generics in type definition?

[MM]

Hi,

I have the following type and I want to be able to have different RdCount
and WrCount widths for different FIFOs without declaring a new type every
time. How can I do it in VHDL?

type FIFO_FLAGS_TYPE is record
Full : std_logic;
Empty : std_logic;
AlmostFull : std_logic;
AlmostEmpty : std_logic;
Underflow : std_logic;
Overflow : std_logic;
RdCount : std_logic_vector(8 downto 0);
WrCount : std_logic_vector(8 downto 0);
end record FIFO_FLAGS_TYPE;

Thanks,
/Mikhail

 

[Andy]

Assuming you want this to be synthesizable, you can't really do it...

But there are some ways you can set it up such that you never need to
change it...

1. Declare the vectors as the longest you would ever need, but when
they break out to individual signals, only hook up the bits you really
need. This can get a little verbose, but things like
numeric_std.resize() work well (BTW, I would make those unsigned
instead of SLV).

2. For counts up to 2**31 - 1, declare those elements of the record as
natural. Then hook them up to smaller natural subtypes as you break
them out. Integers work better for counters anyway. Much less verbocity
in hooking stuff up than with vectors (unsigned or SLV). This would be
my preferred choice.

Both of these methods will result in the synthesis tool optimizing out
the unused (unconnected) bits.

Sometimes it is easier to define things that you know the tools will
optimize away, than to code it exactly anyway.

If this is only for simulation, use access types for the counts.

Andy

 

[MM]

Thanks Andy. The reason I chose SLV was because the FIFOs I am hooking this
up to have their ports defined as SLV (they are Xilinx Coregen generated)...

/Mikhail

 

[Charles, NG]

Hello Mikhail,

something like the following should work. It should even be synthesisable.

Library IEEE;
Use IEEE.std_logic_1164.all;
Use IEEE.numeric_std.all;

Entity asdf is
Generic (
g_WordSize : integer := 8;
g_WS2 : integer := 15
);
Port (
i_din : in std_logic_vector(15 downto 0);
o_dout : out std_logic_vector(g_WS2 - 1 downto 0)
);
End asdf;

Architecture Bhv of asdf is
type t_asdf is record
f1 : std_logic_vector(g_WordSize - 1 downto 0);
f2 : std_logic_vector(i_din'range);
f3 : std_logic_vector(o_dout'range);
end record;
Begin
o_dout <= std_logic_vector(resize(unsigned(i_din), o_dout'length));
End Bhv;

Hope this helps,
Charles