Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Third-party Synthesis

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ID 683122
Date 5/23/2025
Public
Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
Answers to Top FAQs 1. Siemens EDA Precision* RTL Synthesis Support 2. Synopsys Synplify* Support A. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guides
1. Siemens EDA Precision* RTL Synthesis Support x
1.1. About Precision RTL Synthesis Support 1.2. Precision RTL Integration Flow 1.3. Altera Device Family Support 1.4. Precision RTL Generated Files 1.5. Creating and Compiling a Project in the Precision Synthesis Software 1.6. Mapping the Design with Precision RTL 1.7. Synthesizing the Design and Evaluating the Results 1.8. Guidelines for Altera IP Cores and Architecture-Specific Features 1.9. Siemens EDA Precision* RTL Synthesis Support Revision History
1.2. Precision RTL Integration Flow x
1.2.1. Timing Optimization
1.6. Mapping the Design with Precision RTL x
1.6.1. Setting Timing Constraints 1.6.2. Setting Mapping Constraints 1.6.3. Assigning Pin Numbers and I/O Settings 1.6.4. Assigning I/O Registers 1.6.5. Disabling I/O Pad Insertion 1.6.6. Controlling Fan-Out on Data Nets
1.6.5. Disabling I/O Pad Insertion x
1.6.5.1. Preventing the Precision RTL Software from Adding I/O Pads 1.6.5.2. Preventing the Precision RTL Software from Adding an I/O Pad on an Individual Pin
1.7. Synthesizing the Design and Evaluating the Results x
1.7.1. Obtaining Accurate Logic Utilization and Timing Analysis Reports
1.8. Guidelines for Altera IP Cores and Architecture-Specific Features x
1.8.1. Instantiating IP Cores With IP Catalog-Generated Verilog HDL Files 1.8.2. Instantiating IP Cores With IP Catalog-Generated VHDL Files 1.8.3. Instantiating Intellectual Property With the IP Catalog and Parameter Editor 1.8.4. Instantiating Black Box IP Functions With Generated Verilog HDL Files 1.8.5. Instantiating Black Box IP Functions With Generated VHDL Files 1.8.6. Inferring Altera IP Cores from HDL Code
1.8.6. Inferring Altera IP Cores from HDL Code x
1.8.6.1. Multipliers 1.8.6.2. Setting the Use Dedicated Multiplier Option 1.8.6.3. Setting the dedicated_mult Attribute 1.8.6.4. Inferring Multiplier-Accumulators and Multiplier-Adders 1.8.6.5. Controlling DSP Block Inference 1.8.6.6. Inferring RAM and ROM
1.8.6.1. Multipliers x
1.8.6.1.1. Controlling DSP Block Inference for Multipliers
2. Synopsys Synplify* Support x
2.1. About Synplify Support 2.2. Synplify Software Integration Flow 2.3. Hardware Description Language Support 2.4. Altera Device Family Support 2.5. Tool Setup 2.6. Synplify Software Generated Files 2.7. Design Constraints Support 2.8. Simulation and Formal Verification 2.9. Synplify Optimization Strategies 2.10. Guidelines for Altera IP Cores and Architecture-Specific Features 2.11. Synopsys Synplify* Support Revision History 2.12. Quartus Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Third-Party Synthesis Archives
2.5. Tool Setup x
2.5.1. Specifying the Quartus® Prime Software Version
2.7. Design Constraints Support x
2.7.1. Running the Quartus® Prime Software Manually With the Synplify-Generated Tcl Script 2.7.2. Passing Timing Analyzer SDC Timing Constraints to the Quartus® Prime Software
2.7.2. Passing Timing Analyzer SDC Timing Constraints to the Quartus® Prime Software x
2.7.2.1. Individual Clocks and Frequencies 2.7.2.2. Input and Output Delay 2.7.2.3. Multicycle Path 2.7.2.4. False Path
2.9. Synplify Optimization Strategies x
2.9.1. Using Synplify Premier to Optimize Your Design 2.9.2. Using Implementations in Synplify Pro or Premier 2.9.3. Timing-Driven Synthesis Settings 2.9.4. FSM Compiler 2.9.5. Optimization Attributes and Options 2.9.6. Altera-Specific Attributes
2.9.3. Timing-Driven Synthesis Settings x
2.9.3.1. Clock Frequencies 2.9.3.2. Multiple Clock Domains 2.9.3.3. Input and Output Delays 2.9.3.4. Multicycle Paths 2.9.3.5. False Paths
2.9.4. FSM Compiler x
2.9.4.1. FSM Explorer in Synplify Pro and Premier
2.9.5. Optimization Attributes and Options x
2.9.5.1. Retiming in Synplify Pro and Premier 2.9.5.2. Maximum Fan-Out 2.9.5.3. Preserving Nets 2.9.5.4. Register Packing 2.9.5.5. Resource Sharing 2.9.5.6. Preserving Hierarchy 2.9.5.7. Register Input and Output Delays 2.9.5.8. syn_direct_enable 2.9.5.9. I/O Standard
2.9.6. Altera-Specific Attributes x
2.9.6.1. altera_chip_pin_lc 2.9.6.2. altera_io_powerup 2.9.6.3. altera_io_opendrain
2.10. Guidelines for Altera IP Cores and Architecture-Specific Features x
2.10.1. Instantiating Altera IP Cores with the IP Catalog 2.10.2. Including Files for Quartus® Prime Placement and Routing Only 2.10.3. Inferring Altera IP Cores from HDL Code
2.10.1. Instantiating Altera IP Cores with the IP Catalog x
2.10.1.1. Instantiating Altera IP Cores with IP Catalog Generated Verilog HDL Files 2.10.1.2. Instantiating Altera IP Cores with IP Catalog Generated VHDL Files 2.10.1.3. Changing Synplify’s Default Behavior for Instantiated Altera IP Cores 2.10.1.4. Instantiating Intellectual Property with the IP Catalog and Parameter Editor 2.10.1.5. Instantiating Black Box IP Cores with Generated Verilog HDL Files 2.10.1.6. Instantiating Black Box IP Cores with Generated VHDL Files 2.10.1.7. Other Synplify Software Attributes for Creating Black Boxes
2.10.3. Inferring Altera IP Cores from HDL Code x
2.10.3.1. Inferring Multipliers 2.10.3.2. Inferring RAM 2.10.3.3. RAM Initialization 2.10.3.4. Inferring ROM 2.10.3.5. Inferring Shift Registers
2.10.3.1. Inferring Multipliers x
2.10.3.1.1. Resource Balancing 2.10.3.1.2. Controlling the DSP Block Inference 2.10.3.1.3. Signal Level Attribute
Answers to Top FAQs
1. Siemens EDA Precision* RTL Synthesis Support
2. Synopsys Synplify* Support
A. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guides

1.4. Precision RTL Generated Files

During synthesis, the Precision RTL software produces several intermediate and output files.
Table 1.  Precision RTL Software Intermediate and Output Files

File Extension

File Description

.psp

Precision RTL Project File.

.xdb

Design Database File.

.rep 1

Synthesis Area and Timing Report File.

.vqm 2

Technology-specific netlist in .vqm file format.

.tcl

Forward-annotated Tcl assignments and constraints file. The <project name> .tcl file is generated for all devices. The .tcl file acts as the Quartus® Prime Project Configuration file and is used to make basic project and placement assignments, and to create and compile a Quartus® Prime project.

.sdc

Quartus® Prime timing constraints file in Synopsys Design Constraints format.

This file is generated automatically if the device uses the Timing Analyzer by default in the Quartus® Prime software, and has the naming convention <project name> _pnr_constraints .sdc.

Related Information
1 The timing report file includes performance estimates that are based on pre-place‑and-route information. Use the fMAX reported by the Quartus® Prime software after place-and-route for accurate post-place-and-route timing information. The area report file includes post-synthesis device resource utilization statistics that can differ from the resource usage after place-and-route due to black boxes or further optimizations performed during placement and routing. Use the device utilization reported by the Quartus® Prime software after place-and-route for final resource utilization results.
2 The Precision RTL software-generated VQM file is supported by the Quartus® Prime software version 10.1 and later.
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