[align=left][align=left]Innovus supports four types of physical floorplan constraints namely soft guide, guide, region, and fence. Additionally, a constraint of type block is used to represent the hard macros.[/align][align=left]Soft Guide:[/align][align=left]A soft guide constraint is similar to a guide constraint except that there are no fixed locations. This provides a stronger grouping for the instances under the same soft guide. The soft guide constraint is not as restrictive as a fence or a region constraint, so some instances might be placed further away if these have connections to other modules.[/align][align=left]Guide:[/align][align=left]The guide constraint is the loosest of all floorplan constraints in Innovus. It roughly defines an area within which you instruct the tool to place the cells of a given module.[/align][align=left]The guide constraint is automatically assigned to a module when it is moved or placed inside the core area. Cells from modules that are not part of the guide may be placed inside the guide if the area is underutilized. Likewise, cells from the modules defining the guide may be placed outside if the area is overutilized. To summarize, a guide is a soft indicant for placement of cells that may let some cells in and let some cells out.[/align][align=left]In the standard Innovus GUI, guides are pink in color.[/align][align=left]Region:[/align][align=left]The region constraint too is a loose constraint. However, it is stronger than the guide. When a region is defined, it requires all the cells of the modules contained in the defined region to be placed in the specified region area. If there is an extra space in the region, other cells from other modules may be brought inside. To summarize, a region is a stronger indicant for the placem?ent of cells that may let some cells in and does not let anything out.[/align][align=left]In the standard Innovus GUI, regions are light brown in color.[/align][align=left]Fence:[/align][align=left]The fence constraint is the strongest floorplan constraint in Innovus. The fence constraint does not allow cells from other modules to be placed inside even if the area is underutilized. In addition, the cells in a fenced area cannot be placed outside the defined fence.[/align][align=left]A fence is meant to be exclusive, although not completely. In some  cases, especially when the fence is too small or there are buffers in the design. To summarize, a fence is the strongest indicant for the placem?ent of cells that neither lets cells in nor lets anything out.[/align][align=left]In the standard Innovus GUI, fences are dark brown in color.[/align]
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