version-compatible database files Definition

The Quartus® Prime software allows you to generate version-compatible representations of the internal database files, with the .qdb extension. This feature allows you to open compiled projects in newer versions of the software and avoid recompiling. You must also specify the snapshot to save.

In the Quartus® Prime software, click Project > Export Database to create a version-compatible database file for the current project. To open version-compatible database files, click Project > Import Database.

The corresponding Tcl commands are export_design and import_design.

From the command line, create version-compatible database files with

quartus_cdb <project> [-c <revision>] --export_design --snapshot <snapshot_name> --file <archive_name.qdb> [--quartus_metadata <metadata_list>] [--user_metadata <config_path>]
To import version-compatible database files:
quartus_cdb <project> --import_design --file <archive_name.qdb> [--overwrite]

The Quartus® Prime Pro Edition software version supports version-compatible databases for the following software versions and devices:

Table 1. Version-Compatible Compilation Database Support
Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software Export Versions Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software Import Version Stratix® 10 and Agilex™ 7 Devices Arria® 10 and Cyclone® 10 GX Devices
18.0 19.1 No Support. Supports all devices.
18.1 19.1
  • 1SG250L
  • 1SG280H_S2
  • 1SG280L
  • 1SG280L_S3
  • 1SX250L
  • 1SX280L
  • 1SX280L_S3
 Supports all devices.
19.1 19.3
  • 1SM16BH
  • 1SM21BH
  • 1SM16CH
  • 1SM21CH
  • 1SM21KH
  • 1SM16KH
  • 1SM21LH
  • 1SM16LH
 Supports all devices.
19.3 20.1
  • 1SG10MH_U1
  • 1SG10MH_U2
  • 1ST250E
  • 1ST280E
  • 1SM16E
  • 1SM21E
  • 1ST165E
  • 1ST210E
  • 1SG166H
  • 1SG211H
 Supports all devices.
20.1 20.3
  • 1SD21BP
  • 1SD280P
  • 1ST040E
  • 1ST085E
  • 1ST110E
 Supports all devices.
20.3 20.4
  • 1SD21BP
  • 1SG040H
  • 1SX040H
 Supports all devices.
20.4 21.1
  • 1SN21BH
  • 1SN21CE
 Supports all devices.