Simulate with ModelSim (en)
Simulate with ModelSim
ModelSim - simulation software
ModelSim can be used to simulate VHDL-code, to determine whether it is "right" thinking. The Altera version of ModelSim is also integrated with a "database" with facts about Altera-chips, eg. MAX-chips, so one can also do simulations that take into account the "time delay" and other phenomena within the intended target circuit. ( As long as the target circuit is of Altera's brand ... ).
Select the correct software version - in school there are several versions installed in the Start menu!
Altera 13.0.1.232 Web edition\
ModelSim-Altera Starter Edition 13.0.1.232\
ModelSim-Altera 10.1d(Quartus II 13.0sp1)
Start ModelSim.
In the window "important information" you click on Jumpstart to get help with setting up a project.
Then you click on "Create a Project" in the welcome window.
Create a project.
Project Name MAXsim can be a suitable name Project location H:/MAXwork browse to the same folder you used for Quartus. Default Library Name work keep the suggested name, it's the standard at VHDL-simulation
Click on OK.
We choose "Add Existing File" to add a VHDL-file to the project.
"Browse" to the file codelock.vhd that we created earlier with Quartus.
Click on OK. Then clic on Close.
Codelock code in ModelSim
ModelSim has a own compiler to produce the code for simulation. Though we have compiled the VHDL code in Quartus we must now compile it again for ModelSim.
Choose Compile menu, alternative Compile All.
Now the VHDL-code is also compiled for Modelsim.
Status symbol changes from a blue question mark to a green check!
Simulate codelock-template!
We simulate by giving different commands in the Transcript-window, and then follow some selected signals in the window Wave.
Transcript-window is a terminal window where you enter commands, but you can also give most commands by menu selection, or by clicking on buttons. Commands are always written in the Transcript-window, regardless of how they are given.
Load the Design to simulator..
Choose the tab Library, and open the folder work. Doubleclick on "Entity" codelock. A series of commands are now executed resulting in that the design is loaded into the simulator.
In the Transcript-window you can follow the commands executed.
Prepare simulation
We need to have a number of windows open in order to follow the simulation.
| Give thees commands in Transcript-window or check in the View-menu. VSIM> view objects VSIM> view locals VSIM> view source VSIM> view wave -undock |
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Modelsim consists of "windows". It can be hard to see everything at the same time. With the button Zoom/Unzoom you can enlarge the window. With the button Dock/Undockthe window can be moved to any location, it is that alternative we choose for Wave-window. With the button Close those windows not needed for the time can be closed.
Signals in Wave window
If you have many signals, it is a good idea to select the signals you are interested to follow in Wave-window, but this time we choose to follow them all:
add wave *
There are several ways to add signals to the Wave-window:
- Select signals in Object-window (Shift+Left Button) and "drag and drop" the selection to Wave-window.
- Right-click in the Object-window and choose Add to Wave.
- A Add to Wave dialoge-window is reachable from the menu, Add.
Format, Radix, Hexadecimal
The state variable q has 32 different states, such a variable is easier to follow if it is presented as a hexa-decimal number, 00 ... 1F instead of a binary number. We therefore suggest that you check the variable and change the presentation to hexadecimal. UUUUU is exchanged to XX in the Wave-window. Other variables are best suited to be presented as binary numbers.
Create stimuli
The default time resolution in Wave is nanoseconds, ns. A suitable clock frequency for a code lock may however be as low as 5 Hz, or a period time of 0.2 sec.
The easiest way, of not having to make extensive adjustments of the program, is to "scale" our problem to a higher clock speed with a period of 20 ns. We then has to imagine that there are fast fingers that press the keys!
Stimuli, Inputsignals as clock pulses or key-presses, are created with the command force in the Transcript-window.
force codelock/clk 1 0ns, 0 10ns -repeat 20ns
Generates clockpulses for ever.
force codelock/k 000
force codelock/r 0000
Initiates variables r and k.
run 100ns
Runs the simulation in 100 ns, which is five clock cycles.
Simulate keypresses
You can Zoom in the Wave-window. Choose View, Zoom, and Zoom Full or Zoom Last.
force codelock/k 001 force codelock/r 0001 run 30ns force codelock/k 000 force codelock/r 0000 run 800ns
30 ns (20+10) means that the keypress is certain be in the gap between the clock edges. The full simulationtime 100 ns +30ns + 800 ns = 930 ns corresponds to 46.5 clock pulse periods. This is enough to show the lock's entire opening sequence.
Do-file
Instead of writing single commands in Transcript-window, you can run many commands in sequence from a Do-file.
Alternatively, you can copy the text in Windows (Ctrl-C) and paste it (Ctrl-V) in Transcript.
delete wave * add wave codelock/clk add wave codelock/k add wave codelock/r add wave codelock/q add wave codelock/unlock force codelock/clk 1 0ns, 0 10ns -repeat 20ns force codelock/k 000 force codelock/r 0000 run 100ns force codelock/k 001 force codelock/r 0001 run 30ns force codelock/k 000 force codelock/r 0000 run 800ns
This is how to create a Do-file. Paste text commands above in the file. Then save it among the other files (in MAXwork) with extension .do.
You run a Do-file with these commands (in Transcript):
restart -f
do lock.do
Find in the Wave window
It can be difficult to find what you are looking for in the Wave window. Therefore, there is a whole series of tools like Zoom, Expanded time, Cursors ...
Add, Cursor.
A Cursor can be used together with the function Edit, Wave Signal Search.
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Now the Cursor points what happens (this time nothing special!) when q has the state 07.
Spend a little time now to try different tools available for orientation in Wave Window!