• What is a flattened edif netlist?
• How to create EDN and PIN files.
• How to determine whether or not your netlist is flattened.
• How to 'flatten' a non-flattened edif netlist using Actel Designer.
• Known issues regarding Actel Designer.

What is a flattened edif netlist?

A flattened edif netlist is a standard edif netlist with all higher level hierarchy removed.

How to create EDN and PIN files.

The .EDN file is an EDIF netlist.
The .PIN file defines the external pins.

1. From the ADS software, select menu option FILE --> EXPORT. Specify options to export .EDN & .PIN files from your .ADB file.
2. If using ADS version 3.1 software, you must take an additional step to flatten the .EDN file.
3. From DOS, run: edn2adl FAM:<FAMILY> <FILENAME> *N.B. do not use file extension*
4. Then run: adl2edn FAM:<FAMILY> FLAT:T <FILENAME>
   FAM syntax: ACT1, ACT2/1200XL, ACT3, 3200DX, 40MX, 42MX, 52SX, or 54SXA!  
5. For example: c:\> edn2adl FAM:ACT1 U30 adl2edn FAM:ACT1 FLAT:T U30
   The resultant .EDN file is now ready to run with FS-ATG.
   

How to verify that your netlist is properly flattened.

There is a simple way to confirm that your EDN file is properly flattened.

1. Using a text editor, open the EDN file and verify that the header information makes reference to the Actel Designer Software.
2. Search through the file for word "contents".
3. If the word "contents" appears once and only once, then the file is properly flattened. If it appears more than once, follow the instructions below.

How to 'flatten' a non-flattened edif netlist using Actel Designer.

Use this procedure if and only if the original edif netlist is not properly flattened.

1. Place the original edif netlist into a valid working directory.
2. Open a DOS prompt.
3. Run: edn2adl FAM:<FAMILY> <FILENAME> *N.B. do not use file extension*
4. Then run: adl2edn FAM:<FAMILY> FLAT:T <FILENAME>
   FAM syntax: ACT1, ACT2/1200XL, ACT3, 3200DX, 40MX, 42MX, 52SX, or 54SXA!  
5. For example: c:\> edn2adl FAM:ACT1 U30 adl2edn FAM:ACT1 FLAT:T U30
   The resultant .EDN file is now ready to run with FS-ATG.

Known issues regarding Actel Designer Series Software

• In some versions, EDN and PIN files have inconsistent formats for brackets. For example, <19> may appear in the EDN file, but as (19) in the PIN file. This may result in an FS-ATG test with reduced coverage, and ''signal without drive pin" errors. To workaround this issue, replace the brackets in either the EDN or PIN file to make them consistent with one another.