Generating and Opening the Waveform Reports - 2025.1 English - UG1701

Embedded Design Development Using Vitis User Guide (UG1701)
Document ID
UG1701
Release Date
2025-07-16
Version
2025.1 English

Follow these instructions to enable waveform data collection from the command line during hardware emulation and open the viewer.

  1. Enable debug code generation during compilation and linking using the -g option.
    v++ -c -g -t hw_emu ...
  2. Create an xrt.ini file in the same directory as the host executable with the following contents (see xrt.ini File for more information).
    [Emulation]
debug_mode=batch

    The debug_mode=batch enables the capture of waveform data (.wdb) by running simulation in batch mode. You can also enable the Live Waveform Viewer to launch simulation in interactive mode using the following setting in the xrt.ini.

    [Emulation]
debug_mode=gui
    Tip: If Live Waveform Viewer is enabled, the simulation waveform opens during the hardware emulation run.
  3. Run the hardware emulation build of the application as described in Application Verification Using Vitis Emulation Flow. The hardware transaction data is collected in the waveform database file, <hardware_platform>-<device_id>-<xclbin_name>.wdb. Refer to Output Directories of the v++ Command in the Vitis Reference Guide (UG1702) for more information on locating these reports.
  4. Open the Waveform view in the Vitis analyzer by opening the Run Summary, and opening the Waveform report.
    vitis_analyzer xrt.run_summary
  5. Waveforms for TLM transactions can also be dumped for third-party simulators (support limited to Mentor Graphics Questa Advanced Simulator and Cadence Xcelium). Wave data dump is enabled when v++ link is done with -g option (as mentioned in step 1). The format of the wave database dumped is simulator specific (for example, .wlf for Questa Advanced Simulator and .shm for Xcelium).