Routing method and apparatus

A routing approach is selected in a conversational mode while routing efficiency is consulted to compose routing processing procedure so as to generate a routing program (11A-11Z) (Figs. 1, 2). Besides, component placement processing procedures designated according to placement control information are combined to generate the placement program (6A - 6Z) (Figs. 3, 4). A straight line between component pins (13, 13A, 13B) adjacent to each other is defined as a chord (14), a wave for maze method routing is generated from a start point (13A) toward an end point (13B) of a routing path and propagated between the chords (14) adjacent to each other. Positions of the chords (14) through which the wave has passed until reaching the end point (13B) from the start point (13A) are successively stored and the positions through which the wave has passed is traced back to the start point (13A) from the end point (13B) when the wave reaches the end point (13B) to decide a routing path of the routing pattern (Fig. 5). Such methods and apparatus are applicable to routing design or component placement design of LSIs, multichip modules, printed circuit boards, etc., and can assist in finding an optimum solution in automatic routing or automatic placement with certainty and at a high-speed to improve a routing rate, and in realizing automatic routing in a high-density.