Vitis Model Composer Hub Block for Verification - Vitis Model Composer Hub Block for Verification - 2026.1 English - UG1483

Vitis Model Composer User Guide (UG1483)
Document ID
UG1483
Release Date
2026-06-23
Version
2026.1 English

To verify and analyze the AI Engine design, use the Analyze tab of the Model Composer Hub block.

Figure 1. Vitis Model Composer Hub: Testbench and Simulator Options

The Analyze button generates and compiles AI Engine code from the design and run the cycle-approximate AIE Simulation (SystemC).

AI Engine simulation termination can be controlled using a simulation timeout, a specified number of graph iterations, or both. These options determine when AI Engine simulation stops during verification.

The Simulation timeout (cycles) value limits execution to the specified number of cycles. This option is useful as a safety mechanism when the amount of input data is finite. If simulation timeout is not enabled, AI Engine simulation can continue indefinitely. The default simulation timeout value is 50,000 cycles.

The Graph Iterations value limits execution to the specified number of complete executions of the AI Engine graph. This option is useful when verifying functional correctness in cases where the number of cycles required to complete graph execution is not known in advance.

Each simulation control option can be enabled or disabled independently. When an option is disabled, its value is ignored and is not used to control simulation termination. When both options are enabled, AI Engine simulation terminates when the first specified condition is met.

AI Engine code verification and analysis advances in three phases:

  1. Compiling the AI Engine graph design.
  2. Running simulation using the AI Engine simulator.
  3. Verifying the simulation results by comparing the output with the golden reference output.

After clicking Analyze, you can monitor the compilation, simulation, and verification progress of the AI Engine graph code from the Progress window.

Figure 2. Graph Code Progress

After successful compilation and simulation, Model Composer automatically compares the target output with the golden reference output. It returns the following message in the Progress window (or in the corresponding simulation log files).

Comparing simulation results ...
Output data file : data/aiesimulator_output/Outl.txt.mod
reference data file : data/reference_output/Outl.txt
Simulation results MATCH.
**********************************************************
Test PASSED
Verification Complete
Note: In some scenarios, the simulator output produces fewer samples when compared with the golden output or vice-versa. In such cases, the test result still show as 'PASS.' This indicates that the first 'n' lines from the simulation output matches the first 'n' lines of the golden output and the results partially match. The .diff file in the corresponding simulator output captures any difference with the reference output.

In addition to this, the AI Engine compiler writes various configuration and binary files to the work/aie directory. For more information on the structure and contents of the directory specific to the compilation, refer to the AI Engine Tools and Flows User Guide (UG1076).