I. Preparation

Install some dependencies:

$ sudo apt install ksh csh zsh patchelf

Make changes to YOUR ~/.bashrc according to the example.
In the example, watch from the mark # VLSI-CAD TOOLS to the end.
Make sure to put the correct installation folder to those export ... .

The bin-PATH and HOME-PATH are two different things and serve different purposes.
You can change the bin-PATH names, but please keep the HOME-PATH names because the tool’s environment needs those exact HOME-PATH names.

II. Install CADENCE Tools

II. 1) Installation

  • Step 1: After downloading all the data, unzip all the tarballs.

  • Step 2: If there are multi-part tarballs (like ...1of4, ...2of4, etc.), extract each tarball, and then merge all the folders into one.
    You can run it by the terminal: $ mv <name>_*/* .

  • Step 3: To run the installation GUI: $ IScape/iscape/bin/iscape.sh

  • Step 4: On the GUI, select the Local directory/Media install and browse to the CDROM1 folder in the merged folder in step 2.

  • Step 5: Follow the GUI, choose the installation folder, start, wait -> done.
    It is best to wait for the GUI and do nothing; don’t interact with other terminals; the GUI is quite fragile!

  • Step 6: If there are many versions, install the LOWEST (or OLDEST) version FIRST.

  • Step 7: If there are Base, Hotfix, and Update on the SAME VERSION, the install sequence should be: Base -> Hotfix -> Update.
    Please DON’T install Hotfix/Update in a separate folder with the Base.

  • Step 8: After the installation, you can remove the install/ and installData/ folders to restore some spaces.

II. 2) About the OA_HOME

All the Cadence tools require an OA_HOME .
Each tool sometimes carries its own local oa_... folder (not always).

We need to look for those local oa_... folders and choose the one with the latest linux_rhel... in its lib/ .
Usually, INNOVUS or IC will have the latest version.

When you decided which oa_... folder to use,
-> put the correct PATH to the OA_HOME in the ~/.bashrc .
-> put the correct OA_UNSUPPORTED_PLAT in the ~/.bashrc, too.
The OA_UNSUPPORTED_PLAT must match the name linux_rhel... in the $OA_HOME/lib/ folder.
Note: The suffix _64 must be removed from the OA_UNSUPPORTED_PLAT .

Finally, open the $OA_HOME/bin/sysname and change the 1st line from #!/bin/sh to #!/bin/bash .

II. 3) CADENCE Tool List

After installed, to check if the tool works, try to run the following:

   $ ASSURA/bin/assura
   $ CONFRML/bin/lec_64
   $ DDI/bin/genus
   $ DDI/bin/innovus
   $ DDI/bin/joules
   $ GENUS/bin/genus
   $ IC23/bin/virtuoso
   $ IC618/bin/virtuoso
   $ ICADV/bin/virtuoso
   $ INNOVUS/bin/innovus
   $ JasperGold/bin/jaspergold
   $ LIBERATE/bin/liberate
   $ PVS/bin/pvs
   $ QUANTUS/bin/quantus
   $ SIGRITY/tools/bin/3dworkbench
   $ SPB/bin/XScale
   $ SPECTRE/bin/spectre
   $ SSV/bin/tempus
   $ STRATUS/bin/stratus
   $ XCELIUM/tools/bin/xrun

As long as the tool opens (maybe complains about the license), then you are fine.
If the tool shows errors (mostly related to those .so files) and does not open, then you have to try to fix the errors.

III. Install MENTOR GRAPHICS Tools

III. 1) Installation

  • Step 1: Untar all the tarballs.

  • Step 2: Run the .exe, .bin, .mib, or .aol directly and follow the guide in the terminal.
    (for calibre tool, choose the aok... version if Ubuntu)

  • Step 3: After the installation, you can remove the _msidata/ and install.aol/ folders to restore some spaces.

III. 2) Fix Calibre Error

After installed, when you’re trying to run the calibre and get this error:

   Invalid operating system environment, VENDOR=unknown OS VERSION=24

This means the tool checked your OS version and said it doesn’t support the OS.
-> Follow these steps to bypass the check:

  • Step 1: Check this website: https://calibre.mentorcloudservices.com/docs/Calibre_OS_Roadmap.htm
    For example, if you previously installed the aok... version, you now have to ‘trick’ the tool into thinking that your machine is a RedHat 8 version.

  • Step 2: In the calibre installation path: $ vi pkgs/icv_calenv/pvt/calibre_host_info
    At the end of the file, write these two lines in:

     OS_VENDOR='redhat'
 OS_MAJOR_REV='8'

III. 3) MENTOR GRAPHICS Tool List

After installed, to check if the tool works, try to run the following:

   $ 0-in/linux_x86_64/bin/0in
   $ AMSV/amsv/bin/afs
   $ Calibre/bin/calibre
   $ DFT/bin/dftadvisor
   $ LeonardSpectrum/bin/Linux/spectrum
   $ ModelSim/bin/vsim
   $ Pyxis/bin/da_ic
   $ QuestaSim/bin/vlib

As long as the tool opens (maybe complains about the license), then you are fine.
If the tool shows errors (mostly related to those .so files) and does not open, then you have to try to fix the errors.

IV. Install SYNOPSYS Tools

IV. 1) Installation

  • Step 1: Go to the synopsys_installer/ folder and run the .run file.
    It’ll self-extract into a series of files. The setup.sh is the one we need.

  • Step 2: Open the installation GUI by running that setup.sh .
    Note: the Site ID Number = 000 is ok.

  • Step 3: Browse to each folder, set the target installation folder, install, wait -> done.
    Note 1: The download folder (containning those .spf files) and the destination folder must be different; the GUI wants that.
    -> In my experience, I set the destination folder = .../Synopsys/ while my download folder = .../Synopsys/toolname/ .
    Note 2: You might have to re-run the setup.sh GUI after each installation.

  • Step 4: If you see an error about OVERLAY, another tool must be installed first.
    Note: The versions of the required TOOL and the OVERLAY TOOL must match in order to continue with the installation.

IV. 2) SYNOPSYS Tool List

After installed, to check if the tool works, try to run the following:

   $ customcompiler/W-2024.09/bin/custom_compiler
   $ finesim/Q-2020.03-SP1/bin/finesim
   $ formality/W-2024.09/bin/fm_shell
   $ fpga/U-2023.03/bin/synplify_pro
   $ fusioncompiler/W-2024.09/bin/fc_shell
   $ fusioncompiler/W-2024.09/bin/icc2_lm_shell
   $ fusioncompiler/W-2024.09/bin/lm_shell
   $ hercules/B-2008.09-SP5-1/bin/amd64/hercules
   $ hsim/Q-2020.03-SP2/hsimplus/bin/hsim
   $ hspice/W-2024.09-1/hspice/bin/hspice
   $ icc/W-2024.09/bin/icc_shell
   $ icc2/W-2024.09/bin/icc2_shell
   $ icv_workbench/V-2023.09-SP2/bin/linux64/icvwb
   $ icvalidator/W-2024.09-2/bin/icv64
   $ idq/R-2020.09-SP4/linux64/iddq/bin/ipro
   $ library_compiler/W-2024.09/bin/lc_shell
   $ milkyway/W-2024.09/bin/linux64/Milkyway
   $ nanotime/V-2023.12-SP5/bin/nt_shell
   $ primelib/T-2022.03-1/bin/primelib
   $ primerail/M-2017.06-SP3/bin/pr_shell
   $ primesim/T-2022.06-SP2-2/bin/primesim
   $ primetime/U-2022.12-SP5-4/bin/pt_shell
   $ primewave/W-2024.09/bin/primewave
   $ primewavereliability/W-2024.09/bin/primewave_reliability
   $ quantumatk/W-2024.09-SP1/bin/quantumatk
   $ quickcap/W-2024.09/bin/quickcap
   $ raphael/T-2022.03/bin/raphael
   $ raphael_fx/T-2022.03-SP1/bin/raphael_fx
   $ rtl_architect/T-2022.03-SP1/bin/rtl_shell
   $ sentaurus/W-2024.09/bin/qtx
   $ sentaurus_explorer/W-2024.09/bin/spx
   $ slitho/U-2022.12/bin/slitho
   $ slitho_pwa/U-2022.12/bin/pwa
   $ spxviewer/W-2024.09/bin/spx_routeview
   $ spyglass/V-2023.12/SPYGLASS_HOME/bin/spyglass
   $ starrc/V-2023.12-SP5/bin/starrc_shell
   $ syn/W-2024.09/bin/dc_shell
   $ taurus/S_2021.06/bin/medici
   $ tetramax/R-2020.09-SP4/bin/tmax2
   $ vcs/W-2024.09/bin/vcs
   $ vc_static/S-2021.09-SP2-4/bin/vc_static_shell
   $ verdi/T-2022.06-SP1-1/bin/verdi
   $ waveview/W-2024.09-2/bin/wv
   $ xa/W-2024.09-1/bin/xa

As long as the tool opens (maybe complains about the license), then you are fine.
If the tool shows errors (mostly related to those .so files) and does not open, then you have to try to fix the errors.

V. Fix .so Error

V. 1) Fix Missing .so Files

Fix the missing or wrong <name>.so.<number> file:

  • Step 1: Check if the <name>.so.<number> or the <name>.so in the system or not.
    The check command: $ whereis <name>.so.<number> or: $ whereis <name>.so
    -> If not found, proceed to step 2.
    -> If found, create a symbolic link and link it back to the /usr/lib/ folder.
    The link command: $ ln -s /path/to/filename /usr/lib/<name>.so.<number>

  • Step 2: If the <name>.so.<number> or <name>.so file cannot be found by whereis, then try to apt install it first.
    The apt install command: $ sudo apt-get install <name> or: $ sudo apt-get install <name><number>
    Note: The <name> is usually all de-capitalized, and NO dot . in between the <name> and the <number> .
    -> If the apt package or the exact version is unavailable, proceed to step 3.

  • Step 3: In this step, you have to download the <name>.so.<number> manually. Go to this website: https://pkgs.org/
    Search for the full name of <name>.so.<number> . Pick either Solus or FreeBSD/NetBSD.
    Beware of the 32-bit or 64-bit version, pick the one you need. Download it, untar it.
    Beware of the link files, after untar, always use ll to check, not ls -> So you can see where the link is going to.
    Copy only the content file (NOT the link file) to the /usr/lib/ folder.
    Then, go to the /usr/lib/ folder and re-create the link file by: $ sudo ln -s <raw file> <name>.so.<number> .

  • Step 4: If the error still exists and says ELF32 or ELF64 wrong, you copied the wrong 32/64-bit version.
    -> Repeat step 3 and download the corrected ones.

V. 2) Other Errors

  • Problem 1: If the error says something about undefined symbol, for example: 
     undefined symbol: ucal_openTimeZones_50

    Maybe it’s still about the missing .so file, let’s grep -r and see if something comes up: $ grep -r ucal_openTimeZones_50 :

     grep: tools.lnx86/lib/cdnslibicui18n.so.50.1.2: binary file matches
 grep: tools.lnx86/lib/64bit/cdnslibicui18n.so.50.1.2: binary file matches
 grep: tools.lnx86/Qt/v5/64bit/lib/libcdsQt5Core.so.5.15.9: binary file matches

    In this case, it means you’re missing the cdnslibicui18n.so file.
    -> So, let’s repeat from the step 1 in the previous section.

  • Problem 2: If these kind of errors show up: operator, unexpected, syntax error; for example: 
     test: unexpected operator
 Syntax error: redirection unexpected
 Syntax error: "(" unexpected
 [: 0: unexpected operator
 /bin/sh: 0: Illegal option -h

    Then, this is about the bash-script environment.
    Open the run file, change the 1st line from #!/bin/sh to #!/bin/bash and try again.

  • Problem 3: If the error says something about GLIBC, it could be very serious or still about some missing .so files.
    Take a closer look at the error message. If it said something like this: 
     tools.lnx86/lib/64bit/<name>.so.<number>: version `GLIBC_X.X' not found (required by ...)

    Look closely at the PATH of the <name>.so.<number> file, and you’ll see it uses its own local lib of tools.lnx86/lib/64bit/, not the system’s lib like /usr/... or /lib/... .
    Maybe the system doesn’t have that <name>.so.<number> file -> The tool is trying to use its own local version, which is causing the problem.
    To know for sure, try whereis the <name>.so.<number> and check if the system has it or not. -> This means you’re repeating the step 1 in the previous section.

  • Problem 4: Same as the previous problem, however, this time, the PATH of the <name>.so.<number> DO belongs to the system’s lib. For example: 
     /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/<name>.so.<number>: version `GLIBC_X.X' not found (required by ...)

    Yeah, in this case, this is serious. Mismatching GLIBC between the tool and its host is a horror for any Linux dev.
    Just a sanity check, let’s still do a $ whereis <name>.so.<number> .

If the <name>.so.<number> is there, properly linked, but the error persists, then you’re left with only one option: upgrade or downgrade the GLIBC (which is not recommended anywhere).

GLIBC IS the Kernel. Messing with it could destroy your OS, so do it at your own risk.
When you’re ready, check the Install VLSI-CAD Tools with GLIBC_Problem guide.

V. 3) Backup Solution

NOTE: This solution is a backup and not recommended because tricking the VLSI-CAD tools this way could lead to unforeseen problems.
Sometimes, it causes problems for other tools, not even the VLSI-CAD tools.

You can create a ‘fake’ redhat-release file by: $ sudo vi /etc/redhat-release
Then, write this line:

   CentOS Linux release 8.<sub-version>.<date> (Core)

For the <sub-version> and <date>, check this website: https://access.redhat.com/articles/3078
The <date> is a 4-digit number: first 2-digit for year, and last 2-digit for month.

For example, if you want to pick the RedHat 7.0 version, then:

   CentOS Linux release 7.0.1406 (Core)

If you want to pick the RedHat 8.0 version, then:

   CentOS Linux release 8.0.1905 (Core)

If you want to pick the RedHat 8.10 version, then:

   CentOS Linux release 8.10.2405 (Core)