Vivado IP Integrator Setup

Table of Contents

• Vivado IP Integrator Setup

  • Table of Contents

  • Overview

  • Installation in Linux

    • Switching between HDK and HLx flows

  • Vivado Overview

    • Sources Tab

      • Hierarchy Tab

      • IP Sources Tab

    • Flow Navigator

      • PROJECT MANAGER

      • IP INTEGRATOR

      • SIMULATION

      • RTL ANALYSIS

      • SYNTHESIS

      • IMPLEMENTATION

    • TCL Commands

    • Design Runs Tab

  • Vivado Flows Overview

    • IP Integration flow

    • General Environment

      • Design Constraints in Project

      • Synthesis/Implementation

  • Next Steps

Overview

This document assumes you have cloned the developer kit and sourced the hdk_setup.sh. It is highly recommended that you get familiar with the HDK development flow by following the step-by-step quick start guide for customer hardware development prior to using the Vivado IP Integrator (IPI).

After you become familiar with building an example AFI and running it on F2 instances, refer to IP Integrator Quick Start Examples documentation for help with example designs, new designs, and additional tutorials.

Installation in Linux

Using a text editor, open either ~/.Xilinx/Vivado/init.tcl or ~/.Xilinx/Vivado/Vivado_init.tcl. If neither files exists, run the following command to create one under ~/.Xilinx/Vivado/.

touch Vivado_init.tcl

To get the absolute path of $HDK_SHELL_DIR , use this command:

echo $HDK_SHELL_DIR

NOTE: If your $HDK_SHELL_DIR is empty or does not display when echoed, you need to source the hdk_setup.sh.

In init.tcl or Vivado_init.tcl, append the following lines based upon the $HDK_SHELL_DIR path to the end of the file.

set shell small_shell
source $::env(HDK_SHELL_DIR)/hlx/hlx_setup.tcl

NOTE: A shell variable must be specified for the flow to pair the customer design with the correct shell variant. Valid values are xdma_shell (coming soon) or small_shell.

Switching between HDK and HLx flows

• Vivado automatically sources either ~/.Xilinx/Vivado/init.tcl or ~/.Xilinx/Vivado/Vivado_init.tcl at startup. After completing the setup steps above, the IPI features will load automatically each time you launch Vivado.

• To switch back to the HDK flow, please remove the source $::env(HDK_SHELL_DIR)/hlx/hlx_setup.tcl line from your init.tcl or Vivado_init.tcl file.

Vivado Overview

This section provides a basic overview of the Vivado GUI. The GUI environment enables developers of all experience levels to:

• Quickly set project options and strategies to meet design requirements

• Access interactive reports and design views

• Efficiently resolve timing and area issues

The IP Integrator (IPI) is a design entry tool in the Vivado HLx Design Suite. It allows developers to connect IPs at a block level and generates ‘what you see is what you get’ RTL files in either VHDL or Verilog format. The IPI flow enhances the standard RTL flow by providing designer assistance features, including:

• Simplified connectivity of IPs through interface-based connections

• Block automation that adds helper IPs (such as interconnects, DMAs, and other support blocks) based on IP configuration

• Connectivity automation for routing interfaces, clocks, and resets between blocks

• Design Rule Checks (DRCs) for ensuring proper interface connectivity and clock domain crossing

• Advanced hardware debug capabilities enabling transaction-level debugging

For detailed information and design methodology guidelines, refer to the following documentation:

• Vivado Design Suite User Guide (UG892)

• Designing IP Sybsystems UsingIP Integrator (UG994)

• UltraFast Design Methodology Guide for FPGAs and SoCs (UG949)

To open the GUI, run command vivado. After Vivado loads, create an empty project by selecting Create New Project and following the prompts until you see a blank canvas. The sections below describe the tabs and menus, refer to the screenshot below. Exploring these tabs and menus in your blank project is encouraged.

Sources Tab

The box in yellow contains the design sources.

Hierarchy Tab

The ‘Sources’ tab is divided into three different categories.

1. Design Sources: contains synthesis/implementation sources

2. Constraints: contains timing constraint (XDC) files

3. Simulation Sources: contains simulation-only sources

Clicking on a file displays its information in the ‘Properties’ tab (under ‘Sources’). In this tab, you can specify how the file is used in the design flow:

• RTL/IP sources are typically marked for:

  • Synthesis, implementation, simulation

  • Synthesis, implementation

  • Simulation

• XDC files are typically marked for:

  • Synthesis, implementation

  • Synthesis

  • Implementation

IP Sources Tab

When an IP is added to your project, the ‘IP Sources’ tab becomes visible. This tab contains imported IP sources.

Flow Navigator

The ‘Flow Navigator’, located in the green box, allows you to launch predefined design flow steps, such as synthesis and implementation.

PROJECT MANAGER

The ‘PROJECT MANAGER’ section allows you to add sources (RTL, IP, and XDC files), access Language Templates for common RTL constructs, XDCs and DEBUG, and use IP Catalog to add IPs to the project. This portion targets the RTL flow.

The IP Catalog allows you to search for specific IPs or browse through IP categories. When using IP Catalog, you are responsible for adding and connecting the IP to your RTL design.

IP INTEGRATOR

This section allows you to open and modify the ‘Block Design’ and generate the ‘Block Design’ after validation.

Note: The HLx flow pre-creates the ‘Block Design’ framework with AWS IP and board, so ‘Create Block Design’ is not necessary.

Double-clicking an IP in the ‘Block Design’ opens the ‘Re-customize IP’ dialog box, where you can review or modify IP settings. When connecting designs, you can use ‘Run Connection Automation’ to automatically connect interfaces.

SIMULATION

In this section, you can modify simulation settings by right-clicking ‘SIMULATION’. To run a simulation, select ‘Run Simulation’ → ‘Run Behavioral Simulation’.

RTL ANALYSIS

Clicking ‘Open Elaborate Design’ analyzes the RTL files, allowing you to verify RTL structures and syntax before synthesis.

SYNTHESIS

Right-clicking ‘SYNTHESIS’ allows you to view synthesis settings and launch a synthesis run. After synthesis completes, click ‘Open Synthesized Design’ to access the post-synthesis checkpoint for analysis. This stage is crucial for developing timing constraints for the CL.

IMPLEMENTATION

Right-clicking ‘IMPLEMENTATION’ allows you to view implementation settings and launch an implementation run. After implementation completes, click ‘Open Implemented Design’ to access the post-implementation checkpoint for analysis of the SH (Shell) and CL (Custom Logic).

TCL Commands

The orange box is where you enter Tcl commands. The ‘Tcl Console’ tab above displays the command outputs.

Design Runs Tab

The ‘Design Runs’ are located in the blue box. This area provides functionality similar to the ‘SYNTHESIS’ and ‘IMPLEMENTATION’ sections in the ‘Flow Navigator’. The examples and tutorials demonstrate how to use ‘synth_1’ and ‘impl_1’ runs to build your design.

Vivado Flows Overview

The Vivado HLx environment supports IP Integrator (IPI) flow. This section provides a top-level overview of these flows. For detailed information, see HLx GUI Flows with Vivado IP Integrator.

IP Integration flow

You can easily create a full design by adding Vivado IP to the block diagram. Use RTL module referencing to add custom RTL as IP to the block diagram. This flow supports both RTL and IP additions as IP blocks. Find examples in the IP Integrator Quick Start Examples.

General Environment

Design Constraints in Project

Top-level clocks from the Shell are provided for synthesis in:

• cl_clocks_aws.xdc – Top-level clock constraints for the CL

The following files are available for adding custom constraints:

• cl_synth_user.xdc – User synthesis constraints

• cl_pnr_user.xdc – User timing and floorplanning constraints

Synthesis/Implementation

By default, synthesis is using the Default directive and all implementation steps are using the Explore directive.

To modify implementation settings, right-click ‘IMPLEMENTATION’, click ‘Implementation Settings…’ and selection the ‘Implementation’ option in ‘Project Settings’. Modify directives only for

• opt_design

• place_design

• phys_opt_design

• route_design

NOTE: Do not change the Strategy option, as this will override HLx environment settings.

For getting started, refer to IP Integrator Quick Start Examples.

Next Steps

1. Review the AWS IP documentation to familiarize yourself with shell features available in the IPI environment.

2. Test building an IPI example design in Vivado GUI

3. Proceed to the IPI Quick Start Examples for guidance on creating example designs, developing new designs and following additional tutorials.

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