User View

PDMC uses a simple command line that enables immediate experiment creation.  Setup is done once, in a reusable manner, so simple experiments are simple to declare with the PDMC command line.  Gone are the days of copying an existing experiment and laboriously editing the hundreds of lines of setup information.

For example, to run the place and route tool on the current design using default settings, up to the Clock Tree Synthesis point, the user types

• pdmc pnr PNRSTEP=cts

Nearly all aspects of the flow steps can be adjusted on the command line.  When a new run (or experiment) deviates significantly from any existing runs, it’s time to create a new input file.  Only the difference between this experiment and the already-created base experiment need to be specified:

• pdmc pnr EXPNAME=new_exp.1 EXPCONFIG=myexp.cfg PNRSTEP=cts

Administrator View

PDMC uses a simple command line that enables easy setup and reporting of foundry PDK files, standard cell libraries, IP blocks, and project defaults.  All collateral is linked in a consistent way, so that all views (user, admin, and management) operate similarly.

For example, to see the list of analysis views (or scenarios) being used for the place and route step, simply type

• pdmc show active_views,pnr

Because all flow operations are driven from a common, limited set of vendor-neutral configuration settings, you can be assured that this report is truly what will be used if you then run the place and route step.

Administrators and managers can set a strict policy or a more lenient one, in which the user can locally override some or all settings.  For instance, to run place and route with only a single timing corner, just one additional user variable setting is needed on the command line:

• pdmc pnr EXPNAME=simple_exp.1 PNRUSERVIEWS=func_mylibset_ffgnp0p88v125c_CworstCcworst_mergedclk_view

PDMC supports several types of revision control systems, including a simple filesystem directory structure.  Easily migrate users to new versions of software, collateral, and design data, without interfering with continuing work on older versions.

Management View

PDMC uses a simple command line that enables easy setup and reporting of design closure progress.  All reports are designed in a vendor-neutral format that PDMC converts to the target EDA tool.  Administrative scripts are included, and can be custom designed and linked into the framework, enabling great flexibility and consistency in tracking your project.

For example, to see the status of timing closure for the current project at the place and route step, simply type

• pdmc report timing,pnr

Because all flow operations are driven from a common, manageable group of vendor-neutral configuration settings, you can be assured that reports for multiple designs will be apples to apples.  By default, pdmc will flag those partitions (or “macros” or “blocks”) which used settings that deviate from the project defaults.

Administrators and managers can define any number of custom project- tracking report types.  The same command line interface is used, making it easy to shift between design, administration, and management use of the framework.

• pdmc report custom EXPNAME=simple_exp.1 RPTNAME=myspecialrpt