Overview
PG conversions now take place on our linux conversion computers, korat and minx. The general flow is that you will save your GDS file someplace in AFS. You will then run gdspg, view your converted file to verify correctness, and then run pgxfer to transfer your file to the PG.
1. Save your GDS file to AFS
Your W: drive on Windows is your AFS home directory. We recommend that you create a subfolder for working with a particular GDS file.
2. Login to Korat/Minx
From the CNF Sunrays, choose Korat or Minx from the Applications menu
From the CNF Windows computers, first start XMing using the icon on your desktop. Then double click the Korat or the Minx icon. Login with your netid/guestid and password.
3. Change to the directory where you saved your GDS file
On linux, unlike the VAX, file names and directory names are case sensitive. You can tab complete instead of typing in the whole filename/directory name. Press tab twice to list possible completions.
4. Convert your file
Run gdspg and follow the prompts to convert your file.
You will first be prompted for the filename to convert. Then the layer number. Then the top level cell structure. To just use the top level structure in the GDS file, type in an equals sign ( = ). And finally a scale factor, which will vary depending on the tool.
The underyling conversion involves several intermediate steps. Our gdspg script takes care of all of these individual steps for you.
Next you will see a bunch of output as your file is converted. And you will be prompted to press Enter (CR) several times. Among the messages you see will be a flash count.
After your flashes are sorted, you will be prompted to open the viewer to view your converted file. If you choose to view your file, the script will wait and then automatically continue once you exit the viewer. See Running the PG Viewer below for more details on the viewer.
You will be prompted to "Delete output files". If everything looked ok in the viewers, you should NOT delete your output files. If you choose to delete the output files, you will be prompted to confirm each individual file. This is a safety measure. Choosing to delete the output files exits the conversion at this point.
If you do not delete your output files, you will be prompted to convert your file to the tape format. You can still choose no and abort the conversion at this point.
If you do choose to convert to tape format, a file named PGTAPE.TAP will be created in your directory. You are now ready to enable the PG in Coral.
5. Transfer your file to the PG
Enable the PG in Coral.
On Korat/Minx, make sure you are in the directory containing your PGTAPE.TAP file.
Run_ pgxfer ._
When prompted, press F5 on the PG to unmount the previous job. On Korat/Minx, press Enter to begin transferring your tape file. Once the transfer is complete, on the PG press F6 to mount your transferred tape file.