Problem using VHDL from a project lower in the heirarchy in an upper level

Are you sure you have copied the code correctly? According to:

http://www.altera.com/support/examples/vhdl/v_testdff.html

The LPM component is LPM_FF, not LPM_DFF. A search in my 11.1sp1 installation shows the LPM component (C:\software\altera\11.1sp1\quartus\eda\sim_lib\ 220pack.vhd):

component LPM_FF
        generic(LPM_WIDTH : natural;    -- MUST be greater than 0
                LPM_AVALUE : string := "UNUSED";
                LPM_SVALUE : string := "UNUSED";
                LPM_PVALUE : string := "UNUSED";
                LPM_FFTYPE: string := "DFF";
                LPM_TYPE: string := L_FF;
                LPM_HINT : string := "UNUSED");
        port   (DATA : in std_logic_vector(LPM_WIDTH-1 downto 0) := (OTHERS => '1');
                CLOCK : in std_logic;
                ENABLE : in std_logic := '1';
                SLOAD : in std_logic := '0';
                SCLR : in std_logic := '0';
                SSET : in std_logic := '0';
                ALOAD : in std_logic := '0';
                ACLR : in std_logic := '0';
                ASET : in std_logic := '0';
                Q : out std_logic_vector(LPM_WIDTH-1 downto 0));
end component;

The comments in the example code regarding third party tools are incorrect. All tools can use the LPM library. You just need to create the LPM library, or map it to the work library.

For example, in Modelsim

vlib lpm

vmap lpm [pwd]/lpm

or

vlib work

vmap lpm [pwd]/work

and then compile the components into that library

vcom -work lpm 220pack.vhd

vcom -work lpm 220model.vhd

Modelsim-ASE already has this library configured with the source built into it.

Cheers,

Dave