tool_23.1.0.2 : tool_23.1.0.2

Table of Contents

minLevel	1
maxLevel	7

Introduction

NanoXplore provides a tool in order to compute:

NX_PLL parameters : Generate parameters to set when instantiate NX_PLL in VHDL code
NX_WFG parameters : Generate parameters to set when instantiate NX_PLL in VHDL code
confineModule constraints: Generate constraints to set to create and confine modules

Examples

NX_PLL

User needed PLL

Code Block

$ make pll_calculator_interface
pll_calculator_interface
Please set the variant ?
 1 - NG-MEDIUM 
 2 - NG-LARGE 
 3 - NG-ULTRA 
3
How the reference clock is generated ?
 1 - External 
 2 - Internal (internal oscillator)
1
What is the reference clock frequency in MHz ?
50
Do you want to set a VCO frequency or let the tool research automatically ?
 1 - Set VCO frequency 
 2 - Automatical research with 1st output clk
2
How many output clocks do you want to generate in the range [0;9] ?
2
What is the frequency of the output clock 0 in MHz ?
400
What is the frequency of the output clock 1 in MHz ?
200

//////////PLL setting//////////
|Signal |Frequency (MHz)|
|------ |-------------- |
|Ref    |50.0           |
|Ref_int|50.0           |
|VCO    |800.0          |
|------ |-------------- |
|DIVD5  |400.0          |
|DIVD4  |200.0          |

//////////PLL parameters//////////
ref_osc_on       => '0'                                             ,
ref_intdiv       => 0                                               ,
fbk_int_div      => 7                                               ,
clk_outdiv1      => to_bitvector(conv_std_logic_vector(0,3))        ,
clk_outdiv2      => to_bitvector(conv_std_logic_vector(0,3))        ,
clk_outdiv3      => to_bitvector(conv_std_logic_vector(0,3))        ,
clk_outdiv4      => to_bitvector(conv_std_logic_vector(0,3))        ,
clk_outdivd1     => to_bitvector(conv_std_logic_vector(0,4))        ,
clk_outdivd2     => to_bitvector(conv_std_logic_vector(0,4))        ,
clk_outdivd3     => to_bitvector(conv_std_logic_vector(0,4))        ,
clk_outdivd4     => to_bitvector(conv_std_logic_vector(1,4))        ,
clk_outdivd5     => to_bitvector(conv_std_logic_vector(0,4))

All available PLL

Code Block

$ make pll_all_values_interface
pll_all_values_interface
Please set the variant ?
 1 - NG-MEDIUM 
 2 - NG-LARGE 
 3 - NG-ULTRA 
2
How the reference clock is generated ?
 1 - External 
 2 - Internal (internal oscillator)
1
What is the reference clock frequency in MHz ?
50

//////////PLL Output Values//////////

CLK (MHz),VCO (MHz),CLK name,ref_osc_on,ref_intdiv,fbk_int_div,clk_outdivp1,clk_outdivp2,clk_outdivp3o2,clk_outdivo1
0.390625,200.0,DIVP3,'0',0,0,0,0,7,0
0.390625,200.0,DIVP3,'0',1,2,0,0,7,0
0.48828125,250.0,DIVP3,'0',1,3,0,0,7,0
0.5859375,300.0,DIVP3,'0',0,1,0,0,7,0
0.5859375,300.0,DIVP3,'0',1,4,0,0,7,0
0.68359375,350.0,DIVP3,'0',1,5,0,0,7,0
0.78125,400.0,DIVP3,'0',0,2,0,0,7,0
0.78125,400.0,DIVP3,'0',1,6,0,0,7,0
0.78125,200.0,DIVP3,'0',0,0,0,0,6,0
0.78125,200.0,DIVP2,'0',0,0,0,7,0,0
0.78125,200.0,DIVP3,'0',1,2,0,0,6,0
0.78125,200.0,DIVP2,'0',1,2,0,7,0,0

WFG

Code Block

breakoutMode	wide

$ make wfg_calculator_interface
wfg_calculator_interface
What is the input clock frequency in MHz ?
100
What is the output clock frequency in MHz. It has to be input clock frequency divided by power of 2 in the range [6.25;100.0]?
25
For how many input clock cycles do you want to shift output clock in the range [0;2] ?
1
On which edge of input clock do you want to generate output clock ?
 1 - Rising edge 
 2 - Falling edge
1

//////////WFG parameters//////////
mode             => '1'                                             ,
wfg_edge         => '1'                                             ,
pattern          => "0110011001100110"                              ,
pattern_end      => 15

constrainModules

Code Block

breakoutMode	wide

$ make constrain_modules HIERARCHY_FILE=~/fae/tool/tool/hierarchy.rpt HIERARCHY_LEVEL_MAX=2 EXCLUSIVE=False
constrain_modules HIERARCHY_FILE=/home/users/kchopier/fae/tool/tool/hierarchy.rpt HIERARCHY_LEVEL_MAX=2 EXCLUSIVE=False

#New sub-module
p.addModule('RAM(X6AAF88E9)','g_loop_depth4[0].i_RAM_example','RAM(X6AAF88E9)_MOD0-%')
#New sub-module
p.addModule('RAM(X6AAF88E9)','g_loop_depth4[1].i_RAM_example','RAM(X6AAF88E9)_MOD1-%')
#New sub-module
p.addModule('RAM(X5A5D25DC)','g_loop_depth8[0].i_RAM_example','RAM(X5A5D25DC)_MOD0-%')
#New sub-module
p.addModule('RAM(X5A5D25DC)','g_loop_depth8[1].i_RAM_example','RAM(X5A5D25DC)_MOD1-%')

p.createRegion('RAM(X6AAF88E9)_REG0',,,,,False)
p.createRegion('RAM(X6AAF88E9)_REG1',,,,,False)
p.createRegion('RAM(X5A5D25DC)_REG0',,,,,False)
p.createRegion('RAM(X5A5D25DC)_REG1',,,,,False)

p.confineModule('RAM(X6AAF88E9)_MOD0-0','RAM(X6AAF88E9)_REG0')
p.confineModule('RAM(X6AAF88E9)_MOD1-0','RAM(X6AAF88E9)_REG1')
p.confineModule('RAM(X5A5D25DC)_MOD0-0','RAM(X5A5D25DC)_REG0')
p.confineModule('RAM(X5A5D25DC)_MOD1-0','RAM(X5A5D25DC)_REG1')

statModules

Code Block

$ make stat_modules HIERARCHY_FILE=~/fae/tool/tool/hierarchy.rpt
stat_modules HIERARCHY_FILE=/home/users/kchopier/fae/tool/tool/hierarchy.rpt

////////// GEN_HIER0_COL-0 //////////
// TILE //
{'LUT': 0.0, 'DFF': 0.01, 'XLUT': 0.0, 'CY': 0.0, 'RFB': 0.0}
// CGB //
{'DSP': 0.0, 'RAM': 0.0}

////////// GEN_HIER0_ROW-0 //////////
// TILE //
{'LUT': 0.0, 'DFF': 0.01, 'XLUT': 0.0, 'CY': 0.0, 'RFB': 0.0}
// CGB //
{'DSP': 0.0, 'RAM': 0.0}

////////// GEN_HIER1_COL_0 //////////
// TILE //
{'LUT': 0.0, 'DFF': 0.01, 'XLUT': 0.0, 'CY': 0.0, 'RFB': 0.0}
// CGB //
{'DSP': 0.0, 'RAM': 0.0}

////////// GEN_HIER1_ROW_0 //////////
// TILE //
{'LUT': 0.0, 'DFF': 0.01, 'XLUT': 0.0, 'CY': 0.0, 'RFB': 0.0}
// CGB //
{'DSP': 0.0, 'RAM': 0.0}

////////// GEN_HIER1_ROW_1 //////////
// TILE //
{'LUT': 0.0, 'DFF': 0.01, 'XLUT': 0.0, 'CY': 0.0, 'RFB': 0.0}
// CGB //
{'DSP': 0.0, 'RAM': 0.0}

////////// GEN_HIER2_COUNTER0-0 //////////
// TILE //
{'LUT': 0.01, 'DFF': 0.01, 'XLUT': 0.0, 'CY': 0.0, 'RFB': 0.0}
// CGB //
{'DSP': 0.0, 'RAM': 0.0}

////////// GEN_HIER2_COUNTER1-0 //////////
// TILE //
{'LUT': 0.0, 'DFF': 0.11, 'XLUT': 0.0, 'CY': 0.0, 'RFB': 0.0}
// CGB //
{'DSP': 0.0, 'RAM': 0.0}


////////// SUMMARY //////////
|Module                          |TILE    |CGB     |
|--------------------------------|--------|--------|
|GEN_HIER0_COL-0                 |1       |0       |
|GEN_HIER0_ROW-0                 |1       |0       |
|GEN_HIER1_COL_0                 |1       |0       |
|GEN_HIER1_ROW_0                 |1       |0       |
|GEN_HIER1_ROW_1                 |1       |0       |
|GEN_HIER2_COUNTER0-0            |1       |0       |
|GEN_HIER2_COUNTER1-0            |1       |0       |

compareProjects

compareInstances

Code Block

$ make compare_instances PROJECT_PATH=/home/users/kchopier/fae/tool/tool/top
compare_instances PROJECT_PATH=/home/users/kchopier/fae/tool/tool/top
Instance,4-LUT,DFF,XLUT,1-bit CY,RFB,CDC,CB,CS,DSP,RAM,WFG,PLL
/home/users/kchopier/fae/tool/tool/top_logic_NG-MEDIUM,13,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
/home/users/kchopier/fae/tool/tool/top_RAM_NG-MEDIUM,20,0,0,8,1,0,0,0,0,1,0,0

compareSta

...

breakoutMode	wide

...

Impulse 23.1.0.2 Release Note

What’s New

Enhanced Logs refactoring
STA execution now 3x times faster than before
STA constraints analysis now possible without launching STA
New Hierarchy Complexity reporting method
Now possible to modify Pad configuration after Routed Design
New DFF merged statistics reporting method
Improved Preplace IP methodology

2. GUI

Improved contextual help and tooltips
UI improvements including:
Reporting integration
Deeper Window Customization
Feedback integrated to each tool
New High Contrast Theme added to the Accessibility options

3 Python

3.1 Console

nxpython
- New -i argument activates the Interactive Console mode which allows the user to navigate into a project after script execution
nxipython
- Activates the Interactive Console mode which allows the user to navigate into a project after script execution

3.2 SetOption()
SharingFanout

Allows user to set a minimum fanout trigger in order to inject every signal above this value into lowskew, e.g.
getProject().setOption('SharingFanout', '100')

3.3 Methods

reportHierarchyComplexity()
- o Generates a report and a hierarchyComplexity.json file providing the logic cone complexity for each hierarchy level and by clock domain
• modifyPad()
- Allows user to modify pad configuration at any step of Impulse Design Flow Please note that only part of the pad configuration can be changed
  getProject().modifyPad('input[0]', {'drive':'8', 'slewRate':'Medium', 'termination':'25', 'terminationReference':'VT', 'inputDelayOn':True, 'inputDelayLine':3, 'turbo':False, 'inputSignalSlope':0.4, 'outputCapacity':2 })
reportDFFStatistics()
- Prints a table reporting DFF merging statistics
  getProject().reportDFFStatistics()
exportSites()
- This method has been modified and now generates a .json file.
modifyAperture()
- Modifies dimensions of the global aperture, deprecating the following:
  - setAperture(column1, row1, column2, row2)
  - adjustAperture(above, left, right, below)
  - translateAperture(horizontal, vertical)
  - addRegion()
- Adds a new region with the specified name and dimensions and optionally sets the region to exclusive, deprecating the following:
  - createRegion(name, column1, row1, column2, row2[, exclusive])
  - modifyRegion()
- Modifies dimensions of the specified region and optionally sets the region exclusive, deprecating the following:
  - setAperture(regionName, column1, row1, column2, row2)
  - removeRegion()
- Removes specified region, deprecating the following:
  - destroyRegion(name)
  - addObstruction()
- Adds a new obstruction with specified name and dimensions and optionally sets the obstruction for place and/or route, deprecating the following:
  - createObstruction(name, column1, row1, column2, row2[, place, route])
  - modifyObstruction()
- Modifies dimensions of the specified region and optionally sets the obstruction for place and/or route
  - removeObstruction()
- Removes specified region, deprecating the following:
  - destroyObstruction(name)
Preplace IP
- Preplace IP methodology changed: The .nym file is no longer used. A .json and a .gcl file are now generated and used instead of .nym file to prevent version number conflicts
  - saveIP(‘PreplaceIPname.json’) generate .json
  - addBlackBox() use .json file

4 Static Timing Analysis (STA)
NanoXplore Design Constraints (NXDC)
preAnalyze()

Analyses all timing constraints without launching Static Timing Analysis (STA) and generates timingConstraints.rpt and timingConstraints.json files
a = p.createAnalyzer() a.preAnalyze()

5 NXLibrary

5.1 NG-ULTRA

NX_SOC_INTERFACE_WRAP
The following signal has been renamed:
Impulse22.3:
fabric_llpp1_arqos_s1_o: out std_logic_vector(3 downto 0);
Becomes:
Impulse23.1:
fabric_llpp1_arqos_s_o: out std_logic_vector(3 downto 0);
NX_BD
NX_BD default value mode changed to global lowskew
NX_DDFR_U
Dual Data Rate deported DFF can be instantiated

6 Known Issues
ExportAsIPCore:

Multiple emitters can appear in generated synthesized netlist due to std_logic_vector name conflicts

6.1 Fixed Bugs

Substractor optimization
- Bad logic could be generated by the AdderTreeOptimization option
Preplace IP
- WFG are no longer replicated when instantiating several Preplace IP connected to the same clock/reset
- Simplified input/output interfaces are now supported
DSP
- Bad DSP inference has been corrected for: Z = (A * B) + (D concat C)
- Reset could be connected but not activated
- NX_XFIFO_64x18 was leading to placement issues

7 Requirements and Setup
Before installing Impulse, please ensure your system meets the following specifications:

Table 1: System Requirements

...

7.1 Supported Operating Systems
NanoXplore supports the following operating systems

RedHat Enterprise Linux 64-bit:
- CentOS 7
- CentOS 8

Note: If a 64-bit Linux machine is not available, you can install VirtualBox with CentOS 7 or CentOS 8 to use Impulse
Note: WSL on Windows is not supported yet
Python
Running Impulse requires Python 3.6 installed on a Linux 64-bit machine.
Warning: Other Python versions are not supported yet.

7.2 Supported Devices
The following sections list all supported architectures.

Table 2: Supported Architectures

...

7.3 Compatible Third-Party Tools

Table 3: Third-Party Tools

...

7.4 Accessing NX Product Licensing
Visit

and sign-in.

Request to sign a SLA and provide license information
Download Impulse
Install NX License Daemon

Versions Compared

Old Version 3

New Version 4

Key

Introduction

Examples

NX_PLL

User needed PLL

All available PLL

WFG

constrainModules

constrainModules

statModules

compareProjects

compareInstances

compareSta

Impulse 23.1.0.2 Release Note

Page Comparison

Versions Compared

Old Version 3

New Version 4

Key

Introduction

Examples

NX_PLL

User needed PLL

All available PLL

WFG

constrainModules

constrainModules

statModules

compareProjects

compareInstances

compareSta

Impulse 23.1.0.2 Release Note