* New: Python/C++ API level:
* Write a new C++/template wrapper to get rid of boost::python
* The int & long Python type are now merged. So a C/C++ level,
it became "PyLong_X" (remove "PyInt_X") and at Python code
level, it became "int" (remove "long").
* Change: VLSISAPD finally defunct.
* Configuration is now integrated as a Hurricane component,
makes use of the new C++/template wrapper.
* vlsisapd is now defunct. Keep it in the source for now as
some remaining non essential code may have to be ported in
the future.
* Note: Python code (copy of the migration howto):
* New print function syntax print().
* Changed "dict.has_key(k)" for "k" in dict.
* Changed "except Exception, e" for "except Exception as e".
* The division "/" is now the floating point division, even if
both operand are integers. So 3/2 now gives 1.5 and no longer 1.
The integer division is now "//" : 1 = 3//2. So have to carefully
review the code to update. Most of the time we want to use "//".
We must never change to float for long that, in fact, represents
DbU (exposed as Python int type).
* execfile() must be replaced by exec(open("file").read()).
* iter().__next__() becomes iter(x).__next__().
* __getslice__() has been removed, integrated to __getitem__().
* The formating used for str(type(o)) has changed, so In Stratus,
have to update them ("<class 'MyClass'>" instead of "MyClass").
* the "types" module no longer supply values for default types
like str (types.StringType) or list (types.StringType).
Must use "isinstance()" where they were occuring.
* Remove the 'L' to indicate "long integer" (like "12L"), now
all Python integer are long.
* Change in bootstrap:
* Ported Coriolis builder (ccb) to Python3.
* Ported Coriolis socInstaller.py to Python3.
* Note: In PyQt4+Python3, QVariant no longer exists. Use None or
directly convert using the python syntax: bool(x), int(x), ...
By default, it is a string (str).
* Note: PyQt4 bindings & Python3 under SL7.
* In order to compile user's must upgrade to my own rebuild of
PyQt 4 & 5 bindings 4.19.21-1.el7.soc.
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins.block.htree.HTree.splitNet(), set the root
buffer of the H-Tree to the original signal (mainly: top clock).
Strangely, it was only done when working in full chip mode.
* Change: In Hurricane::NetAlias, store additional data in NetAliasName,
the external status of the former Net. When a Net::merge() is
performed, we must keep track of whether the merged (destroyed)
one was external and keep that information.
Add NetAliasHook::isExternal() & NetAliasHook::setExternal()
virtual methods.
* Change: In Net::getNet() add a new optional argument to allow the
search of the net name in *internal* aliases. Otherwise only the
aliases tagged as *external* will be searched.
It was a bug that, when looking for a Plug master net by name
we got an homonymous internal net. In that case we must only
look for net that are (or where) part of the interface.
* New: In Vhdl::VectorSignal, when a vector contains only one bit,
unvectorize it, like when it is non-contiguous (we use the
isCountiguous() method to carry that information).
* New: In Vhdl::VhdlEntity, Catalog::State and NamingScheme, added
a flag UniquifyUpperCase to uniquify the names in uppercases.
In case of a clash with the same name in lowercase.
Prepend 'u' before all previously uppercased letter. For
example 'VexRiscV' becomes 'uvexuriscuv' (urgh!).
The Catalog flags is exported to Python for use by the blif2vst
script.
* Change: In BlifParser, Model::newOne() and Model::newZero(), return
a new gate each time it is called instead of making just one for
each Model. This way, if two outside nets are connected to one
or zero they do not get merged (should work, but will be less
clear).
* Bug: In BlifParser, Model::connectSubckts(), when looking for the
master net in the instances models (by name), limit the search
to the *external* aliases names.
* Change: In NamingScheme::vlogTovhdl(), reactivate the removal of
two consecutive '_'.
* Change: In cumulus/bin/blif2vst.py, prefix the master cells
(i.e. components) with 'cmpt_' to avoid clash names with signals
in VHDL.
* New: CRL::restoreNetsdirection() (in ToolBox) that checks the coherency
of all Nets direction through a complete hierarchy of cells.
Stops at Cells flagged "TerminalNetlist".
Directions are rebuilt for all the Cells part of the hierarchy
in a bottom up fashion. It is also checked that Nets have only one
driver (we assume there is no three-state busses).
To sort cells in hierarchical order (bottom up according to their
depth), copy the DepthOrder class from the GDSII driver. Will unify
them later.
exported to the Python interface.
* New: In cumulus/tools/blif2vst.py, add a call to restoreNetsdirection()
before saving.
* Change: In CRL::LefParser::_macroCbk(), create a Catalog entry for the
newly read MACRO (that is Cell) and sets the Logical, Physical,
InMemory and TerminalNetlist flags.
* Bug: In CRL::LefParser::_siteCbk(), check for NULL cell gauge.
* New: In CRL::AllianceFramework, add setCellGauge(), to set the default
cell gauge. Exported to Python.
* Change: In CRL/etc/common/technology.py, create variables for VIA
layers, so we can modify their properties afterwards.
* New: In CRL/etc/node45/freepdk45, port the configuration files to the
new Python "importable" format.
Note: in kite.py, all the gauges (Routing & Cells) must be named
"LEF.CoreSite" to please my LEF parser, so it can match the gauge
name with the SITE name for standard cells.
* Bug: In Anabatic::NetBuilderVH::_do_2G(), forgotten to be reimplemented
from the base class. Simply redirect to _do_xG().
* Change: In Katana::PowerRailsPlanes::PowerRailsplanes(), create plane
from the layers in the RoutingGauge and their associated blockages
instead of sweeping through all the basic layers.
Allow to distinguish bewteen "METAL" (symbolic) and "metal" (real).
* Change: In CRL/helpers, cumulus/plugins, oroshi & karakaze,
Move towards more Python PEP8 compliance:
* All indentations sets to 4 spaces (in progress).
* In plugins, remove messages about software collections
and RHEL (too many case could wrongly lead to that).
Instead systematically uses "helpers.io.catch()".
* Put in lowercases all modules names. Note that C++ exported
modules *keep* their Capitalized names (to preserve the
identity with the C++ namespace).
* When making import, use full path.
* Rename the run function from "ScriptMain()" to "scriptMain()".
* Cleanup: In CRL/etc, remove obsoleted configuration files,
the one ending in ".conf". Keep those who have not been ported
to the new style yet.
* New: In Hurricane/src/configuration, first trial at replacing the
C preprocessor macros by C++ templates. Applied first to configuration
from VLSISAPD.
This is unfinished business, just a limited demonstrator for now.
It is installed as a separate Python library "Cfg2" which do not
interact with the rest of Coriiolis.
The end goal is to fully remove boost and merge VLSISAPD useful
components directly inside Hurricane.
* 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...
* Change: In Hurricane, the NetRoutingProperty is moved into Hurricane
from Katabatic. Needed for Knik to be able to access thoses
informations.
* Change: In Hurricane, in RoutingPad::setOnBestComponent(), now in
case of identical area, select the component of lowest id.
This should not be needed if the component ordering was fully
deterministic as it should be (will investigate later).
This is to ensure that the choosen component is always the
same, especially between save/load of a global routing.
* Bug: In Katabatic, in AutoContactHTee::updateTopology(), invalidate
the segments only if the topology is valid (no NULL in the
cached segments).
* Bug: In Katabatic, in GCellTopology::construct(), throw an error
if the topology is bad instead of trying to continue (and core
dump later... ).
* Bug: In Kite, in BuildPowerRails, distinguish the name of the master
net in the pad (for vddi, vssi, vdde, vsse, ck, cki & cko) and the
name of the net in the *chip* netlist. Must use the later to make
comparison as they may differs.
* Change: In Knik, in save/load solution, exclude nets that are not
globally routed by Knik. That is which NetRoutingProperty is not
*Automatic*.
* Bug: In Cumulus, in chip.BlockPower take account of the layer
width extention to sligthy shrink the connector thus avoiding a
notch with standart cell in some cases.
* Change: In Cumulus, in chip.ClockTree disable the use of fixed Steiner
trees for the leaf clocks, as it seems overconstrained for the
router. First move was to lower them in M2/M3 (instead of M3/M4)
but that was not sufficent.
* New: In Cumulus, RSavePlugin for recursively saving a physical
hierarchy.
* New: In documentation, first embryo for RDS file. Should have been
in Alliance git, but I prefer to keep newest doc in Coriolis.
* Bug: In Katabatic, in AutoContactTurn::cacheAttach() unset the
"cache invalidated" flag *only* if the h1 & v1 component are
sets. This is needed because we can attach *before* the first
cache revalidation (in the initial building stage).
* Bug: In Katabatic, in AutoSegment::getPPitch() out of bound access
of the top of the RoutingGauge, in case of a top layer segment
with a spin top flag (maybe this shouldn't happen?).
* Change: In Kite, in SegmentFsm::conflictSolveByPlaceds() take
account as conflicting other global, global, blockage *and*
now fixeds.
* Change: In Cumulus, in px2mpx.py more accurate way of transforming
the pad blockages.
* New: In CRL Core, in helpers & alliance.conf, set and read a "PAD"
variable to define the pad model name extension ("px" for "sxlib
and "pxr" for vsxlib, this is provisional).
* New: In CRL Core, in plugin.conf, add parameters to define the name
of used for power & clock supply. We may remove the extention in
the future (to be more coherent with the previous modification).
* New: In Cumulus, in chip.Configuration.GaugeConf._rpAccess(), no
longer place the accessing contact *at the center* of the
RoutingPad. It works under sxlib because buffers & registers all
have same size terminals. But this is not true under vsxlib,
leading to misaligned contacts & wires. Now systematically place
on the slice midlle track (maybe with one pitch above or below).
This is still very weak as we do not check if the terminal
reach were the contact is being put. Has to be strenthened in
the future.
* New: In Cumulus, in chip.Configuration.ChipConf, read the new
clock & power pad parameters.
* Change: In Isobar (and all other Python wrappers), uses PyLong instead
of PyInt for DbU conversions. In PyHurricane argument converter,
automatically check for both PyLong and then PyInt.
* Change: In Cumulus, in chip.PadsCorona, more accurate error message
in case of discrepency in global net connections (i.e. no net
of the same name in instance model and instance model owner.
* Change: In Kite, in BuildPowerRails, when looking up at the pads
model name to find "pck_" or "pvddeck_", do not compare the
extension part. But we still use hard-coded stem pad names,
maybe we shouldn't.
* Bug: In Katabatic, in GCellConfiguration::_do_xG_xM1_xM3(), there
was a loop in the search of the best N/E initial RoutingPad.
* Bug: In Kite, in KiteEngine::protectRoutingPads(), *do not* protect
RoutingPads of fixed nets, they are already through the
BuildPowerRails stage (and it's causing scary overlap warning
messages).
* Bug: In Cumulus, in ClockTree.HTreeNode.addLeaf(), do not create
deep-plug when the core is flat (not sub-modules). All the new
nets are at core level.
* Bug: In Cumulus, in ChipPlugin.PlaceCore.doFloorplan(), ensure
that the core is aligned on the GCell grid (i.e. the slice
grid of the overall chip).
* Bug: In Kite, in GCellTopology::_do_xG_xM1_xM3(), infinite loop
while looking for the bigger N-E RoutingPad. Forgot to decrement
the index...
Jean-Paul Chaput
Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton