Next: The Misc Config Button:
Up: The Extract RLC Button:
Previous: FastCap Partition Editor
Contents
Index
The RLC Extraction Panel
This panel, brought up by the Extract RLC button in the Extract Menu, controls the interface that allows capacitance to be
extracted with the FastCap program, and resistance and inductance to
be extracted with the FastHenry program. The interface can also be
controlled to a large extent with the !fx prompt line command.
The panel functionality is divided into three pages, selectable
through the tabs along the top of the window. Common to all pages is
a Help button, status line, and Dismiss button. The
status line indicates the number of objects saved in the interface,
and the number of background FastCap/FastHenry jobs currently running.
At the top of the General page is the Dataset Name text
entry field. This allows the user to enter a word which is taken as a
name for the current set of data in the interface. This word will be
used as a base name for files generated with the interface, for input
to FastHenry or FastCap, and for other purposes. If no data set name
has been entered, the default name used will be ``unnamed''.
Below this is a group of push buttons that apply to the dataset stored
in the interface. Each button's functionality is described below.
- Save Selections
When pressed, selected objects are deselected, and conducting objects
are read into the interface. The label at the bottom of the panel
will change to reflect the number of objects that have been saved.
This can be invoked at any time, while in any other command, and will
operate on the selections in effect. While in the commands initiated
from the Path Selection Control panel all of the objects in the
highlighted path are added to the storage. The Save path to RLC
button in the Path Selection Control control panel has the same
effect.
If the interface has already been ``run'', i.e., a file generated or
the program executed (the text entries are frozen in this state), then
the interface will be reset, as if the Reset button was pressed.
All partitioning will be destroyed.
- Clear Selections
The interface will be cleared of all geometry and partitioning.
- Dump Saved
The state of the interface, including the geometry, partitioning, and
layer sequencing and parameters, will be saved to a file. The default
name for this file is the data set name followed by a ``.sav''
extension, but this can be changed from the dialog that will pop up.
This function can be used to save a data set for later use.
- Recall Saved
This enables a data set that has been previously saved with Dump
Saved to be recalled. Any existing information in the interface will
be overwritten. If the recalled data set was created with a different
technology file, a warning will be issued but any new layers will be
created as needed, and the user can continue with any processing
required.
Along the bottom of the General page are entry areas where the
path to the FastCap and FastHenry programs can be edited. These entry
areas display and change the FcPath and FhPath variables.
The entry areas can contain the path to the program executables, or
the path to the directory that contains the executables, provided that
the executables are named ``fastcap'' and ``fasthenry''
(with a .exe suffix under Windows).
In The Partition page there are two columns or entry widgets:
text entries on the left, push buttons on the right. The left column
entries are the following:
- FxUnits
This is an option menu which is used to set the length units used in
FastCap and FastHenry files produced by the interface. Choices are
meters, centimeters, millimeters, microns (the default), inches, and
mils. The selection, if not the default, will set the FxUnits
variable. Similarly, setting the variable with the !set command
will update the state of the menu. The choice currently in effect
will be applied when FastCap of FastHenry files are generated.
The text entries in the left column control default sizes assumed in
the interface for processing geometry. Each has an associated !set variable, which will be set or updated when a non-default entry
is given in the text area. If the variable is set with the !set
command, the text shown in the text area will be updated unless
frozen.
Once the interface processes the saved objects, the geometric factors
are no longer relevant, and the entry areas are frozen to the values
currently in use in the interface. In this state, the entries can not
be changed, and setting the associated variables will have no effect.
If the interface is reset with the Reset button or cleared with
the Clear Saved button, then the entries revert to the normal
behavior.
- FxPlaneBloat
This numerical entry field specifies the distance outside the bounding
box of all conductors that FastCap interface planes and dark-field
conductors in FastHenry or FastCap will extend. The value is given in
microns, and the default is 10.0. This entry field is tied to the
FxPlaneBloat variable, which can also be set with the !set
- FcPartMax
This is used to set the maximum length or width of a FastCap partition
panel used on the top of bottom surface of a conductor, or in a
dielectric interface. The value is given in microns, with 10.0 being
the default. This entry is tied to the FcPartMax variable,
which can also be set with the !set command.
- FcEdgeMax
This numeric value is used to set the maximum length (along the edge)
of a ``vertical'' edge panel used for FastCap. The width of these
partition panels is always the layer thickness. The value is given in
microns, with 10.0 the default. The entry is tied to the FcEdgeMax variable, which can also be set with the !set
command.
- FcThinEdge
This numerical entry specifies the width (normal to the edge) of the
thin panels used along top/bottom conductor outside edges for FastCap.
The value is given in microns, with 0.5 being the default. The entry
is tied to the FcThinEdge variable, which can also be set with
the !set command.
- FhMinRectSize
This numerical entry field is used to specify the minimum rectangle
width or height used when non-Manhattan objects are converted to a
Manhattan approximation for FastHenry. The value is entered in
microns, and the default value is 1.0. This is tied to the FhMinRectSize variable, which can also be set directly with the !set command. command.
The push buttons in the right column of the Partition page
provide access to the partition editor and related functions, as
described below.
- No FastCap Partitioning
When this button is pressed, no partitioning will be applied to a
FastCap data set. The FastCap partition editor will not be available,
and even the default initial partitioning will be skipped. This
button sets, and is set by, the FcNoPart variable.
This is for compatibility with programs like FasterCap from fastfieldsolvers.com which do their own partitioning. In this case,
any partitioning done by Xic is at best redundant.
- Edit FastCap Partition
This puts the interface into FastCap partition editing mode.
- Edit FastHenry Partition
This button engages the partition editor for FastHenry.
- Edit FastHenry Terminals
This button enters the FastHenry terminal editing mode.
- Reset
This button will destroy all partitioning and revert the interface to
the state just after all objects have been saved. This will un-freeze
the text areas listed above,
The Run page contains clusters of controls for running FastCap
and FastHenry, or creating input files for these programs.
At the top is the cluster for FastCap. These controls are described
below.
- FcArgs
This text entry area can be given a string, which will be included in
the argument list when FastCap is run with the Extract C button.
This allows specialized FastCap command line options to be provided
during the run, which the user may require. This entry field is tied
to the FcArgs variable, which can also be set with the !set command.
- Run FastCap
This button will dump a temporary FastCap input file, run FastCap, and
display the results. The result file is named dataset_name-pid.fc_log, where dataset_name
is the name of the data set, or ``unnamed'' if this is not
given, and pid is the process id of the spawned process used to
run FastCap. The file contains listings of the input file produced by
the interface and the output file produced by FastCap.
By default, FastCap is run in the background. The label at the bottom
of the panel will indicate that the job is running. When complete, a
File Browser window containing the result file will appear.
While FastCap is running, one can continue using Xic.
If the FxForeg variable is set with the !set command, then
FastCap will instead run in the foreground. In this case, the result
file is named dataset_name.fc_log, and Xic will be
unresponsive until the run completes.
- Dump FastCap File
This button allows a FastCap input file to be generated. The default
name for this file is dataset_name.lst, where dataset_name is the current data set name, or ``unnamed'' if
none was given. This file is a combined list file readable by the
version of FastCap distributed by Whiteley Research Inc.
- Use legacy file format
When this check box is checked, the interface will use the original
FastCap file format when generating FastCap intput files, including
the case when the Run FastCap button is used. The original
format requires multiple input files, perhaps quite a few. These will
be created in the same directory as the .lst file.
The state of this check box sets, and is set by, the FcOldFormat
variable.
Generation of input in the legacy format makes possible the use of
successor programs to FastCap, such as FastCap2 and FasterCap.
The FastHenry control cluster near the bottom of the panel provides
similar functionality for the FastHenry program. These controls are
described below.
- FhArgs
This text entry area can be given a string, which will be included in
the argument list when FastHenry is run with the Extract RL
button. This allows specialized FastHenry command line options to be
provided during the run, which the user may require. This entry field
is tied to the FhArgs variable, which can also be set with the
!set command.
- FhFreq
This consists of three entry areas, which take the starting and ending
evaluation frequencies for FastHenry runs, and the number of
intermediate frequencies to evaluate. This corresponds to the .Freq specification line in FastHenry input files. The frequencies
are given in hertz. If the third field in empty, then evaluation is
at the specified frequencies only. This variable is tied to the FhFreq variable, which can also be set with the !set command.
- Run FastHenry
This button will dump a temporary FastHenry input file, run FastHenry,
and display the results. The result file is named dataset_name-pid.fh_log, where dataset_name is
the name of the data set, or ``unnamed'' if none was given. The
pid is the process id of the spawned process used to run
FastHenry. This file contains listings of the input file produced by
the interface, and the output and impedance matrix files produced by
FastHenry.
By default, FastHenry is run in the background. The label at the
bottom of the panel will indicate that the job is running. When
complete, a File Browser window containing the result file will
appear. While FastHenry is running, one can continue using Xic.
If the FxForeg variable is set, with the !set command,
then FastHenry will instead run in the foreground. In this case, the
result file is named dataset_name.fh_log, and Xic will
be unresponsive until the run completes.
The result file contains the results from the impedance matrix,
converted to inductance, using the run frequency. In addition, if
there are exactly two ports (four terminals), the ``transmission
impedance'' will be computed for non-dc runs. This is
L1 + L2 -2L12
and represents the lumped inductance one would have for a transmission
line.
- Dump FastHenry File
This button allows a FastHenry input file to be produced. The default
name for the file is dataset_name.inp, where dataset_name is the current data set name, or ``unnamed'' if
none was given. If the Lambda parameter has been applied to any
conductor, i.e., the conductor is a superconductor, then the version
of FastHenry distributed by Whiteley Research Inc. should be used.
Otherwise, the file should be compatible with any version of
FastHenry.
Next: The Misc Config Button:
Up: The Extract RLC Button:
Previous: FastCap Partition Editor
Contents
Index
Stephen R. Whiteley
2012-04-01