AN 307: Intel® FPGA Design Flow for Xilinx* Users

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Date 2/25/2022
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Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
1. Introduction to Intel® FPGA Design Flow for Xilinx* Users 2. Technology Comparison 3. FPGA Tools Comparison 4. Xilinx* to Intel® FPGA Design Conversion 5. Conclusion 6. AN 307: Intel® FPGA Design Flow for Xilinx* Users Archives 7. Document Revision History for Intel® FPGA Design Flow for Xilinx* Users
2. Technology Comparison x
2.1. Intel® FPGA and SoC Devices 2.2. Intel® - Xilinx* Device Comparison 2.3. Intel® FPGA Device Features
3. FPGA Tools Comparison x
3.1. Hardware and Software Tools for FPGA Design 3.2. FPGA Design Flow Using Command Line Scripting 3.3. FPGA Design Flow Using Tools with GUIs 3.4. Additional Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Features
3.2. FPGA Design Flow Using Command Line Scripting x
3.2.1. Command-Line Executable Equivalents 3.2.2. Programming and Configuration File Support in the Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software
3.2.1. Command-Line Executable Equivalents x
3.2.1.1. synth_design 3.2.1.2. place_design/route_design 3.2.1.3. report_timing 3.2.1.4. write_bitstream 3.2.1.5. write_sdf/write_verilog/write_vhdl 3.2.1.6. report_power 3.2.1.7. write_checkpoint 3.2.1.8. Run Complete Design Flow
3.3. FPGA Design Flow Using Tools with GUIs x
3.3.1. Project Creation 3.3.2. Design Entry 3.3.3. IP Status 3.3.4. Design Constraints 3.3.5. Synthesis 3.3.6. Design Implementation 3.3.7. Finalize Pinout 3.3.8. Viewing and Editing Design Placement 3.3.9. Static Timing Analysis 3.3.10. Generation of Device Programming Files 3.3.11. Power Analysis 3.3.12. Simulation 3.3.13. Hardware Verification 3.3.14. View Netlist 3.3.15. Design Optimization 3.3.16. Techniques to Improve Productivity 3.3.17. Partial Reconfiguration 3.3.18. Cross-Probing in the Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software
3.3.2. Design Entry x
3.3.2.1. HDL Editor 3.3.2.2. Schematic/Block Editor 3.3.2.3. State Machine Editor 3.3.2.4. IP Catalog and Parameter Editor 3.3.2.5. Platform Designer System Integration Tool 3.3.2.6. Platform Designer Component Editor
3.3.4. Design Constraints x
3.3.4.1. Assignment Editor 3.3.4.2. Create Timing Constraints with the Timing Analyzer GUI 3.3.4.3. Create Timing Constraints with the Timing Analyzer Text Editor
3.3.7. Finalize Pinout x
3.3.7.1. Pin Planner 3.3.7.2. Interface Planner 3.3.7.3. Tile Interface Planner
3.3.12. Simulation x
3.3.12.1. Simulation Models for Designs Containing LPMs or IP Cores
3.3.13. Hardware Verification x
3.3.13.1. System Console 3.3.13.2. Signal Tap Logic Analyzer 3.3.13.3. In-System Sources and Probes 3.3.13.4. Toolkit Explorer 3.3.13.5. Remote Debugging 3.3.13.6. Other Intel® FPGA Debugging Tools
3.3.13.4. Toolkit Explorer x
3.3.13.4.1. Transceiver Toolkit 3.3.13.4.2. EMIF Debug Toolkit
3.3.14. View Netlist x
3.3.14.1. RTL Viewer 3.3.14.2. Technology Map Viewer
3.3.15. Design Optimization x
3.3.15.1. Hyper-Aware Design Flow 3.3.15.2. Physical Synthesis Optimization 3.3.15.3. Optimization Modes 3.3.15.4. Fractal Synthesis
3.3.16. Techniques to Improve Productivity x
3.3.16.1. Fast Preservation 3.3.16.2. Engineering Change Order (ECO) Flow 3.3.16.3. Block-Based Design Flow 3.3.16.4. Design Assistant 3.3.16.5. Snapshot Viewer 3.3.16.6. Design Space Explorer II
3.4. Additional Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Features x
3.4.1. Scripting with Tcl in the Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software
3.4.1. Scripting with Tcl in the Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software x
3.4.1.1. Running Scripts from the DOS or UNIX Prompt 3.4.1.2. Running Scripts in Batch Mode from a Shell 3.4.1.3. Running Tcl Commands Directly from the Command Line 3.4.1.4. Running Tcl Commands Interactively from the Shell 3.4.1.5. The Intel® Quartus® Prime Tcl Console Window
4. Xilinx* to Intel® FPGA Design Conversion x
4.1. Replacing Xilinx* Primitives 4.2. Converting IP Cores 4.3. Setting Equivalent Xilinx* Design Constraints 4.4. Setting Up the Simulation Environment
4.1. Replacing Xilinx* Primitives x
4.1.1. Converting I/O Buffers 4.1.2. Changing Default I/O Standard for Pins 4.1.3. Converting Registers
4.1.1. Converting I/O Buffers x
4.1.1.1. Example of Converting I/O Buffer
4.2. Converting IP Cores x
4.2.1. Converting Memory Blocks 4.2.2. Converting Mixed-Mode Clock Manager (MMCM) to Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) 4.2.3. Converting Multipliers
4.2.1. Converting Memory Blocks x
4.2.1.1. Embedded Memory Blocks 4.2.1.2. Differences Between Xilinx* Memory and Intel® FPGA Memory 4.2.1.3. Determining Memory Block and Mapping Ports 4.2.1.4. Memory Port Mapping 4.2.1.5. Example: Converting Simple Dual-Port RAM
4.2.1.2. Differences Between Xilinx* Memory and Intel® FPGA Memory x
4.2.1.2.1. Memory Mode 4.2.1.2.2. Clocking Mode 4.2.1.2.3. Write and Read Operation Triggering 4.2.1.2.4. Read-During-Write Operation at the Same Address 4.2.1.2.5. Error Correction Code (ECC) 4.2.1.2.6. Byte Enable 4.2.1.2.7. Address Clock Enable 4.2.1.2.8. Parity Bit Support 4.2.1.2.9. Memory Initialization 4.2.1.2.10. Output Synchronous Set/Reset
4.2.2. Converting Mixed-Mode Clock Manager (MMCM) to Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) x
4.2.2.1. Feature Comparison 4.2.2.2. Port Mapping Reference 4.2.2.3. Example: Converting Xilinx* MMCM into an Intel® PLL
4.2.3. Converting Multipliers x
4.2.3.1. Feature Comparison 4.2.3.2. Port Mapping 4.2.3.3. Example: Converting to the LPM_MULT IP Core 4.2.3.4. Example: Converting to the Intel® FPGA Multiply Adder IP core
4.3. Setting Equivalent Xilinx* Design Constraints x
4.3.1. Device Constraints 4.3.2. Placement Constraints 4.3.3. Timing Constraints 4.3.4. Retimer Constraints
4.3.1. Device Constraints x
4.3.1.1. DRIVE 4.3.1.2. SLEW 4.3.1.3. IOB 4.3.1.4. IOSTANDARD 4.3.1.5. KEEP
4.3.2. Placement Constraints x
4.3.2.1. PBLOCK 4.3.2.2. PACKAGE_PIN 4.3.2.3. LOC & BEL 4.3.2.4. PROHIBIT
4.3.2.1. PBLOCK x
4.3.2.1.1. Differences Between PBLOCK and Logic Lock Regions
4.3.3. Timing Constraints x
4.3.3.1. Clock Domain Crossing
4.4. Setting Up the Simulation Environment x
4.4.1. Simulation Levels 4.4.2. HDL Support for EDA Simulators 4.4.3. Value Change Dump (VCD) Support 4.4.4. Simulating Intel FPGA IP Cores
1. Introduction to Intel® FPGA Design Flow for Xilinx* Users
2. Technology Comparison
3. FPGA Tools Comparison
4. Xilinx* to Intel® FPGA Design Conversion
5. Conclusion
6. AN 307: Intel® FPGA Design Flow for Xilinx* Users Archives
7. Document Revision History for Intel® FPGA Design Flow for Xilinx* Users

3.3.16.3. Block-Based Design Flow

In the Vivado* software, the Hierarchical Design flow allows you to partition a design into smaller modules that you process independently. These flows are based on the ability to implement a partitioned module out-of-context (OOC) from the rest of the design. A similar feature in Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition software is the Block-Based Design Flow, which supports preservation and reuse of design blocks in one or more projects.

The Block-Based Design Flow allows you to reuse synthesized or final design blocks within the same project, or export the block to other projects. Reusable design blocks can include device core or periphery resources.

You can define a logical design partition in a project, and then empty, preserve, or export the contents of that design partition after compilation. The Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition software supports the following block-based design flows:

  • Incremental Block-Based Compilation—preserve or empty a core design partition within a project. This flow works only with core resources, and requires no additional files or floorplanning. You can empty the partition, or preserve it at synthesis, placement, or final compilation stages.
  • Design Block Reuse—export a core or periphery design partition and reuse it in another project. Core partition reuse preserves the placement and routing of timing-critical modules with specific optimized functionality or algorithms, such as modules for encryption, encoding, image processing, or other functions. Periphery partition reuse preserves the placement and routing of the periphery.
Table 39.  Block-Based Design Flows Comparison
Xilinx* Hierarchical Design Flows Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Block-Based Design Flows Description
Bottom-Up Reuse Design Block Reuse Build a verified module (such as a piece of IP) which is placed, routed and you can reuse in other designs.
Top-Down Reuse Periphery Reuse Build a verified top-level design with details about the pinout, floorplan and timing requirements.

For more information about design planning and different design approaches, refer to Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Block-Based Design.

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