7.12 NETCONV

Name

netconv - Logical Netlist Conversion Utility

Synopsis

netconv projectfile

Description

The netconv utility program is used for transferring logical (i.e., unpacked) net list data from BAE ASCII format to internal Bartels AutoEngineer format ready for processing with the BAE Packager.

netconv accepts the net list file name projectfile as first argument. This file must have an extension of .net but this extension must not be included with the command line. netconv converts logical ASCII net list data from input file <projectfile>.net to a BAE logical net list with the name netlist in a DDB (Design DataBase) file named <projectfile>.ddb. This internal logical net list can be converted to a physical net list with the Packager, in the same way as information from the BAE schematic. It will, as a result, be possible to perform pin and gate swaps in the subsequent layout process.

Input File Format

Start Data, End Data, Comments

The net list file format must start with the keyword NETLIST; and must end with the keyword END.. Commentary text can be placed between /* and */.

Part list

The part list section is expected after the NETLIST command and must start with the keyword PARTS. Each part is defined by a command in the form

<part> : <llname> ;

where <part> is the part name (e.g., C1, R1, IC15, etc.), and <llname> is the logical library name of the part (e.g., 74LS08, OP_LM211, i80386sx, etc.).

Net List

The net list section is expected after the parts list and must start with the keyword CONNECT. Each net is defined by a command in the form

<part>.<pin>=<part>.<pin>=...=<part>.<pin>

and/or

/<net>/ <part>.<pin>=<part>.<pin>=...=<part>.<pin>

where <part> is the part name as defined in the part list, <pin> is the pin name of that part, and <net> is the net name.

Examples

ASCII net list (design.net):

NETLIST;
/* Part list */
PARTS
	ic1 : 74ls00;
	ic2 : 74ls00;
	c1 : c;
/* Net list */
CONNECT
	ic1.a = ic2.y;
	ic2.a = ic1.y;
	/vcc/ c1.1;
	/vss/ c1.2;
END.

To convert the logical ASCII net list design.net to an internal logical net list named netlist in BAE DDB file design.ddb:

>  netconv design 

The command above causes netconv to read the ASCII net list design.net, and store the net list named netlist to the job file design.ddb. After successful processing, the Packager can be used to convert this net list to a physical net list ready to be processed by the BAE Layout Editor.

See also

conconv, loglib, Packager.

Diagnosis

The error messages issued by netconv are intended to be self-explanatory.

Warnings

netconv converts logical net lists to the Bartels AutoEngineer. In cases where pin/gate swap or part name change is applied in the corresponding layout the physical net list data must be backannotated to the schematics, i.e., special tools might be required for transferring the assignments file information generated by BAE Backannotation back to the original SCM system.

Input file identifiers for part names, pin names or net names containing special characters (-, +, /, (, =, ...) must be enclosed in single-quotes or double-quotes.