Generics, packages, and VHDL-2008

[Rob Gaddi]

Hey y'all --

If I have an entity with a generic, call it DATA_WIDTH. And I want
that entity to use a package that has a DATA_WIDTH generic, in this
specific case the package provides for a queue, implemented on shared
variables, that the package would use.

Is there any way to call out the instantiated package using the
DATA_WIDTH that was passed into the entity?

Thanks,
Rob

--
Rob Gaddi, Highland Technology -- www.highlandtechnology.com
Email address domain is currently out of order. See above to fix.

 

[Rob Gaddi]

On Thu, 9 May 2013 13:17:41 -0700 (PDT)
Andy <jonesandy@comcast.net> wrote:

Rob,

You can put a Package Instantiation Declaration in the declarative region of the entity, architecture, block, or several other declarative regions (not process).

If the generic you wish to use is visible where the PID is, then that generic can be used in the PID's generic map aspect.

You can include a use statement after the PID to access declarations within it.

Andy

Thanks, Andy.

I added the following line into the architecture declaration:

package ldq is new data_queue
generic map (
DATA_WIDTH => DATA_WIDTH
);

But during compilation I got the message:
Local instantiation of packages is not supported yet. Please contact
Aldec Support to receive the latest status.

Any clever workarounds, or am I subject to Aldec's implementational
whims / my willingness to copy and paste code that should be nicely
compartmentalized.

Also, wasn't VHDL-2008 five years ago?

--
Rob Gaddi, Highland Technology -- www.highlandtechnology.com
Email address domain is currently out of order. See above to fix.

 

[Rob Gaddi]

On Thu, 9 May 2013 13:35:04 -0700
Rob Gaddi <rgaddi@technologyhighland.invalid> wrote:

On Thu, 9 May 2013 13:17:41 -0700 (PDT)
Andy <jonesandy@comcast.net> wrote:

Rob,

You can put a Package Instantiation Declaration in the declarative region of the entity, architecture, block, or several other declarative regions (not process).

If the generic you wish to use is visible where the PID is, then that generic can be used in the PID's generic map aspect.

You can include a use statement after the PID to access declarations within it.

Andy

Thanks, Andy.

I added the following line into the architecture declaration:

package ldq is new data_queue
generic map (
DATA_WIDTH => DATA_WIDTH
);

But during compilation I got the message:
Local instantiation of packages is not supported yet. Please contact
Aldec Support to receive the latest status.

Any clever workarounds, or am I subject to Aldec's implementational
whims / my willingness to copy and paste code that should be nicely
compartmentalized.

Also, wasn't VHDL-2008 five years ago?

Found a workaround, at least for the special case of this issue. I was
under the impression for some reason that you couldn't take a pointer
to an incomplete type, and so I needed to make
subtype t_element is std_logic_vector(DATA_WIDTH-1 downto 0);

if I wanted to do dynamic structures with it.

Turns out I'm just wrong, and I can use
subtype t_element is std_logic_vector;

and eliminate the need for DATA_WIDTH as a generic entirely.

--
Rob Gaddi, Highland Technology -- www.highlandtechnology.com
Email address domain is currently out of order. See above to fix.

 

[Andy]

Rob,

You can put a Package Instantiation Declaration in the declarative region of the entity, architecture, block, or several other declarative regions (not process).

If the generic you wish to use is visible where the PID is, then that generic can be used in the PID's generic map aspect.

You can include a use statement after the PID to access declarations within it.

Andy

 

[Andy]

I think the large number of changes in 2008, combined with poor user-knowledge of the new features, and therefore little input from customers clamoring for them, all contributed to the delay in implementing these changes.

Regardless of whether you find/use a work-around, let them know you need this feature. It helps them prioritize their efforts.

Also, if you know of a competitor that supports the feature you need already, let Aldec know that too. That often helps.

Andy

 

[Rob Gaddi]

On Thu, 9 May 2013 16:12:35 -0700 (PDT)
Andy <jonesandy@comcast.net> wrote:

I think the large number of changes in 2008, combined with poor user-knowledge of the new features, and therefore little input from customers clamoring for them, all contributed to the delay in implementing these changes.

Regardless of whether you find/use a work-around, let them know you need this feature. It helps them prioritize their efforts.

Also, if you know of a competitor that supports the feature you need already, let Aldec know that too. That often helps.

Andy

Just to follow up on this, Aldec says that version 9.3 should come out in August and fix this issue.

--
Rob Gaddi, Highland Technology -- www.highlandtechnology.com
Email address domain is currently out of order. See above to fix.