Configuring Your Program

When you run LogiBLOX for the first time, you must configure your project directory for LogiBLOX.

Note: You should not manually modify the configuration files used by LogiBLOX. LogiBLOX changes these files when you create or edit LogiBLOX modules.

Configuration Files

When you invoke LogiBLOX, the program looks for the logiblox.ini configuration file in your current directory. If logiblox.ini does not exist, the program displays a Setup window that enables you to set the vendor, project directory, device family, and outputs for LogiBLOX. The logiblox.ini file is created and stored in your project directory after you create the first LogiBLOX module. Thereafter, logiblox.ini is updated, when necessary, each time a module is processed.

The logiblox.ini File

The logiblox.ini file contains the information you recorded in the initial setup window. When LogiBLOX is started, it reads this initialization information and uses it to configure the Module Selector.

Following is an example of a logiblox.ini file.

GenerateVHDLModel=True

GenerateEdifModel=False

GenerateVerilogModel=False

GenerateVHDLInstantiation=True

GenerateVerilogInstantiation=False

GenerateNGDNetlist=False

IgnoreWarning=True

UserCancelled=True

TargetFamily=xc4000e

CAEVendor=synopsys

BusNotation=B<I>

PreviousModule=framecnt 

Module Information

Also included in the project directory are the .mod files. These files record information about the modules you add to your design. Each .mod file represents a module that was generated for the current project. The .mod files are created and changed automatically by LogiBLOX.

Each module is recorded in a format similar to the following example.

module ACCUM

symbol accum4

family xc4000e

symboltemplate accum02

attributes

     BUS_WIDTH = 4

     OPTYPE = ADD_SUB

     REGISTERED = Q

     STYLE = MAX_SPEED

     ENCODING = SIGNED

     ASYNC_VAL = 2#1100#

     SYNC_VAL = 2#1001#

pins

     ADD_SUB

     C_IN

     B(3:0)

     LOAD

     CLOCK

     ASYNC_CTRL

     SYNC_CTRL

     Q_OUT(3:0)

     OVFL

     C_OUT

Setup Window

The setup window is displayed if the Module Selector does not find a logiblox.ini file in the current directory. This is the case when you start a new design.

Define the settings in this window each time you start a project. You can also edit these settings after you have created a module by clicking Setup in the Module Selector.

If you create a netlist for a symbol in your design and then change an option on the Setup window, you must recreate the netlist to reflect the new option settings.

Vendor Panel

Use the Vendor panel to select the 3rd-party vendor and associated bus notation.

Figure 2.1 Vendor Panel (Setup Window)

Select a vendor from the pull-down list box. You must choose one of the following in order to return to the Module Selector.

• Cadence
  
  
• Foundation
  
  
• Mentor
  
  
• Synopsys
  
  
• Viewlogic
  
  
• Other
  
  

Different vendors use different notations to reference a bus index. When you select one of the vendors in the Vendor Name list, LogiBLOX automatically assigns the default notation for that vendor. If you select Other, you must also select a bus notation from the following choices. You must choose one in order to return to the Module Selector.

• B<I>
  
  
• BI
  
  
• B(I)
  
  
• B[I]
  
  

B is the name of the bus. I is the index of the bus. For example, if the bus notation is B<I> and the bus name is Q_OUT[2:0], the expanded bus will be Q_OUT<2>, Q_OUT<1>, Q_OUT<0>.

Project Directory Panel

The project directory is the directory in which LogiBLOX stores the logiblox.ini configuration file and all output files. Use the Project Directory choice in the Setup window to set the directory path to your project directory.

Figure 2.2 Project Directory Panel (Setup Window)

You can define a project directory by doing one of the following.

• Open the Browse window and select a directory from the list of available directories.
  
  
• Enter the directory name directly in the Project Directory field.
  
  

Note: In schematic environments such as Viewlogic and Mentor, this option is disabled.

Note: In Windows 95^®, if you start LogiBLOX by selecting `Run' in the Start menu and entering `lbgui' in the Run window, the default project directory may show as C:\WIN95\DeskTop. This will send all output generated by LogiBLOX to the desktop. You should change the project directory to something else, such as C:\LOGIBLOX.

Device Family Panel

Use the Device Family choice in the Setup window to select one of the supported Xilinx device families.

Figure 2.3 Device Family Panel (Setup Window)

Select a device family from the pull-down list box. The default is the XC4000E family. The following device families are supported by LogiBLOX.

Spartan
SpartanXL
XC3000A
XC3000L
XC3100A
XC3100L
XC4000E
XC4000EX
XC4000L
XC4000XL
XC4000XV
XC5200
XC9500
XC9500XL

LogiBLOX checks whether the appropriate libraries are installed for each of these families. The families whose libraries are not installed will not appear in the list of choices in the pull-down list box.

This information is needed by the Design Rule Checker (DRC). It is also used for NGO file generation.

Options Panel

Use the Options choice in the Setup window to select the outputs you require for your design. Each of your selections (except the LogiBLOX DRC box) generates a file that is placed in the project directory.

Figure 2.4 Options Panel (Setup WIndow)

There are four selection groups in the Options panel.

The choices in this box create simulation netlists of the selected LogiBLOX module in different formats. You can choose one or more of the following outputs.

• Behavioral VHDL netlist - generates a simulation netlist in behavioral VHDL. The output file has a .vhd extension.
  
  
• Gate level EDIF netlist - generates a simulation netlist in EDIF format. The output file has an .edn extension.
  
  
• Structural Verilog netlist - generates a simulation netlist in structural Verilog. The output file has a .v extension.
  
  

The choices in this box create instantiation templates in different formats that can be copied into your design. You can choose either, both, or neither of the following outputs.

• VHDL template - generates a LogiBLOX VHDL component declaration and instantiation template that can be inserted into your VHDL design when a LogiBLOX module is to be instantiated. The output file has a .vhi extension.
  
  
• Verilog template - generates a LogiBLOX Verilog module definition and instantiation template that can be inserted into your Verilog design when a LogiBLOX module is to be instantiated. The output file has a .vei extension.
  
  

VHDL component instantiations require a matching component declaration, while Verilog instantiations require a matching module port definition.

Select NGO File to generate an implementation netlist in Xilinx-NGD binary format. You must select this option when instantiating LogiBLOX symbols in an HDL. The output file has an .ngc extension. NGDBuild will read these files when processing the top level module.

Select the Stop Process on Warning check box to halt module processing if any warning messages are encountered during the design entry process.

Control Buttons

Click OK to save your changes and close the Setup window. LogiBLOX saves the settings in the logiblox.ini file in the project directory. This information is used to configure subsequent sessions with the Module Selector.

Click Cancel to close the Setup window without saving any of your changes.

This button is disabled. It is present to comply with the Microsoft Windows standard.

Click Help to display help information for the various fields in the window.

User Preferences Window

Use the User Preferences window to select the editor you want to use for editing memory files. The default editor on UNIX™ platforms is vi. The default editor on Windows 95 and Windows NT^® is Wordpad.

Select the User Prefs button in the Module Selector to bring up the User Preferences window

Figure 2.5 User Preferences Window