Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Debug Tools

ID 683819
Date 10/02/2023
Public

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3.4.5. Adding Signals to the Signal Tap Logic Analyzer

You add the signals that you want to monitor to the node list in the Signal Tap logic analyzer. You can then select a signals in the node list to define the triggers for the signal.

Adding Pre-Synthesis Signals

You can add expected signals to Signal Tap for monitoring without running synthesis. Pre-synthesis signal names are those names present after Analysis & Elaboration, but before any synthesis optimizations. When you add pre-synthesis signals to Signal Tap for monitoring, you must make all connections to the Signal Tap logic analyzer before running synthesis. The Compiler then automatically allocates the logic and routing resources to make these connections. For signals driving to and from IOEs, pre-synthesis signal names coincide with the pin's signal names.

Refer to Adding Pre-Synthesis or Post-Fit Nodes.

Adding Simulator-Aware Signals

You can easily generate a list of simulator-aware, pre-synthesis signals to tap for an entire design hierarchy, and then observe all internal signal states in your RTL simulator. This set of simulator-aware nodes can provide full visibility into other untapped nodes in the design hierarchy. You can then export captured Signal Tap signal data directly into your RTL simulator to observe signal states beyond Signal Tap observability.

Refer to Adding Simulator-Aware Signal Tap Nodes.

Adding Post-Fit Signals

You can add post-fit signals to Signal Tap for monitoring. Post-fit signal names are those names present in the netlist after physical synthesis optimizations and place-and-route. When you add post-fit signals to Signal Tap for monitoring, you are connecting to actual atoms in the post-fit netlist. You can only monitor signals that exist in the post-fit netlist, and existing routing resources must be available.

In the case of post-fit output signals, monitor the COMBOUT or REGOUT signal that drives the IOE block. For post-fit input signals, signals driving into the core logic coincide with the pin's signal name.

Note: Because NOT-gate push back applies to any register that you monitor, the signal from the atom may be inverted. You can verify the inversion by locating to the signal with the Locate Node > Locate in Resource Property Editor or the Locate Node > Locate in Technology Map Viewer commands. You can also view post-fit node names in the Resource Property Editor.