EDA Quickstart Guide

EDA Software is now using containers to make software installations more stable and portable.

Run scripts are provided as a reliable method to enter container and run EDA software within. This means that proper use of module and run scripts are critical to software to work properly. Run Scripts follow a simple naming scheme: software-run.

The general patten for running EDA software is as follows:

1. module load mysoftware/suite, followed by ether:
   • software-run program
   • software-run (your shell prompt changes) and then run program.

The order matters, as module will not work inside the EDA containers.

EDA Software and their Run Scripts

COMMON PITFALL Software that needs to run inside containers will either crash or malfunction in more subtle ways if not properly launched via run script.

Module system

Research and Lab systems now use the module command to set up the environment for executing software.

For more information, please see the software guide. Here is a brief example of module commands below:

Common Module commands

Example: Launching Cadence Virtuoso with EMX

1. Log into a research or lab system and open a terminal.
2. Optionally, type module avail to see what modules are present.
3. Type in module load cadence/emx to use the default emx, or cadence/emx/version if you need a particular EMX version. Use module avail to see available versions.
4. Create a project directory if this is a new project. In your project directory, use your favorite text editor of choice to add load(strcat(getShellEnvVar("EMXHOME") "/share/emx/virtuoso_ui/emxinterface/emxskill/emxconfig.il")) to a new file named .cdsinit. Only do this edit ONCE per project.
   • For integrations other than EMX, you will need different .cdsinit content.
5. Launch the program via wrapper cadence-run virtuoso, and the virtuoso program opens directly. It will take a few moments to load.
   • If you want an interactive shell in the eda environment (container), then cadence-run would suffice. Your prompt should now look like cadence>.
   • In the shell, run virtuoso & to run the program and still continue to access the eda container shell, or invoke emx directly from the command line.
6. Virtuoso should now have launched, a GUI appears. The Virtuoso window should have logs regarding loading EMX defaults based on the install. The integration is a success.

Example: Cadence Virtuoso with RFIC Dynamic Link

1. Log into a research or lab system and open a terminal.
2. Load the Keysight(ADS) module, Cadence modules, and RFIC Dynamic Link Modules:
   • module load cadence/ic/251
   • module load cadence/xcelium/2509
   • module load keysight/suite/2026
   • After loading this, module emits a helpful message appears telling you to load the corresponding rfic-link module. Run the module command it provides.
3. Switch your working dir into your project directory with the cd command. Create a new directory first if this is a fresh project.
   • Run the helper script "cae-rfic-link" to create or edit your setup.loc and .cdsinit files.
   • If you have existing files, the helper script won't overwrite them without you explicitly passing corresponding flags. Consider copying your .cdsinit before running the script if it contains valuable config that you cannot otherwise recreate.
4. Only if you require ADSLib features, then additionally run echo INCLUDE \$HPEESOF_DIR/cdslibs/rfde.lib > cds.lib
5. Now, you are ready to launch Cadence. As in the EMX example above, you may either cadence-run and then virtuoso &; or cadence-run virtuoso to enter the container and start Virtuoso.
6. The RFIC Dynamic Link (ADS)features should be available from their typical location (the "launch" menu in Cadence Schematic View).

Example: Launching MentorGraphics (now Siemens) Calibre

1. Log into a research or lab system and open a terminal.
2. Load the relevant module: module load mentor/suite
3. Launch the container and execute the process: mentor-run calibre -nogui or break this into two commands mentor-run and then calibre -nogui.
   • The latter is useful if you want CLI access to mentor/calibre programs.
   • calibre's default run mode is to be a command line interface, thus passing -nogui is required.

Example: Launching Synopsys DesignVision

1. Log into a research or lab system and open a terminal.
2. Load the relevant module: module load synopsys/suite
   • Loading the suite pulls in the majority of Synopsys programs and tools, but surrenders granular control over each individual version.
   • If you only need a particular Synopsys components, you can run commands like module load synopsys/designvision/VERSION, omitting the version string if default is acceptable.
3. Enter the container environment and execute a program, either with synopsys-run design_vision or synopsys-run followed by design_vision if you wish to enter an interactive shell first.
4. DesignVision now opens.

Example: Launching Silvaco Deckbuild

1. Log into a research or lab system and open a terminal.
2. Load the relevant module: module load silvaco/suite
3. Launch the container and execute the process: silvaco-run deckbuild or break this into two commands silvaco-run and then deckbuild.