Introduction to STA

using PT

Learning Objectives
Given the design, library and script files, your task will be to
successfully perform STA using the PrimeTime GUI and
generate reports.
After completing this lab, you should be able to:
Add index(es) to ease searching of information in SOLD
Invoke PrimeTime GUI and perform 4 STA steps:
READ, CONSTRAIN, CHECK and ANALYZE
Analyze the designs timing using the 4 GUI windows:
Histogram, Path profiler, Schematic viewer and
Waveform viewer
Generate and interpret timing and constraint reports
Report cell and net delay calculations

60 minutes

UNIT

Unit 1

Introduction to STA using PT

Synopsys 34000-000-S36

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Lab 1

Getting Started
Directory structure and relevant files
../Libs/
core_slow.db

Lab1_Intro/

Directory with Library files

Cell library for setup check
Directory to perform this lab

.synopsys_pt.setup

PrimeTime Setup

Scripts/

Scripts directory

1_read_design.pt

Read a design into PT

2_constrain_design.pt

Constrain the design read in

3_check_design.pt

Check constraints completeness

4_timing_analysis.pt

Perform STA to generate reports

Source/
Verilog/
RISC_CORE*.v

Verilog design directory

Top level netlist

Reports/

Reports directory

$SYNOPSYS/

Root install directory

doc/online/static
index.pdx

STA documentation directory

Index file

If you need help

Use the lecture material, SOLD or the Quick Reference Guide or ask your
Instructor.

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Lab 1
Introduction to STA using PrimeTime
Add Search index(es) to SOLD

Invoke PT and verify setup

READ, CONSTRAIN and

CHECK

ANALYZE Graphically

Generate Timing, Constraint and

Delay Calculation reports
Your goals are to:
-

Perform STA on the given design using the Histogram, Path

profiler, Schematic and Waveform windows of PrimeTime GUI

Generate STA reports for analyzing the Timing, Design Rules and
Net and Cell delays

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Lab 1
Background
You are provided with the gate level netlist of a design, library, a setup file, a
set of script files and the online documentation (SOLD)
The Unix directory for this entire lab is ./Lab1_Intro.
Answers to the Questions are located at the end of this lab for
comparison J

Task 1. Open SOLD and add search index

You need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader to see and search the contents of
SOLD. For this lab the Acrobat Reader is already installed. If you do not
have the Acrobat Reader, you can download one from http://www.adobe.com.
You need version 4.05 or newer for the Sun Workstation, or 5.05 or newer for
the PC.
1. Change directory and list the contents
Unix> cd $SYNOPSYS/doc/online
Unix> ls l
NOTE: If the online documentation is not installed for you (OR) if you
cannot locate the top.pdf file, skip this task and move onto Task-2. You
may be able to revisit this task at a later time.

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2. Opening SOLD
Unix> acroread top.pdf

This window appears:

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Lab 1
Click on PrimeTime, the following window will appear.

3. Search using Contents window:

In the window above, click on PrimeTime User Guide: Fundamentals,
then click on Contents in the left side window. The window bellow will
appear. You can scroll this window up or down to do your search.

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Lab 1
4. Search using Index window:
Click on the Index in the left side window (see picture above). You
will see the window below:

Scroll down the Index window (right side window), look for clock, then look
for transition time.
5. Search using key word:
You need to make sure you have the proper index installed to do searches.
To install the index, click on:
Edit --> Search --> Select Indexes

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Lab 1
Edit --> Search --> Select Indexes opens a Index Selection window:

6. Click on Add
The Add Index window will appear:

7. Double click on one directory, for example: /release/2002.03/doc/online/vcs.

Double click on index.pdx (on the right side window).

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An Index Selection window opens

If the box to the left of an index is pushed in, the index is enabled. The
boxes not pushed in are disabled. Click the box to toggle between enable
and disable. The search will be done using the indices that are enabled.
8. Search using key word:
Click
Edit Search Query
Type timing reports in the search window, then click Search.

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Lab 1
The Search Results window will appear.

9. Click on one title and click on View to see the contents.

After viewing an article, you can reopen this Search Result window by
clicking Edit Search Results. If any of the search results do not let you
see the corresponding document, then you have to add and enable a new index
or indices and perform the search again.

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Lab 1
Task 2. Invoke PrimeTime GUI and Verify Setup
1. Invoke PrimeTime from the Lab1_Intro directory.
unix% cd Lab1_Intro
unix% primetime &

It will take a few moments for the GUI to show up. Familiarize yourself with
the following key areas of the GUI:
q

Pull down menu options (Ex: File, View, Design, ...)

Quick Icons or radio buttons (Ex: STOP button)

Scoreboard (Ex: Current Design, Linked, Timed, PVT, ...)

Console Display area (occupying most area of the GUI)

Command line interface (primetime> (OR) pt_shell> prompt)

2. From the GUI pull down menu, verify that the Search and Link paths are
consistent with that of the .synopsys_pt.setup file. Click OK once done.

GUI: File -> Search and Link Path

unix% more .synopsys_pt.setup

Question 1. What directories are available under search_path?...............................

Question 2. What are the 2 items of link_path? .......................................................

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Lab 1
Task 3. READ, CONSTRAIN and CHECK
1. Read the Verilog design netlist using the script provided.
GUI: File -> Run Script
Run Script: Browse ..
Run Script File: Scripts 1_read_design.pt Open
Run Script: Select Echo Command and Verbose OK

Question 3. Is design RISC_CORE successfully linked? ........................................

Question 4. What is the Current Design name from the Scoreboard? .....................
Question 5. Is the design state Linked and/or Timed ? .....................................
2. Constrain the design by specifying a clock period of 2.5 ns (400 MHz).
Instead of using the provided script, do this interactively.
GUI: Attributes -> Clock -> Create
Create Clock: Browse ..
Hierarchy Explorer: Double Click on Clk OK
Create Clock: Enter 2.5 for Period OK

Question 6. What pt_shell command has been executed?........................................

3. Use the man page to look at the details of the above command.
GUI: Help -> Man Pages
Manual Page: create_clock OK

4. Verify that you sufficiently constrained the design using the clock period
alone. Do this step using the command line interface:
pt_shell> check_timing -verbose

Question 7. Are there any Warnings or Errors? .......................................................

Question 8. Are there any changes to the Scoreboard? ............................................

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Task 4. Analyze the design using GUI
1. Analyze the design timing using the Endpoint slack Histogram.
(Search for Endpoint Slack Histogram in SOLD)
GUI: Reports -> Histograms -> End Point Slack
Endpoint Slack: OK
(accept the defaults)

Question 9. How many (out of 8) bins violate timing (Red)? .................................

Question 10. Where do you find Worst slack, To the left or right most side of
the X axis ? ........................................................................................
Question 11. How many endpoints are contained in the worst violating bin? .........
(Hint: Click on the bin and note the number from bottom of the GUI)

Question 12. What is the largest amount of Negative slack in the design?..............
(Hint: Look at the Top most Endpoint on the Right Hand window)

Question 13. Does the above agree with the Scoreboard reading? ..........................
2. Display the Path Profiler. (To invoke Path profiler, you need to start with the
Histogram)
Histogram: Click on the Worst violating endpoint
Histogram: Window -> Create Path Profiler

Question 14. How many higher level modules (partitions) does the Timing
path pass through? .............................................................................
Question 15. Which module in the path causes the maximum delay? ....................
Question 16. How many library leaf cells are present in each module?...................
(Double Click Module Use Up arrow icon to go back)
Question 17. In I_ALU, which library leaf cell causes the largest percentage
of delay?.............................................................................................

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Lab 1
3. Display the Schematic Window (You can invoke it from the Histogram or the
Path Profiler).
Histogram: Click on the Worst violating endpoint
Histogram: Window -> Create Schematic Viewer

Question 18. What is the Start point of the timing path (input port or register)?.........
(HINT: Simply place the mouse at the start point and look for an yellow info tip box)

Question 19. What is the End point of the timing path (output port or register)?....
(HINT: If you do not see an yellow info tip box, then look at the lower left
corner for the end point name)

Question 20. How many combinational library cells (do not count any
registers) are present on the timing path? ..........................................
4. Display the Waveform Window (you can invoke it from the Histogram or the
Path Profiler).
Histogram: Click on the Worst violating endpoint
Histogram: Window -> Create Waveform Viewer

Question 21. How many waveforms are displayed? ................................................

Question 22. Do the start and end points agree with that of Schematic viewer? .....
Question 23. What is the path delay? .......................................................................
Question 24. What is the slack? ...............................................................................
Question 25. What is Registers setup time requirement? .......................................
Question 26. Is there a timing violation? .................................................................
You may now close all EXCEPT the PrimeTime Console window.
Note: (If you accidentally quit from the Console, you will need to redo Tasks 2 and

3 before going to Task 5)

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Task 5. Generate Reports
1. Generate the Setup timing report from the command prompt:
pt_shell> report_timing

Question 27. What is the Data arrival time? ............................................................

Question 28. What is the Data required time?..........................................................
Question 29. What is the Clock period?...................................................................
Question 30. What is the slack? Is it MET or VIOLATED?...................................
Question 31. What is the register CLK to Q delay? .................................................
Question 32. What is the library setup time ? ..........................................................
2. Generate the hold timing report by typing the command:
pt_shell> report_timing delay min

Question 33. What is the Data arrival time? ............................................................

Question 34. What is the Data required time?..........................................................
Question 35. What is the slack? Was it MET or VIOLATED? ..............................
Question 36. What is library hold time?...................................................................
3. Generate a constraint report:
pt_shell> report_constraints

Question 37. What 2 design rules are checked in the library? .................................

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Lab 1
4. Generate reports to explain the delay calculations of cell and net delays.
To generate the report, you need to know the start and end points of
cells and nets. Note: the net delays are very small, you need at least 4
significant digits to see non zero net delays.
pt_shell> report_timing input_pins significant 4

Question 38. Why is every library cell name on this path shown twice?.................
Question 39. What is the longest cell delay on this path? ........................................
5. Choose the CLK to Q cell delay arc and report its delay calculation:
HINT: To copy text from the Console into the command prompt, select the
text using left mouse click; to paste into the command prompt, use the right
mouse click and then select Paste with a left mouse click. Its more easily
done, than said J
pt_shell> report_delay_calculation from \
I_DATA_PATH/Oprnd_B_reg[3]/CLK to \
I_DATA_PATH/Oprnd_B_reg[3]/Q

Question 40. What are the CLK2Q delays for rise and fall?....................................
Question 41. What are the rise and fall output transitions of this register?..............
6. Choose the net that ends at the D0 pin of the register (end point):
pt_shell> report_delay_calculation from \
I_ALU/U537/Y to \
I_ALU/Zro_Flag_reg/D0

Question 42. What is the net delay during rise or fall? ............................................

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Lab 1
Task 6. Quit Primetime
1. Exit PrimeTime GUI
GUI: File -> Exit
PrimeTime: OK (for Exit PrimeTime?)

CONGRATULATIONS! Give yourself a pat on the back. You have just conducted
STA on the RISC_CORE design using PrimeTime.

Back to the lecture

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Lab 1

Answers for Lab 1

Task 2. Invoke PrimeTime GUI and Verify Setup
Q 1.

What directories are available under search_path?

. ./Libs ./Scripts ./Source/Verilog

Q 2.

What are the 2 items of link_path?

* core_slow.db

Task 3. READ, CONSTRAIN and CHECK

Q 3.

Is design RISC_CORE successfully linked?

Yes

Q 4.

What is the Current Design name from the Scoreboard?

RISC_CORE

Q 5.

Is the design state Linked and/or Timed?

Linked

Q 6.

What pt_shell command has been executed?

create_clock

Q 7.

Are there any Warnings or Errors?

Yes, there are 2 warnings. The input and output ports have not been
constrained. Clock period constrained ONLY the Register to Register
paths. This is OK for this lab.

Q 8.

Are there any changes to the Scoreboard?

Yes, the design has been Timed (due to an update_timing invoked
by check_timing) and the Worst case setup violation in the design is
1.2919 ns

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Task 4. Analyze the design using GUI
Q 9.

How many (out of 8) bins violate timing (Red)?

3

Q 10. Where do you find worst slack, to the left or right most side of the X
axis?
Left
Q 11. How many endpoints are contained in the worst violating bin?
127
Q 12. What is the largest amount of Negative slack in the design?
1.291897
Q 13. Does the above agree with the Scoreboard reading?
Yes
Q 14. How many higher-level modules (partitions) does the Timing path
pass through?
2 (DATA_PATH, ALU)
Q 15. Which module in the path causes the maximum delay?
ALU (82%)
Q 16. How many library leaf cells are present in each module? (Double Click
Module Use Up arrow icon to go back)
1 in I_DATA_PATH, 13 in I_ALU
Q 17. In I_ALU, which library leaf cell causes the largest percentage of
delay?
and6a6, 12.32%
Q 18. What is the Start point of the timing path (input port or register)?
Register Oprnd_B_reg[3] (fdesf1a9)

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Lab 1
Q 19. What is the End point of the timing path (output port or register)?
(NOTE: If you do not see an yellow info tip box, then look at the
lower left corner for the end point name)
Register Zro_Flag_reg (fdesf1a9)
Q 20. How many combinational library cells (do not count any registers) are
present on the timing path?
13
Q 21. How many waveforms are displayed?
2 (Data arrival time and Data required time)
Q 22. Do the start and end points agree with that of Schematic viewer?
Yes
Q 23. What is the path delay?
3.4 ns
Q 24. What is the slack?
1.3 ns
Q 25. What is Registers setup time requirement?
0.4 ns
Q 26. Is there a timing violation?
Yes, -1.3 ns

Task 5. Generate Reports

Q 27. What is the Data arrival time?
3.43 ns
Q 28. What is the Data required time?
2.14 ns

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Q 29. What is the Clock period?
2.50 ns
Q 30. What is the slack? Was it MET or VIOLATED?
1.29 ns (VIOLATED)
Q 31. What is the register CLK to Q delay?
0.62 ns
Q 32. What is the library setup time?
0.36 ns
Q 33. What is the Data arrival time?
0.22 ns
Q 34. What is the Data required time?
0.11 ns
Q 35. What is the slack? Was it MET or VIOLATED?
0.11 ns (MET)
Q 36. What is the library hold time?
0.11 ns
Q 37. What 2 design rules are checked in the library?
max_capacitance and max_transition
Q 38. Why is every library cell name on this path shown twice?
Once to show the input pin of the cell, another to show the output pin
of the cell
Q 39. What is the longest cell delay on this path?
CLK to Q

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Lab 1
Q 40. What are the CLK2Q delays for rise and fall?
0.617072ns , 0.536889 ns
Q 41. What are the rise and fall output transitions of this register?
0.319435 ns, 0.18629 ns
Q 42. What is the net delay during rise or fall?
9.02512e-05 ns

The End of Lab-1 J

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