Name
conconv - Connections Conversion Utility
Synopsis
conconv projectname libraryfile
Description
The
conconv utility program is used for transferring ASCII net list data to the
Bartels AutoEngineer. Supported net list formats are BARTELS, CALAY, MARCONI, and RACAL. Net lists from other systems can often be written in one of these formats providing a convenient link between other schematic systems and the powerful BAE layout facilities.
conconv accepts the net list file name
projectname
as first argument. This file must have an extension of
.con
but this extension must not be included with the command line.
conconv accepts the layout library file name
libraryfile
as second argument. This file must have an extension of
.ddb
but this extension must not be included with the command line. The
libraryfile
is expected to be in BAE DDB (Design DataBase) format and must contain the layout part definitions referenced from the net list.
conconv reads the ASCII net list
<projectname>.con
and checks all net list layout symbols with the corresponding entries in the layout library
<libraryfile>.ddb
.
conconv generates the design file
<projectname>.ddb
and a free list named
<projectname>.fre
. The free list contains an unconnected pins report. After successful processing, an internal physical net list will exist in the design file named
<projectname>.ddb
. A layout element can then be created in that design file, parts placed and traces routed.
Input File Format
Start Data, End Data, Comments
The net list file format must start with the
LAYOUT
command and must end with the keyword
END.
. Commentary text can be placed between
/*
and
*/
. The formal syntax of the LAYOUT
command is:
LAYOUT <elementname> ;
where
<elementname>
is the name of the net list and/or layout element to be created in the destination file.
Part List
The part list section is expected after the
LAYOUT
command and must start with the keyword
PARTS
. Each part is defined by a command in the form
<part> : <plname> ;
where
<part>
is the part name (e.g.,
C1
,
R1
,
IC15
, etc.), and <plname> is the physical library name of the package (e.g.,
DIL14
,
SO20
, etc.).
Net List
The net list section is expected after the parts list. Different net list formats are supported. A keyword preceding the net list information is used to designate the net list format type
(CONNECT
for Bartels AutoEngineer format,
CALAY
for CALAY format,
RACAL
for RACAL format,
MARCONI
for MARCONI format). Each net in the
Bartels AutoEngineer format 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. The BAE net list format supports optional net attribute definitions to be specified after the
"/<net>/"
command in the following form:
PRIORITY(<prior>) MINDIST(<dist>) ROUTWIDTH(<width>)
The net attributes are used for controlling the Autorouting process.
<prior>
is the net-specific routing priority,
<dist>
is the net-specific minimum distance, and
<width>
is the net-specific routing width. With each pin a pin-specific routing width can be defined optionally; this value must be enclosed in parentheses behind the
<pin>
specification.
<prior>
must be in positive integer units (the greater the value the higher the routing priority), all other net attribute values are assumed to be in positive mm units.
Each net in the CALAY format is defined by a command in the form
<part>(<pin>),<part>(<pin>),...,<part>(<pin>)
and/or
/<net> <part>(<pin>),<part>(<pin>),...,<part>(<pin>)
The CALAY format supports optional pin-specific routing widths (in mm units). The pin routing width specification must follow the
<pin>
definition and must be separated from
<pin>
by a comma character
(,
).
Each net in the RACAL format is defined by a command in the form
.ADD_TER <part> <pin> <net>
.TER <part> <pin>
<part> <pin>
:
<part> <pin>
The RACAL net list must end with the keyword
.END
.
Each net in the Marconi format is defined by a command in the form
<part> <pin> <part> <pin> ... <part> <pin> ; <net> /
Examples
Net list
(design.con
) in
Bartels AutoEngineer format:
LAYOUT board;
PARTS
c1 : cap50;
c2 : cap75;
r1 : res;
t1 : tebc;
CONNECT
/net1/ c2.2=t1.3;
/net2/ c1.2(0.4)=t1.2=r1.2;
/gnd/ PRIORITY(2) MINDIST(0.4) t1.1=c1.1(0.4);
/vcc/ PRIORITY(1) ROUTWIDTH(0.5) c2.1=r1.1;
END.
Net list
(design.con
) in CALAY format:
LAYOUT board;
PARTS
c1 : cap50;
c2 : cap75;
r1 : res;
t1 : tebc;
CALAY
/net1 c2(2),t1(3);
/net2 c1(2,0.4),t1(2),r1(2);
/gnd t1(1),c1(1,0.4);
/vcc c2(1,0.5),r1(1,0.5);
END.
Net list
(design.con
) in RACAL format:
LAYOUT board;
PARTS
c1 : cap50;
c2 : cap75;
r1 : res;
t1 : tebc;
RACAL
.ADD_TER c2 2 net1
.TER t1 3
.ADD_TER c1 2 net2
.TER t1 2
r1 2
.ADD_TER t1 1 gnd
.TER c1 1
.ADD_TER c2 1 vcc
.TER r1 1
.END
END.
Net list
(design.con
) in MARCONI format:
LAYOUT board;
PARTS
c1 : cap50;
c2 : cap75;
r1 : res;
t1 : tebc;
MARCONI
c2 2 t1 3 ; net1 /
c1 2 t1 2 r1 2 ; net2 /
t1 1 c1 1 ; gnd /
c2 1 r1 1 ; vcc /
END.
The net lists above can be transferred to BAE by applying the
conconv program as in the command
> conconv design laylib
which causes
conconv to read the ASCII net list
design.con
, check the part list entries against the layout library definitions in
laylib.ddb
, and store the net list named
board
to the job file
design.ddb
. After successful processing, the
Layout Editor can be started, a layout named
board
(same name as net list for correct connectivity access) can be createdw and the net list parts can be loaded and placed using the
function from the
menu. For pin assignment correctness the same layout library as specified with the
conconv call must be used for loading the parts (apply the
function from the
menu to select the correct library file).
See also
netconv
Diagnosis
The error messages issued by
conconv are intended to be self-explanatory.
Warnings
Input file identifiers for part names, pin names or net names containing special characters
(-
,
+
,
/
,
(
,
=
, ...) must be enclosed in single-quotes or double-quotes.