# \[ANN\] Ruby-VPI 17.0.0

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ann-ruby-vpi-17-0-0/110089>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [July 23, 2007, 12:02am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ann-ruby-vpi-17-0-0/110089 "2007-07-23T00:02:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![snk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@snk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snk)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2007, 12:02am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ann-ruby-vpi-17-0-0/110089/1 "2007-07-23T00:02:31Z")

</div>

Ruby-VPI is a Ruby interface to IEEE 1364-2005 Verilog VPI  
and a platform for unit testing, rapid prototyping, and  
systems integration of Verilog modules through Ruby. It  
lets you create complex Verilog test benches easily and  
wholly in Ruby.

• See [http://ruby-vpi.rubyforge.org](http://ruby-vpi.rubyforge.org) for details.

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Version 17.0.0 (2007-07-22)

This release makes the Ruby-VPI testing framework more  
lightweight by reducing the number of files and  
parameters involved.

Caution

• The generate\_test.rb and convert.rb executables have  
been replaced by a single ruby-vpi executable to avoid  
name conflicts with other software. They are now  
accessed using the

```
ruby-vpi generate

and

ruby-vpi convert

commands respectively.

```

• The --name parameter has been removed from the  
automated test generator. Similarly, you can no longer  
insert an arbitrary name in a test’s file names (see  
the user manual for details).

• The DEBUG environment variable, which controls wether  
the test runner starts the interactive debugger, has  
been renamed to DEBUGGER.

• The SIMULATOR\_TARGET and SIMULATOR\_INCLUDES parameters  
have been eliminated from test runners. The former is  
detected automatically. As for the latter, you can  
specify paths to directories in the SIMULATOR\_SOURCES  
parameter instead.

• The bench.rb and bench.v files of a generated test are  
(1) no longer generated by the test generator and (2)  
are now ignored. You must move the functionality  
provided by these files into design.rb and your Verilog  
module’s source file respectively.

• The design.rb and proto.rb files are now loaded into a  
separate namespace (Ruby module). For example, if the  
Verilog module under test has the name “counter” and  
the design.rb file defines a class named “Foo”, then  
that class will be accessible as “Counter::Foo”.

• The global Vpi::simulate method has been replaced by  
the cycle! method in the design.rb file.

• The simulate! method in the proto.rb file has been  
renamed to feign! for accuracy.

• The RubyVpi module has been renamed to RubyVPI.

• RSpec \>= 1.0.0 is now required by Ruby-VPI.

• The project license has been further simplified.

Repairs

• Restored support for Enumerable methods in Vpi::Handle.

• The specification now begins to execute at simulation  
time 0. Previously it began at simulation time 1.

Improvements

• The bench.rb and bench.v files of a generated test have  
been eliminated!

```
One important benefit is that the Ruby interface to the
Verilog module under test is now a direct reference,
whereas previously it was an indirect reference (it
pointed to the Verilog module defined in bench.v, which
in turn wrapped around the actual Verilog module under
test).

As a result, you can now access the internals of the
Verilog module under test by simply calling methods on
the Ruby interface, as you would naturally expect to be
the case.

```

• The “a” accessor, which returns an array of child  
handles, has been added to the method naming format for  
accessing child handles.

• All parameter objects in the Verilog module under test  
are automatically made available as constants. For  
example, if the Verilog module under test has the name  
counter and has a parameter object named WIDTH, then  
you can access the integer value of that parameter  
using Counter::WIDTH.

• The automated test generator now tries to automatically  
detect the clock and reset signal from Verilog module  
declarations.

• Exceptions are now raised when you try to write to a  
read-only VPI property, such as VpiName.

• Added high?, high!, low?, and low! methods to the  
Vpi::Handle class.

• Revised the user manual by removing unnecessary  
sections and adding newer material from my master’s  
thesis.

Contributions

• Added Jacinto Shy II’s register file example to  
Ruby-VPI. It can be found in samp/register\_file/.