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Program Usage The ODB++2GDS translator can be run from a GUI or from the command line. Both will be described here. GUI To start the GUI execute the file found in the bin directory named odb2gds. The main dialog will open: 
Loading an Input File To load an input ODB++ file, first check the correct option: File indicates the ODB++ is available as a .tgz (tar gzipped) file. Directory indicates that the ODB++ data is available as a directory hierarchy. Use the Browse button to open a file dialog and select either the appropriate .tgz file, or if opening a directory hierarchy, navigate until you get to the top of the ODB++ folder hierachy.  Select the desired file and hit OK. The ODB++ file will be uncompressed (if a .tgz file) and scanned. Depending on the size of the file this may take only a couple of seconds or as long as a minute. The main dialog will now be populated with information:  Steps An ODB++ file must have at least one step, but may have many steps. It is possible in ODB++ to have many different circuits (each in its own step) and then have a step that "places" or arrays these circuits along with adding other essential board layout. In the example above, the step labeled 220-10720-05a represents a single circuit and the step labeled array is an array of those circuits. Layers The ODB++ to GDSII converter will display a list of layers that are defined in the ODB++ input. Not all layers listed necessarily contain data. The user needs to know the name(s) of the layer to plot. Currently, the translator outputs a single layer into a single GDSII file. If you need data from 6 layers you must run the program 6 times -- each time changing the name of the GDSII output file. Output To control the output file name and location, click on the Browse button. Then using the file dialog select the location and name. The default location and name is based on the working directory (defined in the settings) and the input file name. Producing a GDSII File To produce a GDSII file you must: a) select a step b) select a layer c) select (or accept the default) output file d) click on Convert  Prior to starting the conversion, we highly recommend you review the Settings.
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