Answers Database FPGA Express v1.2/Foundation 1.3: Simulating with FPGA Express v1.2 HDL and F1.3 Logic Simulator Record #3018 Product Family: Software Product Line: Synopsys Product Part: FPGA Express Product Version: 1.2 Problem Title: FPGA Express v1.2/Foundation 1.3: Simulating with FPGA Express v1.2 HDL and F1.3 Logic Simulator Problem Description: Urgency: Standard General Description: FPGA Express is a synthesis only tool. It is possible to use the Foundation gate-level simulator to perform functional and timing simulation on a design synthesized with FPGA Express. There are 6 types of HDL designs that can be simulated with the Foundation Simulator: (a) pure HDL code (b) HDL code with instantiated LogiBLOX (c) HDL code with instantiated LogiCORE (d) HDL code with instantiated XNF (e) HDL code with instantiated EDF from F1.3 (f) HDL code which is a combination of one or more of b, c, d, and/or e. Based on these design types, and based upon the Foundation-Express project structure a user must follow, the Foundation gate-level simulator can simulate an HDL based FPGA Express design. Note: This solution is valid for FPGA Express 1.2 or 2.0.x with Foundation F1.3 or F1.4. Solution 1: Overview of the Foundation-Express Project Structure NOTE: In order to simulate an FPGA Express HDL design with Foundation, the user must follow this project structure. Overview of the F1.3/F1.4 Project Structure In Foundation, when a project is defined, a user must specify the project name and the location of the project directory. Within the selected project location, a directory named after the project name will be created along with a .pdf file (not an Adobe Acrobat file). The .pdf file contains project information regarding the design files and libraries in the project. After defining the project in Foundation, files can be added to the project by selecting Document -> Add. Design files for a project can reside in any location. In the interest of organization, the user's design files should occupy the directory named after the project. Overview of the FPGA Express Project Structure Like the Foundation project manager, the user must specify the name and location of a project in FPGA Express. The project name becomes a directory inside the project location. Inside the directory named after the project, FPGA Express creates two items: a 'Workspace' directory which is used by FPGA Express during synthesis, and an .exp file, which contains project information. Design files for a FPGA Express project can reside in any location, but the user should place files in the project directory. Similarly, after synthesizing a design, a user may place the resulting XNF file in any location. The XNF file written by FPGA Express should be placed in the Foundation project directory. Foundation-Express Project Structure (Follow this setup for simulating a design with Foundation) (1) Start the Xilinx Foundation Project Manager Figure 1- Foundation Project Manager Icon (2) Select File->New Project to create a new project in the directory of choice. Figure 2- Defining a 'New Project' in the Foundation Project Manager Figure 3- Specify Project Name Figure 4- Foundation Project Manager Project Defined (3) Using the Windows Explorer, create a subdirectory called 'express' inside the directory where the Foundation project was created. Figure 5- Creating the 'express' subdirectory (4) Using the Explorer, copy all the HDL files inside the 'express' subdirectory. Create any additional/new HDL files within this directory, too. (5) Start FPGA Express and create an FPGA Express project inside the 'express' subdirectory. Figure 6- Making a new FPGA Express Project (6) Add files to the FPGA Express project from the 'express' directory. Figure 7- Adding HDL files to a FPGA Express Project Solution 2: Timing Simulation using the Foundation Logic Simulator (1) Create a Foundation-Express project. See Resolution 1. (2) Place and route the design. In the Flow Engine, make sure that the 'Product Timing Simulation Data' is selected. If it is not, select Setup->Options and check this option. Figure 15- Creating Timing Simulation Data (3) After placing and routin the design in the Design Manager, return to the Foundation Project Manager and select Tools->Checkpoint Simulation. (4) Select the appropriate <design>.nga file. (5) Foundation will automatically translate this back-annotated timing netlist to an EDIF File, and load the simulator. Solution 3: Using the Foundation Logic Simulator to Functionally Simulate an FPGA Express-based Design (1) Create a Foundation-Express project structure. See Resultion 1. (2) When generating the XNF file from FPGA Express, make sure that the XNF file is saved into the Foundation-Express project directory. In this example, this directory is d:\projects\test. When using the Foundation Logic Simulator for functional simulation, there are two possible flows to use, depending on whether the design's top-level is HDL, or Foundation schematic. Flow#1: Simulate a Foundation Schematic with instantiated XNF modules from FPGA Express (1) Create XNF files from Express for use in a Foundation schematic. See (Xilinx Solution 3013). (2) To functionally simulate the design, invoke the Foundation simulator by clikcing the 'SIM Funct' button in the Foundation Project Manager, and simulate as with any other Foundation design. Flow#2 Simulate a Top-level HDL Express Design usin the Foundation Logic Simulator (1) Invoke the Xilinx M1 Design Manager from the Xilinx Program Group. (2) Create a new project, using the XNF file from Express as the input file. (3) Create a new version and then a new revision, bu selecting Design ->New Version, then Design->New Revision from the Design Manager. Figure 8- New Version and Revision created (4) Run the Flow Engine and stop after 'Translate'. Figure 9- Run the Flow Engine Figure 10- Set the Flow Engine to 'Stop After' Translate Figure 11- Setting the Flow Engine to 'Stop' Figure 12- Flow Engine set to 'stop' after Translate (5) Now, hit the 'play' button in the Flow Engine. (6) When the Flow Engine is finished, go back to the Foundation Project Manager and select Tools->Checkpoint Simulation. An ngd file will appear in the Checkpoint Simulation Window. The file name has the same nae as the device family of the project. The extension is .ngd. In this example, since the project's device family is the 4000EX, the .ngd file created was XC4000EX.ngd. Figure 13- Checkpoint Simulation (9) After selecting 'OK' in the Checkpoint Simulation Window, the Project Manager will indicate that ngd2edif is running. When ngd2edif is finished, the Foundation simulator will automatically start. Proceed with simulation by selecting the signals to stimulate with Signals->Add Signals. The signals listed will correspond to the top-level entity ports in VHDL, or top-level module ports in Verilog. For more information on using the Foundation Simulator, consult the Foundation Online Help. Figure 14- Select 'OK" to convert .ngd file to EDIF End of Record #3018 - Last Modified: 08/19/99 09:28

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