cause inexplicable output in case of a property error by showing a
netlist topography error instead of a property error (but the output
shows that the netlists match, and there is no reporting of any
property errors). This error was discovered while implementing a
better sorting method for parallel combination. The improved method
sorts on two properties rather than one, and so should not fall into
the error where, say, devices are sorted on W but have different L
for a device like a capacitor where no "critical" property is
specified (and other similar cases, although that is a common one).