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Getting Started
The the Start Panel in the welcome screen enables you to create new projects, create example projects or open existing projects.
Create New Project
Impulse gives access at several configuration Use the available settings in order Impulse to create an entire your project environment from scratch.
To do so => select File rolling menu → New → Project
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and configure the environment of your choice.
Do one of the following:
Click Create New Project in the Start Panel at left, or
In the main toolbar at top, click File > New > Project
The resulting window is the Project Creation Wizard which guides you through the 5-step project creation process:
Step 1: Set Project Information
Define a project name and project location where files, logs, reports and data during the flow execution will be written:
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The project name consists in the directory name of the folder where scripts, files and reports will be written.
Select either HDL source files or a full directory containing HDL files to be added to sources of the current project:
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Once sources have been defined, you also have the possibility to set the
Top cell name and the Top cell library of the project:
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Type your desired name in the Project name field
Type the path of yoour choice in the Project location field or the click the Browse button at right to define the location for your project
Tick the Use as Default Project Location checkbox to set as default for all New Projects You can add choose to an optional description
Click the Next button at bottom-right to move to step 2
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Step 2: Add Sources
Specify the Sources for your project (RTL files, netlist, Block Design, IP files, library, script):
Click on the Add Files button under the Name and Location area, or
Click on the Add Directories button to add directories containing your sources
Note: You may need to use the scrollbar at right to navigate down to the buttonsTick the Copy Source Files to Project checkbox to create a duplicate copy of the selected sources in the project directory
Note: Only the following file extensions are supported: sv, .vhdl, .vhd, .v, .vh, .svh and .py
Note: The Name is the directory name of the folder where scripts, files and reports will be writtenClick Next at bottom-right to move to step 3 or, if you wish to do so, you can also set Top Cell information and parameters at this point (see Optional sub-steps below)
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Optional: Set Top Cell Information
To enter the Top Cell Name or Library:
Type the Top Cell Name and/or Top Cell Library directly in the corresponding fields at right, or
Navigate to the file where the Top Cell Name is definedRight-click on the file and
Click on the Select as Top Cell
Click Next at bottom-right to move to step 3 or, if you wish to do so, you can also set optional Top Cell Parameters (see section below)
Note: The Top Cell Name must respect the name of top cell as
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declared in the top-level HDL file of the project
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Note: The Top Cell Library is used to specify the library in which the top cell is defined
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(work library is defined by default)
Note: Both parameters can be modified in Project Settings after the project creation
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Optional: Set Parameters of the Top Design Entity
You can also declare generic HDL parameters for
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selected top-level
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project design sources at this step:
Click on the "+" button
Fill-in the Name field for the parameter and
Enter a value in the Value field
Click Next to proceed to step 3
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Note: Only parameters with a valid Name and Value can be applied |
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You can add as many parameters as you require |
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You can also use nxpython to assign generic parameters to the top-level of the
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user design
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via execution of python scripts. For further information on assignment of parameters
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via nxpython, see the
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addParameter(name, value) commands or addParameters(parameters)
Step 3: Add Constraints
You can specify physical or timing constraints associated with the project if you have an existing constraints file in .
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Then you can choose to specify physical & timing constraints associated to the project if you have an existing constraints file at
.sdc, .xdc or .py format: sdc, .xdc or .py format.
Follow these steps:
Click on the Add Files button (or Add Directory to add a folder)
Note: You may need to use the scrollbar at right to navigate down to the buttonsBrowse and select your desired File/Directory and click Add
Tick the Copy Constraints File to the Project checkbox to create a duplicate copy in the project directory
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Step 4: Select Devices
To select a device and
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associated package:
Click on the down arrow at right of the Device or Package field to open drop-down menu
Click on the desired device and package
Repeat steps (1) and (2) for both the Device and the Package fields
Click on the Next button at bottom to move on to step 5
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Each device among NanoXplore FPGAs - of the NanoXplore FPGA devices (NG-Medium, NG-Large, NG-Ultra - ) can be fitted into with different available packages or without package (Package → embedded selected, without IOs pads included). The different packages available for selection are:
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, in embedded versions, without the ring.
The different available device/package options are as follows:
Device | Available Packages |
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NG-MEDIUM | CQFP-352, LGA-625 |
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NG-Large => CLGA-1752, FBGA-1752
NG-Ultra => FF1760
Check and validate the information of the new project before confirming creation:
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Open an existing project
The starting panel of Impulse allows to either create a new project or open an existing one. In the second case, you have the choice to select Open Project in the panel or to scroll in the Recent history to search among various projects. Impulse supports and loads only .nym database file format:
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NG-LARGE | CLGA-1752, FBGA-1752 |
NG-ULTRA | FF1760 |
Step 5: Project Summary
Check all the information is as you wish for your new project in the Project Summary screen.
If any of the settings need modification, click the Back button to return to the appropriate step ans follow the instructions described in the previous sections
If all is as desired, click the Finish button to confirm the creation of your project and close the Project Creation Wizard
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Open Project
You can load projects at any step or associated sub-step of the design flow, as long as the project has been saved in .NYM format during execution of the corresponding step.
Impulse supports databases and projects in .NYM format only
To open an existing project:
Click on Open Projectin the welcome screen, or
Scroll through the Recent history at right and click to open your desired project, or
Click File > Open > Project
Navigate to the .nym file of your choice
Double-click the file or click to select your project and click the Open button
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Open an Example Project
Impulse also enables you to create new projects based on existing test cases which are bundled with the tool.
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In the welcome screen, click Open an Example Project in the Start section at centre-left, or
In the main toolbar at top, click File > New > Project Example
Either option opens a simplified 4-step Project Creation Wizard wizard which will guide you through the steps to create an example project:
Step 1: Select a Project Template
Use your mouse wheel or cursor to select a Template from the available list and
Click the Next button at bottom-right to move to Step 2
Step 2: Select a Device
Use the drop-down menus to select your device and associated package then
Click the Next button at bottom-right to move to step 3
Step 3: Set Project Information
Type your desired name in the Project name field
Type the path of yoour choice in the Project location field or the click the Browse button at right to define the location for your project
Tick the Use as Default Project Location checkbox to set your choice as default for all New Projects Click the Next button at bottom-right to move to step 4
Step 4: Project Summary
Check the details in the Project Summary screen and and
Click the Finish button at bottom to confirm creation of your Example Project, or
Click the Back button to go back to any previous step and modify the details as desired
Help Menu
The Help menu at far right of the main toolbar at top contains the following options:
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Note: This information is required when you contact NanoXplore Support with queries or issues
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Editing
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Project
Once project creation is over created or any a .nym database has been is loaded, you have access to the entire project manager interface offered by Impulse the project management tools to edit, run, rerun any step of the NanoXplore Impulse design flow as desired.
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In the details, the Impulse project manager The Impulse interface is organised around a horizontal scrolling menu and a vertical icon list.
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Constraints Editor has several categories for timing constraints classifications:
Ressources Resources section gathers clock related constraints like CreateClock(), CreateGeneratedClock() and SetClockGroup()
Input lists SetInputDelay() constraints
Output lists SetOutputDelay() constraints
Exceptions section regroups SetMulticyclePath(), SetFalsePath(), SetMaxDelay(), SetMinDelay() and SetCaseAnalysis() constraints
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