commands, and SDC setup. To check only ICC versus PrimeTime settings, use check_primetime_icc_consistency_setting instead.

• Use the same input data across ICC and PrimeTime - netlist, SDC, reference libraries and operating conditions.

KEY Match delay engine, derates, parasitics, timing variables and analysis mode (GBA/PBA), and use identical input data.

TCL - Palindrome Check

A procedure can take the input string, compute its length and midpoint, then loop from the start to the midpoint comparing each character against its mirror character from the end. If any mirrored pair of characters differs, print that the string is not a palindrome and return; if the loop finishes with no mismatch, print that the string is a palindrome.

KEY Compare each character with its mirror up to the midpoint, any mismatch means it is not a palindrome.

Improving Setup from a Post-Route Report

First confirm whether the path is real or false by checking the clocks. If launch and capture share a clock group, verify their clock pins are balanced with low skew; a short common clock path makes timing harder because OCV derates increase the effective skew. If launch and capture are in different clock domains, confirm with the designer whether the path is valid - and if it is valid but the clocks are unbalanced and not in the same skew group, rebuild CTS for better skew. Then inspect the data path. Low-drive-strength cells with poor transitions indicate the tool could not upsize them, often because of high cell density. Long buffer/inverter chains usually mean a detour caused by congestion, so addressing congestion improves timing.

• Check delta-derate delay: high values on data nets mean net length should be reduced during optimization, and high values on clock nets call for a better NDR rule.
• Reduce cell delay by avoiding low-drive-strength cells.