NEWS

NEWS for ghdl (Dunoon Edition)

New in 0.35 (XXXX-XX-XX)
* Assert and report messages are sent to stdout (#394)

New in 0.34 (2017-08-15)
* Display stack backtraces on errors or assert failures
* Compile scripts for vendor libraries (Xilinx, Altera, osvvm, vunit)
* Use SSE2 for mcode backend
* Mode backend ported to x86_64
* Support cocotb (https://github.com/potentialventures/cocotb)
* Main repository is now on github: https://github.com/tgingold/ghdl
* Docs available on rtd: https://ghdl.readthedocs.org/en/latest/
* Speed improved.
* New option --psl-report, to report status of psl assert and cover.
* vhdl 2008: support nested packages

New in 0.33 (2015-10-04)
* Improve support of vhdl 2008
* Support OSVVM 2015 (http://osvvm.org)
* Support vunit (https://github.com/LarsAsplund/vunit)
* Many bugs fixed

New in 0.32 (2014-11-XX)
* Updated to build with gcc-4.9.2.
* Partial support of VHDL-2008 (available with --std=08):
* support of new std.env package.
* support of added features in std.textio package
* support of all standard IEEE packages.
* support of new operations (relation operators, maximum and minimum, unary
  reduction operators)
* support of boolean_vector, integer_vector, real_vector.
* support of process(all).
* support of generic packages and interface package declarations.
* support of block comments (aka delimited comments)
* support of implicitely defined to_string functions.
* Support OSVVM 2014_01
* Bugs fixed

New in 0.31 (2014-01-XX)
* Updated to build with gcc-4.8.2.
* Supports OSVVM (Open-Source VHDL Verification Methodology) (see osvvm.org)
  in its VHDL-2002 form.
* Adds 'image and 'value attributes for all required datatypes
* Many bugs and support issues fixed.
* New home on https://sourceforge.net/projects/ghdl-updates/

New in 0.30
Never released, swith to Dunoon Edition.

New in 0.29 (2010-01-09)
* Initial implementation of embedded PSL assertions.
* Improve speed of non-sensitized processes.
* Improve speed of string case statement (dichotomy instead of linear search).
* bug fix and improvments in SDF annotator.
* bug fix when the bound of a string literal type is not locally static.
* bug fix: gcov crash

New in 0.28 (2009-09-17)
* Add --std=08 to enable vhdl 2008 features.
* Support all-sensitized processes from vhdl 2008.
* bug fix: handle 'pos/'leftof/'rightof/'succ/'pred in concurrent statements.
* bug fix: overloaded resolution functions.
* bug fix: direct drivers elaboration for unconstrained array signals.
* Documentation typos (thanks to Peter Huewe).
* many minor bugs fixed.

New in 0.27 (2008-07-01)
* Improve SDF annotation (handles much more annotations)
* Add --ieee-asserts= option to control assert messages from ieee packages.
* bug fix: aliases in port map
* bug fix: crash during elaboration for top entities with ports/generic
* bug fix: crash when string literal in aggregate.
* bug fix: concatenation with an array subtype element.
* bug fix: non-static subtype used by type conversions in associations.
* bug fix: clear timeout in wait for.
* minor bugs fixed.

New in 0.26 (2007-04-08)
* GHDL_PREFIX environment variable overrides default installation prefix.
* simulation speed improved with 'direct drivers'.
* windows version: exceptions are caught
* windows version: use executable path instead of registry for prefix
* bug fix: individual association by expression (was not working)
* bug fix: individual association of string
* bug fix: within windows code generator
* bug fix (windows): large local variables crashed
* bug fix: crash when overloaded aggregate target.
* bug fix: forbid individual association with open
* bug fix: crash when bad array prefix
* bug fix: correctly extract sensitivity of record aggregate

New in 0.25 (2006-08-11)
* bug fix: ieee math libraries available when --ieee=synopsys.
* bug fix: 'image in package bodies.
* bug fix: scan of fp literals.
* bug fix: interface identifier is checked for conformance rules.
* bug fix: avoid a crash in case of error in configuration specification.
* bug fix: non-static choice in unidim case are now correctly checked.
* bug fix: do not crash in case of bad use of incomplete type.
* bug fix: 'range are not expressions.
* bug fix: handle file declaration in concurrent procedure calls.
* bug fix: correctly handle static 'image attribute.
* bug fix: handle in-conversion for signal associated with an expression.
* bug fix: emit an error when a function tries to exit without a return.
* vpi functions to schedules values.
* math_real now works under windows.
* documentation updated for windows.
* filename/line number displayed for range error during signal update.

New in 0.24 (2006-06-25)
* bug fix: correctly handle empty file name.
* bug fix: correctly handle unused subprograms of protected types.
* bug fix: avoid a crash if unused library are use'd.
* bug fix: avoid crashes during error reports.
* bug fix: add a missing case array conversion.
* bug fix: build on x86_64.
* bug fix: code generated for conversion after mod/rem (windows version).
* bug fix: -fexplicit crashed with std.standard functions.
* bug fix: handle recursion of pure/wait checks.
* bug fix: correctly handle error cases of user attributes
* bug fix: time and character read procedure of std.textio.
* bug fix: initialize by value parameters (instead of copy-in).
* Handle enums with more than 256 elements.
* Relax expr static rules in 93c to analyze Xilinx core lib from 8.1
* man page (ghdl.1) added.
* windows installer improved

New in 0.23 (2006-05-16)
* bug fix: handle implicit conversion in resolution functions.
* bug fix: missing implicit conversion added.
* bug fix: avoid a crash in error.

New in 0.22 (2006-03-28)
* direntry added in ghdl.texi
* bug fix: avoid crash if type conversion is indexed/sliced.
* bug fix: do not allow anymore uncomplete individual association
* bug fix: missing check on array association
* bug fix: check bounds for val attribute on enumerated type.
* bug fix: array inequality of locally static expressions evaluated.
* bug fix: configuration issue.
* bug fix: --warn-no-vital-generic is now working.
* Documentation updated (explain bug in Xilinx unisim library).
* Updated to gcc 4.1
* math_real updated.

New in 0.21 (2005-12-18)
* bug fix: line number for some bound violation messages.
* bug fix: improved message error for deferred constants.
* bug fix: file parameter for functions.
* bug fix: universal real divided by integer handled in locally static expr.
* bug fix: std_ulogic types and arrays are known by vpi.
* bug fix: missing space added in VCDs for integers.
* bug fix: CR+LF is also end of line for std.textio.readline.
* bug fix: avoid a crash if parse error on choice.
* bug fix: handle 'image in nested subprograms.
* bug fix: handle 'image for floating point types.
* bug fix: do not use varargs C calls.
* bug fix: handle missing EOL for readline.
* local optimizations (loops, indexed name).
* simulation speed improved by 20% due to processes mngt optimizations.
* stack-switching code ported to x86_64 (amd64/em64t).
* stack-switching code ported to ia64.
* bug fixes for x86_64.
* --syn-binding option extended (see documentation).

New in 0.20 (2005-10-15)
* stack memory usage improved for shortcurt operations.
* gtkwave now displays nice waves for bit and std_ulogic signals.
* time unit is displayed in assert/report message.
* -fexplicit option added.
* integers are now written in VCD files.
* hash table added for design_units (speed optimization).
* range checks slightly optimized.
* --vcdz run time option added.
* improved error message for invalid expressions.
* grt now compiles with GNAT-GPL-2005 (use a GNAT bug work-around).
* bug fix: handle more types for --dump-rti and --wave.
* bug fix: 'last_event and 'last_active (bad value returned when no previous
  event or activity).
* bug fix: 'image attribute for physical types (was bad unit).
* bug fix: 'image attribute for locally static integers.
* bug fix: for reading .ghw files.
* bug fix: in --xref.

New in 0.19 (2005-08-17)
* bug fix: internal error (missing close_temp for implicit read)
* bug fix: --xref-html: avoid to reanalyze unit.
* bug fix: handle implicit conversion for 'image.
* bug fix: aggregate assigned to an aggregate: avoid crash.
* bug fix: array attributes on unconstrained array: avoid crash.
* bug fix: 'last_event returns time'high if no event.
* bug fix: 'last_event on array (uninitialized variable).
* bug fix: allow calling rising_edge with a port of mode buffer.
* bug fix: allow aliases of unconstrained arrays.
* bug fix: bound error on aggregate with an unused other association.
* bug fix: catch indexed/sliced component (was crashing).
* bug fix: catch index/slice of a type conversion (was crashing).
* bug fix: handle bad component specification in conf (was crashing).
* bug fix: missing ports in component (was crashing).
* bug fix: component configurations were dicarded by bug in some cases.
* bug fix: no more unused warnings for subprograms in architectures
  (they may be used in configuration).
* bug fix: allow conversion in component configuration.
* bug fix: conversion in associations with not statically defined array
  signals.
* ADAFLAGS has been replaced by GHDL_ADAFLAGS to ease compilation.
* ieee.math_real and ieee.math_complex added (only partially, based on a
  draft).
* current time is printed with assert/report messages.
* stack switch assembly code ported to powerpc-linux.
* documentation on how to use grt from Ada added.
* allow indexes of indexed names to be non-static in case statements (93c only)
  (this is not standard, but I can't see why it should be required).
* unbound ports of entities are now reported with --warn-binding.
* some error or warning messages improved.
* --wave option added to dump waveforms (using ghw file format).

New in 0.18 (2005-03-12)
* bug fix: in textio.read for time.
* bug fix: file_close does not crash if file was already closed.
* bug fix: spurious unused warnings for protected types.
* bug fix: allow subtype names in slice during sensitivity extraction.
* bug fix: correctly set the default value of collapsed ports.
* bug fix: handling of stack2 (aka large concatenation bug).
* Keep last line number to speed-up line number look-up (improvement).
* --warn-default-binding added, --warn-binding rewritten.
* 'value implemented for integer numbers.

New in 0.17 (2005-02-26)
* command --elab-run added.
* Code generation for aggregate improved.
* bug fix: port map with expression (corner case ?).
* Library name of option --work= is checked.
* bug fix: forbid empty extended identifiers.
* --no-run option added to prevent simulation (may be used to disp tree only).
* disp signal name in error when multiple sources drive an unresolved signal.
* -m/--gen-makefile now handle several libraries.
* dependences are not stored anymore in libraries (shorter/faster).
* bug fix: enumeration literal xrefs.
* mentor version of ieee library is now provided.
* bug fix: non-object name in sensitivity list crashed.
* handling of universal types is more consistent with LRM
  (almost corner cases).
* iterator and indexes whose bounds were universal expressions are now
  of type integer or erroneous, according to the weird LRM rules.
* handle selected name as entity name in architecture/configuration.
* bug fix: correctly handle alias of signals in processes.

New in 0.16 (2005-01-02)
* bug fix: better handling of errors in type conversion.
* bug fix: few uninitialized variables in ghdl itself caught.
* std.textio: readline has no limits on line length.
* bug fix: parse error: 'begin' in aggregates.
* bug fix: bad 'unused subprogram' warnings.
* command -r (run) added.

New in 0.15 (2004-10-13)
* library file format modified to handle relative paths.
* install fixed to use relative paths.
* internal change: ortho API modified (constant are not anymore expressions).

New in 0.14 (2004-08-29)
* bug fix: resolution function can be an expanded name.
* bug fix: missing type check in a corner case.
* bug fix: emit an error when EOF is reached while a text file is read.
* bug fix: std.textio.read for negative number.
* bug fix: std.textio.read [integer]: correctly handle end of line.
* bug fix: parameters of protected type: handled and checked.
* bug fix: gen_tree.c modified to work with sparc.
* pretty printing in HTML command (--pp-html) added.
* xref generation in HTML command (--xref-html) added.
* syntax checking command (-s) added.
* Code generation in whole command (-c files -e unit) added.
* warns for unused subprograms.
* bug box added to help bug reports.
* -s (syntax check) command added.
* Missing grt subprogram to close non-text file added.
* maximum line length of std.textio.readline extended to 512 characters.
* std.textio.readline assert error on truncated lines.
* Handle P32 and P64 in --trace-signals
* sequentials statements are not canonicalized (should be faster).
* DESTDIR added in Makefile to ease packaging.
* for -m command, re-parse modified files of the work library.
* Many checks added on interfaces.
* Many checks added on associations, better handling of conversions.
* Checks for unassociated entity ports at elaboration.

New in 0.13 (2004-06-26)
* support of 64bits integers and 32bits time (not yet user available)
* handle 'high and 'low attributes on non-locally static types and subtypes.
* Many warning switches added (to control output of warnings).
* --gen-makefile mode added to ghdl (to generate a Makefile)
* alias identifier restrictions of vhdl-02 implemented.
* declarative region for architecture from vhdl-02 implemented.
* buffer port association rules of vhdl-02 implemented.
* method operator restrictions of vhdl-02 implemented.
* 'driving and 'driving_value implemented.
* run-time bound check error message now contains file name and line number.
* strings are not stored anymore with the identifiers.
* parser does not back-track anymore.
* bug fix: name clash in generated .s files (arch and port/generic names).
* bug fix: implicit conversion of signal parameters.
* bug fix: handle locally static type conversion of arrays.
* bug fix: stabilize during elaboration of an unconstrained signal.
* bug fix: revert previous vhdl87 conf spec bug fix, according to INT-1991
           issue 27.
* bug fix: multiple visibility of declarations (eg: direct and alias).
* bug fix: names attribute of non-object aliases.

New in 0.12 (2004-05-30)
* simulation speed improved (2 fold) due to reduced activity optimization.
* type conversion handled in associations
* make mode of ghdl improved.
* bug fix: attribute specification
* bug fix: allow discrete type marks in choices
* bug fix: handling of generate statement for VCD
* bug fix: allow dereference in variable associations
* bug fix: allow function conversion in block port map
* bug fix: vhdl87: apply configuration specification inside generate stmts.
* bug fix: catch non-passive concurrent procedure calls in entity.
* bug fix: association of an unconstrained port with an expression.
* bug fix: declaring an uncons. array subtype of an uncons. array subtype.

New in 0.11.1 (2004-04-24)
* bug fix: corner case of signal not updated
* bug fix: handle 'stable, 'quiet with a paramater > 0
* bug fix: typos (missing '+ ') in sparc.S

New in 0.11 (2004-04-17)
* bug fix: in code generation for an aggregate.
* bug fix: run-time check of ascending order of projected transactions.
* bug fix: empty sequence of stmts in case alternatives (unidim array).
* bug fix: evaluation of locally static 'range attribute.
* signal collapsing improved.
* simulation kernel speed improved (maybe 5x faster).
* --lines mode of ghdldrv added.
* boolean signals are now dumped in vcd files.
* bug fix: implicit conversion in formal function convertor.
* bug fix: return type is a type mark.

New in 0.10 (2004-02-28)
* architecture with many instances can be compiled with less memory.
* --stats option added to the simulator, to evaluate performance.
* signals are now collapsed between instances, if possible.
* simulation is about 3x faster.
* sparc port available (source only).
* more checks added for attribute specification.
* bug fixed: absolute source files.
* chop command added (split files by design unit).
* bug fixed: empty sequence of statements in case alternatives.

New in 0.9 (2004-02-01)
* VITAL level 0 restrictions checks added.
* VITAL 2000 packages provided.
* run-time information (such as signal names) rewritten.
* SDF support added (partial and experimental).
* bug fixed: allow elaboration even if no package body if the package is
  present in a file but not used by the hierarchy.
* bug fixed: delay_length range is pre-elaborated (was not in v93).
* bug fixed: crashed when a design unit is not found at elaboration.
* bug fixed: allow association of 'stable, 'quiet... with signal interfaces.
* bug fixed: concurrent procedure call creates a non-sensitized process.
* bug fixed: effective value of non-scalar resolved signal might not be set.

New in 0.8 (2003-11-05)
* protected types (from 1076a/1076-2000) implemented.
* file declarations are finalized in subprograms.
* an exit call-back has been added in the run-time library.
* internal modifications (nodes are stored in a table).
* signal declaration not allowed in processes (bug fixed).
* name of generated executable can be set with '-o' option.
* IVI (ivi.sourceforge.org) support through a few VPI subprograms.
* pure and wait checks added.
* out ports are correctly dumped in VCD files.
* several bugs fixed.

New in 0.7 (2003-08-02)
* layout of internal nodes improved.
* incremental binding (vhdl93).
* association of in port with expressions (vhdl93).
* instantiation added in hierarchy (bug fixed).
* individual association of subelements by expression (bug fixed).
* --disp-time option added.
* --stop-delta option is working (bug fixed).
* make mode (ghdl -m) rewritten.
* 'simple_name, 'path_name and 'instance_name added (vhdl93).
* correctly handle operators names at function call (bug fixed).
* several small bugs fixed.

New in 0.6 (2003-06-09)
* internal modifications (single linked list used instead of arrays).
* bug fixed: xnor on bit and boolean is working.
* Mentor version of std_logic_arith is provided.
* postponed handled (vhdl 93).
* declarations allowed in a generate statement (vhdl 93).
* bug fixed: selected_name list in use clauses.
* non object aliases handled (vhdl93).
* signatures handled (vhdl93).
* many other small bug fixes.

New in 0.5 (2003-05-10)
* foreign attribute handled.  You can now call subprograms defined in a foreign
  language (such as C or Ada).
* ghdl entry point added: you can start the VHDL simulation from your own
  program.
* bug fixed: triple use.
* bug fixed: incomplete types

New in 0.4.1 (2003-04-07)
* bug fixed in the vcd output.

New in 0.4 (2003-04-02)
* libgrt does not depend on GNAT library anymore.
  Installation requirements are reduced.
* 'delayed attribute implemented.
* 'transaction attribute implemented.
* unaffected (from vhdl-93) implemented.
* ghdl action '--disp-standard' prints the std.standard package.
* exponentiation operator ("**") implemented for all integer and floating
  point types.
* bug fix: subprogram interfaces are now elaborated.
* many other small bug fixes.

--------------------------------------------------

Contributors to ghdl:

Tristan Gingold    (sole author of ghdl as a whole)
Brian Drummond     (gcc4.8.2 update, OSVVM port, some bugfixes)
David Koontz       (Mac OSX builds, LRM compliance work, bugfix analyses)
Joris van Rantwijk (Debian packaging)
Brian Davis        (Windows Mcode builds)
Adam Jensen        (FreeBSD builds)
Felix Bertram      (VPI interface)

with apologies to anyone who ought to be on this list but isn't.
Thanks also to all those who have reported bugs and support issues,
and often patches and testcases to either:
https://gna.org/bugs/?group=ghdl
or
https://sourceforge.net/p/ghdl-updates/tickets/