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The SimVHDL User Interface

The user interface consists of a menu bar at the top of the window, a tool bar just below the menu bar, a status line at the bottom of the window, and the main display in the middle. The main display shows one of three views which is selected by clicking on the tabs at the top of the main display. The TextIO view displays any output and previously entered input from the program being simulated using the standard package TextIO. The Watch view shows the current values of any variables or signals you have selected to be watched. Finally, the trace view shows a waveform display of the values of variables or signals that you have selected to be traced. When signals are traced their values must be recorded throughout the execution and can consume a lot of memory, whereas signals that are watched just display the current value. Thus, the watch view can be used to conserve memory when you are only concerned with the current value.

The basic procedure of simulating a design is as follows.

  1. Load the executable file into SVE.
  2. Select variables/signals to be watched/traced.
  3. Run the simulation for the desired time

    or

    Set the time step interval and simulate step by step.

The following sections describe the functionality of each menu item and tool bar button. Read each section completely to be aware of what you can do with SVE.

File Menu
Execution Menu
Debug Menu
Configuration Menu
Help Menu
Tool Bar