iverilog/vvm.txt

WHAT IS VVM

The vvm target is C++ output that uses the VVM library for a
runtime. The Verilog module that is elaborated must have no ports, as
the output program is self contained. It is useful to write a "main"
module that tests a part being designed. This output type is most
useful for batch simulation.

Although none are required, these processing steps are recommended:
	 nobufz
	 sigfold
	 propinit

So a sample command line to compile a Verilog file to C++ would be:

	ivl -F nobufz -F sigfold -F propinit -t vvm -o foo.cc foo.vl

Once the program is compiled down to C++ code, it needs to be further
compiled and linked into an executable image. The command for doing
this is highly dependent on the system where you use Icarus
Verilog. For Linux, the compile command is typically:

	c++ -rdynamic -o foo foo.cc -lvvm -ldl

On any system, the compiled program requires that the VPI_MODULE_PATH
be set to a ':' separated list of directories to search for vpi files,
the system.vpi file in particular. This is a run time requirement.

ATTRIBUTES

(none)

INITIALIZATION OF THE SIMULATION

The t-vvm generates initialization code that causes gates to get
initial values for their inputs, if any were specified by the
programmer, and outputs if the device is sequential. This
initialization code goes into the generated design_init() function.

The t-vvm also generates startup code that causes gates to generate
outputs from the initial inputs. This cannot be done in the
design_init() function because of the possibilities of cycles and
other complexities in the netlist.


THREADS

The generated code does not actually use threads. It instead supports
threads of verilog behavior by reducing the sequential process into
basic blocks, and calling those basic blocks as needed.

SMALL SEQUENTIAL UDP GATES

For gates with 8 or fewer inputs, vvm has a table based
representation. When a transition happens, the transition is converted
into a table index that addresses the next output value. This is a
compact method for representing even the most degenerate UDP
transition tables, but these degenerate tables can get pretty
large. Hence the practical limit.

The index into the transtion table is made up of the current output
and current inputs with the following recursive formula:

	I[0] = X
	I[N] = X[N] + 3 * I[N-1]

where X[N], the value of pin N, is 0 for V0, 1 for V1 and 2 for Vx. In
other words:

	unsigned state = current_output;
	for (unsigned idx = 1 ;  idx < npins ;  idx += 1)
	    state = 3*state + current_input[idx];

The state indexes into an array of 32bit words that contain all the
transitions out of that state. Each pin transition is represented by 4
bits--two bits for each possible transition for the pin. The 4 bits
represent transitions as in this table:

	bits [3:2]	bits [1:0]
	0 -> 1		0 -> x
	1 -> 0		1 -> x
	x -> 0		x -> 1

The values of the bit pairs in the table entry are 2b'00 for V0, 2b'01
for V1 and 2b'10 for Vx. The transitions are arranged in the 32bit
entry with the last pin in the lowest 4 bits, the next to last pin in
the next 4 bits, and so on. So, if P is the changing pin on a 7 pin
UDP, and E is the 32bit entry for the current state, the transition
bits are at:

	(E >> 4*(6-P)) & 0xf

/*
 * Copyright (c) 1998-1999 Stephen Williams (steve@icarus.com)
 *
 *    This source code is free software; you can redistribute it
 *    and/or modify it in source code form under the terms of the GNU
 *    General Public License as published by the Free Software
 *    Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option)
 *    any later version.
 *
 *    This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 *    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 *    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
 *    GNU General Public License for more details.
 *
 *    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 *    along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 *    Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA
 */

 $Id: vvm.txt,v 1.3 1999/08/18 03:45:36 steve Exp $
 $Log: vvm.txt,v $
 Revision 1.3  1999/08/18 03:45:36  steve
  Update compile command line.

 Revision 1.2  1999/08/15 01:23:56  steve
  Convert vvm to implement system tasks with vpi.

 Revision 1.1  1999/04/29 16:29:04  steve
  Add vvm target documentation