diff --git a/katana/src/GraphicKatanaEngine.cpp b/katana/src/GraphicKatanaEngine.cpp
index 5c9fc529..97dbec9c 100644
--- a/katana/src/GraphicKatanaEngine.cpp
+++ b/katana/src/GraphicKatanaEngine.cpp
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ namespace Katana {
       katana = KatanaEngine::create( cell );
       katana->setPostEventCb( boost::bind(&GraphicKatanaEngine::postEvent,this) );
       katana->setViewer( _viewer );
+      katana->digitalInit();
       if (cmess1.enabled()) katana->printConfiguration();
     } else
       cerr << Warning( "%s already has a Katana engine.", getString(cell).c_str() ) << endl;
diff --git a/katana/src/KatanaEngine.cpp b/katana/src/KatanaEngine.cpp
index d047e37f..ab170196 100644
--- a/katana/src/KatanaEngine.cpp
+++ b/katana/src/KatanaEngine.cpp
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ namespace Katana {
   }
 
 
-  void  KatanaEngine::_initDataBase ()
+  void  KatanaEngine::digitalInit ()
   {
     cdebug_log(155,1) << "KatanaEngine::_initDataBase()" << endl;
 
@@ -163,7 +163,6 @@ namespace Katana {
     KatanaEngine* katana = new KatanaEngine ( cell );
 
     katana->_postCreate();
-    katana->_initDataBase();
 
     return katana;
   }
diff --git a/katana/src/PyKatanaEngine.cpp b/katana/src/PyKatanaEngine.cpp
index e1022747..93701877 100644
--- a/katana/src/PyKatanaEngine.cpp
+++ b/katana/src/PyKatanaEngine.cpp
@@ -147,6 +147,26 @@ extern "C" {
   }
 
 
+  PyObject* PyKatanaEngine_digitalInit ( PyKatanaEngine* self )
+  {
+    cdebug_log(40,0) << "PyKatanaEngine_digitalInit()" << endl;
+
+    HTRY
+      METHOD_HEAD("KatanaEngine.digitalInit()")
+      if (katana->getViewer()) {
+        if (ExceptionWidget::catchAllWrapper( std::bind(&KatanaEngine::digitalInit,katana) )) {
+          PyErr_SetString( HurricaneError, "KatanaEngine::digitalInit() has thrown an exception (C++)." );
+          return NULL;
+        }
+      } else {
+        katana->digitalInit();
+      }
+    HCATCH
+
+    Py_RETURN_NONE;
+  }
+
+
   PyObject* PyKatanaEngine_runGlobalRouter ( PyKatanaEngine* self, PyObject* args )
   {
     cdebug_log(40,0) << "PyKatanaEngine_runGlobalRouter()" << endl;
@@ -285,6 +305,8 @@ extern "C" {
                                , "Create a Katana engine on this cell." }
     , { "setViewer"            , (PyCFunction)PyKatanaEngine_setViewer            , METH_VARARGS
                                , "Associate a Viewer to this KatanaEngine." }
+    , { "digitalInit"          , (PyCFunction)PyKatanaEngine_digitalInit          , METH_NOARGS
+                               , "Setup Katana for digital routing." }
     , { "printConfiguration"   , (PyCFunction)PyKatanaEngine_printConfiguration   , METH_NOARGS
                                , "Display on the console the configuration of Katana." }
     , { "getToolSuccess"       , (PyCFunction)PyKatanaEngine_getToolSuccess       , METH_NOARGS
diff --git a/katana/src/katana/KatanaEngine.h b/katana/src/katana/KatanaEngine.h
index 795f5504..595167f5 100644
--- a/katana/src/katana/KatanaEngine.h
+++ b/katana/src/katana/KatanaEngine.h
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ namespace Katana {
               void                     setupGlobalGraph           ( unsigned int mode );
               void                     annotateGlobalGraph        ();
               void                     setFixedPreRouted          ();
+              void                     digitalInit                ();
               void                     runNegociate               ( unsigned int flags=Flags::NoFlags );
               void                     runGlobalRouter            ();
       virtual void                     finalizeLayout             ();
@@ -134,7 +135,6 @@ namespace Katana {
       virtual              ~KatanaEngine  ();
       virtual void          _postCreate   ();
       virtual void          _preDestroy   ();
-              void          _initDataBase ();
     private:
                             KatanaEngine  ( const KatanaEngine& );
               KatanaEngine& operator=     ( const KatanaEngine& );