* New: Hurricane::ErrorWidget, new widget exported to Python to replace
helpers.io.ErrorWidget.
* New: Hurricane::AboutWindow, new window exported to Python to replace
cumulus/plugins.aboutwindow.AboutWidget.
* Change: In cumulus/plugins.sram.sram_256x32, add a new parameter to
__init__() so the user can choose the model name of the generated
SRAM.
* Change: In cumulus/plugins.sram.sram.BaseSRAM.placeInstance(),
placement status must be FIXED instead of PLACED so the placer do
not "unplace" them.
The Cell.updatePlacedFlag() method must also be called once
the model if fully built.
* Change: In CRL/helpers.io, the ErrorWidget requires PyQt5 to execute but
is not mandatory to run Coriolis/cgt. In order to be more portable,
if it is not availble just evert to text display on the console.
This widget will be directly supplied by Coriolis in the future
completely removing the need for PyQt.
*Change: In cumulus/plugins/aboutwindow, same as above.
* New: In cumulus/plugins/sram_256x32.py, build the output mux using a
NAND2/NOR2 binary tree instead of mux2/mux3. Use more, but much
smaller cells. The reduction of wirelength (from Yosys) goes
from 4% to 15% for the non-folded variant.
Uses a specially placed tree to minimize wire length.
* New: In cumulus/plugins/sram.py, extend StdCellConf to convert names
accross library flavors (FlexLib_TSMC_C180, FlexLib_Sky130 and
generic SxLib).
The generator as been build in two parts:
1. A genereric sram.BaseSRAM class to provides support for all kind of
SRAM (grouping column tree, headers, folding).
2. The specific SRAM_256x32 (256 words of 32 bits) suited for the
ethmac.
The sram has been simulated with genpat+asimut and gives identical
results to the Yosys one (at gate level). No timing though.
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins.block.htree.HTree._connectLeaf(), the stacked
contact to connect the top left buffer amplifier was not forcibly
aligned on the vertical METAL5. In some configuaration it was
leading to gaps at METAL5 level.
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins/rsave.py, the Cells where saveds each time
one instance of was encountered. Resulting in multiple saves.
It was, of course, ineficient, but it also triggers a bug
that seems to happen after multiple save : the VHDL additional
property was deleted *before* the full hierarchical dump was
finished.
Now, we save each Cell only once so it does not occur, but
should make a deeper investigation later.
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins.block.HTree._rrouteHTree(), the RoutingPads
for the input and output of the buffer where sometimes put too
close from each others, giving the pitch of the vertical tracks.
Now shift one pitch left the vertical branchs of the H-Tree.
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins.block.HTree._rrouteHTree(), also shift down
one pitch the horizontal branch, due to track rounding they *may*
end up on the same track, generating a short.
* Change: In cumulus/plugins/core2chip, instead of the user providing
an explicit mapping towards the harness I/O pins, we expect that
the core block must have I/O pins with names matching thoses of
the harness. That way, connections are automatically made.
* Change: In cumulus/plugins/block/htree, if the root signal of the
H-Tree is a bit from a vector (like "io_in(0)"), then remove the
vector index notation on all the stem name of all the sub-nets.
Done by the unbitify() function: "io_in(0)" => "io_in_bit0".
* Change: In AnabaticEngine::setupPrerouteds(), take into account the
number of Pins. Now consider a net containing multiple Pins and, at most,
one segment as *non-routed".
This case may specifically happens for nets with pins on the north
and east side, which are slightly *inside* the abutment box (to be
seen by the router) and draw with them their *outside* direct
connection wire.
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins.chip.CoreWire, no longer put the north or
east side external Pin *exacyly* on the abutment box but *one pitch*
inside so they are correctly seens by the P&R (must be *inside*
the area of a GCell).
It is now possible to automatically nest a core block inside a harness
frame, like we do for an ordinary chip whith I/O pads. The DEF harness
file "user_project_wrapper.def" must be made available though the block
configuration variable:
conf.cfg.harness.path = './user_project_wrapper.def'
A first small example is given in:
alliance-check-toolkit/benchs/counter/sky130_c4m
The harness layout is stripped from it's native power grid (but keep
the power ring). I/O pad information in block/configuration is
slightly "bent* to manage pins instead of complete I/O pads.
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins.block.Block.setupAb(), the routingBb was not
set up when working in chip mode. Now set (to the corona AB).
* Change: In cumulus/plugins.chip.__init__, move there the CoreWire
class (from chip/pads.py) so it can be shared with the harness
version of pads.py.
* Change: In cumulus/plugins.chip.powerplane, compute the intersection
between the vertical supply stripes and the deep horizontal power
lines in a smarter fashion, so two (or more) vertically contiguous
BigVias are merged into one (two BigVia side by side where causing
mimimal spacing distance violation on the cut in Sky130).
* New: In cumulus/plugins.block.congiguration: New PowersConf config
sub-object to store characteristics of the "powmid_x0" cell.
The name of the Cell with which to build the vertical power
rails is given though the cfg parameter:
"cfg.etesian.cell.power"
* New: In cumulus/plugins.block.spares, add support for creating
vertical power lines along with the buffers pools of the H-Trees.
At most, one vertical power rail will be put exactly at the right
edge of the buffer pool of each leaf QuadTree. We can reduce that
number, using the parameter:
"cfg.block.vRailsPeriod = N"
Which give the ratio to use (one over N QuadTree leaf).
WARNING: This may not work if the QuadTree is "dented" not in a
corner but in the *middle* of the side. Needs to be
improved and/or checked.
* New: In AnabaticEngine::printMeasures(), re-enable runtime & memory
footprint in measurements.
* Bug: In Anabatic::AutoSegment CTOR, correct computation of the initial
number of global segments. We were relying on the "global" flag,
which is *not* set at this stage. Now compare source and target
GCells.
* New: In KatanaEngine::runGlobalRouter(), store H-ovE & V-ovE in
measurements.
* New: In KatanaEngine CTOR, add the number of gates (flattened) to
the measurments.
* New: In KatanaEngine::runNegociate(), add the number of GCells to
the measurements.
* Change: In KatanaEngine::printCompletion(), compute the wirelengths
in either lambdas (symbolic) or *nanometers* (real).
* New: In cumulus/plugins.block.Block, add a setting to request the
Katana measurements dumping: "cfg.katana.dumpMeasures"
* Change: In cumulus/plugins.block.HTree._rrouteHTree(), make the
non-routing of the root net the default policy. Straight routing
can still be activated with the use of Spares.ROUTE_ROOT_NET.
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins.block.HTree._rrouteHTree(), on the top level
H-Tree, draw a wire to the north side of the abutment box *only*
if the root (usually clock) signal is *external*. It may be that
it is *internal*, so must be routed as a normal one to the root of
the tree.
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins.block.htree._connectLeaf(), when HEAVY_LEAF_LOAD
was used, the additionnal horizontal segment added to connect the
extra buffer may have been:
1. Misaligned, causing the blockage to be wrongly taken into account
and leading to potential short circuits.
2. In some RoutingGauge configurations, the extra length added to
the segment left extention was too short, leading to DRC violations.
So created new GaugeConf methods to manage thoses problems:
* GaugeConf.getStackX() & GaugeConf.getStackY() to get back the
contact coordinates of the *deep* part (typically the METAL2).
So be able to align on them.
* GaugeConf.createHorizontal(), added a parameter to explicitely
state the additional length of the *left* extension. This is lazy,
will soon add both.
* Change: In Cumulus/plugins.block.Block, for standalone block,
the external Pin where created non-square, the "perpandicular"
side made a half wire width. But in case the wire width was an
odd number of physical grid, it was leading to offgrid screaming
in the GDS driver.
Now, just make them square...
The CMake version set was so old that obsolete policies were being
enabled and breaking FindPython. 2.8 should still be old enough not to
cause problems for any current users.
Signed-off-by: Myrtle Shah <gatecat@chipflow.io>
large enough instead of creating one big via along the horizontal
cell power lines, we create one big VIA at each end. To avoid to
create too massive obstructions.
But the thresold was too high for cmos45, leading to short with
the clock tree trunk.
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins.block.configuration.GaugeConf.expandMinArea(),
The minimal length of the segment intermediate wires where computed
for the minimal area using an integer division ( // ), which is
stupid for less than 1.0 values. They are real quantities at this
point...
This was making the DRC of ls180 failing.
* 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.
In the LS180, probably due to the implementation of a small RAM
with DFFs, some leaf of the clock tree (H-Tree) got heavily
loaded (around 80 DFFs sinks). Implement an option that allow
the leaf of the QuadTree to use three buffers instead of one.
The sinks are partitionned using their angle from the center
of the leaf (trigonometric direction). CChoose the bigger angle
gaps to perform the split.
* Change: In Cumulus/plugins.block.configuration.GaugeConf, in
getNearestHorizontalTrack() and getNearestVerticalTrack() add an
offset argument to shift the position of the requested track
by a certain amount.
* Change: In Cumulus/plugins.block.configuration.GaugeConf, in
createHorizontal(), add a flag to make the source end of the
segment to "stick out". Useful when connecting to a stacked
VIA top, but using a lower layer that can be shifted.
* New: In Cumulus/plugins.block.spares.Spares, BufferPool & QuadTree,
add support for selection and management of multiple buffers at
the same time. Basically returns a list of selected buffer
instances instead of just one instance.
Added HEAVY_LEAF_LOAD flag to Spares. To be used by all tools
classes that makes use of it.
Added QuadTree.runselect(), be sure to call it between different
H-Tree operations, otherwise results will be strange.
* New: In Cumulus/plugins.block.htree.HTree, in case of heavy leaf
load, in the leaf of the tree, allocate three buffers instead
of one. Select them to form a triangle around the main one.
That is, use (i,j), (i+1,j) and (i,j+1).
Added a HTree._connectLeaf() to share the handling of the child
buffer connexions. Whether they are leaf of not and heavy or not.
* Change: Cumulus/plugins.block.Block, expand HTree support to
manage the HEAVY_LEAF_LOAD flag.
* In Cumulus/plugins/block/macro.py, the METAL3 blokage was too narrow
on the left side, allowing use of METAL3 track too close from
internal components.
The METAL5 blockages around jumpers where also too narrow.
Thoses problems where seen with the density filler which put
wires everywhere.
* Change: In Etesian::Slice::fillHole(), instead of cramming the home
with tix_x0 only, put one tie at both ends and fill the rest
with fill_x0. This should help the vendor density filler to
equalze.
* New: In Etesian::Configuration, add the parameter:
"etesian.tieName" (for tix_x0) as it now separate from the simple
filler cells.
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins.chip.libresocio, the ioPadInfos where inverting
"d" and "s" terminals on IOPadInOut. This was indirectly detected by
the DRC complaining about floating gates on the "d" connected nets!
* New: cumulus/plugins.checks, plugin providing a oneDriver() function
to check that each net has one and only one driver. This is for
Cell that are not P&R (in which it is also checked). So, typically
the chip level.
* New: In cumulus/plugins.chip.core2chip, add a call to oneDriver().
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins.chip.core2chip, clear Spice extensions after
save. Otherwise we may use an outdated Spice extension after the
P&R. This is were Net missing Spice::Bit may occur.
The structure of the driver is copied from the Vhdl one. It is not
integrated as a an AllianceFramework one but as a standalone like
GDS. For now use numerical indexes for electrical nodes but also
support strings. The nets are ordereds in reverse alphabetical
order, but a custom order can be defined, if we read the model
from an external SPICE subckt (to be done).
SPICE saving has also been added to the cumulus/rsave plugin
and the block/chip P&R one.
* Change: In cumulus/plugins.chip.chip.doConnectCore(), do not use the
feature of the HTree to connect the root buffer straight to the
corona pin. It prevents the router to insert a diode when those
wires are too long. So let the standard router manage them.
Should add diode insertions in HTree.connectHTrees() later.
* Bug: In cumulus/plugins.chip.powerplane.Builder._connectHTree(),
when building the stacked VIAs over the corona Pin and the
root buffer RoutingPad, pass the GaugeConf.HAccess flag so the
stack stops at METAL4 (top horizontal layer).
Before we where also adding a VIA up to METAL5 which was unused
and caused a minimal area violation.
Jean-Paul Chaput
Myrtle Shah
Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton