Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Getting Started

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ID 683463
Date 5/16/2025
Public
Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
Answers to Top FAQs 1. Introduction to Quartus® Prime Pro Edition 2. Quick Start Steps 3. Planning FPGA Design for RTL Flow 4. Working With Altera IP Cores 5. Creating a New FPGA Design Project 6. Migrate Your FPGA Design Project 7. Managing Quartus® Prime Projects 8. Next Steps After Getting Started A. Using the Design Space Explorer II B. Document Revision History for Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide Getting Started
1. Introduction to Quartus® Prime Pro Edition x
1.1. Before You Begin
1.1. Before You Begin x
1.1.1. Prerequisite Knowledge and Training 1.1.2. Navigate Content Through Tasks 1.1.3. Acronyms
3. Planning FPGA Design for RTL Flow x
3.1. Design Planning 3.2. Selecting the Design Methodology 3.3. Related Trainings
3.2. Selecting the Design Methodology x
3.2.1. Flat Design Vs. Incremental Block-based Design 3.2.2. Partial Reconfiguration Design
4. Working With Altera IP Cores x
4.1. Altera IP Catalog and Parameter Editor 4.2. Installing and Licensing Altera IP Cores 4.3. IP General Settings 4.4. Adding IP to IP Catalog 4.5. Best Practices for Altera IP 4.6. Specifying the IP Parameters and Options ( Quartus® Prime Pro Edition) 4.7. IP Core Generation Output ( Quartus® Prime Pro Edition) 4.8. Scripting IP Core Generation 4.9. Modifying an IP Variation 4.10. Upgrading IP Cores 4.11. Simulating Altera IP Cores 4.12. Generating Simulation Files for Platform Designer Systems and IP Variants 4.13. Synthesizing IP Cores in Other EDA Tools 4.14. Instantiating IP Cores in HDL 4.15. Support for the IEEE 1735 Encryption Standard 4.16. Related Trainings and Resources
4.1. Altera IP Catalog and Parameter Editor x
4.1.1. The Parameter Editor
4.2. Installing and Licensing Altera IP Cores x
4.2.1. Intel FPGA IP Evaluation Mode
4.2.1. Intel FPGA IP Evaluation Mode x
4.2.1.1. FPGA IP Versioning 4.2.1.2. Checking the IP License Status
4.6. Specifying the IP Parameters and Options ( Quartus® Prime Pro Edition) x
4.6.1. Applying Preset Parameters for Specific Applications 4.6.2. Customizing IP Presets
4.6.1. Applying Preset Parameters for Specific Applications x
4.6.1.1. Viewing, Applying, and Deleting IP Presets
4.6.2. Customizing IP Presets x
4.6.2.1. Defining Preset Pin Assignments
4.6.2.1. Defining Preset Pin Assignments x
4.6.2.1.1. Defining Preset Pin Assignments in Pin Assignments Tab 4.6.2.1.2. Defining Preset Pin Assignments in a Pin File
4.10. Upgrading IP Cores x
4.10.1. Upgrading IP Cores at Command-Line 4.10.2. Migrating IP Cores to a Different Device 4.10.3. Troubleshooting IP or Platform Designer System Upgrade
4.11. Simulating Altera IP Cores x
4.11.1. Generating IP Simulation Files 4.11.2. Scripting IP Simulation
4.11.2. Scripting IP Simulation x
4.11.2.1. Generating a Combined Simulator Setup Script
4.14. Instantiating IP Cores in HDL x
4.14.1. Example Top-Level Verilog HDL Module 4.14.2. Example Top-Level VHDL Module
5. Creating a New FPGA Design Project x
5.1. Using the Board-Aware Flow
5.1. Using the Board-Aware Flow x
5.1.1. Creating a New Project from a Design Example 5.1.2. Specifying a Target Board for the Project
5.1.1. Creating a New Project from a Design Example x
5.1.1.1. Family, Device & Board Settings 5.1.1.2. Accessing Pre-Installed Design Examples 5.1.1.3. Accessing Online Design Examples 5.1.1.4. Accessing Downloaded Design Examples
5.1.1.3. Accessing Online Design Examples x
5.1.1.3.1. Internet Connectivity Options 5.1.1.3.2. Design Examples Search Locations
6. Migrate Your FPGA Design Project x
6.1. Migrating Projects from Other Quartus® Prime Editions to Quartus® Prime Pro Edition 6.2. Migrating Your AMD* Vivado* Project to Quartus® Prime Pro Edition 6.3. Migrating Projects Across Operating Systems 6.4. Migrating Project From One Device to Another 6.5. Related Trainings
6.1. Migrating Projects from Other Quartus® Prime Editions to Quartus® Prime Pro Edition x
6.1.1. Keeping Pro Edition Project Files Separate 6.1.2. Upgrading Project Assignments and Constraints 6.1.3. Upgrading IP Cores and Platform Designer Systems 6.1.4. Upgrading Non-Compliant Design RTL
6.1.2. Upgrading Project Assignments and Constraints x
6.1.2.1. Modifying Entity Name Assignments 6.1.2.2. Resolving Timing Constraint Entity Names 6.1.2.3. Verifying Generated Node Name Assignments 6.1.2.4. Replace Logic Lock (Standard) Regions 6.1.2.5. Modifying Signal Tap Logic Analyzer Files 6.1.2.6. Removing References to .qip Files 6.1.2.7. Removing Unsupported Feature Assignments
6.1.2.4. Replace Logic Lock (Standard) Regions x
6.1.2.4.1. Logic Lock Region Assignment Examples
6.1.4. Upgrading Non-Compliant Design RTL x
6.1.4.1. Verifying Verilog Compilation Unit 6.1.4.2. Updating Entity Auto-Discovery 6.1.4.3. Ensuring Distinct VHDL Namespace for Each Library 6.1.4.4. Removing Unsupported Parameter Passing 6.1.4.5. Removing Unsized Constant from WYSIWYG Instantiation 6.1.4.6. Removing Non-Standard Pragmas 6.1.4.7. Declaring Objects Before Initial Values 6.1.4.8. Confining SystemVerilog Features to SystemVerilog Files 6.1.4.9. Avoiding Assignment Mixing in Always Blocks 6.1.4.10. Avoiding Unconnected, Non-Existent Ports 6.1.4.11. Avoiding Invalid Parameter Ranges 6.1.4.12. Updating Verilog HDL and VHDL Type Mapping 6.1.4.13. Converting Symbolic BDF Files to Acceptable File Formats
6.1.4.1. Verifying Verilog Compilation Unit x
6.1.4.1.1. Verilog HDL Configuration Instantiation
6.3. Migrating Projects Across Operating Systems x
6.3.1. Migrating Design Files and Libraries 6.3.2. Design Library Migration Guidelines
6.3.1. Migrating Design Files and Libraries x
6.3.1.1. Use Relative Paths
7. Managing Quartus® Prime Projects x
7.1. Viewing Basic Project Information 7.2. Managing Project Settings 7.3. Viewing Parameter Settings From the Project Navigator 7.4. Managing Logic Design Files 7.5. Managing Timing Constraints 7.6. Integrating Other EDA Tools 7.7. Exporting Compilation Results 7.8. Archiving Projects 7.9. Command-Line Interface 7.10. Related Trainings
7.1. Viewing Basic Project Information x
7.1.1. Using the Compilation Dashboard 7.1.2. Exploring Quartus® Prime Project Contents 7.1.3. Viewing Design Hierarchy and Adding Missing Source Files 7.1.4. Viewing Project Reports 7.1.5. Viewing Project Messages
7.1.2. Exploring Quartus® Prime Project Contents x
7.1.2.1. Project File Best Practices
7.1.5. Viewing Project Messages x
7.1.5.1. Viewing Synthesis Warning Messages 7.1.5.2. Suppressing Message Display 7.1.5.3. Promoting Critical Warnings to Errors
7.4. Managing Logic Design Files x
7.4.1. Including Design Libraries 7.4.2. Creating a Project Copy
7.7. Exporting Compilation Results x
7.7.1. Exporting a Version-Compatible Compilation Database 7.7.2. Importing a Version-Compatible Compilation Database 7.7.3. Creating a Design Partition 7.7.4. Exporting a Design Partition 7.7.5. Reusing a Design Partition 7.7.6. Viewing Quartus Database File Information 7.7.7. Clearing Compilation Results
7.7.6. Viewing Quartus Database File Information x
7.7.6.1. QDB File Attribute Types
7.8. Archiving Projects x
7.8.1. Manually Adding Files To Archives 7.8.2. Archiving Projects for Service Requests 7.8.3. Archiving Projects for External Revision Control 7.8.4. Creating Database-Only Archives
7.8.3. Archiving Projects for External Revision Control x
7.8.3.1. Project Files to Include In External Revision Control
7.9. Command-Line Interface x
7.9.1. Project Revision Commands 7.9.2. Project Archive Commands 7.9.3. Project Database Commands
7.9.3. Project Database Commands x
7.9.3.1. quartus_cdb Executables to Manage Version-Compatible Databases
8. Next Steps After Getting Started x
8.1. Additional Resources 8.2. Training
A. Using the Design Space Explorer II x
A.1. Optimizing Project Settings A.2. Running DSE II Settings Exploration A.3. Setting Up Remote Farm Using Design Space Explorer II
A.1. Optimizing Project Settings x
A.1.1. Optimizing Settings with Design Space Explorer II A.1.2. Optimizing Settings with Project Revisions A.1.3. Back-Annotating Optimized Assignments
A.1.1. Optimizing Settings with Design Space Explorer II x
A.1.1.1. Specifying DSE II Computing Resources A.1.1.2. DSE II Optimization Parameters (Exploration Page) A.1.1.3. Viewing DSE II Results
Answers to Top FAQs
1. Introduction to Quartus® Prime Pro Edition
2. Quick Start Steps
3. Planning FPGA Design for RTL Flow
4. Working With Altera IP Cores
5. Creating a New FPGA Design Project
6. Migrate Your FPGA Design Project
7. Managing Quartus® Prime Projects
8. Next Steps After Getting Started
A. Using the Design Space Explorer II
B. Document Revision History for Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide Getting Started

6.1.3. Upgrading IP Cores and Platform Designer Systems

Upgrade all IP cores and Platform Designer systems in your project for migration to the Quartus® Prime Pro Edition software. The Quartus® Prime Pro Edition software uses standards-compliant methodology for instantiation and generation of IP cores and Platform Designer systems. Most Altera FPGA IP cores and Platform Designer systems upgrade automatically in the Upgrade IP Components dialog box.

Other Quartus software products use a proprietary Verilog configuration scheme within the top level of IP cores and Platform Designer systems for synthesis files. The Quartus® Prime Pro Edition does not support this scheme. To upgrade all IP cores and Platform Designer systems in your project, click Project > Upgrade IP Components.4

Table 19.  IP Core and Platform Designer System Differences
Other Quartus Software Products Quartus® Prime Pro Edition
IP and Platform Designer system generation use a proprietary Verilog HDL configuration scheme within the top level of IP cores and Platform Designer systems for synthesis files. This proprietary Verilog HDL configuration scheme prevents RTL entities from ambiguous instantiation errors during synthesis. However, these errors may manifest in simulation. Resolving this issue requires writing a Verilog HDL configuration to disambiguate the instantiation, delete the duplicate entity from the project, or rename one of the conflicting entities. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition IP strategy resolves these issues.

IP and Platform Designer system generation does not use proprietary Verilog HDL configurations. The compilation library scheme changes in the following ways:

  • Compiles all variants of an IP core into the same compilation library across the entire project. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition identically names IP cores with identical functionality and parameterization to avoid ambiguous entity instantiation errors. For example, the files for every Arria® 10 PCI Express* IP core variant compile into the altera_pcie_a10_hip_151 compilation library.
  • Simulation and synthesis file sets for IP cores and systems instantiate entities in the same manner.
  • The generated RTL directory structure now matches the compilation library structure.
Note: For complete information on upgrading IP cores, refer to Managing Quartus® Prime Projects.
Related Information
4 For brevity, this section refers to Quartus® Prime Standard Edition, Quartus Prime Lite Edition, and the Quartus II software collectively as "other Quartus software products."
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