Basic file read access using VHDL

[Derdonn]

Hello,

for the first time I have to make advanced testbenches accessing complex files. So i need to reach a position in the file that is flaged with markers like this

....
==Raw Data==
01010101010101
10010101010101
....
==Encoded Data==
01010101010101
10010101010101
....

but I'm struggling with strings that I'm not used to manipulate. I can now extract vectors from files thanks to a package I found here : web.archive.org/web/20070204123448/members.aol.com/vhdlcohen/vhdl/Models.html

but the thing I'm not able to do is to implement this algorithm...

open the file
while( not(endoffile) and (my_string /= "==Encoded Data==")) {
read a line
}
if endoffile return error;
read a line
register( my_range ) <= string_to_vector(my_line)


my main concern is the string comparison as "my_string" may be of any size while "==Encoded Data==" is of defined length so the compiler don't even let me compile this.

As this is probably a piece of cake for some of you, i decided to ask for help. Is there a common way to do what i'm trying to do? Could someone show me an example please?

Thanks!

 

[joris]

Maybe a bit "lazy", but I would try using another program language to translate the input files into vhdl files (describing packages), which I'd then "use" in the main testbench description

 

[Derdonn]

Thanks but it doesn't work for me as my data can't be hardcoded.
There is probably a simple way to do what i'm trying to do.

Did anybody ever made a string comparison? (ex: if my_string = "foo" then ... )