SX-A Family FPGAs
Design Environment
The SX-A family of FPGAs is fully supported by both Actel
Libero
®
Integrated Design Environment (IDE) and
Designer FPGA development software. Actel Libero IDE is
a design management environment, seamlessly
integrating design tools while guiding the user through
the design flow, managing all design and log files, and
passing necessary design data among tools. Additionally,
Libero IDE allows users to integrate both schematic and
HDL synthesis into a single flow and verify the entire
design in a single environment. Libero IDE includes
Synplify
®
for Actel from Synplicity
®
, ViewDraw
®
for
Actel from Mentor Graphics
®
, ModelSim
®
HDL Simulator
from Mentor Graphics, WaveFormer Lite™ from
SynaptiCAD™, and Designer software from Actel. Refer
to the
diagram for more information
(located on the Actel website).
Actel Designer software is a place-and-route tool and
provides a comprehensive suite of backend support tools
for FPGA development. The Designer software includes
timing-driven place-and-route, and a world-class
integrated static timing analyzer and constraints editor.
With the Designer software, a user can select and lock
package pins while only minimally impacting the results
of place-and-route. Additionally, the back-annotation
flow is compatible with all the major simulators and the
simulation results can be cross-probed with Silicon
Explorer II, Actel’s integrated verification and logic
analysis tool. Another tool included in the Designer
software is the SmarGen core generator, which easily
creates popular and commonly used logic functions for
implementation in your schematic or HDL design. Actel's
Designer software is compatible with the most popular
FPGA design entry and verification tools from companies
such as Mentor Graphics, Synplicity, Synopsys, and
Cadence Design Systems. The Designer software is
available for both the Windows and UNIX operating
systems.
Programming
Device programming is supported through Silicon
Sculptor series of programmers. In particular, Silicon
Sculptor is compact, robust, single-site and multi-site
device programmer for the PC.
With standalone software, Silicon Sculptor
allows
concurrent programming of multiple units from the
same PC, ensuring the fastest programming times
possible. Each fuse is subsequently verified by Silicon
Sculptor II to insure correct programming. In addition,
integrity tests ensure that no extra fuses are
programmed. Silicon Sculptor also provides extensive
hardware self-testing capability.
The procedure for programming an SX-A device using
Silicon Sculptor is as follows:
1. Load the .AFM file
2. Select the device to be programmed
3. Begin programming
When the design is ready to go to production, Actel
offers device volume-programming services either
through distribution partners or via in-house
programming from the factory.
For detailed information on programming, read the
following documents
and
v5.3
1-13
ACTEL [ Actel Corporation ]
