Group Name

Specifies the name of the new pin group guide.

To edit the attributes of an existing group, select the group name from the Group Name drop-down list.

To delete an existing pin group, choose the group name from the Group Name drop-down list and click Delete.

New

Generates a unique group name.

Delete

Deletes the selected pin group guide.

Refresh

Loads default values from the database, technology file, and constraint. Whenever the database, technology file or constraints are modified, then ensure that you click Refresh to update form values accordingly.

Group Attributes

This section lets you specify the attributes of an existing pin group.

Preserve Order

Specifies that the order of pins in the pin group constraint are to be honored and pins are to be optimized in that sequence.

Foreign Pins Restrictions

This includes the following options for restricting foreign pins:

• Inclusive: Supports the presence of foreign pins within the pin group guide area. Pin group guides with different pins can overlap in the layout design. This option should be selected for overlapping pin group guides.
• Exclusive: Does not support the presence of foreign pins within the pin group guide area. In this case, pin group guides with either one or both pin group guides set to Exclusive cannot overlap in the layout design. Suitable error messages are displayed in the CIW.

Group Constraints - Global

This section includes the options for group constraints.

Valid Layers

Specifies valid layers for pin placement.

Layers are prioritized in the order in which they are listed in the Valid Layers field. You can alter the sequence by deleting the layers from the Valid Layers field and typing the layer names in the required sequence, or by selecting layer names in the required sequence from the Layer selection list.

Either set the matchLabelLayerWithPin environment manually or from the Floorplanning tab of the Floorplan Global Options form to place pin labels on the same layers as their corresponding pins. Therefore, if a pin is re-layered during placement, then the pin label is also moved to the same layer.

Related SKILL functions:

• dbSetPinGroupGuideValidRoutingLayers
• dbGetPinGroupGuideValidRoutingLayers
• dbSetPinGroupGuideLayerPriorityOrder
• dbGetPinGroupGuideLayerPriorityOrder
• dbPinGroupGuideHasLayerPriorityOrder
• dbUnsetPinGroupGuideValidRoutingLayers
• dbUnsetPinGroupGuideLayerPriorityOrder

Layer Priority

Specifies that pins are to be optimized in the order in which they are listed in Valid Layers.

Pin-Pin Spacing

Specifies the spacing between adjacent pins on each layer. The Pin-Pin Spacing field lists layer names and the corresponding spacing values. Choose either Edge or Center, depending on how the spacing needs to be applied.

Pin spacing values cannot be:

• Smaller than the minSpacing or the tableSpacing values that are specified in the technology file.
• Greater than the longest edge of the PR boundary.

Related SKILL functions:

• dbSetPinMinPinSpacing
• dbPinHasMinPinSpacing
• dbGetPinMinPinSpacing
• dbUnsetPinMinPinSpacing
• dbSetPinGroupGuideMinPinSpacing
• dbPinGroupGuideHasMinPinSpacing
• dbGetPinGroupGuideMinPinSpacing
• dbUnsetPinGroupGuideMinPinSpacing

Keepout Spacing

Defines the area around the pin within which no object can be placed. In other words, the Keepout Spacing value defines the area around the pin within which no object can be placed. You can either directly type the layer name and keepout spacing values, or open the Keepout Spacing Constraints pop-up box and specify the spacing value for each valid layer.

Keepout spacing values cannot be:

• Smaller than the minSpacing or the tableSpacing values that are specified in the technology file.
• Greater than the longest edge of the PR boundary.

Related SKILL functions:

• dbSetPinGroupGuideKeepoutSpacing
• dbPinGroupGuideHasKeepoutSpacing
• dbGetPinGroupGuideKeepoutSpacing
• dbUnsetPinGroupGuideKeepoutSpacing

Pin Width

Specifies the width of pins for each layer.

Pin width values cannot be:

• Smaller than the minWidth value that is specified in the technology file.
• Greater than the longest edge of the PR boundary.

Related SKILL functions:

• dbSetPinMinPinWidth
• dbPinHasMinPinWidth
• dbGetPinMinPinWidth
• dbUnsetPinMinPinWidth
• dbSetPinGroupGuideMinPinWidth
• dbPinGroupGuideHasMinPinWidth
• dbGetPinGroupGuideMinPinWidth
• dbUnsetPinGroupGuideMinPinWidth

PINS

Lets you select pin members for the pin group guide constraint.

Top-Level

Lists only top-level pins in the pin browser.

Soft Block

Lists only the soft block pins in the pin browser.

Pin browser

Enlists all the shape pins found in the current scope.

Pin group table

Lists the pins added to the current pin group.

GUIDES

Lets you interactively create guides.

Create Guide

Generates a pin group guide as per the specifications.

Related SKILL functions:

• dbCreateAreaPinGroupGuide
• dbGetAreaBoundaryPinGroupGuide
• dbGetAreaPinGroupGuideAreas
• dbAddAreaToPinGroupGuide
• dbGetAreaBoundaryValidRoutingLayers
• dbAreaBoundaryHasLayerPriorityOrder
• dbAreaBoundaryHasValidRoutingLayers
• dbGetAreaBoundaryLayerPriorityOrder
• dbUnsetAreaBoundaryValidRoutingLayers
• dbSubAreaFromPinGroupGuide
• dbSetAreaBoundaryLayerPriorityOrder
• dbSetAreaBoundaryValidRoutingLayers
• dbUnsetAreaBoundaryLayerPriorityOrder

Partial Edge

Creates pin group guides that cover partial edges. You can specify the first and last points of the guide.

Full Edge

Creates pin group guides that cover the edges completely. You can click the required edges in the design canvas.

Offset

Specifies the Start and End offset values of the pin group guide on the corresponding edges. This option is applicable only to full edge pin group guides.

Box

Lets you draw one or more areas in the layout window. Pin group guides are created on the PR boundary edges that intersect the selected boxes.

Split into edge guides during create

Specifies that the top-level and soft block edges that intersect the box are to be created as the partial- or full-edges for creating pin group guides.

Related SKILL functions:

• dbFindPinGroupGuideByName
• dbGetFigPinGroupGuide
• dbGetPRBoundaryPinGroupGuides
• dbGetPinGroupGuides
• dbGetPinPinGroupGuides
• dbAddFigToPinGroupGuide
• dbSubFigFromPinGroupGuide
• dbSubPinFromPinGroupGuide
• dbPinGroupGuideHasValidRoutingLayers

Free Area

Places pins in the free area within the PR boundary of the top level or instance level (level-1) from the top level.

Constraints Only

Updates only the constraints.

Preview

Updates the constraints and runs pin planner.

Optimize

Updates the constraints and runs pin optimizer.

Mode

Specifies whether the operations are to be performed on All or Selected pins.