View internal signals when simulating testbech (.vht) in ModelSim-ALTERA

[Altera_Forum]

After writing and compiling my .vhd program, I create a testbench in Quartus II (Processing > Start > Start Test Bench Template Writer). This process creates a .vht file.  

 After editing and saving the .vht file, I start ModelSim-Altera from within Quartus II. Upon opening, I compile the .vho files first, and then the .vht file second. I then simulate the .vht file. When adding waveforms, I'd like to add internal signals that are in the .vhd program. However, when searching the objects view for these signals (because only the inputs and outputs are shown), some signals are found while others are not. Moreover, when simulating, the signals I did find do not simulate correctly. The fix action I have found for this is to port these signals to the top and look at them as an output.   Is there a way to look at these internal signals without porting them to the top?  Let me know if I need to clarify. Thanks.

[Altera_Forum]

To look at internal signals, you should first simulate with the .vhd file. 

 The .vho files are 'optimized' during synthesis, so many internal signals will 'disappear' and you cannot probe them.  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

Thanks, it works. RTL functionality check allows for probing internal signals. That is, upon opening ModelSim-Altera, compile the .vhd files (bottom up) and then simulate.

[Altera_Forum]

When probing the synthesized design using SignalTap II, you can use synthesis attributes; keep, preserve, and noprune to stop synthesis from eliminating signal names. I've never tried this with the simulator, but it likely preserves them there too. 

 Cheers, Dave