ModelNetlist

Introduction

This repository contains a simple model for representing netlists(electronic circuits). It is developed for educational purposes hence favors simplicity over performance. The attempt is to develop a simple model which can completely describe a netlist. SimpleNelist is using NetworkX which is a more generic graph representation written in Python.

ModelNetlist can be used to learn how algorithms are written in EDA(Electronic Design Automation). Under applications/ there are several examples on how to write algorithms to extract information about a netlist. More detailed explanation of the application and its implementation is present in the README in each application folder.

This model is used by ChipHackers for their EDA related challenges. Try solving those challenges to get more familiar on how to use ModelNetlist model.

Installation

Currently only method to start using ModelNetlist is through GitHub repository. Please use below BASH commands to setup the enviorment. Windows users can set the PYTHONPATH variable appropriately.

cd <clone directory>

git clone https://github.com/udara28/ModelNetlist.git

export PYTHONPATH="<clone directory>/ModelNetlist"

Usage

Simple Example

Generating a netlist

from ModelNetlist import *
from commons import *

netlist = ModelNetlist('top1')

netlist.addPort('in','in_0')
netlist.addPort('in','in_1')
netlist.addPort('in','in_2')

netlist.addPort('out','out_0')

and1 = AND2(netlist)
netlist.addCell(and1)

or1 = OR2(netlist)
netlist.addCell(or1)

inv1 = INV(netlist)
netlist.addCell(inv1)

net0 = Net(netlist)
net0.addDriver(netlist.getPort('in_0'))
net0.addLoad(and1.input(0))
netlist.addNet(net0)

net1 = Net(netlist)
net1.addDriver(netlist.getPort('in_1'))
net1.addLoad(and1.input(1))
netlist.addNet(net1)

net2 = Net(netlist)
net2.addDriver(netlist.getPort('in_2'))
net2.addLoad(inv1.input(0))
netlist.addNet(net2)

net3 = Net(netlist)
net3.addDriver(and1.output(0))
net3.addLoad(or1.input(0))
netlist.addNet(net3)

net4 = Net(netlist)
net4.addDriver(inv1.output(0))
net4.addLoad(or1.input(1))
netlist.addNet(net4)

net5 = Net(netlist)
net5.addDriver(or1.output(0))
net5.addLoad(netlist.getPort('out_0'))
netlist.addNet(net5)

schema = Schematic(netlist)
drawNetlist(schema,'schema.png')

Above script will create a ModelNetlist and save the diagram in a file called schema.png which will look like below.