---
name: "xsch"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "alliance"
version: "5.1.1-3"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xsch"
---

# xsch(1)

graphical schematic viewer

## NAME

xsch - graphical schematic viewer

## SYNOPSIS

**xsch** \[-l file\_name\] \[-xor\] \[-install\] \[-force\] \[-I input\_format\] \[-slide file\_name ...\]\

## DESCRIPTION

**Xsch** is a graphical schematic viewer. All functionnalities can be accessed through different menus. **Xsch** works under Motif and X11r6. When entering  **Xsch,** the main window appears and shows 5 different menus on the top bar. These menus can be entered by simply clicking on the mouse left button. Here is the description of these menus.

- **File**

  ***Open*** : load an existing file. Note that a file with the same name and the extention .xsc can be used to attach special colors and comments to all displayed objects (see below for details).\
   ***Quit*** : quit xsch.

- **Edit**

  ***Identify*** : identify a selected object.\
   ***Connected*** : highlight a selected object.\
   ***Search*** : search an object by its name.

- **View**

  ***Zoom*** : perform zoom in, zoom out, center, fit, refresh on figure.\
   ***Layer*** : select types of layers displayed.\
   ***Map*** : show cursor position in the entire figure.\
   ***Arrows*** : show arrows for moving at the grid step.\
   ***Grid*** : Set the X,Y step of the grid if displayed.

- **Tools**

  ***Hierarchy*** : enable user to browse into the design hierarchy.\
   ***Message*** : display the last error messages

- **Setup**

  Save or load a user defined configuration of default displayed menus.

## SPECIAL KEYS

- \+/-

  Next or previous file in slide mode.

## OPTIONS

- \-l file\_name

  Load the file file\_name (with or without extention)

- \-xor

  Two graphic cursor methods can be used, invert or xor.

- \-force

  this option force all graphical objects to be displayed.

- \-install

  Switch to a private color map.

- \-I input\_format

  Specifies the input format ([vst(5)](/vst/5.md), [al(5)](/al/5.md), [vbe(5)](/vbe/5.md))

- \-slide file\_name ...

  Enables slide mode, all specifies files will be displayed one by one using keys +/- in the graphic window.

## XSC FILE FORMAT

```
# Example of .xsc file
#
# To attach a particular color and comment to a box :
# B:box_name:color:comment
# color is an integer from 0 to 32, or -1 for no_color
# comment is a string
B:my_box:0:this box should be blue
B:another_box:-1:this won't change the box color
#
# To attach a particular color and comment to a net :
# N:net_name:color:comment
N:my_net:15:this net should be green
#
# To attach a particular color and comment to a connector :
# C:connector_name:color:comment
C:my_con:32:this connector should be red
#
# To attach a particular color and comment to a path :
# P:from_name:net_name:to_name:color:comment
P:my_con:my_net:my_box:15:this path should be green
```

## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

- **MBK\_CATA\_LIB**

  indicates the path to the read only libraries to be used.

- **MBK\_WORK\_LIB**

  indicates the path to the read directory for the session.

- **MBK\_IN\_LO**

  indicates the file format to be used.

- **XSCH\_PARAM\_NAME (optionnal)**

  indicates the path to the parameter file used by Xsch.

- mbk(1), [MBK\_CATA\_LIB(1)](/MBK_CATA_LIB/1.md), [MBK\_WORK\_LIB(1)](/MBK_WORK_LIB/1.md), PAT(5), [asimut(1)](/asimut/1.md)

  ## SEE ALSO