Mentor Graphics Design Architect Tutorial

Index:

1. Introduction
2. Preparation
3. Starting Design Architect
4. Schematic Entry
• 4.1 Add components, ports
• 4.2 Move/Copy components
• 4.3 Add text/Change Labels
• 4.4 Wiring and Bus
• 4.5 Assign gate delay
• 4.6 Framing the schematic
5. Check/Save the sheet
6. Generate Symbol
7. Hierarchical Design
8. Editing Strokes
9. Exit Mentor Graphics

In terms of its inputs the two outputs of the Full Adder can be stated as follows.

The schematic diagram of the above functions is shown below:

1. Add the following lines in your .profile:


. /usr/local/scripts/setup.mentor-C.2.sh

SYNLIB=/LINKS/mentor/parts/cmosn_lib/autologic

MGC_PLOT_DEFAULT_PRINTER=laser

export MGC_PLOT_DEFAULT_PRINTER

Remember to execute

$ . .profile

2. If using C-shell add the following lines in your .cshrc:


source /usr/local/scripts/setup.mentor-C.2.csh

setenv SYNLIB /LINKS/mentor/parts/cmosn_lib/autologic

setenv MGC_PLOT_DEFAULT_PRINTER laser

Remember to execute

$ source .cshrc

1. Invoke 'Design Manager' by typing:


$ dmgr

Note: The standard cell library with physical layout available for auto placing/routing is cmosn_lib. To use components from this library, please type $cmosn_dmgr instead.

2. Double click 'design_arch' icon in the 'Tools' window shown below and wait for a couple of seconds, the 'Design Architect' window will appear.



Fig 1-1. Starting Design Architect from Design Manager

3. Select 'Open Sheet' in the 'Session Palette' window. A dialog box pops up as following



Fig 1-2. Dialog box for open new sheet

4. In the box labeled "Component Name" give the complete path as to where you want to create the component including the name of the component you will be creating (e.g. full adder).
5. Leave other boxes untouched and click 'OK'. For an existing design, you may use the navigator to locate the component in your directories.

4.1 Adding components, ports to the schematic

• LMB: is used to select object at the cursor.
• RMB: is used to show pop-up menu.
• MMB: is used to draw strokes.

1. To invoke the library palette from the Schematic menu bar, select

Libraries -> MGC Digital Libraries

Then select gen_lib from the right hand side palette. The components will be listed alphabetically in the palette.
2. Select a component by clicking on the component name in the 'gen_lib'. Here we first select two input 'and' gate 'and2'. The symbol will appear in the symbol window in the top-right corner. Move the cursor into the schematic window and click the left mouse button at the position where you want the component to be placed.


Note: pmos and nmos transistors are also available in this library. They function like switches while in digital simulator, but don't expect them to act like analog components. In other words, transistor schematic created here is only for 'schematic' purpose only, not for digital simulation.

Note: To use analog components (e.g. pmos,nmos,capacitor, resistor,....etc.)in your schematic and perform analog simulation, please refer to the Accusim II tutorial for more detail.

3. The outline of the component appears as a dashed white line. Click on the component again and the outline turns to a solid blue line.



Fig 1-3. Select two input 'and' gate 'and2' and put it on sheet

4. Add all the components in your circuit in the same manner. In this example, we need three input 'or' gates and two input 'xor' gates.


Note:To zoom out schematic window:(in the schematic menu bar)

view -> zoom out

5. Ports are named 'portin' and 'portout' in 'gen_lib'
6. After picking out all the required components, the sheet might look like the one in fig 4-2.



Fig 1-4. Placing all the required components on the sheet