Source: HDL Works
May 31, 2007

HDL Companion, the Swiss Army knife becomes more versatile.

HDL Works introduces HDL Companion 2.1

May 2007, The latest version of HDL Companion has many new features. This latest version of the most flexible HDL design analysis and navigation environment is released and available now from www.hdlworks.com.

HDL Companion is also know as the Swiss army knife for HDL design engineers, because this tool offers a wide variety of features that’s needed to explore, understand and maintain HDL design projects.
The following features make HDL Companion a tool that should be on every designer’s desk.
- easy exploration of any HDL design (VHDL, Verilog or mixed language)
- HTML generation
- linting
- version management
- navigation between use and definition
- signal tracing through the design hierarchy
- search&replace through the design hierarchy
- HDL sensitive text editor
- automatic hierarchy extraction
- etc.

HDL Companion 2.1 is available now. All users with with a valid maintenance contract can download and use this latest version immediately, all other interested designers can download HDL Companion and receive a free of charge evaluation license.

What’s new
- HDL Linting
The linter has new checks and the performance has been improved for both VHDL and Verilog.
New linter checks include:
o Unconnected ports in instantiations
o Latch detection
o Sensitivity list checks
o Range checks in port maps
o Implicit nets (Verilog)
- Version management
Subversion has been added as version management system. Subversion is intended as a replacement for CVS. See http://subversion.tigris.org for more information.
- File compilation order
By default the VHDL and Verilog file compilation order is determined by the HDL Companion fuzzy parser. In some situations it can be necessary to impose a user specific compilation order, this can now be achieved.
- Simulator integration
Integration with the Modelsim and Cadence NCSim is improved. You can now compile files from HDL Companion fileview with the analyzer of your simulator.
- Testbench skeleton generator
A testbench skeleton generator can be invoked for each entity or module in your design.
- Documentation
All views can be exported as JPG or PNG image or copied to the clipboard. The HTML documentation generator is extended with a hierarchical view.
- Many smaller improvements

About HDL Works
HDL Works develops and markets high-performance, intuitive tools for complex HDL designs across a wide spectrum of applications. Its software products are available on the industry's most popular workstations and personal computer platforms. HDL Works currently holds EASE, HDL Companion and Scriptum in its product portfolio. Headquartered in Ede, The Netherlands, HDL Works is privately held.

HDL Works BV
Maxwellstraat 19
6716 BX Ede
The Netherlands
Telephone: +31-318-642022
Fax: +31-318-636482
E-mail: info@hdlworks.com
Website: www.hdlworks.com


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EASE, HDL Companion and Scriptum are trademarks of HDL Works.