NAME

    This is the Verilator Package README file.

DISTRIBUTION

    This package is Copyright 2003-2013 by Wilson Snyder. (Report bugs to
    <http://www.veripool.org/>.)

    Verilator 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. (See the documentation for
    more details.)

    This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
    WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General
    Public License for more details.

DESCRIPTION

    Verilator converts synthesizable (generally not behavioral) Verilog code
    into C++ or SystemC code. It is not a complete simulator, just a
    translator.

    Verilator is invoked with parameters similar to GCC or Synopsys's VCS.
    It reads the specified Verilog code, lints it, and optionally adds
    coverage code. For C++ format, it outputs .cpp and .h files. For SystemC
    format, it outputs .cpp and .h files using the standard SystemC headers.

    The resulting files are then compiled with C++. The user writes a little
    C++ wrapper file, which instantiates the top level module. This is
    compiled in C++, and linked with the Verilated files.

    The resulting executable will perform the actual simulation.

SUPPORTED SYSTEMS

    Verilator is developed and has primary testing on Ubuntu. Versions have
    also built on Redhat Linux, Macs OS-X, HPUX and Solaris. It should run
    with minor porting on any Linix-ish platform. Verilator also works on
    Windows under Cygwin, and Windows under MinGW (gcc -mno-cygwin).
    Verilated output (not Verilator itself) compiles under MSVC++ 2008 and
    newer.

INSTALLATION

    For more details see
    <http://www.veripool.org/projects/verilator/wiki/Installing>.

    If you will be modifying Verilator, you should use the "git" method as
    it will let you track changes.

    *   The latest version is available at
        <http://www.veripool.org/verilator>.

        Download the latest package from that site, and decompress.

            tar xvzf verilator_version.tgz

    *   If you will be using SystemC (vs straight C++ output), download
        SystemC from <http://www.systemc.org>. Follow their installation
        instructions. You will need to set SYSTEMC_INCLUDE to point to the
        include directory with systemc.h in it, and SYSTEMC_LIBDIR to points
        to the directory with libsystemc.a in it. (Older installations may
        set SYSTEMC and SYSTEMC_ARCH instead.)

    *   If you will be using SystemPerl or coverage, download and install
        System-Perl, <http://www.veripool.org/systemperl>. Note you'll need
        to set a "SYSTEMPERL" environment variable to point to the
        downloaded kit. Optionally also set "SYSTEMPERL_INCLUDE" to point to
        the installed headers.

    *   You will need the "flex" and "bison" packages installed.

    *   "cd" to the Verilator directory containing this README.

    *   You now have to decide how you're going to eventually install the
        kit.

        Note Verilator builds the current value of VERILATOR_ROOT,
        SYSTEMC_INCLUDE, SYSTEMC_LIBDIR, SYSTEMPERL, and SYSTEMPERL_INCLUDE
        as defaults into the executable, so try to have them correct before
        configuring.

        1.  Our personal favorite is to always run Verilator from the kit
            directory. This allows the easiest experimentation and
            upgrading. It's also how most EDA tools operate; to run you
            point to the tarball, no install is needed.

                export VERILATOR_ROOT=`pwd`   # if your shell is bash
                setenv VERILATOR_ROOT `pwd`   # if your shell is csh
                ./configure

        2.  To install globally onto a "cad" disk with multiple versions of
            every tool, and add it to path using Modules/modulecmd:

                unset VERILATOR_ROOT      # if your shell is bash
                unsetenv VERILATOR_ROOT   # if your shell is csh
                # For the tarball, use the version number instead of git describe
                ./configure --prefix /CAD_DISK/verilator/`git describe | sed "s/verilator_//"`

                After installing you'll want a module file like the following:

                set install_root /CAD_DISK/verilator/{version-number-used-above}
                setenv VERILATOR_ROOT $install_root
                prepend-path PATH $install_root/bin
                prepend-path MANPATH $install_root/man

        3.  The next option is to install it globally, using the normal
            system paths:

                unset VERILATOR_ROOT      # if your shell is bash
                unsetenv VERILATOR_ROOT   # if your shell is csh
                ./configure

        4.  Alternatively you can configure a prefix that install will
            populate, as most GNU tools support:

                unset VERILATOR_ROOT      # if your shell is bash
                unsetenv VERILATOR_ROOT   # if your shell is csh
                ./configure --prefix /opt/verilator-VERSION

            Then after installing you will need to add
            /opt/verilator-VERSION/bin to PATH.

    *   Type "make" to compile Verilator.

        Type "make test" to check the compilation.

        Configure with "--enable-longtests" for more complete developer
        tests. Additional packages may be required for these tests.

        You may get a error about a typedef conflict for uint32_t. Edit
        verilated.h to change the typedef to work, probably to @samp{typedef
        unsigned long uint32_t;}.

    *   If you used the VERILATOR_ROOT scheme you're done. Programs should
        set the environment variable VERILATOR_ROOT to point to this
        distribution, then execute $VERILATOR_ROOT/bin/verilator, which will
        find the path to all needed files.

        If you used the prefix scheme, now do a "make install". To run
        verilator, have the verilator binary directory in your PATH (this
        should already be true if using the default configure), and make
        sure VERILATOR_ROOT is not set.

USAGE DOCUMENTATION

    Detailed documentation and the man page can be seen by running:

        bin/verilator --help

    or reading verilator.txt in the same directory as this README.

DIRECTORY STRUCTURE

    The directories in the kit after de-taring are as follows:

        bin/verilator               => Compiler Wrapper invoked to Verilate code
        include/                    => Files that should be in your -I compiler path
        include/verilated*.cpp      => Global routines to link into your simulator
        include/verilated*.h        => Global headers
        include/verilated.v         => Stub defines for linting
        include/verilated.mk        => Common makefile
        src/                        => Translator source code
        test_v                      => Example Verilog code for other test dirs
        test_c                      => Example Verilog->C++ conversion
        test_sc                     => Example Verilog->SystemC conversion
        test_sp                     => Example Verilog->SystemPerl conversion
        test_vcs                    => Example Verilog->VCS conversion (test the test)
        test_verilated              => Internal tests
        test_regress                => Internal tests

LIMITATIONS

    See verilator.txt (or execute "bin/verilator --help") for limitations.

