<@U016EM8L91B> I am trying to create a hierarchical layout in Magic but facing some issues as captur...
v
@Tim Edwards I am trying to create a hierarchical layout in Magic but facing some issues as captured in video here. After designing layout for an inverter schematic, I proceeded to create a top-level schematic of inverter chain. However, when generating layout for this top-level inverter chain schematic using the "import spice netlist" feature in Magic, multiple copies of the inverter layout cell and pins within the top-level Magic layout are seen. Please suggest what could be the issue here and ideal approach for creating hierarchical layouts in magic.
t
You created an inverter chain so there are multiple inverters. I'm not getting what the problem is here.
The "import spice netlist" function is not an analog compiler. It just creates the devices and subcircuits as found in the netlist. It has absolutely no idea where it is placing them other than trying not to place everything at the same point in the layout. Beyond that, if there are bugs in the import routine, I would need to know what the netlist is before I can tell what, if anything, was wrong with the import.
v
As depicted in attached screenshot, right side layout represents a standalone inverter layout. This layout has got instantiated inside top-level layout of an inverter chain circuit using the "import spice netlist" feature in magic. However, a problem arises as additional pins, as indicated in the layout of the left-hand side inverter cell, are generated within the inverter layout while utilizing "import spice netlist" feature in the top-level layout. The reason behind this occurrence is unclear, but I have encountered this issue across multiple designs. To facilitate the replication of this problem, I am including all the design files related to this testcase.
t
Okay, this is a problem with re-entrant use of the import procedure, and I can duplicate the problem.
@vks: I finally dug into this and apparently my memory is faulty because I would have sworn that I added code to handle this problem. But apparently not. So magic version 8.3.463 (http://opencircuitdesign.com/magic) fixes this problem (the github repo will be mirrored in 12 hours).
v
Thanks @Tim Edwards, issues resolved with latest magic version.