## Setting Up VSS Configuration Files

The .synopsys_vss.setup file contains the mapping information that directs the VHDL System Simulator (VSS) Software to use Altera®-supplied Altera Simulation Libraries during simulation. To configure your environment for the MAX+PLUS® II/Synopsys interface, follow these steps:

1. Add the lines shown in Figure 1 to your .synopsys_vss.setup file. Altera provides a sample setup file, .synopsys_vss.setup, in the /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/config directory. See Figure 1.

   Figure 1. Sample .synopsys_vss.setup File
       WORK > DEFAULT
       DEFAULT            : .
       altera             : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_mf/lib
       flex_vtl           : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/vital/
                               lib/flex_vtl
       alt_vtl            : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_post/sim/
                               lib/alt_vtl
       flex10k_ftsm       : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/flex10k/
                               lib/flex10k_ftsm
       flex10k_ftgs       : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/flex10k/
                               lib/flex10k_ftgs
       max9000_ftsm       : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/max9000/
                               lib/max9000_ftsm
       max9000_ftgs       : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/max9000/
                               lib/max9000_ftgs
       flex8000_ftsm      : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/flex8000/
                              lib/flex8000_ftsm
       flex8000_ftgs      : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/flex8000/
                              lib/flex8000_ftgs
       max7000_ftsm       : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/max7000/
                               lib/max7000_ftsm
       max7000_ftgs       : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/max7000/
                               lib/max7000_ftgs
       flex6000_ftsm      : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/flex6000/
                              lib/flex6000_ftsm
       flex6000_ftgs      : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/flex6000/
                              lib/flex6000_ftgs
       max5000_ftsm       : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/max5000/
                               lib/max5000_ftsm
       max5000_ftgs       : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/max5000/
                               lib/max5000_ftgs
       flex10k_fpga_ftsm  : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/flex10k/
                               lib/flex10k_fpga_ftsm
       flex10k_fpga_ftsm  : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/flex10k/
                               lib/flex10k_fpga_ftgs
       max9000_fpga_ftsm  : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/max9000/
                               lib/max9000_fpga_ftsm
       max9000_fpga_ftgs  : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/max9000/
                               lib/max9000_fpga_ftgs
       flex8000_fpga_ftsm : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/flex8000/
                               lib/flex8000_fpga_ftsm
       flex8000_fpga_ftgs : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/flex8000/
                               lib/flex8000_fpga_ftgs
       max7000_fpga_ftsm  : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/max7000/
                               lib/max7000_fpga_ftsm
       max7000_fpga_ftgs  : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/max7000/
                               lib/max7000_fpga_ftgs
       flex6000_fpga_ftsm : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/flex6000/
                               lib/flex6000_fpga_ftsm
       flex6000_fpga_ftgs : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/flex6000/
                               lib/flex6000_fpga_ftgs
       max5000_fpga_ftsm  : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/max5000/
                               lib/max5000_fpga_ftsm
       max5000_fpga_ftgs  : /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/max5000/
                               lib/max5000_fpga_ftgs

   The variables in the .synopsys_vss setup file perform the following functions:

   - The `WORK` variable specifies your working directory, i.e., the directory where you start the Synopsys tools. If not explicitly specified elsewhere, the results of any analysis or compilation are written to this directory. The first line of the file shown in Figure 1 maps `WORK` to the design library variable called `DEFAULT`.

   - The `DEFAULT` variable is used to create library aliases, which allows you to map the `WORK` variable to various paths. In Figure 1, the `DEFAULT` variable specifies the current directory.

   - The altera library is listed to allow you to simulate the architecture control logic functions in the alt_mf library.

   - The remaining lines in the file specify the path and name of the directories that contain the device simulation libraries for Altera device families.

2. Analyze the target device simulation library to ensure that the correct timing and functional information is provided to VSS. Analyzing the simulation library produces VSS simulation models of the primitives that appear in all Altera-provided technology libraries.

   You can analyze device simulation libraries by using the Altera-provided shell script analyze_vss:

   1. Add the /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/bin directory, which contains the analyze_vss scripts, to the `PATH` environment variable in your .cshrc file.

   2. Make sure that you have write privileges for the /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/<device family> directory because the analyzed model is placed in the /usr/maxplus2/synopsys/library/alt_pre/<device family>/lib directory and the analysis log file is placed in the ./synopsys/library/alt_pre/<device family>/src directory.

   3. Run the analyze_vss shell script by typing `analyze_vss` at the dc_shell prompt. When you run the analyze_vss shell script, you are prompted to select the appropriate device family simulation model(s) for analysis. Figure 2 shows the analyze_vss shell script.

      Figure 2. The analyze_vss Shell Script
      Type the full pathname of the directory where the MAX+PLUS® II software is installed (default: /usr/maxplus2):
      <MAX+PLUS II system directory>
          Analyze VSS Simulation Models:
          1. flex10k_FTGS
          2. flex10k_FTSM
          3. flex10k_fpga_FTGS
          4. flex10k_fpga_FTSM
          5. max9000_FTGS
          6. max9000_FTSM
          7. max9000_fpga_FTGS
          8. max9000_fpga_FTSM
          9. flex8000_FTGS
          10. flex8000_FTSM
          11. flex8000_fpga_FTGS
          12. flex8000_fpga_FTSM
          13. max7000_FTGS
          14. max7000_FTSM
          15. max7000_fpga_FTGS
          16. max7000_fpga_FTSM
          17. flex6000_FTGS
          18. flex6000_FTSM
          19. flex6000_fpga_FTGS
          20. flex6000_fpga_FTSM
          21. max5000_FTGS
          22. max5000_FTSM
          23. max5000_fpga_FTGS
          24. max5000_fpga_FTSM
          25. alt_vtl
          26. flex_vtl
          27. Quit
      Enter one or more numbers: <device library numbers>

   4. Check the log file to make sure that no errors occurred during the analysis of the simulation models.

3. Use VSS to simulate your pre-routed VHDL design.

| Refer to the VHDL System Simulator Core Programs Manual for more information about VSS.

Last Updated: August 28, 2000 for MAX+PLUS II version 10.0 |
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