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| tools:actsim [2024/08/15 18:05] – [Timing] rajit | tools:actsim [2025/03/25 10:29] (current) – [General options] rajit |
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| <code>random_choice on|off</code> | <code>random_choice on|off</code> |
| Turn on/off random exclhi/lo firings. ACT uses ''mk_exclhi'' (''mk_excllo'') [[language:langs:spec#exclusive_directives|directives]] to force signals to be exclusive-high (exclusive low). | Turn on/off random exclhi/lo firings. ACT uses ''mk_exclhi'' (''mk_excllo'') [[language:langs:spec#exclusive_directives|directives]] to force signals to be exclusive-high (exclusive low). |
| This is typically used to model arbiters. If the ''mk_exclhi'' (''mk_excllo'')) directive is used between a set of signals, and more than one signal is driven high at the same simulation time (low), then turning on random choice randomizes the selection of the signal that is allowed to go high (low). | This is typically used to model arbiters. If the ''mk_exclhi'' (''mk_excllo'') directive is used between a set of signals, and more than one signal is driven high (low) at the same simulation time, then turning on random choice randomizes the selection of the signal that is allowed to go high (low). |
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| ==== Running Simulation ==== | ==== Running Simulation ==== |
| An ACT configuration file can be read into ''actsim'' to control its behavior. The following summarizes configuration options that affect the behavior of the simulator (beyond the default ACT configurations that affect all tools). The simulator loads in the default ''actsim.conf'' file, but any of those parameters can be augmented/over-ridden using the ''-cnf'' [[stdoptions:start|command-line option]]. | An ACT configuration file can be read into ''actsim'' to control its behavior. The following summarizes configuration options that affect the behavior of the simulator (beyond the default ACT configurations that affect all tools). The simulator loads in the default ''actsim.conf'' file, but any of those parameters can be augmented/over-ridden using the ''-cnf'' [[stdoptions:start|command-line option]]. |
| |
| | ==== General options ==== |
| |
| | When ''actsim'' starts, any top-level initialization is executed. This includes the initialize body at the top level, as well as any reset protocols for channels that cross between CHP and non-CHP components. To avoid infinite loops during this initialization phase, 100 rounds of simulation are executed by default. In some cases this amount of time may not be enough to finish the reset phase. The parameter ''reset_rounds'' can be adjusted to increase this period |
| | <code> |
| | begin sim |
| | int reset_rounds 100 |
| | end |
| | </code> |
| | |
| | ''actsim'' also supports [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Delay_Format|SDF]] (Standard Delay Format) back-annotation for delays. This is usually enabled using the command-line option ''-S'', but can also be specified using the configuration file: |
| | <code> |
| | begin sim |
| | string sdf_file "annotate.sdf" |
| | int sdf_mangled_names 1 |
| | end |
| | </code> |
| | The parameter ''sdf_manged_names'' is set to 1 if the instance names in the file correspond to ACT [[config:start#output_generation_and_name_mangling|mangled names]], and 0 if they correspond to standard ACT names. |
| ==== CHP configuration options ==== | ==== CHP configuration options ==== |
| |
| If this is set to 1, then debugging messages are printed out showing the metrics that ''actsim'' was looking for in the configuration file, and what metrics were in fact found. | If this is set to 1, then debugging messages are printed out showing the metrics that ''actsim'' was looking for in the configuration file, and what metrics were in fact found. |
| |
| | Metrics for energy, delay, leakage power, and area can be specified in a configuration file. These metrics are specified for each process type. (A better version is in the works...) The way this works is as follows: |
| | |
| | <code> |
| | begin sim |
| | begin chp |
| | begin mytype<> |
| | begin varname |
| | int D 42 |
| | int E 84 |
| | end |
| | real leakage 1e-8 |
| | int area 23 |
| | end |
| | end |
| | end |
| | </code> |
| | This configuration file provides annotations for energy and delay for a ''mytype<>'' process. The ''varname'' is the name of the variable, and could be a channel or a variable that is assigned. ''D'' is the delay associated with a send/receive using that channel, or assignment to the variable (if it is an int/bool). ''E'' is the energy associated with the operation. Finally, there is a leakage power and area value for the process. These values override the defaults in a type-specific manner. |
| ==== Mixed-signal simulation ==== | ==== Mixed-signal simulation ==== |
| |
| </code> | </code> |
| This is the time at which the trace file output should stop. | This is the time at which the trace file output should stop. |
| | |
| | <code> |
| | string_table measure_statements ".measure ..." ".print i(X)..." |
| | </code> |
| | defines additional spice lines added to each generated spice file used for the device_level simulations, you can use it for eg. recording currents measuring avergage power and so on |
| |
| ==== Standard sim namespace helper functions ==== | ==== Standard sim namespace helper functions ==== |