NAME

       iverilog-vpi - Compile front end for VPI modules

SYNOPSIS

       iverilog-vpi [--name=name] sourcefile...

DESCRIPTION

       iverilog-vpi  is  a  tool  to  simplify the compilation of VPI modules for use with Icarus
       Verilog. It takes on the command line a list of C or C++ source files,  and  generates  as
       output  a  linked  VPI module. See the vvp(1) man page for a description of how the linked
       module is loaded by a simulation.

       The output is named after the first source file. For example, if the first source file  is
       named foo.c, the output becomes foo.vpi.

OPTIONS

       iverilog-vpi accepts the following options:

       -llibrary
               Include  the  named library in the link of the VPI module. This allows VPI modules
               to further reference external libraries.

       -Idirectory
               Add directory to the list of directories that will be search for header files.

       -Ddefine
               Define a macro named define.

       --name=name
               Normally, the output VPI module will be named after the first source  file  passed
               to  the  command.  This flag sets the name (without the .vpi suffix) of the output
               vpi module.

       --install-dir
               This flag causes the program to print the install directory for VPI modules,  then
               exit. It is a convenience for makefiles or automated plug-in installers.

       --cflags, --ldflags and --ldlibs
               These flags provide compile time information.

PC-ONLY OPTIONS

       The  PC  port  of  iverilog-vpi  includes  two  special  flags  needed to support the more
       intractable development environment. These flags help the program  locate  parts  that  it
       needs.

       -mingw=path
               Tell  the  program  the  root of the Mingw compiler tool suite. The vvp runtime is
               compiled with this compiler, and this is the compiler that iverilog-vpi expects to
               use  to  compile  your source code. This is normally not needed, and if you do use
               it, it is only needed once. The compiler will save the path in  the  registry  for
               use later.

       -ivl=path
               Set for the use during compilation the root if the Icarus Verilog install. This is
               the place where you installed Icarus Verilog when you ran the installer. This flag
               is also only needed once, and the path is stored in the registry for future use.

UNIX-ONLY OPTIONS

       The  UNIX  version of iverilog-vpi includes additional flags to let Makefile gurus peek at
       the configuration of the iverilog installation.  This way, Makefiles can be  written  that
       handle  complex  VPI  builds  natively,  and without hard-coding values that depend on the
       system and installation.  If used at all, these options must be used one at  a  time,  and
       without any other options or directives.

       --cflags
               Print  the  compiler  flags  (CFLAGS  or  CXXFLAGS)  needed to compile source code
               destined for a VPI module.

       --ldflags
               Print the linker flags (LDFLAGS) needed to link a VPI module.

       --ldlibs
               Print the libraries (LDLIBS) needed to link a VPI module.

       -m32    On 64bit systems that support it (and support vvp32) this flag  requests  a  32bit
               vpi binary instead of the default 64bit binary.

       Example GNU makefile that takes advantage of these flags:

           CFLAGS = -Wall -O $(CFLAGS_$@)
           VPI_CFLAGS := $(shell iverilog-vpi --cflags)
           CFLAGS_messagev.o = $(VPI_CFLAGS)
           CFLAGS_fifo.o = $(VPI_CFLAGS)
           messagev.o fifo.o: transport.h
           messagev.vpi: messagev.o fifo.o
                iverilog-vpi $^

AUTHOR

       Steve Williams (steve@icarus.com)

SEE ALSO

       iverilog(1), vvp(1), <http://www.icarus.com/eda/verilog/>, <http://www.mingw.org>,

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright ©  2002-2009 Stephen Williams

       This document can be freely redistributed according to the terms of the
       GNU General Public License version 2.0

                                         April 17th, 2009                         iverilog-vpi(1)