Ambit BuildGates Synthesis User Guide

Using the GUI

The distributed synthesis tool selects hosts based on current load conditions and resource requirements of other applications running on the host machine. Remote jobs behave in the same manner as jobs run locally.

The tool is supported on both the Sun and HP platforms (including a heterogeneous mix of

Sun and HP machines).

For complete information on using Cadence distributed synthesis tool, refer to Envisia Distributed Synthesis User Guide.

Update Mode

The value in the update mode field (see Figure 3-1 on page 35) displays either the word automatic or manual and reflects the setting in View–General Preferences–Browser– Browser Mode. If manual browser mode is enabled, the browser module list is not automatically updated the when a change is made to the design hierarchy; to see the changed hierarchy, you must rebuild the module list using Module Browser–Rebuild Tree.

Ambit BuildGates Synthesis User Guide

Using the GUI

The ac_shell Console

As an interface to Ambit BuildGates synthesis, the ac_shell console provides direct command line access to the tool. The console accepts basic text input and output and supports all of the functionality of ac_shell, command line completion, file completion, and a logging mechanism. See Figure 3-1 on page 35 for the location of the ac_shell console on the main screen.

To display the ac_shell console such that it occupies the whole main screen window instead of only a portion of the window, place the cursor in the console and press the Control- m keys. Repeatedly pressing Control-m toggles between the standard split-screen and the whole-screen display.

All informational, warning, and error messages are output to the ac_shell console. The default colors are listed in the table below but can be reassigned if desired; refer to View– General Preferences–Colors–Color Items.

Ambit BuildGates Synthesis User Guide

Using the GUI

The Status Bar

The status bar, shown in Figure 3-29, is located at the bottom of the main screen and consists of four fields: the busy box, the message field, the last command field, and the current technology field.

Figure 3-29 The Status Bar

The busy box indicates when the Ambit BuildGates synthesis tool is working on a task: red indicates busy and green indicates availability. The tool is busy whenever an HDL or Tcl file is loading, when a command is entered at the command line, and when most menu commands are selected. Additional tasks cannot be requested when the tool is busy. To halt a process while preserving the integrity of the database, click the Stop button on the tool bar to interrupt at the at the next stable place in the operation.

By default, the message field displays informational messages, including the object names in the schematic viewer as the cursor passes over an object in a schematic. This status bar display mode can be turned off via View–Schematic Preferences–General–Cursor Query.

The last command field displays commands executed through the ac_shell console or by selecting menu options.

The current technology field displays the name of the technology library being used for the design.

Ambit BuildGates Synthesis User Guide

Using the GUI