Vivado IDE Mode - 2021.1 English

Vivado Design Suite Tcl Command Reference Guide (UG835)

Document ID
UG835
Release Date
2021-06-16
Version
2021.1 English

You can launch the Vivado Design Suite and run the tools using different methods depending on your preference. For example, you can choose a Tcl script-based compilation style method in which you manage sources and the design process yourself, also known as Non-Project Mode. Alternatively, you can use a project-based method to automatically manage your design process and design data using projects and project states, also known as Project Mode. Either of these methods can be run using a Tcl scripted batch mode or run interactively in the Vivado IDE. For more information on the different design flow modes, see the Vivado Design Suite User Guide: Design Flows Overview (UG892).

If you prefer to work in a GUI, you can launch the Vivado IDE from Windows or Linux. For more information on the Vivado IDE, see the Vivado Design Suite User Guide: Using the Vivado IDE (UG893).

Launch the Vivado IDE from your working directory. By default the Vivado journal and log files, and any generated report files, are written to the directory from which the Vivado tool is launched. This makes it easier to locate the project file, log files, and journal files, which are written to the launch directory.

In the Windows OS, select Start > All Programs > Xilinx Design Tools > Vivado yyyy.x > Vivado yyyy.x Tcl Shell, where “yyyy.x” is the installed version of Vivado.

Tip: You can also double-click the Vivado IDE shortcut icon on your Windows desktop.
In the Linux OS, enter the following command at the command prompt:
vivado -or- vivado -mode gui 
If you need help, with the Vivado tool command line executable, type:
vivado -help 

If you are running the Vivado tool from the Vivado Design Suite Tcl shell, you can open the Vivado IDE directly from the Tcl shell by using the start_gui command.

From the Vivado IDE, you can close the Vivado IDE and return to a Vivado Tcl shell by using the stop_gui command.