25 lines
1.4 KiB
Plaintext
25 lines
1.4 KiB
Plaintext
Magic is an interactive system for creating and modifying VLSI circuit
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layouts. With Magic, you use a color graphics display and a mouse or
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graphics tablet to design basic cells and to combine them
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hierarchically into large structures. Magic is different from other
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layout editors you may have used. The most important difference is
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that Magic is more than just a color painting tool: it understands
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quite a bit about the nature of circuits and uses this information to
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provide you with additional operations. For example, Magic has
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built-in knowledge of layout rules; as you are editing, it
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continuously checks for rule violations. Magic also knows about
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connectivity and transistors, and contains a built-in hierarchical
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circuit extractor. Magic also has a plow operation that
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you can use to stretch or compact cells. Lastly, Magic has routing
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tools that you can use to make the global interconnections in your
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circuits.
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Magic is based on the Mead-Conway style of design. This means that it
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uses simplified design rules and circuit structures. The
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simplifications make it easier for you to design circuits and permit
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Magic to provide powerful assistance that would not be possible
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otherwise. However, they result in slightly less dense circuits than
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you could get with more complex rules and structures. For example,
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Magic permits only Manhattan designs (those whose edges are vertical
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or horizontal).
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