AR# 3253: XABEL, M1.4: Using XABEL with M1.4 Alliance software
AR# 3253
XABEL, M1.4: Using XABEL with M1.4 Alliance software
Description
Keywords: xabel, alliance, foundation
Urgency: Hot
General Description:
XABEL is only provided as part of the Foundation Series software. Since Foundation 1.4 will not begin shipping until at least 1 month after Alliance 1.4 began shipping, how will Alliance 1.4 customers use XABEL software before Foundation F1.4 is available?
*Note, it is advisable for those customers wishing to use XABEL to either move to the Foundation Series software package, or to begin migration to an alternative HDL solution, such as VHDL or Verilog. While we do provide information on using XABEL with an Alliance package (Xilinx Solution 2951), it is not a well integrated solution, nor an official Xilinx development system flow. For an integrated XABEL flow, please consider using the Foundation Series software.
Solution
1
If you do not have access to the Web to download the 1.4 version of XABEL, you may follow the following instructions to use the version of XABEL found on the F1.3 CD.
The following procedure describes the process for using the XABEL software with the new Alliance 1.4 Implementation Tools. Note that this procedure requires that you have the Foundation F1.3 CDROMs available, which is where you will install the XABEL software from.
1. Install the "Design Implementation Tools" for the Alliance Series 1.4 software. By default, this will be installed into the C:\XILINX directory.
2. Install the XABEL software from the "Foundation Series vF1.3 Design Implementation Tools" CDROM. -When installing, choose to install "Design Entry Tools Only" This will install just the XABEL software.
*********************VERY IMPORTANT*********************** -CHANGE THE INSTALL DIRECTORY TO SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE DEFAULT C:\XILINX. THIS XABEL SOFTWARE MUST *NOT* BE INSTALLED INTO THE SAME DIRECTORY AS THE IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS WERE IN STEP 1.). **********************************************************
For example, install the XABEL software into C:\XABEL.
3.) In the Environment Settings Options dialog box, DESELECT the following 2 choices: Set/Update XILINX in autoexec.bat Set/Update XILINX_CD in autoexec.bat
4.) After installation, reboot the machine. The autoexec.bat should now have the following settings:
where C:\XILINX is the Alliance 1.4 Implementation Tools install directory and C:\XABEL is the Foundation F1.3 XABEL install directory.
5.) Copy the XLNXLIB directory (located in C:\XABEL\DATA\) into the C:\XILINX\DATA directory.
You should now be set up to run XABEL with the 1.4 Alliance Tools. If you need more information about running this flow, please refer to (Xilinx Solution 2951).
Included in this ZIP file is a REAME.TXT file which explains how to install the software, as well as a READ_ABL.TXT which discusses the capabilities and known issues with the XABEL software.