Xic will ensure that cell names included in the GDSII file conform to the standard (upper and lower case, digits, `_', `$', `?' only, up to 32 long in GDSII Release 3).
All layers that are to be written to the GDSII file should have a GDSII output mapping specified. This can be added to the technology file with a text editor, or interactively with the Edit Parameters command. By default, a layer needed for output that does not have a mapping will terminate the operation. However, if the Skip layers without Xic to GDSII layer mapping button in the Set Export Parameters panel is set, or equivalently the variable NoGdsMapOk is set (with the !set command), then such layers will be ignored (producing no output).
All layers that are to be written to the OASIS file should have a GDSII output mapping specified. This can be added to the technology file with a text editor, or interactively with the Edit Parameters command. By default, a layer needed for output that does not have a mapping will terminate the operation. However, if the Skip layers without Xic to GDSII layer mapping button in the Set Export Parameters panel is set, or equivalently the variable NoGdsMapOk is set (with the !set command), then such layers will be ignored (producing no output).
The extension syntax used for cell name specification and labels, and whether the layer directives use indexing or names, are settable with the CifOutStyle variable and/or the CIF style page in the Set Export Parameters panel.
When Write File is pressed, the user is given the option of setting the directory which will receive the created files. If no directory is given, the files will be created in the current directory. While the prompt is in effect, a pop-up containing a tree listing of the directory hierarchy rooted in the current directory appears. The user can select a directory in the listing, or type the directory path on the prompt line. Pressing Esc will abort the operation.
After the cell writing is complete, a library file will be written in the current directory, given the name of the top-level cell suffixed with ``.lib''. This file will have references to each of the new files created, with the top-level cell name listed first, and the others listed in alphabetical order. This library may be placed in the search path to gain access to the new files through the library mechanism, in which case the directory containing the files need not be in the search path.
This feature can also be enabled by setting the variable SkipInvisible with the !set command.
A subset of the windowing operations is available. From this panel, windowing is only available when flattening.
Within Xic, archive file representations consist of two sequential records in each file. The first record is the physical information, and the second record contains the electrical information. These files should be compatible with other CAD systems, as these files are generally expected to have only one record, and consequently the electrical information may be ignored. However, one should not count on this. When the Strip For Export button is active, Xic will convert only the physical information when explicitly (i.e., using the operations from the Write Layout File panel, and not the Save and Save As buttons) converting to an archive format. The Strip For Export setting also applies to the ToArchive, script function. This creates a file which should be an absolutely conventional physical layout file. The Strip For Export button should be active when creating a file for use in generating photomasks. Note that the electrical information can never be recovered from a stripped file.
The Strip For Export check box implicitly enables the same functionality as Include Library Cells (see below), so that the file will not contain unresolved cell references.
This mode can also be enabled by setting the boolean variable StripForExport with the !set command. The variable tracks the state of the check box.
This tracks the state of the WriteAllCells variable.
The write is actually initiated with the Write File button. The name of the output file will be prompted for on the prompt line. The Dismiss button retires the panel.
Cell files can also be written to disk using the Save and Save As commands in the File Menu. However, if scaling or other options available in this panel are required, the file must be generated from this panel.
When generating an archive file and an error occurs. the archive file will normally be deleted. However, if the variable KeepBadArchive is set (with the !set command) the output file will be given a ``.BAD'' extension and retained. This file should be considered corrupt, but may be useful for diagnostics.