13.32.13 Exporting Tcl Scripts

You can write out a Tcl script file that contains the commands executed in the current session. You can then use this exported Tcl script to re-execute the same commands interactively or in batch. You can also use this exported script to become more familiar with Tcl syntax.

You can export Tcl scripts from the Project Manager or Designer; the actions are the same.

To export a Tcl session script from the Project Manager or Designer:
  1. From the File menu, choose Export>Script Files. The Export Script Files dialog box appears.
  2. From the Save in drop-down menu, navigate to the folder in which you want to save the script files.
  3. Type a filename for this Tcl script file.
  4. Click Save. The Script Export Options dialog box appears
    Figure 13-134. Script Export Options
    ???
  5. Check the Include Commands from Current Design [Project] Only checkbox. This option applies only if you opened more than one design or project in your current session. If so, and you do not check this box, Project Manager/Designer exports all commands from your current session.
  6. Select the radio button for the appropriate filename formatting. To export filenames relative to the current working directory, select Relative filenames (default) formatting. To export filenames that include a fully specified path, select Qualified filenames (full path; including directory name) formatting.

    Choose Relative filenames if you do not intend to move the Tcl script from the saved location, or Qualified filenames if you plan to move the Tcl script to another directory or machine.

  7. Click OK.
Project Manager/Designer saves the Tcl script with the specified filename.
Note:
  • When exporting Tcl scripts, Project Manager and Designer always encloses filenames in curly braces to ensure portability.
  • Project Manager and Designer software do not write out any Tcl variables or flow-control statements to the exported Tcl file, even if you had executed the design commands using your own Tcl script. The exported Tcl file only contains the tool commands and their accompanying arguments.

extended_run_gui - Designer Only

This script is used to reproduce the GUI behavior and is more suited for running through Designer or inside another Designer TCL script.

The only difference from the extended_run_shell Tcl script is that the extended_run_gui.tcl script does not need the – adb argument and assumes that the design is already saved and open.

extended_run_gui.tcl [-n numPasses] [-starting_seed_index numIndex] [-save_all] [-
compare_criteria value] [-c clockName] [-analysis value] [-slack_criteria value] [-
timing_driven|-standard] [-stop_on_success] [-run_placer value] [-place_incremental value]
 [-route_incremental value] [-effort_level numLevel] [-timing_weight numWeight]
 [-placer_high_effort value] [-mindel_repair value] [-power_driven value]
To invoke extended_run_gui from Designer:
  1. Open an *.adb file in Designer.
  2. From the File menu, select Execute Script. This opens the Execute Script dialog box.
    Figure 13-135. Execute Script Dialog Box
  3. Find the extended_run-gui.tcl script under ACTEL_SW_DIR/scripts and then copy all the parameters in to the arguments section.
  4. Click Run.
To invoke extended_run_gui from within a TCL script:
  1. Save the design in compiled state.

    … compile

    save_design “my.adb”

  2. Override the original argument list in the caller script and then source the extended_run_gui.tcl script.

    set save_argv0 $::argv0

    set save_argv $::argv

    set ACTEL_SW_DIR $env(ACTEL_SW_DIR)

    set ::argv0 “$ACTEL_SW_DIR/scripts/extended_run_gui.tcl”

    set ::argv [list -n 3 -save_all -c PCI_CLK]

    set ::argc [llength $::argv]

    source $::argv0

    set ::argv0 $save_argv0

    set ::argv $save_argv

    set ::argc [llength $::argv]