Minutes, IBIS Quality Task Group

21 Mar 2017

11:00-12:00 EST (08:00-09:00 PST)

ROLL CALL

eASIC:                              David Banas
Ericsson:                           Anders Ekholm
Intel:                              Michael Mirmak
                                    Eugene Lim
IO Methodology:                   * Lance Wang
Signal Integrity Software:        * Mike LaBonte
Teraspeed Labs:                   * Bob Ross
Visteon:                            Preetesh Rathod

Everyone in attendance marked by *

NOTE: "AR" = Action Required.

-----------------------MINUTES ---------------------------
Mike LaBonte conducted the meeting.

Call for IBIS related patent disclosures:

- None

Call for opens:

- None

ARs:

- Bob Ross to clean up bug 187 testcase to remove superfluous warnings.
  - Done

- Bob Ross produce IBISCHK bug report for lack of warning given empty .ami file
  - Done.

- Mike LaBonte to write text for contract to complete IBISCHK message help.
  - Not done.


IBISCHK Bug 187 Missing newlines in error message:
- Bob showed the bug report
- Bob: I will upload this today.
  - The testcase now has 4 cases, Linux/Windows, 32/64.
  - It has real executables from bug 179.
  - This will produce one warning.


IBISCHK Bug 188 Empty .ami file:
- Bob showed the bug report.
- Bob: One problem is that regression tests using empty files will break once this is fixed.
- Mike: It should be noted that any characters, even a comment line, will make the files fail.
- Bob: We might not fix this if the effort is high.


Should IBISCHK strictly require Boolean to be True or False?
- Mike: Michael Mirmak has asked if we intentionally accept only "True" and "False"
  as values for AMI Boolean Type.
  - Many tools accept case-insensitive, yes/no, t/f, 1/0, etc.
  - Allowing other values would require tools to change.
- Bob: Many IBIS tools already allow other values.
  - IBIS is case-sensitive all around.
  - We make an exception for file names.
- Mike: That is limited to Windows.
  - People have used "FALSE" and it might even get through testing.
  - The IBISCHK test might happen later.
- Bob: We have other case sensitivity issues.
  - For example column headings.
- Mike: We may have required case sensitivity in the early 1990s because computers were slower.
  - Also hash algorithms are often used for lists, but must be case-sensitive.
- Bob: There are exceptions to case sensitivity.
  - Keywords are case-insensitive.
  - Reserved words like POWER, GND are case-insensitive.
    - Reserved words must not be used for any other purpose.
 

Meeting ended: 12:45 ET

Next meeting March 28, 2017