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VTR 8.0.0

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@kmurray kmurray released this 24 Mar 18:14
· 11849 commits to master since this release
v8.0.0
fd69801

Added

  • Support for arbitrary FPGA device grids/floorplans
  • Support for clustered blocks with width > 1
  • Customizable connection-block and switch-blocks patterns (controlled from FPGA architecture file)
  • Fan-out dependent routing mux delays
  • VPR can generate/load a routing architecture (routing resource graph) in XML format
  • VPR can load routing from a .route file
  • VPR can performing analysis (STA/Power/Area) independently from optimization (via vpr --analysis)
  • VPR supports netlist primitives with multiple clocks
  • VPR can perform hold-time (minimum delay) timing analysis
  • Minimum delays can be annotated in the FPGA architecture file
  • Flow supports formal verification of circuit implementation against input netlist
  • Support for generating FASM to drive bitstream generators
  • Routing predictor which predicts and aborts impossible routings early (saves significant run-time during minimum channel width search)
  • Support for minimum routable channel width 'hints' (reduces minimum channel width search run-time if accurate)
  • Improved VPR debugging/verbosity controls
  • VPR can perform basic netlist cleaning (e.g. sweeping dangling logic)
  • VPR graphics visualizations:
    • Critical path during placement/routing
    • Cluster pin utilization heatmap
    • Routing utilization heatmap
    • Routing resource cost heatmaps
    • Placement macros
  • VPR can route constant nets
  • VPR can route clock nets
  • VPR can load netlists in extended BLIF (eBLIF) format
  • Support for generating post-placement timing reports
  • Improved router 'map' lookahead which adapts to routing architecture structure
  • Script to upgrade legacy architecture files (vtr_flow/scripts/upgrade_arch.py)
  • Support for Fc overrides which depend on both pin and target wire segment type
  • Support for non-configurable switches (shorts, inline-buffers) used to model structures like clock-trees and non-linear wires (e.g. 'L' or 'T' shapes)
  • Various other features since VTR 7

Changed

  • VPR will exit with code 1 on errors (something went wrong), and code 2 when unable to implement a circuit (e.g. unroutable)
  • VPR now gives more complete help about command-line options (vpr -h)
  • Improved a wide variety of error messages
  • Improved STA timing reports (more details, clearer format)
  • VPR now uses Tatum as its STA engine
  • VPR now detects missmatched architecture (.xml) and implementation (.net/.place/.route) files more robustly
  • Improved router run-time and quality through incremental re-routing and improved handling of high-fanout nets
  • The timing edges within each netlist primitive must now be specified in the section of the architecture file
  • All interconnect tags must have unique names in the architecture file
  • Connection block input pin switch must now be specified in section of the architecture file
  • Renamed switch types buffered/pass_trans to more descriptive tristate/pass_gate in architecture file
  • Require longline segment types to have no switchblock/connectionblock specification
  • Improve naming (true/false -> none/full/instance) and give more control over block pin equivalnce specifications
  • VPR will produce a .route file even if the routing is illegal (aids debugging), however analysis results will not be produced unless vpr --analsysis is specified
  • VPR long arguments are now always prefixed by two dashes (e.g. --route) while short single-letter arguments are prefixed by a single dash (e.g. -h)
  • Improved logic optimization through using a recent 2018 version of ABC and new synthesis script
  • Significantly improved implementation quality (~14% smaller minimum routable channel widths, 32-42% reduced wirelength, 7-10% lower critical path delay)
  • Significantly reduced run-time (~5.5-6.3x faster) and memory usage (~3.3-5x lower)
  • Support for non-contiguous track numbers in externally loaded RR graphs
  • Improved placer quality (reduced cost round-off)
  • Various other changes since VTR 7

Fixed

  • FPGA Architecture file tags can be in arbitary orders
  • SDC command arguments can be in arbitary orders
  • Numerous other fixes since VTR 7

Removed

  • Classic VPR timing analyzer
  • IO channel distribution section of architecture file

Deprecated

  • VPR's breadth-first router (use the timing-driven router, which provides supperiour QoR and Run-time)
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