FPGA Central

hi ,

basic question on the free xilinx tools you can download from the web
( may be designing for spartan )

i thought , perhaps mistakenly , that the free tools included at least
a limited simulation capability for using VHDL test benchs , i
thought it had a limited form of Modelsim or something ??

but the free tools seem to indicate that it is a $945 option ?

so what good are free tools if i can't even write a small VHDL test
bench to verify my design ?

stan

Hi,

stan wrote:
> ...
> basic question on the free xilinx tools you can download from the web
> ( may be designing for spartan )
>
> i thought , perhaps mistakenly , that the free tools included at least
> a limited simulation capability for using VHDL test benchs ,**i
> thought it had a limited form of Modelsim or something ??
> ...

AFAIK there is a free Modelsim version you can
download which has reduced simulation speed.
Search the Mentor website.

RU,
Andreas
No HTML mails, please.

stan wrote:
> hi ,
>
> basic question on the free xilinx tools you can download from the web
> ( may be designing for spartan )
>
> i thought , perhaps mistakenly , that the free tools included at least
> a limited simulation capability for using VHDL test benchs , i
> thought it had a limited form of Modelsim or something ??
>
> but the free tools seem to indicate that it is a $945 option ?
>
> so what good are free tools if i can't even write a small VHDL test
> bench to verify my design ?
>
> stan
>

I was perplexed by this same question the other day, but after probing
around Xilinx's website for a little longer before asking what's up
here, I discovered that the free simulator is indeed available, just not
so obvious depending on what sequence of link clicking you use.

So, look harder, and you will find the free ModelSim download at xilinx.com.

Good luck!


--
____________________________________
Christopher R. Carlen
Principal Laser/Optical Technologist
Sandia National Laboratories CA USA
[email protected]