Interactive Log File Viewer for EDA Debugging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic design automation (EDA) tools limit circuit designers' ability to interactively manage and understand large log files, requiring manual parsing and mental mapping of text objects to design elements, leading to inefficiencies in debugging and data interpretation.
Innovation Solution
A highly configurable and interactive log file viewer that identifies and renders text objects in log files according to pre-defined styles, allowing user interactions and invoking callback actions for deeper integration with EDA applications, enabling intuitive data correlation with circuit designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a plain text file viewer is used to display log files, then the file can be displayed, but the user cannot effectively interact with the EDA environment interface and must manually parse the text
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (the interactive log file viewer with callback mechanism) that mediates between the log file data and the EDA environment interface. The viewer acts as a mediator that automatically translates text references in log files into corresponding EDA objects, eliminating the need for manual parsing while enabling effective interaction with the EDA environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing the log file viewer to automatically perform tasks that would otherwise require manual user intervention. The callback actions automatically map text objects to EDA design elements, and the system self-updates to reflect the current state of the EDA environment without requiring the user to manually correlate information.
2Loss of information
If the complete log file is read and processed, then all data is available, but the computational cost becomes expensive for very large log files
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and displays only the relevant portions of the log file that contain references to EDA objects, rather than processing the entire log file. The system identifies and extracts meaningful text objects (such as error messages, warnings, and design element references) while ignoring irrelevant content, thereby reducing computational cost while maintaining data completeness for analysis purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The log file is segmented into meaningful sections based on the presence of EDA object references. The system divides the large log file into smaller manageable segments that contain relevant information, processing only these segments rather than the entire file. This segmentation approach maintains access to all necessary data while significantly reducing the computational burden.
3Productivity
If manual parsing and mental mapping is required, then the user has full control, but the debugging efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring the log file viewer with knowledge of EDA object structures and relationships before the user begins analysis. The callback actions are pre-programmed to automatically map text references to corresponding EDA objects, and the system pre-processes log files to identify relevant sections, thereby improving debugging efficiency without requiring complex real-time processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method, and computer program product for interactively viewing output log files in an electronic design automation framework. An interactive log file viewer may be configured to identify text objects (such as warnings and error messages) in log files, to render the text objects in a display according to a registered style, and to define responses triggered by user interface interaction with the text objects. Embodiments may read portions of the log files and use plug-ins to identify, render, and respond as configured, according to the text objects found. Callback actions may provide a user more detailed information corresponding to the text object, such as a tool tip or contextual data, and may highlight and select a corresponding design object in a schematic displayed by an integrated electronic design automation application. An arbitration process may select the best callback action for a given log file.