XAUI (v8.1) Simulation on ISIM

[beppodb]

Hi,

I've seen descriptions of this problem before, but the poster was using Modelsim.  Essentially, I'm trying to simulate the XAUI example design, but the testbench never sends out any data, because the signal mgt_tx_ready never gets asserted.  mgt_tx_ready never gets asserted because the RocketIO transmitters never get synchronized.  I suspect this has something to do with the RocketIO device simulation that is supposed to occur internally to ISIM.

I am using version 8.1 of the XAUI IP.

I am using version 11.2 of ISE.

This is on a Virtex 5 device.

1.  Is simulation of the XAUI possible on ISIM?

2.  What am I missing?

Thanks!

[beppodb]

Actually, it appears that ISIM is simulating the RocketIO module.  Looking at the signals of the TXSYNC tiles, it looks like the synchronizer SYNC FSM state is getting to 0x4, C_SYNC_PHASE_ALIGN, but it never advances from there.  I'm completely green on this, so I'm not really sure what's going on.  Hints?

[duthv]

Hi,

This may be a problem with the 8.1 version of the XAUI core, or it could be that you might not have the correct settings. I created a 8.2 version of the core and tested it out with ISIm in 11.2 and it seems to simulate correctly. Since 8.2 is the latest Virtex-5 version of the core, I would recommend that you use that one instead. Also since the core does not support Project Navigator if you were adding these files into PN, that may be part of the problem as well.

To assist you, I have attached an equivalent simulate_isim.csh file and a Tcl file for adding to the waveform that should show that this core is working correctly in 11.2 version of ISim. I did not include the entire project as I figured you can create the correct configuration to meet your needs.

Hope this helps

Thanks

Duth

[beppodb]

Hello,

Thanks so much for the quick response.  I will test it out and get back to you.

With regard to the Project Navigator support: how exactly isn't it supported?  This isn't a problem for the example project, but I will have to come up with some scripts for my broader project if I can't simulate from PM.

[duthv]

Hi,

With regards to the question on PN support. What I meant to say was that coregen does not write out a project navigator file and this would make it seamless to use it in PN. Until this gets explicitly written out you would have to create the project yourself.

I would say you should open a case with Xilinx Tech Support requesting for PN support for the XAUI core, so it is seamless.

It is also probable that this is only a problem for the demo design due to how the Tb are connected together. When you do this with your design it is most likley work with no issues.

Thanks

Duth

[beppodb]

Sorry for the delay.  I upgraded to XAUI v8.2 and ran according to the script previously attached, but I had the same results:  xgmii_txd holds 0x0707070707070707 the entire run of the test.

[Anonymous]

I just ran into the same issue this week witht the exact same symptom.  The problem was casued by using an old version of Modelsim (pre 6.3c).  The XAUI sim needs to use the encrypted ip library "secureip" for the GTP_DUAL to function properly.  In the old version of modelsim, there is a GTP_DUAL component in simprim but it won't work so the PLL will never lock.  I upgraded to modelsim 6.5d and presto, everything worked as expected.

Keep in mind that when you re-compile the Xilinx libraries under the new version of modelsim, you will have a new lib that needs to be added to your modelsim.ini (secureip).