Course Description
This course provides the foundation, concepts, and sample programs to build working SKILL? programs. It stresses the important SKILL functions that underlie the Cadence? Virtuoso? Design Environment. For each major group of SKILL functions, you complete a working program. The course also covers new database objects, new user interface features, The DEFT utility for managing technology files, the new SKILL IDE for debugging SKILL programs and the latest information about accessing example programs using Cadence Online Support.
This course incorporates a core-level?introduction to SKILL programming?in the first two days and then expands on that knowledge with more in-depth information, discussion, examples and programming exercises to make you a more proficient SKILL programmer. See the Objectives and Agenda below for details.
Learning Objectives
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Locate SKILL examples on Cadence Online Support
- Learn the role of the SKILL language in the Virtuoso Design Environment
- Experiment with SKILL commands in the new, improved Command Interpreter Window
- Master SKILL syntax, loop constructs, and conditional statements
- Build and manipulate lists
- Build, install, and manipulate windows, menus, toolbars and forms
- Examine the design database model and implement SKILL queries and functions to create, access, and update data
- Lookup technology file information using DEFT
- Define, develop, and debug SKILL functions and programs using the SKILL IDE
- Read and write data to and from UNIX text files including table data
- Implement an interface to external programs using SKILL inter-process communication
- Compare the various kinds of SKILL data structures and implement examples of each
- Learn how SKILL++ can be used to improve your programs
- Use the features of IC 6.1.5, including the new OpenAccess database and the Application Programming Interface.
Course Agenda
Note that this course can be tailored to better meet your needs?–?contact the Cadence training staff?for specifics.
Unit 1
- SKILL fundamentals
- Lists
- Windows
- Database queries
Unit 2
- Menus
- Customization
- Developing SKILL functions
- Debugging using the SKILL IDE
- Flow of control
Unit 3
- File I/O
- SKILL Development Environment
- List construction
Unit 4
- Data models
- User interface
Unit 5
- Advanced customization
- Data structures
- Introduction to SKILL++
Appendixes
- Inter-process communication
- Debugging using the Command-line SKILL debugger
- Additional SKILL Examples
- SKILL code migration to IC 6.1
