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Advanced Design System 2022 Release Notes

For general information about Advanced Design System (ADS), visit ADS webpage at http://www.keysight.com/find/eesof-ads.

 Click  to display and download ADS Release Notes PDF.

Contents

• Feature Updates
• Known Issues

Feature Updates

• Design Editing and Layout
• File and Workspace Management Tools
• Data Display
• Circuit Simulation
• HSD Design

• EM Simulation

• Verification

• Design Kits

• Power Electronics

• Virtual Test Bench (VTB)
• Installation

• Licensing

• Documentation

Design Editing and Layout

• Routing
  • Enhanced Insert Trace command to add true arcs instead of segmented polyline whenever possible.
  • Enhanced Avoidance Routing to treat arcs in the objects to be avoided as arcs instead of segmented polylines. The performance of avoidance routing, as a result, should improve noticeably especially for designs with many arcs or circles.
  • Enhanced the Keepout object to support the avoidance routing. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0).
• Ground Plane

• • Intelligent tracking of Ground Planes needing to be updated. Make necessary Ground Plane update when a design is exported.
  • Enhanced Plane creation/editing to eliminate/reduce the extra notches that could result in prior ADS releases. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • A new option of Using Rounded Clearance is added to Plane creation/editing. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0).
  For more information, see Planes.

• Interconnect, Connectivity and Pin

• • Enhanced Create Pin interface to support creation of area pins from existing shapes. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • A new preference added to disallow connecting a pin to ground in schematic. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • Enhanced symbol related creation or editing commands to support orientation of instance-based pins. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • A new preference added to disallow connecting a pin to ground in schematic. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • OA Path is supported to improve the ADS interoperable flow. Connectivity, netlisting and editing commands involving wide wires are enhanced. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • Area pins can be assigned to Padstacks and Vias without needing pins pre-existed on those objects. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • Area pins associated with instances, vias, and pads are correctly displayed in 3D view. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • Enhanced Physical Connectivity Engine to support instance arrays in layout. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • Enhanced Physical Connectivity related commands to handle interconnect more robustly and intuitively even when bad connections or bad vias are present. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • In the Net-based connectivity mode net editing of single or multiple nets can be easily performed in the Properties docking window. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0) For more information, see Connectivity Modes.
• General Usability Enhancements

• • Supported editing of attributes of PCB Vias and Pads in the Properties docking window.
  • Supported full-blown polygon editing in the Properties docking window. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • Added ability to specify any substrate file as the master substrate. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • Enhanced the Interoperability documentation, including Layout Interoperability, to cover essential information. For more information, see IC Interoperability. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0).
• AEL Interfaces

  • New AEL APIs for:

    • Automating GDSII import/export

    • Setting/getting workspace and library preferences
    • Accessing delta gap ports
    • Getting all Padstack attributes
    • Copying padstack. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
    • Editing pin shape and snap point. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • Enhanced Smart Mount proxy related AEL APIs to work with designs having read-only attached technology
  • Enhanced AEL APIs for object transformation (e.g. move, rotate, mirror.) (ADS 2021 Update 2.0).
• Obsolescence Announcement
  • The Mask File (.msk) Import/Export translators are obsoleted.
  • The HPGL/2 Export translator is obsoleted.
  • The Boardstation PCB Link Import/Export translators are obsoleted.
  • The Allegro PCB Link Import/Export translators are obsoleted.
  • The IFF Import/Export translators are deprecated. The ADS Board Link (ABL) is the recommended tool. Contact Keysight Tech Support for further assistance.
  • The WYSIWYG connectivity mode will be obsoleted in ADS 2023 release.

Known Issues

  Back to Feature Updates

File and Workspace Management Tools

• Workspace and Library Management
  • Enhanced Copy Cell and files to a different workspace
  • Enhanced Copy Cell to allow overwriting/replacing referenced data files. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • Enhanced Unarchive command to skip over any libraries that have problems, issue warnings for them, and proceed to completion. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • Enhanced Manage Libraries lib.def editing to retain but notate, in lieu of removing, invalid libraries. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • Improved Reference performance by caching reference information to disk. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • cds.lib file is supported, as an alternative to lib.defs, for the workspace library definition. It can be enabled via setting the environment variable USE_CDS_LIB_WORKSPACE to a non-empty value. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
• General Usability Enhancements
  • A new environment variable, EESOF_TEMP_PATH, can be used to specify the directory for the mini-dump file, the ADS AEL macro recording session file and a few other use cases. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • The message generated by TCL “puts” calls is displayed in ADS Message List pane where Error/Warning messages are typically shown. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • Restored ability to set window size and position. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)

  Back to Feature Updates

Data Display

• Data Viewing, Analysis and Manipulation
  • Added Variable Explorer docking window to view variable values. For more information, see Variable Explorer.
  • Standalone simulations with MeaEqns containing Datalink functions are supported.

  • The environment variable, DATALINK_PYTHONHOME, can be used to redirect Datalink run-time to use a different Python than the one installed under ADS. For more information, see Using pwdatatools Python Package and Python Installation used by Datalink.

  • The combo box for listing dataset is re-sizable. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)

  • Added a menu option to select all traces in selected plots. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • Added Drag and Drop support from Expression Manager to DDS page. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • Added Equation Insert in Expression Manager. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • Improved error reporting in AEL expressions and ADX translation. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
  • Supported indexing a swept variable using another variable as the index (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
• Data Display Picture Object
  • Schematic image can be copied and pasted into a DDS page. In general, any image in the system clipboard can be pasted into a DDS page.
  • Pictures can be inserted to a Data Display page as an image or an expression. For more information, see Pictures. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
• General Usability Enhancements
  • DDS Palette is no longer locked to two columns and instead can be resized. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • Better organized font selection menu that also includes the Most Recent Fonts anew. (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)

For more information, see Data Display.

Known Issues

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Circuit Simulation

• General
  • Front-end performance and memory improvements.
  • More Spectre and Spice compatibility. For example, Hspice level 68/69 support, hspice unquoted expression, and so on.
  • Support of circuit simulation in PathWave Design Cloud.
  • Simulation manager supports:
    • Non sweep simulation
    • em-cosim
    • Simulation soft link
  • Improvements in Harmonic Balance performance.
  • Implemented BSIM-CMG Version 111.1.
  • Implemented L-UTSOI Version 102.5.
  • GoldenGate-in-ADS will be obsolete starting from ADS 2022.
• IP Encoder
  • The ADS 2022 IP encoder now uses a slightly different internal format.  Because of this, encoded libraries created by ADS 2022 cannot be read by earlier versions of ADS.  Older libraries created by earlier versions of ADS can be read by ADS 2022, but newer libraries created by ADS 2022 cannot be read by older versions of ADS.
• ElectroThermal
  • Fixed incorrect power data passed to the Thermal Viewer, and seen in its Power Source Query.
  • Handle more cases of orthotropic thermal conductivity, in finer detail. Note that in the methods explained for orthotropic conductivity, please ensure you set the isotropic conductivity (k) of the original material to the same value as its in-plane (XY) conductivity (kxy). The value of k used in example is 700 W/(mK).
  • Extend use-cases for the static reusable thermal model.
  • Track and report power on parents of given heat sources.
• User-Compiled Models
  • On Linux, the gcc/g++ 11.1.0 is now used to build ADS. Models compiled with gcc 8.2.0 should still work with ADS 2022, but is not guaranteed.
  • On Windows, all models must be rebuilt to work with ADS 2022. Visual Studio 2019 is still being used.
• PDKs
  

  • Because the windows compiler has not changed from ADS 2021, PDKs must now use a different, ADS-version-specific location for compiled models.  

    Earlier to ADS 2022	From ADS 2022
    Location: bin/$SIMARCH$COMPILER_VER	Location: bin/$ADS_MAJOR_VER$SIMARCH$COMPILER_VER ADS_MAJOR_VER will be set appropriately. For ADS 2022, it will be: ADS_MAJOR_VER=ADS_2022_ For versions earlier to ADS 2022, ADS_MAJOR_VER is not defined and so the location bin/$ADS_MAJOR_VER$SIMARCH$COMPILER_VER is effectively the same as older versions for backwards compatibility.
    For Windows and ADS 2021, this results in bin/win32_64_VS2019 For Linux and ADS 2021, bin/linux_x86_64_GCC820 is used	For Windows, this now results in bin/ADS_2022_win32_64_VS2019.So, ADS 2022 windows models should be placed in this directory. For Linux, the compiler has also changed, and so the ADS 2022 location bin/ADS_2022_linux_x86_64_GCC1110 is used.

    The location is reflected in eesof_lib.cfg file by this line (for ADS 2022 and later):

    BIN_DIRECTORY=../bin/$ADS_MAJOR_VER$SIMARCH$COMPILER_VER

    If an existing PDK is being updated to add models for ADS 2022 (as opposed to being regenerated from scratch), perform the following steps:

    • Recompile the models using ADS 2022.
    • Copy the rebuilt models to the appropriate directory (either bin/ADS_2022_linux_x86_64_GCC1110 or bin/ADS_2022_win32_64_VS2019).

    • Edit all occurrences of eesof_lib.cfg in the PDK and change the line from:

      BIN_DIRECTORY=../bin/$SIMARCH$COMPILER_VER

      To:

      BIN_DIRECTORY=../bin/$ADS_MAJOR_VER$SIMARCH$COMPILER_VER

Known Issues

  Back to Feature Updates

HSD Design

• SerDes
  • New TX_Waveform_AMI component, that supports a measured waveform based AMI model generation.
  • ADS COM calculation supports COM Version 3.1.
  • ADS supports single dual pole CTLE.
  • ADS COM calculation supports COM Version 2.93. (ADS 2021 Update 2)
  • ADS supports Batch simulation for COM. (ADS 2021 Update 2)
  • S-Parameter Tool Kit allows saving a file to a different format. (new name for S-Parameter Checker).
  • S-Parameter Tool Kit supports causality check.
  • Multi-lane Smart Tx/Rx: Added channel sweep functionality to redrivers. (ADS 2021 Update 2)

• DDR/Memory
  • Memory Designer now supports single ended PAM4.
  • Memory Interface AMI Model Builder supports new single ended PAM4 AMI model generation.
  • Memory Interface AMI Model Builder supports custom CTLE models.
  • Memory Probe is enhanced to manually pair single-ended nodes of differential signals, if auto pair is not done. 
  • Memory Designer now supports GDDR6x/GDDR7.
  • Memory Designer now supports HBM2E/HBM3.
  • S-Parameter Tool Kit supports causality check.
  • S-Parameter Tool Kit allows saving a file to a different format. (new name for S-Parameter Checker).
  • Allows users to choose low frequency extrapolation method between transient solver and device level extrapolation in Tran and DDR Bus simulation controller.
  • Memory Designer now supports GDDR6. (ADS 2021 Update 2)
  • New Memory Interface AMI Model Builder for DDR5/LPDDR5. (ADS 2021 Update 2)
  • Improved S-Parameter Checker, ex: search, NEXT/FEXT/IL/RL plots, and so on. (ADS 2021 Update 2)
  • Supports IBIS-ISS. (ADS 2021 Update 2)
  • Enhanced unified parser for IBIS and pre-layout and post-layout models.
  • Improved usability and robustness of package and DIMM connector support.

• EM-SIPro/PIPro
  • General

    • The clear mesh cache option now removes vmeshData from the simulation directory.

    • After simulation, emds solver process stops.

    • ODB file (.zip) import now supports space within the filename.

  • PIPro

    • ODB Importer - long and complex part properties are now handled as cell names.

    • Job Manager now has a hard stop after 45 seconds instead of 15 seconds in the CLMCOMMSTATE_SUBMITJOB state.

  • SIPro

    • Fixed the signal matching issue in the DDR4 board.

Known Issues

  Back to Feature Updates

EM Simulation

• RFPro Platform Improvements
  • Process variations can be simulated without parameterizing (ADS 2021 Update 1 and Update 2)
    • Over-etching and under-etching
    • Mask registration
    • Conductivity and permittivity spread
    • Thickness spread
    For more information, see the Process Variation section in Creating Full EM Extraction Analysis.
  • EMPro 3D components can be added to RFPro simulations (ADS 2021 Update 2)
    • Insert Encrypted or plain EMPro components in ADS to be re-used in RFPro. For more information, see Using EMPro 3D Components.
    • Add Solder balls and bondwires natively inside RFPro. For more information, see Creating 3D Objects.
  • EMPro 3D components parameterization
    • Change the parameter values directly in RFPro and simulate its impact. For more information, see Modifying Parameter Values of Imported 3D Components.
• RFPro EM Solver Improvements
  • Momentum Generation 2 (ADS 2021 Update 1)
    • Pre-processing time is now only taking seconds even for a large database.
    • Simulation runtime has been dramatically improved.
    • Quicker and more robust computation of the substrate database.
  • Mesh Domain Optimization (MDO) for Momentum Generation 2 (ADS 2021 Update 1)
    • Augments net extraction by automatically reducing the simulation space of large grounds and power planes to what’s needed.
    • Reduces simulation time of RF critical nets by only simulating what’s necessary.
  • FEM Generation 2
    • Support of the waveguide and the delta-gap ports. (ADS 2021 Update 1)
    • New SDS solver improves simulation performance for very large designs.
• RFPro Usability Improvements
  • Use Switch View Lists (ADS 2021 Update 2)
    • Allows using views that have already been pre-processed for EM.
    • Traverses the hierarchy to pick the layout view respecting the user-defined order.
  • Connect implicit bulk nodes (ADS 2021 Update 2)
    • Often layout and schematic views do not have the same number of pins leaving the bulk pin dangling or non-existing.
    • The “Bulk Model” menu allows selecting the closest label to let RFPro directly assign the correct node to the bulk pin.
    For more information, see Bulk Model section in Layout Options.
  • PathWave Design Cloud for EM (ADS 2021 Update 1 and Update 2)
    • State-of-the-art job submission that works with all load-sharing tools and also cloud architectures.
    • Jobs can be submitted from Windows or Linux.
    • No need to maintain a live connection between the submitting and the simulation machines.
• RFPro HFSS Option
  
  • • Run Ansys HFSS from RFPro. For more information, see HFSS Link.

Known Issues

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Verification

• Layout Versus Schematic
  • Physical Nets LVS supports pad stacks inside component artwork.
• Design Rule Check
  • DRC Dialog supports Assura rule files with space characters around the switch name.
  • ADS DRC supports a new rule for local design area density.
    • The Design Area Density rule crops the shapes to a check window and checks the area of the shapes relative to the check window area.
    • The check window moves by a specified offset and the local area density is checked for next cropped area of the design. See Design Rule Check > Design Area Density.
• PDK Validator
  • Batch Mode
    • The configuration location can be set to library or workspace for the current job.
  • Test Values
    • Test values can be specified using a range syntax.
    • See PDK Validator > Component Test Values Functions
• Calibre LVS
  • Calibre LVS supports a GDSII config file in the PDK rules directory.
• Netlist Export
  • Netlist export supports pin names.

Known Issues

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Design Kits

• Non-Linear Demo Kit
  • PDK Validator configuration files have been added to automate validation of the PDK (creation of the testcase and checking various features of a PDK). For testing ADS PDKs using PDK validator, see Testing ADS PDKs using PDK Validator.

  • Added a thermal substrate file "tech-multi.tcl" to support multi-tech flow by adding "bound" layer. The layout design must be enclosed by the "bound" layer to demonstrate the chip boundary for multi-tech flow. For more information see, PDK Files.

• mm-wave Demo Kit
  • A new ADS demo Kit has been added as a part of ADS2022 release to demonstrate ADS capabilities for 5G applications. For more information, see mmWave Demo Kit.

Known Issues

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Power Electronics

• PEPro
  • Broadband SPICE Model Generator (BBSMG). (ADS 2021 Update 1.0)
    
    • Added a new option to export PSpice compatible model.
    • Added instructions and best practices for creating a PSpice compatible model.
    • Added an indicator for reading large input files.
    • Fixed a bug in the stop simulation functionality, a crash error when enforcing passivity without enabling global poles and a bug in the data display template.
  • Surface Current Density visualization by layers in PEPro. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
    
    • Added capability to view the Surface Current Density by layers in the Near Field results.
  • Added a new example to demonstrate Radiated EMI capability in PEPro. For more information, refer Understanding of Radiation From the PCB Traces.
  • Added a new example to demonstrate the use of PEPro in simulating a closed loop boost converter. For more information, refer Simulation of Closed Loop Boost Converter.
• Power Electronics Model Builder Tool
  • Integration of Keysight's proprietary Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technology for additional optimization to improve the fitting of IV characteristics to the input data.
  • Improved Measured Data validation and error reporting. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • Improved usability in the way Data Display is used to plot and update measured data and simulation results. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
  • Bugfixes related to launch of Data Display and use of Data Display template to plot the results. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)
• Netlist Translator
  • Improvement in the DDT function translation for better convergence.
  • Support to recognize Length, Width parameters found in a MOSFET model card in a PSpice dialect netlist file.
• Power Electronics Library

  • ASM HEMT version 101.1 has been added to ADS.
    
    

    By default, the ASM HEMT model symbol points to 101.1 version. To point to an older version, you need to manually change the version.

  • Fixed a bug in OpAmp5 component.
  • Fixed issues related to ASM HEMT symbol and updated the content. (ADS 2021 Update 2.0)

Known Issues

  Back to Feature Updates

Virtual Test Bench (VTB)

For general information about Virtual Test Bench (VTB), visit the VTB webpage at http://www.keysight.com/find/virtual-test-bench.

• Verification Test Bench (VTB) is now called Virtual Test Bench (VTB).
• To install files that are required for the VTB functionality along with the ADS installer, you need to download a separate VTB installer for both Windows and Linux and manually install the VTB.
• If you have already installed ADS and find VTB functionality is missing, then you need to download and manually install the VTB.
• If you want to uninstall, then you need to manually uninstall VTB separately for both Windows and Linux.

For more information, see  VTB documentation.

Known Issues

  Back to Feature Updates

Installation

• Obsolescence Announcement
  
  • The LAN Client installation on the Windows platform will be obsoleted in ADS 2022 Update 1 release. Contact Keysight Tech Support for further assistance.

Known Issues

  Back to Feature Updates

Licensing

• ADS 2022 requires: a) the version 2021.02 of the EEsof EDA licensing software, b) a minimum code-word version 2021.02 or above, and c) the licensing server software, lmgrd and agileesofd, to be upgraded to at least the same versions as what are included in EEsof EDA Licensing software 2021.02.  ADS 2021 will not start if any of these requirements is not met. Refer to the License Codeword Version Compatibility Table.
• In the EEsof EDA License Tools version 2021.02, licensing vendor daemon ( agileesofd ) is integrated with FlexNet FNP 11.16.5.1 version (Windows) and FlexNet FNP 11.16.5.1 version (Linux) of FlexNet license manager daemon ( lmgrd ). For the Windows platform, ADS installer will automatically set up these two new license server daemons by default for the local node-locked license users; for the Linux platform, you need to follow the Setting Up Licenses on Linux instruction to complete the licensing configuration process. For more details, refer to Licensing (For Administrators).

Known Issues

  Back to Feature Updates

Documentation

Known Issues

  Back to Feature Updates

Known Issues

Design and Technology Management

• Cadence Virtuoso IC version 6.1.7 is not supported on RHEL 8 platform.

• Using ADS 2020 with pycell studio 2018 (PyCell Studio Packages: Release O-2018.09) might prompt you an OA version mismatch warning message on the linux terminal. However, there is no impact on the iPDK flow in ADS.
  Linux terminal message:
  Requested minor API version '518', which is supported by OpenAccess build '22.50.030' is newer than the minor API version '514' of the shared library of OpenAccess build '22.50.043'.

• The Express Pcell plugin that comes with Virtuoso IC version 6.1.8 does not work with ADS 2020 due to an OpenAccess version mismatch, but the Express Pcell plugin will work with ADS 2020 Update 1.0 and 2.0.  
  Workarounds: 

  • When running ADS 2020, set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable path to point to the directory from IC version 6.1.7.

  • Upgrade to ADS 2020 Update 1.0

• The Express Pcell plugin that comes with older versions of Virtuoso IC version 6.1.7 may crash during a simulation with ADS 2020 Update 2.0 due to a third party incompatibility but may work with newer versions above IC version 6.17_722 and up.

• AEL constants are protected and should not be modified in any DDS expressions.  An AEL error will be issued in case an attempt to modify an AEL constant occurs.

• Python Datalink
  • When using Connection Expert 2019 connected to Lan Instruments, there may be error messages during dl_visa_query() and dl_visa_write().
  • Exceed on Demand: Note that in some cases, EoD settings may need to be configured to properly display Spyder.  Please contact your EoD support representative for additional guidance.

  Back to Feature Updates

Design Editing and Layout

• Designs created using Smart Mount for Multi-Technology feature cannot be used to run an electrothermal simulation.

  Back to Feature Updates

Design Guide

• Unable to unarchive HDMI design guide from the Schematic view (DesignGuide > HDMI).
  Workarounds:
  • Unarchvie using the old ADS version.
  • HDMI design guide will open in case it is already unarchived.
• Simulating the "1_Sim_CA" design in the DDR4 CTB design guide prompts the netlist error.
  Workaround: Open the schematic design "PatternGen_CA_Continuous" and arrange the pin numbers in order.

• Simulating of schematics in the HDMI_Link_Simulation design guide prompt the netlist error.
  Workaround: Open the schematic design “HDMI_Diff_RX” and arrange the pin numbers order in order.

Design Kits

• A design created using ADS2020 Non-Linear Demo Kit (NLD) and using NLD discontinuities like demo_bendP, demo_stepP, demo_teeP, etc. will not work as expected in ADS 2021.
  Workaround – In ADS 2021, either update the design with the latest NLD i.e. NLD shipped along with ADS 2021; or continue to use the NLD that was shipped with ADS 2020.

  Back to Feature Updates

Circuit Simulation

• General

  • When the default value of a variable is blank, there is a simulation issue.
    Workaround: Set the default value of a variable to zero instead of blank.

  • When using GoldenGate in ADS 2020 Update 2.0, some of the library files of RFIC cockpit options are not getting loaded due to license incompatibility. It is recommended to use ADS 2020 Update 1 when using GoldenGate in ADS.

  • For details on license compatibility, see License Codeword Version Compatibility.

  • Simulation Manager may not work on Windows and throw exceptions for some designs.

  • ADS 2019 will not be compatible with Verilog-A files, which have been encrypted before ADS 2019. There is no change for non-encrypted Verilog-A files.

  • TMI models are supported for pure Hspice syntax only. The support of hybrid syntax (mixing Hspice and Spectre) is planned for a future release. 
  • BSIMSOI models using TMI modeling is not supported yet. Classical BSIMSOI models are supported as before.
  • TMI Aging simulations are not supported 

• ElectroThermal

  • In ADS, electro thermal simulation is assisted to automatically turn off the HBAHB and TAHB options for single tone HB. However, the electro thermal simulation for multi-tone HB needs a manual intervention to turn off the HBAHB and TAHB options for reporting voltage data.

  • You may not be able to start a Transient/Envelope Electro-Thermal (ETH) simulation only when the same testbench is open in the viewer of Transient/Envelope thermal results. You need to close the viewer before launching a Transient/Envelope ETH simulation.

  • The electrothermal simulation will not run on designs created using Smart Mount for Multi-Technology feature.

  • Paths set while configuring the ETH controller may need to be updated when the workspace is moved across operating systems.

  • On a fresh Linux machine, electrothermal simulation fails with the following error message:

    Heatwave returned an unknown error code 127.

    Workaround: The error could be due to missing packages, for example, libpng12. Verify your system meets the requirements using the linux_sys_check.sh script. For more information,  see Checking Installed RPM Files and the Operating System Version.

  • If you get licensing errors while running thermal simulation, you may need the following workaround.
    Workaround: Rename the file  $HOME/.eesofrc. For example,  $HOME/.eesofrc-orig.

  • Electrothermal does not support remote simulation, batch simulation, Monte Carlo, tuning, Optimization, and Measurement Equations. Also, you cannot sweep directly on the DC controller.

  • All libraries referenced in a layout should use the same layout resolution, namely the OA database units (DBU) per user unit (UU).

  • You cannot run both a transient and envelope simulation on the same design from one testbench.

  • The calculation of power dissipation from passive components other than resistors may not be correct in harmonic balance simulations.

  • Electrothermal does not support the transient or envelope simulation that is controlled by a ParamSweep.  

  • If you get "Maximum timestep reduced to half of shortest transmission line delay " warning, it can lead to transient simulation to not converge   
    Workaround: Unselect "Limit timestep for Transmission Line" option on Time Setup tab of Tran component to get it work.

  • On Linux, if you specify the THERMAL_DIRECTORY variable in eesof_lib.cfg file using backward slash (..\thermal), the thermal simulation does not run properly.
    Workaround: Specify the THERMAL_DIRECTORY variable using forward slash (../thermal) instead of backward slash.

  • The ETH viewer does not support 4K displays. A few instances of text and icons may appear distorted. 

  • You receive an error message in substrate editor that you cannot use the same layer number more than once. You can safely ignore this error during thermal technology export.

  • On a fresh Windows 10 system, Electrothermal simulation terminates with an error. 
    Workaround: Install the following Microsoft Visual C++ runtime components: 

    http://www.microsoft.com/en-in/download/details.aspx?id=30679 
    https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/download/details.aspx?id=5555

• DDR Design 

  • You receive an error message to check port numbering when performing simulation with SnP component for differential configuration.
    Workaround: Select the first option in Pin Configuration for the SnP component.

  Back to Feature Updates 

HSD Design

• SerDes

  • You receive an error message and ADS is not invoked with LD_LIBRARY_PATH and MATLAB library path in RHEL 8. This happens due to library conflict between /lib64 and Matlab runtime. 
    Workaround: Add the Matlab library path using the following command:

    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:/lib64:$matlabroot/bin/glnxa64:$matlabroot/runtime/glnxa64:$matlabroot/sys/os/glna64:$matlabroot/sys/opengl/lib/glnxa64

  • You receive an error message when runtime libraries for some of the ADS example ibs files (for old AMI models) are unable to get installed automatically during the ADS install.  The error appears eventhough the ibs file is supported on specific platform. 
    Workaround: Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 runtime library is required to run the dll files. Download the following library if it is not installed:

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=14632

• EM-SI/EM-PI
  • SIPro/PIPro, Via Designer 
    
    • On Windows 10 with Intel HD graphics, Via Designer may show an error message ‘Failed to use the connection between ADS and Via Designer.’  This has been isolated to the latest release of Intel HD Graphics drivers (23.xx.xx.xxxx).
      Workaround: Downgrading the graphics driver to the previously recommended driver resolves this issue (e.g., 22.20.16.4836, A05).
    • DirectX 9 as a graphics driver is no longer supported. DirectX 11 is thus be used by default. Run "diagdx" to verify which DirectX version is supported on your system.
  • SIPro/PIPro
    • ADS 2020 is not compatible with the latest available Samsung component models released in June 2018. The support for the component models is planned to be added in an upcoming update release.
    • Simulation failure when using components with S-parameter models or for which the model is defined using a lib/cel/view in case the Updating model does not require new simulation is not set. As a workaround, turn on the option. For PI-AC simulations, the options are turned on by default, for SIPro, this needs to be turned on explicitly.

    • If you run SIPro/PIPro on a fresh machine with Suse 11 or Redhat 6 installed, you may encounter the critical error "EMPro exited unexpectedly during execution." This is related to the graphics driver software.
      Workaround: Upgrade to the latest vendor-specific drivers and OpenGL libraries for the graphics card.
      Alternative workaround: Run the following commands:

      cd $HPEESOF_DIR/fem/2020.20/linux_x86_64/bin
      ./startempro --personality=sipi--driver=x11

      Ignore any license-related error messages that may show up on executing these commands. The driver setting is saved per personality for future sessions.

    • With split domains on, there are no results available until simulation results are available from the last simulation, or even after the simulation.

    • Cadence® Allegro®(SPB 17.2 and SPB 17.4) is not supported on RHEL 8. As a result, the BRD Import and ADFI Export does not work on RHEL 8.

    • In a vncserver session running on RHEL 8.4, you may encounter a critical error, "EMPro exited unexpectedly during execution." This is related to the graphics driver software contained in the mesa-*.x86_64.20.3.3-2.el8 packages.
      Workaround: Downgrade the packages to the previous version using the following command:

       sudo yum downgrade mesa-*

      The packages mesa-*-20.1.4-1.el8.x86_64, and the dependent llvm package work.

  • PIPro-DC
    • The power graph is not correct when VRM's or Sinks are defined, starting from pin definitions. All the other result data is correct. This issue does not occur when VRMs and sinks are defined from component instances.
  • PIPro-Electrothermal
    • Current Density and Power Loss Density plots are not displayed properly on loading, however, switching to another Net or Layer fixes this issue.

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EM Simulation

• General

  • Cadence Virtuoso IC version 6.1.7 is not supported on RHEL 8 platform.
    

  • In a vncserver session running on an RHEL8.4 platform, you may encounter the critical error "EMPro exited unexpectedly during execution." This is related to the graphics driver software contained in the mesa-*.x86_64.20.3.3-2.el8 packages.
    Workaround: downgrade the packages to the previous version using the following command:

     sudo yum downgrade mesa-*

    The packages mesa-*-20.1.4-1.el8.x86_64, and the dependent llvm package work.

• RFPro
  • The FEM and Momentum Generation 2 flows are state-of-the-art solvers but still evolving. In case it does not handle your design, switch back to Generation 1.
  • Combining 3D EMPro component(s) with bondwires or solderballs, all natively inserted in RFPro, will fail to reopen in RFPro.
    Workaround: Insert the 3D EMPro component in the layout view rather than natively in the rfpro view.
  • Multi-technology designs cannot be analyzed with Momentum.
    Workaround: Use the FEM simulator
  • Project load fails with the error 'OccDesign::getNet: key not found' when a layout shape has a multi-bit net name (e.g. 'd<7:0>' or 'a,c,net1').
    There is no workaround.
  • With McAfee Endpoint Security (ENS) enabled, the Momentum surface current visualization hangs.
    Workaround: Disable the "Enable Adaptive Threat Protection" flag in McAfee ENS.

• RFPro and 3D Viewer

  • If the Geometry view is empty when opening the design, this may point to an issue with the graphics card driver.
    Recommended workaround: Upgrade to the latest vendor-specific drivers and OpenGL libraries for the graphics card.
    Alternative workaround 1: On Linux, launch the tool and force it to use the X11 driver. On Windows, set the driver to 'msw'. This preference is saved for the current user and per personality. You can do that by executing the following commands, e.g. in a shell on Linux:

    cd $HPEESOF_DIR/fem/2021.10/linux_x86_64/bin
    ./startempro --personality=rfpro --driver=x11
    ./startempro --personality=3dview --driver=x11

    Ignore any license related error messages that may show up on executing these commands. The driver setting is saved per personality for future sessions.
    Alternative workaround 2: Set following environment variable EMPRO_SET_SOFTWARE_DRIVER_AS_DEFAULT=1. This variable controls the default driver when no preference was set. On Linux, X11 is used. On Windows, MSW is used.
    You can clear all preferences as follows:
    

    cd $HPEESOF_DIR/fem/2021.10/linux_x86_64/bin
    ./startempro --personality=rfpro --clear-preferences
    ./startempro --personality=3dview --clear-preferences

• EM Setup
  • On a Virtual Windows 10 system with Microsoft Hyper-V Video display driver, the 3D EM Preview with EM Setup Preprocessing may bring up a dialog with a Hoops error, and, after suppressing the dialog, it opens up blank.
    There is no workaround.
  • FEM based parallel jobs on sitecluster with behavior configuration (qbehave) may show incomplete simulation logs.
    Workaround: You can view the complete log available in the following location: <wrk_space>/simulation/<lib>/<cell>/layout/emSetup_FEM/proj.ep/Simulation/<simulation_num>/emds_dsn/design/emprfem*.log
• Distributed Simulations

  • The example implementation of the sitecluster command for LSF clusters may lead to failing simulations if the path or number of threads is too large.
    Workaround: See the workaround details in the sitecluster documentation.

Signal Processing Simulation

• Ptolemy simulation with Matlab is not working on RHEL 8.

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Import/Export

• • Exporting with MentorDA link does not work with the latest Mentor Graphics software Version VX2.6. 

  Back to Feature Updates

Power Electronics

• PowerMOS_SiC power devices operate under a very wide range of voltage and current slew rates and it is a challenge to create a model that converges under all conditions – especially conditions that depend upon what components are connected externally to the power device in the circuit schematic. Please contact technical support if you encounter such an issue when attempting to use this model.

• If you run PEPro on a new machine with Suse 11 or Redhat 6 installed, you may encounter the critical error "EMPro exited unexpectedly during execution." This is related to the graphics driver software.
  Workaround: Upgrade to the latest vendor specific drivers and opengl libraries for the graphics card.
  Or
  Run the following commands:

  cd $HPEESOF_DIR/fem/2020.20/linux_x86_64/bin
  ./startempro --personality=sipi--driver=x11

  You can ignore any license related error messages. The driver setting is saved per personality for future sessions.

  Back to Feature Updates

Installation

• While installing a new version of ADS, if you see “Previous version detected” error even after you have already run the uninstaller for that version of ADS, you may need to manually uninstall ADS before installation of the new ADS. To manually uninstall ADS, perform the following steps.
  
  1. Exit the current ADS installation session if it is running
  2. Remove or rename the file .com.zerog.registry.xml  under the folder  C:\Program Files\Zero G Registry . Both the folder and the file are by default hidden, so you may need to change the folder viewing setting to show hidden files and folders, do so via the Advanced settings of the View tab in the Windows Folder Options dialog box.
  3. Remove the ADS installation directory through the Windows Explorer.
• After performing the above steps, you can re-start the ADS installer.

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Licensing

  Back to Feature Updates

Third Party Applications

• Spyder application menu bar becomes inactive when the window is maximized using View > Full Screen or by pressing F11 (shortcut key to maximize the screen).
  Workaround: Press F11 again to make it the default screen. The menu bar is now active and works fine.

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Verification

• Cadence applications (Assura) is not supported in RHEL 8 Linux Distribution. 

  Back to Feature Updates

Virtual Test Bench

• From VTB 2022, SystemVue VTB's QT help file is integrated into SystemVue VTB installer. However, help does not open, when you press F1 for a VTB component.
  Workaround: Perform the following steps:

1. 1. Open a command window.

   2. Set the path to ADS help directory. Execute the following command:

      On Windows

      set path="<ADS_Install_DIR>\bin\Help";%PATH%

      On Linux

      export PATH=<ADS_Install_DIR>/bin/Help:$PATH

      On RHEL 7 (due to library related issue)

      export HPEESOF_DIR=<ADS_Install_DIR>
      export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$HPEESOF_DIR/lib/linux_x86_64:$HPEESOF_DIR/lib/linux_x86:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
      export PATH=$HPEESOF_DIR/bin:$PATH
      export PATH=$HPEESOF_DIR/bin/HELP:$PATH

      Where,

      <ADS_Install_DIR> is the ADS installation directory.

      On Windows: The default ADS location is "C:\Program Files\Keysight\ADS<version>"

      On Linux: The default ADS location is "/usr/local/ADS<version>".

      For example, <version> is 2022

   3. Invoke VTB help. Execute the following command:

      On Windows

      assistant -collectionfile "<VTB_Install_DIR>\Help\vtb.qhc"

      On Linux

      export SYSTEMVUE_INSTALLATION_DIRS=xxx/SystemVueVTB/2022

      assistant -collectionfile $SYSTEMVUE_INSTALLATION_DIRS/Help/vtb.qhc

      Where,

      <VTB_Install_DIR> is the SystemVueVTB installation directory on Windows.
      xxx is the directory where unzip or untar of VTB package is done on Linux
      On Windows: The default VTB location is "C:\Program Files\Keysight\SystemVueVTB2022"

      You can also refer to the online version of the SystemVueVTB documentation.
      

• When using VTB on Virtual Machine (VM), if SystemVue crashes then ensure to restart your system.

• To use VTB, ensure ADS is installed in a path that has only ASCII characters.
  
  

• Backward compatibility
  In ADS, the customized VTB can have a backward compatibility issue.
  Workaround: To fix this issue, use one of the following methods:

1. 1. Open and Save the custom VTB in SystemVue2022Update0.1. Now, you can use the custom VTB in ADS.
   2. A built-in workspace conversion tool is provided in the installer. You can convert the custom workspace (.wsv) to the newer SystemVue version. Use the following steps to convert the workspaces:
      • Open Command Prompt in the Administrator mode.
      • Browse the location of the old workspace. For example, C:\ADS_VTB.

      • Run the following command parameter.

        C:\ADS_VTB><SystemVueVTB_Installation_Dir>\bin\WorkspaceConversionToolManaged.exe" VTB_Examples.wsv VTB_examples_new.wsv

        Where,

        1. <SystemVueVTB_Installation_Dir> is the location where SystemVue VTB package is installed. For example, C:\Program Files\Keysight\SystemVueVTB2022.

         2. VTB_Examples.wsv is old SystemVue file and VTB_examples_new.wsv is converted file.

   3. The following successful message is displayed.
      Created: VTB_example_new.wsv

   4. You can now use the VTB_examples_new.wsv workspace in ADS.

• When multiple VTB versions are installed, the VTB package in the Library Configuration Editor remain fixed to a particular VTB version. However, symbol view uses the correct VTB version.

  Back to Feature Updates

Examples 

• Examples under <ADS Install Directory>\examples \Instrument_links folder are not getting opened on Linux where as they are opening fine on Windows.
  Workaround: Rename the ‘Instrument_links’ folder to ‘Instrument_Links’, if you have write permission to the <ADS Install Location>\examples folder. In case you do not have the write permission then proceed with manual unarchive process (File > Unarchive from the ADS Main window) pointing to the Example workspace. 

• Example search might not work and prompt you the "Database is locked" error when ADS installation is on NAS.
  Workaround: Restart the nfslock service on client. In case the problem still persists, reboot the client to unlock the database.

• Unable to compile Pin Diode Model using Visual Studio 2012 on Windows 7 64-bit platform.
  Workaround: Delete the contents of the directory examples\RF_Microwave\UserCompiledModel_wrk\ UserCompiledModel\lib.win32_64 before using UCMs.
• An error occurs while running a custom VTB.
  Workaround: Download and run a custom VTB from the following location: <ADS Install Location>\SystemVue\2016.08\win32_64\VTB. 
  

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Documentation

• On Windows, Printing directly from installed help generates non-readable output.
  Workaround: Use the PDF version of the document for printing purposes.

• From 2017 onwards, in the installed help when you open a page using the "Open a link in new tab" option the help does not open a page in a different tab by default. You need to set the preferences to open any link in a new tab.
  To set the preferences:

  1. From the 201x version of the installed help, Click Edit > Preferences.
     The Preferences Dialog box is displayed.

  2. Select the Options tab.

  3. Under Appearance, select the Show tabs for each individual page option.

  This is a one-time setting for a particular release of a product.
• Unable to open online help, any external link, or Embedded Survey link in Linux on Mozilla Firefox browser.
  Workaround: Use Mozilla Firefox version 39 or above or keep the Mozilla Firefox window open and then try to open online help.
• While using the installed help, you may encounter issues like help not showing any content, it throws an error, it displays unexpected hierarchy in the Content tab, or it does not display any search results.
  Workaround: Close the help, delete the contents of the following directory, and open the help again.
  
  • On Windows:  C:\Users\<Windows_Login_ID>\AppData\Local\Keysight\Help
  • On Linux: $HOME/.local/share/Keysight/Help
• The installed help search does not support [] or {} or any other text using these combinations.
• On Linux, Konqueror web-browser does not display the online help properly. It may not display help pages at all or may display them broken and with errors.
  Workaround: Use Mozilla Firefox to view the online help.

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