Synplify Pro now has a "message window" that sorts all the notes, warnings
and such in groupings.  There is a filter included to ignore those messages
we all "know" aren't of any help.  It's better than trying to look through
the log but it's still not the best interface.  Cartainly an improvement,
however.

"Simon Peacock" <simon$actrix.co.nz> wrote in message
news:433a65a9@news2.actrix.gen.nz...
> The one main complaint I have with symplify is the number of warnings and
> messages it generates... I like to check them off and say "that's ok" ...
> "that's unnecessary" etc .. but I haven't found a way to turn the
> unnecessary ones off.
>
> Typically this happens on some of my standard modules which might have
> unused pins or internal blocks which are going to be optimized out, but
will
> leave a signal or two (which will also be optimized away).
>
> Altera fixed this with the 'if_used' attribute in AHDL... but that's gone
by
> the wayside since AHDL isn't supported any more.
> The other annoying one is where ROMS are generated and it optimizes
columns
> out as they aren't unique ... something's you just don't care about :-)
>
> Simon

Thanks all for your feedback.
There's a huge difference in pricing between Xilinx and the third party
tools.
It's great to get some opinions to help narrow down the choice a bit.

Chris

One more problem with ISE XST. In Synthesis Constraint file (.xcf) you
can not use wildcards.

Phil Hays <Spampostmaster@comcast.net> writes:

> "Waage" <chris@ednainc.com> wrote:
> 
> >I have looked at Mentor, Synplicity, Synopsis, and Xilinx solutions.
> 
> I've had good experience with Synplicity.  Smaller and faster results,
> easier to use, good technical support.
> 
> Xilinx does ok.  Price is right.  Good choice as long as speed and
> density are not critical, or if speed and density are so critical as
> to force the designer to map all logic by hand.
> 

I've had one recent experience where XST did better (timing-wise) than
Synplicity.  Unfortunately, I don't really know why as it was not my
code.

Cheers,
Martin

-- 
martin.j.thompson@trw.com
TRW Conekt, Solihull, UK
http://www.trw.com/conekt

The one main complaint I have with symplify is the number of warnings and
messages it generates... I like to check them off and say "that's ok" ...
"that's unnecessary" etc .. but I haven't found a way to turn the
unnecessary ones off.

Typically this happens on some of my standard modules which might have
unused pins or internal blocks which are going to be optimized out, but will
leave a signal or two (which will also be optimized away).

Altera fixed this with the 'if_used' attribute in AHDL... but that's gone by
the wayside since AHDL isn't supported any more.
The other annoying one is where ROMS are generated and it optimizes columns
out as they aren't unique ... something's you just don't care about :-)

Simon


"Eric DELAGE" <delage.eric@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1127894398.431062.117290@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> If you can afford the price of Synplicity, I would definitively
> recommend you Synplify Pro for the quality of its results.
>
> The only drawback that I think of is stability. It performs very well
> but it might (not so rarely) happen that it crashes w/o any result.
> Fortunately, the support is very reactive to provide us w/ new releases
> fixing the issues.
>
> Has someone a significant experience w/ Amplify (or the new
> SynplifyPremierDP) from Synplicity? What do you think about it?
>
> Eric
>

If you can afford the price of Synplicity, I would definitively
recommend you Synplify Pro for the quality of its results.

The only drawback that I think of is stability. It performs very well
but it might (not so rarely) happen that it crashes w/o any result.
Fortunately, the support is very reactive to provide us w/ new releases
fixing the issues.

Has someone a significant experience w/ Amplify (or the new
SynplifyPremierDP) from Synplicity? What do you think about it?

Eric

"Waage" <chris@ednainc.com> wrote:

>I have looked at Mentor, Synplicity, Synopsis, and Xilinx solutions.

I've had good experience with Synplicity.  Smaller and faster results,
easier to use, good technical support.

Xilinx does ok.  Price is right.  Good choice as long as speed and
density are not critical, or if speed and density are so critical as
to force the designer to map all logic by hand.


-- 
Phil Hays to reply solve: phil_hays at not(coldmail) dot com  
 If not cold then hot

Some of it depends what size/type device you are using, and how much
money you would like to spend.
The DO-ML403-EDK-ISE seems to be a good deal if the target is a FX12
part
http://www.xilinx.com/xlnx/xebiz/productview.jsp?sGlobalNavPick=&sSecondaryNavPick=&category=-1210985&iLanguageID=1&category=/Xilinx+Products/Hardware+and+Cables/Development+Boards/Virtex-4+Boards

If FPGA's and ASIC's are not in your immediate future, I would pass on
Synopsys.

Xilinx Synthesizer works pretty well, and is bundled with the
implementation tools.  The above package comes with a baseX version
that limits the size of the device.  The full version costs more.

Synplicity is regarded very well, and has the advantage of being able
to target different vendors as with Synnopsys and Mentor.

Don't really have any data on Mentor.

BTW. I own Synplicity stock.

-Newman

Waage wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I are looking to purchase some FPGA software in the very
> near term for a project utilizing Xilinix's Virtex-4 device.
>
> I are relatively new to FPGA design and would appreciate any comments
> from those who have experience with Virtex-4 regarding FPGA synthesis
> software
> options.
>
> I have looked at Mentor, Synplicity, Synopsis, and Xilinx solutions.
> Are there any recommendations for or Against any of the above?
> Am I missing a good resonably priceds third party option?
> 
> Thanks, Chris

Some of it depends what size/type device you are using, and how much
money you would like to spend.
The DO-ML403-EDK-ISE seems to be a good deal if the target is a FX12
part
http://www.xilinx.com/xlnx/xebiz/productview.jsp?sGlobalNavPick=&sSecondaryNavPick=&category=-1210985&iLanguageID=1&category=/Xilinx+Products/Hardware+and+Cables/Development+Boards/Virtex-4+Boards

If FPGA's and ASIC's are not in your immediate future, I would pass on
Synopsys.

Xilinx Synthesizer works pretty well, and is bundled with the
implementation tools.  The above package comes with a baseX version
that limits the size of the device.  The full version costs more.

Synplicity is regarded very well, and has the advantage of being able
to target different vendors as with Synnopsys and Mentor.

Don't really have any data on Mentor.

BTW. I own Synplicity stock.

-Newman

Waage wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I are looking to purchase some FPGA software in the very
> near term for a project utilizing Xilinix's Virtex-4 device.
>
> I are relatively new to FPGA design and would appreciate any comments
> from those who have experience with Virtex-4 regarding FPGA synthesis
> software
> options.
>
> I have looked at Mentor, Synplicity, Synopsis, and Xilinx solutions.
> Are there any recommendations for or Against any of the above?
> Am I missing a good resonably priceds third party option?
> 
> Thanks, Chris

Hi,

I are looking to purchase some FPGA software in the very
near term for a project utilizing Xilinix's Virtex-4 device.

I are relatively new to FPGA design and would appreciate any comments
from those who have experience with Virtex-4 regarding FPGA synthesis
software
options.

I have looked at Mentor, Synplicity, Synopsis, and Xilinx solutions.
Are there any recommendations for or Against any of the above?
Am I missing a good resonably priceds third party option?

Thanks, Chris