When you want to upgrade a frame that has been previously generated from a template, you can do so by using the ApplyTemplate utility. Doing so incorporates any enhancements or new features that you may have made to the template into your existing frames and fields.

Be aware that any changes you make to your frame or field must be made in such a way that they are not overwritten by the ApplyTemplate utility. OpenROAD provides a mechanism whereby you can identify the areas of the frame that are designated as “user” areas—where user modifications are preserved. The other areas belong to and are completely overwritten by the ApplyTemplate utility. This involves several considerations when writing and modifying your assistant procedure code. These concepts are discussed in the following sections of this chapter.