diff --git a/etesian/src/AddFeeds.cpp b/etesian/src/AddFeeds.cpp
index ab6f7f9f..e031d260 100644
--- a/etesian/src/AddFeeds.cpp
+++ b/etesian/src/AddFeeds.cpp
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ namespace {
       if (xtie           >= xmax) break;
       if (xtie+feedWidth >  xmax) {
       // Feed is too big, try to find a smaller one.
-        int pitch = (int)((xmax-xtie) / getEtesian()->getVerticalPitch());
+        int pitch = (int)((xmax-xtie) / getEtesian()->getSliceStep());
         for ( ; pitch > 0 ; --pitch ) {
           feed = getEtesian()->getFeedCells().getFeed( pitch );
           if (feed == NULL) continue;
diff --git a/etesian/src/BloatCells.cpp b/etesian/src/BloatCells.cpp
index 3229b33e..651d8944 100644
--- a/etesian/src/BloatCells.cpp
+++ b/etesian/src/BloatCells.cpp
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
   DbU::Unit  BloatNsxlib::getDx ( const Cell* cell, const EtesianEngine* etesian ) const
   {
     Box ab ( cell->getAbutmentBox() );
-    DbU::Unit vpitch = etesian->getVerticalPitch();;
+    DbU::Unit vpitch = etesian->getSliceStep();;
     int       xsize  = (ab.getWidth() + vpitch - 1) / vpitch;
 
     if (xsize < 6) return vpitch*2;
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
     }
 
     Box ab ( cell->getAbutmentBox() );
-    DbU::Unit vpitch = etesian->getVerticalPitch();;
+    DbU::Unit vpitch = etesian->getSliceStep();;
     int       xsize  = (ab.getWidth() + vpitch - 1) / vpitch;
 
     // float termRatio = (float)terminals / (float)(ab.getWidth() / vpitch);
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
     }
 
     Box ab ( cell->getAbutmentBox() );
-    DbU::Unit vpitch = etesian->getVerticalPitch();;
+    DbU::Unit vpitch = etesian->getSliceStep();;
     int       xsize  = (ab.getWidth() + vpitch - 1) / vpitch;
 
     // float termRatio = (float)terminals / (float)(ab.getWidth() / vpitch);
diff --git a/etesian/src/EtesianEngine.cpp b/etesian/src/EtesianEngine.cpp
index 3abb9b33..0deb8901 100644
--- a/etesian/src/EtesianEngine.cpp
+++ b/etesian/src/EtesianEngine.cpp
@@ -395,8 +395,8 @@ namespace Etesian {
     }
 
     DbU::Unit abWidth = columns*getSliceHeight();
-    DbU::Unit adjust  = abWidth % getVerticalPitch();
-    if (adjust) abWidth += getVerticalPitch() - adjust;
+    DbU::Unit adjust  = abWidth % getSliceStep();
+    if (adjust) abWidth += getSliceStep() - adjust;
 
     getCell()->setAbutmentBox( Box( DbU::fromLambda(0)
                                   , DbU::fromLambda(0)
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
   {
     AllianceFramework* af     = AllianceFramework::get();
     DbU::Unit          hpitch = getHorizontalPitch();
-    DbU::Unit          vpitch = getVerticalPitch();
+    DbU::Unit          vpitch = getSliceStep();
 
     cmess1 << "  o  Converting <" << getCell()->getName() << "> into Coloquinte." << endl;
     cmess1 << ::Dots::asString("     - H-pitch"    , DbU::getValueString(hpitch)) << endl;
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
      *       * add placement dentity constraints
      */
     DbU::Unit   hpitch           = getHorizontalPitch();
-    DbU::Unit   vpitch           = getVerticalPitch();
+    DbU::Unit   vpitch           = getSliceStep();
     const float densityThreshold = 0.9;
 
     KiteEngine* routingEngine = KiteEngine::get( getCell() );
@@ -969,13 +969,12 @@ namespace Etesian {
     GraphicUpdate placementUpdate = getUpdateConf();
     Density       densityConf     = getSpreadingConf();
     bool          routingDriven   = getRoutingDriven();
-
-    startMeasures();
-    double         sliceHeight = getSliceHeight() / getHorizontalPitch();
+    double        sliceHeight     = getSliceHeight() / getHorizontalPitch();
 
     cmess1 << "  o  Running Coloquinte." << endl;
     cmess2 << "     - Computing initial placement..." << endl;
     cmess2 << right;
+    startMeasures();
 
     preplace();
 
@@ -1058,9 +1057,9 @@ namespace Etesian {
     stopMeasures();
     printMeasures();
     cmess1 << ::Dots::asString
-      ( "     - HPWL", DbU::getValueString( (DbU::Unit)coloquinte::gp::get_HPWL_wirelength(_circuit,_placementUB )*getVerticalPitch() ) ) << endl;
+      ( "     - HPWL", DbU::getValueString( (DbU::Unit)coloquinte::gp::get_HPWL_wirelength(_circuit,_placementUB )*getSliceStep() ) ) << endl;
     cmess1 << ::Dots::asString
-      ( "     - RMST", DbU::getValueString( (DbU::Unit)coloquinte::gp::get_RSMT_wirelength(_circuit,_placementUB )*getVerticalPitch() ) ) << endl;
+      ( "     - RMST", DbU::getValueString( (DbU::Unit)coloquinte::gp::get_RSMT_wirelength(_circuit,_placementUB )*getSliceStep() ) ) << endl;
 
     _placed = true;
 
@@ -1124,7 +1123,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
     for ( Occurrence occurrence : getCell()->getLeafInstanceOccurrences(getBlockInstance()) )
     {
       DbU::Unit hpitch          = getHorizontalPitch();
-      DbU::Unit vpitch          = getVerticalPitch();
+      DbU::Unit vpitch          = getSliceStep();
       Point     instancePosition;
       Instance* instance        = static_cast<Instance*>(occurrence.getEntity());
       string    instanceName    = occurrence.getCompactString();
diff --git a/etesian/src/FeedCells.cpp b/etesian/src/FeedCells.cpp
index 228a886f..d4554d74 100644
--- a/etesian/src/FeedCells.cpp
+++ b/etesian/src/FeedCells.cpp
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ namespace Etesian {
   {
     if ( cell == NULL ) return;
 
-    DbU::Unit pitch = _etesian->getVerticalPitch();
+    DbU::Unit pitch = _etesian->getSliceStep();
 
     if (cell->getAbutmentBox().getWidth() % pitch != 0)
-      cerr << Warning( "FeedCells::addFeed(): &lt;%s&gt; has not a width (%s) multiple of pitch (%s)."
+      cerr << Warning( "FeedCells::addFeed(): \"%s\" has not a width (%s) multiple of pitch (%s)."
                      , getString(cell->getName()).c_str()
                      , DbU::getValueString(cell->getAbutmentBox().getWidth()).c_str()
                      , DbU::getValueString(pitch).c_str()
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
     int pitchNb = (int)( cell->getAbutmentBox().getWidth() / pitch );
     
     if (getFeed(pitchNb) != NULL) {
-      cerr << Warning( "FeedCells::addFeed(): &lt;%s&gt; duplicate feed for width %d."
+      cerr << Warning( "FeedCells::addFeed(): \"%s\" duplicate feed for width %d."
                      , getString(cell->getName()).c_str()
                      , pitchNb
                      ) << endl;
diff --git a/etesian/src/etesian/EtesianEngine.h b/etesian/src/etesian/EtesianEngine.h
index 78fc9ebe..4f3e72b9 100644
--- a/etesian/src/etesian/EtesianEngine.h
+++ b/etesian/src/etesian/EtesianEngine.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
       inline  DbU::Unit              getHorizontalPitch () const;
       inline  DbU::Unit              getVerticalPitch   () const;
       inline  DbU::Unit              getSliceHeight     () const;
+      inline  DbU::Unit              getSliceStep       () const;
       inline  Effort                 getPlaceEffort     () const;
       inline  GraphicUpdate          getUpdateConf      () const;
       inline  Density                getSpreadingConf   () const;
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
   inline  DbU::Unit              EtesianEngine::getHorizontalPitch () const { return getGauge()->getHorizontalPitch(); }
   inline  DbU::Unit              EtesianEngine::getVerticalPitch   () const { return getGauge()->getVerticalPitch(); }
   inline  DbU::Unit              EtesianEngine::getSliceHeight     () const { return _sliceHeight; }
+  inline  DbU::Unit              EtesianEngine::getSliceStep       () const { return getCellGauge()->getSliceStep(); }
   inline  Effort                 EtesianEngine::getPlaceEffort     () const { return getConfiguration()->getPlaceEffort(); }
   inline  GraphicUpdate          EtesianEngine::getUpdateConf      () const { return getConfiguration()->getUpdateConf(); }
   inline  Density                EtesianEngine::getSpreadingConf   () const { return getConfiguration()->getSpreadingConf(); }