KLayout Plugin: Align Tool

• Boost your layout productivity with quick alignments of layout elements, such as
  • cell instances
  • shapes (e.g. polygons, boxes, paths)
• Choose constraints by selecting features, such as
  • edges (the entire edge)
  • points (edge end points or the edge middle point)

This add-on can be installed through KLayout package manager, see installation instructions here

After installation, this tool can be accessed through Toolbar→Align

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Table of Contents

• Usage
  • Pre-selection
  • Selecting features (when tool is active)
  • Example 1: point-to-point alignment
  • Example 2: edge-to-edge alignment
• Pro-Tip: assign key binding A to the tool
• Installation using KLayout Package Manager

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Usage

Pre-selection

• You can select instances and shapes (you want to align), before invoking the tool
  • The selection will be displayed in the dock setup panel
• If no pre-selection is made, the shape or instance of the source reference point will be aligned

Selecting features (when tool is active)

• Either points or edges can be chosen as the alignment reference
• Select the midpoint or one of the endpoints of an edge of a shape or instance bounding box
• The search box is shown as a dashed rectangle
  • points must be within the search box
  • edges just intersect the search box
• Left-click to apply the selection

Example 1: point-to-point alignment

1. Ensure there is no pre-selection
2. Click the Align tool or press A to enter the align mode (if you've configured the key binding as explained here

3. Select feature of the shape to be moved/aligned

4. Select feature of the other shape that acts as the target reference

5. Left-click to apply the alignment

6. Alternatively, press Esc to cancel the operation

Example 2: edge-to-edge alignment

• edges must be parallel
• if the edge is too short and a point is always marked for selection, zoom in
• in edge-to-edge mode, alignment is performed only along the perpendicular axis, so
  • for horizontal edges: in the Y direction
  • for vertical edges: in the X direction

Pro-Tip: assign key binding A to the tool

• In the main menu, open the Preferences/Settings in KLayout
• Navigate to Application→Customize Menu
• Search for 'Align'
• Assign the shortcut A to the path edit_menu.mode_menu.Align

Installation using KLayout Package Manager

1. From the main menu, click Tools→Manage Packages to open the package manager

2. Locate the AlignToolPlugin, double-click it to select for installation, then click Apply

3. Review and close the package installation report

4. Confirm macro execution