Cycle-tapping technique for selecting objects

• US 9,342,226 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synopsys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synopsys Incorporated
• Inventors: Brubaker, Jeffrey T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xiao, Di
• Application Number:
  US12/610,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20110022987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,391 Days
• Field of Search: 715/708, 715/812
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/30 Circuit design

Abstract

A technique for selecting an object is described. During this technique, a computer system selects an object from multiple objects associated with a circuit design in an electronic-design-automation (EDA) environment based at least on a current cursor location and a current design command. For example, the computer system may select the object by determining distances between the cursor location and objects in at least a subset of the multiple objects, and then identifying the minimum distance in the distances. Furthermore, the object may be selected either with or without a user first providing an object-selection input. If the object-selection input is provided, the user may do so by performing one or more mouse clicks or a keyboard shortcut, as opposed to using a window (such as a dialog box or a drop-down menu) that can be displayed in the EDA environment.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a cursor location in an electronic design automation (EDA) environment, wherein the EDA environment includes multiple objects;

determining a subset of the multiple objects based on the cursor location;

selecting a first object from the subset of multiple objects;

creating a first new object and populating at least one property of the first new object based on a corresponding property of the first object, wherein creating the first new object comprises performing a first sequence of operations, and wherein the first new object is a different type of object than the first object; and

in response to receiving error information that indicates that the first new object has an error,

removing the first new object,

receiving a selection of a second object from the subset of multiple objects, wherein the second object is selected by cycle-tapping through the subset of the multiple objects, and

responsive to receiving the selection of the second object, creating a second new object by reapplying the first sequence of operations and populating at least one property of the second new object based on a corresponding property of the second object,

wherein the second new object is a different type of object than the second object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting involves:

determining distances between the cursor location and objects in at least the subset of the multiple objects; and

identifying the minimum distance in the distances, which is associated with the first object.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein the subset of the multiple objects includes a via or an instance between layers in the multiple layers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes receiving a user input that specifies the current design command.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes receiving an object-selection input from a user-interface device prior to selecting the first object;

and

wherein the selecting the first object is further based on the object-selection input.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the object-selection input specifies a subset of the multiple objects that are proximate to the cursor location and which include the first object.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the user-interface device includes a mouse and the object-selection input corresponds to a mouse click.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the user-interface device includes a keyboard and the object-selection input corresponds to a keyboard shortcut;

and

wherein the keyboard shortcut is associated with one or more keyboard keys or keyboard icons.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes:

receiving, from the user, position information for the first new object in the circuit design; and

presenting the first new object in the EDA environment based at least on the position information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the position information corresponds to a change in the cursor location.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further includes receiving a selection of attributes of the first object in the circuit design based at least on the current design command.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further includes storing information associated with the attributes.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that are executable by a computer, the instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving a cursor location in an electronic design automation (EDA) environment, wherein the EDA environment includes multiple objects;

instructions for determining a subset of the multiple objects based on the cursor location;

instructions for selecting a first object from the subset of multiple objects;

instructions for creating a first new object and populating at least one property of the first new object based on a corresponding property of the first object, wherein creating the first new object comprises performing a first sequence of operations, and wherein the first new object is a different type of object than the first object; and

instructions for, in response to receiving error information that indicates that the first new object has an error,

removing the first new object,

receiving a selection of a second object from the subset of multiple objects, wherein the second object is selected by cycle-tapping through the subset of the multiple objects, and

responsive to receiving the selection of the second object, creating a second new object by reapplying the first sequence of operations and populating at least one property of the second new object based on a corresponding property of the second object, wherein the second new object is a different type of object than the second object.

14. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the computer-program mechanism further includes instructions for receiving an object-selection input from a user-interface device prior to selecting the first object;

and

wherein the selecting is further based on the object-selection input.

15. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

memory; and

a program module, wherein the program module is stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor, the program module including;

instructions for receiving a cursor location in an electronic design automation (EDA) environment, wherein the EDA environment includes multiple objects;

instructions for determining a subset of the multiple objects based on the cursor location;

instructions for selecting a first object from the subset of multiple objects;

instructions for creating a first new object and populating at least one property of the first new object based on a corresponding property of the first object, wherein creating the first new object comprises performing a first sequence of operations, and wherein the first new object is a different type of object than the first object; and

instructions for, in response to receiving error information that indicates that the first new object has an error,

removing the first new object,

receiving a selection of a second object from the subset of multiple objects, wherein the second object is selected by cycle-tapping through the subset of the multiple objects, and

responsive to receiving the selection of the second object, creating a second new object by reapplying the first sequence of operations and populating at least one property of the second new object based on a corresponding property of the second object, wherein the second new object is a different type of object than the second object.