Method and system for implementing a user interface for performing physical design operations on an integrated circuit netlist

A computer readable media for use with a computer system having a processor coupled to a memory via a bus, the computer readable media having computer readable code stored thereon, which when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to perform a method for implementing a graphical user interface for snapping blocks of an integrated circuit netlist to power and ground modulus grid points of the integrated circuit netlist, the method comprising the steps of:

• accessing vertical and horizontal dimensions of an area of an integrated circuit netlist;
• accessing a grid for power and ground lines of the integrated circuit netlist;
• presenting a view of the grid to a user, the view provided by a computer display;
• accessing a plurality of blocks of cells of the integrated circuit netlist, each block representing circuit components to be realized in physical form;
• and
• snapping dimensions of the plurality of blocks to the grid such that the dimensions of the blocks align with the grid and the plurality of blocks are abutted.

A CAD (computer aided design) design synthesis system for implementing a graphical user interface for snapping blocks of an integrated circuit netlist to power and ground modulus grid points of the integrated circuit netlist, comprising:

• a computer system including a processor coupled to a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory, the volatile and non-volatile memories for containing computer readable software which when executed by the computer system cause the computer system to implement a method for implementing a graphical user interface for snapping blocks of an integrated circuit netlist to power and ground modulus grid points of the integrated circuit netlist, the method comprising the computer implementing the steps of:
• accessing vertical and horizontal dimensions of an area of an integrated circuit netlist;
• accessing a grid for power and ground lines of the integrated circuit netlist;
• presenting a view of the grid to a user, the view provided by a computer display;
• accessing a plurality of blocks of cells of the integrated circuit netlist, each block representing circuit components to be realized in physical form;
• and
• snapping dimensions of the plurality of blocks to the grid such that the dimensions of the blocks align with the grid and the plurality of blocks are abutted.