Add files to Xilinx ISE Project w/script

>From time to time I'm given a Xilinx project directory (project file,
ucfs, cores, source) and have to add my own components to the project.
Is there a way to add files to a Xilinx ISE 7.1 project with a script
file or the command line instead of using the "Add Source ..." option
in the Project menu?

Thanks,

Andrew

sharpa17@gmail.com wrote:
>>From time to time I'm given a Xilinx project directory (project file,
> ucfs, cores, source) and have to add my own components to the project.
> Is there a way to add files to a Xilinx ISE 7.1 project with a script
> file or the command line instead of using the "Add Source ..." option
> in the Project menu?

I don't have an answer. But since I am still annoyed about it...;) Up 
through ISE6.3, this was trivial to do, because the project file was 
plain text. I frequently added and removed things with a text editor, 
which I found to be easier than the "Add Source ..." stuff. Then someone 
decided to to change to a binary file for ISE 7.1 :-(

sharpa17@gmail.com wrote:
> >From time to time I'm given a Xilinx project directory (project file,
> ucfs, cores, source) and have to add my own components to the project.
> Is there a way to add files to a Xilinx ISE 7.1 project with a script
> file or the command line instead of using the "Add Source ..." option
> in the Project menu?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Andrew

I don't know about a script, but do you realize you can add multiple
files at once using the "Add Source" if they're in the same folder.
I'm assuming you're looking for a way to reduce the tedium of adding
a lot of new source files?

ISE 7.1 will automatically convert .npl to .ise project, so a hack would be
to create a .npl as you would and then let the tool deal with the format.

HTH,
Jim

"Duane Clark" <dclark@junkmail.com> wrote in message
news:BF8df.10674$BZ5.4399@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com...
> sharpa17@gmail.com wrote:
> >>From time to time I'm given a Xilinx project directory (project file,
> > ucfs, cores, source) and have to add my own components to the project.
> > Is there a way to add files to a Xilinx ISE 7.1 project with a script
> > file or the command line instead of using the "Add Source ..." option
> > in the Project menu?
>
> I don't have an answer. But since I am still annoyed about it...;) Up
> through ISE6.3, this was trivial to do, because the project file was
> plain text. I frequently added and removed things with a text editor,
> which I found to be easier than the "Add Source ..." stuff. Then someone
> decided to to change to a binary file for ISE 7.1 :-(

I agree and I too am annoyed. Why did they change it to binary?

Rick North wrote:
> I agree and I too am annoyed. Why did they change it to binary?

We didn't get a resolution to this discussion last time it came up...
the following was pasted from
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.arch.fpga/browse_frm/thread/463e8ef573f4d6dc/5c9c56139ab0ab9e

http://tinyurl.com/aaluz

] I'm guessing it wasn't paranoia, because they provide a way to import
] and export information to/from the new binary .ise file:
]
] http://support.xilinx.com/xlnx/xil_ans_display.jsp?getPagePath=21067
]
] My WAG is that they mistakenly thought they needed to go binary to
] improve the speed of the GUI (which can be sluggish with large
] projects, even on a decently fast machine).

Now that I've had months to thinking on it, maybe it was paranoia -
they just had to get over it because customers complained.  Doubt we'll
ever know.

Have fun,

    Marc

"sharpa17@gmail.com" wrote:

>Is there a way to add files to a Xilinx ISE 7.1 project with a script
>file or the command line instead of using the "Add Source ..." option
>in the Project menu?

Learn how to write makefiles, and use gnu make.  Then don't worry
about Xilinx GUIs again, excluding the tools that should be graphical:
FPGAeditor and FloorPlanner.


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

Phil Hays <Spampostmaster@comcast.net> writes:

> Learn how to write makefiles, and use gnu make. Then don't worry
> about Xilinx GUIs again, excluding the tools that should be
> graphical: FPGAeditor and FloorPlanner.

I agree strongly!

Petter
-- 
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on usenet and in e-mail?

> Learn how to write makefiles, and use gnu make.  Then don't worry
> about Xilinx GUIs again, excluding the tools that should be graphical:
> FPGAeditor and FloorPlanner.

Got any info/links/tutorials on the best way to learn to use makefiles
and GNU make to build FPGAs?

Andrew

"Andrew" wrote:

>> Learn how to write makefiles, and use gnu make.  Then don't worry
>> about Xilinx GUIs again, excluding the tools that should be graphical:
>> FPGAeditor and FloorPlanner.
>
>Got any info/links/tutorials on the best way to learn to use makefiles
>and GNU make to build FPGAs?

If you have some type of UNIX, you probably already have make
installed.  If you have windows easiest thing to do is to install
Cygwin:

http://www.cygwin.com/


Documentation on gnu make is at:

http://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/html_mono/make.html

For how to use XST and the rest of the tools on command line, see the
Xilinx documentation.


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