Learn more about EDA Link Simulator

matlabtb - (For ModelSim) Schedule MATLAB test bench session for instantiated HDL module

Syntax

matlabtb <instance>
[<time-specs>]
[-socket <tcp-spec>]
[-rising <port>[,<port>...]]
[-falling <port> [,<port>,...]] 
[-sensitivity <port>[,<port>,...]]
[-mfunc <name>]
[-use_instance_obj]
[-argument]

Description

The matlabtb command has the following characteristics:

• Starts the HDL simulator client component of the EDA Simulator Link software.

• Associates a specified instance of an HDL design created in the HDL simulator with a MATLAB function.

• Creates a process that schedules invocations of the specified MATLAB function.

• Cancels any pending events scheduled by a previous matlabtb command that specified the same instance. For example, if you issue the command matlabtb for instance foo, all previously scheduled events initiated by matlabtb on foo are canceled.

This command is issued in the HDL simulator.

MATLAB test bench functions mimic stimuli passed to entities in the HDL model. You force stimulus from MATLAB or HDL scheduled with matlabtb.

Notes   The communication mode that you specify for matlabtb must match the communication mode you specified for hdldaemon when you established the server connection. For socket communications, specify the port number you selected for hdldaemon when you issue a link request with the matlabtb command in the HDL simulator.

Arguments

<instance>

Specifies the instance of an HDL module that the EDA Simulator Link software associates with a MATLAB test bench function. By default, matlabtb associates the instance with a MATLAB function that has the same name as the instance. For example, if the instance is myfirfilter, matlabtb associates the instance with the MATLAB function myfirfilter (note that hierarchy names are ignored; for example, if your instance name is top.myfirfilter, matlabtb would associate only myfirfilter with the MATLAB function). Alternatively, you can specify a different MATLAB function with -mfunc.

Note   Do not specify an instance of an HDL module that has already been associated with a MATLAB M-function (via matlabcp or matlabtb). If you do, the new association overwrites the existing one.

<time-specs>

Specifies a combination of time specifications consisting of any or all of the following:

<timen>,...	Specifies one or more discrete time values at which the HDL simulator calls the specified MATLAB function. Each time value is relative to the current simulation time. Even if you do not specify a time, the HDL simulator calls the MATLAB function once at the start of the simulation. Separate multiple time values by a space. For example: matlabtb vlogtestbench_top 10 ns, 10 ms, 10 sec The MATLAB function executes when time equals 0 and then 10 nanoseconds, 10 milliseconds, and 10 seconds from time zero. Note   For time-based parameters, you can specify any standard time units (ns, us, and so on). If you do not specify units, the command treats the time value as a value of HDL simulation ticks.
-repeat <time>	Specifies that the HDL simulator calls the MATLAB function repeatedly based on the specified <timen>,... pattern. The time values are relative to the value of tnow at the time the HDL simulator first calls the MATLAB function. For example: matlabtb vlogtestbench_top 5 ns -repeat 10 ns The MATLAB function executes at time equals 0 ns, 5 ns, 15 ns, 25 ns, and so on.
-cancel <time>	Specifies a time at which the specified MATLAB function stops executing. The time value is relative to the value of tnow at the time the HDL simulator first calls the MATLAB function. If you do not specify a cancel time, the application calls the MATLAB function until you finish the simulation, quit the session, or issue a nomatlabtb call. Note   The -cancel option works only with the <time-specs> arguments. It does not affect any of the other scheduling arguments for matlabtb.

Note   Place time specifications after the matlabtb instance and before any additional command arguments; otherwise the time specifications are ignored.

All time specifications for the matlabtb functions appear as a number and, optionally, a time unit:

• fs (femtoseconds)

• ps (picoseconds)

• ns (nanoseconds)

• us (microseconds)

• ms (milliseconds)

• sec (seconds)

• no units (tick)

-socket <tcp_spec>

Specifies TCP/IP socket communication for the link between the HDL simulator and MATLAB. When you provide TCP/IP information for matlabtb, you can choose a TCP/IP port number or TCP/IP port alias or service name for the <tcp_spec> parameter. If you are setting up communication between computers, you must also specify the name or Internet address of the remote host that is running the MATLAB server (hdldaemon). See Specifying TCP/IP Values for some valid tcp_spec examples.

For more information on choosing TCP/IP socket ports, see Choosing TCP/IP Socket Ports.

If you run the HDL simulator and MATLAB on the same computer, you have the option of using shared memory for communication. Shared memory is the default mode of communication and takes effect if you do not specify-socket <tcp_spec> on the command line.

Note   The communication mode that you specify with the matlabtb command must match what you specify for the communication mode when you issue the hdldaemon command in MATLAB. For more information on modes of communication, see Communicating with MATLAB or Simulink and the HDL Simulator. For more information on establishing the MATLAB end of the communication link, see Start hdldaemon to Provide Connection to HDL Simulator.

-rising <signal>[, <signal>...]

Indicates that the application calls the specified MATLAB function on the rising edge (transition from '0' to '1') of any of the specified signals. Specify -rising with the path names of one or more signals defined as a logic type (STD_LOGIC, BIT, X01, and so on).

Note   When specifying signals with the -rising, -falling, and -sensitivity options, specify them in full path name format. If you do not specify a full path name, the command applies the HDL simulator rules to resolve signal specifications.

-falling <signal>[, <signal>...]

Indicates that the application calls the specified MATLAB function whenever any of the specified signals experiences a falling edge—changes from '1' to '0'. Specify -falling with the path names of one or more signals defined as a logic type (STD_LOGIC, BIT, X01, and so on).

Note   When specifying signals with the -rising, -falling, and -sensitivity options, specify them in full path name format. If you do not specify a full path name, the command applies the HDL simulator rules to resolve signal specifications.

-sensitivity <signal>[, <signal>...]

Indicates that the application calls the specified MATLAB function whenever any of the specified signals changes state. Specify -sensitivity with the path names of one or more signals. Signals of any type can appear in the sensitivity list and can be positioned at any level of the HDL design.

If you specify the option with no signals, the interface is sensitive to value changes for all signals.

Note   Use of this option for INOUT ports can result in double calls.

For example:

-sensitivity /randnumgen/dout 

The MATLAB function executes if the value of dout changes.

Note   When specifying signals with the -rising, -falling, and -sensitivity options, specify them in full path name format. If you do not specify a full path name, the command applies the HDL simulator rules to resolve signal specifications.

-mfunc <name>

The name of the associated MATLAB function. If you omit this argument, matlabtb associates the HDL module instance to a MATLAB function that has the same name as the HDL instance. If you omit this argument and matlabtb does not find a MATLAB function with the same name, the command generates an error message.

-use_instance_obj (Beta Feature)

Instructs the function specified with the argument -mfunc to use an HDL instance object passed by EDA Simulator Link to the M-function. The -use_instance_obj argument is called with matlabtb in the following format:

matlabtb modelname -mfunc funcname -use_instance_obj

When you call matlabcp with the use_instance_obj argument, the M-function has the following signature:

function MyFunctionName(hdl_instance_obj)

The HDL instance object (hdl_instance_obj) has the fields shown in the following table.

Field	Read/Write Access	Description
tnext	Write only	Used to schedule a callback during the set time value. This field is equivalent to old tnext. For example: hdl_instance_obj.tnext = hdl_instance_obj.tnow + 5e-9 will schedule a callback at time equals 5 nanoseconds from tnow.
userdata	Read/Write	Stores state variables of the current matlabtb instance. You can retrieve the variables the next time the callback of this instance is scheduled.
simstatus	Read only	Stores the status of the HDL simulator. The EDA Simulator Link software sets this parameter to 'Init' during the first callback for this particular instance and to 'Running' thereafter. simstatus is a read-only property. >> hdl_instance_obj.simstatus ans= Init
instance	Read only	Stores the full path of the Verilog/VHDL instance associated with the callback. instance is a read-only property. The value of this field equals that of the module instance specified with the function call. For example: In the HDL simulator: hdlsim> matlabtb osc_top -mfunc oscfilter use_instance_obj In MATLAB: >> hdl_instance_obj.instance ans= osc_top
argument	Read only	Stores the argument set by the -argument option of matlabtb. For example: matlabtb osc_top -mfunc oscfilter -use_instance_obj -argument foo The link software supports the -argument option only when it is used with -use_instance_obj, otherwise the argument is ignored. argument is a read-only property. >> hdl_instance_obj.argument ans= foo
portinfo	Read only	Stores information about the VHDL and Verilog ports associated with this instance. portinfo is a read-only property, which has a field structure that describes the ports defined for the associated HDL module. For each port, the portinfo structure passes information such as the port's type, direction, and size. For more information on port data, see Gaining Access to and Applying Port Information. hdl_instance_obj.portinfo.field1.field2.field3 Note   When you use use_instance_obj, you access tscale through the HDL instance object. If you do not use use_instance_obj, you can still access tscale through portinfo.
tscale	Read only	Stores the resolution limit (tick) in seconds of the HDL simulator. tscale is a read-only property. >> hdl_instance_obj.tscale ans= 1.0000e-009 Note   When you use use_instance_obj, you access tscale through the HDL instance object. If you do not use use_instance_obj, you can still access tscale through portinfo.
tnow	Read only	Stores the current time. tnow is a read-only property. hdl_instance_obj.tnext = hld_instance_obj.tnow + fastestrate;
portvalues	Read/Write	Stores the current values of and sets new values for the output and input ports for a matlabtb instance. For example: >> hdl_instance_obj.portvalues ans = Read/Write Input ports: clk_enable: [] clk: [] reset: [] Read Only Output ports: sine_out: [22x1 char] For example, you can set the reset port to 1 by calling hdl_instance_obj.portvalues.reset = '1'.
linkmode	Read only	Stores the status of the callback. The EDA Simulator Link software sets this parameter to 'testbench' if the callback is associated with matlabtb and 'component' if the callback is associated with matlabcp. linkmode is a read-only property. >> hdl_instance_obj.linkmode ans= testbench

-argument (Beta Feature)

Used to pass user-defined arguments from the matlabtb instantiation on the HDL side to the M-function callbacks. Supported with -use_instance_obj only. See the field listing for argument under the -use_instance_obj property.

Examples

The following examples demonstrate some ways you might use the matlabtb function.

Using matlabtb with the -socket Argument and Time Parameters

The following command starts the HDL simulator client component of EDA Simulator Link, associates an instance of the entity, myfirfilter, with the MATLAB function myfirfilter, and begins a local TCP/IP socket-based test bench session using TCP/IP port 4449. Based on the specified test bench stimuli, myfirfilter.m executes 5 nanoseconds from the current time, and then repeatedly every 10 nanoseconds:

hdlsim> matlabtb myfirfilter 5 ns -repeat 10 ns -socket 4449

Applying Rising Edge Clocks and State Changes with matlabtb

The following command starts the HDL simulator client component of EDA Simulator Link, and begins a remote TCP/IP socket-based session using remote MATLAB host compb and TCP/IP port 4449. Based on the specified test bench stimuli, myfirfilter.m executes 10 nanoseconds from the current time, each time the signal /top/fclk experiences a rising edge, and each time the signal /top/din changes state.

hdlsim> matlabtb /top/myfirfilter 10 ns -rising /top/fclk -sensitivity /top/din 
      -socket 4449@computer123

Specifying a MATLAB M-Function Name and Sensitizing Signals with matlabtb

The following command starts the HDL simulator client component of the EDA Simulator Link software. The '-mfunc' option specifies the M-function to connect to and the '-socket' option specifies the port number for socket connection mode. '-sensitivity' indicates that the test bench session is sensitized to the signal sine_out.

hdlsim> matlabtb osc_top -sensitivity /osc_top/sine_out
      -socket 4448 -mfunc hosctb

matlabcp

matlabtbeval

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