dettmer@jupiter.informatik.uni-dortmund.de (Thomas Dettmer) (04/08/91)
This is a monthly posting to comp.lang.vhdl containing general informations
Please send additional information directly to the editor:
dettmer@jupiter.informatik.uni-dortmund.de (Thomas Dettmer)
Last edited: april 8, 1991 (Thanks for all corrections)
Corrections and suggestions are appreciated.
There are other regular postings about books, tools and conference dates.
Contents
0. General Information/Introduction
1. Abbreviations
2. Official Contacts
3. frequently asked questions
There are now other monthly postings containing informations about
products, books, conference plan
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0. General Information/Introduction
The Group
The newsgroup comp.lang.vhdl was created in January 1991. It's an
international forum to discuss ALL topics related to the language VHDL which
is actually defined by the IEEE Standard 1076/87 (current version - may
change in 1992). Included are language problems, tools that only support
subsets etc. NOT other languages such as Verilog HDL. This is not strict -
if there is the need to discuss information exchange from EDIF to VHDL for
example, this is a topic of the group. The group is unmoderated. Please
think carefully before posting - it costs a lot of money! (Take a look into
your LRM for example - if you still cannot find the answer, post your
question, but make sure, that other readers will get the point).
A chapter for frequently asked questions about the language will later be
added to this regularly posted information - as they appear on the net. If
necessary for the amount of information, this posting will possibly be split
into separate postings for each chapter.
VHDL
VHDL-1076 (VHSIC (Very High Speed Integrated Circuits) Hardware Description
Language) is an IEEE Standard since 1987. It is "a formal notation intended
for use in all phases of the creation of electronic systems. ... it supports
the development, verification, synthesis, and testing of hardware designs,
the communication of hardware design data ..." [Preface to the IEEE Standard
VHDL Language Reference Manual] and especially simulation of hardware
descriptions. Additionally VHDL-models are a DoD requirement for vendors.
Today simulation systems and other tools (synthesis, verification and others)
based on VHDL are available. The VHDL users community is growing fast.
Several international conferences organized by the VHDL Users Groups(s) have
been held with relevant interest. Other international conferences address the
topic with growing interest as well (Conference on Hardware Description
Languages -CHDL-, [European] Design Automation Conference -[Euro]DAC ...).
Before posting
- read this article - it possibly answers your questions
- question about the language: try to find out in your LRM
1. Abbreviations
BBS: Bulletin Board System
DoD: USA Department of Defense
IEEE: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
In case of VHDL, they defined the standard 1076
LRM: Language Reference Manual
TISSS: Tester Independent Support Software System
VHDL: VHSIC Hardware Description Language
VHSIC: Very High Speed Integrated Circuits - A program of the DoD
VUG: VHDL User's group. See below.
WAVES: Waveform Vector and Exchange Specification, proposed IEEE Standard
2. Official Contacts
VHDL User's group.
They organize conferences, send a newsletter (paper) and have some
other activities. The general contact is:
USA
VHDL User's Group
3145 Geary Boulevard, Suite 123
San Francisco, CA 94118-3316
U.S.A.
(415) 329-8673 (Voice information/mailbox)
(415) 329-8649 (Electronic BBS)
BBS can be dialed up at any baud rate (soon to expand to 9600 MNP5 from
2400), parity, or start/stop bit settings.
(415) 324-3150 (FAX)
(415) 329-0510 (Human -- if you really have too!)
Chair of the VUG is
Randolph E. Harr, C.A.D.onomist, (408) 984-5952
There are chapters of the VUG (e.g. an european) - send me information
that I'm able to publish it.
VHDL Newsletter
Editor of the US Newsletter:
Rachael Rusting
Phone +1 617 661 1840, FAX +1 617 868-2843
email: rmr@inmet.inmet.com
Fred Hinchcliffe
Phone: (301) 963-5200
Europe
Editor of the European Newsletter
J. Mermet, J. Rouillard
Phone: 3+91 05 44 44, FAX 33+91 05 43 43
Institut Mediterraneen de Technologie
Technopole de Chateau-Gombert
13415 Marseille cedex -FRANCE-
mailing list/ftp addresses
Mail items of interest to info-vhdl@uceng.uc.edu. (the last newsletter
said VHDL@uceng.uc.edu ??)
Mail a request to be added to the group of registered news subscribers
to info-vhdl-request@uceng.uc.edu.
One can access the files online by "ftp"ing to account
anonymous@uceng.uc.edu.
WAVES/TISSS infos account anonymous@tisss.radc.af.mil,
is anonymous@131.5.3.1
This posting
Thomas Dettmer, University of Dortmund, Dept. of Computer Science I
Box 50 05 00
W-4600 Dortmund 50 (Germany)
Phone: +49-231 755 4825, FAX: +49-231 755 2386
email: dettmer@jupiter.informatik.uni-dortmund.de
3. frequently asked questions
There's not much until today - but I included those questions I've often
heard from beginners. (only one today)
USE of library elements?
Often users believe, they can use names of libraries /= work by simply
inserting a use clause in the source. The analyzer responds with error
messages.
Insert a library clause before the use clause and all
should work fine. (See your LRM for details).
PUBLIC DOMAIN?
Actually as far as I know, there is no PD software on VHDL. If YOU know
about something, please let us know.
no lex or yacc sources are known as PD stuff.
There seems to be some stuff, which is available for a copying charge, see
monthly posting about products: Pittsbourgh Simulator, ITD
But some information is available: logic_system.tar.Z Proposed IEEE VHDL
Standard Logic System by anonymous ftp from bears.ucsb.edu in directory
pub/VHDL
VHDL Validation Suite available?
YES. free for universities and $2000 for companies and governmental agencies.
see monthly posting on products.
tom
dettmer@jupiter.ls1.informatik.uni-dortmund.de
phone: +49-231 755 4825, FAX: +49-231 755 2386
Thomas Dettmer, Dortmund University, Computer Science I
Post Box 50 05 00, W-4600 Dortmund 50, Germany