Using draculaplt to create map&pat files.

This web pages describes how to use our draculaplt utility to convert Cadence Dracula plot syntax to Artwork's map and pat files - these files can then be used by Qckvu and xgdsplot to view and plot the GDSII files.

Loading draculaplt

draculaplt can be loaded from the link below. It requires no key codes.

draculaplt.linux.v111.zip

Linux version. 56KB zip file.

draculaplt.solaris.v111.zip

Solaris version. 56KB zip file.

Installing draculaplt

draculaplt doesn't require codes. You will need to open the release zip file in the qckvu/bin directory.
The zip file includes the draculaplt executable along with some sample files.
You will need to get the password from us to open the zip file.
Copy the draculaplt zip file to the qckvu/bin directory and then type from that directory... 
blade1500:hagai: $ pwd
/home/cad/qckvu/bin
blade1500:hagai: $ ls *.zip
draculaplt.solaris.v111.zip
blade1500:hagai: $ ../tools/unzip draculaplt.solaris.v111.zip
Archive:  draculaplt.solaris.v111.zip
[draculaplt.solaris.v111.zip] 1877.plot password: 
  inflating: 1877.plot               
  inflating: 1877.sf                 
  inflating: draculaplt              
  inflating: sample.plot             
  inflating: sample.sf               
  inflating: standard.pat            
  inflating: testplot.plot           
  inflating: testplot.sf             
blade1500:hagai: $

Using draculaplt to convert Dracula VMSK files to Map/Pat and Launch Qckvu

You can also convert the .vmsk file and launch qckvu with your GDSII file. draculaplt will create the necessary map and pat files and then start qckvu with the GDSII file specified on the command line.
Here is the command line to do so - you should run it from the directory where the GDSII file is located.
/home/cad/qckvu/bin/draculaplt -vmask:1877.sf piclayer.vmsk
draculaplt will create the map file, piclayer.map, the pattern file, colfill.pat, and then start qckvu with the GDSII file 1877.sf. Qckvu will load the GDSII file, and use the new map and pat file just created.
You can see that Qckvu comes up with the proper fill patterns and layer names, all derived from the VMSK file.

qckvu_vmsk.gif

Using draculaplt to convert Dracula VMSK files to Map/Pat

You can also convert the .vmsk file to Artwork's Map and Pat files without launching Qckvu. draculaplt will create the necessary map and pat files from the .vmsk file. The files will be saved to the local directory.
Here is the command line to do so - you should run it from the directory where the VMSK file is located.
/home/cad/qckvu/bin/draculaplt -vmask piclayer.vmsk
draculaplt will create the the map file, piclayer.map, the pattern file, colfill.pat. They can be used in either our viewing software Qckvu, or the plotting software xgdsplot.

draculaplt command line options

You can get a list of the command line options by using the -h option.
blade1500:hagai: $ draculaplt -h

draculaplt: a DRACULA to GDSPLT/Qckvu utility, v1.11 (May 18 2007) (rcs 1.110)
(C) 2002-2007 Artwork Conversion Software, Inc. (831) 426-6163

usage is

draculaplt [options] input_file

options

-bindir:  look for gdsplt in path specified by DIR
-log:     copy stdout to LOG
-xpltcfg       launch xpltcfg, default is to use existing plot.cfg file
-check         do not launch plotting engine if any warnings have been logged
-batch         create batch file but do not szipt plot process
-vmask:  input_file is of type VMSK, launch qckvu to view FILE
-view[:] ignore INDISK directive and launch qckvu to view FILE
-cell: when viewing, initially default to STRUCT

blade1500:hagai: $