Configuring the HDL Simulator - 2020.2 English

Vivado Design Suite User Guide: Model-Based DSP Design Using System Generator (UG897)

Document ID
UG897
Release Date
2020-11-18
Version
2020.2 English

Black box HDL can be co-simulated with Simulink® using the System Generator interface to either the Vivado® simulator or the ModelSim simulation software from Model Technology, Inc.

Xilinx® Simulator

To use the Xilinx simulator for co-simulating the HDL associated with the black box, select Vivado Simulator as the option for the Simulation mode parameter on the black box. The model is then ready to be simulated and the HDL co-simulation takes place automatically.

ModelSim Simulator

To use the ModelSim simulator by Model Technology, Inc., you must first add the ModelSim block that appears in the Tools library of the Xilinx Blockset to your Simulink diagram.

Figure 1. ModelSim Block

For each black box that you wish to have co-simulated using the ModelSim simulator, you need to open its block parameterization dialog and set it to use the ModelSim session represented by the black box that was just added. You do this by making the following two settings:

  1. Change the Simulation Mode field from Inactive to External co-simulator.
  2. Enter the name of the ModelSim block (e.g., ModelSim) in the HDL co-simulator to use field.
Figure 2. Black Box Parameters

The block parameter dialog for the ModelSim block includes some parameters that you can use to control various options for the ModelSim session. See the block help page for details. The model is then ready to be simulated with these options, and the HDL co-simulation takes place automatically.