Looking for lite synthesis software

[mahmood.n]

I would like to know if there are good (preferably open source) VHDL synthesis tools for educational purpose. It doesn't matter if they can not program a device. I know it doesn't look very professional, but Quartus and Vivado (or ISE) are very huge. They easily fill more than 5GB of disk. I tried Quartus lite (1.5GB installer) and the unpacked size was about 8.5GB.

I know due to the device specific features, synthesizers are closed source with lot of libraries and lots of configurations.
For example, I use ActiveHDL student edition which is pretty simple and I prefer that over modelsim or ise for students who are trying to learn.
If you know some lite alternatives, please let me know.

 

[TrickyDicky]

I think you answered your own question. The only fos synth tool is yosys and that only works with verilog and older xilinx devices (and its only around because someone reverse engineered the bit files they use).

 

[ads-ee]

I think you answered your own question. The only fos synth tool is yosys and that only works with verilog and older xilinx devices (and its only around because someone reverse engineered the bit files they use).

Tricky yosys doesn't generate Xilinx bit files. It doesn't do any place and route it is purely a synthesis tool and outputs EDIF with Xilinx library primitives for some Xilinx parts including Xilinx 7 Series parts.

**broken link removed**

 

[danadakk]

This may be too lite for you but PSOC, a SOC, has ability to use Verilog for its fabric portion
and design user custom component onchip.

PSOC is basically a ARM + Analog + Digital Fabric + Routeability + DSP all on one chip.


IDE (PSOC Creator) and Compiler free, board to do dev work with is $ 10

https://www.cypress.com/products/psoc-creator-integrated-design-environment-ide

https://www.cypress.com/documentati...oc-5lp-prototyping-kit-onboard-programmer-and


The timing tool is done for you, one rarely has to touch anything in timing.


A catalog of onchip components, attached.


Also community created and approved components that can be imported into library -

**broken link removed**
https://www.cypress.com/cdc/community-components


A couple of videos on creating custom components on chip (can be done with schematic capture and/or Verilog) -

https://www.cypress.com/training/psoc-video-tutorial-series-how-create-custom-components


Here is simple example where I needed a quad function generator, all done on one chip. Used a community component,
DDS, and standard lib component, WaveDAC8 to get the analog waveforms.

https://www.edaboard.com/showthread.php?390116-Quad-DDS-and-Quad-WaveDAC



Regards, Dana.