User`s manual

ModelSim Xilinx User’s Manual Introduction 1-17
1 - Introduction
Chapter contents
Standards supported . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Sections in this document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Text conventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
What is an "HDL item" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
ModelSim editions documented in this manual
ModelSim XE Starter
If you are new to HDL design, ModelSim XE Starter enables you to experiment
with and create small VHDL and Verilog designs and test benches.
ModelSim XE
If you are using the Xilinx XC9500 CPLD and Spartan FPGA series of
programmable logic devices or lower-density XC4000 and Virtex FPGAs,
ModelSim XE provides a more powerful step into the world of HDL simulation.
ModelSim XE supports behavioral, RTL, and gate-level simulation of Xilinx cell
libraries for both Verilog and VHDL environments.
Common Features
All ModelSim tools, including both Xilinx versions, feature a complete HDL
simulation and debugging environment providing 100 percent VHDL and Verilog
language coverage, a source code viewer/editor, waveform viewer, design
structure browser, list window and a host of other features designed to enhance
productivity.
This documentation was written for ModelSim XE version 5.3d for Microsoft
Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 95/98. If the ModelSim software you are using is
a later release, check the README file that accompanied the software. Any
supplemental information will be there. The online documentation included with
ModelSim may be more current than the printed version as well.