How to run GPLACE?

0- Extract gplace.tar.gz by typing the following:
$ tar -xvzf gplace.tar.gz

1- Routability-Driven GPlace (GPLACE 3.0):
To run routability driven GPlace use routability_driven.flow as follows:

$ ./gplace_cli -f routability_driven.flow -a <path-to-benchmark>/design.aux -o <path-to-output-file>/placement.pl

2- Timing-Driven GPlace (GPLACE 4.0):
To run timing driven GPlace use timing_driven.flow as follows:

$ ./gplace_cli -f timing_driven.flow -a <path-to-benchmark>/design.aux -o <path-to-output-file>/placement.pl


3- To read .pl placement file back to Vivado 2015.4:

A. You need to install the patches from Guelph FPGA CAD Group website "https://fpga.socs.uoguelph.ca".
Patches contain a README file that describes the steps of how to install these patches into Vivado 2015.4

B. To read .pl placement file into Vivado 2015.4, run vivado in batch mode with flow.tcl script:
$ vivado -mode batch -source flow.tcl