Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Platform Designer

ID 683609
Date 10/04/2021
Public

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1.19.1. Using the System Diff Tool

You can open the System Diff Tool GUI from Platform Designer (View > System Diff Tool) to compare Platform Designer systems (.qsys) or IP component files (.ip).

The System Diff Tool GUI displays the file comparison hierarchically, using color coding to display the differences in systems, modules, interfaces, ports, exports, and connections side-by-side in the top two panes. The bottom pane also displays the selected parameter differences, or you can right-click to Show All Values for the selected item.

Platform Designer System Diff Tool

To run the System Diff Tool from Platform Designer:

  1. Click View > System Diff Tool.
  2. In the Current System list at the top of each pane, specify the items for comparison. The System Diff Tool GUI then highlights the differences in each file. Selections and scrolling synchronize between the two panes:
    • Removed items appear in purple highlight.
    • Added items appear in green highlight.
    • Items with differences appear in yellow highlight.1
    • Items with collapsed children with differences are highlighted in red.
  3. Optionally perform any of the following to refine the comparison view:
    • To filter the comparison view by system, module, instance, or port hierarchy, select the filter icon that corresponds with the level of hierarchy that you want to display.
      Figure 66. Filter the Comparison by Hierarchy
    • To filter the comparison view by parameter name, click the Filter button to hide or show various parameters in the comparison. By default, this filter is set to exclude internal parameters that do not affect system behavior.
      Figure 67. Filter the Comparison by Parameter
    • To reload the systems for comparison after making changes to a system, click the Reload Systems button on the toolbar.
    • To expand or collapse the comparison hierarchy, click the Expand All or Collapse All button.
    • To expand the hierarchy to show all differences, click the Show All Diffs button.
    • To show the comparison color coding, click the Show Colors button.
    • To synchronize the scrolling or selections between the comparison panes, click the Synchronize Scrolling or Synchronize Selections button. You can use Synchronize Selections to compare the parameters of any two selected modules. (normally, items are diffed if they have the same name.)
    Figure 68. System Diff Toolbar
1 Item comparison is strictly based on naming. If an item on the left and right have the same name, they are compared. Otherwise, the item is marked as added or removed.