6.196 Project #1

A Beginners Guide to:

Using Viewlogic for VHDL simulation

November 13th, 1997

William Moyne

Introduction:

The Viewlogic Powerview tool is actually a collection of many (loosely) related tools. From there, the user can do everything from entering analog/digital circuits graphically, to laying out the actual printed circuit board (PCB) and everything in between.

The only problem with this approach is that the user has a hard time determining what steps need to be taken to perform a given task. The online manuals are useful for determining which tools are used for what, but using the tools together can be challenging.

To this end, I have documented a simple VHDL design sequence:

VHDL source --> Analyze --> Simulate --> Graph results

The actual process also includes steps that are needed to "glue" these steps together. The steps are listed chronologically below. The example was run in a fresh directory with no viewlogic setup and one source file.

Create working directory,.

In my case VIEWLOGIC2/

Write/copy VHDL code.

In my case VIEWLOGIC2/src/test.vhd

Initialize environment for Viewlogic:

source /u17c/viewlogic/setup

Run powerview (Viewlogic's main tool)

powerview &
It brings up a sea of buttons (picture)

Create a library to put your designs in:

Start Library Manager
Add ieee system library.
Create a new user library.

file -> create (pick a name)

Set USERLIB (or whatever you called it) as default.
Save: file -> save ini file (let it use the default)
Here is a picture of the filled-in form.

Compile your VHDL code into the library:

Start VHDL Analyzer
Select your source file (test.vhd)
Here is the selection window
Press OK to compile.
If the VHDL compiles without error it will look like this.
Press Dismiss to exit analysis tool.

Simulate your code!

Start the VHDL Fusion/Speedwave tool
Select [VHDL Entity/Architecture] and enter architecture (test )

See picture of filled-out form

Press OK to enter the simulator
The simulator will look like this.

At this point the simulator can be used by typing commands at the command prompt. Type help for a list of commands. Most of the menu items of the simulator actually map to these commands and when you select them the command window will type the command for you.

A few useful commands are:

assign "/a" 1

This puts a <= 1 on the event queue. Don't forget the quotes.

display "/a"

Displays the value of a

display *

Displays the value of all signals.

info "/a"

Detailed information about a

execute stimulous.cmd

Execute a script file.
This file can be generated by using the viewtrace tool on a static file and writing to CMD.

wave file.wfm "/a" "/b" "/clk"

View signals a,b,clk in viewtrace
See below for graphical way to start viewtrace

Start (graphically) viewtrace to view signals AS we simulate.

Viewtrace plots the results of simulation either after (file) or during (stream) a simulation
The Powerview Icon for viewtrace is:
The easiest way to run this tool is directly from the simulator. There are two methods:

Type the wave command manually (see above)
click setup -> wave to bring up the wave window

Here is a picture of the dialog that comes up

Once launched, viewtrace looks like this
Viewtrace can be used to dynamically watch your simulation.