Layer by Layer View During Net Trace

sdrobob

Hello Matthias,

During net tracing Metal5 to Metal1, for example, KLayout highlights all layers in the net. Is there a script or feature wherein you can only show 1 layer at a time after net tracing? I tried to browse the forum & the scripts & I can't find one.

I tried to do it manually by setting the layer stack (set the conductor 1 & 2 as same source) but my problem occurs when 1 metal layer is connected by another metal layer, resulting to show an incomplete metal layer. Unless you highlight the other cut layer & combine it later. But another risk might be that part of that metal layer will be missed since I have to trace it manually.

Thanks in advance.

Matthias

Hi,

Right now, a "net" is the collection of shapes that form the connection and since that connection can extend over multiple metal layers and cut/via connections, the net also contains metal shapes from different layers. There is no way currently to split a net into the components from different layers, except maybe to export the net to layout and manipulate it or tweak the way this layout is displayed.

I wonder why you might want to see the contributions from just one layer. That will always give you a partial information only. Will it become too confusing?

Regards,

Matthias

sdrobob

Thanks for the reply Matthias.

My inquiry is about on some of the jobs were I deprocess layer by layer & I need to check a trace which spans multiple layers. For example, if I'm on Metal5 & I want to check the affected metal that is part of the trace, a reference like this will be very helpful other looking at the entire trace that shows all the layers. Anyway, I came into a solution by saving the trace path into a cell. From there, I can hide the layers of that net trace. :)

By the way, great update! And is it just me or the new version runs faster than the previous?

Matthias

Hallo,

thanks for the feedback :-)

I did some optimization in various areas. Drawing is faster and the net tracer has also been optimized somewhat. I got roughly a factor of two, but that strongly depends on the hierarchy of the layout.

Saving the net is surely one solution for your request. It was designed originally to isolate one or more nets for RC extraction for example, but that feature has more applications than that.

I wonder whether it may be a helpful to follow the visibility of the layers when highlighting a net. Currently I highlight the complete net, even if the layers representing a part of the net are not visible. It may be possible to add a configuration option that makes the highlights follow the layer's visibility such that parts on hidden layers are not highlighted. But I'd have to check first.

Best regards,

Matthias

sdrobob

Hello Matthias,

That will be much better if the highlight can follow the layer's visibility but for now I'm good with an additional step to arrive to expected output. Many thanks.