Getting rid of packages in VHDL code

[Nicholas Kinar]

Hello,

I am working with some VHDL code
(http://www.xess.com/projects/sdramtst-1_6.zip), and I would like to use
an automated tool to convert the VHDL code to Verilog
(http://www.ocean-logic.com/downloads.htm).

Unfortunately, the automated tool does not seem to support VHDL packages
(containing functions). The "proper way" to convert the code would be
to do the conversion by hand, but in the meantime:

Is there a way to remove the packages from the VHDL code? Is there
another way to bundle functions instead of using packages?

There are two files in the download that demonstrate the use of
packages: sdramcntl.vhd and common.vhd.

Thank you,

Nicholas

 

[Stephen Williams]

Icarus Verilog has been growing the ability to parse and elaborate
VHDL, and it does support packages, although not yet functions. You
can then use the verilog code generator to effectively get a
conversion from VHDL to Verilog. The intent is to support mixed
language VHDL/Verilog simulations, but the ability to translate
comes more or less for free.

All this is in the current git master, and it is very much a work
in progress.

 

[Nicholas Kinar]

Icarus Verilog has been growing the ability to parse and elaborate
VHDL, and it does support packages, although not yet functions. You
can then use the verilog code generator to effectively get a
conversion from VHDL to Verilog. The intent is to support mixed
language VHDL/Verilog simulations, but the ability to translate
comes more or less for free.

All this is in the current git master, and it is very much a work
in progress.

That's great Stephen; you share some very marvelous news. So Icarus can
indeed convert VHDL to Verilog!

Icarus is actually the primary Verilog simulator that I use, and I
didn't know this feature was making it into the git master. Over the
past couple of days (and even weeks), I have been trying various
proprietary simulators to do mixed-mode (VHDL and Verilog) simulation,
but I find it very frustrating to work with these crippled and buggy
software packages. I have been going around in circles trying to work
with both VHDL and Verilog.

I will clone the current Icarus git master and try to compile the most
recent version of Icarus.

1) Is there a tutorial/manual page on how to convert VHDL to Verilog
using Icarus? I suspect that it could be similar to the one shown here:
http://iverilog.wikia.com/wiki/Using_VHDL_Code_Generator

2) Is there a way to get rid of the VHDL functions in the code by
replacing the functions with a similar construct supported by Icarus
Verilog?

Many thanks,

Nicholas

 

[Stephen Williams]

That's great Stephen; you share some very marvelous news. So Icarus can
indeed convert VHDL to Verilog!

It can also simulate it without conversion. Or at least some bits
of it. This is a work in progress.

Icarus is actually the primary Verilog simulator that I use, and I
didn't know this feature was making it into the git master. Over the
past couple of days (and even weeks), I have been trying various
proprietary simulators to do mixed-mode (VHDL and Verilog) simulation,
but I find it very frustrating to work with these crippled and buggy
software packages. I have been going around in circles trying to work
with both VHDL and Verilog.

The main intent is to support mixed language simulations, not to make
a converter. Conversion comes for free, but it sounds like you'd be
just as happy with mixed language simulations.

1) Is there a tutorial/manual page on how to convert VHDL to Verilog
using Icarus? I suspect that it could be similar to the one shown here:
http://iverilog.wikia.com/wiki/Using_VHDL_Code_Generator

There is no tutorial or documentation on how to use the VHDL support.
The page you point out above is for the VHDL code generator (i.e. to
convert Verilog to VHDL) but you are trying to go the other way. It
*is* very much a work in progress and documentation is needed.

2) Is there a way to get rid of the VHDL functions in the code by
replacing the functions with a similar construct supported by Icarus
Verilog?

Better would be to actually get Icarus Verilog to support the code
that you have, rather then change it to what Icarus Verilog can support,
but in the short term it may be more expedient to change your code to
what Icarus Verilog can support. No, I do not know of any tools that
can do that automatically.

You might want to lurk and/or ask about it on the iverilog-devel
mailing list.


P.S. (and pardon the marketing) The VHDL/mixed language support was
sponsored/paid for. That model works well for me and if there are
specific needs you would like addressed with higher priority, I, and
possibly others on the iverilog-devel mailing list, am open to doing
contract work to address your specific needs. I am actively looking
for more sponsorships for this open source work.

 

[Nicholas Kinar]

The main intent is to support mixed language simulations, not to make
a converter. Conversion comes for free, but it sounds like you'd be
just as happy with mixed language simulations.

Thanks for your response, Stephen! I would indeed be just as happy with
mixed language simulations.

There is no tutorial or documentation on how to use the VHDL support.
The page you point out above is for the VHDL code generator (i.e. to
convert Verilog to VHDL) but you are trying to go the other way. It
*is* very much a work in progress and documentation is needed.

Okay, I suppose that there has to be some command-line switches that can
be used to do the conversion. I suspect that either reading the code or
looking at the command-line help would be insightful. I will try to ask
about it on the iverilog-devel mailing list.

Better would be to actually get Icarus Verilog to support the code
that you have, rather then change it to what Icarus Verilog can support,
but in the short term it may be more expedient to change your code to
what Icarus Verilog can support. No, I do not know of any tools that
can do that automatically.

You might want to lurk and/or ask about it on the iverilog-devel
mailing list.

Hmm, I would wonder if I could simply modify the VHDL file by hand to
use something similar to functions. I will try to compile the Icarus
Verilog code from git and then ask about changing the code on the
iverilog-devel mailing list.

Nicholas