Importing ModelSim® Project into Active-HDL

Introduction

Active-HDL provides the utility that allows an import and migration of ModelSim projects into the Active-HDL design environment. This application note describes the methodology and steps that need to be carried out to import a ModelSim project into Active-HDL.

Methodology of Importing ModelSim Projects

1. Start Active-HDL

2. Choose the ModelSim Project option from the File | Import menu. If you want to import a ModelSim project and add it to an existing Active-HDL workspace; first, open the workspace and then choose this option.

   

3. Point to the name and location of the ModelSim project file (*.mpf) in the Select ModelSim Project window.

   NOTE: The project file (*.mpf) is required to import the entire ModelSim project into the Active-HDL workspace. This application note only talks about importing Modelsim's project files.

4. Check the Make local copy option if you want files of the ModelSim project to be copied to the $dsn/src subfolder of the active design. When you select this checkbox, the folder structure used in the ModelSim project is re-created in the $dsn/src folder of Active-HDL (because in Active-HDL folders in the Design Browser are physical), but no files are copied inside such folders (all source files used in the Modelsim project are copied physically to appropriate folders specified in our preferences, by default to the $dsn/src folder). Imported files which originally are placed in a different location than the src folder are shown as links under the folders that were imported from Modelsim.

   NOTE: The default location of the files imported to the design can be changed in the Design Structure category of the Preferences dialog box. For additional information, see Customizing Design Folders.

5. After you have selected the project file, click the Open button.

6. In the Save In dialog box, specify the name and location for the Active-HDL design file (*.adf). Before you choose the Save option, you may want to create a new working project subfolder for a new Active-HDL workspace/design.

   

7. Click the Save button. If an Active-HDL workspace was loaded and you have started importing the ModelSim project, in the Open Design dialog box, choose whether the new Active-HDL design will be added to the current workspace or a new one. Next, click OK. If you have started the import option and there was no Active-HDL design loaded, the new Active-HDL workspace is created and the new design (along with a library) is attached to the design tree displayed in the Design Browser window. It contains links to the HDL sources specified by the ModelSim project file.

   

   The list of files that have been processed during the import procedure is displayed in the Console window.

   An alternative to the procedure described above is the use of the importmodelsim command. See the on-line documentation for details.

8. From the Design menu, select Compile All with File Reorder

9. Select the top(only) entity/architecture pair in the Top-level Selection dialog box and click OK.

   

10. Verify that all of the files compiled successfully, and that the correct top level is selected.

    

11. From the Simulation menu, select the Initialize Simulation option.

12. Switch to the Structure tab of the Design Browser.

    

13. Open an empty waveform window by going to File | New | Waveform.

14. Select the top(only) unit and drag it to the waveform window.

    

15. Type in the run -all command in the Console window, which starts the simulation (Simulation | Run). The simulation results are presented in the figure above.

16. To finish the simulation session, choose End Simulation from the Simulation menu or type the endsim command in the Console window.