set_directive_loop_flatten - 2024.1 English

Vitis High-Level Synthesis User Guide (UG1399)

Document ID
UG1399
Release Date
2024-07-03
Version
2024.1 English

Description

Allows nested loops to be flattened into a single loop hierarchy with improved latency.

In the RTL implementation, it requires one clock cycle to move from an outer loop to an inner loop, and from an inner loop to an outer loop. Flattening nested loops allows them to be optimized as a single loop. This saves clock cycles, potentially allowing for greater optimization of the loop body logic.

Apply the LOOP_FLATTEN pragma to the loop body of the inner-most loop in the loop hierarchy. Only perfect and semi-perfect loops can be flattened in this manner:

Perfect loop nests
  • Only the innermost loop has loop body content.
  • There is no logic specified between the loop statements.
  • All loop bounds are constant.
Semi-perfect loop nests
  • Only the innermost loop has loop body content.
  • There is no logic specified between the loop statements.
  • The outermost loop bound can be a variable.
Imperfect loop nests
When the inner loop has variable bounds (or the loop body is not exclusively inside the inner loop), try to restructure the code, or unroll the loops in the loop body to create a perfect loop nest.

Syntax

set_directive_loop_flatten [OPTIONS] <location>
  • <location> is the location (inner-most loop), in the format function[/label].

Options

-off or off=true
Option to prevent loop flattening from taking place, and can prevent some loops from being flattened while all others in the specified location are flattened.
Important: The presence of the LOOP_FLATTEN pragma or directive enables the optimization. The addition of -off disables it.

Examples

Flattens loop_1 in function foo and all (perfect or semi-perfect) loops above it in the loop hierarchy, into a single loop. Place the pragma in the body of loop_1.

set_directive_loop_flatten foo/loop_1

Prevents loop flattening in loop_2 of function foo. Place the pragma in the body of loop_2.

set_directive_loop_flatten -off foo/loop_2