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Electronics => Microcontrollers => Topic started by: kizmit99 on October 12, 2018, 09:11:06 pm

Title: Quartus II - Multiple schematic (.bdf) files in a single project?
Post by: kizmit99 on October 12, 2018, 09:11:06 pm
Hi All - I have what I assume is a simple question, that I can't seem to find an answer for...

Is it possible to have multiple "schematic" files (.bdf) in a single project in Quartus II?  I'm using an older version (13.0.1) in order to get Cyclone II devide support, but I suspect that wouldn't matter...

I'm using VHDL to describe my design subcomponents, then using a top-level .bdf schematic to "wire" the subcomponents together.  But my top-level diagram is becoming too cluttered and I would like to split the design into a couple of separate "sub-schematics" that are then themselves "wired" together in the top-level diagram (I'd prefer to not wire these subcomponents in VHDL).  I've found a few references leading me to believe this is possible.  But with google links to alteraforums.com returning only "Not Found" responses from the Intel website I can't find anything definitive.

Any hints, greatly appreciated.

Title: Re: Quartus II - Multiple schematic (.bdf) files in a single project?
Post by: kizmit99 on October 12, 2018, 10:19:46 pm
Replying to my own question - but I think I've got it figured out...

It seems that there are several non-intuitive things in how Quartus works in play here:
1) Symbol files for .bdf components/design-units are not automatically created.
2) .bdf components/design-units are apparently a 'special case' in the Project Navigator, as there is no context menu entry for creating a symbol for them (as there are for .vhdl based components).
3) You can create a symbol (.bds file) for the .bdf component using the system menu.
4) .bds symbol files are handled differently in the Symbol chooser.  They do not show up automatically under the Project symbols, but they can be selected with browser to the right of the "Name" entry area.
5) Once placed on the top-level .bdf schematic, the symbol cannot be updated with the "Update Symbol or Block" action from the context menu, instead you have to go back to the original .bdf and re-create the symbol to update it, then "Update..." it on the parent page to get the new symbol.
6) Pins placed on the sub-component .bdf appear as symbol pins on the component symbol, but are not "promoted" to device pins (they do not show up in the pin-planner tool) unless you connect them to Pins on the top-level .bdf.

At least it does appear to work, and I can live with the quirks...
If anyone with experience trying to do something like this with Quartus notices anything I might be missing, please let me know.
Thanks!