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Fluid Guard Ring Environment Variables

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This appendix covers the FGR-specific Layout environment variable names, descriptions, types, and values. For information about the other Virtuoso^® Layout Suite L layout editor and graphics editor environment variables, refer to the Environment Variables appendix in the Virtuoso Layout Suite L User Guide.

The graphic environment variables control the characteristics of the window display and the layout environment variables control how various layout editor commands work. Many graphic environment variables have duplicate layout environment variables. In these cases, the layout variable supersedes the graphic variable unless the graphic variable is stored in the cellview. You can set both graphic and layout environment variables.

Setting Layout Environment Variables

You can set the environment variables in the following three ways:

• Within the .cdsenv File
• Within the .cdsinit File
• In the CIW

.cdsenv File

Add environment variables to the .cdsenv file when the settings should be applied while launching Layout L.

Use the following syntax:

layout environmentVariableName dataType value

For example:

layout fgrWrapPlaceAtMinimumDistance boolean t

.cdsinit File

Like the .cdsenv file, the environment variable settings saved in the .cdsinit file get applied when you launch Layout L.

Use the envSetVal() command, which has the following syntax, to add environment variables to the .cdsinit file:

envSetVal("layout" "environmentVariableName" 'dataType value)

For example:

envSetVal("layout" "fgrWrapPlaceAtMinimumDistance" 'boolean t)

CIW

Use the envSetVal() command in the CIW to set an environment variable for the duration of the current session. The syntax is the same as described above for the .cdsinit file.

If you use the CIW to set an environment variable that controls a widget on the currently open form, the implemented settings get reflected only after you close the form and then re-open it.

Displaying the Current Value of an Environment Variable

To determine the current value of any Layout L environment variable, use the following syntax in the CIW.

envGetVal("layout" "environmentVariableName")

Setting Shell Environment Variables

To set Shell environment variables, use the following syntax before starting the Virtuoso session:

setenv environmentVariableName

List of Environment Variables

• Layout Environment Variables
  • deviceOrder
  • disableDerivedLayersInWrap
  • disableDerivedLayersInWrap
  • fgrWrapPlaceAtMinimumDistance
  • fluidGuardRingInstallPath
  • grEnclosedBy
  • grMode
  • keepGuardRingEndsConnected
  • vfoGRHideDevicesInCreateForm
  • vfoShowOnlyFluidShapeForDrag
• xFGR Environment Variables
  • autoChooseDevice
  • creationMethod
  • device
  • encloseByDistance
  • numOuterRings
  • outerRingsEncloseBy
  • shape
  • wrapCommon
  • wrapType
• Shell Environment Variables
  • FGR_CACHE_AUTO_CLEANUP
  • FGR_CACHE_TIMESTAMP_CHECK
  • FGR_REEVAL_ON_CORRUPT_CACHE
  • FGR_MIN_VIA_SPACING_ENABLED

Layout Environment Variables

deviceOrder

xFGR deviceOrder string { alphabetical | reverseAlphabetical | techfile }

Description

Specifies the order in which the devices are listed in the Device field in the Create Fluid Guard Ring form. The options are alphabetical, reverseAlphabetical, and techfile.

The default is alphabetical.

GUI Equivalent

None

Examples

envGetVal("xFGR" "alphabetical")
envSetVal("xFGR" "shape" 'string "alphabetical")
envSetVal("xFGR" "shape" 'string "reverseAlphabetical")
envSetVal("xFGR" "shape" 'string "techfile")

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

disableDerivedLayersInWrap

layout disableDerivedLayersInWrap boolean { t | nil }

Description

Disables the feature that ensures the minSpacing rule for a derived layer is considered when an FGR is created around its instances using the Wrap mode with the Place at Minimum Distance check box as selected.

The default is nil.

GUI Equivalent

Command	Create – Fluid Guard Ring – Wrap tab
Form Field	Place At Minimum Distance (Create Guard Ring Form (Old GUI))

Examples

envGetVal("layout" "disableDerivedLayersInWrap")

envSetVal("layout" "disableDerivedLayersInWrap" 'boolean t)

envSetVal("layout" "disableDerivedLayersInWrap" 'boolean nil)

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

fgrWrapPlaceAtMinimumDistance

layout fgrWrapPlaceAtMinimumDistance boolean { t | nil }

Description

Controls the selection of the Place at Minimum Distance check box on the Wrap tab of the Create Guard Ring form. When fgrWrapPlaceAtMinimumDistance is set to t, the Place At Minimum Distance check box is selected and the Enclose by field is disabled. However, setting the environment variable to nil, deselects the check box and makes the Enclose by field editable for specifying the guard ring distance from the object.

The default is t.

GUI Equivalent

Command	Create – Fluid Guard Ring – Wrap tab
Form Field	Place At Minimum Distance (Create Guard Ring Form (Old GUI))

Examples

• Deselect the Place At Minimum Distance check box and make the Enclose by field editable:
  

  envSetVal("layout" "fgrWrapPlaceAtMinimumDistance" boolean nil)

• Return the current value of the fgrWrapPlaceAtMinimumDistance environment variable:
  

  envGetVal("layout" "fgrWrapPlaceAtMinimumDistance")

  => nil

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

fluidGuardRingInstallPath

layout fluidGuardRingInstallPath string "alternatePath"

Description

Enables you to specify the path from where the FGR-related SKILL files (vfo*.ils) are to be loaded. By default, the value string is empty, in which case these SKILL files are loaded from the following default release installation directory:

<install_dir>/tools/dfII/etc/vfo

The default is "" (null string).

GUI Equivalent

None

Examples

Load the FGR-related SKILL files from a path other than the default release installation directory:

layout fluidGuardRingInstallPath string /grid/cic/tool.lnx86/dfII/etc/vfo

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

grEnclosedBy

layout grEnclosedBy float any_positive_floating_point_number

Description

Initializes the Enclose by field on the Create Guard Ring form.

You can replace the default value with another floating point number by updating this environment variable. Otherwise, change the value for the Enclose by field by typing in the field on the Create Guard Ring form.

The default value is 0.0.

GUI Equivalent

None

Examples

envGetVal("layout" "grEnclosedBy")

envSetVal("layout" "grEnclosedBy" 'float 1.0)

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

grMode

layout grMode string { Rectangular | Rectilinear }

Description

Sets the default FGR creation type in Wrap mode.

By default, this environment variable is set to Rectilinear. Therefore, when you launch the Create Guard Ring form, on the Wrap tab, the Rectilinear radio button is selected.

However, when you reset this environment variable to Rectangular, the Rectangular radio button appears as selected on the Wrap tab.

This environment variable is useful when you mostly create Rectangular type of FGR in Wrap mode and want that be selected as the default creation type each time you access the Create Guard Ring form.

The default is Rectilinear.

GUI Equivalent

None

Examples

envGetVal("layout" "grMode")

envSetVal("layout" "grMode" 'string "Rectangular")

envSetVal("layout" "grMode" 'string "Rectilinear")

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

keepGuardRingEndsConnected

layout keepGuardRingEndsConnected boolean { t | nil }

Description

Controls whether a guard ring with touching ends will stay connected (t) or will result in opening up the guard ring (nil) during the Stretch and Quick Align command operations.

The default is nil.

GUI Equivalent

None

Examples

envGetVal("layout" "keepGuardRingEndsConnected")

envSetVal("layout" "keepGuardRingEndsConnected" 'boolean t)

envSetVal("layout" "keepGuardRingEndsConnected" 'boolean nil)

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

vfoGRHideDevicesInCreateForm

layout vfoGRHideDevicesInCreateForm string "device_names"

Description

Specifies the FGR devices to be omitted from the Device drop-down list of the Create Guard Ring form. You can also use the vfoGRHideDeviceInForms property of the tfcDefineDeviceProp construct of the technology file to control the display of devices in the Create Guard Ring form.

GUI Equivalent

None

Examples

envGetVal("layout" "vfoGRHideDevicesInCreateForm")

envSetVal("layout" "vfoGRHideDevicesInCreateForm" 'string "M1_M2")

envSetVal("layout" "vfoGRHideDevicesInCreateForm" 'string "guardring1")

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

vfoShowOnlyFluidShapeForDrag

layout vfoShowOnlyFluidShapeForDrag boolean { t | nil }

Description

Controls the display of the fluid shape and other geometries like metal layer, diffusion layer, and contacts while drawing an FGR on the layout canvas.

When vfoShowOnlyFluidShapeForDrag is set to nil, all geometries including the fluid shape are visible as you draw the FGR on the layout canvas. However, setting the environment variable to t displays only the fluid shape. The figure below shows the difference in the two approaches.

The default is nil.

GUI Equivalent

None

Examples

envGetVal("layout" "vfoShowOnlyFluidShapeForDrag")

envSetVal("layout" "vfoShowOnlyFluidShapeForDrag" 'boolean t)

envSetVal("layout" "vfoShowOnlyFluidShapeForDrag" 'boolean nil)

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

xFGR Environment Variables

autoChooseDevice

xFGR autoChooseDevice boolean { t | nil }

Description

Creates a fluid guard ring automatically if the vfoAssociatedDevices or vfoAssociatedRings properties have been defined for an FGR device.

The default is nil.

GUI Equivalent

Command	Create – Fluid Guard Ring
Form Field	Choose Device Automatically (Create Fluid Guard Ring Form (New GUI))

Examples

envGetVal("xFGR" "autoChooseDevice")

envSetVal("xFGR" "autoChooseDevice" 'boolean nil)

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

creationMethod

xFGR creationMethod string { wrap | interactive }

Description

Sets the FGR creation method to one of the following values:

• wrap: automatically creates a guard ring around the selected objects.
• interactive: lets you interactively enclose an object with the guard ring by defining the enclosing points on the canvas.

The default is wrap.

GUI Equivalent

Command	Create – Fluid Guard Ring
Form Field	Creation Method (Create Fluid Guard Ring Form (New GUI))

Examples

envGetVal("xFGR" "wrap")

envSetVal("xFGR" "creationMethod" 'string "interactive")

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

device

xFGR device string "device_names"

Description

Selects one of the installed FGR devices in the displayed technology library and its referenced technology libraries (ITDB).

The default is "".

GUI Equivalent

Command	Create – Fluid Guard Ring
Form Field	Device (Create Fluid Guard Ring Form (New GUI))

Examples

envGetVal("xFGR" "")

envSetVal("xFGR" "device" 'string "")

envSetVal("xFGR" "device" 'string "dev1")

envSetVal("xFGR" "device" 'string "new_device")

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

encloseByDistance

xFGR encloseByDistance float any_positive_floating_point_number

Description

Specifies the distance from the outermost layer of the fluid guard ring to the outermost layer of the enclosed device.

The default value is 0.0.

GUI Equivalent

Command	Create – Fluid Guard Ring
Form Field	Distance (Create Fluid Guard Ring Form (New GUI))

Examples

envGetVal("xFGR" "encloseByDistance")

envSetVal("xFGR" "encloseByDistance" 'float 1.0)

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

numOuterRings

xFGR numOuterRings int any_positive_integer

Description

Specifies the number of concentric rings of the guard ring to create around the selected objects.

The default value is 0.

GUI Equivalent

Command	Create – Fluid Guard Ring
Form Field	Number of Outer Rings (Create Fluid Guard Ring Form (New GUI))

Examples

envGetVal("xFGR" "numOuterRings")

envSetVal("xFGR" "numOuterRings" 'int 5)

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

outerRingsEncloseBy

xFGR outerRingsEncloseBy boolean { t | nil }

Description

Specifies a distance from the object at which the fluid guard ring should be placed.

The default is nil.

GUI Equivalent

Command	Create – Fluid Guard Ring
Form Field	Enclose By (Create Fluid Guard Ring Form (New GUI))

Examples

envGetVal("xFGR" "outerRingsEncloseBy")

envSetVal("xFGR" "outerRingsEncloseBy" 'boolean t)

envSetVal("xFGR" "outerRingsEncloseBy" 'boolean nil)

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

shape

xFGR shape string { rectangular | rectilinear | rectangle | polygonRing | polygonFill | path }

Description

Sets the shape of the FGR that is created. You can set the FGR shape as rectangular or rectilinear for wrap creation method. You can set the FGR shape as rectangle, polygon ring, polygon fill, or path for interactive creation method.

• rectangular: Creates a rectangular guard ring around the shape.
• rectilinear: Creates a rectilinear guard ring around the shape.
• rectangle: Creates a rectangular guard ring.
• polygonRing: Creates a ring using the entered polygon points.
• polygonFill: Covers up the space between objects using the guard ring device material.
• path: Creates a path guard ring.

The default is rectangular.

GUI Equivalent

Command	Create – Fluid Guard Ring
Form Field	Shape (Create Fluid Guard Ring Form (New GUI))

Examples

envGetVal("xFGR" "rectangular")

envSetVal("xFGR" "shape" 'string "rectangular")

envSetVal("xFGR" "shape" 'string "rectilinear")

envSetVal("xFGR" "shape" 'string "rectangle")

envSetVal("xFGR" "shape" 'string "polygonRing")

envSetVal("xFGR" "shape" 'string "polygonFill")

envSetVal("xFGR" "shape" 'string "path")

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

wrapCommon

xFGR wrapCommon boolean { t | nil }

Description

Creates a common guard ring around the selected objects. When set to nil, individual guard rings are created around each selected objects.

The default is t.

GUI Equivalent

Command	Create – Fluid Guard Ring
Form Field	Wrap Common (Create Fluid Guard Ring Form (New GUI))

Examples

envGetVal("xFGR" "wrapCommon")

envSetVal("xFGR" "wrapCommon" 'boolean t)

envSetVal("xFGR" "wrapCommon" 'boolean nil)

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

wrapType

xFGR wrapType string { placeAtMinDistance | referenceLayer | encloseBy }

Description

Specifies the wrap type for the FGR.

• placeAtMinDistance: Creates a rectangular guard ring around the shape. It uses the minSpacing rule defined for the object layer around which the FGR is created to compute the spacing between the guard ring and the object layer.
• referenceLayer: Lets you specify the reference layer for the FGR.
• encloseBy: Lets you specify a distance from the object at which the fluid guard ring is placed.

The default is placeAtMinDistance.

GUI Equivalent

Command	Create – Fluid Guard Ring
Form Field	Wrap Type (Create Fluid Guard Ring Form (New GUI))

Examples

envGetVal("xFGR" "rectangular")

envSetVal("xFGR" "wrapType" 'string "placeAtMinDistance")

envSetVal("xFGR" "wrapType" 'string "referenceLayer")

envSetVal("xFGR" "wrapType" 'string "encloseBy")

Related Topics

List of Environment Variables

Shell Environment Variables

FGR_CACHE_AUTO_CLEANUP

Description

Controls whether automatic cache cleaning on the design first open is enabled (ON) or not (OFF).

Default Value: ON

FGR_CACHE_TIMESTAMP_CHECK

Description

If the super-master is re-installed after saving the sub-master cache, this environment variable decides if the timestamp mismatch should be ignored and the sub-master should be read from the cache or the sub-master should be evaluated using the current Virtuoso version.

Default Value: OFF

FGR_REEVAL_ON_CORRUPT_CACHE

Description

Evaluates pcells with the current Virtuoso version incase the sub-master image is not readable from the cache.pcl file. To enable this environment variable, set it to 1/t/T/true/TRUE.

FGR_MIN_VIA_SPACING_ENABLED

Description

Enables the minViaSpacing value to be considered to compute the contact spacing during installation and creation of an FGR. The minViaSpacing value is used only if the variable is set to 1/t/T/true/TRUE.

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