Specman Verification Questions - Part III

Question 1: What will be the output if following code is loaded and test command is issued into Specman ?

<'

struct x

{

y : uint;

keep soft y == 8;

};

extend sys

{

run() is also

{

var x : x;

gen x;

var a : uint = 2;

outf ("a = %d x.y = %d\n", a, x.y);

update_field(a);

update_struct(x);

outf ("a = %d x.y = %d\n", a, x.y);

};

update_field(a: uint) is

{

a = 4;

};

update_struct(x: x) is

{

x.y = 4;

};

};

'>

Answer:

a = 2 x.y = 8

a = 2 x.y = 4

Here, variable uint a is not updated and struct x is updated. Why is so? Because in specman, unlike user defined data types (e.g. structs, units), all variables with standard data types are passed by value in the methods. All user defined data types (like structs) are passed by reference. So, whenever, called methods update the passed structs, it is actually updating the original struct and not its copy.

If one wants user defined data types to be passed by value then he/she can use deep_copy to copy the existing variable and pass it to the method as shown below.

<'

struct x

{

y : uint;

keep soft y == 8;

};

extend sys

{

run() is also

{

var x : x;

gen x;

var a : uint = 2;

outf ("a = %d x.y = %d\n", a, x.y);

update_field(a);

update_struct(deep_copy(x));

outf ("a = %d x.y = %d\n", a, x.y);

};

update_field(a: uint) is

{

a = 4;

};

update_struct(x: x) is

{

x.y = 4;

};

};

'>

Question 2: What is the difference between inheritance implemented by "when" construct and implemented by "like" construct?

Answer:

like inheritance is the concept of the object oriented programming (OOP) where as when inheritance is the concept of aspect oriented programming (AOP). For more detail on AOP, please refer Aspect-Oriented Programming with the e Verification Language book written by David Robinson (Verilab).

like construct is used when someone wants to derive a child object from the already defined struct/unit. This derived child will have new struct/unit name. When someone derive the child object using when construct, the base name of the child will remain the same.

Another difference between like and when construct is that, once the child is derived using like inheritance, one can not add extra fields in the parent struct/unit, wherease, if child is derived using when construct, parent struct/unit can have extra fields.

Take a look at the following example. packet_valid field is added in the parent struct packet_s after the child is derived using like inheritance. This is not allowed and Specman will issue an error during loading phase.

<'

type packet_type_t : [GOOD, BAD, UGLY];

struct packet_s

{

kind : packet_type_t;

};

struct good_packet_s like packet_s

{

packet_size : uint (bits: 5);

};

extend packet_s

{

packet_valid : bool;

ack() is

{

outf ("NOTE :: This is packet %s\n", me);

};

};

extend sys

{

packet : packet_s;

good_packet : good_packet_s;

};

'>

Specman will issue following error.

*** Error: Cannot add new field 'packet_valid' to struct 'packet_s': it has like children (e.g. 'good_packet_s') with fields.

Note that ack() method will be added in the parent struct packet_s even though child is derived using like inheritance.