ImpulseTestcase Template - Test Creation and Setup

Owned by Fabrice NSONGO
20 Jun, 2023
8 min read

Introduction

The aim of this document is to explain how to create a new test archive based on the NX testcase template in order to perform Impulse steps.

Testcase template archive are available on the following link with associated commands:

ImpulseTestcase Template - User Guide .

Steps

RTL sources import

The user must import all the RTL sources in the src directory.

Project Environment Variables

The 1st file to edit is project_variables.py defining all variables related to the testcase environment.

All available values for each variable are displayed when executing the following command:

nxpython nxpython_script.py -h

Top Cell

  • DefaultTopCellName: Top Cell Name of the design

  • DefaultTopCellLib: Top Cell Library of the design

Variant

  • DefaultVariant: NX chip target for the project

  • AllowedVariants: List of all NX chip targets compliant with the project

Argument

  • DefaultArgument: Argument used in sub scripts in order to launch Impulse steps with different options

  • AllowedArguments: List of all arguments that can be launch

Board

  • DefaultBoard: Board target for the potential output bitstream

  • AllowedBoards: List of all allowed boards for the project. A list must be set for each variant.

Progress

  • DefaultProgressStart: Impulse step the project must start. If not scratch,

  • DefaultProgressStop: Impulse step the project must stop

Project

  • DefaultSeed: Seed option for the Impulse placing algorithm

  • DefaultOptions: Options set to Impulse. Syntax is <name1>.<value1>_<name2>.<value2>_<…>

  • DefaultTimingDriven: Enable ('Yes') or Disable ('No') TimingDriven option for Impulse placing and routing

  • DefaultConstraints: Enable ('Yes') or Disable ('No') constraints set in sub_scripts/project_constraints.py

  • DefaultSta: Impulse steps to launch STA. Syntax is <step1>_<step2>_…

  • DefaultStaCondition: STA conditions. Last is kept for TimingDriven. Syntax is <cond1>_<cond2>_…

  • DefaultBitstream: Enable ('Yes') or Disable ('No') bitstream generation

Directory

  • DefaultSaveInputs: Enable ('Yes') or Disable ('No') scripts and sources in output project folder

Example

Hereafter an example:

#Top Cell DefaultTopCellName = 'top' DefaultTopCellLib = 'work' #Variant DefaultVariant = 'NG-MEDIUM' AllowedVariants = ['NG-MEDIUM','NG-MEDIUM-EMBEDDED','NG-LARGE'] #Argument DefaultArgument = '' AllowedArguments = ['','debug'] #Board DefaultBoard = 'DevKit' AllowedBoards = [['DevKit'],[''],['DevKit']] #Progress DefaultProgressStart= 'scratch' DefaultProgressStop = 'routed3' #Project DefaultSeed = '1789' DefaultOptions = 'DensityEffort.Medium_CongestionEffort.Low' DefaultTimingDriven = 'Yes' DefaultConstraints = 'Yes' DefaultSta = 'placed1_routed3' DefaultStaCondition = 'typical_worstcase' DefaultBitstream = 'Yes' #Directory DefaultSaveInputs = 'Yes'

Impulse project

Project Files

All design files with associate files must be defined in sub_scripts/project_files.py.

Method arguments

  • p: Impulse project variable

  • sources_files_directory: Pointer to src directory

  • variant: variant name

  • argument: script argument

Example

Hereafter an example:

from nxpython import * def add_files(p,sources_files_directory,variant,argument): p.addFile('work',sources_files_directory+'/switch_counter.vhd') p.addFile('work',sources_files_directory+'/switch.vhd')

Example using arguments

Hereafter an example using method arguments:

from nxpython import * def add_files(p,sources_files_directory,variant,argument): p.addFile('work',sources_files_directory+'/sub_module0.vhd') if variant=='NG-ULTRA': if argument=='debug': p.addFile('work',sources_files_directory+'/top_debug_ULTRA.vhd') else: p.addFile('work',sources_files_directory+'/top_ULTRA.vhd') else: p.addFile('work',sources_files_directory+'/top.vhd')

Project Parameters

All design top generics/parameters must be defined in sub_scripts/project_parameters.py.

Method arguments

  • p: Impulse project variable

  • variant: variant name

  • argument: script argument

Example

Hereafter an example:

from nxpython import * def add_parameters(p,variant,argument): p.addParameter('GENERIC_COUNTER','63')

Example using arguments

Hereafter an example using method arguments:

from nxpython import * def add_parameters(p,variant,argument): if variant=='NG-ULTRA': if argument=='debug': p.addParameter('GENERIC_COUNTER','2') else: p.addParameter('GENERIC_COUNTER','63') else: p.addParameter('GENERIC_COUNTER','31')

Project Options

All project options must be defined in sub_scripts/project_options.py.

Method arguments

  • p: Impulse project variable

  • variant: variant name

  • seed: Impulse seed for placing algorithm

  • options: Impulse options to be set

  • argument: script argument

Example

Hereafter an example:

from nxpython import * def add_options(p,variant,timing_driven,seed,options,argument): p.setOptions({ 'DefaultFSMEncoding' : 'OneHot', 'DefaultRAMMapping' : 'AUTO', 'DefaultROMMapping' : 'AUTO', 'TimingDriven' : timing_driven, 'Seed' : seed }) if not options== '': options_split = options.split('_') for elem in options_split: options_name = elem.split('.')[0] options_value = elem.split('.')[1] p.setOption(options_name,options_value)

Last condition must not be changed.

Example using arguments

Hereafter an example using method arguments:

from nxpython import * def add_options(p,variant,timing_driven,seed,options,argument): p.setOptions({ 'DefaultFSMEncoding' : 'OneHot', 'DefaultRAMMapping' : 'AUTO', 'DefaultROMMapping' : 'AUTO', 'TimingDriven' : timing_driven, 'Seed' : seed }) if variant=='NG-ULTRA': if argument=='debug': p.setOption('MaxRegisterCount','20000') if not options== '': options_split = options.split('_') for elem in options_split: options_name = elem.split('.')[0] options_value = elem.split('.')[1] p.setOption(options_name,options_value)

Project Constraints

All project constraints must be defined in sub_scripts/project_options.py.

Method arguments

  • p: Impulse project variable

  • variant: variant name

  • argument: script argument

  • sub_step_nb: Impulse sub step index for Synthesizing([1;3]), Placing([1;5]) and Routing([1;3])

All constraints must be under sub_step_nb condition. Otherwise, constraint will be set at each sub step.

Example

Hereafter an example:

from nxpython import * def synthesis_constraints(p,variant,argument,sub_step_nb): if sub_step_nb==0: p.setAperture(1,1,92,49) def placing_constraints(p,variant,argument,sub_step_nb): print("No placing common constraints") def routing_constraints(p,variant,argument,sub_step_nb): print("No routing common constraints") def add_constraints(p,variant,argument,step,sub_step_nb): if step == "Synthesize": synthesis_constraints(p,variant,argument,sub_step_nb) elif step == "Place": placing_constraints(p,variant,argument,sub_step_nb) elif step == "Route": routing_constraints(p,variant,argument,sub_step_nb)

add_constraints method must not be changed.

Example using arguments

Hereafter an example using method arguments:

from nxpython import * def synthesis_constraints(p,variant,argument,sub_step_nb): if sub_step_nb==0: if variant=='NG-ULTRA': if argument=='debug': p.setAperture(1,1,46,49) else: p.setAperture(1,1,92,49) else: p.setAperture(1,1,28,10) def placing_constraints(p,variant,argument,sub_step_nb): print("No placing common constraints") def routing_constraints(p,variant,argument,sub_step_nb): print("No routing common constraints") def add_constraints(p,variant,argument,step,sub_step_nb): if step == "Synthesize": synthesis_constraints(p,variant,argument,sub_step_nb) elif step == "Place": placing_constraints(p,variant,argument,sub_step_nb) elif step == "Route": routing_constraints(p,variant,argument,sub_step_nb)

Project IOs

All project constraints must be defined in sub_scripts/project_ios.py.

Method arguments

  • p: Impulse project variable

  • variant: variant name

  • argument: script argument

  • board: target board to implement the bitstream

Example

Hereafter an example:

from nxpython import * def add_ios(p,variant,argument='',board=''): if not 'EMBEDDED' in variant: add_banks(p,variant,argument) add_pads(p,variant,argument) else: add_pins(p,variant,argument) def add_banks(p,variant,argument='',board=''): banks = { 'IOB01' : {'voltage': '1.8'}, 'IOB02' : {'voltage': '3.3'} } p.addBanks(banks) def add_pads(p,variant,argument='',board=''): pads = { 'clk' : {'location':'IO_B01D01P', 'standard': 'LVCMOS'}, 'rst' : {'location':'IO_B01D02P', 'standard': 'LVCMOS'}, 'out0' : {'location':'IO_B02D01P', 'standard': 'LVCMOS'} } p.addPads(pads) def add_pins(p,variant,argument='',board=''): pins = { } p.addPins(pins)

add_pins method is dedicated to embedded NX targets.

add_banks and add_pads methods are dedicated to not embedded NX targets.

add_ios method must not be changed.

Example using arguments

Hereafter an example using method arguments:

from nxpython import * def add_ios(p,variant,argument='',board=''): if not 'EMBEDDED' in variant: add_banks(p,variant,argument) add_pads(p,variant,argument) else: add_pins(p,variant,argument) def add_banks(p,variant,argument='',board=''): if variant=='NG-ULTRA': if argument=='debug': banks = { 'IOB01' : {'voltage': '1.8'}, 'IOB02' : {'voltage': '1.2'} } else: banks = { 'IOB01' : {'voltage': '1.8'}, 'IOB02' : {'voltage': '1.8'} } else: banks = { 'IOB01' : {'voltage': '1.8'}, 'IOB02' : {'voltage': '3.3'} } p.addBanks(banks) def add_pads(p,variant,argument='',board=''): pads = { 'clk' : {'location':'IO_B01D01P', 'standard': 'LVCMOS'}, 'rst' : {'location':'IO_B01D02P', 'standard': 'LVCMOS'}, 'out0' : {'location':'IO_B02D01P', 'standard': 'LVCMOS'} } p.addPads(pads) def add_pins(p,variant,argument='',board=''): pins = { } p.addPins(pins)

 

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