User Guide
User Guide
User Guide

Replace Cells

Use it!

Used to replace single or multiple cells in a model, or to update cells in a model, with cells of the same name from the active cell library.

Tool SettingEffect
Method

Sets the method for replacing or updating cells.

  • Update
    • — replaces the identified cell with the cell of the same name from the active cell library.
  • Replace
    • — replaces single or multiple cells by:

    • (Use Active Cell off) — identifying the cell and then identifying its replacement cell.

    • (Use Active Cell on) — identifying the cell and accepting to replace it with the Active Cell.

Mode

(with Method set to Replace) Sets the method by which cells are replaced.

  • Single
    • — lets you replace individual cells.
  • Global
    • — replaces all cells of the same name with the replacement cell.
Use Fence

(When fence is present only) If on, sets the method by which fence contents are manipulated.

  • Inside
    • — if Mode is set to Single, all cells inside the fence are replaced. If Mode is set to Global, all cells inside the fence, as well as cells outside the fence having the same name as those inside the fence, are replaced.
  • Overlap
    • — if Mode is set to Single, all cells inside and overlapping the fence are replaced. If Mode is set to Global, all cells inside and overlapping the fence, as well as cells outside the fence having the same name as those inside and overlapping the fence, are replaced.
  • Void
    • — if Mode is set to Single, all cells outside the fence are replaced. If Mode is set to Global, all cells outside the fence, as well as cells inside the fence having the same name as those outside the fence, are replaced.
  • Void-Overlap
    • — if Mode is set to Single, all cells outside and overlapping the fence are replaced. If Mode is set to Global, all cells outside and overlapping the fence, as well as cells inside the fence having the same name as those outside and overlapping the fence, are replaced.
Use Active Cell

(With Method set to Replace) If on, selected cells are replaced with the Active Cell that is displayed in the text field.

Browse Cell(s)

Opens the Cell Library dialog box to let you select an active cell.

True Scale

If on, cells that were created in a model with different units from those of the active model are scaled to adjust them to the units of the active model.

Replace Tags

If on, tags on the current cell are replaced with those on the new cell.

Replace User Attributes

If on, all user attributes (such as database links) associated with a cell are replaced by those of the new cell.

Relative Levels

If on, lowest levels for both cells will be matched, while all other levels will be relative to the lowest.

To update cells from the active cell library
  1. Select the Replace Cells tool.

  2. In the Tool Settings window, set Method to Update.

  3. Identify the cell to update.

  4. Accept the cell.
    If the identified cell is shared, all instances of the cell in the design are replaced with the cell of the same name from the active cell library.
    If the identified cell is unshared, only the identified cell is replaced with the cell of the same name from the active cell library.

To replace cells individually or globally
  1. Select the Replace Cells tool.

  2. In the Tool Settings window, set Method to Replace.

  3. Identify the cell to replace.

  4. Identify the replacement cell.

  5. Accept.
    If Mode is set to Single, the identified cell is replaced.
    If Mode is set to Global, an alert box opens to confirm the replacement of all of the cells having the same name as the identified cell.

To replace individual or multiple cells inside the fence
  1. Place the fence around the cells to replace.

  2. Select the Replace Cells tool.

  3. In the Tool Settings window, set Method to Replace.

  4. In the Tool Settings window, turn on Use Fence and choose the Inside option.

  5. Identify the replacement cell.

  6. Accept.
    If Mode is set to Single, all of the cells inside the fence are replaced.
    If Mode is set to Global, all of the cells inside the fence and those cells outside the fence having the same name are replaced in groups; after you click Yes in the alert box to confirm the replacement of one group of cells, subsequent alert boxes appear until all of the cells in the fence and those cells of the same name outside of the fence are replaced.

To individually replace cells containing user data
  1. Select the Replace Cells tool.

  2. In the Tool Settings window, set Method to Replace.

  3. In the Tool Settings window, set Mode to Single.

  4. In the Tool Settings window, turn on Replace Attributes.

  5. Identify the cell to replace.

  6. Identify the replacement cell.

  7. Accept.
    The old cell, including its user data, is replaced with the new cell and its user data.

Key-in: REPLACE CELLS EXTENDED

To replace cells from the system command line, enter at the system prompt: msbatch repcell.ma <DGN_file> <cell_library> <y | n> <cell_to_replace> <replacement_cell> where DGN file is the DGN file on which to operate, cell_library is the cell library that contains the replacement cell, y keeps attributes, n does not keep attributes, cell_to_replace is the name of the cell in design_file to replace, and replacement_cell is the name of the replacement cell in cell_library.

You many experience a limit to the number of files that can be included in one batch when using MSBATCH. This limit is related to the amount of system resources available and will vary from system to system. Typically, the more physical memory and swap space available, the more files you can include in a single batch process.

The Replace Cells tool cannot be used to replace groups (unnamed cells, also known as “orphan cells”).