Does Quartus 18.0 support the VHDL 2008 'ELEMENT attribute?

There is an easy workaround for this (that works in '93):

-- If you know the array always contains index 0 (or some other fixed number):
i_RegReadData(i_DAC_CodeWordMaskReg(0)'RANGE)
 
-- You dont know the indeces
i_RegReadData(i_DAC_CodeWordMaskReg(i_DAC_CodeWordMaskReg'low)'RANGE)

Hi,

Quartus Prime Version 18.0.0 Standard Edition doesn't support this VHDL 2008 feature.

please refer the Table available at page no.7 from below link,

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/programmable/us/en/pdfs/literature/br/br-quartus-prime-software.pdf

Let me know if this has helped resolve the issue you are facing or if you need any further assistance.

Best Regards

Vikas Jathar

(This message was posted on behalf of Intel Corporation)

You may consider using Quartus Prime Pro if your target device is Cyclone 10 GX(Quartus Prime Pro without License ) or Stratix10/ Arria10 (Need to purchase License.)

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/software/programmable/quartus-prime/download.html

Thanks,

Arslan

Thanks for the reply @Vicky​ . I am a bit puzzled though. According to the list on page 7 of the document you mention only the Pro Edition supports synthesis for VHDL-2008. In the standard edition I am using it is however possible to select VHDL-2008 in the "VHDL Input" section of the "Compiler Settings" in the settings window. I also think it a bit strange that VHDL-2008 is only supported for designs with the series 10 devices. Since our design is based on an Arria V this would convict me to not using VHDL-2008 😒 .

Luckily @Tricky​ pointed my to the document https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/quartushelp/current/index.htm#hdl/vhdl/vhdl_list_2008_vhdl_support.htm

which is the document that is opened when I select "Help topics" in the help of my Quartus Prime Standard Edition. The document however is about the Pro Edition. In the paragraph about HL Language support there is a section about VHDL-2008 support

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/quartushelp/current/index.htm#hdl/vhdl/vhdl_list_2008_vhdl_support.htm

unfortunately is states there that section 16 "Predefined language environment" which holds the predefined attributes of types and objects isn't supported 😥 .

Question still is whether this paragraph is also valid for the Standard Edition? Why is it possible to select VHDL-2008 in the Standard Edition I use while the list on page 7 indicates that VHDL-2008 is only supported on the Pro Edition? Why do I get the Pro help when I select "Help topics" in the Standard Edition? It would be nice to have some clarification on this so I won't run into more unexpected limitations.

Thanks,

Jacob de Sterke

Quartus has supported some basic VHDL 2008 since Q10 or 11 (I cant rememember, but before it was separated into Prime and Pro) but support has been limited to those listed on the page you linked to since then. So you can select 2008 because of this history. The page also clearly states the list is for Quartus Prime, and not Prime Pro.

With the intel transition everything has become rather confused. It is very difficult to find documentation about the standard Prime software, as everything appears to go via the Pro version. This is likely because all of the Prime software and supported devices were not part of the Intel/Altera merger, and intel are focusing on their new products, while neglecting the past.

Hi Jacob,

Let me answer few of your questions.

1. I have Quartus Prime Standard version 18.0 installed on my PC. When I click Help> Help topics it opens help locally from installation directory. "<Quartus install directory/quartus/common/help/webhelp/index.htm#quartus/gl_quartus_welcome.htm>" Can you confirm what version you are using. go to Help> About Quartus Prime.
2. VHDL-2008 is not supported in Quartus Standard Edition, it is recommended to use Quartus Prime Pro for design using VHDL 2008.. Quartus feature comparison page referred by @Vicky​ is the latest and most accurate. https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/programmable/us/en/pdfs/literature/br/br-quartus-prime-software.pdf

Hope this clarifies.

--

Arslan

@MUsman​

Please check your facts.

Quartus Prime Standard DOES support VHDL 2008, but only a limited subset (as listed in the above link). It has done for many years (Q10 or 11).

@Tricky​ I am sorry for the inconvenience, you can navigate to Quartus Prime Standard Documentation at the link below. Type "quartus prime standard" in search box you should be able to get Quartus Prime Handbooks.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/products/design-software/fpga-design/quartus-prime/support.html

hope this helps.

@MUsman As per the quartus prime handbook:

VHDL-2008 Support

The Intel® Quartus® Prime software contains support for VHDL 2008 with constructs defined in the IEEE Standard 1076-2008 version of the IEEE Standard VHDL Language Reference Manual.

Related Information

Intel® Quartus® Prime Support for VHDL 2008

(the related information links to the Prime Pro Handbook, but lists the supported features for Prime standard, which is where @JDe S4​ is getting confused)

Hi @Tricky​ ,

Thanks for the information and the suggested workaround. I should have thought of it myself (embarrassed). I implemented the workaround and everything compiles without errors. Like the VHDL-2008 way though.

@MUsman​

Thanks for pointing out where and how to find the Quartus Prime Standard handbooks. I downloaded the pdf's right away. If I read paragraph 16.2.2.1 VHDL-2008 Support of Volume 1 Design and Synthesis correctly The Intel Quartus Prime software contains support for VHDL 2008 (as @Tricky​ pointed out). So the question stays: should I trust the handbook or the table on page 7 of the document @Vicky​ referred to?

Thanks