dbGet_axldbgetdesign

You can use the following single-line dbGet scripts to explore various aspects of your design:

• List all unplaced instances in the design

dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.pStatus unplaced].name

• ​List all placed instances in the design

dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.pStatus placed].name

• List all fixed instances in the design

dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.pStatus fixed].name

• List the metal layers on which the I/O pins of the block reside

dbGet top.terms.pins.allShapes.layer.name

• List the non default rules (NDR) in the design

dbGet head.rules.name

• List the NDRs applied on a specified net

dbGet [dbGet -p top.nets.name netName].rule.name

• List net names with specific max or min voltage

dbGet [dbGet top.nets.maxVoltage value –p].name
dbGet [dbGet top.nets.minVoltage value –p].name

• Get the placement status of an instance

dbGet [dbGetInstByName instName].pStatus

• To avoid splitting of a specified multibit flop, during multibit Optimization

dbSet [dbGetInstByName <flop_name>].dontSplitMultibit 1

• To avoid merging of a specified multibit flop, during multibit Optimization

dbSet [dbGetInstByName <flop_name>].dontMergeMultibit 1

• Get the coordinates of a rectangular routing blockage

dbGet top.fplan.rBlkgs.shapes.rect

• Get the coordinates of a rectilinear routing blockage

dbGet top.fplan.rBlkgs.shapes.poly

• List all cell types used in the design

dbGet -u top.insts.cell.name

Note: The "-u" parameter filters out the duplicate objects.

• Get the size of block placement halos​

dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].pHaloTop
dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].pHaloBot
dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].pHaloLeft
dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].pHaloRight

• Get the size and top/bottom layers of block routing halos

dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].rHaloSideSize
dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].rHaloBotLayer.name
dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].rHaloTopLayer.name

• Ensure all your tiehi/tielo connections have tie cells (and are not connected to a rail instead)

dbGet top.insts.instTerms.isTieHi 1
dbGet top.insts.instTerms.isTieLo 1

The previous commands should return "0x0" if all connections have tie cells. If "1s" are returned, use the following commands to find the terms that still need a tie cell:

dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.instTerms.isTieHi 1].name
dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.instTerms.isTieLo 1].name

• Get all instTerm names that are tied to tieLo cells

dbGet [dbGet -p [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass coreTieLo].instTerms.net.allTerms.isInput 1].name

• Change the routing status of a net (for example, from FIXED to ROUTED)

dbSet [dbGet -p top.nets.name netName].wires.status route

• Get the status of the design

dbGet top.statusIoPlaced
dbGet top.statusPlaced
dbGet top.statusClockSynthesized
dbGet top.statusRouted
dbGet top.statusRCExtracted
dbGet top.statusPowerAnalyzed 

• List the layers used in a net

dbGet [dbGet -p top.nets.name netName].wires.layer.name

• Selecting Shield Nets of a net 

 dbSelectObj [dbget [dbget -p [dbGet -p top.nets.name $net].shieldNets.name GND].sWires.shieldNet.name $net -p2]

NOTE: $net is the net for which you want to select the shield.

• Find all instances of a certain cell type

dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.name cellName].name

• Determine the size of a cell in the library, but not necessarily in the current design

dbGet [dbGetCellByName cellName].size

• List the nets marked in the db as clock net

dbGet [dbGet -p top.nets.isClock 1].name

Note: Before running the previous command, build a timing graph using the timeDesign command.

• Set all instances with a particular pattern in the name to fixed status

dbSet [dbGet –p top.insts.name *clk*].pStatus fixed

• Get top and bottom routing layers for a route_type

​dbGet [dbGet -p head.routeTypes.name routeTypeName].topPreferredLayer.num
dbGet [dbGet -p head.routeTypes.name routeTypeName].bottomPreferredLayer.num

• Get database units

dbGet head.dbUnits

• Get the manufacturing grid

dbGet head.mfgGrid

• Get physical only cells such as filler cell, end cap cell, and so on

dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.isPhysOnly 1].name

• Report Dont Touch instances:

           dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.dontTouch true].name

• Report Dont Use cells in the database  

           dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.dontUse 1].name

• Report JTag elements:​

           dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.isJtagElem 1].name

• Report spare instances:

                     dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.isSpareGate 1].name

• Filter all PG pins with direction bidi of a specific instance

dbGet [dbGet -p [dbGet -p top.insts.name instName].pgCellTerms.inOutDir bidi].name

• Get PG pins connections of a specific instance

proc getInstPGConnect {c} {
   set inst [dbget -p top.insts.name $c]
   puts "PG connection of instance $c:"
 foreach PGT [dbget $inst.pgCellTerms.name] { 
   puts "\tPin : $PGT --> Net: [dbget [dbPGTermNet [dbGetPGTermByName $inst $PGT]].name]" }
}

• Get class and subClass of a cell

​dbGet [dbGetCellByName cellName].baseClass
dbGet [dbGetCellByName cellName].subClass

• Selecting all Macros/Blocks of a particular module (or Hierarchical instance)

selectInst [dbGet [dbGet top.hInst.allTreeInsts.cell.baseClass block -p2].name <specify_module_name> ]

• Get all the sequential cells of a particular module

​selectModule <module_name>
dbGet [dbGet selected.insts.cell.isSequential 1 -p2].name 

• Get the instname / cellname of the driver driving a specific net

set netName netName
set inst [dbGet [dbGet -p [dbGet -p top.nets.name $netName].allTerms.isOutput 1].inst]
Puts "Net: $netName, driving inst name: [dbGet $inst.name], driving cell name: [dbGet $inst.cell.name]"

• List all layers for the pin of a cell

dbGet [dbGet -p selected.cell.terms.name pinName].pins.allShapes.layer.extName

• Report points of the polygon that forms the die area

dbShape -output polygon [dbGet top.fPlan.boxes]

• Get Verilog module ports

dbGet [ dbGet -p1 top.hInst.allTreeInsts.name $moduleInstName].hInstTerms.hTerm.name

• To query top level term pin coordinates and layer number

lindex [dbGet [dbGet top.hinst.hinstTerms.term.name <pin_name> - p].pins.allShapes.shapes.rect] 0
dbGet [dbGet top.hinst.hinstTerms.term.name <pin_name>  -p].pins.allShapes.layer.num

• Query max_cap for a list of cells

cellPtrList [dbGet -p head.allCells.n ame BUF*]
foreach cellPtr $cellPtrList {puts "[dbGet $cellPtr.name] [dbFTermMaxCap [dbGet -p $cellPtr.terms.name termName] 1]"}

• Find all instances with a specify property name "myProp" (string property type) and value "xyzzy"

set inst_ptrs [dbGet -p top.insts.props {.name == "myProp" && .value == "xyzzy"]
Puts "Instances with property myProp and value xyzzy: [dbGet $inst_ptrs.name]"

• Find non-clock ports in a design

dbGet [dbGet -p [dbGet -p2 top.terms.net.isClock 0].isInput 1].name

• To get information on all tech sites in the design

dbGet head.sites.name
dbGet head.sites.size
dbIsTechSiteVDDOnBottom [dbGet head.sites.name <name> -p]

• Identify and report ‘physical only’ types of cells (well tap, tie hi/lo, filler, endcap/decap)

You can query the subclass for a cell to check whether it is welltap, tiehigh, tielow or end cap:

dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.subClass <subClassName>].name 

For example, to get names of well tap cells (specified as ‘CLASS CORE WELLTAP ‘ in LEF), you can use the following command:

dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.subClass coreWellTap].name

Similarly, to get names of tie high / tie low cells (specified as ‘CLASS CORE TIEHIGH’ or ‘CLASS CORE TIELOW’ in LEF), use the following command:

dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.subClass coreTieHigh].name

OR

dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.subClass coreTieLow].name

To report endcap cells (specified as ‘CLASS ENDCAP’ in LEF), use the following command:

dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.subclass coreEndCap*].name

Similarly, to query filler cells with ‘CLASS CORE SPACER’ in the LEF syntax, you can use the following command (similar to other physical-only cells): 

dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.subClass coreSpacer].name

• Print all module names in the design

foreach module_name [dbGet top.hInst.treeHInsts.cell.name] {
         Puts "$module_name"
  }

This will not include the top module name. To get the top module name, run the following command:

dbGet top.name

• Get all leaf cells used in the design

foreach leaf_name [dbGet -u top.insts.cell.name] {
            Puts "$leaf_name"
}

• Apply set_dont_touch on selected instances

Select the instances on which to apply set_dont_touch. For example, select all level-shifter instances with the "LS" prefix:

dbGet top.insts.name LS*

Then, run the following command:

foreach term [dbGet selected.instTerms.net.term –e] {
set_dont_touch [dbGet $term.net.name] true
}

• Skip routes hierarchical hard macro nets

proc skiproutesOnHmsNets {hmInstPattern} {
   deselectAll
   selectInst *$hmInstPattern*
   dbset selected.hinst.hnets.net.skipRouting 1
   deselectAll
}

• Removing nets over the Macros along with pitches and vias​

Incase some nets are routed over the Hard Macros, you can remove such nets along with pitches and vias using following command:

foreach c [dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.baseClass block].name] {             
 set j [dbGet -p top.insts.name $c ]                                          
 dbSelectObj  [dbQuery -area  [dbGet $j.box ] -objType regular]                                
 puts "Deleting object at [dbGet $j.box ] within Block [dbget $j.name]"
 editDelete -selected  -type Signal  -use SIGNAL                          
}

• Get the number of vias that are not power in a routed design

llength [dbGet [dbGet -p top.nets.isPwrOrGnd 0].vias]

• Break the DFM flow if metal fills are not added to design using run_pvs_metal_fill.

Include following set of command to break the script if metal fill is not added to design

puts "Checking if run_pvs_metal_fill successfully inserted metal fill shapes..."
   if {[dbGet [dbGet -p  top.nets.name _FILLS_RESERVED].sWires.shape fillwire] >= 0} {
          puts "db has metal fill - continuing..."
          set has_fill 1
    } else {
         puts "db has no metal fill - stopping dfm run..."
         set has_fill 0
       }

if {$has_fill < 1} {
  break
 } else {   .. < rest of of your script> 

• Report instance pin shape mask

You can use TCL procedure below to report the mask(color) of the instance pin:

proc pinColor {instPin layer} {
  if {![regexp $layer [dbGet [dbGet top.insts.instTerms.name $instPin -p].cellTerm.pins.allShapes.layer.name]]} {
      Puts "$instPin doesn't have pin shape on $layer"
  } else {
  dbGet [dbGet [dbGet top.insts.instTerms.name $instPin -p].cellTerm.pins.allShapes.layer.name $layer -p2].shapes.mask
  }
}

pinColor Ainst/o VIA1

• Report latency of all memories in the design 

Following script prints the latency of all memories with cell name *RAM* and clock pin name *CLK. You can change *RAM* with cell name of the desired memories, or as per your design.

set mem_pin [dbget [dbget top.insts.cell.name *RAM* -p2].instTerms.name *CLK]
foreach i $mem_pin {
        puts "$i [get_property [get_pins $i] actual_latency_late_rise_max]"
}

• Report all flop instances with reset pin connected to the supply

#  dentify all flops with reset tied directly to the vss rail
#  report total count, and each instname and cellname to an 
#  output file named 'flop_with_tied_rst.rpt'

proc findRstPinsTiedToRail{ $VSS_name $RSTport } {

  # don't echo dbGet, etc. to screen/log:
  setPreference CmdLogMode 1

  # output file name:
  set ofile "flop_with_tied_rst.rpt"
  set ecofp [ open $ofile w ]

  set cnt [llength [dbGet [dbGet [dbGet top.nets.name $VSS_name -p].instTerms.cellTerm.name $RSTport -p2 ].inst.name ]]
  set insts  [dbGet [dbGet [dbGet top.nets.name $VSS_name -p].instTerms.cellTerm.name $RSTport -p2 ].inst ]
  set cnt2 [llength $insts]

  puts $ecofp "Total: $cnt $cnt2"
  #foreach inst_ptr [dbGet [dbGet [dbGet top.nets.name $VSS_name -p].instTerms.cellTerm.name $RSTport -p2 ].inst ] 
  foreach inst_ptr $insts {
     set inst_name [dbGet $inst_ptr.name]
     set cell_ptr [dbInstCell $inst_ptr]
     set cell_name [dbGet $cell_ptr.name]
     set rst_port [dbGet $inst_ptr.instTerms.cellTerm.name $RSTport -p2]
     set net [dbGet $rst_port.net.name]
     puts $ecofp "$inst_name $cell_name "
  }

  close $ecofp
}

To get the status of a design:

encounter> dbGet top.?? status* // reports the list of status at particular stage
statusClockSynthesized: 0
statusGRouted: 0
statusIoPlaced: 1
statusPlaced: 1
statusPowerAnalyzed: 0
statusRCExtracted: 0
statusRouted: 1
statusScanOpted: 0

Example to check a particular value:

encounter> dbGet top.statusPlaced
1 // it shows design is placed

Note: The top.statusClockSynthesized flag is only for FE-CTS [setCTSMode -engine ck] not for CCOpt.

• Create SDP(structured data path) groups of clock gates and flops:

The following script will find the clock gates and the flops connected to the clk pin in the design and group them together using createSdpGroup

Script:
set clock_gates [dbget [dbget top.insts.cell.name *cgc* -p2].instTerms.name *clk -p2]​
foreach i $clock_gates {
## find clock net of the clock gate
  set clock_net [dbget $i.instTerms.name *clk -p]
  set sdp_group_name [string map {/ _} [join [dbget $i.name] ""]]
  set flops [dbget [dbget $clock_net.net.instTerms.isInput 1 -p].inst.name ]
  createSdpGroup -name $sdp_group_name -alignByPinName clk -inst $flops
}

Note: Please use cell name and clock pins name(cgc and clk used for example) as per the library specifications.

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