VHDL: Coding Styles and Methodologies (With CD-ROM)

VHDL Coding Styles and Methodologies, 2nd Edition is a follow-up book to the first edition of the same book and to VHDL Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, first and second editions. This book was originally written as a teaching tool for a VHDL training course. The author began writing the book because he could not find a practical and easy to read book that gave in-depth coverage of both the language and coding methodologies. This new second edition provides practical information on reusable software methodologies for the design of bus functional models for testbenches. It also provides guidelines in the use of VHDL for synthesis. All VHDL code described in the book is on a companion CD. The CD also includes the GNU toolsuite with EMACS language sensitive editor (with VHDL, Verilog, and other language templates), and TSHELL tools that emulate a UNIX shell. Model Technology graciously included an evaluation version of ModeliSim, a recognized industry standard VHDL./Verilogy compiler and simulator that supports easy viewing of the models under analysis, along with many debug features. In addition, Synplicity is kindly making available an evaluation version of Synplify, a very efficient, user friendly and easy t use FPGA synthesis tool. Synplify provides a user both the RTL and gate level views of the synthesized model, and a performance report of the design. Optimization mechanisms are provided in the tool. VHDL Coding Styles and Methodologies, 2nd Edition is intended for professional engineers as well as students. It is organized in thirteen chapters, each covering a separate aspect of the language, with complete examples. It provides a practical approach to learning VHDL. Combining methodologies and coding styles along with VHDL rules leads the reader in the right direction from the beginning.