Active-HDL and GOWIN Flow

Overview

GOWIN provides unencrypted, flattened post-synthesis verilog files for IP simulation.

Preparing GOWIN Example

• Create a project on GOWIN IDE and then change the following settings in Project->Configuration

  

  Figure 1: GOWIN project configuration

• Then, create an Active-HDL project in the same folder as GOWIN.

  createdesign -nodesdir fpga_project_03 F:\temp\fpga_project_03
  

Preparing Libraries

GOWIN currently offers two families: gow1n and gow2a. To compile appropriate primitives, use the following compilation script:

alib gow1n_sim
alog -work gow1n_sim $GOWIN_PATH\IDE\gow1n\prim_sim.v
alib gow1n_tsim
alog -work gow1n_tsim $GOWIN_PATH\IDE\gow1n\prim_tsim.v
alib gow2a_sim
alog -work gow2a_sim $GOWIN_PATH\IDE\gow2a\prim_sim.v
alib gow2a_tsim
alog -work gow2a_tsim $GOWIN_PATH\IDE\gow2a\prim_tsim.v

Importing IP

Follow the next steps:

1. Generate an appropriate IP from the IP Core Generator by going to Tools-> IP Core Generator. Double click on FIFO SC as shown in Figure 2.

   

   Figure 2: GOWIN IP Core Generator

2. Open the generated Verilog IP in Active-HDL.

3. Remove the protected section from `pragma protect begin_protected to `pragma protect end_protected

4. Save the file with another name and attach it to the Active-HDL design as shown in figure 3.

   

   Figure 3: Active-HDL "Save As" window

5. Compile the modified file. As a result, the module entry will be compiled and added to the Active-HDL project.

Designing with Active-HDL

• Now you can use the imported IP to create more complex levels using Block Diagram, FSM or HDE Editor.

  

  Figure 4: Active-HDL Design includes GOWIN IP

• Once the project is ready, import all of the new sources back into the GOWIN project and then run the synthesis.

Simulating with Active-HDL

1. Import the netlist and SDF from the GOWIN project into Active-HDL.

2. Compile it and use the previously created libraries, gow1n_sim or gow1n_tsim, for timing back notation.