VHDL Program : How to use Xilinx for Digital System Design

In this post, I will show you how to use Xilinx for Digital System Design.
Xilinx is a software used in digital system design to simulate the behavior of the digital systems using either VHDL or Verilog programs. Full Procedures starting from creating a new project up to simulation of the output with an example is shown below.

Main Topics

1. How to create a new project

2. How to add a source in to a project

3. How to check the syntax using ISE simulator

4. How to view your design using RTL view or Technology view

5. How to simulate the project using Test Bench Waveform

1. How to create a new project
To show you how to create a new project using an example, I will take a simple example, AND gate.

Step 1: Open Xilinx ISE from your desktop

Step 2: Click on File and then New Project

Step 3: On the new Project wizard, enter the project name (in this example 'AND_gate'wink and ensure that Top-Level Source Type is selected as HDL and click on Next

Step 4: On the Device Properties fill the followings:

Product Category: All

Family: Spartan3

Device: XC3S200

Package: FT256

Speed: -4

Top-Level Module Type: HDL (you have already selected in step 3)

Synthesis Tool: XST (VHDL/Verilog)

Simulator: ISE Simulator (VHDL/Verilog)

And verify that Enable Enhanced Design Summary is selected, then click Next

Step 5: Click Next

Step 6: Click Next

Step 7: You will see the Project Summary, then click Finish.

2. How to add a source in to a project
Once you have created the new project the next step is adding a source.
To add the source in to your project (in this example your project is AND_gate that I have created above) follow these steps.

Step 1: Click on Project from the menu and then click on New Source

Step 2: On the New Source Wizard click on VHDL Module, enter the file name and click Next

Step 3: In this step, we will define the input and output port for our project. In our example (AND gate) A and B are inputs and Y is output as shown below and click Next.

Step 4: You will see the summary then click Finish.

Step 5: Close the summary as shown below:

Step 6: On the VHDL code architecture part, add Y <= A and B; (for and gate) just below begin as shown below.

3. How to check the syntax using ISE simulator
Expand Synthesize - XST and double click on Check Syntax to check the syntax of the VHDL code.
If error is there, it will tell you the number of lines and you need to correct the error and check again.

4. How to view your design using RTL view or Technology view
Under Synthesize - XST, double click on View RTL Schematic or View Technology Schematic to view your design.

5. How to simulate the project using Test Bench Waveform
Step 1: Click on Project from the menu and then click on New Source (similar to step 1 in "How to add a source in to a project" shown above)

Step 2: Select Test Bench Waveform, enter file name and click on Next

Step 3: Click Next

Step 4: Click Finish

Step 5: Select Combinational and click on Finish

Step 6: From the Source select Behavioral Simulation, set the input signals, A and B as 'high' and 'low' and save it, select the test bench waveform file name, click on Process tab and double click on Simulate Behavioral Model.

Step 7: Click Yes if you are asked to save changes on the test bench waveform file name and finally you will see the simulation output.
Posted by makeale on 01/05/2015 08:11 PM

Comments (2)

ashu is offline ashu said on 02/05/2015 07:34 PM :
Great post

makeale is offline makeale said on 02/05/2015 07:55 PM :
Thank you.

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