QIS Client Revision History

Version 1.27 - 8/9/06

DBM Profile Fixes

A few more enhancements and fixes to the DBM Profile.

Empty target check removed/postponed until QIS functionality addition.

clip names truncating in certain cases.

adding external targets in certain cases.

Version 1.25 - 8/4/06

DBM Profile Fixes

A few more enhancements and fixes to the DBM Profile.

Preference dialog changes.

GOTO crash was fixed.

Invalid targets when importing external targets was fixed.

Target names with underscores were truncated - it is fixed.

Inverted highlighting when zooming in and out.

Case insensitive checking for uniqueness when importing external targets.

Version 1.24 - 7/30/06

User Interface Revised

A few more changes to the user interface have been made to improve the program's look, feel and organization.

The view is cleared before opening a file and before redrawing.

Background colors of the layer icons now match the set background color when a non solid pattern is applied.

New color palette with 32 colors.

New color selector integrated into the layer dialog.

New quicksort algorithm implemented for sorting DBM Targets.

Background colors are now the operating system setting with the exception of the Layer docking window.

Version 1.18 - 5/30/06

User Interface Revised

Major changes to the user interface have been made to improve the program's look, feel and organization.

Prefences pick is now under the File pulldown

Toolbars are now under the View pulldown menu

Toolbars are now under the View menu

QIS Server busy error message

When you are loading a GDS file twice, in the second time the application is stuck due to "QIS server is Busy ". This happens when in preferences window the Enable QIS Auto-Launch is unchecked. It has been fixed.

Version 1.16 - 5/7/06

Help Files

The new version includes Help manuals and Context Help for DBM Dialogs.

Version 1.11 - 2/7/06

Licensing

GdsFilt engine has been updated to work with the QisClient-DBM license key codes.

QisClient command line interface

QisClient -h will provide user with following information,
 
QisClient [ [GDSIIFileName] | [-job:DBMJobFileName] ]  [-auto] 
[-output:OutputFileName]
 
where,
 
GDSIIFileName is the GDSII file to be opened.
DBMJobFileName is the DBM job file to be opened.
-auto commands QisClient to run DBM profile generation automatically .(Used
 only if job file is  specified.)
OutputFileName\tDBM output xml file.(Used only if job file is specified and
 automatic mode is on.)
 
As you can guess, you can provide GDSII file name or the DBM job file to be
opened as command line option. You can make the DBM profile generation 
totally automatic by providing -auto and -output command line parameters.

Automatic Mode

To run DBM profile generation, user needs to specify the job file name, -auto
flag and the DBM profile o/p file name.
 
Example:
QisClient -job:c:\jobfiles\1.job -auto -output:c:\outputfiles\1.dbm
 
This will launch QisClient in auto mode performing following steps-
a) Pops up just a status window dialog that looks similar to the the status 
window in the normal QisClient run.
a) Connect to QIS.
It will auto-launch QIS or use the specified QIS based on the preference flag
last set in Preferences dialog. In future, we can provide a way to specify all
the preference settings via command line options.
b) Load in the DBM job file.
- Create target database:Based on the profile_type, it will read from the dbm
file or the external targets file to load in the target information.
- Create layer mapping database
- Create profile setup information
- Create preferences information
c) Open the corresponding GDSII file in QIS (Scan/ Load)
d) Create clips and profile output.
e) If sparse mode is turned on, it will generate sparse GDSII o/p file. (In 
future, we can provide with the command line options to control this kind of flags).

Job File Format Update

a) Way to specify external targets file OR DBM file
You can now specify the external targets file instead of the DBM file as a profile
file in the job file. The kind of input in the profile file is controlled by the following flag,
 
profile_type=dbm
OR
profile_type=external
 
Clearly, if the profile_type is 'dbm' then the file specified in the profile field is 
considered as a dbm(xml) file. If the profile_type is 'external' then the file specified
in the profile field is considered as a external targets file. 
The job file saved in QisClient always stores the target information in the dbm format. 
However, user can provide the external targets file to specify the target information.
 
b) Structure and layers on/off setting remembered
The job file remembers the structure and layer on/off settings.
 
Example-
Structure format:
structure_name=TOP
 
Layer On/Off format:
One more flag has been added at the end of each layer/ datatype line that
indicates the on/off status.
e.g
0 0,desc0,1,1,0,1
(means layer =0, datatype = 0, description=desc0, Pre-OPC=1, Post-OPC=1,
Aerial=0, on/off=1)

QIS Auto Launch Control in Preferences

User can turn on/ off the auto-launch of QIS feature by using the flag "Enable QIS Auto Launch" in QisClient Preferences dialog box. In case of auto-launch, user can specify the QIS executable to be used for auto-launch in preference dialog box.

Version 1.10 - 1/30/06

Sparse GDSII File Creation

All the targets can be combined into a single sparse GDSII file after generating target clips. This file is created if the flag in the DBM preferences is set. This flag is mentioned as "Create Sparse GDSII File". All the target GDSII clips are created in sparse or non-sparse GDSII file creation mode. QisClient uses another application "GdsFilt engine - gdsfilte.exe" to combine the clips into one GDSII o/p. The file name of this sparse GDSII file is "dbmfilename_SparseTargetsFile.gds" (dbmfilename is the prefix of the profile o/p DBM file).

Job Concept

The DBM database, GDSII file information can be stored as a job
file. This job file helps user to load in the GDSII file and corresponding
targets for editing. For any reason, user can postpone his work by
saving his work as a job file. You can try to load-in the sample job file
(demo5.job) provided in the examples directory of QisClient installation.

The DBM database, GDSII file information can be stored as a job
file. This job file helps user to load in the GDSII file and corresponding
targets for editing. For any reason, user can postpone his work by
saving his work as a job file. You can try to load-in the sample job file
(demo5.job) provided in the examples directory of QisClient installation.
 
Creating a job file
-------------------------
User loads in the GDSII file and defines corresponding targets, just like
in old version of QisClient. However, as user creates targets, he can save
his work using the menu option "File" and sub-menu option "Save DBM
Profile Job" or "Save As DBM Profile Job". This is the only way of creating
a job file from QisClient interface. The job file links to the GDSII file and
a .dbm(XML to remember targets) file along with other general information.
The main/ client window caption shows the name of a job file, if one given.
 
Opening a job file
-------------------------
Just the way user can open GDSII or OASIS file, he can load a job file.
When a job file is opened, DBM database is created and corresponding
GDSII file is automatically loaded. The main/ client window caption
shows the name of a job file if one opened.
 
Saving a job file
----------------------
You can save the opened job file OR save the targets created as a 
job file. You can even save the currently opened job file as a separate
job file.
 
Closing a job file
-----------------------
Closing a job file will close the DBM database. The corresponding GDSII
file will be closed based on the flag set in DBM preferences. This flag is
mentioned as "Close GDS on JOB close". 
 
Job File Format (sample job file demo5.job is attached)
----------------------
a) The General section:
This section saves the general information of the QisClient  + DBM snapshop.
- The profile field contains a snapshop of the target information.
- The filename field contains the GDS/Oasis file that was currently open.
- The type field specify's the type, GDS or Oasis. 
- The target_position field saves the position of the last target open.
- The name_count field saves the last name suffix counter.  
- The current_name field saves the last name used.  
- The unit fields saves the unit type.
b) The Layers section:
This section saves the layer information of the QisClient + DBM snapshop.  
- The number_of_layers field saves the number of layers in the GDS/Oasis file. 
- The [LAYERS][/LAYERS] block is used to specify n amount of layers.  
Each area is separated by commas.  The first token is the layer number and
datatype.  The second token is the layer description.  The third token is the 
Pre design type, the fourth token is the Post design type, and the last token 
is Aerial Image design type.  0 represents unchecked and 1 represents 
checked.
 
c) The Preferences section:
This section saves the preferences of the QisClient + DBM snapshop. 
In the following fields, 0 represents unchecked and 1 represents checked. 
- The absolute_or_relative field saves the absolute or relative path
when generating state.  
- The apply_or_discard field saves the apply or discard when navigating 
state.  
- The clear_data field saves the clear data after generation state.  
- The create_sparse field saves the create a sparse GDS file at the end 
state.  
- The file_suffix field saves the file suffix of each output file's state.  
- The height specifies the height of the target boundaries when in pick mode.  
- The width specifies the width of the target boundaries when in pick mode.  
- The output_directory field saves the working directory. 
- The pan_or_zoom field saves the pan or zoom when one clicks "GOTO" 
state.  
- The scale_factor field saves the scale factor of the target boundaries.  
- The sort_targets field saves the choice to sort targets or not.  
- The close_gds field saves the choice of closing the GDS/Oasis file after
 closing a job file or not.
 
d) The Profile Setup:
This section section saves the profile setup of the QisClient + DBM snapshop.  
- The coordinate_system_name field saves the Coordinate System
Name value.  
- The mask_alias_name field saves the Mask Alias Name value.  
- The master_mask_name field saves the Master Mask Name value.  
- The product_name filed saves the Product Name value.  
- The tool_name field saves the Tool Name value.

Version 1.09 - 1/23/06

Auto Launch Of QIS server

QisClient launches the QIS server on the available port when user opens the GDSII or OASIS file for the first time. Once QIS is up and connected, user can use the same client window to open successive GDSII/ OASIS files just like Qckvu.
By default the following menu options use automatically launched QIS-
1) Menu option 'File", sub-menu option "Open GDSII File..."
2) Menu option "File", sub-menu option "Open OASIS File..."

The caption of the window has been updated to include the QIS version and port number. This helps the user to know what version of QIS is being used and on what port number QIS has been launched. Also, the about dialog box has been updated to include QIS version(Menu option 'Help', sub-menu option 'About qisclient...'). The caption associated with the "Cells-Tree-Layers" tab window is also updated to include file-name, QIS version and port number. If you drag this tab-window outside the view window you can see the caption associated with it.
QIS process will be closed if the window holding GDSII/OASIS file is closed.

Opening Multiple GDSII/OASIS files simultaneously: (Non-DBM users)

When QisClient is launched, a new window is automatically created for user. User can use the above mentioned auto-launch feature to open first GDSII/ OASIS file in that default window. Then to open the second file, user will first need to explicitly create another new window. You can do so by using menu option "File" and then sub-menu option "New Window".
Then you can use "Open GDSII File..." or "Open OASIS File..." to open GDSII or OASIS file in that another window. Of course, QisClient will launch separate QIS for each file opened in separate windows.
Note: DBM is not supported with multiple GDSII/ OASIS files yet. Even if you open a new GDSII/ OASIS file in a new window, all the DBM data defined for the first GDSII file will be erased.

Explicitly connecting to your own QIS server

By default, the following menu option allows you to connect to specific QIS.
1) Menu option "File", sub-menu option "Specify QIS/ Open..."
a) When QisClient is launched, a new window is automatically created for user. You can then connect to a specific QIS by using this menu option ('Specify QIS/ Open...') and open GDSII/ OASIS file.
b) If you have already opened one GDSII/ OASIS file then you will first need to create new client window(just like the way when you open multiple GDSII/OASIS files). You can do so by using the menu option "File", sub-menu option "New Window". This will create a new client window.
Then follow the procedure in a) to connect to yet another specific QIS.

General Bugs Fixed

When you launch QisClient and type a command in the status command window before opening GDSII/ OASIS file, QisClient used to crash. This has been fixed in v1.09.

Version 1.07 - 12/22/05

More Zoom Options

In any zoom/info/measure/pick mode, a user can seamlessly zoom in by 2x by clicking Ctrl + or zoom out by 2x by clicking Ctrl -. Also, in any zoom/info/measure mode, you can click the space bar to enable the pan mode and left click and drag to pan.
Note: In zoom window, info, measure, select(pick target) modes you can left click and drag from left to right to zoom in or left click and drag from right to left to zoom out. Of course, if you left click at one point, it attempts to info, measure, or pick correspondingly.

Version 1.06 - 11/22/05

Show Details in NetTrace Server Configuration Dialog

An option has been added to control the NTS messaging at the server console. By default, it is turned off.

Stack up file on Nettrace Server Machine ( Configuration Dialog )

You can specify the technology stackup file on NTS machine by selecting this check box. You will need to type in the technology filename on NTS machine. Remote browser does not work in this dialog box for this release. This will be added for convenience in later release.

Resizing QisClient Window

In the previous versions, if the system display effects settings is to show the window contents while dragging, QisClient sent redraw for each pixel change. This resulted in flickering of QisClient view and bad viewing experience.
In this version, QisClient has been fixed so that it draws only when resize is done. This gives better viewing experience.

Version 1.05 - 11/1/05

Extract Menu

You can click extract menu to save the current view as GIF image on the disk. In future, we will support high resolution TIFF image, GDSII polygonal, window extract using this menu option.

Opening GDSII/OASIS file

For convenience, if the user has already set up the server IP and port number he does not need to see the old file open dialog box. He can just go to menu option "File" and click on "Open GDSII File..." or "Open OASIS File..." to launch the browser. In the background, the viewer will connect to the last QIS specified by ip address and port number from registry. "Specify QIS/ Open" dialog box can be launched using this sub-menu option.
In future, we will support automatic launch of QIS from QisClient and other ways to control QIS from the client preferences.

DBM Profile Generation Support for Applied Materials

DBM Profile main menu option will be enabled with the proper license.

Version 1.04 - 10/14/05

Multiple Structures Open Support

In this version, you can open multiple structures in separate windows. QisClient connects to the same QIS for each separate structure. All the structure windows, for a given file, will share the same QIS. Each window remembers it's own settings, for example, layers, zoom window, zoom mode, image size etc. As user moves from one window to another, QisClient re-sets the corresponding settings in QIS, in background.
By default, one of the root structures is opened. The window is now captioned as "filename - structurename", where filename is the GDSII/ OASIS file name opened and structurename is the structure opened in that window.
To open a particular structure in a new window, you will first need to locate/search the structure in the Cells or Tree tab of the tab window. When you right click on that located structure, you will have a option to open it in the current viewing window or to open in new window. If you click "Open In New Window", then QisClient will open that particular structure in the new window.

Multiple Files With Multiple Structures Open Support

QisClient still allows user to load multiple files, however, only with the help of multiple QIS servers, since QIS cannot load multiple GDSII or OASIS files. However, using QisClient, you can load multiple GDSII/OASIS files by specifying that many number of distinct QIS servers. QisClient will have one tab-window (displaying cells, hierarchy(tree) and layer information) for each distinct QIS server.

Docking/Floating Tab Window [Cells/Tree/Layer Window]

Cells/ Tree/ Layer tab window has been detached from the viewing area, so that multiple window's with different structures can refer to the same tab window. This also helps to to dock tab window on any side of main window or drag it outside the main window. For multiple files opened with multiple QIS server, we will have multiple tab windows. When all the structures belonging to a particular GDSII/ OASIS file are close, corresponding Cells/ Tree/ Layer tab window is also closed and destroyed.

Registry Settings

All the settings in preferences, data draw modes(text, fill, array, geometry markers, references markers), display filter options, Cells-Tree-Layer Window are saved to registry under the key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Artwork Conversion Software/QisClient". All the settings mentioned above will be found in the corresponding sub-directory in the key "QisClient/".
Example:
Display Filter Options settings are found under sub-directory "Display Filter Options" in "QisClient".

Toolbars Grouping

The toolbars are divided into "Main Toolbar", "Info Toolbar", "Nettrace Toolbar", "Display Filter Toolbar". The names are self-explanatory.

Turning on/off the toolbars, Cells-Tree-Layer toolbar

You can turn on or off display of particular toolbar, using the sub-menu options in "Preferences".

Nettrace Menu

Nettrace related commands or actions have been moved under the main menu option "Nettrace".

RGB Color Selection Dialog

The dialog box, which allows the user to select the color based on R,G,B values has been modified to accommodate standard colors so that user can pick them easily.

Display Filter Dialog

Display Filter On/Off -
You can click on the toolbar bitmap, to turn on or off the display filters settings. Turning off display filters settings is equivalent to setting display filter and structure display filter both to zero.

Display Filter -
Default display filter is 20 in QisClient, just like the default value in QIS. User can now change this default value as required. Data less than display filter size value, will not be drawn. Please refer to QIS documentation "Set_Display_Filter_Size" for detailed description.

Structure Display Filter -
Default structure display filter is 20 in QisClient, just like the default value in QIS. User can now change this default value as required. Structure references, whose extents width and height are both smaller than the value are represented with an extent box. This boxes are draw with structure display filter fill and outline color's set by the user. Please refer to QIS documentation "Set_Structure_Display_Filter_Size" for detailed description.

Structure Display Fill / Outline Color -
User can select the fill and outline color to be used for the extent boxes, which are represented for the filtered structure references. Please refer to QIS documentation "Set_SDF_Fill_Color" and "Set_SDF_Outline_Color" for detailed description.

Nesting Level [part of display filter dialog)

Structure Nesting Level - By default, nesting level is 0, meaning showing data on all the nesting levels. User can now select the appropriate nesting level as required. Please refer to QIS documentation "Set_Nesting_Level" for detailed description.
Internally, for now, QisClient sends "All" parameter to Set_Nesting_Level, when user selects '0' as nesting level. In QIS, 0 has different meaning. Please refer QIS documentation, if required.

Remote File Browser Capability/ Optimizations

Remote file browser capability has been added to QIS version v2.34 and later. If you need to do remote-browsing, you will need to use QIS v2.34 or later as the image server.

Version 1.03 - 09/19/05

New Info In Object Mode - Zoom in, zoom out & pan

When you select this mode, you can click inside any polygon to info it. In this mode, you can zoom out and zoom in the way zoom window works. If you click and drag left mouse button, client zooms in or out for you. If you click and release left mouse button at one point, it will consider it as a info in object mode. You can pan with middle click in this mode.
You can tab through the polygons with this particular point lying inside. You can even space through the vertices of the current polygon being info'ed.
The toolbar icon for this mode is located to the left of toolbar icon of "Info Vertex".

Smart Info vertex, Query Window And Measure

In any of these modes, when you click and drag left mouse button client zooms in or out for you. If you click and release left mouse button at the same point, it will consider it as a request to info or measure in that corresponding mode. You can pan with middle click in any of these mode.

Load In Memory option

You can command QIS to load the file in memory while opening. This option is part of the Connect/Open dialog. Default is not to load in memory.

Tool/Option tips in "Specify QIS/ Open.." dialog box

Tool tips have been added to some of the cryptic options in the open dialog and Nettrace dialog box. For e.g Via Size, Vertices/ Cell options in the Nettrace Dialog box will show its description as you move your cursor over them.

New Open GDSII/ OASIS options

Once you are connected to QIS, you can just use the "Open GDSII File..." or "Open OASIS File ..." from the pull down menu option of "File" menu option. Ofcourse, if you wish to change "Load In Memory" option OR the file browser port number then you need to open the main "Specify QIS/Open..." from the pull down menu option of "File" menu options.

New Nettrace Toolbar icons

You can now start, pause or stop the nettracing from the toolbar menu options. This group of toolbar icons is located to the left of help icon.

Nettrace Dialog - "Select Point"

You can click on the "Select Point" button, which will change the mode to "Info in object" . Using this mode you can select the initial starting figure for net tracing. Ofcourse, you can use any info tool (Info In Object, Info Vertex, Query Window) for selecting the intial start point. This new button is provided just for convenience. In general, as you info the polygons, this starting point is automatically updated.

Nettrace Dialog - "Stackup Start" option

You can select this option if you want nettrace server to have some initial stackup depth, if you are familiar how the net traverses. You should specify 0 if you want nettrace to select the optimal initial depth on it's own. In case, you want the whole depth to be considered at the start, you should not select this option.

Version 1.02 - 08/31/05

Toolbar and Status Bar Display controlled in Preferences

The Preferences menu now has options to turn on/off the display of Toolbar and the status bar

Preferences Dialog Revised

Background color: display backround can now be set to black or white.

Marker Shape can be set to diamond or cross.

Scale Bar: can be set to UL, UR, LR, LL or off.

default file extensions for gdsii and oasis files can be set. Each extension specification should be delimited with a semi colon from the other. For GDSII files one might have:*.gds;*.sf;*.db;*.cal;*.gds2

Client Server Communication status - the client allows a user to send commands to QIS from a command line across the bottom of the display screen. The user can choose to see in the message window:

display manual commands sent to QIS from the Server

show QIS responses

show client commands to nettrace (these need not be manual)

show NetTrace responses

Status Display Update

All the manual commands sent/received to/from QIS can be logged in the message window based on the preference settings. By default, only received commands
are shown in the status display window.
e.g.
-->QIS
get_structure_children_num
TOP
<--QIS
Get_Structure_Children_Num_Data
cell1,1,nodecell_15,1,cell2,1,cell3,2,cell4,141,cell5,1,cell6,1,cell7,1,cell8,1,cell9,2,cell10,1,cell11,1,cell12,1,cell13,1,cell14,1
,cell15,120,cell16,1,cell17,98,cell18,263,cell19,1,cell20,1,cell21,14,cell22,87,cell23,2,cell24,21,cell25,83,cell26,2,cell27,98,cell
28,74,cell29,1,cell30,71,cell31,34,cell32,1,cell33,1,cell34,1,cell35,1,cell36,2,cell37,1,cell38,64,cell39,2,cell40,4,cell41,23,cell4
2,1,cell43,10,cell44,1,cell45,1,cell46,2,cell47,61,cell48,3,cell49,4,cell50,12,cell51,65,cell52,39,cell53,6,cell54,1,cell55,1,cell56
,1,cell57,120
<--QIS
Get_Structure_Children_Num


All the manual commands sent to the QIS do not affect the viewer. For example: If you
sent redraw, it won't really update the viewing area picture. Infact, you will
see the Image_Ready response in the status display window. The reason for this
behaviour is to avoid confusion.

Center Mouse button Pan

In any viewing/ info mode you can click and drag the middle mouse button to pan over the view area.

Yet another way to launch the layer dialog box

You can click on the layer side bar color to launch the layer dialog box. It would be nice to scroll to the interested layer number in the layer dialog box. This will be added in the next version.

Window positions remembered correctly

Window positions for the view windows(ChildFrame windows) and the main window(MainFrame window) are remembered correctly in this version in the registry.

Zoom to XY icon

Zoom to XY co-ordinates window can be launched by clicking this icon in the toolbar. This icon is the one to the left of "Zoom In" icon.

Flashing stopped while zooming

If info polygon flash or nettrace data flash is being displayed then as you zoom in or out, flash is automatically disabled and enabled once zoomed in or out.

Outline Info Qckvu style

Info style in outline mode is matched to that of Qckvu style.

Nettracing

1) Every once a while, status display window updates the total number of
nettrace output data received from Nettrace server.
For example:
Traced      6789 polygons.
2) Options in "Preferences" dialog box will allow you to see the Nettrace
server commands sent to the Nettrace server. These commands are
displayed in the status window as you start nettracing from the Nettrace
Configuration dialog box. For details, read Preferences details and Nettrace
Configuration dialog.
3)  Whenever you open a new GDSII/ OASIS file, the Nettrace test point
is cleared and you are forced to re-select the test polygon using the Info
Window/ object tool for next nettrace request. This was not the case in the
earlier versions.
4) Nettrace data color drawn is the inverse of the viewer background color.

Version 1.0 - 07/29/05

Initial Release

This is the initial release of the QIS Client on Windows

Opening a File/Connecting QIS

Need to separate these two functions from the same window. The connection dialog should be separate from the file open dialog. (possibly some preference settings ...) Also, the display window seems to shrink - instead it should remember the size I used last. This is particularily noticeable when I close a file and re-open it ...