Manual

Derives label name from the text string specified in the Label (Pattern) field and places the label at the point of click. Manual is the default mode of creating labels. You can place multiple same or different labels on a single object. You can label any type of shape and object except the DB object types ‘textDisplay’ and ‘label’. You can also add labels in empty spaces.

Auto

Generates labels automatically from the connectivity information on objects and places the label at the point of click. Auto also automatically generates labels for instances from the instance name or instance master cell and places the label at the center of the instance.

Auto mode contains two tabs, From Interconnect and From Instance. There is a check box above each tab. You can select one or both the check boxes to enable label creation from connectivity information or instances or both.

Snap Mode

Locks the direction in which you can draw the scan line. You can set it to anyAngle, diagonal, orthogonal (default), horizontal, or vertical. The default selection is orthogonal. The setting in this list is applicable while using the Scan Line and Auto Step (Custom) methods for generating labels.

Rotate

Turns the label 90 degrees counterclockwise.

Sideways

Mirrors the label along the X axis. Drafting must be off for this button to work.

Upside Down

Mirrors the label along the Y axis. Drafting must be off for this button to work

Label Pattern

Specifies the text or indexed pattern to use for assigning label names. You specify the pattern inside the < and > symbols. These symbols are retained in the generated labels and represent bus bits. You can also use the [ and ] symbols to enclose the pattern, in which case, the symbols are not part of the labels generated. If you use an escape character (\) preceding a sequential pattern, the expansion is overridden.

You can include special characters in the label name. Spaces in a pattern are used to distinguish the different label names in the sequence. After you have placed all the labels of a sequence and if Keep Label is selected, the labels in the sequence are re-generated and are available to be placed. If, however, Keep Label is off, you are prompted to specify the label text again in the Label (Pattern) field. With Keep Label selected, labels are re-generated only if the Create Label command is in repeat mode.

Label Layer/Purpose

This section enables you to specify the layer and purpose for the label.

Use current entry layer

Places the label on the active layer displayed in the Layers panel. This option is selected by default.

Use same layer as shape, select purpose

Places the label on the same layer on which the shape is drawn. You select the purpose from the list. A warning is displayed in CIW if the combination of the shape layer and the selected purpose is not valid.

You cannot use this option to add labels to empty spaces in the cellview. This option does not support labeling of instances, vias, groups, and mosaics.

Auto (Using stampLabelLayers section from technology file)

Derives the layer and purpose on which to create the label from the stampLabelLayers section of the technology file. If the stampLabelLayers section does not exist in the technology file, a warning is displayed in CIW.

You cannot use this option to add labels to empty spaces in the cellview. With this option selected, you cannot label instances, vias, groups, and mosaics.

Select layer

Places the label on the layer purpose selected from the drop-down list. You can search for specific layer-purpose pair using the search filter in the Select layer list box.

The layer selection using the search filter is available only if the Use Layer Palette LPPs Only option is selected in the Layout Editor Options form.

Label Options

This section enables you to specify the font, style, and formatting of the label.

Font

Sets the font type of the label text. Choices include eurostyle, gothic, math, roman, script, stick, fixed, swedish, and milSpec. The default font is stick.

Height

Sets the height of the label in user units, usually microns. The default value is 1.

Justification

Sets the location of the label origin relative to the position of the label text. The origin appears as a small square on the label when you place or select it. Choices include lowerLeft, centerLeft, upperLeft, lowerCenter, centerCenter, upperCenter, lowerRight, centerRight, and upperRight. The default is centerCenter.

Drafting

Prevents a label from being rotated by more than 90 degrees. This check box is selected by default.

Overbar

Determines how text strings containing underscore characters are displayed. If you select this check box, any underscore character in the text string or the specified pattern displays as an overbar. This check box is off by default.

Keep Label

Retains the label text or pattern specified in the Label (Pattern) field after you have placed all the generated labels. If this check box is off, labels are consumed from the Label (Pattern) field as you place them and the field becomes empty after you have placed all the generated labels. You are then prompted to specify a label text in the Label (Pattern) field.

This check box is on by default in the Manual mode. This check box is not available in the Auto mode because in this mode, labels are generated from the connectivity information or from instances.

Attach

Attaches the label to the object you click in the cellview. The object to which you attach the label becomes the parent of the label. With the Attach check box selected, the label is automatically attached to the clicked shape. However, if you place the label in empty space, you are prompted to click a shape to which the label is to be attached.

The Attach check box is on by default in the Manual mode. This check box is not available in the Auto mode because in this mode, labels are always attached to the shape.

Expand

Generates each label name of the sequence based on the pattern specified in the Label (Pattern) field.

Consider the pattern A<0:2> GND VDD. If the Expand check box is selected, the generated labels will be A<0>, A<1>, A<2>, GND, and VDD. These labels will be assigned one by one to the shapes clicked. However, if the Expand check box is not selected, the single label A<0:2> GND VDD will be generated and the same label will be assigned to any shape you click, provided Keep Label is also selected.

The Expand check box is on by default in the Manual mode. This check box is not available in the Auto mode because in this mode, labels are generated from the connectivity information or from instances.

Scan Line

This section enables you to specify label controls pertaining the scan line.

Label Selected Objects

Enables only the pre- or post-selected objects to be labeled when the scan line intersects multiple objects.

Auto Zoom Out

Zooms out the design display area automatically and pan the design if you extend the scan line beyond the visible design area. The design returns to the current zoom level after you release the middle mouse button.

Auto Step

This section enables you to create labels by specifying the distance between consecutive labels in the X and Y directions. This section is available only in the Manual mode.

Step

Enables you to specify the distance between consecutive labels by using the following methods:

• Custom: Enables you to indicate the distance between labels and the direction of placing the labels by clicking in the design display area.
• Input X&Y: Enables you to specify the distance between labels along the X and Y axes.

X and Y

Enables you to specify the distance between the labels in the X and Y directions. These fields are grayed out if Custom is selected in the Step list.

Label Layer/Purpose

Enables you to specify the layer and purpose for the label. All options available in the Manual mode are also available here.

Label Options

Enables you to specify the font, style, and formatting of the label. It includes the following options: Font, Height, Justification, Drafting, and Overbar. These options are same as those available in Manual mode.

Additionally, the Create As Label option is available. It determines whether the object is created as a label or text display. If this option is selected, a label is created, else a text display is created.

When a shape with a textDisplay is removed from a net, the textDisplay is automatically removed as well. If the shape is added back to a net, the textDisplay is also automatically recreated.

Environment variable: createAsLabel

Scan Line

Enables you to specify label controls related to the scan line. It includes the options Label Selected Objects and Auto Zoom Out, which are same as those available in Manual mode.

Label Layer/Purpose

Enables you to specify the layer and purpose for the label.

• Use current entry layer: Places the label on the active layer displayed in the Layers panel. This is the default option.
• Select layer: Places the label on the selected layer purpose. You can search for specific layer-purpose pair using the search filter in the Select layer list. The layer selection using the search filter is available only if the Use Layer Palette LPPs Only option is selected in the Layout Editor Options form.

Label Options

Enables you to specify the font, style, and formatting of the label. It includes the following options: Font, Height, Justification, Drafting, and Overbar. These options are same as the ones in Manual mode.

Additionally, the following options are available in the Label Options section:

• Create As Label: Determines whether the object is created as a label or text display. If this option is selected, a label is created, else a text display is created. When a shape with a textDisplay is removed from a net, the textDisplay is automatically removed as well. If the shape is added back to a net, the textDisplay is also automatically recreated.
  Environment variable: createAsLabel
• Show Name Of: Enables you to specify whether to use the instance name or the instance master cell name for generating the labels.

Scan Line

Enables you to specify label controls related to the scan line. It includes the options Label Selected Objects and Auto Zoom Out, which are same as those available in Manual mode.