Lattice Diamond 3.7 and Synplify

[rickman]

I am trying to run the latest version of Lattice Diamond free edition.
When I attempt to synthesize through the Diamond GUI I get "error code
3". I've opened a ticket with Lattice support but after 2 weeks I am
not getting anywhere with them. If there isn't something simple wrong
with my project, they can't seem to be of much help and take two days to
respond to every comment I make.

Here is the full text of the log. Anyone know what Error 3 is? I
believe error 2 is a license issue. The report says to contact Synopsys
for support, but they don't support the free tools. I have uninstalled
and reinstalled the tools already. This is getting old.




Starting: "prj_run Synthesis -impl impl1"


************************************************************
** Synplify Pro **
************************************************************

synpwrap -msg -prj "TestProj_impl1_synplify.tcl" -log "TestProj_impl1.srf"
Copyright (C) 1992-2016 Lattice Semiconductor Corporation. All rights
reserved.
Lattice Diamond Version 3.7.0.96.1
INFO - Synplify synthesis engine is launched.
Error of dumping file TestProj_impl1.srf, 'stdout.log' is instead.

==contents of stdout.log
Please open a web case about this problem. A Synopsys CAE will then
contact you.

Instructions to open a web-case:

1. Go to the Synopsys support web site, https://solvnet.synopsys.com.

2. Login with you user name and password. If you do not have an
account, please register and set it up.

3. Click the 'Enter A Call' link.

4. Provide a detailed description of the problem, and fill in all
required fields.

5. Attach any test cases or archived project files required to
reproduce the problem.




Synthesis exit by 3.
Done: error code 3

--

Rick C

[Johann Klammer]

On 07/21/2016 08:18 PM, rickman wrote:
[...]

>
>
> Synthesis exit by 3.
> Done: error code 3
>

Is your box a 32bit one?

[rickman]

64 bit and I installed the 64 bit version of Diamond.

--

Rick C

[rickman]

I had initially installed the 32 bit version I believe and uninstalled
it before installing the 64 bit version.

I find it odd that tech support seems to be unable to answer such a
simple question as what is error code 3 in Synplify? What is the point
of returning error codes if no one knows what they mean???

--

Rick C

[Brian Davis]

rickman wrote:
>
> When I attempt to synthesize through the Diamond GUI
> I get "error code 3".
>

1) Have you tried switching synthesis to LSE then back again?

2) Do you get the same error message if you run
synthesis manually from within the Synplify GUI?
e.g.:
- open project in Diamond
- click the big red "S" in the toolbar
(which opens Synplify with the project sources)
- hit "RUN" in Synplify
- exit Synplify
- back in Diamond, Design->Refresh Design to update status
- run MAP and PAR as usual

-Brian

[rickman]

Thanks for the suggestions. I had already switched the tool too LSE and
back because that's the only way to get the Diamond refresh tool to use
VHDL-2008. But I did it again and this time tried running the LSE
synthesis which worked. But I can't use LSE for the chip I am working
with, an old XP device.

I have already tried running Synplify manually and it does not start
bringing up an error report that doesn't say anything about the error,
but tells me to call Synopsis support.

I recall that a license issue with Synplify returns an "error 2". This
returns an error 3 when from from within Diamond.

Why is Lattice support being such buttheads? They asked me for a
screenshot of the directory dialog for the installation directory which
I provided. Then no reply for a week and a half. I've made two more
replies with additional information and still nothing.

--

Rick C

[rickman]

I noticed there was an update so I installed it, no change.

I just realized that when I was having trouble with the tool recognizing
I was using VHDL-2008, they told me to change the VHDL setting in LSE.
I didn't have an option to change any LSE settings. Support wasn't on
the ball enough to figure out that you can't use LSE with the old XP
parts. Wow...

--

Rick C

[Brian Davis]

rickman wrote:
>
> I have already tried running Synplify manually and it does not start
> bringing up an error report that doesn't say anything about the error
>

Just to clarify, does that same error also happen if you run Synplify completely outside of Diamond, from the Start Menu under Lattice_Diamond_xxx/Accessories?

>
> returns an error 3 when from from within Diamond.
>

From page 496 of C:\lscc\diamond\3.7_x64\synpbase\doc\user_guide.pdf
"
" The software uses the following error codes:
" 0 - OK
" 2 - logical error
" 3 - startup failure
" 4 - licensing failure
" ...
"

'Startup Failure' sounds to me like an install or DLL issue- I'd try a clean install and/or running under a DLL checker like DependencyWalker.

-Brian

[rickman]

Thanks for the info. I've already done the uninstall and install again
thing. How do you trouble shoot something like this? I'm getting zero
help from Lattice.

--

Rick C

[rickman]

I am pursuing the possibility of this being a licensing error. I found
when I reinstalled the tool I had wiped out the license file. Oddly
enough Diamond starts up happily, maybe because it found the license
file for Diamond 3.3 which has not yet expired. I can't see anything
different about those lines in the license files other than the date and
the key numbers.

I found that Diamond has a license debug facility and it has found a
different NIC than the one I was using. When I type IPCONFIG /ALL on a
command line I get the following sections....

Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 14:

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:

The old license files were using the Ethernet adapter physical address.
The license debug tool sees the NIC under Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi.
There is a NIC under Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 14:
which is apparently a software thing rather than a real physical address.

So why was the licensing working ok with the Ethernet adapter NIC but
now insists on the Wi-Fi NIC?

--

Rick C