<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN" "http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Wilbur/HTML32.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Wilbur/HTML32.dtd"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8"> <title>DEF 5.8 C/C++ Programming Interface -- Preface</title> <META NAME="Approver" CONTENT="Technical Publications"> <META NAME="Author" CONTENT="Technical Publications"> <META NAME="CreateDate" CONTENT="2017-04-18"> <META NAME="CreateTime" CONTENT="1492498754"> <META NAME="DataType" CONTENT="Manuals"> <META NAME="Description" CONTENT="Describes the C/C++ programming interface used to read and write Design Exchange Format (DEF) files."> <META NAME="DocTitle" CONTENT="DEF 5.8 C/C++ Programming Interface"> <META NAME="DocType" CONTENT="Reference"> <META NAME="EdmsRelease" CONTENT="FM-Wiki-1.0_P005"> <META NAME="FileTitle" CONTENT="Preface"> <META NAME="FileType" CONTENT="Chapter"> <META NAME="Keyword" CONTENT="defapi"> <META NAME="Language" CONTENT="English"> <META NAME="ModifiedDate" CONTENT="2017-04-18"> <META NAME="ModifiedTime" CONTENT="1492498754"> <META NAME="NextFile" CONTENT="ch1Intro.html"> <META NAME="PageCount" CONTENT="2"> <META NAME="Platform" CONTENT="ALL"> <META NAME="PrevFile" CONTENT="defapiTOC.html"> <META NAME="Product" CONTENT="Languages"> <META NAME="ProductFamily" CONTENT="Cadence Shared Tools"> <META NAME="ProductVersion" CONTENT="5.8"> <META NAME="RightsManagement" CONTENT="Copyright 2017 Cadence Design Systems Inc."> <META NAME="Title" CONTENT="DEF 5.8 C/C++ Programming Interface -- Preface"> <META NAME="TopicTags" CONTENT="FALSE"> <META NAME="Version" CONTENT="5.8"> </head> <body style="margin-left: 5%;"> <a name="pagetop"></a> <a name="firstpage"></a> <!-- Begin Buttons --> <table width="650" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr> <td height="36" width="650" colspan="10"> <img src="images/header_doc.gif" width="650" height="34"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="20" width="59"> <a href="javascript:openLibrary()"><img src="../support/nav2_library.gif" border="0" alt="View Library" height="20" width="59"></a> </td> <td height="20" width="73"> <a href="defapiTOC.html"><img src="../support/nav2_toc.gif" alt="Table of Contents" border="0"></a> </td> <td height="20" width="46"> <img src="../support/nav2_index_b.gif" border="0"> </td> <td> <a href="defapiTOC.html"><img src="images/nav2_previous.gif" alt="Previous" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a href="ch1Intro.html"><img src="images/nav_next.gif" alt="Next" border="0"></a> </td> <td height="20"> <a> <a href="defapi.pdf"><img src="../support/nav2_print.gif" border="0" alt="Open PDF to print book" height="20" width="114"></a> </a> </td> <td height="20" width="61"> <img src="../support/nav2_black.gif" border="0" height="20" width="76"> </td> <td height="20" width="76"> <a href="/feedback.htm"><img src="../support/nav2_feedback.gif" border="0" alt="Email Comments" height="20" width="76"></a> </td> <td height="20" width="43"> <a href="../cdsuser/help.html"><img src="../support/nav2_help.gif" border="0" alt="Help Using Documentation" height="20" width="43"></a> </td> <td height="20" width="37"> <a href="/exitsearch.htm"><img src="../support/nav2_exit.gif" border="0" alt="Shut Down Cadence Documentation Server" height="20" width="37"></a> </td> </tr> </table> <!-- End Buttons --> <p> <hr> <p> <h3> <center> <font > <div>DEF 5.8 C/C++ Programming Interface (Open Licensing Program)</div> <font > <div></div> </font> </font> </center> </h3> <br> </p> <div> <h1><a name="1016178">Preface</a></h1> <p><a name="1016179">This manual describes the C and C++ programming interface used to read and write Cadence</a><font color="#000000"><sup>®</sup></font> Design Exchange Format (DEF) files. To use this manual, you should be an experienced C or C++ programmer, and be familiar with DEF file structure. </p> <h2><a name="1016761">What's New</a></h2> <p><a name="1016762">For information on what is new or changed in the DEF programming interface for version 5.8, see </a><a href="../defapiWN/defapiWNTOC.html" target="external_window"><font color="#0000ff"><u><em>What's New in DEF C/C++ Programming Interface</em></u></font></a>.</p> <p><a name="1016764">For information on what is new or changed in the LEF programming interface for version 5.8, see </a><a href="../lefapiWN/lefapiWNTOC.html" target="external_window"><font color="#0000ff"><u><em>What's New in LEF C/C++ Programming Interface</em></u></font></a>.</p> <p><a name="1016767">For information on what is new or changed in LEF and DEF for version 5.8, see </a><a href="../lefdefWN/lefdefWNTOC.html" target="external_window"><font color="#0000ff"><u><em>What's New in LEF/DEF</em></u></font></a>.</p> <h2><a name="1016736">Related Documents</a></h2> <p><a name="1013423">The DEF C/C++ programming interface lets you create programs that read and write DEF files. For more information about the Design Exchange Format (DEF) file syntax, see the <br></a><a href="../lefdefref/lefdefrefTOC.html" target="external_window"><font color="#0000ff"><u><em>LEF/DEF Language Reference</em></u></font></a>.</p> <h2><a name="conventions"></a><a name="1016486">Typographic and Syntax Conventions</a></h2> <p><a name="1016489">This list describes the conventions used in this manual.</a></p> <p> <strong></strong> <strong><a name="1016491"><font size="2" face="'Courier New'" color="#000000">text</font></a></strong> </p> <blockquote><a name="1016972">Words in </a><font size="2" face="'Courier New'" color="#000000">monospace</font> type indicate keywords that you must enter literally. These keywords represent language tokens.</blockquote> <p> <strong></strong> <strong><a name="1016494"><font size="2" face="'Courier New'" color="#000000"><em>variable</em></font></a> </strong> </p> <blockquote><a name="1017021">Words in </a><font size="2" face="'Courier New'" color="#000000"><em>italics</em></font><font color="#000000"><em> </em></font>indicate user-defined information for which you must substitute a name or a value.</blockquote> <p> <strong></strong> <strong><a name="1017022"><font size="2" face="'Courier New'" color="#000000"><em>int</em></font></a></strong> </p> <blockquote><a name="1017041">Specifies an integer argument</a></blockquote> <p> <strong></strong> <strong><a name="1017050"><font size="2" face="'Courier New'" color="#000000"><em>num</em></font></a></strong> </p> <blockquote><a name="1017103">Some LEF classes can be defined more than once. A statement that begins with the identifier</a><font color="#000000"><em> num </em></font>represents a specific number of calls to the particular class type.</blockquote> <p> <strong></strong> <strong><a name="1017105"><font size="2" face="'Courier New'" color="#000000">{ }</font></a></strong> </p> <blockquote><a name="1017129">Braces enclose each entire LEF class definition. </a></blockquote> <p> <strong></strong> <strong><a name="1017132"><font size="2" face="'Courier New'" color="#000000">|</font></a></strong> </p> <blockquote><a name="1017154"><font size="2" face="'Courier New'" color="#000000"> </font></a>Vertical bars separate possible choices for a single argument. They take precedence over any other character. </blockquote> <p> <strong></strong> <strong><a name="1017156"><font size="2" face="'Courier New'" color="#000000">[ ]</font></a></strong> </p> <blockquote><a name="1017164"><font size="2" face="'Courier New'" color="#000000"> </font></a>Brackets denote optional arguments. When used with vertical bars, they enclose a list of choices from which you can choose one.</blockquote> <p><a name="1016482">4/18/17</a></p> </div> <br> <a href="#pagetop">Return to top of page</a> <hr> <hr align="left"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <!-- Begin Buttons --> <table width="650" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr> <td height="20" width="59"> <a href="javascript:openLibrary()"><img src="../support/nav2_library.gif" border="0" alt="View Library" height="20" width="59"></a> </td> <td height="20" width="73"> <a href="defapiTOC.html"><img src="../support/nav2_toc.gif" alt="Table of Contents" border="0"></a> </td> <td height="20" width="46"> <img src="../support/nav2_index_b.gif" border="0"> </td> <td> <a href="defapiTOC.html"><img src="images/nav2_previous.gif" alt="Previous" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a href="ch1Intro.html"><img src="images/nav_next.gif" alt="Next" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a> <a href="defapi.pdf"><img src="../support/nav2_print.gif" border="0" alt="Open PDF to print book" height="20" width="114"></a> </a> </td> <td height="20" width="61"> <img src="../support/nav2_black.gif" border="0" height="20" width="76"> </td> <td height="20" width="76"> <a href="/feedback.htm"><img src="../support/nav2_feedback.gif" border="0" alt="Email Comments" height="20" width="76"></a> </td> <td height="20" width="43"> <a href="../cdsuser/help.html"><img src="../support/nav2_help.gif" border="0" alt="Help Using Documentation" height="20" width="43"></a> </td> <td height="20" width="37"> <a href="/exitsearch.htm"><img src="../support/nav2_exit.gif" border="0" alt="Shut Down Cadence Documentation Server" height="20" width="37"></a> </td> </tr> </table> <!-- End Buttons --> </div> <br> <font size="-1" > For support, see <a href="http://support.cadence.com" target="_blank">Cadence Online Support</a> service.</font> <br> <br> <font size="-1" > <font size="-1"><i>Copyright © 2016, <a href ="http://www.cadence.com">Cadence Design Systems, Inc.</a></i></font> </font> <br> <font size="-1" > All rights reserved.</font> <br> <br> </body> </html>