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Associate VHDL libraries to files within build configuration (filelist.txt)?

Wes
New Contributor I
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I have a project that contains VHDL files, and some Quartus IP files (.ip) that I would like to build on the DevCloud (and using ASE simulation). 

The problem is that including the files in the filelist.txt file (build configuration file) just causes them to all be compiled in the default work library. However, we need some of these VHDL files to be compiled in separate libraries. 

Is there any built-in way to do this using the DevCloud/ASE? Wanted to ask here before going down a rabbit hole to customize the scripts. 

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BoonBengT_Intel
Moderator
1,447 Views

Hi @Wes,

 

Noted on the clarification, with the assumption that you are using ModelSim as the simulator.
There are steps required to do so, which will be explain here.
As for the compiling the custom IP, per my understanding we would still need to modify the afu_sim_setup.
Hope that helps.

 

Best Wishes
BB

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RahulU_Intel
Moderator
1,787 Views

Hi,


Thanks for posting in Intel communities. We looked into your case. Could you please confirm which devcloud of the following are you using (oneAPI Devcloud/Devcloud for Edge/FPGA Devcloud).


Thanks and Regards

Rahul


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Wes
New Contributor I
1,759 Views

Rahul, 

 

We are using the FPGA DevCloud. For synthesis using Quartus, we have a workaround where we add a .qsf file to the build configuration using the "QI:" prefix in the filelist.txt file. In this .qsf file we add the VHDL files using something like this:

set_global_assignment -name VHDL_FILE <path-to-file> -library <library-name>

However, we are not sure if there is an equivalent for ASE (which is more important for us to figure out right now). I know there is "SI:", but we aren't sure what we would include to make the libraries work. 

As for the IP files, for a non ASE/DevCloud project we just have Quartus generate an "msim_setup" Tcl script that handles the libraries for all of the IP files. Not sure how to integrate this into the DevCloud/ASE flow. Does just adding the ".ip" files to the filelist.txt file handle this automatically? What we want the ".ip" files to also be in non-work libraries?

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BoonBengT_Intel
Moderator
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Hi @Wes,

 

Thank you for posting in Intel community forum and hope all is well.
If I understand the situation correctly, within the DevCloud environment to do what you mention with some custom IP/libraries, would recommend to use the X2Go tools to enable you to connect to graphical interface for quartus, and also access to relevant folder of your project.

 

For that you can refer to the section #6.1 in the devcloud setup link here.
Note that X2Go is only available on nodes s001-n13[7-9] and s005-n005 at this time.
Hope that clarify your doubts.

 

Best Wishes
BB

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Wes
New Contributor I
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@BoonBengT_Intel  Thanks for the response.

 

For the DevCloud (using Quartus compilation), we have bypassed the need for the GUI by including a .qsf file that adds VHDL files and associates them with specific libraries. 

The main problem is when trying to use ASE. Should I post in a separate forum about this? 

We were able to modify the Makefile manually to messily solve the IP and library issues, but I was wondering if there is a way to do that with ASE (Questasim/Modelsim).

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BoonBengT_Intel
Moderator
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Hi @Wes,

 

Apologies for the confusion, if I understand correctly you are trying to run/use the ASE in devcloud.(as per guide here)
For that would suggest to login to Intel DevCloud, use the devcloud_login command to access the relevant node. Followed by tools_setup command, for that would suggest to select #1-3 (for appropriate version of quartus) and #5 (for A10 devices is in used).

 

This should source the modelsim and the needed opae stack to proceed.
Please do try and hope that clarify your doubts.

 

Best Wishes
BB

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BoonBengT_Intel
Moderator
1,600 Views

Hi @Wes,

 

Good day, just checking in to see if there is any further doubts in regards to this matter.
Hope we have clarify your doubts.

 

Best Wishes
BB

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Wes
New Contributor I
1,576 Views

Hello @BoonBengT_Intel ,

 

We are not trying to run ASE on the DevCloud; we have it installed on our own server. 

 

Here are the two issues we are having with ASE:

1) Compile specific VHDL files into libraries other than "work"

2) Compile IP files (generated by Quartus)

 

I haven't found a way to get these to work by just using the baked-in functionality of the filelist.txt file; do we need to just heavily customize the Makefile that gets generated by the afu_sim_setup script, or is there a clean way that already exists?

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BoonBengT_Intel
Moderator
1,448 Views

Hi @Wes,

 

Noted on the clarification, with the assumption that you are using ModelSim as the simulator.
There are steps required to do so, which will be explain here.
As for the compiling the custom IP, per my understanding we would still need to modify the afu_sim_setup.
Hope that helps.

 

Best Wishes
BB

Wes
New Contributor I
1,418 Views

Thanks for the confirmation. We'll continue with custom scripts.

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BoonBengT_Intel
Moderator
1,404 Views

Hi @Wes,

 

Greetings, good to know that we managed to clarify your doubts. Hence thread will now be transitioned to community support and we will no longer monitor this thread. For new queries, please feel free to open a new thread and we will be right with you. Pleasure having you here.

Best Wishes
BB

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