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

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ID 683562
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

3.2.1. Command-Line Executable Equivalents

The table and following sections describe and compare the two software flows using command line executables. The examples belong to the fir_filter design, included in the Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition installation.

Table 8.  Command-Line Executable Equivalents
Xilinx* Vivado* Software Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software Description
Non-Project Mode Project Mode
read_ip add_files

import_files

quartus_ipgenerate IP generation
synth_design

opt_design

launch_runs synth_1 quartus_syn Elaboration checks for design files and project errors.

Translates project design files (for example, RTL or EDA netlist), and maps design elements to device resources.

place_design

phys_opt_design 7

route_design

phys_opt_design 7

launch_runs impl_1 quartus_fit (full compile)

OR

quartus_fit --plan

quartus_fit --place

quartus_fit --route

quartus_fit --finalize

Places and routes the device resources into the FPGA.
Not Available quartus_fit --retime 8 Enabled by default, and runs before finalizing. Moves existing registers into Hyper-Registers for fine-grained performance improvement.
Not Available quartus_fit --fastforward 8 Disabled by default. Runs after retime but before finalize. Generates detailed reports that estimate performance gains achievable by making specific RTL modifications.
report_timing quartus_sta Performs a static timing analysis on the design.
write_bitstream quartus_asm Generates programming file from post-place-and-route design.
report_power quartus_pow Performs power estimation on the design.
write_sdf

write_verilog

write_vhdl

quartus_eda Generates output netlist files for use with other EDA tools.
write_checkpoint quartus_cdb Saves the snapshot of the design database.
Not Available quartus_sh --flow compile Automates the compilation flow.

For command line help on any of the Intel® Quartus® Prime executables, type <command-line executable> --help at the command prompt. A GUI-enabled help browser is also available that covers all Intel® Quartus® Prime command-line executables.

Figure 2. Command-Line HelpStart this browser by typing quartus_sh --qhelp at the command prompt.



Section Content
synth_design
place_design/route_design
report_timing
write_bitstream
write_sdf/write_verilog/write_vhdl
report_power
write_checkpoint
Run Complete Design Flow

7 Optional
8 Retime and Fast-Forward Compilation available only for Intel® Agilex™ and Intel® Stratix® 10 devices.
Level Two Title