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--- tools:interact:start [2026/03/12 09:38] – [Basic I/O commands] rajit
+++ tools:interact:start [2026/03/12 09:46] (current) – [Global routing] rajit
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
-===== Standard built-in commands =====
+===== Basic commands =====
+==== Standard built-ins ====
 The following commands are built into the scripting framework:
@@ Line 44: / Line 46: @@
 | quit | the same as ''exit'' |
-===== Basic I/O commands =====
+==== Interacting with the user and environment ====
 The following commands are used to interact with the environment, and for miscellaneous operations that are generic and not related to the ACT flow.
@@ Line 131: / Line 133: @@
 Given that options parsing is a standard use-case, ''interact'' comes with a simple command-line parsing package. After calling ''getopt'', load the ''act-opt.scm'' package using ''load-scm''. The two key functions are ''act:get-options'' and ''act:remaining-args''. Look at [[https://github.com/asyncvlsi/interact/blob/main/scripts/aflat|aflat as a script]] for an example. The parsing package treats options without arguments as flags that are stored in variables, and options with arguments as options that are stored as a string.
+==== Misc support functions ====
+The Galois parallel programming system is used for multi-threaded execution of some of the ACT tools.
+The number of threads used can be dynamically set the number of active threads used for parallel execution.
+^ Command ^ Meaning ^
+| sys:nthreads <num> | set number of threads used by Galois runtime to <num> |
+| sys:end-galois | shutdown Galois runtime |
+File I/O is supported via file handles, which are integers corresponding to open files.
+^ Command ^ Meaning ^
+| sys:open <name> <mode> | open a file in the specified <mode> (r = read, w = write, a = append), and return handle |
+| sys:close <handle> | close file corresponding to the specified <handle> |
+A transcript of interact commands can be saved to a log file to make it easier to create an interact command script for re-use later. Note that interact's execution is deterministic, so this can be used to reproduce results.
+^ Command ^ Meaning ^
+| sys:log <name> | open a command log file called <name> |
+| sys:endlog | close the currently open log file |
 ===== Technology parameters =====
@@ Line 139: / Line 165: @@
 | tech:scale | similar to ''tech:uscale'', except it returns scale factor in units of nanometers |
 | tech:getpitch <layer> | returns pitch of metal layer <layer> |
 ===== Configuration parameters =====
@@ Line 161: / Line 185: @@
 When the ''conf:set_{int,string,real}'' family of commands is used, reading a configuration file //will not// change the value of the configuration parameter. If instead the ''conf:set_default_{int,string,real}'' command is used, then its value can be changed by reading a configuration file.
-===== Misc support functions =====
-The Galois parallel programming system is used for multi-threaded execution of some of the ACT tools.
-The number of threads used can be dynamically set the number of active threads used for parallel execution.
-^ Command ^ Meaning ^
-| sys:nthreads <num> | set number of threads used by Galois runtime to <num> |
-| sys:end-galois | shutdown Galois runtime |
-File I/O is supported via file handles, which are integers corresponding to open files.
-^ Command ^ Meaning ^
-| sys:open <name> <mode> | open a file in the specified <mode> (r = read, w = write, a = append), and return handle |
-| sys:close <handle> | close file corresponding to the specified <handle> |
-A transcript of interact commands can be saved to a log file to make it easier to create an interact command script for re-use later. Note that interact's execution is deterministic, so this can be used to reproduce results.
-^ Command ^ Meaning ^
-| sys:log <name> | open a command log file called <name> |
-| sys:endlog | close the currently open log file |
 ===== ACT functions =====
@@ Line 341: / Line 342: @@
 ==== Circuit generation ====
+   ckt:map - generate transistor-level description
+   ckt:save-sp <file> - save SPICE netlist to <file>
+   ckt:save-flatsp <file> - save flattened spice netlist to file after cell mapping
+   ckt:mk-nets - preparation for DEF generation
+   ckt:save-prs <file> - save flat production rule set to <file> for simulation
+   ckt:save-lvp <file> - save flat production rule set to <file> for lvp
+   ckt:save-sim <file-prefix> - save flat .sim/.al file
+   ckt:save-vnet [-nocell] <file> - save Verilog netlist to <file>
 ==== Cell mapping ====
+   ckt:cell-map [-l] - map gates to cell library; -l lists used cells
+   ckt:cell-save <file> - save cells to file
+   ckt:cell-addbuf <proc> <inst> <pin> <buf> - add buffer to the pin within the process
+   ckt:cell-edit <proc> <inst> <newcell> - replace cell for instance within <proc>
+   ckt:cell-update - take the design back to the clean state
+   ckt:net->pins <net> - return pins that a net is connected to
+   ckt:cell->pins <inst> - return pins for a cell
 ===== Timing and power analysis =====
+   timer:lib-read <file> - read liberty timing file and return handle
+   timer:lib-merge <lh> <file> - merge <file> into liberty file handle <lh>
+   timer:time-units - returns string for time units
+   timer:build-graph - build timing graph
+   timer:tick <net1>+/- <net2>+/- - add a tick (iteration boundary) to the timing graph
+   timer:add-constraint <root>+/- [*]<fast>[+/-] [*]<slow>[+/-] [margin] - add a timing fork constraint
+   timer:init <l1> <l2> ... - initialize analysis engine with specified liberty handles
+   timer:spef <file> - read in SPEF parasitics from <file>
+   timer:phydb-link - link timer to phydb for timing-driven physical design flow
+   timer:run - run timing analysis, and returns list (p M)
+   timer:crit - show critical cycle
+   timer:info <net> - display information about the net
+   timer:constraint [<net>] - display information about all timing forks that involve <net>
+   timer:num-constraints - returns the number of constraints in the design
+   timer:get-violations - returns a list of constraint ids (cids) that have violations
+   timer:check-constraint cid [ticks] - does a path analysis to check paths for timing fork #<cid> exist
+   timer:get-slack cid - returns the slack of the violating constraint id #cid
+   timer:get-witness cid - displays the witness for the violation
+   timer:get-rise <net> - returns rise time for <net>
+   timer:get-fall <net> - returns fall time for <net>
+   timer:rise-violations <time> - returns a list of drivers that have rise time worse than <time> in timer units
+   timer:fall-violations <time> - returns a list of drivers that have fall time worse than <time> in timer units
+   timer:save <file> - save abstract timing graph to file in graphviz format
 ===== Physical database =====
+   phydb:init - initialize physical database
+   phydb:set-placement-grid <grid_value_x> <grid_value_y> - set placement grid
+   phydb:read-lef <file> - read LEF and populate database
+   phydb:get-used-lef - return list of macros used by the design
+   phydb:read-def <file> - read DEF and populate database
+   phydb:read-cell <file> - read CELL file and populate database
+   phydb:read-techconfig <file> - read technology configuration file
+   phydb:read-cluster <file> - read Cluster file and populate database
+   phydb:get-columns - return a list of coordinates of columns in grid point coords
+   phydb:get-gaps - return a list of coordinates of gaps in the minirows
+   phydb:place-cell <cell-type> <llx> <lly> <N|FS> - add a new cell to a fixed location
+   phydb:place-inst <inst> <llx> <lly> <N|FS> - place an instance at a fixed location
+   phydb:add-io <iopin_name> <net_name> <direction> <use> - add a new I/O pin
+   phydb:place-io <iopin_name> <metal_name> <lx> <ly> <ux> <uy> <placement_status> <x> <y> <orientation> - place an I/O pin at a fixed location
+   phydb:write-def <file> - write DEF from database
+   phydb:write-guide <file> - write GUIDE from database
+   phydb:write-cluster <file> - write CLUSTER from database
+   phydb:write-aux-rect <file> - write PP/NP cover and well rect files
+   phydb:close - tear down physical database
 ===== Placement =====
 ==== Partitioning ====
+   bipart:partition <file> [k] [depth] - compute a k-way partition (default 2)
 ==== Dali placer ====
+   dali:init <verbosity_level(0-5)> - initialize Dali placement engine
+   dali:add-welltap <-cell cell_name -interval max_microns> [-checker_board] - add well-tap cell
+   dali:place-design <target_density> [number_of_threads] - place design
+   dali:place-io <metal_name> - place I/O pins
+   dali:global-place <target_density> [number_of_threads] - global placement
+   dali:refine-place <engine> - refine placement using an external placer
+   dali:export-phydb - export placement to phydb
+   dali:close - close Dali
 ===== Routing =====
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 ==== Power detailed routing ====
-==== Global routing ====
+   pwroute:init <verbose> -initialize pwroute engine <verbose>
+   pwroute:set_parameters <reinforcement_width, reinforcement_step, cluster_mesh_width> - run pw route with mesh configuration. Default is <8, 16, 2>
+   pwroute:set_reinforcement <bool>, enable/disable reinforcement connection (default: 1)
+   pwroute:run run pwroute
+   pwroute:export-phydb -export power and ground wires to phydb
+   pwroute:close -close pwroute
+==== Global routing ====
+   sproute:init initialize sproute engine
+   sproute:set-num-threads set num threads, default = 1
+   sproute:set-algo Det/NonDet, default is NonDet
+   sproute:set-max-iterations set max iterations of maze routing, default = 30
+   sproute:run run sproute
+   sproute:close close sproute