Project Navigator Overview

ISE

Project Navigator organizes your design files and runs processes to move the design from design entry through implementation to programming the targeted Xilinx® device. Project Navigator is the high-level manager for your Xilinx FPGA and CPLD designs, which allows you to do the following:

Add and create design source files, which appear in the Sources window
Modify your source files in the Workspace
Run processes on your source files in the Processes window
View output from the processes in the Transcript window

Note Optionally, you can run processes from a script you create or from a command line prompt. However, it is recommended that you first become familiar with the basic use of the Xilinx Integrated Software Environment (ISE®) software and with project management, as described in the following sections.

Project Navigator Main Window

The following figure shows the Project Navigator main window, which allows you to manage your design starting with design entry through device configuration.

Toolbar
Sources window
Processes window
Workspace
Transcript window

Using the Sources Window

The first step in implementing your design for a Xilinx® FPGA or CPLD is to assemble the design source files into a project. The Sources tab in the Sources window shows the source files you create and add to your project, as shown in the following figure. For information on creating projects and source files, see Creating a Project and Creating a Source File.

The Design View ("Sources for") drop-down list at the top of the Sources tab allows you to view only those source files associated with the selected Design View (for example, Implementation). For details, see Using the Design Views. The "Number of" drop-down list, Resources column, and Preserve column are available for designs that use Partitions. For details, see the Partitions Overview.

The Sources tab shows the hierarchy of your design. You can collapse and expand the levels by clicking the plus (+) or minus (-) icons. Each source file appears next to an icon that shows its file type. The file you select determines the processes available in the Processes window. You can double-click a source file to open it for editing in the Workspace. For information on the different file types, see Source File Types.

You can change the project properties, such as the device family to target, the top-level module type, the synthesis tool, the simulator, and the generated simulation language. For information, see Changing Project, Source, and Snapshot Properties.

Depending on the source file and tool you are working with, additional tabs are available in the Sources window:

Always available: Sources tab, Files tab, Snapshots tab, Libraries tab
Constraints Editor: Timing Constraints tab
Floorplan Editor: Translated Netlist tab, Implemented Objects tab
iMPACT: Configuration Modes tab
ISim: Instances tab
Schematic Editor: Symbols tab
RTL and Technology Viewers: Design tab
Timing Analyzer: Timing tab

Using the Processes Window

The Processes tab in the Processes window allows you to run actions or "processes" on the source file you select in the Sources tab of the Sources window. The processes change according to the source file you select.

The Processes tab shows the available processes in a hierarchical view. You can collapse and expand the levels by clicking the plus (+) or minus (-) icons. Processes are arranged in the order of a typical design flow: project creation, design entry, constraints management, synthesis, implementation, and programming file creation.

Depending on the source file and tool you are working with, additional tabs are available in the Processes window:

Always available: Processes tab
Floorplan Editor: Design Objects tab, Implemented Selection tab
iMPACT: Configuration Operations tab
ISim: Hierarchy Browser tab, Objects tab
Schematic Editor: Options tab
Timing Analyzer: Timing Objects tab

Process Types

The following types of processes are available as you work on your design:

Tasks
When you run a task process, the ISE software runs in "batch mode," that is, the software processes your source file but does not open any additional software tools in the Workspace. Output from the processes appears in the Transcript window.
Reports
Most tasks include report sub-processes, which generate a summary or status report, for example, the Synthesis Report or Map Report. When you run a report process, the report appears in the Workspace.
Tools
When you run a tools process, the related tool launches in standalone mode or appears in the Workspace where you can view or modify your design source files.
Note The icons for tools processes vary depending on the tool. For example, the Timing Analyzer icon is shown above.

Process Status

As you work on your design, you may make changes that require some or all of the processes to be rerun. For example, if you edit a source file, it may require that the Synthesis process and all subsequent process be rerun. Project Navigator keeps track of the changes you make and shows the status of each process with the following status icons:

Status	Icon	Meaning
Running		The process is running.
Up-to-date		The process ran successfully with no errors or warnings and does not need to be rerun. If the icon is next to a report process, the report is up-to-date; however, associated tasks may have warnings or errors. If this occurs, you can read the report to determine the cause of the warnings or errors.
Warnings reported		The process ran successfully but warnings were encountered.
Errors reported		The process ran but errors were encountered.
Out-of-date		This icon shows that you made design changes, which require that the process be rerun. If this icon is next to a report process, you can rerun the associated task process to create an up-to-date version of the report.
No icon	N/A	If there is no icon, this shows that the process was never run.

Running Processes

To run a process, you can do any of the following:

Double-click the process
Right-click while positioned over the process, and select Run from the popup menu.
Select the process, and then click the Run toolbar button .
To run the Implement Design process and all preceding processes on the top module for the design, select Process > Implement Top Module, or click the Implement Top Module toolbar button .

When you run a process, Project Navigator automatically processes your design as follows:

Automatically runs lower-level processes
When you run a high-level process, Project Navigator runs associated lower-level processes or sub-processes. For example, if you run Implement Design for your FPGA design, all of the following sub-processes run: Translate, Map, and Place & Route.
Automatically runs preceding processes
When you run a process, Project Navigator runs any preceding processes that are required, thereby "pulling" your design through the design flow. For example, to pull your design through the entire flow, double-click Generate Programming File.
Automatically runs related processes for out-of-date processes
If you run an out-of-date process, Project Navigator runs that process and any related processes required to bring that process up to date. It does not necessarily run all preceding processes. For example if you change your UCF file, the Synthesize process remains up to date, but the Translate process becomes out of date. If you run the Map process, Project Navigator runs Translate but does not run Synthesize.

Note For more information on running processes, including additional Process menu commands, see Running and Stopping Processes.

Setting Process Properties

Most processes have a set of properties associated with them. Properties control specific options, which correspond to command line options. When properties are available for a process, you can right-click while positioned over the process and select Properties from the popup menu.

When you select Properties, a Process Properties dialog box appears, with standard properties that you can set. The Process Properties dialog box differs depending on the process you select.

After you become familiar with the standard properties, you can set additional, advanced properties in the Process Properties dialog box; however, setting these options is not recommended if you are just getting started with using the ISE software. When you enable the advanced properties, both standard and advanced properties appear in the Process Properties dialog box.

Note For more information on process properties, see Setting Process Properties. To set command line options using process properties, see Setting Command Line Options using Process Properties.

Using the Workspace

When you open a project source file, open the Language Templates, or run certain processes, such as viewing reports or logs, the corresponding file or view appears in the Workspace. You can open multiple files or views at one time. Tabs at the bottom of the Workspace show the names for each file or view. Click a tab to bring it to the front.

To open a file or view in a standalone window outside of the Project Navigator Workspace, use the Float toolbar button. To dock a floating window, use the Dock toolbar button.

Float
Dock
Note The Dock toolbar button is only available from the floating window.

For more information, see Arranging Windows.

Using the Transcript Window

The Console tab of the Transcript window shows output messages from the processes you run. When the following icons appear next to a message, you can right-click the message and select Search for Answer Record to open the Xilinx website and show any related Answer Records. If a line number appears as part of the message, you can right-click the message and select Goto Source to open the source file with the appropriate line number highlighted.

Warning
Error

Depending on the source file and tool you are working with, additional tabs are available in the Transcript window:

Always available: Console tab, Errors tab, Warnings tab, Tcl Shell tab, Find in Files tab
Note The Errors and Warnings tabs show a filtered version of the output messages in the Console tab, that is, only the errors and only the warnings are shown.
ISim: Simulation Console tab
RTL and Technology Viewers: View by Name tab, View by Category tab

Using the Toolbars

Toolbars provide convenient access to frequently used commands. Click once on a toolbar button to execute a command. To see a short popup description of a toolbar button, hold the mouse pointer over the button for about two seconds. A longer description appears in the status bar at the bottom of the main window.

For Help on a toolbar button, click the Help toolbar button

, and then click the toolbar button for which you want Help. For more information on getting Help, see Using Xilinx Help.