Step 4: Launching the Vivado IDE - 2021.1 English

Vivado Design Suite Tutorial: Design Flows Overview

Document ID
UG888
Release Date
2020-07-08
Version
2021.1 English

Even though a Vivado project has not been created on disk, the in memory design is available in the tool, so from the Tcl shell you can open the Vivado IDE to view the design.

Non-Project mode enables the use of the Vivado IDE at various stages of the design process. The current netlist and constraints are loaded into memory in the IDE, enabling analysis and modification. Any changes to the logic or the constraints are live in memory and are passed to the downstream tools. This is quite a different concept than with the ISE tools that require saving and reloading files.

Open the IDE using the start_gui command.

Vivado% start_gui

The Vivado IDE provides design visualization and exploration capabilities for your use. From the Vivado IDE, you can perform further analysis and constraint manipulation on the design.

Figure 1. Vivado IDE - Non-Project Mode
Tip: To stop the GUI and return to the Vivado Design Suite Tcl shell, use the stop_gui command. If you use the File > Exit command from the Vivado IDE, you will completely exit the Vivado tool.

Because the design does not have a project in Non-Project mode, the Vivado IDE does not enable source file or run management. You are effectively analyzing the current in memory design. The Vivado Flow Navigator and other project based commands are also not available in Non-Project mode.