Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Third-party Simulation

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ID 683870
Date 1/23/2025
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Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
Answers to Top FAQs 1. FPGA Simulation Basics 2. Siemens EDA QuestaSim* Simulator Support 3. Synopsys VCS* and VCS MX Support 4. Aldec Active-HDL and Riviera-PRO Support 5. Cadence Xcelium* Parallel Simulator Support 6. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide Third-party Simulation Archive A. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guides
1. FPGA Simulation Basics x
1.1. FPGA Simulation Essential Elements 1.2. Overview of Simulation Tool Flow 1.3. Simulation Tool Flow 1.4. Supported Simulation Flows 1.5. Supported Hardware Description Languages 1.6. Supported Simulation Types 1.7. Supported Simulators 1.8. Post-Fit Simulation Support by FPGA Family 1.9. Automating Simulation with the Run Simulation Feature 1.10. Using Precompiled Simulation Libraries 1.11. FPGA Simulation Basics Revision History
1.2. Overview of Simulation Tool Flow x
1.2.1. Compilation Stage 1.2.2. Elaboration Stage 1.2.3. Simulation Stage
1.3. Simulation Tool Flow x
1.3.1. Specifying Logical Libraries 1.3.2. Compiling Files Into Library Directories 1.3.3. The Quartus® Prime Simulation Library 1.3.4. Understanding Elaboration 1.3.5. Commands To Configure and Run Simulation 1.3.6. FPGA Simulation Generic Workflow
1.3.1. Specifying Logical Libraries x
1.3.1.1. Why Do We Need Logical Library Names?
1.3.2. Compiling Files Into Library Directories x
1.3.2.1. Inputs to Compilation Commands 1.3.2.2. Order of Files for Compilation Commands 1.3.2.3. Compilation Command Line Options 1.3.2.4. Module Definitions in Library Directories
1.3.3. The Quartus® Prime Simulation Library x
1.3.3.1. The Quartus® Prime Simulation Library Compiler 1.3.3.2. Running the Simulation Library Compiler in a Terminal 1.3.3.3. Running the Simulation Library Compiler in the GUI 1.3.3.4. Finding Logical Library Names in Simulation Library Compiler Output
1.3.4. Understanding Elaboration x
1.3.4.1. Elaboration Binding Phase 1.3.4.2. Elaboration Checks 1.3.4.3. Elaboration Options
1.9. Automating Simulation with the Run Simulation Feature x
1.9.1. Setting Up the Run Simulation Feature 1.9.2. Run RTL Simulation using Run Simulation in Batch Mode (Command-Line) 1.9.3. Simulating Intel FPGA IP Example Designs using the Run Simulation Feature
1.9.1. Setting Up the Run Simulation Feature x
1.9.1.1. Installation Paths for Supported EDA Simulators (EDA Tool Options Page) 1.9.1.2. Simulation Options (Board and IP Settings Page) 1.9.1.3. Simulation Flow Settings (EDA Tool Settings Page) 1.9.1.4. More EDA Netlist Writer Settings (EDA Tool Settings Page)
1.9.2. Run RTL Simulation using Run Simulation in Batch Mode (Command-Line) x
1.9.2.1. Specifying Required Simulation Settings for Run Simulation (Batch Mode) 1.9.2.2. Optional Simulation Settings for Run Simulation (Batch Mode) 1.9.2.3. Launching Simulation with the Run Simulation Feature 1.9.2.4. Running RTL Simulation using Run Simulation 1.9.2.5. Output Directories and Files for Run Simulation
1.10. Using Precompiled Simulation Libraries x
1.10.1. Enabling Precompiled Simulation Libraries 1.10.2. Implementing Precompiled Simulation Libraries
2. Siemens EDA QuestaSim* Simulator Support x
2.1. Quick Start Example (QuestaSim* with Verilog) 2.2. QuestaSim* Simulator Guidelines 2.3. Using the Qrun Flow 2.4. QuestaSim* Simulation Setup Script Example 2.5. Sourcing QuestaSim* Simulator Setup Scripts 2.6. Unsupported Features 2.7. Siemens EDA QuestaSim* Simulator Support Revision History
2.2. QuestaSim* Simulator Guidelines x
2.2.1. Passing Parameter Information from Verilog HDL to VHDL 2.2.2. Viewing Simulation Messages 2.2.3. Generating Signal Activity Data for Power Analysis 2.2.4. Viewing Simulation Waveforms
2.3. Using the Qrun Flow x
2.3.1. Specifying Simulation File Generation Settings 2.3.2. Generating the Simulation Model and Setup Scripts 2.3.3. Generating the Testbench System 2.3.4. Generating Example Design Simulation Files 2.3.5. Recommendations for Using Qrun
3. Synopsys VCS* and VCS MX Support x
3.1. Quick Start Example (VCS with Verilog) 3.2. VCS and VCS MX Guidelines 3.3. VCS Simulation Setup Script Example 3.4. Sourcing Synopsys VCS* MX Simulator Setup Scripts 3.5. Sourcing Synopsys VCS* Simulator Setup Scripts 3.6. Synopsys VCS* and VCS MX Support Revision History
4. Aldec Active-HDL and Riviera-PRO Support x
4.1. Quick Start Example (Active-HDL VHDL) 4.2. Aldec Active-HDL and Riviera-PRO Guidelines 4.3. Using Simulation Setup Scripts 4.4. Sourcing Aldec ActiveHDL* or Riviera Pro* Simulator Setup Scripts 4.5. Aldec Active-HDL* and Riviera-PRO * Support Revision History
5. Cadence Xcelium* Parallel Simulator Support x
5.1. Using the Command-Line Interface 5.2. Generating Simulator Setup Script Templates 5.3. Sourcing Cadence Xcelium* Simulator Setup Scripts 5.4. Cadence Xcelium* Parallel Simulator Support Revision History
Answers to Top FAQs
1. FPGA Simulation Basics
2. Siemens EDA QuestaSim* Simulator Support
3. Synopsys VCS* and VCS MX Support
4. Aldec Active-HDL and Riviera-PRO Support
5. Cadence Xcelium* Parallel Simulator Support
6. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide Third-party Simulation Archive
A. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guides

1.9.3. Simulating Intel FPGA IP Example Designs using the Run Simulation Feature

In general, Intel FPGA IP example designs support the Run Simulation feature.

If the following EDA_EXDES_CUSTOM_SIM_SCRIPT_ parameters are present in the generated Quartus Settings File (.qsf) of the Intel FPGA IP example design, then you can use the Run Simulation feature to perform simulation of the example design. 

set_global_assignment -name EDA_EXDES_CUSTOM_SIM_SCRIPT_QUESTA 
../example_testbench/run_vsim.do -section_id eda_simulation
set_global_assignment -name EDA_EXDES_CUSTOM_SIM_SCRIPT_VCS 
../example_testbench/run_vcs.sh -section_id eda_simulation
set_global_assignment -name EDA_EXDES_CUSTOM_SIM_SCRIPT_VCSMX 
../example_testbench/run_vcsmx.sh -section_id eda_simulation
set_global_assignment -name EDA_EXDES_CUSTOM_SIM_SCRIPT_RIVIERAPRO 
../example_testbench/run_rivierasim.do -section_id eda_simulation
set_global_assignment -name EDA_EXDES_CUSTOM_SIM_SCRIPT_XCELIUM 
../example_testbench/run_xcelium.sh -section_id eda_simulation

The following summary steps describe setup and simulation of an Intel FPGA example design:

  1. Properly invoke the Quartus Prime Pro Edition software license and your supported EDA simulator tool license, and launch the Quartus Prime Pro Edition software.
  2. To specify the executable path for your supported EDA simulator, click Tools > Options > EDA Tool Options. Refer to Installation Paths for Supported EDA Simulators for setting descriptions.
  3. Select the Simulator Tool and other optional simulation settings at Tools > Options > Board and IP Settings > IP Simulation. Refer to Simulation Options and Simulation Flow Settings for setting descriptions.
  4. Compile the project through the Analysis & Elaboration stage, as Running RTL Simulation using Run Simulation describes.
  5. Run RTL simulation in GUI mode or batch mode, as Running RTL Simulation using Run Simulation describes.
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