Innovus: SDC, MMMC and timing-environment qualification Cheat Sheet

This stage checks that the MMMC timing environment is complete and consistent before the design is constrained further: active view coverage, clock definitions, constraint completeness, case analysis and exceptions, the analysis mode, timing-check coverage, and the design-rule constraint baseline before placement.

Sanity check cheat sheet

One row per command card. Read left to right: the check, the command that answers it, then what a healthy result, a result to review and a hard stop look like.

Card	Check and when	Command	Healthy	Review	Hard stop
T-01	Active view coverage After import	`report_analysis_views -type active` `all_setup_analysis_views` `all_hold_analysis_views` `all_analysis_views`	Active setup and hold lists equal the methodology list exactly.	A view defined but not active, with a reason, for example a corner kept only for later signoff.	A required view missing from the active list. Every timing result for that condition is then NOT EVALUATED, not PASS.
T-02	Clock definitions After import	`report_clocks -view <v>` `report_clocks` `report_clocks -uncertainty_table -view <v>`	Every clock in the clock specification appears with the expected period and source.	Extra virtual clocks used for I/O constraints; confirm each is referenced.	A missing clock, a generated clock with the wrong master or source, or a period that differs from the specification.
T-03	Constraint consistency and completeness After import, and again after any SDC change	`set timing_check_timing_report_all_checks true` `set timing_report_check_timing_unconstrained_endpoints_due_to_constants true` `check_timing -verbose -view <v> > <f>`	No unconstrained functional endpoints; every functional data input has a delay or a drive, or a recorded reason; no loops.	Unconstrained test-only endpoints in a functional mode, if the test mode covers them.	Unconstrained functional endpoints, a combinational loop, or a generated clock with no source.
T-04	Modes, case analysis and exceptions After import	`report_case_analysis -view <v>` `report_inactive_arcs -view <v>` `report_path_exceptions -ignored -view <v>`	Case values match the mode definition; every ignored exception has a recorded reason.	Disabled arcs from library conditions that the library vendor documents.	An ignored exception relied on, so the designer follows a different, higher-priority exception.
T-07	Analysis mode and derates After import	`getAnalysisMode -analysisType -cppr -aocv -socv` `report_timing_derate`	Analysis modes and derates equal the methodology list.	A derate that applies to one delay corner only, with a recorded reason.	Analysis type, CPPR or derates that differ from the methodology.
T-05	Timing-check coverage After constraints are clean	`report_analysis_coverage -verbose untested -sort reason -view <v> > <f>` `report_analysis_coverage -view <v>` `report_timing -unconstrained -max_paths 20 -view <v>`	Untested checks are all explained by intended constants, false paths or disables.	A small number of no_startpoint_clock or no_endpoint_clock checks on test logic, identified from the netlist or the DFT list.	Untested functional checks with reason no_endpoint_clock, no_startpoint_clock, no data signal or unknown.
T-06	Design-rule constraints and baseline timing Before placement	`check_design -type timing -out_file <f>` `report_constraint -all_violators \ -drv_violation_type {max_transition max_capacitance max_fanout} -view <v>` `report_timing -late -max_paths 10 -view <v>`	Recorded as a baseline. There is no pass threshold for pre-placement slack in this book; the methodology decides whether a gap is acceptable at this stage.	Large negative slack on reg2reg paths before any optimisation, which can point to a constraint error rather than a design problem.	None from slack alone at this stage. A hard stop comes from T-01 to T-05, not from pre-placement slack.

Command cheat sheet

Legacy UI commands. Angle brackets are placeholders, and values shown are examples, not project limits.

MMMC objects
`create_library_set -name <ls> -timing {<libs>}`	A named library set that delay corners can refer to.
`create_rc_corner -name <rc> -qx_tech_file <f> -T <temp>`	A named RC corner with extraction technology data and temperature.
`create_delay_corner -name <dc> -library_set <ls> -rc_corner <rc>`	A delay corner that pairs a library set with an RC corner.
`create_constraint_mode -name <m> -sdc_files {<sdc>}`	A constraint mode built from one set of SDC files.
`update_constraint_mode -name <m> -sdc_files {<sdc>}`	Replaces the SDC files of an existing mode and overwrites its previous settings. In MMMC this resets timing, delay calculation and RC data.
`create_analysis_view -name <v> -constraint_mode <m> -delay_corner <dc>`	An analysis view: one mode with one delay corner.
`set_analysis_view -setup {<views>} -hold {<views>}`	The active setup and hold views. Not incremental: both lists are required, and omitted views and any -drv, -leakage or -dynamic views are dropped. Causes a full timing reset.
View coverage
`report_analysis_views`	A hierarchical report of every defined view with its mode, corner, library set and RC corner.
`report_analysis_views -type active`	The same report for the active views only.
`all_analysis_views`	A Tcl list of every defined view.
`all_analysis_views -type inactive`	The defined views that are not in use.
`all_setup_analysis_views`	A Tcl list of the active setup views.
`all_hold_analysis_views`	A Tcl list of the active hold views.
`all_constraint_modes -active`	A Tcl list of the constraint modes used by the active views.
`all_delay_corners -active`	A Tcl list of the delay corners used by the active views.
`all_rc_corners -active`	A Tcl list of the RC corners used by the active views.
`all_library_sets`	A Tcl list of every defined library set.
`get_analysis_view <v> -delay_corner`	The delay corner of the view.
`get_analysis_view <v> -constraint_mode`	The constraint mode of the view.
`get_constraint_mode <m> -sdc_files`	The SDC files of the constraint mode, to confirm the released files are the ones loaded.
`get_library_set <ls> -timing`	The timing libraries in the library set.
`check_instance_library_in_views`	Instances whose library is missing from the library set of their power domain in the active views.
`report_instance_library -instance <i> -view <v>`	The library, library file, operating condition and binding used for an instance in a view.
Units and operating conditions
`get_time_unit`	The session time unit, from the library or setLibraryUnit. Every report and constraint value uses it.
`get_capacitance_unit`	The session capacitance unit, for example 1.000000pf.
`get_resistance_unit`	The session resistance unit, for example 1.000000 kohm.
`report_design -view <v>`	The operating conditions and active design rules for the view.
Clocks
`report_clocks -view <v>`	Clock waveforms, generated clocks and uncertainty for the view.
`report_clocks -description -view <v>`	Only the waveform description of each clock.
`report_clocks -uncertainty_table -view <v>`	Only the clock uncertainty table. It lists only clocks that have set_clock_uncertainty, and shows the late or early table for the current analysis mode.
`report_clocks -groups -view <v>`	The existing clock groups.
`get_propagated_clock`	Whether each clock is ideal or propagated. Before CTS, ideal is expected.
`report_clock_propagation -clock <c> -to <pins> -view <v>`	The clocks that do not reach the given pins, and why.
Constraint consistency
`set timing_check_timing_report_all_checks true`	Makes check_timing list every check type it ran, not only failing ones. It shows which checks ran, not that every endpoint was covered.
`set timing_report_check_timing_unconstrained_endpoints_due_to_constants true`	Enables the uncons_endpoints_due_to_case_analysis warning of check_timing, which stays off until this is set.
`check_timing -view <v>`	Constraint warnings by type for the view: unconstrained endpoints, missing input delays, loops, clock problems.
`check_timing -verbose -view <v> > <f>`	The same with the pins and ports behind each warning, written to a file.
`check_timing -type {clocks} -view <v>`	Only the clock checks.
`check_timing -type {endpoints inputs} -view <v>`	Only endpoint and input checks.
`check_timing -type {loops} -view <v>`	Only combinational loops, with the arc used to break each loop.
`check_timing -include_warning {clock_crossing const_collision} -view <v>`	Adds warning types that are off by default.
`check_design -type timing -out_file <f>`	Timing-setup integrity checks. check_timing is still needed for full coverage.
Modes, constants and exceptions
`report_case_analysis -view <v>`	The pins and ports with set_case_analysis values.
`report_case_analysis -all -view <v>`	Adds set_logic constants, netlist constants and constant-function outputs.
`report_case_analysis -propagated -view <v>`	All constant pins, including propagated constants.
`report_inactive_arcs -view <v>`	Timing arcs disabled by constants, set_disable_timing, library conditions or loop breaking (snipped arcs), with the reason.
`report_path_exceptions -view <v>`	The applied path exceptions, with SDC file and line.
`report_path_exceptions -ignored -view <v>`	The exceptions ignored because a higher-priority exception covers the same paths.
`report_path_exceptions -all -view <v>`	Applied and ignored exceptions together.
`report_path_groups`	Every path group and the paths it contains.
`report_ports -view <v>`	The timing constraints on the ports, such as input and output delays, drive and load.
`report_timing_derate`	The early and late derating factors for clock and data paths, per delay corner.
Analysis mode
`getAnalysisMode -analysisType -cppr -aocv -socv`	The current analysis type (single, bcwc or onChipVariation), CPPR, AOCV and SOCV settings. The default analysis type is bcwc.
Coverage and baseline
`report_analysis_coverage -view <v>`	Met, violated and untested check counts by check type for the view. Reasons need -verbose untested. Dynamic checks such as set_max_delay are left out unless -include_dyn_checks is given.
`report_analysis_coverage -verbose untested -view <v>`	The DETAILS table for the untested checks only, with the Reason column.
`report_analysis_coverage -exclude_untested const -view <v>`	The coverage report without checks untested because of constants.
`report_analysis_summary -view <v>`	A slack summary by path group (in2reg, reg2reg, reg2out, in2out) for the view.
`report_timing -unconstrained -max_paths 20 -view <v>`	Paths with no timing requirement, which never appear in slack summaries.
`report_timing -late -max_paths 10 -view <v>`	The worst setup paths for the view.
`report_timing -early -max_paths 10 -view <v>`	The worst hold paths for the view.
`report_timing -late -path_type summary -view <v>`	A one-line-per-path summary instead of full path detail.
`report_constraint -all_violators -view <v>`	Every violating pin for design rule and timing constraints.
`report_constraint -all_violators -drv_violation_type {max_transition} -view <v>`	Only the maximum transition violations.
`report_timing -debug unconstrained -view <v>`	Reasons why paths are unconstrained.
`timeDesign -prePlace -outDir <dir>`	Timing analysis before placement with the net load ignored and ideal clocks. No DRV report files or DRV numbers in this mode. Reports per path group in <dir>.