Subject: Re: parser for DIET 0.9

From: [email-masked] (Larry Saunders)
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 1994 12:19:55 -0800

At 10:48 AM 11/28/94 PST, [email-masked] wrote:
>Will the parser_v2 in /pub/die support DIET 0.9?
>Please elaborate.
>
>Thanks!
>
>Rich Strong ([email-masked])

I Wish!!

The parser you refer to is only for DIE Format data. It does not work
with DIET Format data. 

As you may already know the DIE Format syntax provides
a medium for exchanging IC die physical and electrical characteristics.
Most all of the information is manufacturing oriented. This information is
a useful selling aid to companies that manufacture and sell IC die. And 
obviously the information is also useful to companies that design and 
manufacture products that contain IC die. For instance: MCMs! (Sorry, I 
had to include that short word from our sponser!) 

The DIET Format syntax, on the other hand, is a medium for exchanging
timing information about IC components. While the inital focus has been
on supporting IC die components, timing for most any IC is describable 
within the format. The DIET Format timing information is again intended
to be created by IC vendors and used by designers that are incorporating 
the IC into their products. The timing information is extracted from the
format and incorporated into the design database for use during 
the timing analysis process - either static timing analysis or simulation 
based timing analysis.

Although the syntax of the two formats is superficially similar, they
are different languages. Both were designed as part of the
ARPA ASEM contract that Synopsys, LMG has with nCHIP. Unfortunately
there is no work item in the contract, that I'm aware of, to build a 
parser for the DIET Format. Either the contract will have to be modified
to add such a work item or someone else will have to take on the job
of building the DIET Parser - either as a public service or as a product
for sale.

Hope this is the elaboration you were looking for. If you have any
other questions, please let me know.

Larry Saunders
[email-masked]   or  [email-masked]
408-894-0119          415-694-1837
408-894-0119 (fax)    415-965-8637 (fax)
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San Jose, CA          Mountain View, CA 
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