
CDRopeViewer
New module lifted and improved from Parquet
CDTipEtc
New layered tiptables (No definition module change)
TokenIO
EncodingError is now SIGNAL instead ERROR; this allows me to do dirty tricks from the debugger if somebodys design is screwed up and needs to be saved.
New features which will be put into the ChipNDales base with Cedar 5.3
CDFeedBack
new module; courtesy of Mike Spreitzer; needs special command to be loaded
CDOrientExtras
new module; needs special command to be loaded
Changes on ChipNDale related programs
CornerStitching
marginal clean up to be easer to read;
Spinifex
marginal clean up to be easer to read.
net naming improvements by Mike Spreitzer
Parquet
use of CDMenus instead of TilerMenu
use of CDRopeViewer instead of RopeViewer
Need volunteer: to unify my and Parquet's alignment-marks; my alignment-marks are not that much different, but only a clean up anyway.
Need volunteer: to lift the expression reading stuff, this might be useful stuff for other applications.
Temporary changes in release strategy
Spinifex
Parquet
are not guaranteed to not change public definition modules while the lifetime of Chipndale 0.19
Christian
####################################################
Date: 27 Nov 84 12:07:41 PST
From: jacobi.pa
Subject: Updates on Chipndale 0.18
To: ChipndaleUsers^.pa, ChipndaleDiscussion^.pa
Cc: Jacobi
Reply-to: Jacobi.pa
Updates on Chipndale 0.18
New commands
<N>-<Space> New name and properties menu: this replaces most of the old commands handling names (of the design, an object, a signalname...) and properties. It also contains commands for the comment feature.
Comment feature: objects, instances and designs may have comments. Do not exagerate comments on objects and instances; they could eat up your virtual memory and time for IO.
=-<SHIFT>-{Middle} Change (redefine) the vector of a repetition.
The rect-program menu (P-SHIFT-middle) has an entry to draw an interestrect. On selection, a cell now outlines its interestrect, not it's real border. (An interestrect is used to define how the object should abut, [once in future, the tiler should understand interestrects])
Real changes
no public definition module has changed
The repositioning of changed objects is completetely reprogrammed. The new modules used for this should still be considered private until the next release. (The following procedures and procedure variables of CDDirectory should no more be used: RepositionAnObject, ReplaceDirectChilds, adjustItself, repositionElements, computeBounds, replaceDirectChilds; but these procedures are quite private to chipndale and not yet used by any client program stored on [indigo]<chipndale>* )
New module CDRopeViewer
Christian
####################################################
Date: 18 Dec 84 13:08:00 PST
From: Spreitzer.pa
Subject: New Spinifex18
To: ChipNDaleUsers^.pa
Reply-To: The Name Server <Spreitzer.pa>
I've made a few changes to Spinfex, mostly concerning the naming convention. Since the Spinifex documentation doesn't even touch on the issue, there's no change in the document. I'll describe the changes here. I'd appreciate comments, especially on whether the two switches described below should be fixed at what particular value.
Naming
The interesting change deals with the way nets inherit names from their connections. A net is an electrical node that results from the analysis of a cell definition (considering the definitions of its components, but none of its instances). For example, if cell type A contains three rectangles (r1, r2, and r3) that do not touch each other, and an instance (named b) of cell type B, and nothing else, and if cell type B contains nothing but one rectangle rb, and in A b.rb touches r1 and r2 but not r3, we get the following output: cell type B contains one net, corresponding to rb, and cell type A contains two nets, one corresponding to r1 and r2, and the other corresponding to r3. Nets may be contrasted to another concept, which we'll call signals here. A signal is like an electrical node on the silicon; it is all of what is eventually connected. A net is the part of a signal that is localized to a cell definition. Both kinds of Spinifex output (Thyme and Structural) name nets, not signals.
Spinifex recognizes that nets may have multiple names. The Thyme style output allows only one name; Spinifex chooses one to use, and puts in a comment giving the others.
If the designer gives names directly to a net (with the $SignalName property on an object comprising the net), those are all the names the net will have.
If the designer gives no names directly to a net, it inherits names from its connections. Each net is, in general, connected to nets in subcells. An otherwise unnamed net will try to inherit the names of the subcell nets it is connected to. If a name collision occurs (i.e., two different nets (in the same parent, of course) are both trying to have a certain name), they try instead using the subcell net name qualified with the subcell instance name. The qualified name is instanceName.subnetName. If there is still a name collision, the names are disambiguated by appending -1, -2, &etc. to the colliding nets. For purposes of naming (and too many other things as well), transistors are not considered subcells; they do not contribute anything to the naming issue. The rules in this paragraph are what's different from the old Spinifex; it didn't try qualifying the names.
If a designer gives no names directly to a net, and it is not connected to anything, it will get a simply generated name (e.g., n42).
For an example of qualified name inheritence, suppose cell type A contains a net, and an instance (named bOfA) of cell type B, and that cell type B contains a net named nb, and that the net in A is connected to the net nb of bOfA. Spinifex will try the following names in order for the net in A: nb, bOfA.nb, bOfA.nb-I (for some I).
Other changes in naming:
A repetition continues to be treated as a cell with N subcells. They used to get named C1, C2, ... CN. They are now named 0, 1, ... N-1.
Generated names use the general name collision avoidance algorithm. All otherwise unnamed nets try the name n, all otherwise unnamed transistors try the name Q, and all otherwise unnamed subcells try the name C. When there are name collisions, they are removed by appending numbers to the colliding names.
The new name inheritence rule may allow a net to inherit a lot of names. There is a switch you can throw to cut down on the number of names. Observe that names can have different "quality". Dots, and generated components, decrease the quality of a name. By setting SpinifexOutput.shortestNamesOnly to TRUE, only the names of the highest available quality are used.
Geometric information
Spinifex will now output some summary geometric information in the Structural style: bounding boxes and instantiation transformations. See Geometry.Tioga in [Indigo]<Rosemary>Compare0.2>Compare.DF for details. This can be disabled by setting SpinifexOutput.outputGeometricInfo to FALSE.
Enjoy,
Mike
####################################################
Date: 6 Nov 84 10:17:36 PST
From: jacobi.pa
Subject: Chipndale release 0.18
To: ChipndaleUsers^.pa, ChipndaleDiscussion^.pa
Cc: Jacobi, ChipndaleImplementors^.pa
Reply-to: jacobi.pa
Chipndale 0.18 released
Chipndale 0.18 contains lots of internal changes made in long time. However, only minor adaptions of client programs are necessary. Chipndale is now several pages of code shorter. Since really everything has been updated, version 0.17 will be deleted soon.
DF file for designers
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/cddesign.df
On bringover, the public option on cddesign18, cddesign now is important; with all you now get everything, which might be interesting for programers, but not for designers.
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/spinifex18.df
...
DF file for programmers
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/cd18.df
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/cmos18.df
...
DF file for documentation
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/CDDoc.df
Release strategy change
Chipndale has grown too much, and it is no more possible for us to maintain everything. Every author of some Chipndale tool is now asked too maintain his tool himself. The fact that some file is stored on /indigo/chipndale/ does NOT mean it is maintained automatically. Users of certain hacks are supposed to verify themselves whether the hack will be supported or not.
The following stuff is inside the chipndale-implementors support umbrella:
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/cddesign©.df
cd©.df, cmos©.df, nmos©.df
CornerStitching©.df, spinifex©.df (soon)
For all the other stuff, no maintenance agreements exist yet. Authors will get pre-release messages few days in advance of the release.
New Hacks
CMos Color hack
A nice color hack for cmos has been written by Gerome and Louis;
bringover -P /indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/cmoscolors18.df
-- cmos now is supposed to be loaded already
run CMosColors
no further support yet
Press plot hack
New press plot package (use on RocknRoll or Stinger). Plots all layers in black.
(Also plots texts of chipnsil)
bringover -P /indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/PressPlot18.df
-- chipndale is supposed to be loaded already
CDPressPlot
-- will load the program; use <P-SHIFT-middle> to make a plot
no further support yet
Designer visible changes
Stretchy step move commands: step move+SHIFT.
Changed user profile options for selection of colors (maps and patterns).
New user profile options to put viewers on the color display.
Not loaded commands do no more appear in the menus.
Control panel: changing values with CTRL or SHIFT down shows a menu.
Control panel: button to create/split a design viewer.
<ESC-LF> stops drawing of viewer (commands are exchanged)
<ESC-DEL> abort command, (programmers (cif, plot,... :! please check for aborts)
Scaling and moving the view works concurrently with other commands!
<P-SHIFT-middle> executes programs which need a rectangular input area.
There is no way back from version 0.18 to 0.17.
The chipmonk compatible tiptable is no more available (code is removed).
User profile suggestions (for chipmonk compatible colors, ...)
Chipndale.FirstViewerOnColor: TRUE
Chipndale.ColorStartLeft: TRUE
Chipndale.ColorStartBits: 4
Chipndale.ChipmonkColorMaps: "default.CDColorMaps"
better: use full path name
Chipndale.ChipmonkColorMapNum: 2
Chipndale.ChipmonkColorPatterns: "default.CDColorPatterns"
better: use full path name
Chipndale.ChipmonkColorPatternNum: 3
Chipndale.ChipmonkColorPatternNum: 2
good value for nmos
Chipndale.SavePeriod: 0
to specify interval for automatic saving designs, in seconds; -1 to avoid saving
Definitions changes
CD:
DeviceDrawRef: worldClip gets comment as interrestrect, device might be different
gets new procedure to draw background if pushed
background level
match is removed; the exotic stretchy move feature moved to an exotic module..
hasChildren renamed to inDirectory;
CDBasics: new module; will replace CDInline, new proc: PushedIn
CDColors: new module, makes color definitions non private
CDCommandOps: new proc to redraw an application, to handle resources (cif, mask, plot)
CDDefaults: new module
CDDirectory: CDDirectoryExtras, CDExtras2 merged in; proc's another, replacedirectchild...
CDEvents: $Abort: new event
CDExtras: DecomposeRect, AppendExt removed
CDInline: Will be discarded in next version
CDInterestRects: new module, supports a rectangle which constitutes a designer specified border
CDIO: CDIOExtras merged in (working directories, file name handling)
CDMarkObjects: new module, not yet compatible with the tiler
CDMarks: marks must be used only on objects which are in the directory
CDMenus: new menu module, to allow dynamic inclusions in menus
CDObjectProcs: type included
CDOps: DelayedRedraw gets comment about efficiency
CDOrient: new representation of orientation; give up 45 degrees.
CDStretchyExtras: new module, to allow object implementors handling of stretchy move
CDTechnology: removed, replaced by CDDefaults, CDTipEtc
CDTipEtc: new module
CDX: new module, supports an origin which does no more move
Implementation changes
ChipmonkPatterns: new module
ChipmonkColorMap: new module
CDVPrivate: color definition stuff removed, to module CDColors
All the chipmonk compatible color handling is removed from basic Chipndale and can be loaded as new, separate module.
Use of interest rect for initial interactive placement of objects. (Use of inner rect for placement of objects in files.)
Christian
####################################################
Date: 20 Sep 84 16:12:03 PDT
From: jacobi.pa
Subject: Chipndale update on version 0.17
To: ChipndaleUsers^.pa
Cc: jacobi
Reply-to: jacobi.pa
Chipndale update on version 0.17
No public interface changed;
Improved private inteface to register colors; (New colors are coming soon; ask Gerome or Louis).
(Colors outside of pushed cell can now be different)
Copy of object - definitions; Partial import; (To support the tiler)
Provision of immutable object relative coordinates; interest rects. (To support the router).
Actually there are quite more changes; a new release could be advantageous soon, but I would not have time to upgrade the clients before vacation.
Since soon I will go back home for some weeks, there will be no support; Some users should switch immediately to the new update, so that bug claims can be handled before I leave. In case of unexpected problems: I will not delete the pre-update version of chipndale until I'm back.
Old, pre-update df files
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/cd17.df!53 13-Sep-84 12:03:14 PDT
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/nmos17.df!15 11-Sep-84 12:02:42 PDT
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/cmos17.df!42 11-Sep-84 12:02:11 PDT
Christian
####################################################
Date: 6 Sep 84 13:02:36 PDT
From: jacobi.pa
Subject: Chipndale's internal tiptable format has changed
To: ChipndaleUsers^.pa
Cc: ChipndaleDiscussion^.pa
Reply-to: jacobi.pa
Chipndale's internal tiptable format has changed
-----------------------------------------------
If you use the default tiptable:
No visible change.
If you use private tiptables:
At cost of speed, chipndale checks now the cursor coordinates to be legal. Until now Chipndale used to rely that coordinates were initialized and always inside of the viewer; because of this, bugy tiptables frequently caused chipndale to wedge. Nobody blamed the tiptable....
You can now register your own favorite cursors (However, only by using the private interface CDVPrivate [private interfaces can change without new release or message]).
The tiptable mechanism for setting or querrying cursors is changed. Old tiptables will no more work. Look at the default tiptables for an example.
Christian
####################################################
Date: 22 Aug 84 18:49:39 PDT
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: Chipndale 0.17 improvements
Chipndale 0.17 improvements
No changes in existing interfaces
Imports: it is possible to include an import lateron. (use directory menu)
New interface module CDImports allows client access of imports.
Conditional objects: It is now possible to allow or dis-allow propagation of environment information trough cells. Default is changed to no propagation. Use conditional objects only after a chat with me, it is still somewhat like committing error 33. (<space-\>) for propagation menu)
Tip table changes
butting contact is <3-middle>
buried contact is <1-2-middle>
metal-metal2 contact is <6-middle>
####################################################
-- CDEvents-Registration17.txt
-- Ch. Jacobi September 16, 1983 2:11 pm
-- last edited by Christian Jacobi August 23, 1984 12:57:18 pm PDT
EventProc: TYPE = PROC [event: REF, design: CD.Design, x: REF]
RETURNS [dont: BOOL�LSE];
If not specified else: event, design are initialized, x is NIL
$CreateNewDesign
$RenameDesign
$RegisterTechnology (design=NIL, x=Technology)
$AfterCellReplacement (x=Object [cell] )
$BeforeCellReplacement (x=Object [cell] )
$AfterPush
$AfterPop
$WriteTechnologyPrivate
[listens to dont, allows writing technology private information; may be used only with
permission of technology, because of order on file!!!]
$ReadTechnologyPrivate
[listens to dont, allows reading back technology private information; may be used
only with permission of technology, because of order on file!!!]
$AfterChange (x=Object)
[is not called if one of $AfterCellReplacement or $AfterPop is called; must be handled fast]
$AfterAdjustItSelf (x=Object)
####################################################
--///cd17/cd17.tioga
Chipndale Version 0.17
Definition Modules
CD
FetchObjectProcs return result no more readonly
new mechanism for partially drawing objects
old procedure drawMe renamed to be quickDrawMe
procedure drawMe implements the new mechanism
new boolean (with mechanism) to keep track of changes
CDInline
new Comments about: normalization, inclusive or exclusive border
CDIO
WriteDesign: new "quiet" parameter (used by background saver)
new procedures ReadProperties, WriteProperties so clients can implement property lists on their own objects, even if they are implemented with properties
CDApplications
new procedure names to mirror taking either the inner or the outside rects
more orthogonal
CDCommandOps
new module with handy stuff to implement commands
CDSequencer
new mechanism to check and set an abort flag
new mechanism to allow specification of queueing method
CMos
now uses 5 lambda nwell.
If you did the conversion with cd16 as messaged twice, you will get no trouble
reading the files with cd17. If not ... it's not my business anymore, but then you
better wait with using cd17 until after.
Implementations
new module CDEmergencyHandling
some new commands for the sake of the tip table fans; mainly more orthogonal
there is a background process saving designs, sometimes it even works.
User Interface
If wedged, a design can still be saved by
From keyboard: using "SHIFT-SHIFT-SWAT"
From a worldswap or remote debugger: call "← %CDEmergencyHandling.SaveAll[]"
but if it interfeares with the background saving process, you clobber both files irreversibly since SHIFT-SHIFT-SWAT saves the design without respecting locks.
Color plot: bringover of CDDesign automatically bring's over the plot df file.
New or changed commands
Stretch selected is changed to use also a selected object as model.
View al of top pushlevel.
View al selected.
Pop from cell flushes automatically if chipndale thinks the cell is not changed.
New pop commands to avoid pop up menu.
New create cell command without name input.
Reselect the pointed object.
Conventions
I've been asked about name syntax; here it is:
Designers should use (but Chipndale does NOT enforce) Mesa identifiers;
case matters. (On write back to chipmonk case information is lost.) Other
ROPE's may be used internally by Chipndale.
If you use mesa identifiers you'l be not surprised; whenever chipndale
changes or creates names automatically, these names do NOT have the
syntax of Mesa identifiers; so no conflicts can occur. Using non Mesa
identifiers usually puts some semantic meaning to a name (e.g: object
has been created automatically and therefore may also be deleted
automatically...) However, designers can create arbitrary names
without clobbering chipndale.
####################################################
-- /indigo/chipndale/documentation/cd16.tioga
-- Ch. Jacobi June 7, 1984 4:48:40 pm PDT
Chipndale Version 0.16 Release
Runs on Cedar 5.2
DF files
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/<name of df file>
cddoc.df DOCUMENTATION
cddesign.df FOR DESIGNERS
cd16.df current technology independent release, used by clients and implementors
nmos16.df current nmos release, used by clients and implementors
cmos16.df ...
chipnsil16.df
vplot16.df
colorvplot16.df
cornerstitching16.df
New TIP Table (now for cmos only) exists, is not yet default
All commands (except input of names, text) can be typed without removing the right hand from the mouse.
Easy to remember commands: Discard the meaning of the letter, but associate function with row and column position of key.
PROBLEM:
The reason I made the new tiptable was: I would like to write the documentation only once, for the final tiptable. Therefore: Since this tiptable is a try and not yet final at all, I will NOT write documentation for it now.
I will not delete the old tiptable, unless the new one gets at least some documentation. However, the df file cddesign might bringover only one tiptable.
CDMarks
improved comments
CDDialogue
replaced by CDViewer
CDViewer
New procedures RemoveArrow, ShowArrow to handle the Arrow
New procedure FindDesign
CDConditions
renaming of parameters to make more sense for designers, at cost of clients
CDExtras
New procedures MergeIn, MergeInObjects serves copying objects from one design to another.
procedures Cellize, PopToTopLevel used internally
CDApplications
New procedures SplitPointed
CDCommands
New procedures MovePointed, CopyPointed
CDCells
New procedures RemoveApplication and IncludeApplication
CDOps
New procedure ResetDesign
CDDirectory
Runtime-test included: an object is in the directory of at most one design
CDProperties
Properties have exclusive flag; exclusive properties can not be modified by a designer directly, but only by client programs
Documentation
Improved but very incomplete. File: Chipndale16.tioga, but for old tiptable
Implementation
IO Modules split: new module CDIOCommands; Include now uses CDExtras.MergeIn
All command modules get CD prefix
Bug corrected (copy of nwell, buried contacts with nwell,...)
####################################################
-- ColorVersatecDoc.tioga
-- Last Edited by: Kimr, May 11, 1984 3:17:16 pm PDT
-- Last Edited by: Jacobi, May 17, 1984 4:51:40 pm PDT
CREATING THE PLOT
Bringover the file [indigo]<chipndale>top>colorvplot15.df with the DF tool. (15 is the current chipndale version, keep this number up to date, independantly of this documentation).
Independently whether ChipNDale is already running or not, execute the command
%VersatecNMOS
to set up the appropriate software and colors.
Now you need to get your design on the screen. Execute the commands
%CDRead <name of chipndale file>
or
%CDReadCMCMOS <name of chipmonk cmos file>
or
%CDReadCMNMOS <name of chipmonk nmos file>
to read in your ".chip" or ".dale" file into ChipNDale.
Plot any portion of the design you wish by selecting an area using the left mouse button with 'Y' held down. Terminal will request the number of vertical strips you want the plot divided into; each strip will be made into a pd file named "plot(i).pd" where i is 0..(#strips -1). A '.' will be printed for every band completed; the phrase "finished plot(s)" indicates that all strips have been done.
SENDING TO THE VERSATEC
Be sure that the versatec is in "Soliciting Client" mode. If it says "Got a Client" and the LED display indicates disk activity, someone else is probably sending a file and you'll have to wait. If it is not busy and does not say "Soliciting Client," punch the white boot button on the front of the machine and wait for the correct prompt to appear.
You have your pd files; you want hard copy. Make sure the versatec is in "Soliciting Client" mode; give the command
%peach belle <name of pd file>
and the file will be transferred over the net to the color versatec (aka belle). An pie-shaped icon will appear indicating the portion of the file that has been transferred. You must wait until the file has completely finished printing (not just finished moving over the net) before sending the next print request.
Completed plots are cut off each night and left for pick-up on a table in the Purple Lab. Users are discouraged from cutting off their own plots. (It is quite difficult to install the paper properly; such that the next user gets a good plot again)
COLOR SELECTION
You can easily change the colors assigned to levels by editing the command files VersatecCMOS.cm and VersatecCMOS.cm.
####################################################
--/indigo/chipndale/documentation/cd15.tioga
--Ch. Jacobi May 11, 1984 2:21:36 pm PDT
Chipndale Version 0.15 Release
previous release was cdPost14
Color plot
see /indigo/chipndale/documentation/ColorVersatecDoc.tioga
Interfaces
CD
more exact comments
DrawRecords get new field
CDProperties
some new procedures
CDCallSpecific
New procedure CallForThis
New procedure Register; replaces import of CDObjectProcs for most clients. (saves pages in technology dependent part)
Commands
<TAB-CTRL-N> renames the selected object
<SHIFT-ESC> interrupts the drawing process; it leaves the screen in unfinished state;
works for Black and white display only; WHY??? chipndale uses the same code for both display types!!! Temporary solution for colordisplay: use a button "CD-stop"; This button works only if there is no command ahead.
drawing of design if in a pushed cell:
viewer may optionally ommit drawing the outside cell objects; option by using the viewer popup menu
simplification treshold of viwers can be modified by using the viewer popup menu
<CTRL-[> show properties of selected object
<CTRL-SHIFT-[> change property of selected object
Implementation
2 bugs corrected (CDCellsImpl, CDPropertiesImpl)
2 bugs avoided (for popup menu)
IO.Flush of viewer streams gets some help with Process.Pause
Use of tiptable and InputFocus.CaptureButtons replaced by use of Terminal.GetKeys
####################################################
--chipnsil14.tioga
--Christian Jacobi April 24, 1984 3:57:50 pm PST
ChipNSil, a new chipndale technology
Sil <-> ChipNSil
ChipNSil does not want to compete in general with Sil; ChipNSil wants:
- demonstrate chipndale's wide range of technology independence
- be a base for experimenting in integrating schematic capturing to chipndale
- be a documentation facilty for chipndale design's
ChipNSil has a chipndale (chipmonk) like userinterinterface, not a Sil like.
ChipNSil has no colors; it is thought to run together with other chipndale technologies and leaves the definition of a color map to the other technology.
Commands
@chipnsil.cm starts the program
cdnewsil to create a new design
<TAB-CTRL-0> create or modify a macro
DF file
/indigo/chipndale/top/chipnsil14.df
Restrictions
Characters can not yet be plotted.
Fonts
ChipNSil supports 8 fonts; which are initialized with the user profile. The user profile designates the font used on creation of the text; once a text is created, its font can NOT be changed with the user profile.
Example user profile:
Chipndale.chipnsil.TIPTable: "chipnsil.tip" -- this is default
-- Fonts do not have defaults
Chipndale.chipnsil.Font0: "TimesRoman14.strike"
Chipndale.chipnsil.AlternateFont0: "/indigo/AltoFonts/TimesRoman14.strike"
Chipndale.chipnsil.ScaleFont0: 32
Chipndale.chipnsil.Font1: "Gates32.strike"
Chipndale.chipnsil.AlternateFont1: "/indigo/AltoFonts/Gates32.strike"
Chipndale.chipnsil.ScaleFont1: 64
Macros
There is a new chipndale object type, calld macro. Macro's are a subclass of cells, but with user definable bounding box. Macros are created, or their bounding box changed, with the <TAB-CTRL-0> command.
Pushing and popping with "replace" option from macros does not modify the bounding box; Popping and creating a new cell creates a cell, not a macro.
Popping out of a macro can move its application; Sorry, but pushing into macros is thought to be a non standard feature, used only to create macro libraries.
####################################################
-- /indigo/chipndale/documentation/cdPost14.tioga
--Ch. Jacobi April 30, 1984 11:55:47 am PDT
Chipndale Version Post 0.14 Updates
Commands and visible Features
<k> to set simplification treshold value of selected cell
select design <CTRL-H>
copy selected object from selected design: <H-middle mouse button>
actually it does NOT copy, but checks for the name and creates a reference
Control panel: mouse clicking values if
none: increment/decrement value
CTRL: double/half value
SHIFT: set default value
CTRL-SHIFT: input value
<CTRL-5> sets double layer metal
<TAB-A-right mouse button> Area de-selection
<CTRL-A-right mouse button> Area add selection
step moves: <=> <\> <LF> <DEL> stepsize adjustable by control panel
New Technology
ChiPencil; separate message already out 23 Apr 84 12:07:32 PST
documentation: [indigo]<chipndale>documentation>chipnsil14.tioga
<TAB-CTRL-0> command to handle macros
NMos
Transistors: different implants for 4 different treshold values
Implementation
All tiptables are created using same source with the EditTool
(read in chipmonk files version 8 [already messaged])
read/write chipmonk files with repetitions/busses
burried contacts revised
Technology may set reasonable default values for grid, initial scales,...
Tiptable can be changed at runtime; (affects new viewers only)
Christian
####################################################
--/indigo/chipndale/documentation/cd14.tioga
--Ch. Jacobi April 3, 1984 4:25:57 pm PST
Chipndale Version 0.14 Updates
previous release was cdPost13, not cd13, because it did not change interfaces
Intefaces
CD
ObjectProcs is no more REF; uses now either REF ObjectProcs or REF READONLY ObjectProcs;
new predeclared Levels: highLightShade, highLightError
DrawRecords get rid of the ShadeRect procedure; use now DrawRect with highLightShade-level
CDEvents.RegisterEventProc has its parameters changed, to have the parameters in the same other as all other registration procedures
CDOps
new IncludeApplicationList procedure
CDApplications
get rid of procedure RemoveApp; use now CDOps.RemoveApplication
CDIO
ReadDesign, WriteDesign exported
new procedures VersionKey, DesignInReadOperation
CDDirectory
new procedures: Rename, Key, Name, InstallDirectoryProcs
new fields in DirectoryProcs-type: name, key, setName, setKey
DirectoryProcs changed to a private type
CDProperties
properties on objects are considered bad
Commands
It is possible to set up the color display from commandfiles (necessary for people who do not yet want to set up their user profile options)
Implementation
New format for files; old format files can be read in and converted, (for limited amount of time).
Cell simplication treshhold value saved on files
some cleanup work, saving pages
####################################################
-- cdPost13.tioga
Implementation
Objectprocs for $Narrow, $Widen, $Shorten are removed
Objectproc for $Lengthen gets parameter of type (REF) CD.DesignPosition meaning direction.
pop from cell faster; (less trashing because introduction of last recently used cache)
Commands and otherwise visible
Stretch command
White flicker on move screen removed
Export and import facilities
Import is very different from include: Included objects are part of the design when written
on files; Imported objects are referenced only, also in files; changes of their implementation
are reflected to their importer next time they are read.
Global menu calls other menues hierarchical <G> - command
IO menu
directory menu
New Definition Modules
CDLRUCache
####################################################
--/indigo/chipndale/documentation/cd13.tioga
--Ch. Jacobi March 6, 1984 12:23:04 pm PST
Chipndale Version 0.13 Updates
Major changes including
runs on Cedar 5.1
new DrawRecords to allow access to properties of applications
new scaling for faster redraw
new mark mechanism
directory separated from cells
improved registration mechanism
Release strategy
df files
/indigo/chipndale/top/cddoc.df (documentation)
/indigo/chipndale/top5.1/cddesign.df (designers features)
Definition modules
CD
DrawProcedure gets ApplicationPtr instead of ObPtr, usefull for parametrization
New procedure DrawComment in DrawRecord
new error "Error"
all registration procedures now error on double registration
(this removes the necessity for tests in most cases and requires catches in few cases;
more important, lazy peoples registration will work the way I want it)
Design gets new private field
marks are subrange
CDValue, CDProperties, CDValue, CDEvents, CDObjectProcs
use new registration mechanism
CDDirectory
new module handling the (cell-) directory of a design
CDCells
directory operations removed from module
CDMarks
More efficient algorithm for marking: Instead of always clearing all marks before using them, just get a new (design-) unique mark value and use it. Overflow of mark values cause a clear of all marks.
CDOps
commands removed to new module, completely redesigned
new procedure DelayedRedraw
CDCommands
new module with commands from old CDOps
CDRepetitions
get new procedure CreateRepetitionCell
CDBusses
get new procedure CreateBusCell
refuses to create busses on bad levels
CreateRepetitionCells
module removed
CreateBusCells
module removed
CDTechnology
possibility to use chipmonks pattern coding
Implementation
all this additional features make repainting the screen about 20% faster,
in addition, the area to be redrawn per command did shrink some small amount
a) by improved transformation from design to viewer space
b) by new delayed redraw procedure allowing more areas to be combined
Commands
the global commands popup-menu got new command to clean up the directory
Remark
- In spite of this beeing a quite major release, applications like VersatecPlotting did need only a recompilation.
- Released somewhat fast to have a version on Cedar 5.1
####################################################
--/indigo/chipndale/documentation/cd12.tioga
--Ch. Jacobi February 17, 1984 3:30 pm
--Last edited Ch. Jacobi February 23, 1984 5:08 pm
Chipndale Version 0.12 Updates
General Idea
Stretchy (technology dependent part only in cmos)
Back output to chipmonk's .chip file format (cmos only)
CMos
Chipndale designs can be writen in .chip format for Chipmonk,
however, what remains is only the subrange of common features
between Chipndale and Chipmonk. This feature is a hack and used only
while the design rule checking and analysis programs cannot input
proper Chipndale data.
Chipmonk distinguishes between rectangles and wires; this difference
is not known to Chipndale; (On the other side, Chipndale use different data
structures to distinguish rectangles on some levels). Chipndale tries to remember
the source of Chipmonk rectangles (or wires) by using properties, however it
is not clear to me, if all cases are written back correctly.
Busses: Chipndale does not support them on all levels, and does not
at all write them back.
Texts: Chipndale may exchange fonts when texts are read from Chipmonk;
they are not written back.
Chipndale terminology caused some problems: SignalNames are NOT Texts !
SignalNames are properties put to some objects, maybe used by some analysis
programs. Texts are a data structure of Chipndale, they have a font and a size,
and can be put ont masks (if supported by the technology).
Repetitions: Chipmonk repetitions are read in as cells! Proper Chipndale repetitions
are not understand by Chipmonk and can not be written back on .chip files.
Temporary proposed usage of the writeback feature:
Try to write back your design immediately after you have read it the first time
with chipndale; test if the way back works, and only then proceed using chipndale.
Definition modules
CDProperties
properties without copyproc or writeproc are copied or written to dale files
if their keys are atoms and their values are either atoms or ropes.
This feature serves the handling of unknown chipmonk properties; it should
not be used for basic features of Chipndale.
CD
objects get a describe proc
objects get a match proc (used for stretchy)
drawrecords get a hint field about the scale
CDOps
MoveSelected gets stretchy parameter
AreaSelect gets include toched parameter
Select gets verbose parameter
CDExtras
new procedure ToLambda
CDRects
new procedure CreateSaverect
new parameters for UseAsCreateRect
CDSequencer
new procedure ExecuteCommand
Commands
<?> [</-Shift>] tells how many objects are available and how many are selected
Query position and distance: <Q-Left>
Select new mode: toggle bit if new objects should be selected
<J-Left> for stretchy move
stretchy move toggle bit in control panel for <=>, <\>, <LF>, <DEL>
VersatecPlot [replace <Tab-V-Left> by] <Y-Left>
ViewerMenu: <V>
DesignMenu: <G>
ResetScale: <R-Tab>
SelectAll: <A-Space>
####################################################
--/indigo/chipndale/documentation/cd11.tioga
--Ch. Jacobi February 1, 1984 10:33 am
Chipndale Version 0.11 Updates
Definition modules
CD
New concept of exporting a Graphics.Context in the DrawRecord's
replaces procedure field DrawSome and DrawText
CDTechnology
Separate ColorBricks for any bit per pixel number (1,4,8)
CDViewer
ViewersOf ' s design parameter is of type REF ANY, to additionally allow
using a technology
CDTexts
Font representation is redesigned
Text are in some level (Text are not signalname's)
New procedures to install and query for fonts
TokenIO
Error message of type Rope.ROPE instead of REF ANY
Implementation
CDTextsImpl
uses new Context feature to implement drawing texts
font information may be put on .dale files
VImplDraw
all procedure handling texts are removed
Several small bugs replaced by a smaller number of new bugs
Commands
All executive commands start with CD...
readnmos is renamed to [CDReadCMNMos] --where CM stands for ChipMonk
readcmos is renamed to [CDReadCMCMos]
New command to read in patterns from chipmonk pattern files [CDPattern] (cmos only)
New command to read in colormaps from chipmonk colormap files [CDColorMap]
Enhanced command [CDColor]
Plotting now must be explicitely enabled (again) by
including "Chipndale.RunPrograms: VPlot.bcd" into the userprofile
or by running VPlot from the user executive.
The select command gives more feedback
CMos
four kinds of diffusion in control panel
contacts and transistors get diffusion from current level selection
NMos
Text commands are temporary disabled, until we know which fonts will be
supported in nmos. (This protects design files against using wrong fonts).
User profile
see /indigo/chipndale/documentation/Chipndale11.profile
options for popup menu
options for initialization of colordisplay
options for selection of chipmonk pattern files
options for selection of chipmonk colormap files
options to start further programs
Documentation
to see what is available, look on /indigo/chipndale/top/cddoc.df
Release strategy
df files
/indigo/chipndale/top/cddoc.df (documentation)
/indigo/chipndale/top/cddesign.df (designers features)
are version independent and bring over the actual version.
df files /indigo/chipndale/top/...
cd11, nmos11, cmos11, cornerstitching11, vplot11,...
analysis10, maskgen10,...
contain a version number in their name, but are used only by programmers.
####################################################
CDEvents-Registration10.txt
-- CDEvents-Registration10.txt
-- Ch. Jacobi September 16, 1983 2:11 pm
-- last edited by Christian Jacobi October 17, 1983 4:45 pm
EventProc: TYPE = PROC [event: REF, design: CD.Design, x: REF]
RETURNS [dont: BOOL�LSE];
If not specified else: event, design are initialized, x is NIL
$CreateNewDesign
$RenameDesign
$RegisterTechnology (design=NIL, x=Technology)
$AfterCellReplacement (x=Object [cell] )
$BeforeCellReplacement (x=Object [cell] )
$AfterPush
$AfterPop
$WriteTechnologyPrivate
[listens to dont, allows writing technology private information; may be used only with
permission of technology, because of order on file!!!]
$ReadTechnologyPrivate
[listens to dont, allows reading back technology private information; may be used
only with permission of technology, because of order on file!!!]
####################################################
plot10.tioga
[Indigo]<Chipndale>Documentation>plot10.tioga
Versatec plotting with Chipndale
Subject: chipndale, cmos, versatecplots
To: chipndaleusers^
Cc: Jacobi
Chipndale is hacked such, that cmos-designs (in addition to nmos)
can be ploted on the versatec plotter, whenever still somewhat painfull.
To create a plot:
-Get Cedar 5.
-Get Chipndale from the df file
[indigo]<chipndale>top>cdDesign.df
bringing over everything.
-Read your design, by typing
readcmos
(or readnmos),
to the commander, which starts chipndale and reads a Chipmonk ...chip
file. (You must not err which technology your design is.)
-Do the plot:
Hold down <TAB-V> and draw a rectangle with the Mark button.
Chipndale answers with a menu were to put the plot. (discarding
the entries in the menu stops plotting).
Chipndale needs a fair amount of time to do the plot.
Chipndale CMOS does NOT implement busses.
Have fun
Christian
####################################################
cd10.tioga
Version 10 has no real changes of definition modules, but everything is recompiled
with Cedar version 5.0
The command "run cdnmos" is replaced by the command "@cdnmos"
Module Terminal is renamed to TerminalIO to avoid conflict with
the new Cedar module Terminal
Chipndale version 9's DF files are changed such that they do not bringover any Cedar
files of any (wrong) Cedar version.
New commands "<" and ">" for grow and shrink
Plots are no more inverted.
It is possible to include filenames on the commandline.
It is possible to read in the directory of an other design. <TAB-CTRL-I>
File format change; files are now slightly smaller than chipmonk files.
####################################################
cd9.tioga
CD
ObjectProcsRec, RegisterObjectType: objectType changed type to ATOM (for
representation on files)
CDSequencer
CommandRec gets new field sPos; pos and sPos now replace r which is removed.
(this allows to get rid of unnormalized rect's)
please do not yet use the orientation, I want to experiment first
CDInline:
New procedure ToRect (used to replace r by pos, sPos in CDSequencer)
CDDraw
world is renamed to design (consistency)
CDValue
searchUntil is renamed to propagation
order of parameter reversed (consistenc with CDProperties....)
(dangerous since of same type, but I checked all DF files of all users for CDValue...)
CDProperties
RegisterProperty gets optional registrationKey parameter (to allow multiple registration)
CDPrivate
new procedure Debug
CDTechnology
new procedures SetCurrentLevel, SetLevelWidth; widthAtomTable made private
(widthAtomTable is no more needed public: since cd8, levels can have properties)
CDCells
EachEntryAction gets a default return value
TokenIO, CDIO: New modules
read/write included, uses TokenIO
On read write of a design, an event allows the Technology to add private
information to the file
In NMos: TIPTable may be specified by UserProfile
(See Chipndale.profile for default values)
You are NOT supposed to make your own tiptable now, the commands are still considered
implementation level and change without documentation
The tip process knows a "WiringMode" set, reset and querried by tip process,
has no further influences
####################################################
Date: 31 May 84 10:06:54 PDT
From: Jacobi.pa
Subject: access right on /indigo/chipndale/
To: Chipndale.pa
Cc: Jacobi
As you get this message, you have write-access rights on the /indigo/chipndale/ directory.
These are the rules which make it possible to share this crowded directory:
/indigo/chipndale/ is a release directory, not a working directory. To develop some program you use your own personal directory. Once the program works, you may copy it to chipndale. This allows client programmers, to coexist with programmers changing chipndale. Furthermore, it allows designers using chipndale to coexist with programmers changing chipndale and programmers making client's.
-Every file "FooFile" lives in a subdirectory like
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/FooDirectoryX/FooFile.mesa
where "5.2" means the Cedar release number and "X" means the chipndale release.
-Every DF file lives in a top subdirectory like
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/FooX.df
where "X" means the chipndale release.
-Every file is mentionned in a df file.
-All df files are verified, without errors and without warnings.
-Every DF file to be used by programmers of clients has the chipndale version number in its name, if it depend on a chipndale version.
-The DF file to be used by designers does not has a chipndale version number; it refers to the currently newest released chipndale version's df files.
-DF file's have owners; whoever changes a DF file owned by somebody else must send a message to the owner.
Whenever disk real estate gets short on Chipndale, I have to perform some actions, probably in this order:
1. Delete any file not in a subdirectory.
2. Delete any file not in a df file.
3. Delete any .bcd file with a release number of a release which is no more in use.
4. Delete any second version of any file
5. Delete any file with a release number of a release which is no more in use.
6. Declare some release as beeing no more in use. At this point, I might consider asking users or client programmers if they agree. goto 3.
7. Ask for more disk real estate.
Christian
####################################################
cd8.tioga
CDInline:
MidPoint renamed to Center
ExtendRect renamed to Extend
CD:
lambda gets a new value
Technology gets a list of levels it uses;
LevelFields replaced by LevelTechnology and LevelKey
CDProperties: Properties can hang on levels and on Atoms
registration rules relaxed
CDValue: propagation default changed to no propagation
CDSequencer: locking is now per design, queue is no more exported
QueueCommand now needs a design
CDPrivate: New private module with errors, zones and level-information
CDTechnology: TeachLevel replaced by TeachColorBrick,
(TeachSimpleColor will be replaced in later version)
CifName must be handled by properties; must use $CDxCIFName
CDOrient: new procedure OrientateContext
CDExtras: new procedure PushedCellName
CDPanel: CreatePanel returns now a viewer
HookIntOntoDValue is renamed to DefineIntEntry, now using a more
consistent naming scheme
CDDebug: module has variable: xdesign: CD.Design
is the last design created.
####################################################
CD7.txt
PosInrect for cdinline
CDDialogue removes CreateChipndaleViewer
MidPos: PROC [r: CD.Rect] RETURNS [CD.Position] =
INLINE {RETURN[(r.x1+r.x2)/2, (r.y1+r.y2)/2]};
drawrecords get list of saved rects
(and are no more allowed to copy)
drawrecords get list of applications? and design [for parameters]
####################################################