Timing violations on internal nodes - how to fix them ?

[Altera_Forum]

Hello, 

 TimeQuest Analyzer reported 63 "Setup" violations, and all of them are located on internal nodes. Does exist some strategy to fix internal nodes timing violations, e.g. add some constraints in .sdc file ? Thanks.

[Altera_Forum]

What do you mean by "internal nodes"? Internal to what? 

Setup violations usually occur because there is too much logic between registers. The easiest fix is to add extra pipeline stages on these paths in your HDL.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  What do you mean by "internal nodes"? Internal to what? Setup violations usually occur because there is too much logic between registers. The easiest fix is to add extra pipeline stages on these paths in your HDL.  --- Quote End ---    Thanks Tricky,  I mean "internal-to-internal". Here is "Top Failing Paths": https://www.alteraforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=14179   These paths come from from sdram controller IP. add extra pipeline stages ... you mean edit IP code ?

[Altera_Forum]

If its in an IP, then no, you generally cannot edit it. 

Are you sure the constraints are correct and not too fast? How full is the device? Have you tried a different fitter seed?

[Altera_Forum]

Correct or not, I'm not sure ... at least there is no ignored constraints. 

Concerning input/output delay, they were generated by the project builder - utility, delivered by board manufacturer - Terasic. BTW, here is the content of constraint file: #************************************************************** # This .sdc file is created by Terasic Tool. # Users are recommended to modify this file to match users logic. # ************************************************************** # ************************************************************** # Create Clock # ************************************************************** create_clock -period 20.0 -name clk CLOCK_50 # for enhancing USB BlasterII to be reliable, 25MHz create_clock -name {altera_reserved_tck} -period 40 {altera_reserved_tck} derive_pll_clocks derive_clock_uncertainty set_input_delay -clock altera_reserved_tck -clock_fall 3 set_input_delay -clock altera_reserved_tck -clock_fall 3 set_output_delay -clock altera_reserved_tck 3 # ************************************************************** # Create Generated Clock # ************************************************************** create_generated_clock -name clk_sdram_ext -source .gpll~FRACTIONAL_PLL|fbclk}] create_generated_clock -name clk_data -source .gpll~PLL_OUTPUT_COUNTER|divclk}] |clk}] # ************************************************************** # Set Input Delay # ************************************************************** # Board Delay (Data) + Propagation Delay - Board Delay (Clock) set_input_delay -clock clk_sdram_ext -max -0.048 set_input_delay -clock clk_sdram_ext -min -0.057 # ************************************************************** # Set Output Delay # ************************************************************** # max : Board Delay (Data) - Board Delay (Clock) + tsu (External Device) # min : Board Delay (Data) - Board Delay (Clock) - th (External Device) set_output_delay -clock clk_data -max 1.452 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -min -0.857 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -max 1.531 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -min -0.805 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -max 1.533 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -min -0.805 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -max 1.510 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -min -0.800 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -max 1.520 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -min -0.780 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -max 1.5000 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -min -0.800 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -max 1.545 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -min -0.755 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -max 1.496 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -min -0.804 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -max 1.508 set_output_delay -clock clk_data -min -0.792 # ************************************************************** # Set Clock Groups # ************************************************************** # ************************************************************** # Set False Path # ************************************************************** set_false_path -from set_false_path -from set_false_path -from * -to set_false_path -from * -to set_false_path -from * -to   clk_data - output of the "zero delay buffer" PLL, clk_sdram_ext - zdbfbclk output of the same PLL that is applied to the external SDRAM clock input. I'm not sure that such connection solution is perfect - I picked it from old Altera presentation (at least as I understood it)  https://www.alteraforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=14180