EPIC (Editor for Programmable Integrated Circuits)

EPIC is a low-level graphical editor used to display and configure your designs and Xilinx FPGAs. The main functions of EPIC are listed as follows.

• Placing and routing critical components before running automatic place and route tools on an entire design.
  
  
• Modifying placement and routing manually. The editor allows both automatic and manual component placement, and both automatic and manual routing.
  
  
• Interaction with the physical constraints file (PCF) to create and modify constraints.
  
  
• Verification of timing against constraints.
  
  
• Creating physical macros (.nmc files)
  
  

Editing operations performed within EPIC change the configuration of the design and also change the design database. Editing functions include selecting, adding, and deleting objects, viewing and changing object attributes, copying components, swapping components and net pins, placing components, and routing.

EPIC has its own set of commands, many of which can be customized to suit your work style. You can invoke these commands by the use of pull-down menus, push buttons, command macros, hot keys and aliases, or by entering the commands on a command line within the EPIC window.

In addition to customizing commands, other EPIC tools may also be tailored to your needs. For example, you can do the following.

• Decide what commands will be performed when the EPIC window first opens
  
  
• Customize menus and push buttons
  
  
• Choose the colors for different objects (for example, components) and areas (for example, the push button panel or command area) in the EPIC window
  
  
• Use command macros and hot keys
  
  

The following figure shows the EPIC file flow. For more information on EPIC, see the EPIC Design Editor Reference/User Guide.

Figure 3.5 EPIC