Using Mentor Graphics Leonardo Spectrum Synthesis tool in Altera Quartus projects

... brought to you by the MAIDEN Project Team... written by Horace Chan


  1. Using Mentor Graphics Leonardo Spectrum Synthesis tool in Altera Quartus projects
    1. Overview:
    2. Software tools used:
    3. Using Leonardo Spectrum to synethsize project:
    4. Using Leonardo Spectrum to synthesize an entity, and integrating this entity into a Quartus project:
    5. Trouble shooting:

Overview:

When doing complicated HDL designs, it is sometimes fustrating to find that not all HDL semantics is supported by certain synthesizers.  It is also advanteagous to have different synthesis tools to pick and choose from when optimizing for design size or speed.  The following is the procedure for using Using Mentor Graphics: Leonardo Spectrum Synthesis tool in Altera Quartus projects.

Software tools used:

Using Leonardo Spectrum to synethsize project:

  1. Start Quartus II v2.2 and open a project with the target design files loaded as part of the project files.
  2. Specify the top level entity by right clicking on that file that contains the top level entity in the project clicking on "set compiler focus to current entity".
  3. Goto Assignments > EDA Tools Settings
  4. Change the Design Entry/Synthesis tool to LeonardoSpectrum-Altera (Level 1)
  5. Checkmark the option to "Run this tool automatically to synethsize the current design"

Using Leonardo Spectrum to synthesize an entity, and integrating this entity into a Quartus project:

  1. To synthesize an entity with Leonardo Spectrum, start up LeonardoSpectrum OEM2002e_Altera_15 (found on Windows CAD machines, if you cannot find it, please ask the system administrator to install)
  2. Select the proper device and speed grade in the "quick setup" window
  3. Select effort level for the syntesis tool
  4. Add ALL HDL design files in your entity by clicking on the "open files", making sure that the file describing the top level entity is at the bottom
  5. Select the working directory where the tool will pipe output files to by clicking on  "working directory"
  6. Specify the name of the out file in the "output file" query box, should be something like [top_level_enitity].edif
  7. Click on "run flow" to generate the *.edif or *.edf file (The *.edif file is a post synthesis netlist of components that can be used in Altera Quartus. )
  8. Move the *.edf file to the folder of the project
  9. Add the EDF file to the Quartus project (project > add/remove files)
  10. Goto Assignments > EDA Tools Settings
  11. Change the Design Entry/Synthesis tool to LeonardoSpectrum-Altera (Level 1)
  12. Compile the rest of the design as usual, the Quartus syntesis tools will search the project directory for the Leonardo synthsized *.edif file

Trouble shooting:

When we first attempted to use Leonardo Spectrum with Qurtus, Quartus II v.2.2 continuous posted error message regarding not being able to find Leonardo Spectrum.  To fix this problem, at least on the Windows environment is to add the LeonardoSpectrum path (where the executable files are located) to the environment variables by:
  1. Right click on my computer > properties
  2. Goto the "advance" tab
  3. Click on "environment variables"
  4. Find the variable called "path", click "edit" and add the path of Leonardo Spectrum (e.g. C:\MGC\LeoSpec\OEM2002e_Altera_15\bin\win32 )

Example using EDF

Counter with corresponding EDF file
counter.vhd
counter.edf

Top level project which uses EDF file
uses_counter.vhd
Last revised by Horace Chan on March 24th, 2003

The Official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle are registered trademarks of Mirage Studios USA. Based on characters and comic books created by Peter A. Laird and Kevin B. Eastman.