6.3 Rule System Applications
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Bartels AutoEngineer® - User Manual6.3 Rule System Applications |
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A series of advanced Bartels AutoEngineer features are implemented through the integrated Neural Rule System. This chapter describes the rule system applications provided with the Schematic Editor and the PCB layout system.
Assigning the
scm_pin_drc rule on SCM sheet or project file level causes pins to be highlighted which only have a short single-segment connection. Usually such pins are highlighted to provide a function for fading out pins which are not to be connected. The
scm_pin_drc rule is defined in the
scm.rul rule definition file from the
User Language directory
(baeulc). The
scmrule User Language program supports rule assignments to SCM paln elements and/or project files.
scmrule can be called through
or through the
function from the
menu if
uifsetup is activated.
The antenna highlight mode can only be activated if the
scm.rul rule definition file (and thus the
scm_pin_drc rule) has been compiled with the Rule System Compiler
rulecomp.
rulecomp stores the compiled rules to the
brules.vdb file in the BAE programs directory. I.e., the rules are not saved with the design. When transferring the design onto a different computer, the
scm_pin_drc rule must be transferred to this computer as well; otherwise antenna highlight mode assignments won't work.
Assigning the
scm_bus_fill rule on SCM sheet level causes busses to be displayed and plotted in fill mode. The
scm_bus_fill rule is defined in the
scm.rul rule definition file from the
User Language directory
(baeulc). The
scmrule User Language program can be used for assigning rules to SCM elements. The
scmcon User Language program can be used for setting the desired bus display mode through the
and/or
option.
scmcon can be called through
or through the
function from the
menu if
uifsetup is activated.
The bus display mode can only be set if the
scm.rul rule definition file (and thus the
scm_bus_fill rule) has been compiled with the Rule System Compiler
rulecomp.
rulecomp stores the compiled rules to the
brules.vdb file in the BAE programs directory. I.e., the rules are not saved with the design. When transferring the design onto a different computer, the
scm_bus_fill rule must be transferred to this computer as well; otherwise bus display mode assignments won't work.
The function with the , and options from the submenu of the menu. can be used to assign text classes for display and/or plot visibility control. The option activates a dialog box for assigning text classes to mouse selectable texts. The option can be used on schematic plan level to fade-out texts of a specific text class from mouse-selectable symbols. The option can be used to fade-out all schematic plan level texts of a specific text class. Each text can be assigned to different text classes. A text is faded-out if one its assigned text classes is faded-out. Texts without text class assignment are always visible.
A total of up to 31 different text classes are supported. Text class names can be optionally specified in the
bae.ini file. The system assignes default text class names such as
Class 1,
Class 2 etc. if no text class names are defined in
bae.ini.
Text classes can be used to increase the legibility of schematic plans by fading out less significant (symbol) attributes.
The
scm_rot_vis_0,
scm_rot_vis_90,
scm_rot_vis_180 and
scm_rot_vis_270 from the
scm.rul rule definition file (see
User Language directory
baeulc). can be used to control text visibility on SCM symbol level depending on SCM symbol rotation on SCM sheet level. Texts with
scm_rot_vis_0 rule assignments are only displayed on symbols with zero degree placement rotation angle on SCM sheet level, etc. These rules can be used to place and/or display symbol name and attribute value texts depending on symbol rotation modes. The
and
options from the
scmrule User Language program can be used for easy text rotation visibility rule assignments on SCM symbol level.
creates four copies of the currently loaded symbol at 0, 90, 180 and 270 degree rotation angles, allowing for rotation-specific text editing.
copies the texts back to symbol and automatically attaches the corresponding rules to the modified texts.
scmrule can be called through
or through the
function from the
menu if
uifsetup is activated.
Rotation-specific text visibility modes mode can only be set if the
scm.rul rule definition file including the
scm_rot_vis_0,
scm_rot_vis_90,
scm_rot_vis_180 and
scm_rot_vis_270 rules have been compiled with the Rule System Compiler
rulecomp.
rulecomp stores the compiled rules to the
brules.vdb file in the BAE programs directory. I.e., the rules are not saved with the design. When transferring the design onto a different computer, the
scm_rot_vis_* rules must be transferred to this computer as well; otherwise text rotation visibility mode assignments won't work.
On default, graphics (graphic lines, dotted lines, graphic areas) on pin marker level are not plotted. However, the
scm_pin_marker_plot rule from the
scm.rul rule definition file in the
User Language directory
(baeulc) can be assigned to the currently loaded SCM sheet to force plot output of pin marker graphics. The
scmrule User Language program can be used for assigning rules to SCM elements.
The pin marker plot rule can only be set if the
scm.rul rule definition file (and thus the
scm_pin_marker_plot rule) has been compiled with the Rule System Compiler
rulecomp.
rulecomp stores the compiled rules to the
brules.vdb file in the BAE programs directory. I.e., the rules are not saved with the design. When transferring the design onto a different computer, the
scm_pin_marker_plot rule must be transferred to this computer as well; otherwise pin marker graphic plot requests won't work.
option are available in the submenu of the and functions from the menu. On default, all SCM elements except for comment texts and tag symbols are plotted. The option can be used to assign the attribute to other elements. Plot-disabled elements are displayed on screen using the color.
Plot visibility modes are saved with design variants, thus allowing for variant-specific plot outputs.
Part type specific graphics and texts can be defined by assigning rules containing
llnvis predicate value settings (Logical Library Name Visibility; for examples see the
layout_llname_* rules in the
layout.rul definition file of the User Language programs directory
baeulc) to documentary layer polygons and/or texts on layout part level. These part elements are only displayed on layout level if the
llnvis predicate value matches the part
$llname (Logical Library Name) attribute value. This, e.g., allows for the definition of footprints (e.g., SMD
s1206) with different insertion plan graphics for capacitors (e.g.,
$llname
c) and resistors (e.g.,
$llname
r).
The
rot0,
rot90,
rot180,
rot270,
mirroron and/or
mirroroff rules from the
partplc.rul rule definition file in the User Language directory
(baeulc) can be assigned to parts, padstacks or pads to define placement preferences such as rotation and/or mirror modes for these elements. These rules are automatically considered by the manual and autoplacement functions from the
Layout Editor and the
Autorouter. After compiling the
partplc.rul file with the Rule System Compiler
rulecomp, the
ldefmang User Language program can be used on part, padstack or pad level to set these rules.
The
lay_edit_wide_filled,
lay_edit_wide_outline and
lay_edit_wide_filldist rules from the
layout.rul rule definition file (see
User Language programs directory
baeulc) can be assigned to layouts to force unfilled or filled or filled wide trace segments display during manual routing. The
function from the
gedtrace User Language program can be used for assigning one of the trace edit display modes
(default trace segments line display),
(wide trace segments filled display),
(wide trace segments outline display),
(wide trace segments with minimum distance lines display) or
(wide trace segments with minimum distance lines display and DRC).
With , traces are displayed as with , however, a design rule check is activated during interactive routing, changing the distance line display color from trace color to white upon design rule violations. Elements of the currently processed net are excluded from the design rule check. The distance line indicates the DRC spacing between traces. I.e., it is possible for a distance line to cut a pad without a DRC error being displayed if the current trace to copper clearance setting is less than the trace to trace clearance setting.
gedtrace can be called through or through from the menu if uifsetup is activated.
Trace edit display modes can only be set if the
layout.rul rule definition file (and thus the
lay_edit_wide_filled
lay_edit_wide_outline rules) have been compiled with the Rule System Compiler
rulecomp.
rulecomp stores the compiled rules to the
brules.vdb file in the BAE programs directory. I.e., the rules are not saved with the design. When transferring the design onto a different computer, the trace edit display mode rules must be transferred to this computer as well; otherwise trace edit display mode assignments won't work.
A Layout Editor design rule check function for displaying valid via positions during manual routing can be activated with the function from the submenu of the The via check range is specified in multiples of the currently selected input grid, with valid via check ranges from 1 to 5. A via check range of 1 only checks the current grid point, a via check range of two includes all grid points adjacent to the current grid point, thus totalling the via check area to 9 grid points, etc. Valid via positions are indicated through a small white circle with a diameter equal to the width of the currently routed trace, but not exceeding 40 percent of the input grid width. The via check is deactivated if the input grid is disabled or if the option from the function is selected.
Assigning one of the
poly_dash1,
poly_dash2 or
poly_dash3 rules from the
polygon.rul rule definition file (see User Language directory
baeulc) to a documentary line cause the documentary line to be displayed in dash mode.
poly_dash1 creates standard mode dash lines.
poly_dash2 creates dashed lines with short line segments and long gaps.
poly_dash3 creates alternating short and long lines separated by short gaps. The
function from the
gedpoly User Language program can be used for assigning dash modes to documentary lines or for resetting any previously assigned dash modes through the
option.
gedgroup can be called through
or through the
function from the
menu if
uifsetup is activated.
Documentary dash line modes can only be set if the
polygon.rul rule definition file (and thus the
poly_dash1,
poly_dash2 and
poly_dash3 rules) have been compiled with the Rule System Compiler
rulecomp.
rulecomp stores the compiled rules to the
brules.vdb file in the BAE programs directory. I.e., the rules are not saved with the design. When transferring the design onto a different computer, the polygon dash rules must be transferred to this computer as well; otherwise documentary dash line mode assignments won't work.
The function from the submenu of the Layout Editor menu can be used to assign individual line widths to selectable documentary lines and split power plane areas. Polygon-specific line widths are considered by the display and plot functions. The default line width of zero displays lines with one pixel width and uses the standard line width when plotting polygon lines.
Split power plane line width settings are considered by the connectivity. Any drill hole intersecting or touching a split power plane line is isolated from the corresponding power layer.
The option from the submenu of the Layout Editor menu can be used to assign individual plot widths to selectable texts. Text-specific plot widths are considered by the display and plot functions. Default text plot width zero displays text with one pixel width and uses the standard line width when plotting texts.
The function from the submenu of the Layout Editor menu can be used for part height design rule assignments. The option is used to define part-specific DRC height offsets for selectable parts. The DRC height offset of a part is added to its keepout areas' height DRC specifications when performing part design rule checks. The vertical regions between the board surface and part-specific height DRC offsets is free for part placement, thus allowing to place parts underneath each other. The option can be used for selecting an alternate part to be excluded from the part height design rule check. This feature is useful for placing alternate parts at the same position for variable and/or exclusive insertion.
The function for assigning polygon heights (option ) and polygon height limits (option ) to selectable documentary layer keepout areas is provided with the submenu from the Layout Editor menu. Height specifications are usually assigned to keepout areas on part level whilst keepout area height limits are usually specified on layout level. Intersecting keepout areas with height specifications are treated like documentary distance violations.
Height DRC errors are indicated using a rectangle with diagonal lines. Keepout areas with non-zero height limits are not checked against each other, and the entry for displaying the number of height design rule check violations has been added to the report generated by the function from the Layout Editor menu.
The function from the submenu of the Layout Editor menu can be used to assign copper fill default nets to group-selected vias. The automatic copper fill functions (see chapter 4.6.8) connect isolated vias with copper fill net assignments to corresponding net-specific copper fill areas. I.e., this feature can be used to force the generation of heat-traps in otherwise plain net-specific copper fill areas. Copper fill net assignments for vias with existing physical trace or copper connections to signal nets are ignored by the automatic copper fill routines.
The submenu from the Layout Editor menu provides the and functions for assigning drill hole to power layer connection preferences. The function can be used on padstack level for selecting the power layer(s) occupied by mouse-selectable drill holes. The function can be used on padstack level for assigning power layer specific drill hole connection modes such as heat trap mode (default) or direct connection mode to mouse-selectable drill holes. Both functions allow for repeated drill hole selection and drill hole power layer settings assignment in a dialog box. User interfaces without dialog box support allow for power layer bit mask input.
Drill hole power layer and heat trap rule assignments are important for blind and buried via definitions and are considered by the facilities for connectivity generation, power layer display and CAM output.
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