Syntax error in DDR timing scripts?

Tom,

DDR SDRAM is pretty complicated stuff. The core provided by Altera stretches (exceeds?) the limits of the static timing analysis tool shipped in Quartus II. That, along with additional placement constraints, make for a pretty complicated build procedure. If you just remember to do one thing, in the future, it could prevent these sorts of issues. There should be a "remove_add_constraints_<component_name>.tcl" file in your QII project directory. Remember to run this, from within Quartus II, prior to performing any sort of changes to the DDR and you&#39;ll be happy(ier).

Cheers,

- slacker

Thanks for the tip, sadly here is the result:

*********************************************************************

* DDR & DDR2 SDRAM Controller Compiler *

* Applying the constraints for the datapath in the your MegaCore *

*********************************************************************

Error: Evaluation of Tcl script remove_add_constraints_for_ddr_sdram.tcl unsuccessful

Error: Quartus II Shell was unsuccessful. 1 error, 0 warnings

Error: Processing ended: Fri Feb 17 14:44:46 2006

Error: Elapsed time: 00:00:00

------------------------------------------------

ERROR: Open project does not exist. Open an existing project or create a new project.

Opening the project again has no effect.

Is "quartus_sh -t remove_add_constraints_for_ddr_sdram.tcl full_featured" correct?

Now when ever I try to compile my design I get the following fatal error

*** Fatal error: Module: quartus_map.exe Exception: Access Violation

Stack Trace:

016b58e3: qcu_set_assignment() + 0x82e (comp_qcu)

04f93dc0:

End-trace

------------------------------------------

Here is a brief run down of what I have done and what Im trying to do:

I have the &#39;full featured&#39; 2c35 design from the Cyclone II dev kit (we have 4 kits)

We have attached our own peripherals and removed peripherals we dont need in sopc builder and they all work fine on the dev board

Now I need to build a prototype, which has double the amount of ram. Two ICs, giving me 64Mb 32bits wide. I also want to only use banks 1 and 2 of the cyclone for driving the rams. The dev board currently only uses bank 1, So I figure bank 2 for the second DDR IC.

I start by deleting all the pin assignments. I have a very different setup to the dev board in mind.

Then I run the IP toolbench for the DDR SDRAM Controller V3.3.1 (We have a full Quartus seat, and licences for the IP core and the Nios core)

In step 1: Parameterize I change the following:

Presets: custom

memory bus width: 32

number of chipselects: 1 (I assume this is correct even though I have two chips?)

number of clock pairs: 2 (May make the layout job a bit easier!)

In advanced mode it shows:

Memory size 64Mb

Row address bits: 13

Column address bits: 9

I dont change any other options.

Then in Step 2: Constraints, I assign bytes 2 and 3 to &#39;4T&#39; and &#39;2T&#39; ( 0 is already on &#39;3T&#39; and 1 on &#39;5T&#39; This *should* put the second IC on bank 2.)

Then I hit ok and run step 3: Update.

I then rejiggle the memory map automagically, I change the target board to &#39;unspecified&#39; so sopc builder is happy and generates the ptf.

I update the &#39;full_2c35&#39; symbol in my bdf, change the ram pin names because I now have a 32 bit bus etc.

And then I get all these problems trying to compile the device.

Am I better off just removing the DDR part from sopc builder, deleting all the tcl scripts from my project folder and just starting again without modifying a &#39;full_featured&#39; ram controller? Am I even doing this in the correct manner?

thanks for any help

tom

-----------------------------

A quick update - I removed the ddr part in sopc, and started a fresh one. I also removed all the ddr related tcl scripts from my project folder. Now when I try to generate I get the following errors:

2006.02.17 12:43:54 (*) Making arbitration and system (top) modules.

ERROR:

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/generate_pbm_and_system.pl 35 CALLED (Generate_PBM_And_System)

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/generate_pbm_and_system.pl 29 CALLED ((eval))

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/generate_pbm_and_system.pl 29 CALLED (e_project::output)

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/europa/e_project.pm 1485 CALLED (e_ptf_project::identify_signal_widths)

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/europa/e_ptf_project.pm 272 CALLED (e_project::identify_signal_widths)

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/europa/e_project.pm 1183 CALLED (e_module::identify_signal_widths)

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/europa/e_module.pm 2448 CALLED (e_module_database::identify_signal_widths)

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/europa/e_module_database.pm 648 CALLED (e_module_database::make_linked_signal_conduit_list)

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/europa/e_module_database.pm 725 CALLED (e_signal_junction_database::make_linked_signal_conduit_list)

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/europa/e_signal_junction_database.pm 906 CALLED (e_instance::make_linked_signal_conduit_list)

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/europa/e_instance.pm 1350 CALLED (e_expression::conduit_width)

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/europa/e_expression.pm 3493 CALLED (e_signal_junction_database::remove_child_from_parent_signal_list)

C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/europa/e_signal_junction_database.pm 573 CALLED (e_signal_junction_database::remove_child_from_signal_list) WHERE

&#39;_bibl_to_the_adapter_slave_y_2 is not a good signal name&#39; OCCURRED on C:/Altera/quartus51full/sopc_builder/bin/europa/e_signal_junction_database.pm 524

255

Error in processing. System NOT successfully generated.

--------------------------------

I can clear the above error by turning off pipelining in sopc (but my design will now fail its timing) but when I try to compile in Quartus, I get the same fatal error as shown above.

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