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Design Kit Generation

Question asked by ALBUSMW on Feb 27, 2005
Latest reply on Feb 28, 2005 by ALBUSMW

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Hello!

I just try to move 3 designs with .dsn and .ael files to a design kit and have some problems.
The designs are 2 analog and 1 digital.

The following is done:

- ads.lib and boot.ael files is created and works
- design kit can be loaded (-d deamon.log show correct path informations, and Design Kit menu shows correct informations)
- .dsn and .ael are in position as defined in the manual and worked with standard network designs before
- .ael file is compiled to .atf file, so .ael file shall be OK.
- palette definition is done and works (I can see the components and the palette)

If I select the component, I get an error message:

========================================
(..\..\..\projects\pde\ael\deitemcb.ael) <Name of component>
Failed to locate the component definition
========================================

I also get the error message

========================================
(de_load_item_symbol_image) <Name of symbol>
Cannot load component symbol
========================================

I am not sure how the relation between the .dsn and .ael file is established.
In my normal designs, they just stand side-by-side, but here they are in different directories.
Is this done via the special design kit structure?

I also tried to strip down the DemoKit example and got errors when I deleted the "records" folder. I then started to add the palette via library_group, but got also errors.

Link to my "crashed" DemoKit:
http://62.75.160.164/~albusmw/TEMP/DemoKit.zip

I think that I just forgot 1 essential part to define, but I am not sure what I am doing wrong ...

Best regards,

Martin.

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mfredrik Feb 28, 2005 2:35 AM

Hi Martin,

The AEL file contains the component definition. It defines many things, like:

How the circuit is modeled (netlist, subcircuit etc, built-in model..etc

Which symbol to use

What to do in layout for the part

Which parameters the subcircuit has

..and more...

ADS is made aware of the component through the AEL file. If the component is simulated using a built-in model then you only need an AEL file. If the component is built-up using a design (DSN file) then you need both the AEL and the DSN file. The DemoKit example is using netlist files for the component models. So in this case you have the AEL file, plus the netlist model which is found in the folder /DemoKit/circuit/models/All/Nominal.

In the DemoKit, the resistor, DemoKit_res, has the following building blocks:

/DemoKit/circuit/ael/DemoKit_res.ael [Component Definition]

/DemoKit/circuit/symbols/SYM_DemoKit_res [Symbol]

DemoKit/circuit/models/All/Nominal/res.net [Netlist]

DemoKit/artwork/artwork.ael [Layout macro, DemoKit_resLayout() ]

The resistor is modeled using a netlist in this example. You don't have to do it that way. You can use a DSN file if you like. In that case you need to modifiy the AEL file so that the create_item() defines the component as a subcircuit and then put the DSN file in the /DemoKit/circuit/designs/ folder. The name of the DSN file has to be the same as the AEL file, except the extension, .dsn instead of .ael.

The easiest way to create the AEL file is to have ADS create it for you in a project. You can then just copy the AEL file into the design kit folder using explorer etc.

References:

Design Kit Development

Design Kit File Structure

create_item()

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ALBUSMW Feb 28, 2005 4:37 AM

Hello!

Thanks for the very fast feedback!

I am quite clear how to use create_item and using the AEL code to generate my own properties, but I just got confused about how the design kit loader decides where to load all the files ...

I think I can now understand my problem:

In the example I tried in the beginning (according to the example in the manual "Design Kit Development", chapter 3), I placed my designes in the circuit/SYMBOLS folder and not in the circuit/DESIGNS...

I am not quite clear about the exact difference between SYMBOLS and DESIGNS (as far as I can see, both are .dsn files...).

I will try to place my designs in the DESIGNS folder tomorrow and give you some feedback if that works ...

Best regards, and thanks again for the fast feedback,

Martin.

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ALBUSMW Feb 28, 2005 6:43 PM

Hi!

It works :-)

Thanks, best regards,

Martin.

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3 Replies

mfredrik Feb 28, 2005 2:35 AM
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Hi Martin,

The AEL file contains the component definition. It defines many things, like:
- How the circuit is modeled (netlist, subcircuit etc, built-in model..etc
- Which symbol to use
- What to do in layout for the part
- Which parameters the subcircuit has
- ..and more...
ADS is made aware of the component through the AEL file. If the component is simulated using a built-in model then you only need an AEL file. If the component is built-up using a design (DSN file) then you need both the AEL and the DSN file. The DemoKit example is using netlist files for the component models. So in this case you have the AEL file, plus the netlist model which is found in the folder /DemoKit/circuit/models/All/Nominal.

In the DemoKit, the resistor, DemoKit_res, has the following building blocks:

/DemoKit/circuit/ael/DemoKit_res.ael [Component Definition]

/DemoKit/circuit/symbols/SYM_DemoKit_res [Symbol]

DemoKit/circuit/models/All/Nominal/res.net [Netlist]

DemoKit/artwork/artwork.ael [Layout macro, DemoKit_resLayout() ]

The resistor is modeled using a netlist in this example. You don't have to do it that way. You can use a DSN file if you like. In that case you need to modifiy the AEL file so that the create_item() defines the component as a subcircuit and then put the DSN file in the /DemoKit/circuit/designs/ folder. The name of the DSN file has to be the same as the AEL file, except the extension, .dsn instead of .ael.

The easiest way to create the AEL file is to have ADS create it for you in a project. You can then just copy the AEL file into the design kit folder using explorer etc.

References:

Design Kit Development

Design Kit File Structure

create_item()
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ALBUSMW Feb 28, 2005 4:37 AM
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Hello!

Thanks for the very fast feedback!

I am quite clear how to use create_item and using the AEL code to generate my own properties, but I just got confused about how the design kit loader decides where to load all the files ...

I think I can now understand my problem:

In the example I tried in the beginning (according to the example in the manual "Design Kit Development", chapter 3), I placed my designes in the circuit/SYMBOLS folder and not in the circuit/DESIGNS...

I am not quite clear about the exact difference between SYMBOLS and DESIGNS (as far as I can see, both are .dsn files...).

I will try to place my designs in the DESIGNS folder tomorrow and give you some feedback if that works ...

Best regards, and thanks again for the fast feedback,

Martin.
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ALBUSMW Feb 28, 2005 6:43 PM
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Hi!

It works

Thanks, best regards,

Martin.
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