Virtuoso Schematic Composer User Guide

Getting Started

Reference Libraries

Reference libraries store Cadence-supplied cells. In the design entry system, several collections of master symbols, such as various pins and gates, are stored in the following reference libraries:

■sample–stores common symbols (instances)

■US_8th– stores a template for various sizes and types of multisheet schematics

■basic–stores specific pins

Library Browser

The Library Browser is the Cadence utility that lets you view information about the contents of those libraries that you specify in your cds.lib file. Also, several forms, such as the Open Design form, let you use the Library Browser to initialize library and cellview form fields.

Using Menus and the Icon Bar

The following section describes using the various schematic editor and symbol editor menus and the icon bar.

■Using Pull-Down Menus on page 49

■Using Pop-Up Menus on page 50

■Using Object-Sensitive Menus (OSMs) on page 50

■Using the Icon Bar on page 52

Virtuoso Schematic Composer User Guide

Getting Started

Using Pull-Down Menus

To use pull-down menu commands, do the following:

1.Click on a menu title to display the pull-down commands.

2.Click on the command you want.

The command you select does one of the following:

Starts immediately using the default settings or selected object

Prompts you to click on something, to select an object, or to identify a point in the window (prompts can appear in the editor window and the CIW)

Displays an options form to assist you in completing the command

One of the quickest ways to start a command for an application type, such as the schematic editor or the symbol editor, is to press a bindkey (a letter key or function key on your keyboard that is mapped to a pull-down menu command) for that command. The following example shows some of the Edit pull-down menu commands and their corresponding bindkeys.

Note: For all uppercase letters, use the Shift key and not the Caps Lock key. For example, the bindkey for Save is an uppercase S.

Virtuoso Schematic Composer User Guide

Getting Started

Using Pop-Up Menus

You can pop up a default menu of a few commonly used commands by doing the following:

1.Move the pointer to an open area in your design (not over any object).

2.Press and hold the middle mouse button. The pop-up menu appears.

3.Slide the pointer to the command you want and release the middle mouse button.

Using Object-Sensitive Menus (OSMs)

An object-sensitive menu (OSM) (also called pop-up menus) contains the most commonly used commands associated with a particular object. To set up the OSMs, do the following:

1.From the CIW, choose Options – User Preferences.

The User Preferences form appears.

2.Turn infix on.

3.Click OK.

4.Verify that the bindkey file is installed properly.

5.From the editor window, choose Options – Display and set the OSM option to on

(default).

6.From the editor window, choose Options – Select Filter and set Schematic Objects to all (default).

Virtuoso Schematic Composer User Guide

Getting Started

7.Make sure that you are in edit mode by doing one of the following:

Verify that Make Read Only is visible.

Verify that the word Editing appears in the editor window banner.

To use OSMs once they are set up, do the following:

1.Place the pointer over an object; for example, over an instance as shown below.

2.Press and hold the middle mouse button.

A menu pops up at the pointer location.

Instance

Stretch

Copy

Delete

Properties ...

Descend Edit ...

Descend Read ...

Edit In Place

Create Cellview ...

Rotate

3. Slide the pointer to the command you want and release the middle mouse button.