Command-Line Executables

The Quartus^® Prime software is based on multiple executables that provide command-line control of the Quartus^® Prime software. You can use Tcl scripts together with the command-line executables to create projects or compile existing projects. The scripting capability of the Quartus^® Prime software is similar to that of other EDA software, such as Synplify or PrimeTime from Synopsys^® . In many cases you can simplify the flow by using the same script to control the Quartus^® Prime software and other EDA tools.

The command-line executables allow you to run specific stages of the design flow or change common project options. For example, to create a new project named filtref that targets the Stratix^® device family and to optimize for speed, type the following:

quartus_map <project name> --family=stratix --optimize=speed

To choose a given device by simply specifying it as a command-line argument, you can type the following:

quartus_fit <project name> --part=EP1S10F780C5

You can also run one or more executables multiple times, with different settings each time. For example, you can run the Fitter multiple times without running any other executable.

You can switch between the executables and the Quartus^® Prime GUI at any stage in the design process. For example, you can fit a design with quartus_fit, and then open the Quartus^® Prime GUI to use the Chip Planner.

Each executable has multiple options and command-line help is available for each option. You can use the -h or --help options directly from the command prompt. Each executable also creates a separate, text-based report file named <revision_name>.<executable suffix>.rpt that you can view with any text editor.