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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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11 years ago

How to use ip-generate on a hierarchical sys system

Hi,

I am using ip-generate to compile a Qsys design into Verilog code than can be programmed into the FPGA and test benches for simulation. I have a single level Qsys system working, but my primary target has several qsys subsystems within a top level Qsys system. Can I use ip-generate directly to compile the hierarchical Qsys system? Do you have any example scripts which show how to do that? My current script reports the underlying sys sub-systems are "not found" even if I actually copy them to the local dir.

If the hierarchical project cannot be compiled in one go with ip-generate as can be done by the GUI. What is the recommended multi-step process and what are the recommended intermediate targets for a Makefile?

Thanks Martin

ps. I don’t see arguments to direct ip-generate to create a test bench but I did see an example which seemed to use a testbench specific .qsys file. !? What’s the best way to use ip-generate to creat a testbecnh from a .qsys system?

8 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    11 years ago

    I don't know the answer to the hierarchy question, but I have a suggestion that might work ...

    To determine what arguments to pass to ip-generate, I use the GUI and then copy the ip-generate arguments into a script, eg., this BeMicroCV design has an example for the DDR controller (see the zip file with post#5)

    http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43992

    If you use "generate" from the Qsys GUI, the logging dialog box most likely has the sequence you need.

    The same thing goes for generating simulation files; check the checkboxes in the GUI, click generate, and look at the log in the dialog that pops up.

    Cheers,

    Dave
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    11 years ago

    That was a great suggestion Dave.

    I have progressed further, but I am having trouble figuring out the steps to generate the SoC BFM based simulation test benches.

    I can do it in the GUI.

    It is one click on "Generate HDL test benches"

    In the log file I see 2 x calls to ip-generate but there is a call to a TC script tbgen.tcl in between

    Only the output of that script is shown in the report file so I cannot see how it is called.

    There is a comment in the script file

    /tools/altera/14.0/./quartus/sopc_builder/bin/tbgen.tcl

    which suggest it may be called by sop_builder, but I cannot find a command line exec for sop_builder.

    Any suggestions on tracking down the exact calls made by the GUI?

    Thanks again Martin
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    11 years ago

    ps. a find returns:

    /tools/altera/./14.0/quartus/sopc_builder

    /tools/altera/./14.0/quartus/sopc_builder/bin/sopc_builder.jar

    /tools/altera/./14.0/quartus/sopc_builder/bin/sopc_builder.ptf

    /tools/altera/./14.0/quartus/sopc_builder/model/bin/sopc_builder.pl

    /tools/altera/./14.0/ip/altera/ddr_high_perf/lib/sopc_builder

    /tools/altera/./14.0/ip/altera/ddr_ddr2_sdram/lib/sopc_builder

    /tools/altera/./14.0/ip/altera/ddr3_high_perf/lib/sopc_builder

    /tools/altera/./14.0/ip/altera/pci_compiler/lib/sopc_builder

    /tools/altera/./14.0/ip/altera/pci_compiler/sopc_flow/example/sopc_builder_example_readme.txt

    /tools/altera/./14.0/ip/altera/sopc_builder_ip

    /tools/altera/./14.0/ip/altera/ddr2_high_perf/lib/sopc_builder

    /tools/altera/./14.0/qprogrammer/sopc_builder
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    11 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    I can do it in the GUI.

    --- Quote End ---

    Can you copy-and-paste the contents of the generate GUI and email it to me (to my forum name), or just post it to this thread as a .txt attachment. It'll help to see the complete output.

    I'm not sure that I'll be able to find a solution, but at least I can confirm its confusing, and you could then file a Service Request with Altera :)

    Lets see if we can figure it out first ...

    Cheers,

    Dave
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    11 years ago

    I uploaded the full report file:

    ghrd_5astfd5k3_generation.rpt.txt.

    I had to append the .txt to upload.

    I need to figure out 2x things.

    How to run sop_builder command line under Linux.

    And what the arguments are to the script.

    Thanks Martin
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    11 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    ghrd_5astfd5k3_generation.rpt.txt.

    --- Quote End ---

    Thanks. Based on the fact that ip-generate only runs twice, I guess you only had simulation and testbench options selected (not synthesis). (I don't care that synthesis was not checked, I'm just making an observation).

    --- Quote Start ---

    How to run sop_builder command line under Linux.

    --- Quote End ---

    There is no sopc_builder any more (the fact that the name exists as part of the tool path is due to Altera not making their filesystem paths consistent with their tool names). I think this is an error in your thinking. There is only ip-generate, or qsys-generate (according to the 14.0 documentation!).

    --- Quote Start ---

    And what the arguments are to the script.

    --- Quote End ---

    Its more likely that the script is an argument to ip-generate, than to sopc_builder.

    Ok, I see the message ... 

    
Info: Running script /net/tcfiler2.scs.agilent.com/vol/v51/rpdhw/tools/altera/14.0/quartus/sopc_builder/bin/tbgen.tcl

    I'll go login on my 14.0 machine (Windows 7) and look at this script. I'll see if I can figure out what command-line tool it is run with, eg., ip-generate or something else.

    Cheers,

    Dave
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    11 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    I'll go login on my 14.0 machine (Windows 7) and look at this script. I'll see if I can figure out what command-line tool it is run with, eg., ip-generate or something else.

    --- Quote End ---

    The script comments imply that it used to be run by a tool called sopc_builder, but there is no sopc_builder.exe file in that directory any more.

    Looking in the 12.1 directory shows that sopc_builder used to be a perl script that called sopc_builder_classic.pl which is also no longer in the 14.0 installation.

    I tried running qsys-script on the tbgen.tcl file with a qsys_system.qsys file I had, but it failed.

    Its time for you to create a simplified version of your design and file a service request with Altera. Please post the design and results here if you can, so that others can comment, or learn (hopefully from your success).

    Cheers,

    Dave
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    11 years ago

    Hey Martin,

    Since you are playing with these tools, take a look at de0_nano_sdram.zip in this thread;

    http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45927

    The thing you want to look at is scripts/qsys_system.tcl, i.e., the Qsys system has been converted to a Tcl script, rather than an XML file. This allows the differences in Quartus versions to be absorbed into the Tcl. For example, the SDRAM controller parameters have changed.

    I suspect that your hierarchical qsys system could be converted to several Tcl scripts that might be a little easier to maintain ...

    Cheers,

    Dave