Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Timing Analyzer

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Date 4/01/2024
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Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
Answers to Top FAQs 1. Timing Analysis Introduction 2. Using the Quartus® Prime Timing Analyzer A. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guides
1. Timing Analysis Introduction x
1.1. What's New In This Version 1.2. Timing Analysis Basic Concepts 1.3. Timing Analysis Overview Document Revision History
1.2. Timing Analysis Basic Concepts x
1.2.1. Timing Path and Clock Analysis 1.2.2. Clock Setup Analysis 1.2.3. Clock Hold Analysis 1.2.4. Recovery and Removal Analysis 1.2.5. Multicycle Path Analysis 1.2.6. Metastability Analysis 1.2.7. Timing Pessimism 1.2.8. Clock-As-Data Analysis 1.2.9. Multicorner Timing Analysis 1.2.10. Time Borrowing
1.2.1. Timing Path and Clock Analysis x
1.2.1.1. The Timing Netlist 1.2.1.2. Timing Paths 1.2.1.3. Data and Clock Arrival Times 1.2.1.4. Launch and Latch Edges
1.2.5. Multicycle Path Analysis x
1.2.5.1. Multicycle Clock Hold 1.2.5.2. Multicycle Clock Setup
1.2.10. Time Borrowing x
1.2.10.1. Time Borrowing Limitations 1.2.10.2. Time Borrowing with Latches 1.2.10.3. Enabling Time Borrowing Optimization
2. Using the Quartus® Prime Timing Analyzer x
2.1. Using Timing Constraints throughout the Design Flow 2.2. Timing Analysis Flow 2.3. Applying Timing Constraints 2.4. Timing Constraint Descriptions 2.5. Timing Report Descriptions 2.6. Scripting Timing Analysis 2.7. Using the Quartus® Prime Timing Analyzer Document Revision History 2.8. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Timing Analyzer Archive
2.2. Timing Analysis Flow x
2.2.1. Step 1: Specify General Timing Analyzer Settings 2.2.2. Step 2: Specify Timing Constraints 2.2.3. Step 3: Run the Timing Analyzer 2.2.4. Step 4: Analyze Timing Reports
2.2.2. Step 2: Specify Timing Constraints x
2.2.2.1. Specifying SDC-on-RTL Timing Constraints 2.2.2.2. Specifying Conventional SDC Timing Constraints 2.2.2.3. Specifying Synthesis-Only SDC Timing Constraints
2.2.3. Step 3: Run the Timing Analyzer x
2.2.3.1. Running Post-Synthesis Early Timing Analysis 2.2.3.2. Running Post-Fit Timing Analysis
2.2.3.2. Running Post-Fit Timing Analysis x
2.2.3.2.1. Setting the Operating Conditions for Timing Analysis 2.2.3.2.2. Promoting Critical Warnings to Errors
2.2.4. Step 4: Analyze Timing Reports x
2.2.4.1. Cross-Probing with Design Assistant 2.2.4.2. Launching Design Assistant from Timing Analyzer 2.2.4.3. Locating Timing Paths in Other Tools 2.2.4.4. Correlating Constraints to the Timing Report
2.2.4.1. Cross-Probing with Design Assistant x
2.2.4.1.1. Cross-Probing from Design Assistant to Timing Analyzer
2.3. Applying Timing Constraints x
2.3.1. Recommended Initial Conventional SDC Constraints 2.3.2. Example Circuit and Conventional SDC File 2.3.3. SDC File Precedence 2.3.4. Iteratively Modifying Constraints 2.3.5. Applying Entity-Bound Timing Constraints 2.3.6. Constraining Design Partition Ports 2.3.7. Using Fitter Overconstraints
2.3.1. Recommended Initial Conventional SDC Constraints x
2.3.1.1. Create Clock (create_clock) 2.3.1.2. Derive PLL Clocks (derive_pll_clocks) 2.3.1.3. Derive Clock Uncertainty (derive_clock_uncertainty) 2.3.1.4. Set Clock Groups (set_clock_groups)
2.3.5. Applying Entity-Bound Timing Constraints x
2.3.5.1. Using Entity-Based SDC-on-RTL Constraints 2.3.5.2. Using Entity-Bound SDC Files
2.3.5.1. Using Entity-Based SDC-on-RTL Constraints x
2.3.5.1.1. Targeting Constraints to Module Inputs and Outputs 2.3.5.1.2. Entity Based SDC-on-RTL Constraint Scope 2.3.5.1.3. Automatic Scope Example for SDC-on-RTL 2.3.5.1.4. Manual Scope Example for SDC-on-RTL
2.3.5.2. Using Entity-Bound SDC Files x
2.3.5.2.1. Entity-Bound SDC Constraint Scope 2.3.5.2.2. Automatic Scope Entity-bound Constraint Example 2.3.5.2.3. Manual Scope Entity-bound Constraint Example 2.3.5.2.4. Exporting a Design Partition with Entity-bound Constraints 2.3.5.2.5. Importing a Design Partition with Entity-bound Constraints
2.3.6. Constraining Design Partition Ports x
2.3.6.1. Timing Analysis of Imported Compilation Results
2.4. Timing Constraint Descriptions x
2.4.1. Clock Constraints 2.4.2. I/O Constraints 2.4.3. Delay and Skew Constraints 2.4.4. Timing Exception Constraints 2.4.5. Delay Annotation
2.4.1. Clock Constraints x
2.4.1.1. Creating Base Clocks 2.4.1.2. Creating Virtual Clocks 2.4.1.3. Creating Generated Clocks (create_generated_clock) 2.4.1.4. Deriving PLL Clocks 2.4.1.5. Creating Clock Groups (set_clock_groups) 2.4.1.6. Accounting for Clock Effect Characteristics 2.4.1.7. Constraining CDC Paths
2.4.1.1. Creating Base Clocks x
2.4.1.1.1. Automatic Clock Detection and Constraint Creation
2.4.1.2. Creating Virtual Clocks x
2.4.1.2.1. Specifying I/O Interface Uncertainty 2.4.1.2.2. I/O Interface Clock Uncertainty Example
2.4.1.3. Creating Generated Clocks (create_generated_clock) x
2.4.1.3.1. Clock Divider Example (-divide_by) 2.4.1.3.2. Clock Multiplexer Example
2.4.1.5. Creating Clock Groups (set_clock_groups) x
2.4.1.5.1. Exclusive Clock Groups (-logically_exclusive or -physically_exclusive) 2.4.1.5.2. Asynchronous Clock Groups (-asynchronous) 2.4.1.5.3. set_clock_groups Constraint Tips
2.4.1.6. Accounting for Clock Effect Characteristics x
2.4.1.6.1. Set Clock Latency (set_clock_latency) 2.4.1.6.2. Clock Uncertainty
2.4.2. I/O Constraints x
2.4.2.1. Input Constraints (set_input_delay) 2.4.2.2. Output Constraints (set_output_delay)
2.4.3. Delay and Skew Constraints x
2.4.3.1. Advanced I/O Timing and Board Trace Model Delay 2.4.3.2. Maximum Skew (set_max_skew) 2.4.3.3. Net Delay (set_net_delay)
2.4.4. Timing Exception Constraints x
2.4.4.1. Timing Exception Precedence 2.4.4.2. False Paths (set_false_path) 2.4.4.3. Minimum and Maximum Delays 2.4.4.4. Multicycle Paths 2.4.4.5. Multicycle Exception Examples
2.4.4.4. Multicycle Paths x
2.4.4.4.1. Common Multicycle Applications 2.4.4.4.2. Relaxing Setup with Multicycle (set_multicyle_path) 2.4.4.4.3. Accounting for a Phase Shift (-phase)
2.4.4.5. Multicycle Exception Examples x
2.4.4.5.1. Default Multicycle Analysis 2.4.4.5.2. End Multicycle Setup = 2 and End Multicycle Hold = 0 2.4.4.5.3. End Multicycle Setup = 2 and End Multicycle Hold = 1 2.4.4.5.4. Same Frequency Clocks with Destination Clock Offset 2.4.4.5.5. Destination Clock Frequency is a Multiple of the Source Clock Frequency 2.4.4.5.6. Destination Clock Frequency is a Multiple of the Source Clock Frequency with an Offset 2.4.4.5.7. Source Clock Frequency is a Multiple of the Destination Clock Frequency 2.4.4.5.8. Source Clock Frequency is a Multiple of the Destination Clock Frequency with an Offset
2.5. Timing Report Descriptions x
2.5.1. Report Fmax Summary 2.5.2. Report Timing 2.5.3. Report Timing By Source Files 2.5.4. Report Data Delay 2.5.5. Report Net Delay 2.5.6. Report Clocks and Clock Network 2.5.7. Report Clock Transfers 2.5.8. Report Metastability 2.5.9. Report CDC Viewer 2.5.10. Report Asynchronous CDC 2.5.11. Report Logic Depth 2.5.12. Report Neighbor Paths 2.5.13. Report Register Spread 2.5.14. Report Route Net of Interest 2.5.15. Report Retiming Restrictions 2.5.16. Report Register Statistics 2.5.17. Report Pipelining Information 2.5.18. Report Time Borrowing Data 2.5.19. Report Exceptions and Exceptions Reachability 2.5.20. Report Bottlenecks 2.5.21. Check Timing 2.5.22. Report SDC
2.5.13. Report Register Spread x
2.5.13.1. Registers with High Timing Path Endpoint Tension 2.5.13.2. Registers with High Immediate Fan-Out Tension
2.5.20. Report Bottlenecks x
2.5.20.1. Specifying Custom Bottleneck Criteria
2.6. Scripting Timing Analysis x
2.6.1. The quartus_sta Executable 2.6.2. The quartus_staw Executable 2.6.3. Collection Commands
2.6.3. Collection Commands x
2.6.3.1. Wildcard Characters 2.6.3.2. Adding and Removing Collection Items 2.6.3.3. Query of Collections 2.6.3.4. Using the get_pins Command
Answers to Top FAQs
1. Timing Analysis Introduction
2. Using the Quartus® Prime Timing Analyzer
A. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guides

2.3.5.2.1. Entity-Bound SDC Constraint Scope

The entity-bound SDC approach offers diverse scoping possibilities for your constraints, each dictating the extent of their influence.
Table 10.  Entity-bound Constraint Scope
Constraint Scope Type Features To Enable Instance-bound Scoping
Automatic
  • Default mode applied to entity-bound SDC files defined in the Quartus® Prime Pro Edition GUI.
  • Under automatic scoping, constraints apply to every instance of the assigned entity across the project.
  • Each result from any get command (for example, get_pins, get_ports, and so on) in the SDC file is prepended with the instance's path.
  • All get commands are confined to the target elements within the bound instance associated with the SDC file.
Default mode for SDC_ENTITY_FILE. No additional steps required.
Manual
  • Accessible by QSF assignment only.
  • The -no_sdc_promotion setting disables automatic scoping, necessitating full hierarchical path for targeting nodes.
  • Allows the flexibility to target nodes beyond entity boundaries.
  • The get_current_instance command specifies the top-level path to the current instance, allowing you to merge filters targeting elements in the current instance with commands addressing those beyond entity boundaries.
Use -no_sdc_promotion. Append each collection filter with get_current_instance to target nodes within the entity boundaries.

For example: 

get_registers [get_current_instance]|reg[*]
Disabled
  • Accessible by QSF assignment only.
  • -no_sdc_promotion and the -no_auto_inst_discovery arguments together disable scoping, treating an entity-bound SDC as a global SDC file. The SDC file is read only once for the entire compilation instead of processing repeatedly for each instance it is linked to.
  • This mode is ideal when bundling an SDC with an entity destined for export as a qdb file, while preserving the capability for SDC's collection filters to specify global, top-level paths in their get commands.
Use -no_sdc_promotion and -no_auto_inst_discovery arguments.

When you define entity-bound SDC files either through the GUI or via .qsf assignments (excluding the -no_sdc_promotion and -no_auto_inst_discovery arguments), the constraints use automatic scoping. Automatic scoping involves prepending filters with the instance's path. To provide clarity, the following table illustrates how paths are interpreted in various Tcl commands due to the automatic scoping of constraints:

Table 11.  Automatic Scope of Constraints
Constraint Example Auto-Scope Constraint Interpretation for Instance X|Y
set_false_path -from [get_keepers a] set_false_path -from [get_keepers X|Y|a]
set_false_path -from [get_registers a] -to [get_registers b] set_false_path -from [get_registers X|Y|a] -to [get_registers X|Y|b]
set_false_path –from [get_clocks clk_1] –to [get_clocks clk_2] set_false_path –from [get_clocks clk_1] –to [get_clocks clk_2]
set_max_delay –from [get_ports in] -to [get_registers A] 2.0 set_max_delay –from [get_ports in] -to [get_registers X|Y|A] 2.0
get_ports * get_ports *
get_clocks * get_clocks *
get_ports a get_ports a
get_clocks a get_clocks a

When you disable automatic scoping through .qsf assignments, including the use of the -no_sdc_promotion argument, you must manually prepend the top-level path to achieve the same behavior as automatic scoping. To simplify this process, use the -get_current_instance command to return the top-level path of the current instance. The following table illustrates how paths are interpreted when the -get_current_instance command is employed to add the top-level path to certain Tcl commands:

Table 12.  Manual Scope of Constraints
Constraint Example Manual Scope Constraint Interpretation 
set_false_path –from [get_current_instance]|d\ 
     –to [get_current_instance]|e
 
set_false_path –from i1|inner|d –to i1|inner|e 
set_false_path –from i2|inner|d –to i2|inner|e 
set_false_path –from i3|d –to i3|e
 
create_generated_clock –divide_by 2 –source \
   [get_ports inclk] –name \
   [get_current_instance]_divclk \
   [get_current_instance]|div 
set_multicycle_path –from [get_current_instance]|a \ 
   –to [get_current_instance]|b 2 
create_generated_clock –divide_by 2 –source \ 
    [get_ports inclk] –name “i1_divclk” i1|div 
set_multicycle_path –from i1|a –to i1|b 2 \ 
    create_generated_clock –divide_by 2 –source \ 
    [get_ports inclk] –name “i2_divclk” i2|div 
set_multicycle_path –from i2|a –to i2|b 2
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