KLAYOUT(1)

🎀 klayout(1) 🎀

okay so you opened klayout(1) — hi bestie 💖 welcome, hydrate, sit down, we're doing this. this is the manual page for klayout, section 1 of the manuals, and I'm gonna walk you through literally everything in it. every flag, every default, every last little ... nothing skipped. periodt.

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🌸 NAME 🌸

klayout — GDSII viewer. that's it, that's the whole name, short, sweet, iconic, no notes 👑

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

klayout [options] [file] ..

💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

okay so. for viewing GDS files for production .. silicon devices, klayout .. probably one .. the best open source tools out there, fr fr 🔥. like, it's giving "quietly carrying the whole industry" main character energy.

and you can simply run .. like this:

klayout name_of_gds

and .. will show you the GDS. no cap, that's the entire ritual ✨🫶

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✨ OPTIONS ✨

real talk before we start: a bunch of flag names and a few little words in this page land as .. in the source I was handed, and I am keeping them exactly like that. no guessing, no "fixing", no inventing 💀. if you see .., that's the source, not me, iykyk.

• -b — Batch mode (same .. -.. -.. -..) — no windows, just vibes 📦
• -c <config file> — Use this configuration file — you're picking the fit 🎀
• -.. — Don't use a configuration file (implies -t) — no config, no problem 🚫
• -d <debug level> — Set debug level — turn the drama up or down 🔍
• -e — Editable mode (allow editing .. files) — go off, touch stuff ✏️
• -.. — Readonly mode (editing .. files .. disabled) — look with your eyes only 🔒
• -.. <file name> — Record GUI test file 🎥
• -.. <file name> — Replay GUI test file ⏪
• -.. <line number> — Replay GUI test file .. .. (including) line
• -.. <millisec> — Replay rate for GUI test file ⏱️
• -.. — Incremental logs for GUI test file 📝
• -i — Disable undo buffering (less memory requirements) — memory said "please" 😭
• -.. — Enable undo buffering (default, overrides previous -i option) — bestie is back 💜
• -j <path> — Add the given path .. the macro project paths
• -l <lyp file> — Use layer properties file 🎨
• -.. — With -l: add other layers .. well
• -.. — With -l: use the lyp file .. .. .. (.. expansion .. multiple layouts)
• -m <database file> — Load RDB (report database) file (into previous layout view)
• -n <technology> — Technology .. use for next layout(s) .. command line
• -.. <tech file> — Technology file (.lyt) .. use for next layout(s) .. command line
• -p <plugin> — Load the plugin (can .. used multiple times) — stack 'em 🧚
• -r <script> — Execute main script .. startup (after having loaded files etc.)
• -.. <script> — Execute module .. startup (can .. used multiple times)
• -.. <name>=<value> — Specify skript variable — yes, "skript", that's how it's written, don't come for me 🙈
• -.. — Ignore all implicit macros (*.rbm, rbainit, *.lym)
• -s — Load files into same view 👯
• -t — Don't update the configuration file .. exit
• -.. — Update the configuration file .. exit (default, overrides previous -t option)
• -u <file name> — Restore session from given file — we're so back 🫶
• -v — Print program version and exit — quick little flex 💅
• -.. <name>=<value> — Define a variable within expressions
• -x — Synchronous drawing mode 🖌️
• -y <package> — Package installation: install package(s) and exit - can .. used more than once ('package' .. a name, .. URL and optionally a version .. round brackets)
• -.. — With -y: include dependencies — bring the whole friend group 🌈
• -z — Non-GUI mode (hidden views) 👻
• -.. — Non-GUI mode (database only, implies -..)

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🌟 AUTHOR 🌟

This manual page was written .. Ruben Undheim <ruben.undheim@gmail.com> for the Debian project (and may .. used .. others). thank you Ruben, absolute legend 🫡💖

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mwah 💋 that's the whole page, nothing left out — this one lives in the KLAYOUT(1) manual and it's dated 22 January 2026. go forth, open some GDS, and be the main character of your own layout slay 💖✨🎀