Protocol Instance in the Objects Window - 2021.1 English

Vivado Design Suite User Guide: Logic Simulation (UG900)

Document ID
UG900
Release Date
2021-06-16
Version
2021.1 English

In the Objects window, a protocol instance appears as an aggregate design object that has the same name as the port name of the AXI interface seen in the block design. Click the arrow expand button to view the inputs and outputs of protocol analysis for the protocol instance as shown in the following figure for a protocol instance named M_AXI_DP.

Figure 1. Protocol Instance in the Objects Window

Note: To optimize computer resources, the protocol instance does not display its child objects until the protocol instance is added to the wave window for the first time.
Protocol Instances Window

The protocol instances window contains the complete protocol instance list present in a given design. It has an absolute path to the protocol instance to ensure that an instance with same name can be differentiated based on the path.

Figure 2. Protocol Instances Window

Protocol Instance Inputs

The protocol instance input signals shown with an orange icon are the aliases of the AXI signals from the HDL design. Hover over an input to see a tool tip giving full path of the alias as well as the full path of the actual (aliased) signal. From a protocol instance input you can also jump the Scope and Objects window to the actual signal. Perform the following steps to go to the actual signal of a protocol instance input:

  1. To view all signal types in the Objects window, click the gear icon and select the Check All check box.
  2. Right click the protocol instance input.
  3. Select Go To Actual.
Tip: If you would like to save the protocol instance input signals in a wave configuration (WCFG) file, add the actual signals of the input signals instead. Because, the protocol instance inputs and outputs are created only after a WCFG file is loaded, your saved inputs will be missing from the wave configuration. The protocol instance outputs cannot be saved in a WCFG file.
Protocol Instance Outputs

The protocol instance outputs are shown with a green O icon. These are special signals of the protocol instance that have no counterparts in the HDL design. The output signals produce events meaningful only to the wave viewer for displaying transactions.

CAUTION:
The set of protocol instance output signals and their contents are subject to change from one Vivado release to the next. It is recommended not to depend on the specific behavior of protocol instance output signals when scripting using Tcl.