Design Partitions Window

Allows you to define a logical, named, hierarchical boundary assignment that you can apply to a design instance. The Compiler preserves the results of each compilation stage for each partition independently.

You open this window by clicking Assignments > Design Partitions Window, or by right-clicking a design instance and selecting Design Partition > Design Partitions Window.

Double-click <<new>> in the Partition Name column to create define a new partition. The Design Partitions Window contains the Assignments View and Compilation View tabs. The Assignments View shows information about the partition assignment. The Compilation View shows the partition's device resource use following compilation. Specify any of the following design partition properties in this window:

Option Description
Partition Name Specifies the name for a partition. Type any unique name for the partition. The name can consist of only alphanumeric name characters Definition. Right-click any existing partition name to edit.
Hierachy Path Specifies the hierarchy path of the entity instance that you assign to the partition. You cannot directly edit this cell. You specify this value in the Create New Partition dialog box. Alternatively, right-click a design entity in the Project Navigator, and then click Design Partition > Set As Design Partition.
Type Specifies one of the following partition types that controls how the Compiler processes and implements the partition. Use this setting to indicate whether the partition is part of a partial reconfiguration (PR) or block-based design flow that requires specific characteristics. The following options are available:
  • Default—the Compiler processes the partition using the associated design source files. Identifies a standard partition that is not part of PR or block-based flows.
  • Reconfigurable—the Compiler preserves post-synthesis results for the partition and reuses the post-synthesis netlist, if the netlist is available from previous compilation, and you make no partition changes requiring re-synthesis. Otherwise, the Compiler resynthesizes the partition from the source files. Identifies a partition that is part of a PR flow. Use this netlist type to preserve the synthesis results, while allowing refit of the partition using any new Fitter settings.
  • Periphery Reuse Core—Preserves post-fit results for the partition and reuses the post-fit netlist, if the netlist is available from previous compilation, and you make no partition changes requiring re-synthesis. Otherwise, the Compiler reuses the post-synthesis netlist if available, or resynthesizes the partition from source files. Identifies a partition that is part of a block-based design flow. Also use this setting to apply global Fitter optimizations only to specific partitions.
Preservation Level Specifies one of the following compilation stages for the partition netlist:
  • Source—compiles the partition from source files.
  • Synthesized—compiles the partition using the synthesized snapshot.
  • Final—compiles the partition using the final snapshot.
Empty The Yes setting specifies an empty partition that the Compiler skips processing during compilation. The Compiler uses an empty placeholder netlist for the partition. Empty partitions are useful in a team-based design environment to account for undefined partitions that you or another party develop later in the design cycle.
Partition Database File Specifies the Partition Database File (.qdb) that the Compiler uses during compilation of the partition. You export the.qdb for the stage of compilation that you wish to preserve. Assign the .qdb to a partition to reuse those results in another context.
Color Specifies the color coding of the partition in the Chip Planner and Design Partition Planner displays.