Can't launch ModelSim on Linux with Quartus 18.1 installation.

[GShim2]

I installed Quartus Lite 18.1 with model sim on my linux machine a while ago. My OS is archlinux. More specifically, running uname -r returns 5.2.0-arch2-1-ARCH.

Most tools are working fine, but by the time I tried running Modelsim from inside Quartus, I would get the error below:

Error in startup script: Initialization problem, exiting.   Initialization problem, exiting.   while executing "InitializeINIFile quietly" invoked from within "ncFyP12 -+" (file "/mtitcl/vsim/vsim" line 1) ** Fatal: Read failure in vlm process (0,0)

Searching the web, I found there was a problem with libfreetype. According to many sources, including https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Altera_Design_Software#With_freetype2_2.5.0.1-1

I downloaded the proper version of freetype, created the directory lib32, and decompressed the library inside my Quartus installation and added it to the path in the proper scripts. The problem persisted, so I also added the older versions of lib32-glibc and libfontconfig to the lib32 directory.

With that, this problem was fixed, but not I'm stuck with a new error.

While launching Modelsim from Quartus, I receive the Nativelink error for the GUI:

"Can't launch ModelSim-Altera Simulation software -- make sure the software is properly installed and the environment variable LM_LICENSE or MGLS_LICENSE_FILE points to the correct license file.[..]"

Also, my terminal gave me the following log:

Info (292036): Thank you for using the Quartus Prime software 30-day evaluation. You have 8 days remaining (until Jul 22, 2019) to use the Quartus Prime software with compilation and simulation support. Info: ******************************************************************* Info: Running Quartus Prime Shell Info: Version 18.1.0 Build 625 09/12/2018 SJ Lite Edition Info: Copyright (C) 2018 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Info: Your use of Intel Corporation's design tools, logic functions Info: and other software and tools, and its AMPP partner logic Info: functions, and any output files from any of the foregoing Info: (including device programming or simulation files), and any Info: associated documentation or information are expressly subject Info: to the terms and conditions of the Intel Program License Info: Subscription Agreement, the Intel Quartus Prime License Agreement, Info: the Intel FPGA IP License Agreement, or other applicable license Info: agreement, including, without limitation, that your use is for Info: the sole purpose of programming logic devices manufactured by Info: Intel and sold by Intel or its authorized distributors. Please Info: refer to the applicable agreement for further details. Info: Processing started: Sun Jul 14 18:11:28 2019 Info: Command: quartus_sh -t /opt/Quartus/18.1/quartus/common/tcl/internal/nativelink/qnativesim.tcl --rtl_sim pipemult pipemult2 Info: Quartus(args): --rtl_sim pipemult pipemult2 Info: Info: Start Nativelink Simulation process Info: Info: NativeLink has detected VHDL design -- VHDL simulation models will be used Info: Info: Starting NativeLink simulation with ModelSim-Altera software Info (292036): Thank you for using the Quartus Prime software 30-day evaluation. You have 8 days remaining (until Jul 22, 2019) to use the Quartus Prime software with compilation and simulation support. Error: Error: Can't launch ModelSim-Altera Simulation software -- make sure the software is properly installed and the environment variable LM_LICENSE_FILE or MGLS_LICENSE_FILE points to the correct license file. Error: Error: NativeLink simulation flow was NOT successful Info: Info: For messages from NativeLink scripts, check the file /home/gshimabuko/Documents/Estudo/Digital Electronics/Examples/FPGA-C1 Project Zip Files/pipemultQP16_1/Schematic/pipemult2_nativelink_simulation.rpt File: /home/gshimabuko/Documents/Estudo/Digital Electronics/Examples/FPGA-C1 Project Zip Files/pipemultQP16_1/Schematic/pipemult2_nativelink_simulation.rpt Line: 0 Error (23031): Evaluation of Tcl script /opt/Quartus/18.1/quartus/common/tcl/internal/nativelink/qnativesim.tcl unsuccessful Error: Quartus Prime Shell was unsuccessful. 3 errors, 0 warnings Error: Peak virtual memory: 772 megabytes Error: Processing ended: Sun Jul 14 18:14:44 2019 Error: Elapsed time: 00:03:16 Error: Total CPU time (on all processors): 00:00:01

And the GUI error sends me to the following log in file pipemult2_nativelink_simulation.rpt

Info: Start Nativelink Simulation process Info: NativeLink has detected VHDL design -- VHDL simulation models will be used   ========= EDA Simulation Settings =====================   Sim Mode : RTL Family : max10 Quartus root : /opt/Quartus/18.1/quartus/linux64/ Quartus sim root : /opt/Quartus/18.1/quartus/eda/sim_lib Simulation Tool : modelsim-altera Simulation Language : vhdl Version : 93 Simulation Mode : GUI Sim Output File : Sim SDF file : Sim dir : simulation/modelsim   =======================================================   Info: Starting NativeLink simulation with ModelSim-Altera software Sourced NativeLink script /opt/Quartus/18.1/quartus/common/tcl/internal/nativelink/modelsim.tcl Error: Can't launch ModelSim-Altera Simulation software -- make sure the software is properly installed and the environment variable LM_LICENSE_FILE or MGLS_LICENSE_FILE points to the correct license file. Error: NativeLink simulation flow was NOT successful       ================The following additional information is provided to help identify the cause of error while running nativelink scripts================= Nativelink TCL script failed with errorCode: issued_nl_message Nativelink TCL script failed with errorInfo: Can't launch ModelSim-Altera Simulation software -- make sure the software is properly installed and the environment variable LM_LICENSE_FILE or MGLS_LICENSE_FILE points to the correct license file. while executing "error "$emsg" "" "issued_nl_message"" invoked from within "if [ catch {exec $vsim_cmd -version} version_str] { set emsg "Can't launch $tool Simulation software -- make sure the software is properly installed..." (procedure "launch_sim" line 88) invoked from within "launch_sim launch_args_hash" ("eval" body line 1) invoked from within "eval launch_sim launch_args_hash" invoked from within "if [ info exists ::errorCode ] { set savedCode $::errorCode set savedInfo $::errorInfo error $result $..." invoked from within "if [catch {eval launch_sim launch_args_hash} result ] { set status 1 if [ info exists ::errorCode ] { set save..." (procedure "run_sim" line 74) invoked from within "run_sim run_sim_args_hash" invoked from within "if [ info exists ::errorCode ] { set savedCode $::errorCode set savedInfo $::errorInfo error "$result" $savedInfo ..." (procedure "run_eda_simulation_tool" line 334) invoked from within "run_eda_simulation_tool eda_opts_hash"

I tried everything I could find, even fresh installations of Quartus and ModelSim, but nothing seems to fix this issue. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Guilherme Shimabuko

[GShim2]

Nevermind. I made a mistake when adding the glibc to the path. It now works.

[KVenk4]

I faced the same problem how did u solved it.? pls share the steps

[GShim2]

I don't remember exactly how I fixed it, but I have it documented somewher​somewhere. I'll come back and post it as soon as I can find it.

[GShim2]

I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to you. You may have already found a solution, but I'll post it here anyway.

After installing the mentioned libraries, I also installed ncurses5-compat-libs from archlinux AUR. You can find equivalent libraries for other distros online.

After that, I edited the vco file in {INSTALLATION_PATH}/modelsim_ase/vco

first uncommented line reads:

mode=${MTI_VCO_MODE:-""}

which I changed to

mode=${MTI_VCO_MODE:-"32"}

also, I changed the lines where it was written:

vco="linux_rh60"

to

vco="linux"

finally, I added the line below to the beginning of the vco file:

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH={INSTALLATION_PATH}/lib32 where I had installed the previous libraries, as instructed by the archlinux wiki.

After that, I could run modelsim straight from the terminal.

To open model sim from GUI, I also had to add the same line above to the script qenv.sh located in {INSTALLATION_PATH}/quartus/adm/qenv.sh

this solved it for me.

I will update with a more detailed explanation at some point, but you might be able to fix your problem with that.

Best regards,

Guilherme Shimabuko