Modelsim Delta Races

[Andrew Greensted]

Hi All,

I'm hit a bit of a brick wall with a simulation problem I'm encountering.

When simulating my (VHDL) design, Modelsim's Wave window is showing a
'zero-width' (you can't zoom in on it) glitch on one of the signals.

If I study the List window I can see that the signal (pcwen) does indeed
toggle but during a delta cycle.

ps boardclk regfede_opa portaadd
delta regexwb_opa portawen
cu_regfilewen pcwen
cu_regfiledinselect

6250000 +1 1 0000010 0000010 1 0 0000010 1 0
6250000 +3 1 0000010 0100000 1 0 0000010 1 0
6250000 +4 1 0000010 0100000 0 1 0000010 0 0
6250000 +5 1 0000010 0100000 0 1 0100000 0 0
6500000 +1 0 0000010 0100000 0 1 0100000 0 0
6750000 +1 1 0000010 0100000 0 1 0100000 0 0
6750000 +4 1 0000010 0100000 1 0 0100000 1 0
6750000 +5 1 0000010 0100000 1 0 0000010 1 1 <---
6750000 +6 1 0000010 0100000 1 0 0000010 1 0
7000000 +1 0 0000010 0100000 1 0 0000010 1 0
7250000 +1 1 0000010 0100000 1 0 0000010 1 0
7250000 +3 1 0000010 0000000 1 0 0000010 1 0
7250000 +4 1 0000010 0000000 0 1 0000010 0 0

I'm guessing that this is due a race condition whilst the simulator
resolves the final signal values after the clock pulse. My design is
synchronous.

My question is, does this suggest badly written VHDL, or is this
something that happens with this type of simulator?

Many Thanks
Andy

 

[Ben Jones]

"Andrew Greensted" <ajg112@ohm.york.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:dv9c9s$m2$1@pump1.york.ac.uk...

I'm hit a bit of a brick wall with a simulation problem I'm encountering.
When simulating my (VHDL) design, Modelsim's Wave window is showing a
'zero-width' (you can't zoom in on it) glitch on one of the signals.

Is that actually a problem? I mean, how much did it hurt when you hit this
wall?

If I study the List window I can see that the signal (pcwen) does indeed
toggle but during a delta cycle.

I'm guessing that this is due a race condition whilst the simulator
resolves the final signal values after the clock pulse. My design is
synchronous.
My question is, does this suggest badly written VHDL, or is this
something that happens with this type of simulator?

No, this happens all the time. It just suggests that your "pcwen" signal is
combinatorial (i.e. it's not the output of a register or other synchronous
element).

Modelsim puts it there to tell you that in real life, you might get a glitch
under these circumstances (depending on exactly how your logic is
implemented and what the relative timings are). Only you, the designer, can
tell whether this would cause problems or not. (Hint: if you're using pcwen
as the clock input to a RAM or a register, you probably have a problem.
Otherwise, chances are you don't.)

Cheers,

-Ben-

 

[Andy]

I'm hit a bit of a brick wall with a simulation problem I'm encountering.

Is that actually a problem? I mean, how much did it hurt when you hit this
wall?

Not physically, just mentally!!

My question is, does this suggest badly written VHDL, or is this
something that happens with this type of simulator?

No, this happens all the time. It just suggests that your "pcwen" signal is
combinatorial (i.e. it's not the output of a register or other synchronous
element).

Yep, it is a combinatorial signal.

I guess I'll just have to live with it. The glitch just stands out, and
looks like a problem. It would be nice if the wave window, like the list
window, had an option to only show signal values after the delta cycles
have complete.

Ben, your response encourages me, but I might still have a bit of a look
to see if there's someway to avoid the glitch. But, perhaps I'm just
being over cautious....

Cheers
Andy

 

[Nicolas Matringe]

Andy a écrit :

I guess I'll just have to live with it. The glitch just stands out, and
looks like a problem. It would be nice if the wave window, like the list
window, had an option to only show signal values after the delta cycles
have complete.

Ben, your response encourages me, but I might still have a bit of a look
to see if there's someway to avoid the glitch. But, perhaps I'm just
being over cautious....

I am afraid you can't do much about this glitch. If you combine two FF
outputs you will have a glitch because your (real world) outputs can not
toggle exactly at the same time. However, in synchronous design this is
not a problem because the glitch will have disapppeared before the next
clock edge.

Nicolas
(completely absurd e-mail address, do not reply directly)

 

[Thomas Stanka]

Andy schrieb:

Yep, it is a combinatorial signal.

I guess I'll just have to live with it. The glitch just stands out, and
looks like a problem. It would be nice if the wave window, like the list
window, had an option to only show signal values after the delta cycles
have complete.

Maybe you could save such glitches by using the after clause.
Such glitches are often harmless but may sometimes result in a mismatch
between simulation and synthesis, so you its ever worth to have a
detailed look on such problems.

bye Thomas