What is purpose of the common folder under mentor_vip_ae?

[okhajut]

The Mentor Graphics AMBA AXI BFMs are found here:

C:\intelFPGA\18.1\ip\altera\mentor_vip_ae

This contains the following folders

axi3

axi4

axi4lite

axi4stream

common

docs

release_documents

The folder called common has the biggest size. There are no BFM system verilog files inside of this. What is the purpose of this folder? If I need to copy the BFMs for use elsewhere, do I need to copy along this folder too?

[ShengN_Intel]

Hi,

Mentor® Verification IP – Intel® FPGA Edition (Mentor VIP – Intel FPGA) provides Bus Functional Models (BFMs) that simulate the behavior and facilitate the verification of design IP.

I think are some mentor library files for simulation purpose.

Best Regards,

Sheng

p/s: If any answer from community or Intel support are helpful, please feel free to mark as solution and give Kudos.

[okhajut]

The BFM files are SystemVerilog files. There are no such files in the common folder. There are DLL files inside it, and some other things including an executable. I need to know what purpose these serve in the verification IP. I mean all we really need is the System Verilog files right?

[okhajut]

Also, since the Mentor Graphics Verification IP is available on the free version of Quartus, does this mean that it is avaiable for free and can be used by anyome without paying anything to Mentor Graphics?

This note is contained in the Mentor Graphics Altera Edition Verification IP documentation:

License Requirements
Note
A license is required to access the Mentor VIP – Intel FPGA Edition bus functional
models and inline monitor.
• To access Mentor VIP – Intel FPGA Edition and upgrade to the Quartus Prime Subscription Edition software version 18.1, from a previous version, you must regenerate your license file.
• To access Mentor VIP – Intel FPGA Edition with the Quartus Prime Web Edition software, you must upgrade to version 18.1 and purchase a Mentor VIP – Intel FPGA Edition seat license by contacting your Intel sales representative.

This verification IP is also present with the free version of Intel Quartus Prime. So does this not make the Mentor Graphics Verification IP free? If it is free, what is meant by the term "license"?

[ShengN_Intel]

Hi,

For that common folder, I'm not so sure about the files inside but I notice there are EXE, SO and LICENSES files so most probably you'll need that folder. I think this mentor_vip_ae is something required license.

Mentor VIP – Intel FPGA Edition is a separately-licensed product that is not part of the ModelSim – Intel FPGA simulator. You can request licenses from Intel, or your local distributor, which is similar to requesting licenses for the ModelSim – Intel FPGA Edition

Thank you,

Sheng

[okhajut]

Look I need to know something very basic. I have to use Xilinx Vivado on my work. Vivado provide AMBA AXI4 BFM but it can only be used from within SystemVerilog testbench. I only use VHDL. WIth Intel Quartus, there are the Mentor Graphics AXI4 VHDL BFMs. I want to use these but I do not have Intel Quartus on my work laptop and cannot get paid license for it. Now, I want to know if there is a way to legally use the Mentor Graphics BFMs for AMBA AXI4 on my work laptop without having license for Intel Quartus, by just copying across the files related to the BFMs from another machine that has Intel Quartus installed? I want to know if this is legal and possible. 

If only Mentor Graphics can answer this question then let me know as well. I want to know if I can use this BFM at work or not, where I do not have Intel Quartus unlike my previous job where I did have it.

[ShengN_Intel]

Hi,

Regarding this you probably need to create a new post in Intel® FPGA Software Installation & Licensing forum https://community.intel.com/t5/Intel-FPGA-Software-Installation/bd-p/fpga-software-installation-licensing for better confirmation.

Thanks,

Best Regards,

Sheng