P1076 August 21, 2014 Meeting Minutes

Attendees:

• JimLewis * CliffordWalinsky * PeterFlake * RyanHinton * MartinThompson

Agenda:

Action Item Review

Done before meeting

• Ryan: to_string and 'image for composites

Discussion

• Integers: Arbitrary vs. Fixed Size?
  • WRT efficiency 64 bit is good and arbitrary can be more work on implementation
  • Python and Ruby both use unbounded integers
  • Ryan, Martin, Jim are leaning toward arbitrary width
  • Cliff - compiler integer vs arbitrary width integer is going to be challenging
    • Performance can be poor
    • For a design with integer, recompile it with arbitrary integers and it may run much slower.
    • Thinks we need a separate type and package.
  • Create new arbitrary integer type and make it closely related to integer
    • Seems reasonable since integer and real are closely related
  • Could port a bignum library to VHDL using integer_vector
• Integers and Logic Operations
  • Should bitwise operations be supported for integers without requiring modulo operations?
  • Allowing them may put constraints on synthesis optimizations
• Martin - 2033 - Increment operator with modulo wrap around.
  • Proposal at ModularTypes
  • Have two separate suggested implementations

Deferred

• Need more reviewers of matrix math package
• Ryan: Arbitrary width real: see Nov 8 2012 meeting
• Open - Multi dimensional Array restructuring: Array <--> Matrix Transformations 2012_MeetingJuly19 MeetingDecember15
  • Matlab has built-in reshape functions
  • In VHDL - explicit vs implicit defined operator
  • David Bishop: Requiring an implicit operator could delay implementations
  • Can this be handled by anonymous types on interfaces or generics on a package?
  • Language facility for creating implicit operators?
• Ryan - Slicing Multidimensional Arrays (FT15) maybe related to above 2012_MeetingMay24
• Jim - Mark bugzillas for which we have a proposal with that status
• Jim - Table driven modeling via protected types 2012_MeetingMay10
• Open - technical leader for 1076.6 activities?
  • std_logic_1164 uses 1076.6 attribute "RTL_SYNTHESIS_OFF" and "RTL_SYNTHESIS_ON"

Ranking Criteria

• Rank based on need
  • Item needs to be fixed
  • Useful for an application
• Rank based on complexity
  • How hard to implement
• Noted several items in Collected Requirements as Must Do
• AI: Jim: Create ranking sheet.

Review and Approve Meeting Minutes:

• Motion: Ryan 2nd: Peter

Next Meeting: Thursday August 28, 2014 8 am Pacific

Previous Meeting: Thursday August7, 2014