Editing and formatting HDL items in the Wave window
Once you have the HDL items you want in the Wave window, you can edit and format the list in the pathname and values panes to create the view you find most useful. (See also, "Setting Wave window display properties" .)
To edit an item:
Select the item's label in the pathname pane or its waveform in the waveform pane. Move, copy, or remove the item by selecting commands from the Wave window Edit menu.
You can also click+drag to move items within the pathnames and values panes:
- to select several items:
control+click to add or subtract from the selected group
- to move the selected items:
re-click and hold on one of the selected items, then drag to the new location
To format an item:
Select the item's label in the pathname pane or its waveform in the waveform pane, then select Edit > Signal Properties (Wave window). The resulting Wave Signal Properties dialog box has three tabs: View, Format, and Compare.
The View tab includes these options:
- Display Name
Specifies a new name (in the pathname pane) for the selected signal.
- Radix
Specifies the Radix of the selected signal(s). Setting this to default causes the signal's radix to change whenever the default is modified using the radix command. Item values are not translated if you select Symbolic.
- Wave Color
Specifies the waveform color. Select a new color from the color palette, or enter an XWindows color name.
- Name Color
Specifies the signal name's color. Select a new color from the color palette, or enter an XWindows color name.
The Format tab includes these options:
- Format: Literal
Displays the waveform as a box containing the item value (if the value fits the space available). This is the only format that can be used to list a record.
- Format: Logic
Displays values as U, X, 0, 1, Z, W, L, H, or -.
- Format: Event
Marks each transition during the simulation run.
- Format: Analog [Step | Interpolated | Backstep]
All signals in the following illustration are the same /top/clk signal. Starting with "analog step", the /top/clk signal has been relabeled to illustrate each different wave format.
Analog Step
Displays a waveform in step style.
Analog Interpolated
Displays the waveform in interpolated style.
Analog Backstep
Displays the waveform in backstep style. Often used for power calculations.
Offset and Scale
Allows you to adjust the scale of the item as it is seen on the display. Offset is the number of pixels offset from zero. The scale factor reduces (if less than 1) or increases (if greater than 1) the number of pixels displayed.
Only the following types are supported in Analog format:
VHDL types:
All vectors - std logic vectors, bit vectors, and vectors derived from these types
Scalar integers
Scalar reals
Scalar time
Verilog types:
All vectors
Scalar real
Scalar integers
- Height
Allows you to specify the height (in pixels) of the waveform.
The Compare tab includes the same options as those in the Add Signal Options dialog box (see Adding Signals, Regions and/or Clocks).
