VPASSERT(1)

NAME
vpassert - Preprocess Verilog code assertions

SYNOPSIS
vpassert [ --help ] [ --date ] [ --quiet ] [ -y directories... ] [ files... ]

DESCRIPTION
Vpassert will read the specified Verilog files and preprocess special PLI assertions. The files are written to the directory named .vpassert unless another name is given with -o. If a directory is passed, all files in that directory will be preprocessed.

ARGUMENTS
Standard VCS and GCC-like parameters are used to specify the files to be preprocessed:

    +libext+I<ext>+I<ext>...    Specify extensions to be processed
    -f I<file>          Parse parameters in file
    -v I<file>          Parse the library file (I<file>)
    -y I<dir>           Parse all files in the directory (I<dir>)
    -II<dir>            Parse all files in the directory (I<dir>)
    +incdir+I<dir>      Parse all files in the directory (I<dir>)

To prevent recursion and allow reuse of the input.vc being passed to the simulator, if the output directory is requested to be preprocessed, that directory is simply ignored.

--allfiles
    Preprocess and write out files that do not have any macros that need expanding. By default, files that do not need processing are not written out.

    This option may speed up simulator compile times; the file will always be found in the preprocessed directory, saving the compiler from having to search a large number of -v directories to find it.

--axiom
    Special Axiom ATHDL enables/disables added around unreachable code.

--call-error <function>
    When $uerror (or $uassert etc.) wants to display a message, call the specified function instead of $display and $stop.

--call-info <function>
    When $uinfo wants to display a message, call the specified function instead of $display.

--call-warn <function>
    When $uwarn (or $uwarn_clk etc.) wants to display a message, call the specified function instead of $display and $stop.

--date
    Check file dates and sizes versus the last run of vpassert and don't process if the given source file has not changed.

--exclude
    Exclude processing any files which begin with the specified prefix.

--help
    Displays this message and program version and exits.

--language <1364-1995|1364-2001|1364-2005|1800-2005|1800-2009|1800-2012|1800-2017|1800-2023>
    Set the language standard for the files. This determines which tokens are signals versus keywords, such as the ever-common "do" (data-out signal, versus a do-while loop keyword).

--minimum
    Include `__message_minimum in the $uinfo test, so that by defining __message_minimum=1 some uinfos may be optimized away at compile time.

--noline
    Do not emit `line directives. If not specified they will be used under --language 1364-2001 and later.

--nopli
    Delete all 'simple' PLI calls. PLI function calls inside parenthesis will not be changed, and thus may still need to be manually ifdef'ed out. Useful for reducing the amount of `ifdef's required to feed non-PLI competent synthesis programs.

--nostop
    By default, $error and $warn insert a $stop statement. With --nostop, this is replaced by incrementing a variable, which may then be used to conditionally halt simulation.

--o file
    Use the given filename for output instead of the input name .vpassert. If the name ends in a / it is used as a output directory with the default name.

--quiet
    Suppress messages about what files are being preprocessed.

--realintent
    Special RealIntent enable/disables added around unreachable code.

--synthcov
    When "ifdef SYNTHESIS" is seen, disable coverage. Resume on the `else or `endif. This does NOT follow child defines, for example:

      `ifdef SYNTHSIS
        `define MYSYNTH
      `endif
      `ifdef MYSYNTH   // This will not be coveraged-off

--timeformat-units units
    If specified, include Verilog $timeformat calls before all messages. Use the provided argument as the units. Units is in powers of 10, so -9 indicates to use nanoseconds.

--timeformat-precision prec
    When using --timeformat-units, use this as the precision value, the number of digits after the decimal point. Defaults to zero.

--vericov
    Special Vericov enable/disables added around unreachable code.

--verilator
    Special Verilator translations enabled.

--version
    Displays program version and exits.

--vcs
    Special Synopsys VCS enables/disables added around unreachable code.

FUNCTIONS
These Verilog pseudo-pli calls are expanded:

/*vp_coverage_off*/
    Disable coverage for all tools starting at this point. Does not need to be on a unique line.

/*vp_coverage_on*/
    Re-enable coverage after a vp_coverage_off. Does not need to be on a unique line.

$uassert(case, "message", [vars...] )
    Report a $uerror if the given case is FALSE. (Like assert() in C.)

$uassert_amone(sig, [sig...], "message", [vars...] )
    Report a $uerror if more than one signal is asserted, or any are X. (None asserted is ok.) The error message will include a binary display of the signal values.

$uassert_info(case, "message", [vars...] )
    Report a $uinfo if the given case is FALSE. (Like assert() in C.)

$uassert_onehot(sig, [sig...], "message", [vars...] )
    Report a $uerror if other than one signal is asserted, or any are X. The error message will include a binary display of the signal values.

$uassert_req_ack(req_sig, ack_sig, [data_sig,...] )
    Check for a single cycle request pulse, followed by a single cycle acknowledgment pulse. Do not allow any of the data signals to change between the request and acknowledgment.

$ucheck_ilevel(level )
    Return true if the __message level is greater or equal to the given level, and that global messages are turned on.

$ucover_clk(clock, label)
    Similar to $uerror_clk, add a SystemVerilog assertion at the next specified clock's edge, with the label specified. This allows cover properties to be specified "inline" with normal RTL code.

$ucover_foreach_clk(clock, label, "msb:lsb", (... $ui ...))
    Similar to $ucover_clk, however cover a range where $ui in the expression is replaced with the range index.

    Range is "msb:lsb" to indicate from msb downto lsb inclusive, and/or a comma separated list of values.

    Similar to:

       for ($ui=msb; $ui>=lsb; $ui=$ui-1) begin
            if (expression with $ui)
                $ucover_clk(clock, label ## "_" ## bit)
       end

    However there's no way to form a label from a for loop (as psudocoded with ## above), thus this macro.

$ui Loop index used inside $ucover_foreach_clk.

$uinfo(level, "message", [vars...] )
    Report a informational message in standard form. End test if warning limit exceeded.

$uerror("message", [vars...] )
    Report a error message in standard form. End test if error limit exceeded.

$uerror_clk(clock, "message", [vars...] )
    Report a error message in standard form at the next clock edge. If you place a $uerror etc in a combo logic block (always @*), event based simulators may misfire the assertion due to glitches. $uerror_clk fixes this by instead creating a temporary signal and then moving the assert itself to a new clocked block at the specified edge. Note any variables printed will be the values at the time of the next clock edge, which may differ from the value where the $uerror_clk is assigned.

$uwarn("message", [vars...] )
    Report a warning message in standard form.

$uwarn_clk(clock "message", [vars...] )
    Report a warning message in standard form at the next clock edge. See $uerror_clk.

DISTRIBUTION
Verilog-Perl is part of the <https://www.veripool.org/> free Verilog EDA software tool suite. The latest version is available from CPAN and from <https://www.veripool.org/verilog-perl>.

Copyright 2000-2024 by Wilson Snyder. This package is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU Lesser General Public License Version 3 or the Perl Artistic License Version 2.0.

AUTHORS
Wilson Snyder <wsnyder@wsnyder.org>, Duane Galbi <duane.galbi@conexant.com>

SEE ALSO
Verilog-Perl, Verilog::Parser, Verilog::Pli