Adding a library to Quartus II 14 (web) and ModelSim ASE

Modelsim keeps its libraries in folders. You use vlib to create the folder and vmap to point to those folders, eg., lets say you want your Modelsim work folder in a directory pointed to by $mwork (I use a Modelsim-version dependent directory for this) and your source is in $src, then you can ...

#  Create the Modelsim build folder
file mkdir $mwork
#  Create the "work" library folder
vlib $mwork/work
vmap work $mwork/work
#  Create the "standard_additions" library folder
vlib $mwork/standard_additions
vmap standard_additions $mwork/standard_additions
#  Build the standard_additions library
vcom -work standard_additions $src/standard_additions.vhd

This is too basic though, since the folders are created and built each time you run this as a script. A more intelligent script checks the timestamps on files to see if they should be rebuilt (much like a makefile).

Cheers,

Dave

As you already know, vlib sets up the library, and vcom compiles. But you obviously missed the -work option to vcom to compile a file into a specified library.

Vlib mylib

Vcom -work mylib some_vhdl_file.vhd

Vmap is only useful if the library already exists in a compiled form. But you need to do the vcom in the first place to get that library. The refresh option comes usually when you use vmap on a library compiled in a different version of modelsim.

Modelsim comes with a very comprehensive command reference manual in pdf installed in the modulation directory. You can get it via the help menu.

Dave and Tricky:

Thanks very much to you both for the quick response.

Ok, I started with Dave's suggestions and am currently attempting to set up a pair of new libraries (the standard_additions mentioned above, and one of my own, sh_ioblocks, containing an input_synchronizer component). I'm sure that it will be well into tomorrow before I've been able to sort out the details and actually have some working libraries, both of which are to be used in a "real" FPGA project on which working.

Tricky: I didn't find the "modulation" directory, but I did find the docs in my modelsim_ase/docs/pdfdocs. (Hopefully, once my design is successful, I'll purchase the full package from Altera. At this time, I'm necessarily limited to the free one.)

One item that is still a question, though: once I've successfully understood and navigated through the steps you both have outlined, does this place a (single source) copy of my (new) library in a place that is accessible and usable to both Quartus and ModelSim? Or, is there another set of steps for Quartus?

Thanks,

Dave

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One item that is still a question, though: once I've successfully understood and navigated through the steps you both have outlined, does this place a (single source) copy of my (new) library in a place that is accessible and usable to both Quartus and ModelSim? Or, is there another set of steps for Quartus?

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Quartus and Modelsim both need to use *source* code, they cannot share compiled library source.

However, your question is still relevant for Modelsim, in that if you have a bunch of common code, and multiple projects that use it, you don't want to have to rebuild the common code for each testbench. The modelsim.ini file stores the library mappings. A read-only copy of that file lives in the modelsim installation. When you type a vmap command, Modelsim tries to write to modelsim.ini, and if it cannot, it copies the file and creates a local copy, and then edits that. If you build all your Modelsim simulations in one area, then that automatic action may be ok for you.

In my setup I have several versions of Modelsim installed (several versions of Quartus and the associated Modelsim-ASE, and several versions of Modelsim-SE). In this setup I use Tcl scripts to setup the environment; MODELSIM_TCL points to a Tcl script that Modelsim runs, and that Tcl script sets up the MGC_WD (Modelsim working directory) which in turn influences the setting for the MODELSIM environment variable. In the end, the variable $env(MODELSIM) points to a Modelsim-version-specific folder where I have my custom libraries compiled. Read the Modelsim manuals for details on these variables. If you think you want to go this route, ask, and I'll see if I can hack together a really basic set of setup scripts. ... Unless Tricky points out that there is an easier way :)

Cheers,

Dave

Dave: I'm attempting to use the Quote feature...

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in that if you have a bunch of common code, and multiple projects that use it, you don't want to have to rebuild the common code for each testbench.

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Yes, that's it exactly.

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The modelsim.ini file stores the library mappings. A read-only copy of that file lives in the modelsim installation. When you type a vmap command, Modelsim tries to write to modelsim.ini, and if it cannot, it copies the file and creates a local copy, and then edits that.

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Yes, I've now seen this happen.

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If you build all your Modelsim simulations in one area, then that automatic action may be ok for you.

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Not experienced enough yet to know. :-)

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... If you think you want to go this route, ask, and I'll see if I can hack together a really basic set of setup scripts. ... Unless Tricky points out that there is an easier way :)

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Thank you for the generous offer - please hold on that. I've actually been able to create a library (and have it appear in ModelSim - yeah!). It isn't - yet - exactly where or what I want, but using the steps that you and Tricky supplied I'm making some progress and getting into the zen of the tools. And, as an experienced C++ developer, having picked up a couple of books on TCL, and noting the commands that ModelSim executed and make available in its command window, I think that I'll be able to work something out. I won't hesitate to ask, though, if something remains opaque.

Thanks!

Take a look at this thread (post# 9);

http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45770

There's a basic modelsim example, with a decent enough source/scripts/test code layout.

Cheers,

Dave

Dave:

Ok, some success! However, I'd like to review this with you as a sanity check since there are still some gaps in my understanding.

I now understand the process to create a "library" (a directory folder, really, in Windows), compile the code into it (or anywhere that it is needed), see it in the ModelSim library window, and be able to refer to it. I also understand that ModelSim needs the compiled libraries to do its work. So far so good (I think)...

Here is my initial directory structure for what is intended to be reusable objects:

$myroot\vhdllibs\work\standard_additions

|

|-- src

|---- <source code files>

|-- packages

|----- work

|-------- standard_additions

In order to begin implementing reusable objects, like the standard_additions package I found on the 'net, I placed and compiled it into $myroot\vhdllibs\work\standard_additions folder. I found, though, that in order to use it in my TB, I had to "directly" include it into my Quartus project (that is, as a reference, NOT copying the actual file into project folder). If it is true that Quartus uses only source, this seems to be the only way to do it. This also means that I did not add (or appear even to need) a Global/Project library reference in Settings -> Libraries within Quartus. (Interestingly, I tried adding entries both the standard_additions source and compiled code directories, none of which worked and were subsequently removed. That's when I added the direct reference to standard_additions.vhd to the Quartus project. Somehow, this doesn't seem right and begs the question as to what the Settings -> Libraries entries actually do in Quartus.)

I like using NativeLink to launch ModelSim. The main component file was compiled without issue, but the compiler choked when attempting to compile the test bench because it couldn't find the standard_additions library that I use in it. I "fixed" this by telling ModelSim to use the modelsim.ini file that was in $myroot\vhdllibs\packages directory (when setting up a new MS Project).

So, while I have something that works, this seems a bit convolved (and as if I'm making this more difficult than it should be). I'd be very interested in yours and Tricky's suggestions/critiques.

Thanks, all!

Dave

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Here is my initial directory structure for what is intended to be reusable objects:

$myroot\vhdllibs\work\standard_additions

|

|-- src

|---- <source code files>

|-- packages

|----- work

|-------- standard_additions

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Since "work" is a library in its own right (the default VHDL library), you might want to use $myroot\vhdllibs\standard_additions instead (to avoid confusion).

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In order to begin implementing reusable objects, like the standard_additions package I found on the 'net, I placed and compiled it into $myroot\vhdllibs\work\standard_additions folder. I found, though, that in order to use it in my TB, I had to "directly" include it into my Quartus project (that is, as a reference, NOT copying the actual file into project folder). If it is true that Quartus uses only source, this seems to be the only way to do it. This also means that I did not add (or appear even to need) a Global/Project library reference in Settings -> Libraries within Quartus. (Interestingly, I tried adding entries both the standard_additions source and compiled code directories, none of which worked and were subsequently removed. That's when I added the direct reference to standard_additions.vhd to the Quartus project. Somehow, this doesn't seem right and begs the question as to what the Settings -> Libraries entries actually do in Quartus.)

I like using NativeLink to launch ModelSim. The main component file was compiled without issue, but the compiler choked when attempting to compile the test bench because it couldn't find the standard_additions library that I use in it. I "fixed" this by telling ModelSim to use the modelsim.ini file that was in $myroot\vhdllibs\packages directory (when setting up a new MS Project).

So, while I have something that works, this seems a bit convolved (and as if I'm making this more difficult than it should be). I'd be very interested in yours and Tricky's suggestions/critiques.

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Quartus' support for VHDL libraries is "lacking" in places. At one point in time, VHDL libraries were ignored completely and everything was effectively compiled into "work". You can now add a -work option when you add libraries into Quartus. For Quartus synthesis I typically create a Tcl script that adds all relevant packages and source to a project, and I don't even bother to specify individual libraries. This is a reasonable "solution" since the libraries are meaningless anyway, i.e., Quartus does not provide an option for precompiling libraries for a device family so that you can synthesize multiple designs for a specific target.

As for NativeLink, I never use it. I use a Quartus Tcl script for synthesis and a Modelsim Tcl script for simulation. If any of that Tcl is re-usable I put in in a Tcl package, and then set TCLLIBPATH to point to it, and import the code into either script via "package require hdl".

Cheers,

Dave