Intel® Quartus® Prime Standard Edition User Guide: Platform Designer

ID 683364
Date 12/15/2018
Public
Document Table of Contents

6.5. Generate Simulation Scripts

You can use the ip-make-simscript utility to generate simulation scripts for one or more simulators, given one or more Simulation Package Descriptor (.spd) files, .qsys files, and .ip files.

In Platform Designer, ip-make-simscript generates simulation scripts in a hierarchical structure instead of a flat view of the entire system. The ip-make-simscript utility uses .spd and system files according to the options you select:

  • When targeting only .spd files (ip-make-simscript --spd=<file>.spd) the utility combines the contents of all input .spd files, and generates a common directory which contains a set of <simulator>_files.tcl files under the specified output directory.
  • When targeting only system files (ip-make-simscript --system-file=<file>) such as .qsys and .ip files, the utility searches for instances of <simulator>_files.tcl files for each input system, and generates a combined simulation script which contains a list of references of <simulator>_files.tcl.
  • When the utility uses both --spd and --system-file options, ip-make-simscript combines all input .spd files and generates a common/<simulator>_files.tcl in the specified output directory. The generated simulation script refers to the generated common/<simulator>_files.tcl first, followed by a list of Tcl files from each input system.
Table 168.  ip-make-simscript Command-Line Options
Option Usage Description
--spd[=<file>] Optional/Repeatable

The .spd files describe the list of HDL files for simulation, and memory models hierarchy. This argument can either be a single path to an .spd file or a comma-separated list of paths of .spd files.

For instance, --spd=ipcore_1.spd,ipcore_2.spd

The generated list is processed in the order of the input .spd files.

Note: When this argument is used in combination with --system-file, the .spd files are parsed before the system files.
--system-file[=<file>] Optional/Repeatable

Specifies the system files (.qsys or .ip files) used to generate the simulation scripts. This argument can contain either a single path to a Platform Designer system file or a comma-separated list of paths to Platform Designer system files.

The simulation script is generated in the order the system files are listed.

Note: When this argument is used in combination with --spd, the .spd files are parsed before the system files.
--output-directory[=<directory>] Optional Specifies the directory path for the location of output files. If you do not specify a directory, the output directory defaults to the directory from which --ip-make-simscript runs.
--compile-to-work Optional Compiles all design files to the default library - work.
--use-relative-paths Optional Uses relative paths whenever possible.
--nativelink-mode Optional Generates files for Intel® Quartus® Prime NativeLink RTL simulation.
--cache-file[=<file>] Optional Generates cache file for managed flow.
--quiet Optional Quiet reporting mode. Does not report generated files.
--jvm-max-heap-size=<value> Optional

The maximum memory size Platform Designer uses when running ip-make-simscript.

You specify this value as
<size><unit>
where unit is m (or M) for multiples of megabytes, or g (or G) for multiples of gigabytes. The default value is 512m.
--search-path=<value> Optional

Comma-separated list of search paths.

If omitted, a default path including the current working directory is used.

To include the standard path in your replacement, append the $ symbol, for example:"/extra/dir,$"

--device-family=<value> Optional Overrides the existing device family when used.
--top-name=<value> Optional Specify a top-level entity name used in generated simulation scripts.
--help Optional Displays help for --ip-make-simscript.