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

ID 683609
Date 10/02/2023
Public

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2.8. Connecting System Components

You must appropriately connect the components in your Platform Designer system. The System View and Connections tabs allow you to connect and configure IP components quickly. Platform Designer supports connections between interfaces of compatible types and opposite directions.

For example, you can connect a memory-mapped host interface to an agent interface, and an interrupt sender interface to an interrupt receiver interface. You can connect any interfaces exported from a Platform Designer system within a parent system.

Figure 56. Connections Column in the System Contents Tab

Platform Designer uses the high-level connectivity you specify to instantiate a suitable HDL fabric to perform the needed adaptation and arbitration between components. Platform Designer generates and includes this interconnect fabric in the RTL system output. Potential connections between interfaces appear as gray interconnect lines with an open circle icon at the intersection of the potential connection.

Figure 57. Potential and Implemented Connections in System View

To implement a connection, follow these steps:

  1. Click inside an open connection circle to implement the connection between the interfaces. When you make a connection, Platform Designer changes the connection line to black, and fills the connection circle. Clicking a filled-in circle removes the connection.
  2. To display the list of current and possible connections for interfaces in the Hierarchy or System View tabs, click View > Connections.
    Figure 58. Connection Display for Exported Interfaces
  3. Perform any of the following to modify connections:
    • On the Connections tab, enable or disable the Connected column to enable or disable any connection. The Clock Crossing, Data Width, and Burst columns provide interconnect information about added adapters that can result in slower fMAX or increased area utilization.
    • On the System View tab, right-click in the Connection column and disable or enable Allow Connection Editing.
    • On the Connections tab view and make connections for exported interfaces. Double-click an interface in the Export column to view all possible connections in the Connections column as pins. To restore the representation of the connections, and remove the interface from the Export column, click the pin.