Read binary file to binary vector array

Reading binary files is typical for simulation (Modelsim), eg., see lfsr_tb.vhd in this tutorial:

http://www.ovro.caltech.edu/~dwh/correlator/pdf/lfsr_tutorial.pdf

http://www.ovro.caltech.edu/~dwh/correlator/pdf/lfsr_tutorial_src.zip

Here's the relevant code snippets:

	-- File parameters
    	subtype byte_t is character;
    	type binary_file_t is file of byte_t;
    	file binary_file : binary_file_t;
    	variable status : file_open_status;
    	variable byte : byte_t;
        ...
	-- Open the file
	file_open(status, binary_file, PRBS_FILE_NAME, READ_MODE);
	assert status = OPEN_OK
		report "File open for read failed!"
		severity failure;
	-- Read the data
	index := 0;
    	while not  endfile(binary_file) loop
		-- Read a byte
		read(binary_file, byte);
		-- Serialize
		if (index + 8 < PRBS_LENGTH) then
			prbs_sequence(index+7 downto index)
				:= to_slv(character'pos(byte), 8);
			index := index + 8;
		else
			-- Convert the last bits
			prbs_sequence(PRBS_LENGTH-1 downto index)
				:= to_slv(character'pos(byte),
					PRBS_LENGTH-index);
			exit;
		end if;
	end loop;
	file_close(binary_file);

For synthesis, the use of file I/O will be more restrictive, eg., you might be able to use it to initialize a signal.

What are you trying to do? If you need the binary data at run time, would a RAM (or ROM) component be more appropriate?

Cheers,

Dave