verilator template

this is wip sample verilator template to clone and implement a verilated testbench using cpp. mainly derived from the 4 tutorials provided by the itsembedded.com with quality of life improvements and additional stack changes

different examples are implemented in different branches, main branch is the template

directory structure

--- obj_dir : where the verilated files end up (converted files from verilog to cpp)
--- alu.sv  : main module file
--- alu_tb  : testbench file with _tb added to main module file
--- makefile: command structuring to make easier execution of compilations
--- .clangd : clangd flags configurations to avoid verilator pitfalls and ease intellisense
--- .stamp.verilate : a temporaray file generated at a make step for tracking
--- .rules.verible_lint : adjust verible lint rules to suppress some annoying style guides
--- license

getting started

note that your top level module name should be the name of the sv or v file you are creating (convention an ease). your testbench file will be modulename_tb.cpp and it is assumed you have verilator, gtkwave and make and clangd in path.

1. go to makefile and assign the MODULE value
2. that's it, write and change your code in the module and tb files and run make waves, if there is an error try to fix it and make clean && make waves
3. commands are available for each step separately too make build, make sim, make lint

Tip

if you want to enable clangd debugging properly you might want to generate compile_commands.json, you can do this by running make bear, you must have installed bear for this to work another alternative is compiledb or you can do this manually using .clangd

todo

• figure out a way to skip manually including Valu.h and type files
• experiment with zig build system instead of make files
• move from make to just as the command runner
• vscode editor config branch - low priority
• initializer script for detecting or requesting and changing modulenames throughout files and commands
• better way for verilator intellisense