GDSPLOT

What is GDSPLOT?

GDSPLOT is a fast and easy-to-use program for creating large batches of colors from today's complex chips. GDSPLOT handles multi-gigabyte layout files on powerful UNIX, Linux, and Windows workstations.

Because it rasterizes the data on your workstation, your plotter runs at full speed – without waiting for the plotter to convert HPGL or Postscript to its native format.

Whether you're designing your chips with Cadence, Mentor, Synopsys, Magma or Tanner, GDSPLOT is the ideal companion for plotting.

UNIX / LINUX

GDSPLOT converts GDSII data into plot data for large-format monochrome or color plotters. All vector calculation for scanning is done on the workstation - the CPU and memory of the plotter are not used. With today's powerful 64-bit workstations, even the largest chip layouts can be plotted quickly.

GDSPLOT handles very large files by subdividing the plot area into a series of smaller stripes, depending on the workstation's available RAM. Each part of the plotted page is called a "band". The bandwidth is determined by the overall width of the page and the amount of RAM available to store raster data for that band.

Resources

• Plots very large GDSII files
• Fast - uses shared memory, cell replication
• Supports up to 1024 layers
• Supports up to 4096 vertices per limit
• Line thickness control - 1,2,3,4 pixels thick
• 300 standard fill patterns
• Up to 1000 user-defined fill patterns
• Cadence interface
• Special filling patterns for contacts and pathways
• 32 types of lines available
• Traces the selected structure and layers
• Plot window or extensions
• Plots GDSII Text
• Easy-to-use GUI
• Can be run from the script if desired
• Wide range of plotters supported

Windows

GDSPLOT converts GDSII files into a raster plot format suitable for large-format color or monochrome plotters. The program does the scanning calculations on the workstation - the CPU and memory of the plotter are not used. With a powerful workstation, even very large chips can be plotted quickly.

GDSPLOT handles very large files, subdividing the work internally into a series of smaller tracks, depending on the computer's available RAM. Each part of the plotted page is called a "band". The bandwidth is determined by the overall width of the page and the amount of RAM available to store raster data for that band.

Resources

• Plots GDSII files with multiple GB
• Fast - uses SREF/AREF data bitmap replication.
• Easy-to-use step-by-step user interface
• Line weight control prevents text from disappearing
• Fill patterns and boundary line types.
• Traces the selected structure and layers.
• Traces the selected window or data extensions.
• Custom fill pattern file.
• Special contact fill patterns.
• Includes plot preview

System Requirements

Windows XP / Vista / 7

2 GB RAM

X86 class CPU