1. To get a list of unplaced instances in the design: dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.pStatus unplaced].

name

2. To list all the placed instances in the design: dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.pStatus placed].name

3. To list all the fixed instances in the design: dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.pStatus fixed].name

4. To see what metal layers your block's IO pins are on: dbGet top.terms.pins.allShapes.layer.name

5. To get a list of NONDEFAULT rules in the design: dbGet head.rules.name

6. To get NDR applied on a specified net: dbGet [dbGet -p top.nets.name netName].rule.name

7. To get the placement status of an instance: dbGet [dbGetInstByName instName].pStatus

8. To get the points of a rectangular routing blockage: dbGet top.fplan.rBlkgs.shapes.rect

9. To get the points of a rectilinear routing blockage: dbGet top.fplan.rBlkgs.shapes.poly

10. To get a list of all cell types used in the design: dbGet -u top.insts.cell.name (The "-u" filters out duplicate objects.)

11. To get the size of block placement halos: dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].pHaloTop dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].pHaloBot dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].pHaloLeft dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].pHaloRight

12. To get the size and top/bottom layers of block routing halos: dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].rHaloSideSize dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].rHaloBotLayer.name dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass block*].rHaloTopLayer.name

13. To make sure all your tiehi/lo connections have tie cells (and are not connected to a rail instead): dbGet top.insts.instTerms.isTieHi 1 dbGet top.insts.instTerms.isTieLo 1 (Should return "0x0" if all connections have tie cells. If "1"s are returned, use the following to find the terms that still need a tie cell:) dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.instTerms.isTieHi 1].name dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.instTerms.isTieLo 1].name

14. To get all insTerm names which are tied to tieLo cells: dbGet [dbGet -p [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.subClass coreTieLo].instTerms.net.allTerms.isInput 1].name

15. To change the routing status of a net (for example, from FIXED to ROUTED): dbSet [dbGet -p top.nets.name netName].wires.status routed

16. To get the status of your design: dbGet top.statusIoPlaced dbGet top.statusPlaced

dbGet top.statusClockSynthesized dbGet top.statusRouted dbGet top.statusRCExtracted dbGet top.statusPowerAnalyzed

17. To find out which layers are used in a net: dbGet [dbGet -p top.nets.name netName].wires.layer.name

18. To find all the instances of a certain cell type: dbGet [dbGet -p2 top.insts.cell.name cellName].name

19. To get the size of a cell in the library, but not necessarily in the current design: dbGet [dbGetCellByName cellName].size

20. To get nets that are marked in the db as clock net: dbGet [dbGet -p top.nets.isClock 1].name ** Users need to run timeDesign before the above command to build a timing graph. Then users will get the desired data by querying like above. 21. To set all instances with a particular pattern in its name to fixed status: dbSet [dbGet p top.insts.name *clk*].pStatus fixed

22. To get database units: dbGet head.dbUnits

23. To get manufacturing grid: dbGet head.mfgGrid

24. To get physical only cells like filler cell, end cap cell etc: dbGet [dbGet -p top.insts.isPhysOnly 1].name

25. To filter all the PG pins with direction bidi of a specific instance: dbGet [dbGet -p [dbGet -p top.insts.name instName].pgCellTerms.inOutDir bidi].name

26. To get class and subClass of a cell: dbGet [dbGetCellByName cellName].baseClass dbGet [dbGetCellByName cellName].subClass

27. To find out the instname/cellname of the driver driving a specific net. set netName <netName> set inst [dbGet [dbGet -p [dbGet -p top.nets.name $netName].allTerms.isOutput 1].inst] Puts "Net: $netName, driving inst name: [dbGet $inst.name], driving cell name: [dbGet $inst.cell.name]"

28. To list all layers for the pin of a cell: dbGet [dbGet -p selected.cell.terms.name pinName].pins.allShapes.layer.extName

29. Report points of polyon that forms the die area: dbShape -output polygon [dbGet top.fPlan.boxes]

30. To query the max_cap for a list of cells set cellPtrList [dbGet -p head.allCells.name BUF*] foreach cellPtr $cellPtrList {puts "[dbGet $cellPtr.name] [dbFTermMaxCap [dbGet -p $cellPtr.terms.name <termName>] 1]"}

31. To find all instances with a specify property name "myProp" (string property type) and value "xyzzy" set inst_ptrs [dbGet -p top.insts.props {.name == "myProp" && .value == "xyzzy"] Puts "Instances with property myProp and value xyzzy: [dbGet $inst_ptrs.name]"

32. To find non-clock ports in a design dbGet [dbGet -p [dbGet -p2 top.terms.net.isClock 0].isInput 1].name

33. To identify physical only types of cells (Well Tap, Tie hi/lo, Filler, Endcap/Decap) You can query the subclass for a cell to check whether it is welltap, tiehigh, tielow or end cap : dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.subClass <subClassName>].name e.g. to get names of well tap cells (specified as CLASS CORE WELLTAP in lef) , you can use : dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.subClass coreWellTap].name Similarly, to get names of tie high/ tie low cells names (specified as CLASS CORE TIEHIGH or CLASS CORE TIELOW in lef), use : dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.subClass coreTieHigh].name or dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.subClass coreTieLow].name To report endcap cells (specified as CLASS ENDCAP in lef) : dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.subclass coreEndCap*].name Similarly, to query filler cells with CLASS CORE SPACER in lef syntax, you can use following (similar to other physical only cells) : dbGet [dbGet -p head.libCells.subClass coreSpacer].name

34. To print all the module names in a design loaded in EDI foreach module_name [dbGet top.hInst.treeHInsts.cell.name] { Puts "$module_name" } This will not include top module name. To get the top module name use dbGet top.name 35. To get all the leaf cells used in the design, use foreach leaf_name [dbGet -u top.insts.cell.name] { Puts "$leaf_name" }

For example, you could create a path group to all the D inputs of SRAM instances using wildcards : clearClockDomains setAnalysisMode honorClockDomains false group_path name to_srams to top/inst_sram*/D* setPathGroupOptions to_srams slackAdjustment 1000 slackAdjustmentPriority 10 optDesign preCTS [ incr]

####to place iso cells set mylist [dbGet top.insts.name *ISO*] #foreach myin [dbGet top.insts.name *LVL*] { lappend mylist $myin }

set myfile [open ISOCellPlacement.place.eco w] foreach myinst $mylist { set myinstPtr [dbGetInstByName $myinst] puts "$myinstPtr" set myNet [dbNetName [dbTermNet [dbGetTermByInstTermName ${myinst}/A]]] set myx [lindex [dbu2uu [dbTermLoc [dbGetFTermByName $myNet]]] 0] set myy [lindex [dbu2uu [dbTermLoc [dbGetFTermByName $myNet]]] 1] puts $myfile "placeInstance $myinst [expr $myx +2 ] $myy -placed" } close $myfile source ISOCellPlacement.place.eco refinePlace foreach myinst $mylist { setInstancePlacementStatus -name $myinst -status fixed }