Using Electric 12-8: The Info Menu

Chapter XII: MENU SUMMARY

| ## 8: The Info Menu |

This menu provides a collection of information gathering facilities. The most useful is Get Info which describes the currently highlighted object. Other informational commands exist to describe the circuit. Help... and Tutorial functions are available. Also, default node and arc creation information can be set.

### Get Info [2-4] [6-10] [2-5] [5-3] [3-6] [6-8]

This command presents a dialog that shows information and allows modification of the currently highlighted node, arc, export, or text.

When a single node is highlighted, this command presents the dialog shown here. Note that complex nodes have the "Expanded" option but cannot have their sizes changed. Primitive nodes can have their size altered. The "Name" field is simply a documenting message that is displayed on the node. If you uncheck the "Easy to Select" button, you will have to use the special select button to select it in the future. The list of connections at the bottom shows all ports and gives details about them when they are highlighted, connected, or exported. By selecting a "Connected at" line, that arc is highlighted, and the "See Arc" button switches you to the "Get Info" dialog for that arc. The "Attributes" button lets you edit special attributes on the node. |

When a single arc is highlighted, this command presents the dialog shown here. All of the options in the Arc menu may be set here. The "Name" field defines a network name for this arc and all others electrically connected to it. You can highlight the nodes on either end of the arc with the "See" buttons, and get information about them with the "Info" buttons. If you uncheck the "Easy to Select" button, you will have to use the special select button to select it in the future. The "Attributes" button lets you edit special attributes on the arc. |

| When multiple objects are selected, the dialog lists them and lets you do simple operations on all of them (position, size, width). If two objects are highlighted with selection and toggle select buttons, this dialog also shows the distance between them.

When an export's name is highlighted, this command presents the dialog shown here. The characteristics of the export can be set; the size of the export name can be set; and the location of the export name relative to the export center can be set. The "Attributes" button lets you edit special attributes on the export. |

| When special pieces of text are highlighted, this command presents a customized dialog for that value. For example, when the resistance value on a resistor is selected, this dialog is used.

When any other text is highlighted, this command presents the dialog shown here. The size of the text can be set; and the location of the text relative to its grab-point can be set. |

### Attributes [6-8]

| The subcommands of this command control additional attributes which can be placed on objects.

| Define... | This command allows additional attributes to be placed onto parts of the circuit. The five possible locations for attributes are selectable in the upper-left. You can place attributes on (1) the current facet, (2) the currently selected node, (3) exports on the current facet, (4) ports on the currently selected node, and (5) the currently selected arc. When you choose the object on which attributes are being set, you will see a list of attributes in the lower-left. If you have chosen port or export attributes, a list of port/export names is shown in the upper-right. To create a new attribute, enter its name and value, and click "Create Attribute". To modify an attribute, select it and make the change. Changes include what is shown (whether the attribute name and/or value is displayed) and how it is shown (how the text attaches to the object). For facet and export attributes, you can check "Instances Inherit" to make instances of these facets automatically inherit the attributes upon creation. Inheritable attribute values can use "++" or "--" to automatically increment or decrement the inherited value (for example, if an inherited attribute has the value "U12++" then the instance will inherit the value "U12" and the prototype attribute will be modified to be "U13++"). The "Delete Attribute" button removes an attribute. The "Rename" button renames an attribute. The "Change" button changes an attribute's value. The "More" button presents a highly-advanced dialog for exploring the internals of the Electric database (this dialog is not documented, and the button should not be used unless you know what you are doing). The buttons in the upper-right control arraying of attributes from one port/export to others. By selecting names and clicking "Add" or "Remove", those port/exports are checked or unchecked in the upper-right list (the "Add All" and "Remove All" control all names). Finally, when a set of ports or exports has been selected, you select an attribute and click "Make Array" to replicate that attribute to all that are selected.
| Update Inheritance | This requests that the selected nodes inherit all inheritable attributes. Those attributes that have already been inherited will not be altered; only new inheritable attributes will be brought from the prototypes to the instances.

### List Networks [6-9]

This command lists the named networks in the current facet. Networks can be given names by selecting an arc on the network, using the Get Info command above, and filling in the "Name" field.

### List Connections on Network [6-9]

This command lists the active components connected to the current network. The current network is the collection of nodes and arcs connected to the currently highlighted objects. If a node is highlighted that has multiple networks on it, the particular port that is highlighted on the node determines the network.

### List Exports on Network [3-7] [6-9]

This command lists the exports on the current network.

### List Geometry on Network [6-9]

This command computes the geometry connected to the current network and reports the area and perimeter of all connected layers.

### Help... [1-10]

This command provides information about the use of Electric. A dialog helps to select the subject.

### See Manual

This command displays the user's manual in a browser.

### Tutorial [1-10]

This command loads a tutorial package that provides some examples of use.

### New Node Options... [6-2]

This command presents a dialog that allows default settings to be established for the creation of new nodes. Default size and orientation may be set for each primitive node. The check box "Disallow modification of locked primitives" applies only to primitive node instances in "array" technologies and prevents fixed circuitry from being altered. The check box "Move after Duplicate" allows duplicated objects to be interactively positioned. The check box "Duplicate/Array/Extract copies exports" causes all operations that copy nodes to copy their exports as well. This includes the Duplicate and Array commands of the Edit menu and the Extract Facet Instance command of the Facets menu. Finally, it is possible to set a default orientation of all new nodes.

### New Arc Options... [5-5]

This command presents a dialog that allows default settings to be established for the creation of new arcs. Specific arc types may be given default constraint settings, default widths, and default angle increments. It is also possible to set an overriding constraint set for all new arcs. |

### Option Saving... [6-3]

This command requests that certain Options be saved with the current library. An example of the usefulness of this is when a library of standard cells, designed for the Silicon Compiler, wants to store Silicon Compiler options in it so that the user of the library can have the proper options set. |

### Measure Distance [4-7]

This command allows you to measure the distance between any two points on the display. After issuing it, click in the circuit to set the "starting point". Then click repeatedly in the circuit to define the "ending point" and see the measured distance. To change the starting point, type "x". To end distance measurement, type "Enter".

### User Interface

| The subcommands of this command control various aspects of the user interface.

| Rename Object... [3-1] | This allows anything in the system to be renamed (libraries, cells, exports, networks, technologies, primitive nodes, arcs, etc).
| Quick Key Options... [1-9] | This allows you to rebind the quick keys (the keys that invoke menu entries).
| Set Paths... | This lets you examine and modify the current directory in which library files can be found.
| Show Cursor Coordinates [4-7] | This causes the cursor coordinates to be continuously displayed in the status area (they are shown where the Technology and Lambda information used to be).
| Playback Log File... [6-12] | This replays a session log file, which is useful for recreating lost circuitry after a crash. Since Electric can usually detect when a crash has occurred, you should not normally need to issue this command.

### Check and Repair Libraries [6-12]

This command examines the database for inconsistencies and repairs them whenever possible. Given that Electric is a stable, working program, this command should not uncover any problems. If, however, the system is acting strangely, try saving your library and running this.

### About Electric...

This command displays a dialog with information about the current version of Electric.

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