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OpenLayout 0.4.0-alpha.2

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@vhdani04 vhdani04 released this 09 Oct 20:45
· 8 commits to main since this release

Editing improvements in xschem and KLayout, found by designing a custom cell with OpenLayout,
and an LVS fix.

Upgrading: re-run setup/install.sh. It rebuilds xschem with a new OpenLayout patch that
keeps pin labels horizontal. Without the rebuild everything still works; pin labels just rotate
with their pin as before.

Layout (KLayout)

  • Net names on shapes (Shift+N, or the checkbox in the Connectivity panel): every net's name
    is drawn on its metal, LIG, LISD and gate shapes, scaled to the zoom and decluttered.
  • Right-click mirror / rotate: mirror the selection over the X or Y axis, or rotate it, about
    its centre or the cell origin. Works on any selection (PCells, shapes, cells).
  • Pins and their labels move together: selecting a pin shape selects its label, so drag,
    m, Move, copy, delete and mirror take it along. A label selected on its own still moves alone.
  • Fin grid: a standalone transistor dropped into the standard-cell frame becomes a row
    transistor on the frame's fins; outside the frame, transistors snap to the gate and fin pitch.
  • Picking: a click selects what the hover highlight shows. Over the standard-cell frame, the
    topmost non-frame shape wins.

Schematic (xschem)

  • Bus pins: a pin named WL[1:0] (WL<1:0> is accepted) is one bus pin; wires labelled
    WL[1] / WL[0] connect to its bits by name. Expand buses into one pin per bit makes
    separate pins. Generate Layout gives each bit the bus pin's direction; New Testbench gives each
    bit a vector column and an output load.
  • Pin placement: several names (or an expanded bus) are placed one at a time, each with a
    click. No more leftover "shadow" pins; Esc discards the pin being placed and the rest.
    Duplicate labels get unique instance names.
  • Pin labels stay horizontal however a pin is rotated or flipped.
  • Ctrl+S and x save without a "save file?" prompt; Ctrl/Alt with the remapped letter keys
    keep xschem's meaning (Ctrl+X cuts again).

Verification

  • LVS: a layout with nothing connected used to compare as a match (the extracted top circuit
    was empty). It is now a mismatch with the reason.

Known issues

  • The Connectivity panel can report "nothing drawn at its gate" for row transistors whose gate is
    cut near the middle of the cell. The gate is fine; the checker probes it inside the cut. Fixed
    in the next release.