[TIP] Capture signal through external names

[Unike267]

Hi everyone!

I have a little tip to share with you.

If you want to capture an internal signal of NEORV32 from your test bench using external names, you must refer the path of the signal taking into account the if-generate that wrap your signal in the top of the NEORV32.

For example if you want to capture bus_req_i from the CFS module and you try something like this:

bus_req <= << signal .tb_complex_mult_wfifos_cfs.neorv32_mult_wfifos_cfs_0.neorv32_top_inst.neorv32_cfs_inst.bus_req_i : bus_req_t >>;

It will appear the following error:

The correct form to refer to this signal is as follows:

bus_req <= << signal .tb_complex_mult_wfifos_cfs.neorv32_mult_wfifos_cfs_0.neorv32_top_inst.io_system.neorv32_cfs_inst_true.neorv32_cfs_inst.bus_req_i : bus_req_t >>;

(Taking into acount the io_system and the neorv32_cfs_inst_true if-generate.)

Remember that if you use VUnit with GHDL this only support external names with mcode backend (not with llvm).

I'm using the following container:

• docker.io/ghdl/vunit:mcode-master

Cheers! 😃

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/cc @umarcor

[stnolting]

Thank you very much for sharing this!! 👍