Proper syntax of 'left?

Hello everyone,

Sorry for another syntax question.

I am using an array of arrays, declared this way:

  type tables_type is array(1 to 3) of real_vector(1 to 5);
  constant Test1 : tables_type := ((others=>1.0), (others=>2.0), (others=>3.0));

Then I would like to work with the arrays inside the "container
array", and in that process I need to find out the first and last
index values using the 'left and 'right attributes.  (The reason
I need to do this is because in reality the definition uses
parameters, not hard coded numbers, and the function in which I
need to know the indexes doesn't know about the boundaries of
the array indexes).  Some tools will allow me to write the
following:

  Test(1)'left
  Test(1)'right

while others will not.  The tech support people of the vendor
which doesn't allow this code says that I need to use a
temporary variable in order to be able to do this:

  variable temp_vector : real_vector(1 to 5);
  temp_vector := Test(1);

and then apply the 'left and 'right attributes to the temp vector:

  temp_vector'left
  temp_vector'right

To me this seems to be a waste of resources and I think it will
slow down the code and waste a lot of memory when the vectors are
large.  I tried to get the answer to this by reading Peter
Ashenden's book, but I didn't see anything in it that explains
this (and I do not have a copy of the VHDL-AMS LRM).  Could
someone please explain to me whether the syntax I am trying to
write is legal according to the LRM (so I could perhaps convince
the tool vendor that they need to implement it if it is legal)?

Thanks,

Arpad Muranyi
Intel Corporation
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