OCTTOOLS 5.2

All Octtools software inquiries should reference GSRC Downloads

The OctTools is a collection of programs and libraries that together form an integrated system for IC design. The system includes tools for PLA and multilevel logic synthesis, standard cell placement and routing, and custom cell design, along with a variety of utility programs for manipulating schematic, symbolic, and geometric design data. Most tools are integrated with the Oct data manager, the VEM user interface, and the design manager VOV. The software is written in C and requires UNIX and the X window system (including the Athena Widget Set). A few tools are written in C++ and require the g++ compiler.

The new release features support for Hewlett-Packard's HP-UX version of UNIX, minor improvements to a number of the tools, and updated and improved documentation.

OctTools 5.2 includes the following programs:

attache Text-based Oct editor and browser
bdnet Converts a text-based netlist format to Oct
Bear-FP1.1 A placement and floorplanning package for macro-cells (manuals not included)
bdsyn Extracts combinational logic equations from a description written in the BDS hardware description language
chipstats Prints out statistics abDut a chip
ciftooct Converts cells from CIF to Oct format
crystal The Crystal timing analyzer with an Oct interface
espresso Multi-valued PLA minimization program
gem CMOS gate matrix module generator
genie Generalized array optimizer
hpgl Converts Oct to HPGL format
jedi State assignment program
jumbo Netlist partitioner
mag2oct Converts cells from MAGIC to Oct format
mighty Rip-up-and-reroute router
misII Multi-level logic optimization program
mizer Minimizes the number of vias in a cell
mosaico Macrocell place and route system
msumap Convert a schematic of MSU Standard cell symbols to physical views
musa Simulates logic and gate-level circuits read from Oct or sim files (with X graphics capability)
mustang State assignment program for multilevel finite state machines
nova State assignment program for PLA-based finite state machines
oct2hilo Converts cells to HILO format (courtesy of M2C)
oct2ps Generates a PostScript representation of an Oct facet
octdiff Compares two Oct facets and reports the differences
octdoc OctTools documentation overview utility
octdrc Checks a design for DRC violations
octflatten Geometry and netlist flattener
octgc Garbage collector for objects in an Oct facet
octmm Mask manipulation program
octpla PLA generation program
octprop Adds properties and bags to Oct facets
octtocif Converts cells from Oct to CIF format
padplace Assigns locations and/or creates formal terminals/pads for a facet; performs pad power/ground ring routing
phyt Adds text strings to layout
prim Generates vias
puppy Simulated annealing-based placement program
putconst Allows the user to place compaction constraints on instances and formal terminals
sparcs Symbolic layout spacing and compaction program
SPICE3F3 SPICE circuit simulator, version 3F3 (user's manual not included)
symhelp, rpc-symhelp Checks and cleans up symbolic cells
tech-edit, techBuild, tap-print For support of technology descriptions (such as layout design rules)
TimberWolfSC Standard cell placement and global routing program
vem Extensible graphics editor using the X Window System (X11R4 and later)
VOV Trace-based design manager
vulcan Cell abstraction generator supporting hierarchical design
wolfe Standard cell design style macro-cell generator
yacr Channel routing program
yal2oct Converts a YAL description to Oct

The following packages are included:

avl AVL tree package
cif, cp CIF parser package
da Dynamic array package
errtrap Exception handling package
fang, harpoon Manhattan geometry manipulation packages for Oct
fc Filename completion package
gu Geometric updates package
iv Allows interactive changing of variables in X
kd K-D tree package
lel Label evaluation package
LightLisp C-based interpreter for a subset of CommonLisp
list Doubly linked list package
mkarray Place and wire array-based layout structures
mm Memory allocation package
nle Netlist editing package
oct Oct data manager
octmm Oct mask modification package
oh Oct helper functions and macros
options Option parsing and message package
port Portability package
region Region searching package for Oct
rpc VEM/Oct remote procedure call library
st Hash table package
symlib, symbolic Symbolic policy libraries
tap Technology access package
timer Multiple stopwatch timer package
tr Transform package
uprintf Parses and formats variable length argument lists
utility Utility/system services package
vov Interface for the design manager VOV
vulcan Cell abstraction generation package
xg Graph drawing package (for X)

Also included is the Microelectronics and Computer Corporation (MCC) Data Management System (DMS) for Oct.

The following cell libraries are included:

• "MSU Standard Cell Library, version 2.2
• "PLA Primitives"
• "MOSIS Pads"
• "M2C Pads"

Documentation:

1. Installation Notes. Available separately for $2.50
2. OctTools-5.2: Part I - User's Guide. Available separately for $15.00
3. OctTools-5.2: Part II - Reference. Available separately for $15.00
4. OctTools-5.2: Part III - Man Pages. Available separately for $15.00
5. OctTools-5.2: Part IV. Available separately for $15.00

Foreign Distribution: Requires special permission to be granted by faculty member in charge of software. May delay order slightly.