* Change: In Hurricane::Error constructors disable the backtrace generation.
(*very* slow).
* Change: In Hurricane::Library::getHierarchicalname(), more compact
naming. Remove the name of the root library.
* New: In Hurricane::Net, new type "FUSED", for component with no net.
More efficient than having one net for each.
* Change: In CellViewer, BreakpointWidget, use Angry Birds icons.
* Change: In CellWidget::State, use the hierarchical name (cached) as key
to the state. This allow to load two cells with the same name but from
different libraries in the widget history.
* Change: In PyGraphics, export "isEnabled()" and "isHighDpi()" functions.
* Change: In CRL/etc/symbolic/cmos/plugin.conf, and
CRL/etc/common/plugin.conf use the physical dimensions converters.
* Change: In CRL/etc/symbolic/cmos/technology.conf, make the GDS layer
table coherent with the default Alliance cmos.rds.
* New: CRL/python/helpers/io.py, put ErrorMessage new implementation here,
along with a new ErrorWidget written in PyQt4. It seems finally that
PyQt4 can be used alongside Coriolis Qt widgets.
New ErrorMessage.catch() static function to manage all exceptions
in except clauses.
* Change: In CRL/python/helpers/, no longer use ErrorMessage.wrapPrint(),
directly print it.
Rewrite the utilities to display Python stack traces "textStacktrace()"
and "showStacktrace()".
* Change: In CRL::AllianceFramework, shorten the names of the libraries.
* Change: In CRL::ApParser & CRL::ApDriver, more accurate translation between
Alliance connectors (C record) and Hurricane::Pin objects. Pin are no
longer made square but thin and oriented in the connecting direction.
Use the new fused net for unnamed components.
* New: In CRL::GdsParser, implementation of SREF parsing, i.e. instances.
Due to the unordered nature of the GDS stream, instances creation are
delayed until the whole stream has been parsed and only then are they
created.
For the sake of reading back Alliance s2r GDS, we assume that any
TEXT following a boundary is the Net name the boundary (component)
belongs to.
Create abutment box for Cells, computed from the bounding box, so
the Hurricane QuadTree could work properly.
Make use of the fused net for unnamed components.
* New: In Cumulus/plugins/chip, complete rewrite of the I/O pad management.
Now we can mix real (foundry) pads and a symbolic core.
To cleanly support the de-coupling between the real part and the
symbolic one we introduce a new intermediary hierarchical level, the
corona. We have now:
Chip --> Pads + Corona --> Core.
At chip level (and if we are using real pads) the layout is fully
real (excepting the corona).
The Corona contains everything that is symbolic. It has symbolic
wires extending outward the abutment box to make contact with the
real wires coming from the pads.
In the pad ring we can use corners instances (or not), pad spacers
or directly draw wires between connectors ring pads.
Provide two flavors: placement only or full place & route.
WARNING: If routing in a second step, *do not route* the *Chip* but
the *Corona*.
* Change: In Cumulus/plugins/clocktree, give the modified Cell an
additional extension of "_cts" (Clock Tree Synthesis) instead of
"_clocked", to follow the common convention.
* New: In cumulus/plugins/S2R.py, encapsulate call to Alliance S2R and
reload the translated Cell in the editor.
* New: In cumulus/plugins/core2chip, provide an utility to automatically
create a chip from a core. To work this plugins must have a basic
understanding of the pad functionalities which may differs from
foundry to foundry. So a base class CoreToChip is created, then for
each supported pad foundry a derived class is added. Currently we
support AMS c35b4 and Alliance symbolic cmos.
* Bug: In Anabatic::Configuration, read the right configuration parameter
"anabatic.topRoutinglayer" (Katana), and not the one for Katabatic...
* Change: In Unicorn/cgt.py, process the plugins in alphabetical order
to ensure a reproductible ordering of the menus...
* Bug: In CRL/etc/NODE/VENDOR/Technology.conf, the database must be configured
as early has possible so the functions ensuring length conversions can
work correctly (l(v), u(v)). So we can no longer rely on a table to be
read after the execution of the file. We perform a direct call to the
helpers.Technology.initTechno() function. And it must be made first
thing.
In all tables taking dimensions, we must use one of the converter
function helpers.l(v), helpers.u(v) or helpers.n(v) so the the value v
get converted in lambda, microns or nanometer (resp.). Make the
modifications in all technology.conf and kite.conf files.
* Change: In CRL/coriolisInit.py, remove the technoConfig variable that has
been replaced by a direct call to helpers.Technology.initTechno().
* Change: In CRL/helpers.Alliance.loadRoutingGaugesTable(), no longer try to
convert coordinates, they must already be in DbU.
* Change: In CRL/helpers.__init__.py, remove lambdaMode() and micronsMode()
they could not be made to work as expected. Create l(), u(), n() as
replacement.
* New: In CRL, implement a true GDSII driver. The driver is directly under
CRL and do not use an intermediate structure in vlsisapd. The ASCII
GDSII is removed.
Huge polygons are not supported yet. Have to be split up in
sub-polygons of less than 4000 vertexes.
Symbolic layout can be exported to give a rough idea of the layout
but RDS expension is not applied. Symbolic composite layers are
expansed into their basic layers so the design *looks* normal.
* Deprecated: In CRL, remove all traces of the old XML configuration
parsers. No one needs them now, including Chams.
* Bug: In CRL::BlifParser, before blindly loading the model of a subckt
from disk with AllianceFramework, checks if it is in the Catalog
first. Load with AllianceFramework only cells that are in the
Catalog.
This prevent a file of the same name than a model to be loaded
shadowing the later defintion of the model in the Blif file.
All this is due to the fact that Blif could be non-ordered for
the models...
* Change: In Hurricane::BasicLayer, the "extract number" is replaced
by a GdsLayer and GdsDatatype to generate accurate GDS files.
Even if datatype is 0 most of the time.
Update all the "technology.conf" files in CRL to provide those
two numbers.
* New: Hurricane::Triange as been renamed into Hurricane::Polygon.
Add support for convex polygons. Polygon are approximateds by
excess by a manhattan rectilinear polygon (with potentially
thousands of vertexes). To reduce the memory footprint,
compaction techniques reducing by at least a factor 4 has been
implemented. We could go further by only storing the non-repetitive
part of the edge (defined by the integral fraction dY/dY).
We will see, if the program slows too much.
The manhattan approximate is always computed but displayed
only if the polygon grid step is greated than 4 pixels.
The level of approximation of the polygons can be controlled
through the "DbU::_polygonStep" parameter.
* Change: In CRL/coriolisInit.py and CRL/helpers/Technology.py, regroup
all DbU related parameters into "technoConfig" (i.e. suppress
"viewerConfig"). Update all the relevant technology.conf configuration
files.
Change the loader behavior so that "technoConfig" is read first
and is now responsible for creating the Technology of the DataBase.
* New: In Hurricane::CellWidget, added support for displaying mahanttanized
polygons.
* Change: In documenation/scripts/expample/polygons.py, perform (I hope)
a comprehensive test of the polygons (check all slopes, clockwise and
conter-clockwise).
* New: In Hurricane::DbU, added template to manage vector<> of DbU.
Support for the "polygonStep" parameter.
* New: In Commons, inspector support for std::pair<T,U>.
* New: In Hurricane::Layer, ContactLayer & ViaLayer, support for non
square VIAs. The hole (cut) remains square, but the various metal
extensions can now be different in X and Y. The ::getEnclosure()
method now takes a flag EnclosureH / EnclosureV.
* New: In Hurricane::DbU, inspector support for:
std::pair<DbU::Unit,DbU::Unit>
std::array<DbU::Unit,3>
Must be defined here as DbU do not exists yet in Commons.h
* Bug: In Hurricane::Interval::getSize(), when the interval is "full span",
do not return the difference between min and max, but directly DbU::Max.
(the previous result was -1 !)
* New: In CRL Core Python/Technology.py, support for non square VIAs in
the configuration files. Applied to FreePDK 45.
* New: In CRL::RoutingGauge, added a "symbolic" flag to tell if a gauge
is for symbolic layout or not. Exported to Python.
* New: In Anabatic::AutoHorizontal::updatePosition(), differentiated
computation for soure or target taking account of the VIA extension
in the right segment metal (due to non-square VIAs).
* Change: In Anabatic::AutoHorizontal::_makeDogleg(), the dogleg is
UP for HV gauges and DOWN for VH.
* New: In Anabatic::AutoSegment::_initialize(), create a cache of the
various extension length for each layer (viaToTop, viaToBottom,
viaToSame).
New implementation of getExtensionCap() using the previous cached
extension table. See updatePositions().
New static functions to access the extension cache in the header:
getViaTotopCap() ...
* Change: In Anabatic::AutoSegment, in various update methods, updateOrient()
must always be called *before* updatePositions() as extensions are
dependant on source/target.
* New: In Anabatic::AutoSegment::getEndAxes() compute the position of the
first source and last target position (center/axes) on an *aligned*
set of segments.
* New: In Anabatic::AutoSegment, add a new state flag SegAxisFixed to
signal segments that can be put on only one track. Specific case
to VH gauge for a M1 vertical terminal with a M2 vertical segment.
The M2 is effectively bound to the M1 axis position.
* Bug: In Anabatic::NetBuilderVH::_do_xG_xM1_xM3(), in case of E/W global
and only one RoutingPad the connexion to the RoutingPad was duplicated.
It was valid, but totally stupid.
* Bug: In Anabatic::Session::_canonize(), for an aligned segment set,
intersect the user constraints from all segments instead of only
considering the canonical one.
Issue a warning about too tight constraints only for symbolic
gauges. It may be correct for the real ones.
* New: In Katata::DataNegociate::update(), more accurate computation
of the perpandicular free interval. Use segment extension cap
calculation. Create a special case for fixed axis segments allowing
them to find alternative free interval, try under source and under
target as they are likely to be draggable segments.
* Change: In Katana::Manipulator::relax(), use the extension cap value
to compute the axis of the perpandicular segemnts.
* Change: In Katana::Manipulator::moveUp(), now move up the whole set
of aligned segments instead of just the canonical one.
* Change: In Katana::NegociateWindow::loadRoutingPads(), more accurate
TrackMarkers insertions for fixed terminals.
* New: In Katana::RoutingEvent::Key::Compare::operator(), segments with
fixed axis are processed prior to any others.
* New: In Katana::RoutingEventLoop, store segment pointers instead of
ids to generate more accurate error messages.
* Change: In Katana::RoutingPlane::create(), perform local track
assignment only for HV gauges.
* Change: In Katana::SegmentFsm::_slackenLocal(), add a "dragMinimize"
step in the automaton. Mutliple states transitions can occurs in
a row if an action fails.
* New: In Katana::Session::_toIntervalAxis(), normalize interval
bounds so they are on track positions (by shrinking the interval).
* Bug: In Katana::TrackMarker CTOR, the weigh computation was wrong.
* Change: In CRL Core, in coriolis2/etc the file an directory structure
describing the technonolies is modified.
Before, one technology was split in two: the symbolic part that
may be shared across multiple real technology and the real technology
itself. To configure this we needed in ".coriolis2/techno.py" two
variables:
* symbolicTechnology.
* realTechnology.
After, we duplicate the symbolic technology in each real ones, so
to configure we only have to refer to one technology with the
variable:
* technology.
Pure sympolic technologies are still availables, associated with
a dummy real one.
We provides:
* 180/scn6m_deep_09 for MOSIS 180nm
* 45/freepdk_45 for FreePDK 45nm (work in progress).
* symbolic/cmos for classical Alliance symbolic.
* Change: In CRL Core python/helpers, SymbolicTechnology.py and
RealTechnology.py are now grouped under Technology.py.
* New: In CRL Core, in RoutingLayerGauge, adds a new parameter "obstacleDw".
It represents the distance to add from the *edge* of a blockage segment
to the next *axis* of a routing track. This was previously computed as
the pitch minus the mimimum half wire width. This works if the pitch
is *equal* to the wire width plus the minimal distance (edge to edge).
But if the wire width is less, than it leads to too great a distance
around obstacles, making them bigger than they are. And potentially
blocking everything. To summarize:
before: obstacleDw = pitch - wireWidth/2 (deduced)
after: obstacleDw = explicitly setup, usually:
pitch - max(wireWidth)/2
Modify the Alliance configuration helper and the various kite.conf
file accordingly.
* New: In Kite, in BuildPowerRails, make use of "obstacleDw" to compute
the footprint of a blockage.
* Change: In CRL Core, simplify the loading sequence. The technology,
both symbolic and real is now loaded directly from coriolisInit.py
and not through the Alliance loader. This was a leftover from the
time configuration was in XML. Remove others traces of XML loading.
Remove SYMB_TECHNO_NAME, REAL_TECHNO_NAME & DISPLAY from the Alliance
environement, as they was no longer used.
Note that technology *still* need to be loader *after* Alliance
framework has been initialized.
Gauge information is moved from <alliance.conf> to <kite.conf>.
* Bug: In Coloquinte, in optimization_subproblems.cxx static variables
must not be inlined. Generate a problem when linking in debug mode
(seems the symbol gets optimised out).
* Bug: In Katabatic, in Grid::getGCell(), when the coordinate is *outside*
the area, do not try to find a GCell, directly return NULL.
* New: In Unicorn, create a generic command launcher named "coriolis" which
automatically take cares of all environement setup, then run a command
by default, it's <cgt>, but it can be anything. For example: <zsh>.
* New: In VLSISAPD, in Configuration, add a new priority level UserFile
to distinguish between the system configuration files and the user's
configuration files (which take precedence).
* New: In Hurricane, in Script (Python), improve the API to be able
to support Chams (and remove the duplicate capability from it).
Add separate functions to perform the initialize/run(s)/finalize
cycle step by step.
* Change: In CRL Core, rename real technology <hcmos9> to <hcmos9gp>,
it's offcial name from CMP/ST. This is the 130nm.
Move the reading of the symbolic & real technologies names from
coriolisInit.py to helpers.__init__.py, to be shared with
chamsInit.py.
To avoid a clash of names inside of helpers, the two variables
of techno.py are renamed "symbolicTechnology" and "realTechnology".
Move python init system from crlcore/src/crlcore to crlcore/python.
* New: In CRL Core, In Utilities, add site-packages/pharos to the
PYTHONPATH.
* Change: In Kite, move python init system from kite/src/init to
kite/python.
Jean-Paul Chaput