Answers Database

Using OrCAD Capture with XACT


Record #655

Product Family:  Software

Product Line:  OrCad

Problem Title:
Using OrCAD Capture with XACT


Problem Description:
How do I use OrCAD Capture with XACT?


Solution 1:

USING ORCAD CAPTURE v6.1 or later with XACT 5.x or XACTstep 6.x :

1) *Use Capture to create the schematic.
2) Create INF netlists for the design from within the Capture environment.
3) Use SDT2xnf to translate the INF files to XNF files.
4) Process the XNF files through either XMAKE or the XACTstep Design
   Manager.

* When you need to add properties/attributes to components,  it is
important that the properties be named the same way they would be by
default in SDT.  The only user properties which will translate back into an
INF file are the default Part Value names in SDT such as 1ST PART FIELD,
2ND PART FIELD,  3RD PART FIELD,  etc. (this is case sensitive).

For example,  suppose you wish to put a location attribute on an OPAD to
lock it to Pin 14.  To add this attribute in SDT 386+ you would place the
cursor over the OPAD,  select Edit -> Edit -> Loc,  Options -> Name
and then you would type the line  LOC=P14.  In OrCAD Capture the
translators do not recognize the Xilinx part field names such as
"LOC,  OPTIONS" (or OPTIONS_1 for XC4000 designs).  Capture can translate
the default SDT 386+ Part Field names as previously mentioned,	so we
can take advantage of this in order to place the same location attribute
on an OPAD in Capture.	The method would be to select the OPAD and
then from the menu bar select Edit -> Properties.  A dialog box will appear
and you should click on the "User Properties" button.  Another dialog box
will come up and you should click on the "New" button.	A 3rd dialog box
will appear.  In the name field you would type 1ST PART FIELD  (remember
capitalization counts!).  In the value field you would type LOC=P14.

Select the OK button on each of the three dialog boxes,  and the attribute
will be successfully added.

Below is a listing of the SDT part field names and their corresponding
OrCAD Capture property names.  This might be useful as you start using the
interface.

Capture Property    XC2000/XC3000     XC4000

1ST PART FIELD	    LOC, OPTIONS	OPTIONS_1
2ND PART FIELD	    BLKNM		OPTIONS_2
3RD PART FIELD	    BASE		INIT
4TH PART FIELD	    CONFIG		BASE
5TH PART FIELD	    EQUATE_F		CONFIG
6TH PART FIELD	    $FCONT		EQUATE_F
7TH PART FIELD	    EQUATE_G		EQUATE_G
8TH PART FIELD				EQUATE_H



Solution 2:

USING ORCAD CAPTURE v6.0 with XACT 5.x or XACTstep 6.x:

The best method is to update ORCAD CAPTURE to 6.1 or later,  but if this
is not possible, the following methodology has been successful on some
designs:

XACT's OrCAD interface was originally designed for use with OrCAD SDT 386+
version 1.1.  Since the release of  OrCAD capture for Windows,	the
following methodology has been determined to be workable with the XACT
software.  It will require use of the annotate.exe and inet.exe executables
from the SDT 386+ ORCADEXE directory as well as the SDT.CFG file from your
ORCAD\TEMPLATE directory.  If you do not have a copy of these files,
contact OrCAD technical support to have them provided.


CREATING NEW DESIGNS IN ORCAD CAPTURE


LIBRARY CONVERSION

The libraries you need to translate from SDT format to OrCAD Capture
format are:

For XC2000 designs   -->  \XACT\XC2000\XC2000.LIB
For XC3000 designs   -->  \XACT\XC3000\XC3000.LIB (also add XBLOX.LIB for 3KA de
signs)
For XC4000 designs   -->  \XACT\XC4000\XC4000.LIB
For XC7000 designs   -->  \XACT\XC7000\XC7000.LIB

To translate one of these libraries:

Start OrCAD Capture.

From the menu bar select  File	-->  Open  -->	Library.  A dialog box will
pop up in the middle of the screen.  In the lower left hand corner there
will be a selections that says "List files of Type" which will be set by
default to OrCAD Capture Library (*.OLB).  Change this to SDT Libraries
(*.LIB).   Select the Xilinx Library you wish to translate and click the
mouse on the OK button.

Within Seconds a new dialog box should appear which says Save Translated
Library As ...	This can be anything you want it to be,  but it is probably
a good idea to use the default name and select the OK button.  After you
hit the OK button it begins translating.  This generally takes a few
minutes.  When it completes a window containing all of the library symbols
appears.

Select File  -->  Close.  You have now translated the Library to OrCAD
Capture format.


DESIGN ENTRY

In order to start entering the design you need to remove any of the default
libraries that OrCAD capture uses and point to the translated Xilinx
unified libraries.  To swap the libraries select  Place  --> Part and a new
dialog box will appear on the screen.  Select all of the libraries already
configured and hit the Remove Library button.  Then,  browse to the correct
Xilinx Unified library directory and select each of the libraries you need
for the design and hit the Add Library button.

Use the OrCAD capture program to add components and nets to the design.
When you need to add properties / attributes to components,  it is
important that the properties be named the same way they would be by
default in SDT.  The only user properties which will translate back to a
.SCH file are the default Part Value names in SDT such as 1ST PART FIELD,
2ND PART FIELD,  3RD PART FIELD,  etc.

For example,  suppose you wish to put a location attribute on an OPAD to
lock it to Pin 14.  To add this attribute in SDT 386+ you would place the
cursor over the OPAD,  select Edit  -->  Edit  -> Loc,	Options  --> Name
and then you would type the line  LOC=P14.  In OrCAD Capture the
translators do not recognize the Xilinx part field names such as
"LOC,  OPTIONS" (or OPTIONS_1 for XC4000 designs).  The translator tools
can translate the default SDT 386+ Part Field names as previously
mentioned,  so we can take advantage of this in order to place the same
location attribute on an OPAD in OrCAD Capture.  The methodology would be
to select the OPAD and then from the menu bar select Edit  -->	Properties.
A dialog box will appear and you should click on the "User Properties"
button.  Another dialog box will come up in front of the original and you
should click on the "New" button.  A 3rd dialog box will appear where in
the name field you would type 1ST PART FIELD  (remember capitalization
counts!).  In the value field you would type LOC=P14.

Select the OK button on each of the three dialog boxes,  and the attribute
will be successfully added.

Below is a listing of the SDT part field names and their corresponding
OrCAD Capture property names.  This might be useful as you start using the
interface.

Capture Property    XC2000,  XC3000	XC4000

1ST PART FIELD	    LOC, OPTIONS	OPTIONS_1
2ND PART FIELD	    BLKNM		OPTIONS_2
3RD PART FIELD	    BASE		INIT
4TH PART FIELD	    CONFIG		BASE
5TH PART FIELD	    EQUATE_F		CONFIG
6TH PART FIELD	    $FCONT		EQUATE_F
7TH PART FIELD	    EQUATE_G		EQUATE_G
8TH PART FIELD				EQUATE_H


SAVING IN SDT FORMAT

Once you have entered the design you will need to save it as a .SCH file
so the Xilinx interface will be able to process it.  Save the design,  and
then in the Design Window,  select the schematic folder and select
File -->  Save AS ...	from the menu bar.  A new dialog box will appear.
Change Saved File type from Capture Design (*.DSN)  to SDT 386+ (*.SCH).
Change the name of the file to save to have a .SCH extension and then
select the OK button.  You now have a SDT compatible SCH file that can be
used to work with the Xilinx interface.

COMPILING THE DESIGN

Quit out of OrCAD Capture,  and go to DOS.  Copy the SDT.CFG file from the
ORCAD\TEMPLATE directory to the directory you saved the schematic in and
then run XDRAFT #  (Where # is the first digit of the family you are
translating the design for.  For example in a XC4000 design you would type
XDRAFT 4).  Next run XMAKE on the SDT schematic you just made,	and Xilinx
tools will place and route your design.


MIGRATING EXISTING XILINX DESIGNS TO ORCAD CAPTURE.

We currently are recommending finishing up existing designs in SDT 386+
before migrating to OrCAD Capture,  as the translation process	can lose
attributes that are not specified as 1ST PART FIELD ... If you must move
to OrCAD capture immediately,  remember that the only property names which
will currently translate from OrCAD capture to SDT files are the
PART FIELD properties.



End of Record #655