Dockerfile and libraries necessary for running ModelSim (Quartus 19.1 Lite Edition) on Linux or Mac, as well as a patcher for Modelsim's linux_rh60 bug.
This repo contains a Dockerfile that allows you to setup & run Modelsim. It contains a patch for the linux_rh60 bug in Modelsim, as
well as the specific deb packages for libfreetype and libpng required by Modelsim to run.
Not included in this repo is the modelsim installer file. This file can be downloaded from Intel at: https://fpgasoftware.intel.com/19.1/?edition=lite&product=modelsim_ae&platform=linux#tabs-2
The version of Modelsim that this Dockerfile supports is the version of Modelsim-ASE that ships with Quartus Prime 19.1 Lite.
When downloading the Modelsim installer, make sure to chose the Linux version (even if you are on Mac).
The downloaded file should be renamed to modelsim_setup.run and placed in the same folder as the Dockerfile.
You can setup which directory is mapped to the container in config.sh. This works on both macOS and Linux.
Inside the container, you can access your files in HOST_DIR at CONTAINER_DIR_MOUNTPOINT. By default, this is the /mac directory. Within Modelsim, you can access your project files with cd /mac as below:
Once you've downloaded modelsim_setup.run you can use ./build.sh to build the container.
Then, no matter your platform, ./run.sh to run it. run.sh will automatically detect your OS and do everything appropriately. (macOS requires setting up XQuartz for your first time running this, see the "Mac" section below.)
Execute ./build.sh to build the container, and ./linux_start.sh to run it.
When launched with ./linux_start.sh, the Docker container will run with the executing user's UID and GID, allowing for direct
connection to X11 through /tmp/.X11-unix. The user's home directory is also mounted in the container as RW, allowing for
easy access to files from Modelsim.
Execute ./build.sh to build the container.
The Mac version of modelsim_docker requires XQuartz, which can be installed with brew cask install xquartz.
First, launch XQuartz and then go to ZQuartz -> Preferences -> Security and check Allow remote connections. Restart XQuartz.
Before attempting to run the container, ensure Docker is running!
Then, run ./mac_start.sh to start the container and you should see the Modelsim window open.
When you are done running Modelsim, if you are security conscious, you should uncheck 'Allow remote connections' under XQuartz Preferences and quit XQuartz. Every time you run Modelsim you will need to ensure 'Allow remote connections' is checked, and XQuartz is restarted with this option enabled.