( ESNUG 395 Item 2 ) --------------------------------------------- [06/26/02]
From: Rob Stalker <rstalker@xtremespectrum.com>
Subject: We've Had Some Really Bad Experiences with Cadence's pwrAnalysis
Hi John,
I have an issue that perhaps your ESNUG readers could help me with... Does
anybody else use Cadence's power analysis/IR drop tool, "pwrAnalysis" ?
We've been trying to use it here, but have been running into brick walls.
The bugs that we've uncovered have seemed so elementary, so basic, that it
makes me wonder just how many other chip companies are using this tool.
I'm suspicious that we're the only ones.
What we're stuck on at the moment is that the tool can't handle VCD toggle
files with busses. Everything has to be scalar. Yes, I know, you're
thinking "what real-world design doesn't use busses?" Well, whatever
design that Cadence uses to regression test their code apparently doesn't.
The VCD parser appears to assign a 0 toggle rate to any busses -- which,
of course, doesn't exactly enhance the tool's accuracy.
I have a tech support case open with Cadence, but its been fermenting for
2 months now. So, I'm wondering if anybody out there has gotten this tool
to work and if they have any tricks/tips/workarounds that they could share.
- Rob Stalker
XtremeSpectrum, Inc. Vienna, VA
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