Assura RCX to QRC migration problem

[Andrew Pye]

Greetings,
I'm with a university and am trying to upgrade our Assura RCX to the
new QRC. The installation and integration with Assura seems to be
straightforward and right out of the manuals. However, when I run QRC
from the extraction dialog, it exits immediately; the log file is
attached below.
It appears that it doesn't like some of the rcxParameters that were
generated in the RSF file (also attached below). I also tried running
QRC from the command line on the RSF file that is generated by the
dialog and it produces the same output as the log file. It's
interesting that it doesn't complain about all of the rcxParameters.
These parameters are listed in the RCX to QRC Migration guide, so I
would imagine that they're valid.
Cadence version is 5.10.41_USR5 and Assura version is 3.2_USR1.
I've set QRC_ENABLE_EXTRACTION=t and am seeing "Run QRC" in the Assura
menu. It seems to be a problem with QRC recognizing the RCX-formatted
RSF file.

I'm sure that there's something very simple that I'm missing, but I
can't seem to figure it out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Andrew Pye

------------------------------- RSF file
-------------------------------

;----------------------------------------------------------------------------
; @(#)$CDS: assura version
av3.2roduction:dfII5.1.41:5.10.41.500.5.105 10/01/08 00:59
(logavt05) $
; sub-version 3.2_USR1
;----------------------------------------------------------------------------


;----------------------------------------------------------------------------
; avParameter Section
; Created by the Assura UI
;----------------------------------------------------------------------------

avParameters(
?workingDirectory "/home/rhome/pyea/8sf/LVS"
?runName "test"
?inputLayout ( "df2" "pye5" )
?cellName "test"
?viewName "layout"
?techLib "/home/rhome/pyea/8sf/assura_tech.lib"
?cdslib "/home/rhome/pyea/8sf/cds.lib"
)



;----------------------------------------------------------------------------
; rcxParameter Section
; Created by the Assura UI
;----------------------------------------------------------------------------

rcxParameters(
?rcxSetupDir "/home/rhome/pyea/IBM_PDK/cmrf8sf/V1.6.0.3DM/
Assura/QRC/32"
?outputFormat "dfII"
?extractedView "av_extracted"
?checkCellView nil
?resistor "presistor"
?resPropName "r"
?extract "res"
?netNameSpace "layout"
?maxFractureLength "infinite"
?fractureLengthUnits "microns"
?temperature 25.0
?type "full"
?rcxfsType "none"
?minR 0.001
?maxMergedViaSize "auto"
?arrayViasSpacing "auto"
?capModels "no"
?parasiticCapModels "no"
?resModels "no"
?parasiticResModels "comment"
?parasiticResWidth nil
?parasiticResWidthDrawn nil
?runName "test"
)
setShellEnvVar("CDS_AUTO_CKOUT=all")
avRCX()


------------------------------- QRC output
-------------------------------
Cadence Extraction QRC - Parasitic Extractor - Version 7.1.2-p010
Mon Aug
25 16:05:08 PDT 2008
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2008 Cadence Design Systems,
Inc.

ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?extract is an unrecognized rcxParameter in the
DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?netNameSpace is an unrecognized rcxParameter in
the DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?maxFractureLength is an unrecognized rcxParameter
in the DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?fractureLengthUnits is an unrecognized
rcxParameter in the DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?temperature is an unrecognized rcxParameter in
the DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?type is an unrecognized rcxParameter in the DFII
flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?rcxfsType is an unrecognized rcxParameter in the
DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?minR is an unrecognized rcxParameter in the DFII
flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?maxMergedViaSize is an unrecognized rcxParameter
in the DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?arrayViasSpacing is an unrecognized rcxParameter
in the DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?capModels is an unrecognized rcxParameter in the
DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?parasiticCapModels is an unrecognized
rcxParameter in the DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?resModels is an unrecognized rcxParameter in the
DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?parasiticResModels is an unrecognized
rcxParameter in the DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?parasiticResWidth is an unrecognized rcxParameter
in the DFII flow.
ERROR (LBRCXM-554): ?parasiticResWidthDrawn is an unrecognized
rcxParameter in the DFII flow.
INFO (LBRCXM-699): Errors exist in master control file "LVS/
rcx.test.rsf".
INFO (LBRCXM-709): ***** QRC terminated abnormally *****

 

[Tarek]

You're using an IBM PDK and trying to get QRC to work... welcome to
the club. really, theres so many people I've seen on various forums
trying to get this to work since the recent change from RCX to QRC.
Did you also put EXT stream before ASSURA stream in your path? Are you
getting the "No technology directory found" error when launching QRC
via Assura->Run RCX? Did you run a successful LVS before running QRC?
The last point is a must (doesn't have to be 100% pass, just has to
say successful). Your menu is changed to "Run QRC"? So you're using
QRC81, most people I've talked to are using EXT71 so maybe its
something I haven't encountered. Anyways, here's my settings:

==

Setup tab:
Setup directory: /<the rest>/QRC/32
Output: extracted view

Extraction tab:
Extraction Type: up to you
Ref node: /gnd!
If you want L and K, you need to set the User Region for where you
want to
extract (mutual) inductance and on what layers. To do this, hit
`Select...`
under PEEC mode, choose the layers which you want to extract parasitic
L and K,
then in the new window hit `Draw bBox` and select the region of
interest, then
hit `Add`. You can then create different regions and modify the
`Bottom` and
`Top` layers which you want to consider. The rest of the tabs I left
unmodified.

==

This topic has been discussed elsewhere, I've posted my setup and no
one has disputed it. Doesn't mean its correct tho...

http://www.edaboard.com/ftopic353716.html
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MOSIS_Users_Group/message/2932
http://www.cadence.com/Community/forums/p/11779/18080.aspx#18080

Hope this helps...

 

[Tarek]

I meant EXT81, not QRC81... and after taking a closer look at your log
file it seems that you are using EXT71. Just struck me as odd that you
got QRC in your Assura menu, I asked elsewhere if this was possible
with EXT71 and was told only EXT81 is integrated into the menus. Also,
did you download the QRC definitions from your tech provider? Its
separate from the base kit. you might still be using RCX definitions
from a previous kit? Your Assura/<metals> folder should contain DRC,
LVS and QRC folders. RCX was phased out after cmos8rf V1.4.0.12DM.

 

[Tarek]

OK I'm really not reading properly now, I see you have QRC/32 as your
Setup Directory. (This is what I dislike about newsgroups... no edit
button)

 

[Andrew Pye]

Tarek, thanks for the quick response!
Yeah, I've seen a lot of people having difficulties with IBM and
QRC, but was surprised that no one else had the same problem as me,
which tells me that I'm probably missing something very obvious.
Yes, I'm using EXT71 (though I'm going to have EXT81 installed, just
to see if that helps anything ... I doubt it will, but I don't have
any better ideas at this point); I have the EXT directory in the path
before Assura; I am not getting "No technology directory found" error
(assura_tech.lib seems to be set up correctly); I am running DRC and
LVS successfully before QRC.
I did download the latest kits (base kit and QRC kit) from MOSIS and
successfully installed them. DRC and LVS run just fine.

So, I'm still confused. At least DRC and LVS run correctly, so I
can go ahead with the design for all intents and purposes.

Andrew Pye

 

[Tarek]

Did you set the RSF Include file in the Setup tab of QRC as "LVS/
rcx.test.rsf"? I don't recall if I'm leaving that field blank or if i
put LVSinclude.rsf.

Don't mean to hijack your thread and ask you questions but...

Does your assura_tech.lib only contain "DEFINE 8RF_DM_32 /home/rhome/
pyea/IBM_PDK/cmrf8sf/V1.6.0.3DM/Assura/QRC/32" ? Did you do anything
other than what you specified in your first post for setting up QRC?
Is it necessary to set "CDS_AUTO_64BIT"?

The only steps I took were those described in the release notes in
cmrf8sf.CadenceQRC.rel_notes.txt.

 

[Andrew Pye]

No problem about hijacking the thread. I appreciate all the help!

In LVS, the RSF include file is set automatically to LVSinclude.rsf
that is included with the kit. I don't add any RSF include files in
the QRC setup. As far as I know, the only RSF file that is involved
in the QRC process is that which is generated by the Assura UI and
passed to QRC.
My assura_tech.lib includes only one entry -- "DEFINE 8RF_DM_32 /
home/rhome/
pyea/IBM_PDK/cmrf8sf/V1.6.0.3DM/Assura/QRC/32". I'm not specifying
CDS_AUTO_64BIT because the machine I'm working on is 32-bit. I
noticed this in the manual -- that 64-bit QRC must be run on a 64-bit
LVS library -- but, since I'm running DRC, LVS and QRC on the same (32-
bit) machine, I'm not worrying about it. Should I? Do you know if
the IBM kit requires 64-bit architecture? It hasn't in the past ...
but, things change.
This is probably a dumb question, but the "Assura LVS database" that
it talks about in the docs which must be generated before running QRC
is the output of running Assura LVS on the layout, correct? It's not
something that is generated by an another process?

I had EXT 8.1 and Assura 4.1 installed on the machine since
yesterday, but haven't had a chance to test it all out (will probably
get to it this evening).

Thanks again for the help.

Andrew Pye

 

[Tarek]

  In LVS, the RSF include file is set automatically to LVSinclude.rsf
that is included with the kit.  I don't add any RSF include files in
the QRC setup.  As far as I know, the only RSF file that is involved
in the QRC process is that which is generated by the Assura UI and
passed to QRC.
  My assura_tech.lib includes only one entry -- "DEFINE  8RF_DM_32 /
home/rhome/
pyea/IBM_PDK/cmrf8sf/V1.6.0.3DM/Assura/QRC/32".

Strange, my assura_tech.lib is the same (with my path of course), but
QRC doesn't pick up the technology directory, I have to specify the
Setup Dir and RSF Include manually.

 I'm not specifying
CDS_AUTO_64BIT because the machine I'm working on is 32-bit.  I
noticed this in the manual -- that 64-bit QRC must be run on a 64-bit
LVS library -- but, since I'm running DRC, LVS and QRC on the same (32-
bit) machine, I'm not worrying about it.  Should I?  Do you know if
the IBM kit requires 64-bit architecture?  It hasn't in the past ...
but, things change.

I don't think so, I didn't specify it either and I can run QRC
successfully. I'm pretty much reaching for straws on that one, I just
saw the variable mentioned in one of the documents.

  This is probably a dumb question, but the "Assura LVS database" that
it talks about in the docs which must be generated before running QRC
is the output of running Assura LVS on the layout, correct?  It's not
something that is generated by an another process?

Yes, you need to run a successful Assura LVS before proceeding to QRC.
Are you creating the proper CDL Netlist for your schematic using the
LVS preprocessor? Before running QRC, did you do Assura->Open Run and
load your design? It should be loaded automatically, however.

  I had EXT 8.1 and Assura 4.1 installed on the machine since
yesterday, but haven't had a chance to test it all out (will probably
get to it this evening).

I think its best to stick with EXT71 and ASSURA317, those are the
versions IBM verified with.