For challenging designs, it can take multiple iterations of Vivado implementation using multiple different strategies
to achieve timing closure. This topic shows you how to launch multiple implementation
strategies at the same time in the hardware build (-t
hw
), and how to identify and use successful runs to generate the device binary
and complete the build.
As explained in --vivado Options the
--vivado.impl.strategies
command enables you to
specify multiple strategies to run in a single build pass. The command line would look
as follows:
v++ --link -s -g -t hw --platform xilinx_zcu102_base_202010_1 -I . \
--vivado.impl.strategies "Performance_Explore,Area_Explore" -o kernel.xclbin hello.xo
In the example above, the Performance_Explore
and Area_Explore
strategies are run simultaneously in the Vivado
build to see which returns the best results. You can specify the ALL
to have all available strategies run within the tool.
--vivado.impl.jobs
or the --vivado.impl.lsf
commands. You can also determine this option in a configuration file in the following form:
#Vivado Implementation Strategies
[vivado]
impl.strategies=Performance_Explore,Area_Explore
The Vitis compiler automatically
picks the first completed run results that meets timing to proceed with the build
process and generate the device binary. However, you can also direct the tool to wait
for all runs to complete and pick the best results from the completed runs before
proceeding. This would require the use of the --advanced.compiler
directive as shown:
[advanced]
param=compiler.multiStrategiesWaitOnAllRuns=1
compiler.multiStrategiesWaitOnAllRuns=0
represents the default behavior.
If you want v++
to wait for all runs to complete, which will get their
report files, change that parameter value to 1.
As discussed in Link Summary: Multiple Strategies and Timing Reports, Vitis analyzer displays the implementation results for the all strategies that have been allowed to run to completion. This includes an overview of the implementation results, as well as a Timing Summary report. You can use this feature to review the different strategies and results.
You can also manually review the results of all implementation strategies
after they have completed. Then, use the results of any of the implementation runs by
using the --reuse_impl
option as described in Using -to_step and Launching Vivado Interactively.