How to Configure Stale Data Checks?

Problem

In order to update Library colors and indicate the latest version of the files in the workspace VersIC must run a background check in the underlying DM system.  The check itself is run as a separate process and does not affect tool responsiveness, but if the workspace is very out of date processing the results of the check (which can't be done as a separate process due to Cadence's limitations) may cause GUI slowness.

Solution

A number of controls are provided to control whether VersIC performs the stale data check or not, how often it will perform it, if the user session must have been idle for a certain amount of time before it performs the check, etc.  Please see below for details. 

;;;----------------------------------------------------------------------------
;;;             Preferences Form->Auto Ops->Refresh Stale Data
;;;
;;; The Stale Data Check looks for available repository updates - it runs only
;;; while there is user activity in a session
;;;
;;; VSC_STALE_IDLE
;;; Normally, the stale data check is triggered by user activity, but you can
;;; choose to run the stale data check only when the user is idle.
;;; If set, the stale data check will run after a session has been idle for
;;; at least VSC_STALE_INTERVAL.
;;;   t   - run stale data check only when the user is idle
;;;   nil - run stale data check only when the user is active (default)
;;; Note: 'idle' means not editing or viewing design data. Other activity
;;;       may not prevent the stale data check from running.
;;;
;;; VSC_STALE_ACTION ('Refresh Stale Data' in Preferences form)
;;;   "Off"|nil   - turn off stale data checking
;;;   "On"        - Update workarea & refresh session data without prompting
;;;   "Prompt"    - Ask the user what to do if stale date is found
;;;   "Display"|t - Just update the library colors
;;;
;;; VSC_STALE_INTERVAL - time in seconds to wait between stale data checks
;;;
;;; VSC_STALE_LIBS - libraries covered by the stale data check
;;;   nil       - Only include managed libraries with open cellviews
;;;   t         - Run stale data check on all managed libraries
;;;   (libs)    - Limit stale data check to named libraries
;;;
;;; VSC_STALE_EXTENT - cellviews covered by the stale data check
;;;   nil       - Only check if open cellviews are stale
;;;   "All"     - Include all cellviews (and files) in stale data check
;;;
;;; VSC_STALE_PROMPT - prompt before running the stale data check
;;;   nil       - Do not prompt before running
;;;     t       - Always prompt before running
;;;   <number>  - (seconds) only prompt if the stale data check is overdue
;;;               by at least this amount (that is, if greater than
;;;               VSC_STALE_INTERVAL + VSC_STALE_PROMPT seconds have passed
;;;               since the previous stale data check)
;;;
;;; VSC_STALE_ACTION: Dynamic
;;; VSC_STALE_INTERVAL: Dynamic
;;; VSC_STALE_LIBS: Dynamic
;;; VSC_STALE_PROMPT: Dynamic
;;;----------------------------------------------------------------------------
VSC_STALE_ACTION = "Display"VSC_STALE_INTERVAL = 300
VSC_STALE_LIBS = t
;; VSC_STALE_EXTENT = "All";; VSC_STALE_PROMPT = 7200 ; Don't prompt if idle for less than 2 hours

These variables are set in the 'versic.conf' file located under the path specified by the 'VSC_CONFIG_DIR' environment variable.