writing current date to a 32 bit register

I want to automatically put the current date (year,month,day maybe
hour) in a 32 bit register during the synthesis stage. I am using
Modelsim as a simulator and Xilinx Xst as a synthesis tool. My target
fpga is Spartan 3.

Can someone explain me is there an easy way to implement?

oktem@su.sabanciuniv.edu

wrote:

> I want to automatically put the current date (year,month,day maybe
> hour) in a 32 bit register during the synthesis stage. I am using
> Modelsim as a simulator and Xilinx Xst as a synthesis tool. My target
> fpga is Spartan 3.
>
> Can someone explain me is there an easy way to implement?

I add a timestamp like this to my builds by generating a package in the makefile I drive the build with. Here's an excerpt:

version.vhd: Makefile
@echo "generating $@"
@rm -f $@
@echo "PACKAGE version IS" > $@
@echo " CONSTANT C_VER_DESIGN : INTEGER := $(VER_DESIGN);" >> $@
@echo " CONSTANT C_VER_MAJOR : INTEGER := $(VER_MAJOR);" >> $@
@echo " CONSTANT C_VER_MINOR : INTEGER := $(VER_MINOR);" >> $@
@echo " CONSTANT C_VER_REV : INTEGER := $(VER_REV);" >> $@
@echo " CONSTANT C_VER_TIMESTAMP : INTEGER := $(shell date +%s);">> $@
@echo "END version;" >> $@

The C_VER_TIMESTAMP is a constant containing the number of seconds since the epoch (1970-01-01 00:00:00 GMT).

This only guarantees an up-to-date timestamp if I build with make. When I'm building from an ISE project, all bets are off.

Ken

Ken Cecka

On Mar 4, 5:40*pm, Ken Cecka <cec...@alumni.washington.edu> wrote:
> ok...@su.sabanciuniv.edu wrote:
> > I want to automatically put the current date (year,month,day maybe
> > hour) in a 32 bit register during the synthesis stage. I am using
> > Modelsim as a simulator and Xilinx Xst as a synthesis tool. My target
> > fpga is Spartan 3.
>
> > Can someone explain me is there an easy way to implement?
>
> I add a timestamp like this to my builds by generating a package in the makefile I drive the build with. *Here's an excerpt:
>
> version.vhd: Makefile
> * * * * @echo "generating $@"
> * * * * @rm -f $@
> * * * * @echo "PACKAGE version IS" > $@
> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_DESIGN * *: INTEGER := $(VER_DESIGN);" >> $@
> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_MAJOR * * : INTEGER := $(VER_MAJOR);" >> $@
> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_MINOR * * : INTEGER := $(VER_MINOR);" >> $@
> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_REV * * * : INTEGER := $(VER_REV);" >> $@
> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_TIMESTAMP : INTEGER := $(shell date +%s);">> $@
> * * * * @echo "END version;" >> $@
>
> The C_VER_TIMESTAMP is a constant containing the number of seconds since the epoch (1970-01-01 00:00:00 GMT).
>
> This only guarantees an up-to-date timestamp if I build with make. *When I'm building from an ISE project, all bets are off.
>
> Ken

Now i have a tcl script which takes current date and convert it to a
binary
I can run this tcl script from the tcl shell menu of xilinx project
navigator
I added a generic current_date variable on my top module
I added this varible to generics, parameters part of Synthesis Options
menu of Xilinx.

So everythime i want to synthesize, I need to run the tcl script, get
the output of the function, copy and paste it to the current_date at
the generics tab of synthesis options and run.
Actually I was not able to do it with the makefile approach since it
seems harder for me. I need a little more explanation.

best regards

oktem@su.sabanciuniv.edu

On Mar 5, 11:26*am, Alan Fitch <alan.fi...@spamtrap.com> wrote:
> ok...@su.sabanciuniv.edu wrote:
> > On Mar 4, 5:40 pm, Ken Cecka <cec...@alumni.washington.edu> wrote:
> >> ok...@su.sabanciuniv.edu wrote:
> >>> I want to automatically put the current date (year,month,day maybe
> >>> hour) in a 32 bit register during the synthesis stage. I am using
> >>> Modelsim as a simulator and Xilinx Xst as a synthesis tool. My target
> >>> fpga is Spartan 3.
> >>> Can someone explain me is there an easy way to implement?
> >> I add a timestamp like this to my builds by generating a package in the makefile I drive the build with. *Here's an excerpt:
>
> >> version.vhd: Makefile
> >> * * * * @echo "generating $@"
> >> * * * * @rm -f $@
> >> * * * * @echo "PACKAGE version IS" > $@
> >> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_DESIGN * *: INTEGER := $(VER_DESIGN);" >> $@
> >> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_MAJOR * * : INTEGER := $(VER_MAJOR);" >> $@
> >> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_MINOR * * : INTEGER := $(VER_MINOR);" >> $@
> >> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_REV * * * : INTEGER := $(VER_REV);" >> $@
> >> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_TIMESTAMP : INTEGER := $(shell date +%s);">> $@
> >> * * * * @echo "END version;" >> $@
>
> >> The C_VER_TIMESTAMP is a constant containing the number of seconds since the epoch (1970-01-01 00:00:00 GMT).
>
> >> This only guarantees an up-to-date timestamp if I build with make. *When I'm building from an ISE project, all bets are off.
>
> >> Ken
>
> > Now i have a tcl script which takes current date and convert it to a
> > binary
> > I can run this tcl script from the tcl shell menu of xilinx project
> > navigator
> > I added a generic current_date variable on my top module
> > I added this varible to generics, parameters part of Synthesis Options
> > menu of Xilinx.
>
> > So everythime i want to synthesize, I need to run the tcl script, get
> > the output of the function, copy and paste it to the current_date at
> > the generics tab of synthesis options and run.
> > Actually I was not able to do it with the makefile approach since it
> > seems harder for me. I need a little more explanation.
>
> > best regards
>
> You can set the generics within ISE using the Xilinx specific Tcl command
>
> project set "Generics, Parameters" "Max=10" -process "Synthesize - XST"
>
> where Max is an integer generic with the value 10.
>
> If your generic is a string, you'll need to work out the quoting syntax.
> If you want to see how Xilinx has stored your generic, export your
> project settings using the ISE menu
>
> Project > Generate Tcl Script...
>
> You can then put your own Tcl script at the front to generate the time
> value, and then run it using the command
>
> xtclsh script.tcl
>
> xtclsh is the Xilinx Tcl interpreter, which understands the Xilinx Tcl
> extensions, as well as plain Tcl.
>
> regards
> Alan
>
> --
> Alan Fitch
> Douloshttp://www.doulos.com


Project > Generate Tcl Script...
You can then put your own Tcl script at the front to generate the
time value, and then run it using the command

Regarding this statement I have some newbie questions

so when go to ISE menu > project > create a Tcl script to regenerate
the project file
1- Do i have to exclude anything from the export list. There is a vhd
file,my tcl script,there is a ncd file and lastly a timesim_vhw file.
2- What difference does it make if I add output files and add report
files.
3- After I finish exporting I noticed an import.tcl and an export tcl
file in my project directory. Should I run these from the tcl shell
menu of project navigator. What do I do with these files. If I run
these files is it posible to not copy paste the date for each
synthesis


I started using tcl yesterday so sorry for the foolish questions.

oktem@su.sabanciuniv.edu

On Mar 5, 12:22*pm, ok...@su.sabanciuniv.edu wrote:
> On Mar 5, 11:26*am, Alan Fitch <alan.fi...@spamtrap.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > ok...@su.sabanciuniv.edu wrote:
> > > On Mar 4, 5:40 pm, Ken Cecka <cec...@alumni.washington.edu> wrote:
> > >> ok...@su.sabanciuniv.edu wrote:
> > >>> I want to automatically put the current date (year,month,day maybe
> > >>> hour) in a 32 bit register during the synthesis stage. I am using
> > >>> Modelsim as a simulator and Xilinx Xst as a synthesis tool. My target
> > >>> fpga is Spartan 3.
> > >>> Can someone explain me is there an easy way to implement?
> > >> I add a timestamp like this to my builds by generating a package in the makefile I drive the build with. *Here's an excerpt:
>
> > >> version.vhd: Makefile
> > >> * * * * @echo "generating $@"
> > >> * * * * @rm -f $@
> > >> * * * * @echo "PACKAGE version IS" > $@
> > >> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_DESIGN * *: INTEGER := $(VER_DESIGN);" >> $@
> > >> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_MAJOR * * : INTEGER := $(VER_MAJOR);" >> $@
> > >> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_MINOR * * : INTEGER := $(VER_MINOR);" >> $@
> > >> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_REV * * * : INTEGER := $(VER_REV);" >> $@
> > >> * * * * @echo " *CONSTANT C_VER_TIMESTAMP : INTEGER := $(shell date +%s);">> $@
> > >> * * * * @echo "END version;" >> $@
>
> > >> The C_VER_TIMESTAMP is a constant containing the number of seconds since the epoch (1970-01-01 00:00:00 GMT).
>
> > >> This only guarantees an up-to-date timestamp if I build with make. *When I'm building from an ISE project, all bets are off.
>
> > >> Ken
>
> > > Now i have a tcl script which takes current date and convert it to a
> > > binary
> > > I can run this tcl script from the tcl shell menu of xilinx project
> > > navigator
> > > I added a generic current_date variable on my top module
> > > I added this varible to generics, parameters part of Synthesis Options
> > > menu of Xilinx.
>
> > > So everythime i want to synthesize, I need to run the tcl script, get
> > > the output of the function, copy and paste it to the current_date at
> > > the generics tab of synthesis options and run.
> > > Actually I was not able to do it with the makefile approach since it
> > > seems harder for me. I need a little more explanation.
>
> > > best regards
>
> > You can set the generics within ISE using the Xilinx specific Tcl command
>
> > project set "Generics, Parameters" "Max=10" -process "Synthesize - XST"
>
> > where Max is an integer generic with the value 10.
>
> > If your generic is a string, you'll need to work out the quoting syntax..
> > If you want to see how Xilinx has stored your generic, export your
> > project settings using the ISE menu
>
> > Project > Generate Tcl Script...
>
> > You can then put your own Tcl script at the front to generate the time
> > value, and then run it using the command
>
> > xtclsh script.tcl
>
> > xtclsh is the Xilinx Tcl interpreter, which understands the Xilinx Tcl
> > extensions, as well as plain Tcl.
>
> > regards
> > Alan
>
> > --
> > Alan Fitch
> > Douloshttp://www.doulos.com
>
> *Project > Generate Tcl Script...
> *You can then put your own Tcl script at the front to generate the
> time value, and then run it using the command
>
> *Regarding this statement I have some newbie questions
>
> *so when go to ISE menu > project > create a Tcl script to regenerate
> the project file
> 1- Do i have to *exclude anything from the export list. There is a vhd
> file,my tcl script,there is a ncd file and lastly a timesim_vhw file.
> 2- What difference does it make if I add output files and add report
> files.
> 3- After I finish exporting I noticed an import.tcl and an export tcl
> file in my project directory. Should I run these from the tcl shell
> menu of project navigator. What do I do with these files. If I run
> these files is it posible to not copy paste the date for each
> synthesis
>
> I started using tcl yesterday so sorry for the foolish questions.


I put this line
project set "Generics, Parameters" "ID=my_date" -process "Synthesize -
XST"
at the end of my tcl script so that i do not have to copy and paste it
everytime.

so now i need to undertand these import.tcl and export.tcl files.

Also im having problem with integer to binary conversion. Is there a
tcl function that I can determine the width of the output. if I
convert 3 to binary can I get an output of exactly 4 bits like this
(0011) not 2 bits (11) or 8 bits (00000011) or 32 bits
(00000000000000000000000000000011)

oktem@su.sabanciuniv.edu

On Mar 5, 3:54*pm, Alan Fitch <alan.fi...@spamtrap.com> wrote:
> ok...@su.sabanciuniv.edu wrote:
> > On Mar 5, 12:22 pm, ok...@su.sabanciuniv.edu wrote:
>
> > I put this line
> > project set "Generics, Parameters" "ID=my_date" -process "Synthesize -
> > XST"
> > at the end of my tcl script so that i do not have to copy and paste it
> > everytime.
>
> > so now i need to undertand these import.tcl and export.tcl files.
>
> > Also im having problem with integer to binary conversion. Is there a
> > tcl function that I can determine the width of the output. if I
> > convert 3 to binary can I get an output of exactly 4 bits like this
> > (0011) not 2 bits (11) or 8 bits (00000011) or 32 bits
> > (00000000000000000000000000000011)
>
> You need format - see this page
>
> http://tmml.sourceforge.net/doc/tcl/format.html
>
> regards
> Alan
>
> P.S. I am not a Tcl expert - just to warn you...
>
> --
> Alan Fitch
> Douloshttp://www.doulos.com

Thank you Alan. It is very much appreciated.


Serkan

oktem@su.sabanciuniv.edu