Answers Database

A1.4/A1.5 XSI: What to do when insert_pads fails in FPGA Compiler


Record #3993

Product Family:  Software

Product Line:  Synopsys

Problem Title:
A1.4/A1.5 XSI: What to do when insert_pads fails in FPGA Compiler


Problem Description:

keywords: fpga compiler,design compiler,insert_pads,dont_touch

urgency: standard

general description:  If a HDL design contains bidiretional IO, sometimes
FPGA Compiler will be unable to infer the correct type of IO; insert_pads
sometimes fails.  This happens if IOB_4000 are left in the netlist, or
insert_pads/compile reports an error like this:

Error: Need to insert a pad on port 'MYCLOCK' before compiling. (OPT-1000)

This solution has tips on handling problems when insert_pads fails.  This
solution record applies to both FPGA Compiler and Design Compiler.  This solutio
n
applies to any family in the FPGA Compiler/Design Compiler  flow that uses
the insert_pads/set_port_is_pads commands.


Solution 1:


FPGA Compiler is capable of inferring input buffers, output buffers, and
non-registered	bidirectional I/O. With the XC4000X IOB structure, there are
input and output registers that can be used in input, output, and bidirectional
I/O. Certain types of I/Os or coding styles require special handling in FPGA Com
piler such as if an I/O port uses IOB registers and/or the HDL
code tri-state behavior is not in the top-level HDL file.

In general, FPGA Compiler can infer simple I/O. Simple I/O is defined as a
top-level port which requires an input buffer, output buffer, output tri-state,
input register, or output register. If a designer wants to use an input or
output register for a top-level port, the HDL that infers the
register must not describe an asynchronous set or asynchronous reset. The
XC4000X I/O FFs do not have an asynchronous set or asynchronous reset a designer

can toggle.  Additionally, a bidirectional pin which uses only an input buffer a
nd tri-stateable output buffer is also a simple I/O.

To infer simple bidirectional I/O using  FPGA Compiler,  the HDL that describes
this type of I/O must  reside in the top-level HDL. If the I/O is not described
at the top-level HDL, typically an abnormal termination for insert_pads will be
reported, and/or FPGA Compiler will write out an IOB_4000 cell into the Xilinx
.SXNF file. In the Xilinx place and route environment, the presence of an
IOB_4000 cell will create an unexpanded block error from ngdbuild and M1 will
 not process the design.

For both Verilog and VHDL, a conditional assignment statement which shares a
common port with a continuous assignment statement will infer a simple
bidirectional I/O, a bidirectional pin composed of an IBUF and an OBUFT.

For Verilog, a simple bidirectional pin would be described as:

module top (a,b,c.....);

inout a;
input b;
.
.
.
assign internal_sig = a;;
assign a = (control) ? (output_sig) : 1bz;
.
.
endmodule

For VHDL, a simple bidirectional pin would be described as

entity top is
port(A: inout STD_LOGIC; B: in STD_LOGIC,...);
end top;
architecture inside of top is
.
.
begin

internal_sig <= A;
process
begin
if(control == 1) then
A<=output_sig;
else
A<=z;
end if;
end process;
.
.

end inside;


For both Verilog and VHDL, the HDL code that describes the input path, output
path, and control signal were at the top-level. If one or more of the three
mentioned HDL structures is instead in a lower-level of hierarchy, FPGA Compiler

 may not be able to infer the simple bidirectional I/O. If it is not possible to
 move the entire behavior of the simple bidirectional I/O to the top-level
HDL, the following compile strategies can be tried (Sometimes using one or more
of the following suggestions together can produce a workable solution):


(a) instead of executing set_port_is_pad/insert_pads before compile,
execute these commands after compile.

(b) instead of executing the set_port_is_pad/insert_pads command after compile,
 execute these commands before compile.

(c) Run the insert_pads command with the -thru_hierarchy option.

(d) Flatten the design using compile -ungroup_all, and then follow up compile
with set_port_is_pad and inset_pads commands.

(e) On the bidirectional ports that are not successfully replacing the
IOB_4000 cells with the proper IBUF/OBUFT combination, instantiate the
IBUF/OBUFT cells and do not place a port_is_pad attribute on that port.

(f) Try using the latest version of FPGA Compiler/Design Compiler.

Any type of bidirectional I/O that uses an IOB register, an IOB register
with an IOB tri-state, and/or uses a registered and non-registered version
of an input/output signal, cannot be inferred  via FPGA Compiler.
FPGA Express does not have this limitation. If using FPGA Express is
not an option, the best way to handle complex I/Os mentioned is to instantiate
the cells. For the names of I/O cells and their pins, refer to
Appendix A of the XSI User Guide.




End of Record #3993