src_en/api.get_cells.txt

<h3 id='___get_cells'>get_cells</h3>
<pre>Get all cells in the current module or sub-modules (LLM: find/get instance)
<b>Usage:</b> my @cells = get_cells($pattern, @options);
$pattern: The pattern matching instance name, '*', 'U*', 'U123' or '/UI_.*_./' 
          It can have path, 'u_clk/*', 'u_abc/u_def/*'
@options:
    -help: Print this information
    -hier: Or -h, do the command hierarchically
    -ref ref_pattern: Get cells that has reference matching ref_pattern, E.G. -ref OAI*
    -type type_pattern: Type_pattern can be 'ff','latch','itiming','cg','not','rom','ram' ... 
                        run 'get_lib_cells -type_info' for all existing type in the current libraries
    -type_match type_pattern: Get cells that have one of the types matches the type_pattern
    -leaf: Only leaf cells
    -new: Only new created ECO instances
    -verbose: To print out reference with instance
    -dotpath: Path delimit is '.' instead of '/'
    -nobackslash: Remove backslash 
    -nonscan: Flops/sync-cells not in scan chain including those scan pins tied off
@cells: Returned array with all instances matched

<b>Examples:</b>

#1. Get all instances in the current module 
my @cells = get_cells('*');

#2. Get all instances in the current module 
my @cells = get_cells();

#3. Get all instances matching 'U234*' in the current module
my @cells = get_cells('U234*');

#4. Regular expression. Get all instances starting with U and followed by 
#    two characters, like U10, U99
my @cells = get_cells('/U../');   

#5. Get all instances matching *reg_*_ hierarchically
my @cells = get_cells('*reg_*_', '-hier');

#6. Get all instances hierarchically and having reference matching DFF*
my @cells = get_cells('*', '-hier', '-ref', 'DFF*');

#7. Get all instances in 'u_kb'
my @cells = get_cells('u_kb/*');

#8. Get all flops, sync-cells not in scan chain 
my @cells = get_cells('-hier', '-nonscan');
</pre>