Libero IDE v9.1 Release Notes

(Updated on December 15, 2011)

Thank you for your interest in Microsemi's Libero Integrated Design Environment (IDE) v9.1.

Libero SoC v10.0 is now available supporting only ProASIC®3, IGLOO®, Fusion and SmartFusion® device families. Customers designing all other silicon devices should use Libero IDE v9.1 with the latest service pack.

Device Support in Libero IDE

• Axcelerator® (including RTAX™-S, RTAX-D)
• SX/SX-A (including RTSX/-S/-SU)
• ProASIC PLUS (aka APA)
• eX
• 42MX
• 40MX
• ACT1
• ACT2/1200XL
• ACT3
• 3200DX
• ProASIC (aka 500K)

Libero IDE v9.1 requires runtime components of Microsoft Visual C++ libraries. If a Libero IDE application fails to start, download and install one of the following packages:
For 32-bit architecture install Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86)
For 64-bit architecture install Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x64)

• What's New in this Release
  • Axcelerator
    • RTAX2000D Programming
    • RTAX-DSP Mathblock Support in Synthesis
    • RTAX-DSP Silicon-based Characterized Timing & Power delivered in v9.1 SP2
    • RTAX-DSP -1 Speed Grade delivered in v9.1 SP4
  • Multi-View Navigator Enhancements
  • FlashPro Features and Enhancements
  • Synopsys and Mentor Graphics Tools
  • Operating System Requirements
  • Licensing Changes
• New Known Issues and Workarounds
• Software Fixes in v9.1
• Download Libero IDE v9.1

Axcelerator

RTAX2000D Programming

• Programming file generation is enabled for RTAX2000D. Programming requires Silicon Sculptor v5.10.0 or newer (download here).

RTAX-DSP Mathblock Support in Synthesis (Also see Synopsys and Mentor Tools section below)

• See Inferring Actel RTAX-DSP MATH Blocks App Note

RTAX-DSP Silicon-based Characterized Timing & Power delivered in v9.1 SP2

• The following devices have final characterization data.

Die	Package
RTAX2000D	352 CQFP
RTAX2000D	1272 CCGA/LGA DSP
RTAX4000D	352 CQFP
RTAX4000D	1272 CCGA/LGA DSP

RTAX-DSP -1 Speed Grade delivered in v9.1 SP4

Die	Package
RTAX2000D	352 CQFP
RTAX2000D	1272 CCGA/LGA DSP
RTAX4000D	352 CQFP
RTAX4000D	1272 CCGA/LGA DSP

Multi-View Navigator Enhancements

MVN includes the following new capabilities:

• Create a Local Clock region for AX, RTAX-S and RTAX-DSP devices
  • Equivalent to assign_local_clock PDC command
• Assign a net to a region
  • Handle changing instance names on the same net across design iterations
  • New "Assign/Unassign Net..." dialog with filtering and "Include driver" options
  • Drag and drop net into a region
  • Right-click on net and "Assign To Region" from a pull-down menu of assignable regions
  • The assign_net_macros PDC command is now atomic and include driver default is off
• Assign an entire netlist hierarchy to a region
  • Handle changing individual instance names within the same hierarchy across design iterations
  • All instance assignment GUI works with multiple instances and hierarchy levels
  • Extend the assign_region command in PDC to accept netlist hierarchy names
• Merge multiple regions for creating rectilinear or disjoint regions

FlashPro Features and Enhancements

FlashPro includes the following new features:

• -54 exit code
  • Additional details to assist in diagnosing this error have been added to the FlashPro User Guide.

Synopsys and Mentor Graphics Tools

• Synplify Pro AE F-2011.09A-1
  • Synplify Pro AE F-2011.09A-1 is now available, replacing Synplify Pro AE E-2010.09A-1 included in the Libero IDE v9.1 installation. To take advantage of the latest features and fixes, read the release notes, then download and install Synplify Pro AE F-2011.09A-1. Add this new version to your Libero IDE Tools Profile.
  • Synplify Pro AE E-2010.09A-1 delivers improvements in both speed and area of DSP designs by providing inference support to the cascade-chain and multiply-accumulate features of the MATH18x18 blocks in the RTAX-DSP devices.
    • Improvement is achieved from cascade chain inference support, which utilizes the hard-wired cascade option in the MATH18x18 blocks.
    • Additionally, multiply-accumulate inference support utilizes the internal dedicated feedback loop inside the MATH18x18 block.
  • ModelSim AE 6.6d
  • The latest Precision RTL release is available for download.

Operating System Requirements

See System Requirements for complete details.

Libero IDE v9.1 requires runtime components of Microsoft Visual C++ libraries. If a Libero IDE application fails to start, download and install one of the following packages:
For 32-bit architecture install Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86)
For 64-bit architecture install Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x64)

License Changes

New 9.1 License File is required due to OEM tools changes

• Changes in the license file:
  • The Libero version is updated to v9.1.
  • Mentor Graphics enhanced the security of the Modelsim 6.6 licensing. Encryption key is much longer than in previous releases.
  • Synopsys tools have converted from using the Synplicity vendor daemon, synplctyd, to the Synopsys vendor daemon, snpslmd.
  • There is an additional line for each Synopsys tool, Synopsys Secure Server Technology (SSST), to increases security. It is necessary that this line remain before the associated product lines. (The license sent by Microsemi will be in the correct sequence.)
• Changes to Installation procedure:
  • New environment variable – SNPSLMD_LICENSE_FILE used by all Synopsys 2010.09 and later releases.
    • Continue to set SYNPLCTYD_LICENSE_FILE for older releases.
  • Server-based licenses (Floating, and the server-based USB required for Synphony AE)
    • Synopsys is no longer including the necessary license daemons with the tools. Users must download this separately. For Libero users all the required have been bundled per platform and can be downloaded from License Server Daemons.
    • After that, the installation steps are the same as for previous releases.

FlashPro

General FlashPro Issues Previously Reported in Libero IDE v9.0 SP3 Release Notes

23423 - Error when using Inspect Device if JTAG chain is constructed by performing Auto-Chain Construction. If the JTAG chain is constructed automatically by selecting the Construct Chain Automatically in the Configuration Menu, and you click on the Inspect Device button, you will see the following error:

Error: Cannot initialize debug engine: Cannot initialize the programmer: No available Actel products found on USB port.

Workaround:

• Option 1: Construct the device chain by manually specifying the list of devices in the chain using the Add Actel Device or Add non-Actel Device options, and save the FlashPro project.
• Option 2: Manually resolve the device by selecting the Actel device that is in the chain, and save the FlashPro Project.
• Option 3: Load the programming file for the devices in the chain, execute read_idcode action in the programming files, and save the FlashPro Project.

6871 - Cannot load the same PDB for multiple devices or copy and paste

Workaround: Use STAPL files. Generate STAPL files from Libero IDE or FlashPro.

6859 - When using FlashPro programmer with Windows Vista operating system, the Refresh/Rescan may remove the programmer from the programmer list.

Workaround: Restart the FlashPro software. This action will refresh the list of programmers.

Customers should refer to their respective Technical Support Hotline case number. If a Software Action Request (SAR) was created for the case and it has been fixed in this Libero IDE release, the SAR and associated case number will be on the list below.

FlashPro

27345, 27483 - PC will not power down correctly with FlashPro 4 connected.

• The XP x86 driver package will be installed to correct this failure:
  • Blue Screen with "Driver_power_state_failure".

After installing Libero IDE v9.1 your Libero IDE version will be 9.1.0.18. Microsemi recommends immediately installing the latest service pack.

• Windows Version
• Linux Version

Alternatively, you can request a FREE Libero IDE v9.1 (Windows) DVD.