Plots to file from schematic editor

How do people insert ciruits from Schematic Editor to their nice
reports????

I tried to plot my design to a .ps file and then convert it to .pdf
(then I can happily do whatever I want with it). Everything is fine,
but the plot in the file is in color (blue wires, red ransistors etc).
When printing later the report i nblack and white this schematics does
not look contrast.. Is there any option to print to file from Cadence
in black and white???

Regards, Alex

 

You need to modify your .cdsplotinit file

In general the color is defined in the
type statement of your printer.

for PS

Black and white :type=postscript1
Color :type=postscript2

for EPS

Black and white :type=epsfi
Color :type=epsfiC


Try the following setting for b&w eps,
this is a default printer, for a print to eps file
description in b&w.


EPS-BW|Encapsulated PostScript Black and White: \
:manufacturer=Adobe: \
:type=epsfi: \
:resolution#150: \
:maximumPages#1: \
aperSize="A0" 4883 6940 41 41: \
aperSize="A1" 3429 4883 41 41: \
aperSize="A2" 2400 3429 41 41: \
aperSize="A3" 1673 2400 41 41: \
aperSize="A4" 1159 1673 41 41: \
aperSize="Unlimited" 72000 0:

Bernd

 

Alexey> How do people insert ciruits from Schematic Editor to
Alexey> their nice reports????

Alexey> I tried to plot my design to a .ps file and then convert
Alexey> it to .pdf (then I can happily do whatever I want with
Alexey> it). Everything is fine, but the plot in the file is in
Alexey> color (blue wires, red ransistors etc). When printing
Alexey> later the report i nblack and white this schematics does
Alexey> not look contrast.. Is there any option to print to file
Alexey> from Cadence in black and white???

Alexey> Regards, Alex
Alex

You probably want to use the encapsulated postscript(EPS) printer. Run
plotconfig and select the Encapsulated Postscript and save the
..cdsplotinit. Then open ~/.cdsplotinit up in your favorite text
editor. Duplicate the section that describes the EPS printer. Change
the driver type to epsfC for color. If you want preview images in the
EPS, use epsfi and epsfiC, respectively.

For regular postscript printers use printer type postscript1 in
..cdsplotinit and output type 'psb' in the plotting form.

Hope this is not too confusing.

Satya

 

If you're going to use the EPS in Word, I'd recommend:

:type=epsfiC: \
:EPSPreviewType=TIFF: \

in your .cdsplotinit entry. The EPSPreviewType=TIFF means that Microsoft Word
can read it and display the picture on the screen, although when printed to a
PostScript printer, it will use the vector graphics in the PostScript file
rather than the TIFF preview image.

Regards,

Andrew.

 

If I need to insert schematic into MS Word document I plot it in HPGL
format. You can find HPGL graphic filter for MS Word in internet. You
also have to add (or unmask)an HPGL plotter in .cdsplotinit file.

 

Dear all,
For me, the insertion of circuit schematic into papers/reports is
always a pain. Usually what I do is, print the schematic into a file
(EPS format), then use Photoshop to convert the printed file into jpg
format and insert it to MS word. But this way, the picture quality
degrades. Also, as I remembered, EPS is recommended to be used in M$
word processor. So I'm wondering if there's a way we can print the
schematic directly into some kind of graphic format, like jpeg, tiff
or whatever...
thanks!
Jay

 

PS/EPS represents the schematic image as a series of lines, polygons, font
text, etc. When you convert it to JPEG the image is changed from lines to
pixels and compressed. This smooths out the sharp lines and adds what looks
like blur to the image. This is probably a result of the JPEG compression
itself and not the way you generated the image. Try converting to a GIF or
even better a PNG image in Photoshop instead. If you're using Windows then
you can take a screenshot with the "Print Screen" key, which writes an
uncompressed but high quality bitmap, and then that can be converted to PNG
to reduce the size of the Word document.

Frank

 

Hi Jay,

In theory it should be possible to set up "raptor" (covered in the plotting
documentation) to plot a CPIF file out of DFII which gets fed into raptor with
the PNG output filter to produce a PNG (portable network graphic) file.

It would need some (simple) scripts to make it all work. I've not tried this, at
least not recently, so I can't guarantee it would all work OK, but it ought to.

Note you do have the option of EPS with a TIFF preview as I mentioned in a
previous append in this thread (see google).

JPEG is not a good format because it is lossy. PNG is a lossless compressed
format (like GIF, but without the patent issues).

Andrew.

 

Thanks, Frank. I understand EPS is only good for vector based
drawings. I'm just wondering why Cadence didn't provide other file
format, which is actually very important for writing publications etc.
BTW, I used both M$ windows and Unix. I primarily use xv for the
screenshot purpose.
Best regards,
Jay

 

It has been a long time since I've touched this, but, maybe this
unfinished rough-draft quicknote in the Cadence AE archives may
be of some use to you. Please improve upon this & let the USENET
know your results if you do (so we all benefit from your effort).
John Gianni


****************************************************************************
How to plot an IC50 DFII layout,schematic,symbol,waveform to a file
suitable
for import into an editable Microsoft Word or Adobe FrameMaker
datasheet

Work in progress ... PLEASE IMPROVE!
Original version: 1.00 Thu Oct 24 19:18:46 2002 by John Gianni
Current revision: 1.10 (needs improvement ... please improve)
****************************************************************************
Note: Internal URLs and file locations are referenced herein; these
will NOT
work on the Internet (only on the Cadence intranet will they
work).
Suitable Internet URLs should be substituted wherever possible.
============================================================================
SECTION I: Install viewers for HPGL, PostScript, & EPS with TIFF
preview:
SECTION II: Install $HOME/.cdsplotinit for HPGL, PostScript, &
EPS/w/tiff:
SECTION III: Install IC50 generic process design kit (for
standardization):
SECTION IV: Plot all the symbols in the gpdk to HPGL, PS, & EPS
datafiles:
SECTION V: Import HPGS, PS, & EPS datafiles into Microsoft Word
datasheets:
SECTION VI: Import HPGS, PS, & EPS datafiles into Adobe FrameMaker
datasheets:
SECTION VII: Mounting UNIX directories onto a PC running Microsoft
Office:
============================================================================
Contributors:
============================================================================
SECTION I: Install viewers for HPGL, PostScript, & EPS with TIFF
preview:
============================================================================
1. OPTIONAL: Install any of a number of HPGL viewers on your UNIX
workstation:

For example pick up the (free timed trial) SwiftView HPGL viewer
at:
http://www.swiftview.com/sview1.htm
Press "Download" (
http://www.swiftview.com/dload/dlmain.htm )
Select your desired Windows or UNIX binary package.
e.g., for Sun Solaris, I'd choose:
http://www.swiftview.com/dload/dlstruct.htm?dlwhat=sv_solar
Add the binary 'sview' file to your UNIX path.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. OPTIONAL: Install any PostScript viewer on your UNIX workstation:

For example:
http://www.adobe.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. OPTIONAL: Install any EPS (w/TIFF) viewers on your UNIX
workstation:

For example:
???
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
============================================================================
SECTION II: Install $HOME/.cdsplotinit for HPGL, PostScript, &
EPS/w/tiff:
============================================================================
1. Add an entry to your $HOME/.cdsplotinit file for HPGL color
plotting:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
############################################################################
# Begin $HOME/.cdsplotinit with three color plot to file file formats
defined.
# 1. Color HPGL (for import into Word 2000 with MS HPGL-import
filters);
# 2. Color PS (suitable for import into Microsoft Word with pstoedit
filters);
# 3. Color EPS (suitable for import into MS Word with a TIFF preview).
# Original Version: 1.00 October 25, 2002 by John Gianni
# Current Revision: 1.02
# Note: Tested with the Cadence generic PDK (IC50) 180nm & 90m CDK.
# Note: Plot display vs colorplot === display.drf display vs colorplot
section.
# Q: How can one reload a changed cdsplotinit w/o killing & restarting
DFII?
############################################################################
file_HGL|HPGL2|Hewlett-Packard 7510: \
:manufacturer=Hewlett-Packard: \
:type=hp7510: \
:resolution#1000: \
:maximumPages#1: \
:black#1:cyan#1:magenta#1:yellow#1:blue#1:red#1:green#1:white#1:
\
aperSize="A_potrait" 8000 11000:\
en=1,(0,0,0),20,3.000000:\
en=2,(0,0,0),20,3.000000:\
en=3,(0,0,0),20,3.000000:\
en=4,(0,0,0),20,3.000000:\
en=5,(0,0,0),20,3.000000:\
en=6,(0,0,0),20,3.000000:
############################################################################
# End of Cadence standard HPGL/PS/EPS color plot to file
~/.cdsplotinit file.
############################################################################
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Add an entry to your $HOME/.cdsplotinit file for PS color plotting:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
############################################################################
# Color PS suitable for import into MS Word or Adobe FrameMaker (w
filters):
Tektronix|Tektronix Phaser III PXi: \
:spool=lpr -Ptek: \
:query=lpq -Ptek: \
:remove=lprm -Ptek $3: \
:manufacturer=Tektronix: \
:type=postscript2: \
:maximumPages#30: \
:resolution#300: \
aperSize="A" 2405 3165 86 66: \
aperSize="B" 3165 4953 86 66:
# Q: Why does this PS entry only create yellow CDK090 schematics?
############################################################################
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Add an entry to your $HOME/.cdsplotinit file for EPS/tiff color
plotting:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
############################################################################
# Color EPS suitable for import into MS Word & see a TIFF preview
online:
############################################################################
EPSPreview|Encapsulated Postscript: \
:manufacturer=Adobe: \
:type=epsfiC: \
:EPSPreviewType=TIFF: \
:EPSPreviewTIFFCprt="": \
:EPSPreviewType=none: \
:EPSPreviewByteOrder=BigEndian: \
:EPSPreviewCompAlg=none: \
:EPSPreviewTIFFStripCnt#1: \
:EPSPreviewTIFFTS: \
:EPSPreviewTIFFHost: \
:EPSPreviewInvert: \
:resolution#300: \
:maximumPages#1: \
aperSize="Unlimited" 72000 72000: \
aperSize="A" 2400 3150 75 75: \
aperSize="B" 3150 4950 75 75: \
aperSize="24 inches wide" 0 9408: \
aperSize="36 inches wide" 0 7040:
# Q: Why does this PS entry not create a MS Word TIFF preview image?
############################################################################
============================================================================
SECTION III: Install IC50 generic process design kit (for
standardization):
============================================================================
1. Obtain the latest Cadence generic process design kit (180nm, 90nm,
etc.):

a) Either pick it up from the web site:

csh% mkdir -p $HOME/testdir/share/lib/gpdk_1p7
csh% cd !$
csh% netscape 'http://www.cadencepdk.com' &
I downloaded (October 2002) the following file into this
directory:
baseline_gpdk_rev1.7_071902.tar.Z
csh% uncompress baseline_gpdk_rev1.7_071902.tar.Z
csh% tar -xvf baseline_gpdk_rev1.7_071902.tar

b) Or pick it up from the share directory of an IC50MSR:
csh% mkdir -p $HOME/testdir/share/lib/gpdk_1p7
csh% cd !$
csh% source /net/hotfix/cds/dotfiles/.cshrc
csh% IC50ISR
csh% cds_root icfb
Reported: /net/hotfix/apps3/cds/IC50ISR_sun4v
csh% icfb -W
Reported: sub-version 5.0.0.500.19
csh% view `cds_root icfb`/share/gpdk/REVISION
Reported: ... revision 1.7 07/18/2002 ...
csh% rcp -r `cds_root icfb`/share/gpdk .

c) Create a design directory and a cds.lib pointing to the gpdk:
csh% mkdir -p $HOME/testdir/design/custom
csh% cd !$
csh% vi cds.lib
DEFINE gpdk ../../share/lib/gpdk_1p7/gpdk
csh% icfb &
============================================================================
SECTION IV: Plot all the symbols in the gpdk to HPGL, PS, & EPS
datafiles:
============================================================================
1. Open up any layout or schematic or symbol & plot the library
cellviews:
csh% icfb &
CIW: File->Open->Library Name=gpdk Cell Name=nmos View
Name=symbol
SCH: Design->Plot->Submit
This brings up the "Submit Plot" (SP) form:
+------------------------------------------------------+
| Submit Plot |
+------------------------------------------------------+
| Plot (o)library ( )cellview ( )viewing area |
| Library Name: gpdk |
| View Name List: symbol [Browse] |
| Plot With [ ]header [ ]notes [ ]grid/axes |
| Note: <leave blank> |
| Template File: <leave blank> [ Load ] [ Save ] |
| Plotter Name: No Plotters |
| Paper Size: No Size Total Pages -1 Copies 1 |
| Plot To File: Not Selected |
+------------------------------------------------------+
| [ Plot Options ] |
+------------------------------------------------------+
Set the SP form to the values shown above & hit the PLOT
OPTIONS
button to bring up the "Plot Options" (PO) form.
+------------------------------------------------------+
| Plot Options |
+------------------------------------------------------+
| Display Type: [colorplot] Image Position |
| Plotter Name: [No Plotters] |
| Paper Size: [no Size] |
| Orientation: ( )portrait ( )landscape (o)automatic|
+------------------------------------------------------+
| Scale: <default> [x]Center Plot [x]Fit to Page |
| Plot Size: <default> X <default> [inches] |
| Offset: <default> X <default> |
| Total Plot Size: 8.0000 X 4.3141 |
| Plot To File: Not Selected Total Pages -1 |
+------------------------------------------------------+
| Number of Copies [1] Local Tmp Directory: /usr/tmp |
| [ ]Queue Plot Data At [10]:[00][PM][Monday] |
| [x]Send Plot Only To File: /tmp/plot.hgl |
| [ ]Mail Log To: <blank> |
+------------------------------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------Snip--------< Cut here for the next related file

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+


2. Open an existing layout or schematic design using the tsmc18rf PDK
File->Open->fullchip/eaglet/layout
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Run the plot commands to plot to the HPGL2 printer:
VIRTUOSO: Design->Plot->Submit
[Plot Options]
Display Type: colorplot or display
Plotter Name: HPGL2
[x]Send Plot Only To File:
/tmp/filename.hpgl

Note: In my test, 'colorplot' files were 1/2 the size (40 Mbytes)
of
'display' plot files (80 Mbytes) for our eaglet full-chip
layout
where Eaglet is a million-instance large digital design.

Note: In my test, I only saw black & white plots (in sview) with
the
CDS.log warning messages:
hiFormDone(schPlotSubmitForm)
Start Plotting ...
plotServ 7.01, build c, 01.01, static
"amsPLL NAND2S1 schematic" to file "/tmp/plot.hpl"

*WARNING* The display packet information
'red' for 'colorplot' was not found.
*WARNING* The display packet information
'green' for 'colorplot' was not found.
*WARNING* The display packet information
'graysolid_S' for 'colorplot' was not found.
*WARNING* The display packet information
'redsolid_S' for 'colorplot' was not found.
*WARNING* The display packet information
'orange' for 'colorplot' was not found.
*WARNING* The display packet information
'blacksolid_S' for 'colorplot' was not found.
*WARNING* The display packet information
'hilite' for 'colorplot' was not found.
*WARNING* The display packet information
'hilite4' for 'colorplot' was not found.
.... End Plotting
Successfully plotted 1 cellviews
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. On the PC, start up Microsoft Word 2000:
Start->Run->winword.exe

4. Take note of the score of import formats available to Microsoft
Word 2000:

Note: If you see "HP Graphics Language (*.hgl, *.plt)", you already
have the necessary Microsoft Word import filter installed.

MSWORD: Insert->Picture->From File->
Files of Type:
Enhanced Metafile (*.emf)
Windows Metafile (*.wmf)
JPEG File Interchange Format (*.jpg, *.jpeg, *.jpe)
Portable Network Graphics (*.png)
Windows Bitmap (*.bmp, *.dib, *.rle, *bmz)
Graphics Interchange Format (*.gif, *.gfa)
Compressed Enhanced Windows Metafile (*.emz)
Compressed Windwos Metafile (*.wmz)
Compresed Macintosh PICT (*.pcz)
Kodak Photo CD (*.pcd)
PC Paintbrush (*.pcx)
CorelDraw (*.cdr)
Computer Graphics Metafile (*.cgm)
Encapsulated PostScript (*.eps)
FPX Format (*.fpx)
WordPerfect Graphics (*.wpg)
Tag Image File Format (*.tif, *.tiff)
Macintosh PICT (*.pct, *.pict)
Picture It! Format (*.mix)
ImportPS: PostScript/PDF import filter (*.ps, *.pdf)

5. Download the "Bit Filter for Importing HPGL Graphics" from
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q196/5/06.asp
or search for "Hpgl32.exe" from the Microsoft Support site or
from
the Microsoft Download Center.

My search on October 25, 2002 found the 167KB executable at a page
titled:
WD: 32-Bit Filter for Importing HPGL Graphics
with the text of:
Microsoft Word 97 and Word 2000 do not include a filter for
importing
HPGL format graphics files. However, a 32-bit HPGL filter now
available
from Microsoft Product Support Services can be used with all
32-bit
versions of Microsoft Word. This file is supplied ot allow you
to
import HPGL graphics files into Word 97 opr later versions (or
any
other program that uses the common 32-bit graphics filters).
The HPGL filter does not ship with Word 97 pr later versions.

Copy the graphic filter file (HPGLIM32.FLT) to the folder
containing
the Microsoft Shared application files, usually
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Grphflt, which in my
case,
already contained the following files:
c:\ dir
REPORTS: Directory of C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\MICROS~1\GRPHFLT
12/10/1999 03:03p 86,016 BMPIMP32.FLT
09/23/1998 06:22p 77,824 EPSIMP32.FLT
01/19/1999 02:03p 274,432 GIFIMP32.FLT
12/07/1998 03:42p 278,528 JPEGIM32.FLT
08/19/1997 07:37a 2,102 MS.BMP
08/19/1997 07:37a 15,067 MS.EPS
08/19/1997 07:37a 1,069 MS.GIF
08/19/1997 07:37a 1,061 MS.JPG
08/19/1997 07:37a 2,650 MS.TIF
01/19/1999 02:03p 131,072 PICTIM32.FLT
12/07/1998 03:42p 229,376 TIFFIM32.FLT
08/31/1998 03:05p 36,864 WMFIMP32.FLT
12 File(s) 1,136,061 bytes
2 Dir(s) 305,058,816 bytes free

When you install the HPGL filter, you'll have another file named:
07/20/1995 12:00a 243,712 hpglim32.flt

One way to install a registry file:
Start->Run->regedit
REGEDIT: Registry->Import Registry File->hpgl.reg

One way to start MS Word:
Start->Run->winword

You should see the message:
+---------------------------------------------------+
| Importing \\machine\share\filename.hpgl |
| ImageStream(tm) Graphics and Presentation Filters |
| HPGL Import - Version 1.9.11 |
+---------------------------------------------------+

Double-clicking on that executable expanded the file into three
files:
readme.txt
hpgl.reg
hpglim32.flt

The contents of the registry file was as follows:
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDlls]
"C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Microsoft
Shared\\Grphflt\\HPGLIM32.FLT"=dword:00000003

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\HPGL]
"Path"="C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Microsoft
Shared\\Grphflt\\HPGLIM32.FLT"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\HPGL\Clients]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Graphics
Filters\Import\HPGL]
"Path"="C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Microsoft
Shared\\Grphflt\\HPGLIM32.FLT"
"Extensions"="hgl plt"
"Name"="HP Graphics Language"

The contents of the readme file was as follows:
HPGL FILTER FOR USE WITH 32-BIT VERSIONS OF MICROSOFT WORD.

This filter can be used with all 32-bit versions of Microsoft Word.
The HPGL filter does not ship with Word 97 or later. This filter can
be
used with Word after performing the following steps to install the
filter on your system:

1. Double-click on the file HPGL.EXE to extract the necessary files
for
installing the HPGL filter.

2. Copy the graphic filter file (HPGLIM32.FLT) to the folder
containing
the Microsoft Shared application files, usually
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Grphflt. (If your
graphics filters are located in a different folder, you will need
to
copy the file to your shared files folder and edit the HPGL.REG
file
to indicate the correct location. - See the section "Editing the
HPGL.REG File" for details before proceeding with step 3.)

3. Double-click on the HPGL.REG. This will create the necessary
entries
in the Windows registry for the HPGL filter to work with the 32-bit
Microsoft Office applications.

4. If Microsoft Word was running while the information in the HPGL.REG
file was registered, you will need to exit Word and restart Word,
and may also need to restart Windows before the filter can be used.


EDITING THE HPGL.REG FILE

1. Open the HPGL.REG file using a text editor, such as NotePad.

2. Replace all occurrences of "C:\\Program Files\\Common Files
\\Microsoft Shared\\Grphflt\\HPGLIM32.FLT" with the path you copied
the HPGLIM32.FLT file to. Be sure to include two backslashes
between
all folder names and the filename as in the current entries.

3. Save your changes and exit the text editor.


4. In Powerpoint (or in word or excel), Insert->Picture->From File,
Select
the file name(here pray.hpgl) . Select "HP Graphics Language" in
'Convert File' window. It's done !


If you don't want to add the above .cdsplotinit entry and would like
to use
your existing postscript entry (type=postscriptn), please follow the
steps
below ( note that "type=postscript2" is used to get color print
and
"type=postcript1" is for B&W) :

1. Open the layout/schematic design and plot the view into a file
(e.g
pray.ps) selecting the postscript plotter/plotter.

3. Download GSview to convert the postscript file into hpgl file
format
from http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/gsview/get40.htm or download
gsv40w32.exe from directory
ftp://mirror.cs.wisc.edu/pub/mirrors/ghost/ghostgum/

4. Using GSview, open the postscript file (pray.ps).
Click on Edit->'Convert to vector format' and select
"hpgl: HPGL code" and create new file
(e.g pray_conv.hpgl) to convert it into hpgl format.

5. In Powerpoint (or in word or excel), Insert->Picture->From File,
Select the
file name(here pray_conv.hpgl) . Select "HP Graphics Language"
in
'Convert File' window. It's done !

Note: Another way to import a PostScript file 'directly' into
Microsoft
Word is to purchase for $40.oo US dollars, the WinTel "Importps"
filter
by Wolfgang Glunz which "allows the import of PostScript or PDF
files into programs that support the ALDUS import filter
interface,
such as Microsoft Office, PSP, PhotoLine, and many others":
http://www.pstoedit.com/importps
Note: I ordered this software on a Friday, but the key didn't
arrive
for two days so do not wait until the last minute. The
demo
version of the sofware distorts the colors (e.g., black
lines
become PURPLE lines, for example).

This apnote is a work in progress; please improve!

--

John Gianni
This post like all my posts is a PERSONAL (and not my employer's)
opinion!
This email address is a spam-trap and is never read. Use my official
email
address to contact me (it's not hard to find as I've posted thousands
of
times using it in the past, but now I get thousands of spams daily as
a
result of those past transgressions).

 

All, thank you so much. This is really a great NG.
Andrew, I did read your post and am actually using your method now.
John, thanks a lot for your effort. I've saved a copy of your work.
I'm afraid I can't do it now. Once I get more spare time, I'll play
around with it and post back what I get on this NG.
Jay

 

John> It has been a long time since I've touched this, but, maybe
John> this unfinished rough-draft quicknote in the Cadence AE
John> archives may be of some use to you. Please improve upon this
John> & let the USENET know your results if you do (so we all
John> benefit from your effort). John Gianni


John> ****************************************************************
John> How to plot an IC50 DFII layout,schematic,symbol,waveform to
John> a file suitable for import into an editable Microsoft Word
John> or Adobe FrameMaker datasheet

John> Work in progress ... PLEASE IMPROVE! Original version: 1.00
John> Thu Oct 24 19:18:46 2002 by John Gianni Current revision:
John> 1.10 (needs improvement ... please improve)
John> ***************************************************************
John> Note: Internal URLs and file locations are referenced
John> herein; these will NOT work on the Internet (only on the
John> Cadence intranet will they work). Suitable Internet URLs
John> should be substituted wherever possible.
John> ===============================================================
John> SECTION I: Install viewers for HPGL, PostScript, & EPS with
John> TIFF preview: SECTION II: Install $HOME/.cdsplotinit for
John> HPGL, PostScript, & EPS/w/tiff: SECTION III: Install IC50
John> generic process design kit (for standardization): SECTION
John> IV: Plot all the symbols in the gpdk to HPGL, PS, & EPS
John> datafiles: SECTION V: Import HPGS, PS, & EPS datafiles into
John> Microsoft Word datasheets: SECTION VI: Import HPGS, PS, &
John> EPS datafiles into Adobe FrameMaker datasheets: SECTION VII:
John> Mounting UNIX directories onto a PC running Microsoft
John> Office: <snip>
John> =============================================================
John> Contributors:
John> =============================================================
John> preview online:
John> #############################################################
John> EPSPreview|Encapsulated Postscript: \ :manufacturer=Adobe: \
John> :type=epsfiC: \ :EPSPreviewType=TIFF: \
John> :EPSPreviewTIFFCprt="": \ :EPSPreviewType=none: \
John> :EPSPreviewByteOrder=BigEndian: \ :EPSPreviewCompAlg=none: \
John> :EPSPreviewTIFFStripCnt#1: \ :EPSPreviewTIFFTS: \
John> :EPSPreviewTIFFHost: \ :EPSPreviewInvert: \ :resolution#300:
John> \ :maximumPages#1: \ aperSize="Unlimited" 72000 72000: \
John> aperSize="A" 2400 3150 75 75: \ aperSize="B" 3150 4950
John> 75 75: \ aperSize="24 inches wide" 0 9408: \
John> aperSize="36 inches wide" 0 7040: # Q: Why does this PS
John> entry not create a MS Word TIFF preview image? <snip>

Is there any document listing all the available options in
..cdsplotinit? For example I couldn't find :EPSPreviewType=TIFF: in any
Cadence documentation. I was using EPS without preview until Andrew
posted a message with the above message.

Thanks
Satya

 

Yes, it should be documented. I filed a PCR to ask for EPSPreviewType to be
documented.

There is a sourcelink solution for it, at least.

Andrew.

 

I hope you won't consider this as inappropriate, but I feel I should
make you guys aware of our (commercial) ps2vector software - we have a
number of Cadence users amongst our clients. It's a small tool
available on Windows, Linux and UNIX platforms that batch converts
(E)PS files to a number of graphics file formats for scalable and
editable import into common documentation/publishing systems:

- WMF for MS Word and PowerPoint
- MIF for Adobe FrameMaker
- CGM for SGML/IETM/PDM systems
- SVG for XML and the Web
- DXF for reuse in CAD

(there's also a ps2bitmap module to produce TIFF, GIF, JPEG raster
image formats at any resolution)

Focusing on MS Word, which seems to be the most common requirement:
once converted to WMF, you can bring your schematics into your
document via Insert... Picture...From file... WMF is a vector format
native to Word, meaning that
* you can scale the image to fit your document without losing quality
* the schematic will display at optimal quality on any size/resolution
screen and at any zoom level
* the schematic will print at the printer's native (maximum)
resolution, also to non-PostScript printers
* you can fully edit lines, text strings and their attributes using
the Word drawing tools

These qualities are lost when resorting to screen capture and other
raster image solutions.

The software has been helping engineers with this since 1995. In
electronics design environments, it is typically deployed on a UNIX
server (Solaris, HP-UX, AIX) for workgroup use, and/or scripted via
the command line to automatically convert new PS files. If interested,
the quickest way to give it a try is to send me a sample PS or EPS
file from Cadence (or any other technical application, for that
matter) via email. I'll send it back in the file format(s) you
specify.

Hope we can help.

Jeroen Dekker

 

I use raptor to feed a bit image directly to our HP printer. This makes
for fast plots on a plotter and is way faster than drawn postscript. I
will look at the interface tomorrow at work. It should just require
specifying another option to raptor.

 

A word to this is that when printing a word document with the PDFWriter,
the TIFF image is used instead of the PS vectors. I have to use the
more resource eating Distiller in order to get a true postscript into
the PDF from Word.

 

Latex (miktex on win) and makefiles.
This is not a qualified tool in my company, so I have to move everything
to word when I want to offer something to my colleagues. There are some
tools converting latex to other output formats, latex2html and
latex2rtl, that make me able to provide fairly usable reports.

pdflatex give excellent plots of the included ps files from cadence. You
can zoom your pdf to 1600% and get all the details (Ever had a crowded
schematic with w's and l's and m's and whatever cadence want to show
you?) and still have a PDF that is within acceptable size limits. (A
300dpi TIFF preview take loads of space.)

My only problem is to give the plots a reasonable name. I have plot to
file as default in my template, and the filename is mostly schematic.ps.
I then have to move the schematic.ps to something else with unix
commandos from within the Makefiles. I really do want to keep old plots
around for a while in order to avoid computer amnesia, but I only want
to include the latest plots in my reports.

 

Hi,
i wondered if anybody wrote a "printer" in .cdsplotinit to get pdf out of cadence?
How do i specify a post-processing (ps2pdf) to convert the ps to a pdf?
Regards, Harald

 

Harold:
You can use something like the following to output ps files in SKILL
and then follow up the print by running ps2pdf.


;schematic or symbol plot
when((member(cvId~>viewName list("schematic" "symbol")) &&
needsupdate == 1)

;set plot options
schPlotOptions = '(nil
stopcells ""
ignorelibs ""
hierarchy nil
hierleveldown 0
area "whole"
multisheet nil
plot "cellview"
noteText ""
grid nil
indexsheet t
notes nil
header t
plotToFile t
plotterType "postscript2"
papersize "A"
plotter "Generic 600 dpi Adobe PostScript
Level 2 Plotter"
display "display"
time "now"
tmpdir "/usr/tmp"
copy 1
offset (0.0 0.0)
unit "inches"
center t
mail nil
mailto ""
orientation "automatic"
)

schPlotOptions->view=eval(cvId~>viewName)
schPlotOptions->cell=eval(cvId~>cellName)
schPlotOptions->library=eval(cvId~>libName)
schPlotOptions->bBox=cvId~>bBox
schPlotOptions->viewlist=eval(cvId~>viewName)
schPlotOptions->outputfile=sprintf(nil
"/usr/tmp/%s:%s:%s.ps" cvId~>libName cvId~>cellName cvId~>viewName)

;plot schematic
schPlot()

) ; when

;layout plot
when(cvId~>viewName == "layout" && needsupdate == 1

;set plot options
lePlotOptions = '(nil
area "whole"
plot "cellview"
noteText ""
notes nil
header t
plotToFile t
plotterType "postscript2"
papersize "A"
plotter "Generic 600 dpi Adobe PostScript
Level 2 Plotter"
display "display"
time "now"
tmpdir "/usr/tmp"
copy 1
center t
mailto ""
mail nil
orientation "automatic"
scale 1.0
plotsize (8.0 9.9)
offset (0.0 0.0)
unit "inches"
gridMultiple 5
gridSpacing 1.000000
gridType "None"
stopLevel 64
startLevel 0
arrayDisplay "Full"
instName "instance"
pathCL "yes"
drawAxesOn nil
iconsOn nil
)

lePlotOptions->view=eval(cvId~>viewName)
lePlotOptions->cell=eval(cvId~>cellName)
lePlotOptions->library=eval(cvId~>libName)
lePlotOptions->outputfile=sprintf(nil
"/usr/tmp/%s:%s:%s.ps" cvId~>libName cvId~>cellName cvId~>viewName)

;plot layout
lePlot()
) ; when

 

These are my .cdsplotinit entries for postscript

EPSI_bw|Encapsulated Postscript Image Black and White:\
:manufacturer=Adobe: \
:type=epsfi: \
:resolution#600: \
:maximumPages#1: \
aperSize="A" 4800 6300 75 75:

EPSI_c|Encapsulated Postscript Image Color: \
:manufacturer=Adobe: \
:type=epsfiC: \
:resolution#600: \
:maximumPages#1: \
aperSize="A" 4800 6300 75 75:

This is my .cdsplotinit for a script that runs the cadence raptor
program to get an HP rasterized RTL file

hpjetd_c|HP Office Jet D Color: \
:manufacturer=Hewelett Packard PCL:\
:type=intCLR:\
:sh:sf:maximumPages#4: \
:spool=/cad/cadence/config/bin/cdsPCL.sh


The file cdsPCL.sh is (comments removed)
---
PATH="/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/ucb:/cad/cadence/ic50/tools/plot/bin"
export PATH

file=/var/tmp/cadPlot$$
# capture stdin
cat - > $file
raptor -m mono -f RTL $file | lpr -P$1
rm $file