Subject: DAC'01 1076.1 WG meeting minutes
From: Alain Vachoux (alain.vachoux@antrim.com)
Date: Fri Jul 06 2001 - 00:28:02 PDT
Dear 1076.1 WG member,
Please find below the minutes from the last working group meeting at DAC.
Regards,
Alain Vachoux
---------------------------------------------------------
IEEE 1076.1 Working Group Meeting Minutes 22 June 2001
======================================================
Meeting attendees:
David Barton dlb@wash.averstar.com
Hal Carter hal.carter@uc.edu
Ernst Christen christen@analogy.com
Tom Kazmierski (chair) tjk@ecs.soton.ac.uk
Greg Peterson gdp@utk.edu
Eric Sax sax@fzi.de
Alain Vachoux (note taker) alain.vachoux@antrim.com
John Willis jwillis@ftlsys.com
VASG meeting attendees joined the meeting at some point in time.
The VASG Chair is Steve Bailey (sbailey@synopsys.com).
Meeting agenda:
1. 1076.1 LRM errata sheet
2. Standard packages
3. Mixed netlists
4. VHDL-AMS tool implementation status
5. VHDL 200X update
6. AOB
6.1. VHDL 1076.1 PLI
6.2. VHDL Microwave study group update
7. Next meeting
Tom opened the meeting at 9am.
1. 1076.1 LRM Errata Sheet
--------------------------
Alain Vachoux confirmed that an errata sheet for the IEEE Std 1076.1-1999
Language Reference Manual is available on the working group web site
(http://www.eda-twiki.org/vhdl-ams/ftp_files/lrm/errata_apr01.pdf). It mainly
contains typographical errors that has been introduced by the translation from
Word to FrameMaker. It also includes the mention that the name Q'Above(E) is a
static name, a missing detail in the LRM that has been overlooked at the
balloting time. Ernst Christen mentioned the need to include a revision
control mechanism in the document. Any new issue regarding the LRM should be
sent to Ernst.
Alain mentioned that the IEEE was in the loop when developing the errata
sheet, but that the contact has been lost at some point in time. Tom proposed
to investigate with DASC (Paul Menchini) and the IEEE to figure out what to do
with the errata sheet w.r.t. IEEE rules.
As a related point, the need to reactivate the ISAC-AMS group has been
expressed. The task of this group is to gather VHDL-AMS language issues, to
analyze them and to propose resolutions. Ernst agreed to chair the ISAC-AMS
group. Alain suggested to have at least a minimal trace on the web site, even
if there is currently no open language issue.
2. Standard Packages
--------------------
Tom Kazmierski mentioned that the effort towards the standardization of 1076.1
companion packages to support multi energy domain modeling and simulation has
been reactivated. Alan Mantooth, from the University of Arkansas
(mantooth@engr.uark.edu), agreed to chair the effort. The next step is to
apply for a PAR. The PAR content (scope, purpose) will be discussed in the
working group before submission to the DASC. The DASC can discuss the PAR
through e-mail to accelerate the process. Then the PAR can be submitted to
IEEE. The whole process, until the start of the balloting process, is
estimated to be completed in one year from now.
Alain suggested to use the existing 1076.1 working group infrastructure
(mailing list, web site) to support the effort, even if a separate working
group will formally exist to meet IEEE rules. The meeting attendees agreed.
Ernst suggested to include the draft packages along with the PAR content for
the working group discussion. John asked whether the future standard packages
would conflict with existing implementations. Ernst answered that it is
possible that EDA vendors will have to support both their proprietary and the
standard packages for some time.
The organization and the content of the standard packages will be discussed in
the 1076.1 working group. Tom proposed to have a presentation at FDL'01 in
September (http://www.ecsi.org/ecsi/fdl/fdl01). Ernst agreed to provide an
abstract by July 6 so it can be included in the advance program. Ernst agreed
to make the presentation if he is able to attend, otherwise Tom, Dave, or
Alain can make it.
Alan will chair the first meeting of the new working group at BMAS in October
(http://www.esat.kuleuven.ac.be/~bmas/).
3. Mixed Netlists
-----------------
Ernst went again through the presentation he made at HDLCon 2000 (available in
the WG web site; see also the minutes of the HDLCon meeting). He did not have
the time to work further on the issue since then. Ernst confirmed to keep the
drive and asked for other contributors. Ernst did not think the mixed netlists
issue has to be urgently addressed as current VHDL-AMS implementations provide
workarounds at the schematic level or at the circuit netlist level. He however
expected that new language semantics that address the issue will be included
in the next release of the 1076.1 standard (around 2004).
4. VHDL-AMS Tool Implementation Status
--------------------------------------
Alain asked about the status of current VHDL-AMS tool implementations to
figure out whether there were outstanding issues that have been overlooked
when developing the language. He also wanted to know the current language
coverage. Ernst answered that he (Avant!), and most probably other EDA
vendors, will not communicate their language coverage for competitive reasons.
It was the sense of the audience that no blocking language issues are
existing. Feedback is however encouraged.
5. VHDL 200X Update
-------------------
The VASG meeting attendees joined the meeting soon before the point has been
addressed. There is a need to keep in sync with the development of VHDL 200X.
The VHDL standard 1076-2001 will not bring changes that have a direct
influence on the 1076.1 language definition. However it is expected to have a
revised 1076.1 LRM once the 1076-2001 LRM is released.
Ernst mentioned a procedural issue on the maintenance of the 1076.1 LRM
document. Both 1076 and 1076.1 LRMs are now FrameMaker documents so it would
be possible to maintain consistency by using FrameMaker's capabilities such as
conditional text. We will ask Paul Menchini, as the writer of the latest 1076
LRM, how to proceed.
Ernst recalled that some 1076.1 language issues that have an impact on the
1076 language have already been forwarded to the VASG. Steve Bailey agreed to
get the status with Ernst and to figure out whether other registered 1076
issue reports would also concern the 1076.1 language.
6. AOB
------
6.1. VHDL 1076.1 PLI
--------------------
Ernst reported on a new effort to develop a programming language interface to
the VHDL 1076.1 language, so-called VHPI-AMS. He presented what is a VHDL PLI
(an information model of the language with its programming language interface
to access compiled design units and simulation mechanisms) and the needs for
having it (to develop third party applications supporting VHDL-AMS simulators
for debugging, foreign modeling, verification, synthesis, etc.). Then Ernst
listed the 1076.1 aspects that should be added to the VHDL PLI that is
currently developed in a separate group (http://www.eda-twiki.org/vhdlpli/; Chair is
Françoise Martinolle, fm@cadence.com).
Ernst mentioned that Martin Vlach (mvlach@lynguent.com) already expressed his
interest in driving the development of VHPI-AMS and that Martin already
determined that there is interest for this project from Mentor and Avant!.
6.2. VHDL Microwave Study Group Update
--------------------------------------
John Willis reported on the status of the VHDL microwave study group (see
John's slides in
http://www.eda-twiki.org/vhdl-ams/ftp_files/wg_meetings/DASC_jun01/vhdlrfmw_status.p
df). John expressed his personal wish to have the RF & MW extensions based on
VHDL-AMS. He also mentioned that the study group may make different
recommendations. Hal Carter indicated that he currently has two students
working on RF extensions to VHDL-AMS. Hal mentioned several issues with the
support of RF modeling and simulation he would be happy to share with both the
VHDL-AMS and the VHDL RF&MW groups.
7. Next Meeting
---------------
The next 1076.1 working group meeting will be held at FDL'01 (Sept. 3-7).
Tom adjourned the meeting at 11:30am.
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