Linux EDA tools for ASIC Design

[nbprashanth]

Hi. I would like to know if anyone has used linux for ASIC design(or VLSI design in general). What are the commercial/opensource softwares available for this. I am interested in Alliance-like softwares that take in VHDL and compile them into layout designs.

Also, is windows better for this type of software?

 

[nafraf]

It's common that commercial tools (m3ntor, c@dence) runs on Linux, you' ll find a lot of post about use and installation of the tools.

For academic projects, Alliance is good, but if you try to use with a commercial technology, its difficult to have a design kit. Maybe you'll have to create it.

There are other set of tools for opensource digital design, visit: Open Source Digital Flow If you want to use them for commercial purposes, you should pay attention on tool license limitations

Are you trying to use the tools for academic or commercial tools?

 

[nbprashanth]

Thanks for your reply. I would be using the tools for purely academic purposes.
I tried alliance, but there were a lot of changes in alliance 5 with many programs removed (like scp if i am right).
Do you have any idea where i can find a proper tutorial for alliance 5?

 

[nbprashanth]

Hi pini_1. Thanks for the links.
The problem i am facing is not with VHDL/Verilog. It is the process of converting them into a Layout.
I am currently using Alliance Tools 5.0 for it. Do you know any other open source software/set of tools that can help me?
I am ok if it converts schematic also.

 

[nafraf]

Thanks for your reply. I would be using the tools for purely academic purposes.
I tried alliance, but there were a lot of changes in alliance 5 with many programs removed (like scp if i am right).
Do you have any idea where i can find a proper tutorial for alliance 5?

Hi again,

I visited the Alliance Home page and it seems that the new documentation is self contained with the distribution ( /usr/share/doc/alliance-5.0/). Alliance package contains some examples, look the "examples" dir, the Makefiles uses the new tools OCP and OCR which replaced the SCR tool.

If you study the Makefile, you could begin to know the design flow.

 

[opensourceicdesign]

I recently started a blog (opensourceicdesign.wordpress.com) it is still in the first stage, but there are some links to different open source IC tools in there that you might find useful.

hope that helps

 

[nbprashanth]

Hi. Sorry it took a while to get back.
@nafraf
Thanks! Finally some useful docs..
@opensourceicdesign
I guess your blog is just what i was looking for. Awesome work! Thanks!!

 

[opensourceicdesign]

I'm glad you found it useful. Again it is still in the first stage, but my plan is to keep adding more and more posts and links to different open source IC tools in there.