Differenze

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-====== Help and documentation ======
-[ __[[vlsi:home|Home]]__ ]
-[ __[[vlsi:workbook|VLSI Design WorkBook]]__ ]
-[ __[[vlsi:computing_main#contents|Back to index]]__ ]
-== Contents ==
-   * [[vlsi:computing_doc#introduction|Introduction]]
-   * [[vlsi:computing_doc#cadence_documentation|Cadence documentation]] FIXME
-   * [[vlsi:computing_doc#mentor_graphics_documentation|Mentor Graphics documentation]]
-   * [[vlsi:computing_doc#synopsys_documentation|Synopsys documentation]]
-   * [[vlsi:computing_doc#pdk_documentation|PDK documentation]]
-   * [[vlsi:computing_doc#confidentiality_of_tools_and_technology_information|Confidentiality of tools and technology information]]
-   * [[vlsi:computing_doc#build_your_own_documentation_repositories|Build your own documentation repositories]]
-   * [[vlsi:computing_doc#command_line_help_switches|Command line help switches]]
-   * [[vlsi:computing_doc#web_resources|Web resources]]
-   * [[vlsi:computing_doc#reference_books|Reference books]]
-**Keywords:**
-===== Introduction =====
-Help and documentation play a central role in the design activity.
-EDA tools are generally very complex and setting them up and utilizing them effectively
-can be less-than-intuitive and time consuming without adequate help and documentation.
-Furthermore, exhaustive documentation is of primary importance to succesfully work with
-a specific fabrication technology.
-Much of the documentation about various design platforms that can be found browsing
-the Web is in form of tutorials and HowTo's rather than detailed manuals, often not
-completely up-to-date with the latest package releases and simulation tools.
-As a matter of fact the most important source of documentation is offered by the tools themselves.
-Each design platform as well as stand-alone tools offer a huge amount of documentation which comes
-with the standard installation, usually in form of
-**html** and **pdf** files. This documentation should be the first source of reference whenever
-you have a question that is not answered inside these Wiki pages.
-Please, keep in mind that such kind of information is **proprietary** and **confidential**,
-as discussed below.
-In this chapter we describe //where// you can find the documentation and how to use it,
-aware that new users may fear seeking help from the other experienced designers, professors and
-professional researchers, with the result that too often the time is just wasted reinventing
-the wheel. Even a simple pdf page can be hard to find!
-===== Cadence documentation =====
-The most part of the design tools licensed by INFN for the VLSI laboratory comes
-from [[http://www.cadence.com/|Cadence Design Systems]].
-Actually, tens of different tools for analog, mixed-mode and digital IC design
-are grouped into various **design platforms** (also called **packages**),
-providing unified front-to-back design environments.
-Due to the complexity of such platforms, Cadence offers extensive documentation
-for these tools and each collection of tools comes with its own documentation.
-Cadence packages are installed under ''/usr/cadence/'' on the VLSI computing cluster,
-which is a symbolic link to ''/export/elt59xl/disk0/cadence/'' on the elt59xl server machine.
-The documentation which comes with a package can be found inside the top installation
-directory, usually in ''/usr/cadence/<package>/doc/'' (e.g. ''/usr/cadence/IC_6.1.5/doc/''
-for Cadence IC 6.1.5). Documents are provided both in form of html pages
-and pdf files, in particular you can find one sub directory for each document
-inside a ''/usr/cadence/<package>/doc/'' directory. That is, each sub directory contains
-the html sources and a single pdf version of a specific document.
-Unfortunately these documents have short and quite cryptic file names, requiring that
-you gain a little experience in guessing the content.
-FIXME
-[tmp]\\
-The html files are used by the Cadence **Web-based** help system, accessible through
-simple graphical interfaces. Help and documentation for Cadence applications are available
-'on-fly', because every window that opens up when you run a Cadence tool integrates a **Help**
-button, usually placed at the top-right of main menu bar.
-integrated, help system called **cdnshelp**.
-Attenzione che di ''cdnshelp'' executable ce n'e' uno per package!
-''/usr/cadence/<package>/tools/bin/cdnshelp''
-quindi uno per IC, uno per MMSIM, uno per RC, Incisive etc. ! ATTENZIONE a scriverlo!
-La cosa migliore e' crearsi degli alias al comando nel ''.cshrc''
-<code>
-alias package_help /usr/cadence/<package>/tools/bin/cdnshelp &
-</code>
-e.g.
-<code>
-alias virtuoso_help  $IC_DIR/tools/bin/cdnshelp &
-alias mmsim_help     $MMSIM_DIR/tools/bin/cdnshelp &
-alias incisive_help  $IUS_DIR/tools/bin/cdnshelp &
-...
-</code>
-Notare che quest alias sono gia' presenti in /usr/local/config/cds_config/CdsIC_615.rc!
-<code>
-alias help_cds_ic	'$IC_DIR/tools/bin/cdnshelp &'
-alias help_cds_assura   '$ASSURA_DIR/tools/bin/cdnshelp &'
-alias help_cds_ext      '$EXT_DIR/tools/bin/cdnshelp &'
-</code>
-Oppure posso mettere tutto in uno scriptino ''cdnshelp.csh'' or ''cadence_doc.csh'', che e' piu' elegante!
-<code>
-#!/bin/csh
-echo "Select Cadence documentation : "
-echo "                          [1] Cadence IC (Virtuoso) 6.1.5"
-echo "                          [2] Cadence Incisive 10.20"
-echo "                          [3] Cadence RC  9.10"
-echo "                          [4] Cadence SOC 8.10"
-echo "                          [5] Cadence EDI (Encounter)9.12"
-echo "                          [6] Cadence SPB (Allegro) 16.50"
-set answer = $<
-if ( $answer == "1" ) then
-    source "/usr/local/config/cds_config/CdsIC_615.rc"
-    /usr/cdsIC443/tools/bin/openbook &
-else if ( $answer == "2" ) then
-    source "/usr/local/config/cds_config/CdsIC_445.rc"
-    /usr/cdsIC445/tools/bin/openbook &
-else if ( $answer == "3" ) then
-    source "/usr/local/config/cds_config/CdsPSD_136.rc"
-    /usr/cdsPSD136/tools/bin/openbook &
-else if ( $answer == "4" ) then
-    echo "Sorry, this option has not been cconfigured yet..."
-    exit
-    source "/usr/local/config/cds_config/CdsPSD_142.rc"
-    /usr/cdsPSD142/tools/bin/openbook &
-else if ( $answer == "5" ) then
-    echo "Don't forget to open Netscape..."
-    source "/usr/local/config/cds_config/CdsIC_445.rc"
-    /usr/cdsLDV31/tools/bin/cdsdoc &
-else if ( $answer == "6" ) then
-    echo "Don't forget to open Netscape..."
-    source "/usr/local/config/cds_config/CdsIC_445.rc"
-    /usr/cdsLDV34/tools/bin/cdsdoc &
-else
-    echo "Option not valid - exiting"
-endif
-</code>
-Ovviamente IC_DIR etc. devono essere settate, e.g. ''setenv IC_DIR /usr/cadence/IC_6.1.5''
-cdnshelp is the help document browser for Cadence. It opens .html files located in the install directory for each tool
-<code>
-virtuoso_help
-</code>
-{{:vlsi:cdnshelp_ic_615.png?700}}
-Esiste anche la documentazione della documentazione in
-la **//Cadence Help User Guide//** in
-''/usr/cadence/<package>/doc/cdnshelp/cdnshelp.pdf''
-for instance ''/usr/cadence/IC_6.1.5/doc/cdnshelp/cdnshelp.pdf''
-or ''/usr/cadence/EDI_9.12/doc/cdnshelp/cdnshelp.pdf'' (documents are the same,
-they might differ in the minor release number).
-The Cadence documentation,on-line helps
-Html files are used by the Web based help system
-The pdf version of the web pages.
-There is also a java front end that can be started on the command line.
-cdsdoc has been replaced by a much simpler, more
-By clicking on this button will open the help
-documentation containing the information relevant to that window.
-Se also //[[http://cadence.wikispaces.com/Documentation+index]]//
-[/tmp]
-===== Mentor Graphics documentation =====
-[[http://www.mentor.com/|Mentor Graphics]] stand-alone tools are installed
-in the ''/usr/mentor/'' (''/export/elt59xl/disk0/mentor/'') directory.
-From Mentor Graphics comes the **Calibre** physical verification tool, which is used
-for layout design rule checking (DRC), layout-versus-schematic (LVS) and parasitic
-extraction (PEX). The Calibre documentation is placed under
-''/usr/mentor/docs/docs_cal_2010.3_19.12/docs/''
-Html and pdf files are contained in two different sub directories named
-''htmldocs'' and ''pdfdocs''.
-===== Synopsys documentation =====
-[[http://www.synopsys.com/|Synopsys]] stand-alone tools are installed
-in the ''/usr/synopsys/'' (''/export/elt59xl/disk0/synopsys/'') directory.
-From Synopsys comes the **Verilog Compiler Simulator (VCS)**. The relative documentation
-can be found in
-''/usr/synopsys/vcs-mx_vD-2010.06/doc/''
-===== PDK documentation =====
-The **process design kit (PDK)** installation for a particular technology
-is accompained by its own specific documentation. The amount of such documentation
-varies with the technology and also depends on the PDK source, which can be the
-manufacturer itself or a third party as [[http://www.europractice.com/|Europractice]]
-IC fabrication services or [[http://www.cern.ch/|CERN]].
-This documentation is in form of plain text documents (readme files, release notes,
-HowTo's, rule files etc.) as well as traditional pdf documents, such as design manuals,
-training and references to the usage of the PDK with Cadence or other design environments.
-All the documentation is located under the top PDK installation directory.
-Inspect the content of this directory and search for some ''doc/'' or ''documents/''
-sub directories, text files, pdf files etc.
-For more details about your specific technology, please refer to the information
-contained in the __[[vlsi:private:home|VLSI protected area]]__.
-===== Confidentiality of tools and technology information =====
-Proprietary and confidential information cannot be included inside public VLSI Wiki pages.
-All the [[http://www.cadence.com/|Cadence]] tools and the associated documentation
-contain **trade secrets** and **proprietary information** protected by **copyright laws**,
-as well as [[http://www.mentor.com/|Mentor Graphics]] and [[http://www.synopsys.com/|Synopsys]] applications.
-Thus any or parts of the documentation accompanying the EDA softwares licensed for the VLSI
-laboratory cannot be uploaded on these pages or published on the Web.
-Technology information, such as device models, library files, datasheets and PDK documentation
-are very confidential and restricted. No information about technology processes can be disseminated
-to a third party or published on the Web. Moreover each VLSI user is bound to specific
-//**non-disclosure agreement (NDA)**// contracts with manufacturers (foundries) or third party
-IC fabrication services depending on the particular technologies
-involved in his research activity. **//Never disclose foundry secrets !//**
-===== Build your own documentation repositories =====
-The best way to to quickly access the documentation is just
-to make **symbolic links** to it in your local area,
-as described in //[[http://cadence.wikispaces.com/Documentation+index]]//.
-The ''~/scratch'' area is a good place in which put the software
-documentation. Go to your ''~/scratch'' and create a ''doc/'' directory:
-<code>
-cd ~/scratch
-mkdir doc
-</code>
-\\
-Under ''~/scratch/doc'' you can then create further directories which will
-contain Cadence, Mentor Graphics and Synopsys documentation:
-<code>
-cd ~/scratch/doc
-mkdir cadence mentor synopsys
-</code>
-\\
-At this point you can recursively make symbolic links (soft links) to all pdf documents
-which come with a Cadence package or another tool. Simply run a command in the general form
-<code>
-find /path/to/installation/directory/doc -name "*.pdf" -exec ln -s {} . \;
-</code>
-\\
-The command performs a recursively search through all ''/path/to/installation/directory/doc''
-sub directories, looking for pdf files. When a pdf is found, brackets ''{}'' are replaced with
-the found pdf and a symbolic link pointing to that file is created in the current directory
-(where you have run the command).
-Follow this procedure for all the tools you are working with.
-In particular, for Cadence packages create under ''~/scratch/doc/cadence''
-a new directory for each platform documentation you want to link, e.g.
-<code>
-cd ~/scratch/doc/cadence
-mkdir virtuoso_6.1.5
-cd virtuoso_6.1.5
-find /usr/cadence/IC_6.1.5/doc -name "*.pdf" -exec ln -s {} . \;
-</code>
-\\
-In the same way you can link the pdf technology documentation.
-Keep tools and technology documentation separated, hence link
-the technology documents in your working directory:
-<code>
-cd ~/scratch/<tech_dir>
-mkdir doc
-cd doc
-find /path/to/PDK/installation/directory/ -name "*.pdf" -exec ln -s {} . \;
-</code>
-\\
-Since no quota limits has been set for VLSI users, in order to save disk space
-please **don't make unnecessary hard copies of pdf files in your local area**,
-use symbolic links indeed (the space taken by a symbolic link does not depend
-on the space taken by the target!).
-Now you have a nice collection of documentation available in your ''~/scratch/doc/''
-and ''~/scratch/<tech_dir>/doc/'' directories, and accessing the various documents
-will be fast and simple using a pdf reader. The default one available on Scientific
-Linux distributions is **Evince**. Each time you need to open a pdf document simply
-invoke the ''evince'' executable (''/usr/bin/evince'') at the command line followed
-by the name of the pdf document, e.g.
-<code>
-cd ~/scratch/doc/cadence/virtuoso_6.1.5
-evince anasimhelp.pdf &
-</code>
-\\
-If you are working remotely run the command in background with the ''&'' to still
-have the command prompt active. By default **Adobe Reader** may not be installed
-on your machine, please check with the ''witch acroread'' command. If the application
-is installed, then you can also use the ''acroread filename.pdf'' command.
-As already mentioned Cadence documents have some quite cryptic file names,
-(some are more clear than others) which require you gain a little experience
-in guessing the content. For this reason, whenever a new tool will be introduced
-in the WorkBook tutorials, detailed references to the related documentation will
-be provided as well.
-===== Command line help switches =====
-Many Cadence executables offer additional text information in form of command line helps.
-Just invoke in a terminal window a tool executable by adding a ''-h'' or ''-help'' switch:
-<code>
-executable -help
-</code>
-\\
-The output typically contains a short description of the available switches and parameters
-that can be passed when you launch the executable. If you retrive a ''Command not found''
-error the executable has not been included in the UNIX system search path, please check
-your environment setup.
-If you want to save a local copy of such information you can redirect the screen output
-to a text file with ''>'' or ''<nowiki> >> </nowiki>'' operators, e.g.
-<code>
-cd ~/scratch/doc/cadence
-virtuoso -help > virtuoso.help
-</code>
-===== Web resources =====
-The documentation which accompanies each tool is comprehensive and exhaustive,
-but sometimes dispersive. As a matter of fact, each pdf document consists
-of hundreds of pages and it might be difficult to quickly find the answer to
-a specific problem.
-That's why you should **use the Web extensively** too. It is very likely that
-any questions you face have already been posed (and solved!) in the Web design
-community. There are lot of **forums** dedicated to the VLSI IC
-design, for instance **[[http://www.edaboard.com/|EDAboard]]** and the
-**[[http://www.designers-guide.org/|Designer's Guide community]]**.
-You can also browse the official **[[http://www.cadence.com/community/forums/|Cadence forums]]**.
-If you don't get a hint with your first search, try various search combination in Google
-and you are likely to end up with something that answers your questions, whether it is
-related to a tool or a technology issue.
-We encourage new users to join these forums themselves (the registration is completely
-free of charge). Simply post a new thread whenever you have a question that is not answered
-in the WorkBook pages or with your Google search.
-Browsing the Web will turn up tens of tutorials and HowTo's as well,
-typically published by other research institutes and universities.
-As already mentioned such documentation is often neither in-depth and nor up-to-date
-with the latest software releases. A complete list of these tutorials has been
-collected in  __[[vlsi:webtutorials|Third party tutorials]]__. Wherever required specific
-references to these sources will be included in the WorkBook tutorials.
-  * [[http://www.cadence.com/community/forums/38.aspx|Cadence Custom IC Design Forum]]
-  * [[http://www.cadence.com/community/forums/29.aspx|Cadence Digital Implementation Forum]]
-  * [[http://www.edaboard.com |EDAboard - Forum for Electronics]]
-  * [[http://www.designers-guide.org|The Designer's Guide Community]] (people from Cadence are active on this forum)
-===== Reference books =====
-A large amount of literature about microelectronics and VLSI IC design and fabrication
-has been proposed in the past decades. To save time, a detailed list of various reference
-books is included in the Wiki and can be found __[[vlsi:books|here]]__. Titles marked with [x]
-are available in the VLSI laboratory.
-A further list of books and readings recommended by members of the
-**[[http://www.designers-guide.org/|Designer's Guide community]]** can be found
-[[http://www.designers-guide.org/books|here]].
-====== ======
-\\
-----
-Last update: [[ pacher@NOSPAMto.infn.it | Luca Pacher ]] - Mar 8, 2013
-~~NOTOC~~