Tools Tree

Hi all,
   As there are number of point tools available in the industry for
FPGA based design and implementation, it is becoming more difficult to
stick to one flow. Does anybody have some sort of tools tree (2-3
tools against each node in the design flow diagram) available in the
industry? This should be independent of any tool vendor but include
widely used tools. I mean, I want something like this

1. Design entry 
Tool1:
Tool2:
2. Synthesis
Tool1: Leo Spec
Tool2: Synplify Pro
Tool3:...
3. Code Coverage / Automatic test bench gen.
Tool1: ...
Tool2: ...
4. Physical synthesis
Tool1: ...
5. Place and Route
Tool1: ...
Tool2:...
6. STA

etc.....


Thanx in advance,
Nagaraj

1. Design entry
Tool1: emacs vhdl-mode, verilog mode
Tool2: Quartus block diagram
2. Simulation
Tool1: Modelsim
Tool2: Aldec
3. Synthesis
Tool1: Leo Spec
Tool2: Synplify Pro
Tool3: Quartus
Tool4: XST
4. Place and Route
Tool1: Xilinx Place & Route  + static timing
Tool2: Quartus Place & Route + static timing

      -- Mike Treseler

I meant much more. For a detailed design flow, including code
coverage, DFT, physical synthesis, etc.

regards,
nagaraj

Mike Treseler <tres@tc.fluke.com> wrote in message news:<3FA83665.9030100@tc.fluke.com>...
> 1. Design entry
> Tool1: emacs vhdl-mode, verilog mode
> Tool2: Quartus block diagram
> 2. Simulation
> Tool1: Modelsim
> Tool2: Aldec
> 3. Synthesis
> Tool1: Leo Spec
> Tool2: Synplify Pro
> Tool3: Quartus
> Tool4: XST
> 4. Place and Route
> Tool1: Xilinx Place & Route  + static timing
> Tool2: Quartus Place & Route + static timing
> 
>       -- Mike Treseler

code coverage :
tool1: v-navigator from transeda

DFT :
DftAdvisor for ASIC but for fpga ????.
fpga has built-in jtag boundary-scan. So you can download bsdl file for your
device.
altera: http://www.altera.com/support/devices/bsdl/bsdl.html
xilinx: http://www.xilinx.com/support/sw_bsdl.htm
other : http://www.acculogic.com/ResourceCenter/Index.htm

STA:
tool3 : PrimeTime from synopsys

physical synthesis:
what do you mean ?

regards,
fe

"Nagaraj" <nagaraj_c_s@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:91710219.0311050420.679a7a14@posting.google.com...
> I meant much more. For a detailed design flow, including code
> coverage, DFT, physical synthesis, etc.
>
> regards,
> nagaraj
>
> Mike Treseler <tres@tc.fluke.com> wrote in message
news:<3FA83665.9030100@tc.fluke.com>...
> > 1. Design entry
> > Tool1: emacs vhdl-mode, verilog mode
> > Tool2: Quartus block diagram
> > 2. Simulation
> > Tool1: Modelsim
> > Tool2: Aldec
> > 3. Synthesis
> > Tool1: Leo Spec
> > Tool2: Synplify Pro
> > Tool3: Quartus
> > Tool4: XST
> > 4. Place and Route
> > Tool1: Xilinx Place & Route  + static timing
> > Tool2: Quartus Place & Route + static timing
> >
> >       -- Mike Treseler

> physical synthesis:
> what do you mean ?

In the FPGA world this means applying the same synthesis techniques like
register re-timing, re-structuring and re-synthesis on a place and routed
design. Have a look at Mentor's Precision Physical. I suspect that RTL,
Place&Route and Physical will slowly merge into 1 synthesis engine. Given
the "close to useless" estimates from wireload models this can't be to soon
enough :-)
Hans.

www.ht-lab.com


> regards,
> fe
>
> "Nagaraj" <nagaraj_c_s@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:91710219.0311050420.679a7a14@posting.google.com...
> > I meant much more. For a detailed design flow, including code
> > coverage, DFT, physical synthesis, etc.
> >
> > regards,
> > nagaraj
> >
> > Mike Treseler <tres@tc.fluke.com> wrote in message
> news:<3FA83665.9030100@tc.fluke.com>...
> > > 1. Design entry
> > > Tool1: emacs vhdl-mode, verilog mode
> > > Tool2: Quartus block diagram
> > > 2. Simulation
> > > Tool1: Modelsim
> > > Tool2: Aldec
> > > 3. Synthesis
> > > Tool1: Leo Spec
> > > Tool2: Synplify Pro
> > > Tool3: Quartus
> > > Tool4: XST
> > > 4. Place and Route
> > > Tool1: Xilinx Place & Route  + static timing
> > > Tool2: Quartus Place & Route + static timing
> > >
> > >       -- Mike Treseler
>
>

In article <3Tvqb.286$QC3.2240@newsfep4-glfd.server.ntli.net>,
Hans <hansydelm@no-spam-ntlworld.com> wrote:
>In the FPGA world this means applying the same synthesis techniques like
>register re-timing, re-structuring and re-synthesis on a place and routed
>design. Have a look at Mentor's Precision Physical. I suspect that RTL,
>Place&Route and Physical will slowly merge into 1 synthesis engine. Given
>the "close to useless" estimates from wireload models this can't be to soon
>enough :-)
>Hans.

The problem with retiming in the FPGA world is not the delay model:
You can do it after placement and have a really nice delay model, but
the initial conditions model.  

If you say "keep initial conditions/Global set-reset", its a pain in
the butt and needs to be before placement.

If you say "Screw initial conditions/global set-reset" it becomes
easy and nicely effective, and the designer just has to have his state
machine take a startup/reset signal.
-- 
Nicholas C. Weaver                                 nweaver@cs.berkeley.edu

Synthesis :
1.XST
2.Mentor Leo Spec
3.mentor Precision RTL
4. Synplicity Synplify /Pro
5. Synopsys FPGA Compiler II
6. Synopsys Design Compiler

Physical Optimization /Synthesis:
1. Mentor Precision Physical
2. Synplicity Amplify
3. Magma (acquired from Aplus) Design PALACE
4. HDI PlanAhead

Simulation (HDL)
1. ModelSim
2. Cadence Verilog XL, NC-Sim
3. Synopsys VCS

Formal Verification:
1. Synopsys Formality
2. Verplex (now Cadence) Conformal-FPGA

Co-design:
1. Mentor Seamless

Schematic:
1. Mentor Design architect
2. Innoveda
3. Cadence concept

Board level timing
1. Mentor Tau

Board level Signal integrity
1. Mentor HyperLYNX
2. Mentor ICX
3. Cadence Specctraquest

"Nagaraj" <nagaraj_c_s@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:91710219.0311050420.679a7a14@posting.google.com...
> I meant much more. For a detailed design flow, including code
> coverage, DFT, physical synthesis, etc.
>
> regards,
> nagaraj
>
> Mike Treseler <tres@tc.fluke.com> wrote in message
news:<3FA83665.9030100@tc.fluke.com>...
> > 1. Design entry
> > Tool1: emacs vhdl-mode, verilog mode
> > Tool2: Quartus block diagram
> > 2. Simulation
> > Tool1: Modelsim
> > Tool2: Aldec
> > 3. Synthesis
> > Tool1: Leo Spec
> > Tool2: Synplify Pro
> > Tool3: Quartus
> > Tool4: XST
> > 4. Place and Route
> > Tool1: Xilinx Place & Route  + static timing
> > Tool2: Quartus Place & Route + static timing
> >
> >       -- Mike Treseler