Answers Database

XACT-CPLD, Foundation: How to switch between XC9500 software and XACTStep w/o rebooting


Record #1684

Product Family:  Hardware

Product Line:  9500

Problem Title:
XACT-CPLD, Foundation: How to switch between XC9500 software and
XACTStep w/o rebooting



Problem Description:
The XACT-CPLD software requires that the XACT and PATH
variables point to the seperate directory where the XACT-CPLD
software is installed. This usually means that Windows has to
be brought down, the environment variables must be modified
(usually via a batch file), and Windows must be restarted.
However, there is an easier way if you use Foundation.


Solution 1:

Assume the XACT-CPLD software is installed in C:\XACT9000, and
the XACTStep (FPGA, 7k) software is installed in C:\XACT.
If you currently are set up in Windows to run the XACTStep
software, then your environment variables XACT and PATH point
to C:\XACT.
The simple way to switch to the XACT9000 install is to
go into File Manager, rename your C:\XACT directory to
another name, such as C:\XACTTEMP, and rename your
C:\XACT9000 directory to C:\XACT. Your XACT and PATH variables
still point to C:\XACT, but now C:\XACT contains all the XC9000
files. Undo your changes to go back to XACTStep (rename
C:\XACT to C:\XACT9000, rename C:\XACTTEMP to C:\XACT).

* Please note that if your design contains any ABEL components,
this most likely will not work.  XABEL typically is installed
in the C:\XACT directory, so by renaming this directory to
C:\XACTTEMP, and replacing it with C:\XACT9000, you no longer
have the XABEL software in your path at all.  If you do have
XABEL components in your design your choices are:

1.)  Restart Windows with the following settings:
PATH = C:\XACT9000;C:\XACT;<rest_of_path>
XACT = C:\XACT9000;C:\XACT

or

2.)  Install XABEL (DS371) into the C:\XACT9000 directory.



End of Record #1684