Hexadecimal value (literal) as function parameter, is it possible?

[wimille]

Hi,

I'm currently writting a package file for my design and my testbenchs, and i need to write a function to resize an vector.

I write the function as follows:

function resize ( vec : in std_logic_vector; size : in natural) return std_logic_vector is
variable resized : std_logic_vector( size-1 downto 0) := (others => '0');
variable len : natural := 0;
begin
len := vec'length;
if ( len = size ) then
resized := vec;
elsif ( len > size ) then
resized := vec(size-1 downto 0);
elsif ( len < size ) then
resized := resized(size-1 downto len) & vec;
end if;
return resized;
end function resize;


But i need to update or to overload this function in order to allow this type of operation:

toto <= resize( x"AAAA", 10);

Because if i write this now, i've got this error in Modelsim:
# ** Fatal: (vsim-3607) Slice range direction (downto) does not match slice prefix direction (to).

Thanks for your help

 

[KJ]

Hi, I'm currently writting a package file for my design and my testbenchs,
and i need to write a function to resize an vector.

I'd suggest that you don't reinvent the wheel. Use the ieee.numeric_std library which already has resize functions for signed and unsigned types which can be converted, if necessary, to std_logic_vector if you must use that type.

use ieee.numeric.std.all;
....
toto <= std_logic_vector(resize(43690, 10)); -- One way to do it
toto <= std_logic_vector(resize(16#AAAA#, 10)); -- Another way to do it

Kevin Jennings

 

[Nicolas Matringe]

Le 12/04/2013 14:46, (e-mail address removed) a écrit :
[...]

But i need to update or to overload this function in order to allow this type of operation:

toto <= resize( x"AAAA", 10);

Because if i write this now, i've got this error in Modelsim:
# ** Fatal: (vsim-3607) Slice range direction (downto) does not match slice prefix direction (to).

Hello

The problem comes from the line "resized := vec(size-1 downto 0);" that
needs your input object vec to have a descending range. Litteral
constants such as x"AAAA" have an ascending range so you can't pass them
to your function.
A solution would be to use an intermediate variable :

function resize ( vec : in std_logic_vector; size : in natural) return
std_logic_vector is
constant LEN : natural := vec'length;
variable i_vec : std_logic_vector(LEN-1 downto 0) := vec;
variable resized : std_logic_vector( size-1 downto 0) := (others => '0');

and then use i_vec instead of vec in the function.

Or you can use the resize functions that already exist in the
numeric_std package as Kevin suggested.

Nicolas

 

[Andy]

I agree with Nicolas. This is sometimes called "range normalization", and if you look at the reference implementations of IEEE packages, it is very commonly used.

To add to what Kevin said, if your tools support VHDL-2008, you can use the ieee.numeric_std_unsigned package; it defines resize() for std_logic_vectors.

Numeric_std_unsigned applies numeric_std's functions and operators for the unsigned type, to std_logic_vector. It also defines a to_std_logic_vector(natural) and similar aliases to_stdlogicvector(), to_slv(), etc.

Numeric_std_unsigned is similar in concept to the debunked "std_logic_arith" package, but is official and governed by the standard, ensuring compatibility across tool vendors.

If your tools do not support VHDL-2008, call the vendor and complain. Loudly.

Andy