How To Avoid GND Synthesized As Routed Net?

[JLevi1]

I have a net that is getting synthesized as a fixed logic '0' value and then routed to 900+ logic element endpoints in the design. This net is named "~GND" and does not exist in the Verilog source code. I would like to change that to a local fixed value instead so that I can clear up many routing lanes to improve the timing performance of the design.

The source code for one 8-bit counter that uses this ~GND net sets some of the counter bits to '1' and some of the counter bits to '0' as can be shown in the source code snippet below:

lpm_counter new_trig ( .aclr(reset_in), .cout(new_trig_cout), .cnt_en(!new_trig_out[7]), .clock(clk_sensor_out), .data(8'b01010101), .sload(rst_cvc_pulse), .q(new_trig_out[7:0]) ); defparam new_trig.lpm_width = 8, new_trig.lpm_direction = "DOWN";

In the resulting synthesized version of this counter, the counter bits that are preset to '1' get a local fixed value, but the counter bits that are preset to '0' get connected to this ~GND net as shown in the screen capture below.

Has anybody else had this happen in the synthesis? If so, is there a way to get force the synthesis tool to use a local fixed value instead of routing a net with a fixed value?

Thanks!

John

[JLevi1]

I referred to a screen shot on the previous post. I pasted the screen shot into the post but I see that it disappeared in the final version of my post. I will attempt to paste the screen shot image in this second post.

[JLevi1]

Hmm, pasting the screenshot into the forum post is not working for me. I cannot see the image using Firefox browser. I could see the screenshot fine before submitting but then it disappears after submitting. As a result, I am attaching the screenshot image to his 3rd post as a file.

[Abe]

Whenever you hardcode any port/signal / register to a fixed value, the compiler will either tie the signals in question to VCC or GND or ~GND. This cannot be avoided. The other way is to have a register with this value and then connect this register to the port/signal in question. But you are just moving the VCC/GND tie to another level.