Starting Design Architect

To open the Calc design in Design Architect, perform the following steps:

Select MGC Location Map Set Working Directory from the menu bar.

A small dialog box appears at the bottom of the screen.
Type $XILINX_TUTORIAL/calc_sch in the Directory field of the dialog box, then select OK or press return.

This sets the working directory to the directory where you work on the tutorial.
Select the $XILINX_TUTORIAL/calc_sch/calc design object in the Navigator window.
Select Right Mouse Button Open pld_da.

The Design Architect window appears and displays the Calc design as shown in the figure below.
Resize the Design Architect window to cover the entire screen.

Figure 9.3 Top-Level Schematic for Calc

Using the Mouse in Design Architect

Left Mouse Button

Use this button to select or de-select objects on a sheet. A selected object has a white dashed outline. Hold down this button and drag the mouse to select multiple objects.

Middle Mouse Button (Strokes)

Use the middle mouse button to perform actions known as strokes. You can use strokes as shortcuts to perform common tasks. Perform a stroke by pressing and holding the middle mouse button while moving the mouse to draw a line with a specific shape. Design Architect converts the shape you draw to a number string to determine which command to execute. The number is determined as shown in the following figure:

Figure 9.4 Using Strokes, Example of “Z” stroke (1235789)

For example, a “Z” stroke represents the number 1235789. To determine the commands that the strokes represent, select Help On Strokes from the menu bar at the top of the screen. You can also hold down the middle mouse button and draw the shape of a question mark “?” to display the stroke help screen. When applicable, this tutorial uses strokes and describes them using the numbering system shown in the “Using Strokes, Example of “Z” stroke (1235789)” figure.

Right Mouse Button

You can use the right mouse button to display different menus depending on the object(s) selected on the schematic sheet. For example, if a net is selected when you press the right mouse button, the Net menu appears. You can access other menus, regardless of what is selected, by using the “Other Menus” selection that appears at the top of each menu.

Using the Function Keys

You can use the keyboard function keys to execute many Design Architect commands. The boxes at the bottom of the Design Architect window each contain up to four commands which you execute as follows:

To execute the top command, press the associated Function key.
To execute the middle command, press the associated Function key while holding down the Shift key.
To execute the third command, press the associated Function key while holding down the Control key.
To execute the bottom command, press the associated Function key while holding down the Alternate key.

Selecting Commands from the Menu Bar

Use the left mouse button to select commands from the menu bar at the top of the screen.

Selecting Commands from the Palette

Use the left mouse button to select commands from the Command Palette at the right side of the screen. The set of red buttons at the top of the palette change the commands that are available in the palette. The commands displayed in the palette vary depending on what type of window is active in Design Architect. For example, if a symbol editor window is active, commands such as Add Pin, Draw Rectangle, and other commands associated with creating symbols are available in the palette. If there are no windows open in Design Architect, commands such as OPEN SHEET or OPEN SYMBOL are available.

You may need to scroll the palette to access some of the commands by moving the cursor into the palette and using the PageUp and PageDown keys. You can also select Right Mouse Button Show Scroll Bars to display scroll bars.

Entering Commands from the Keyboard

You can type commands anywhere in the Design Architect window. A dialog box appears at the cursor location to capture the command text. For example, you can open a schematic sheet by typing open sheet in the Design Architect window.

Cancelling Commands

When you select a command, it is displayed in either a small rectangular box in the lower-left area of the screen, or in a larger dialog box. In either case, you can cancel commands by selecting the cancel button in the box or by pressing the escape key.

Repeating Menu Commands

You can repeat commands that were executed by using either the menu bar or the menus accessed through the right mouse button by holding down the control key, moving the cursor to the appropriate area, and pressing the right mouse button. For example, if Right Mouse Button Properties Add was the last command sequence performed, you can repeat this sequence by holding down the control key and pressing the right mouse button with the cursor in the window where the command was last executed. You can also perform this function with the stroke 12369, which looks like an upside-down “L”.

Manipulating the Screen

To zoom in on a specific area of the screen, hold down the F8 key and move the mouse to create a box around the area you want to zoom on. To view the entire schematic, hold down the shift key and press F8. You can also perform these commands with the strokes 159 and 951, respectively. You can also zoom the schematic in or out with the menu bar commands View Zoom In and View Zoom Out or the strokes 357 and 753.