notes on getting cadence to run

These instructions were written 2011-04-14 for Cadence version 6.1.4 with IBM 130nm design kit "cmrf8sf" / MOSIS "8rf-dm". These instructions also assume you're using bash.

setting up cadence:

copy the design kit setup files to your local dir (recommend something like ~/asic/design-kits):
```
cp -ar /opt/cadence/designKits/setupFiles/IBM_Latest_IC614/ .
			
```
where Latest refers to the IBM design kit number and IC614 refers to Cadence version 6.

create a script in ~/bin (and add that path to your PATH) along the lines of this:

#!/bin/bash -e
cd ~/asic/design-kits/IBM_Latest_IC614/
. bashrc-64
virtuoso &

import old libraries from previous design kit versions (if applicable):
```
			
```
remove any old locks on the design files (if applicable) - make sure nobody's running cadence on designs in your library before doing this:
```
cd location_of_my_libraries
find -type f -name "*cdslck" -exec rm {} \;
			
```

running simulations:

to set up a new simulation:
- load a schematic and go to menu "Launch" / "ADE GXL"
- select "create new" based on the (already selected?) schematic from the list
- go to the "data view" / "tests" and click "click to add test" to add test
- the buttons on the right of the "test editor" are useful - click the second one down to choose an analysis (DC/AC/Transient/etc)
- for transient analysis, set a "stop time" in seconds (remember to include the order of magnitude - 100n for nanoseconds, for instance)
- for "accuracy default" chose conservative
- the next button down is to "edit variables" - choose "copy from" schematic and then set each to some nominal value (these can be swept later, but need a nominal value initially)
- the next button is "setup outputs" so you can display something in a waveform (click "from schematic" and then click on nets you'd like to see)
- go to menu "setup" / "model libraries"
- make sure it says, "design.scs" on one line, and "allModels.scs" / section "tt" on the next line (and maybe "cmodel.scs" for parasitics, too)
- (alternately, you can add the following lines to your ~/.cdsenv file:
```
spectre.envOpts  includePath  string "/home/mza/asic/design-kits/IBM_1.6.2.5_IC614/models"
spectre.envOpts  modelFiles   string "design.scs allModels.scs cmodel.scs"
					
```
- close the "test editor" window, hit save on the "analog design environment" project
if you get the following message:
```
19: Illegal library definition found in netlist
			
```
it is because you need to specify a section in the allModels.scs column ("tt" works)

setting up microsoft windows to run cadence remotely:

install xming
install xming-fonts (otherwise the help browser will be wingdings-ish)
install putty (make sure you forward X sessions)

running Assura LVS (VLDB):

the extract rules file is set to:

/opt/cadence/designKits/IBM_PDK/cmrf8sf/V1.8.0.1DM/Assura/LVS/extract323.rul

but it should be set to:

/opt/cadence/designKits/IBM_PDK/cmrf8sf/V1.8.0.1DM/Assura/LVS/extract32.rul

running QRC parasitic extraction:

create a symbolic link to the assura directory from within your copy of the design kit setup dir:

cd ${path_to_my_design_kit}
ln -s /opt/cadence/designKits/IBM_PDK/cmrf8sf/relDM/Assura Assura

layout menu item QRC / setup QRC:
- setup tab / set as default: extracted view
- extraction tab / set as default: RC, ref node="/gnd!"
- run details tab / enable multi processing, number of processors=4
when running QRC, be sure to uncheck "Enable CellView Check" or it won't work

references: