Converting a Design

The Unified Libraries provide a means of effortless migration between Xilinx architectures. Because the shared components in the various libraries have the same names and symbol definitions, you need only run Altran to convert a design from one family to another. Altran changes the current library alias of each primitive used in the schematics of the current project to the desired target library alias.

As an example, designing a circuit that targets an XC3000 part requires each primitive in your schematic reference the XC3000 library using the (XC3000) alias. Later in the design cycle, to take advantage of the features offered by the XC4000E family of devices, you do not have modify the schematic manually to target this new family. Instead, you can use Altran to convert the primitive aliases from (XC3000) to (XC4000E). Now all the primitives reference the XC4000E library.

To convert a design in the Viewlogic environment, use the Altran program. After you use Altran to convert the design schematics, you must update the Workview Office Project Manager, adding the target library to the library list, as the following describes.

1. Close all Workview Office tools except the Toolbar.
   
   
2. Open an MS-DOS session and change the current directory to the project directory.
   
   
3. Run the ALTRAN command with the following syntax.
   
   altran -l library old_alias=new_alias
   
   For example, to change a project from the XC4000E family to the XC4000X, type the following.
   
   altran -l primary xc4000e=xc4000x
   
   Altran changes the library aliases in all of the schematic sheets in the specified library directory. Altran also modifies the alias of the targeted library in the Viewdraw.ini file.
   
   
4. After running ALTRAN, open the Workview Office Project Manager. Note that the libraries do not change. Select Project Libraries to modify the Library Search Order.
   
   
5. Select the Xilinx family library. In the Path field, change the path so it points to the XC9000 library directory. In the Alias field, change the value to XC9000. Click on Change, then OK.
   
   
6. Save the changes in the Project Manager.
   
   

Now you can re-open ViewDraw and open the desired schematic. Only components in the current technology that have equivalents in the target technology translate. Those components that do not have an equivalent in the target technology do not appear in the converted schematics. For example, an XC4000E RAM component has no equivalent in an XC5200 device. Therefore, if you convert an XC4000E design with RAM components to an XC5200 design, the RAM components appear as white boxes on the converted schematic. Modify these portions of your design manually.