Provided by: iverilog_12.0-2build2_amd64 
NAME
iverilog - Icarus Verilog compiler
SYNOPSIS
iverilog [-EiRSuVv] [-Bpath] [-ccmdfile|-fcmdfile] [-Dmacro[=defn]] [-Pparameter=value] [-pflag=value]
[-dname] [-g1995|-g2001|-g2005|-g2005-sv|-g2009|-g2012|-g<feature>] [-Iincludedir] [-Lmoduledir]
[-mmodule] [-M[mode=]file] [-Nfile] [-ooutputfilename] [-stopmodule] [-ttype] [-Tmin/typ/max] [-Wclass]
[-ypath] [-lfile] sourcefile
DESCRIPTION
iverilog is a compiler that translates Verilog source code into executable programs for simulation, or
other netlist formats for further processing. The currently supported targets are vvp for simulation, and
fpga for synthesis. Other target types are added as code generators are implemented.
OPTIONS
iverilog accepts the following options:
-Bbase The iverilog program uses external programs and configuration files to preprocess and compile the
Verilog source. Normally, the path used to locate these tools is built into the iverilog program.
However, the -B switch allows the user to select a different set of programs. The path given is
used to locate ivlpp, ivl, code generators and the VPI modules.
-cfile -ffile
These flags specify an input file that contains a list of Verilog source files. This is similar
to the command file of other Verilog simulators, in that it is a file that contains the file
names instead of taking them on the command line. See Command Files below.
-Dmacro Defines macro macro with the string `1' as its definition. This form is normally only used to
trigger ifdef conditionals in the Verilog source.
-Dmacro=defn
Defines macro macro as defn.
-Pparameter=value
Override (i.e. defparam) a parameter in a root module. This allows the user to override at
compile time (defparam) a parameter in a root module instance. For example, -Pmain.foo=2
overrides the parameter foo in the root instance main with the value 2.
-dname Activate a class of compiler debugging messages. The -d switch may be used as often as necessary
to activate all the desired messages. Supported names are scopes, eval_tree, elaborate, and
synth2; any other names are ignored.
-E Preprocess the Verilog source, but do not compile it. The output file is the Verilog input, but
with file inclusions and macro references expanded and removed. This is useful, for example, to
preprocess Verilog source for use by other compilers.
-g1995|-g2001|-g2001-noconfig|-g2005|-g2005-sv|-g2009|-g2012
Select the Verilog language generation to support in the compiler. This selects between
IEEE1364-1995, IEEE1364-2001, IEEE1364-2005, IEEE1800-2005, IEEE1800-2009, or IEEE1800-2012.
Icarus Verilog currently defaults to the IEEE1364-2005 generation of the language. This flag is
used to restrict the language to a set of keywords/features, this allows simulation of older
Verilog code that may use newer keywords and for compatibility with other tools. Much of the
IEEE1800 generations functionality is not currently supported. The IEEE1800 generations do parse
all the keywords, so they can be used to verify that IEEE1364 compliant Verilog code does not use
any of the new IEEE1800 keywords.
-gverilog-ams|-gno-verilog-ams
Enable or disable (default) support for Verilog-AMS. Very little Verilog-AMS specific
functionality is currently supported.
-gassertions|-gsupported-assertions|-gno-assertions
Enable (default) or disable SystemVerilog assertions. When enabled, assertion statements are
elaborated. When disabled, assertion statements are parsed but ignored. The -gsupported-
assertions option only enables assertions that are currently supported by the compiler.
-gspecify|-gno-specify
Enable or disable (default) specify block support. When enabled, specify block code is
elaborated. When disabled, specify blocks are parsed but ignored. Specify blocks are commonly not
needed for RTL simulation, and in fact can hurt performance of the simulation. However, disabling
specify blocks reduces accuracy of full-timing simulations.
-gstd-include|-gno-std-include
Enable (default) or disable the search of a standard installation include directory after all
other explicit include directories. This standard include directory is a convenient place to
install standard header files that a Verilog program may include.
-grelative-include|-gno-relative-include
Enable or disable (default) adding the local files directory to the beginning of the include file
search path. This allows files to be included relative to the current file not the more common
files are only found in the working directory or in the specified include file search path.
-gxtypes|-gno-xtypes
Enable (default) or disable support for extended types. Enabling extended types allows for new
types that are supported by Icarus Verilog as extensions beyond the baseline Verilog. It may be
necessary to disable extended types if compiling code that clashes with the few new keywords used
to implement the type system.
-gio-range-error|-gno-io-range-error
The standards requires that a vectored port have matching ranges for its port declaration as well
as any net/register declaration. It was common practice in the past to only specify the range for
the net/register declaration and some tools still allow this. By default any mismatch is reported
as a error. Using -gno-io-range-error will produce a warning instead of a fatal error for the
case of a vectored net/register and a scalar port declaration. This warning is included in the
anachronisms category.
-gstrict-ca-eval|-gno-strict-ca-eval
The standard requires that if any input to a continuous assignment expression changes value, the
entire expression is re-evaluated. By default, parts of the expression that do not depend on the
changed input value(s) are not re-evaluated. If an expression contains a call to a function that
doesn't depend solely on its input values or that has side effects, the resulting behavior will
differ from that required by the standard. Using -gstrict-ca-eval will force standard compliant
behavior (with some loss in performance).
-gstrict-expr-width|-gno-strict-expr-width
Enable or disable (default) strict compliance with the standard rules for determining expression
bit lengths. When disabled, the RHS of a parameter assignment is evaluated as a lossless
expression, as is any expression containing an unsized constant number, and unsized constant
numbers are not truncated to integer width.
-gshared-loop-index|-gno-shared-loop-index
Enable (default) or disable the exclusion of for-loop control variables from implicit
event_expression lists. When enabled, if a for-loop control variable (loop index) is only used
inside the for-loop statement, the compiler will not include it in an implicit event_expression
list it calculates for that statement or any enclosing statement. This allows the same control
variable to be used in multiple processes without risk of entering an infinite loop caused by
each process triggering all other processes that use the same variable. For strict compliance
with the standards, this behaviour should be disabled.
-Iincludedir
Append directory includedir to list of directories searched for Verilog include files. The -I
switch may be used many times to specify several directories to search, the directories are
searched in the order they appear on the command line.
-i Ignore missing modules. Normally it is an error if a module instantiation refers to an undefined
module. This option causes the compiler to skip over that instantiation. It will also stop the
compiler returning an error if there are no top level modules. This allows the compiler to be
used to check incomplete designs for errors.
-Lpath This flag adds a directory to the path list used to locate VPI modules. The default path includes
only the install directory for the system.vpi module, but this flag can add other directories.
Multiple paths are allowed, and the paths will be searched in order.
-lfile Add the specified file to the list of source files to be compiled, but mark it as a library file.
All modules contained within that file will be treated as library modules, and only elaborated if
they are instantiated by other modules in the design.
-Mpath This is equivalent to -Mall=path. Preserved for backwards compatibility.
-Mmode=path
Write into the file specified by path a list of files that contribute to the compilation of the
design. If mode is all or prefix, this includes files that are included by include directives and
files that are automatically loaded by library support as well as the files explicitly specified
by the user. If mode is include, only files that are included by include directives are listed.
If mode is module, only files that are specified by the user or that are automatically loaded by
library support are listed. The output is one file name per line, with no leading or trailing
space. If mode is prefix, files that are included by include directives are prefixed by "I " and
other files are prefixed by "M ".
-mmodule
Add this module to the list of VPI modules to be loaded by the simulation. Many modules can be
specified, and all will be loaded, in the order specified. The system module is implicit and
always included (and loaded last).
If the specified name includes at least one directory character, it is assumed to be prefixed by
the path to the module, otherwise the module is searched for in the paths specified by preceding
-L options, and if not found there, in the iverilog base directory.
-Npath This is used for debugging the compiler proper. Dump the final netlist form of the design to the
specified file. It otherwise does not affect operation of the compiler. The dump happens after
the design is elaborated and optimized.
-o filename
Place output in the file filename. If no output file name is specified, iverilog uses the default
name a.out.
-pflag=value
Assign a value to a target specific flag. The -p switch may be used as often as necessary to
specify all the desired flags. The flags that are used depend on the target that is selected, and
are described in target specific documentation. Flags that are not used are ignored.
-S Synthesize. Normally, if the target can accept behavioral descriptions the compiler will leave
processes in behavioral form. The -S switch causes the compiler to perform synthesis even if it
is not necessary for the target. If the target type is a netlist format, the -S switch is
unnecessary and has no effect.
-s topmodule
Specify the top level module to elaborate. Icarus Verilog will by default choose modules that are
not instantiated in any other modules, but sometimes that is not sufficient, or instantiates too
many modules. If the user specifies one or more root modules with -s flags, then they will be
used as root modules instead.
-Tmin|typ|max
Use this switch to select min, typ or max times from min:typ:max expressions. Normally, the
compiler will simply use the typ value from these expressions (printing a warning for the first
ten it finds) but this switch will tell the compiler explicitly which value to use. This will
suppress the warning that the compiler is making a choice.
-ttarget
Use this switch to specify the target output format. See the TARGETS section below for a list of
valid output formats.
-u Treat each source file as a separate compilation unit (as defined in SystemVerilog). If compiling
for an IEEE1364 generation, this will just reset all compiler directives (including macro
definitions) before each new file is processed.
-v Turn on verbose messages. This will print the command lines that are executed to perform the
actual compilation, along with version information from the various components, as well as the
version of the product as a whole. You will notice that the command lines include a reference to
a key temporary file that passes information to the compiler proper. To keep that file from
being deleted at the end of the process, provide a file name of your own in the environment
variable IVERILOG_ICONFIG.
If the selected target is vvp, the -v switch is appended to the shebang line in the compiler
output file, so directly executing the compiler output file will turn on verbose messages in vvp.
This extra verbosity can be avoided by using the vvp command to indirectly execute the compiler
output file.
-V Print the version of the compiler, and exit.
-R Print the runtime paths of the compiler, and exit.
-Wclass Turn on different classes of warnings. See the WARNING TYPES section below for descriptions of
the different warning groups. If multiple -W switches are used, the warning set is the union of
all the requested classes.
-ylibdir
Append the directory to the library module search path. When the compiler finds an undefined
module, it looks in these directories for files with the right name.
-Ysuffix
Add suffix to the list of accepted file name suffixes used when searching a library for cells.
The list defaults to the single entry .v.
MODULE LIBRARIES
The Icarus Verilog compiler supports module libraries as directories that contain Verilog source files.
During elaboration, the compiler notices the instantiation of undefined module types. If the user
specifies library search directories, the compiler will search the directory for files with the name of
the missing module type. If it finds such a file, it loads it as a Verilog source file, then tries again
to elaborate the module.
Library module files should contain only a single module, but this is not a requirement. Library modules
may reference other modules in the library or in the main design.
TARGETS
The Icarus Verilog compiler supports a variety of targets, for different purposes, and the -t switch is
used to select the desired target.
null The null target causes no code to be generated. It is useful for checking the syntax of the
Verilog source.
vvp This is the default. The vvp target generates code for the vvp runtime. The output is a complete
program that simulates the design but must be run by the vvp command. The -pfileline=1 option can
be used to add procedural statement debugging opcodes to the generated code. These opcodes are
also used to generate file and line information for procedural warning/error messages. To enable
the debug command tracing us the trace command (trace on) from the vvp interactive prompt.
fpga This is a synthesis target that supports a variety of fpga devices, mostly by EDIF format output.
The Icarus Verilog fpga code generator can generate complete designs or EDIF macros that can in
turn be imported into larger designs by other tools. The fpga target implies the synthesis -S
flag.
vhdl This target produces a VHDL translation of the Verilog netlist. The output is a single file
containing VHDL entities corresponding to the modules in the Verilog source code. Note that only
a subset of the Verilog language is supported. See the wiki for more information.
WARNING TYPES
These are the types of warnings that can be selected by the -W switch. All the warning types (other than
all) can also be prefixed with no- to turn off that warning. This is most useful after a -Wall argument
to suppress isolated warning types.
all This enables the anachronisms, implicit, macro-replacement, portbind, select-range, timescale,
and sensitivity-entire-array warning categories.
anachronisms
This enables warnings for use of features that have been deprecated or removed in the selected
generation of the Verilog language.
implicit
This enables warnings for creation of implicit declarations. For example, if a scalar wire X is
used but not declared in the Verilog source, this will print a warning at its first use.
macro-redefinition | macro-replacement
This enables preprocessor warnings when a macro is being redefined. The first variant prints a
warning any time a macro is redefined. The second variant only prints a warning if the macro
text changes. Use no-macro-redefinition to turn off all warnings of this type.
portbind
This enables warnings for ports of module instantiations that are not connected but probably
should be. Dangling input ports, for example, will generate a warning.
select-range
This enables warnings for constant out of bound selects. This includes partial or fully out of
bound selects as well as a select containing a 'bx or 'bz in the index.
timescale
This enables warnings for inconsistent use of the timescale directive. It detects if some modules
have no timescale, or if modules inherit timescale from another file. Both probably mean that
timescales are inconsistent, and simulation timing can be confusing and dependent on compilation
order.
infloop This enables warnings for always statements that may have runtime infinite loops (has paths with
no or zero delay). This class of warnings is not included in -Wall and hence does not have a no-
variant. A fatal error message will always be printed when the compiler can determine that there
will definitely be an infinite loop (all paths have no or zero delay).
When you suspect an always statement is producing a runtime infinite loop use this flag to find
the always statements that need to have their logic verified. It is expected that many of the
warnings will be false positives, since the code treats the value of all variables and signals as
indeterminate.
sensitivity-entire-vector
This enables warnings for when a part select within an "always @*" statement results in the
entire vector being added to the implicit sensitivity list. Although this behaviour is prescribed
by the IEEE standard, it is not what might be expected and can have performance implications if
the vector is large.
sensitivity-entire-array
This enables warnings for when a word select within an "always @*" statement results in the
entire array being added to the implicit sensitivity list. Although this behaviour is prescribed
by the IEEE standard, it is not what might be expected and can have performance implications if
the array is large.
VPI MODULES
If the source file name has a .vpi or .vpl suffix, then it is taken to be a VPI module. VPI modules
supplied by the user are scanned to determine the return types of any system functions they provide. This
is necessary because the compiler needs this information to elaborate expressions that contain these
system functions. The module path/name is passed on to the target to allow the VPI module to be
automatically loaded at the start of simulation.
VPI modules may also be supplied using the -L and -m options.
SYSTEM FUNCTION TABLE FILES [deprecated]
If the source file name has a .sft suffix, then it is taken to be a system function table file. A system
function table file is the old method used to describe to the compiler the return types for system
functions. Users are encouraged to switch to the new method of simply supplying the VPI module.
The format of the table is ASCII, one function per line. Empty lines are ignored, and lines that start
with the '#' character are comment lines. Each non-comment line starts with the function name, then the
vpi type (i.e. vpiSysFuncReal). The following types are supported:
vpiSysFuncReal
The function returns a real/realtime value.
vpiSysFuncInt
The function returns an integer.
vpiSysFuncSized <wid> <signed|unsigned>
The function returns a vector with the given width, and is signed or unsigned according to the
flag.
vpiSysFuncString
The function returns a string. This is an Icarus-specific extension, not available in the VPI
standard.
COMMAND FILES
The command file allows the user to place source file names and certain command line switches into a text
file instead of on a long command line. Command files can include C or C++ style comments, as well as #
comments, if the # starts the line.
file name
A simple file name or file path is taken to be the name of a Verilog source file. The path starts
with the first non-white-space character. Variables are substituted in file names.
-c cmdfile -f cmdfile
A -c or -f token prefixes a command file, exactly like it does on the command line. The cmdfile
may be on the same line or the next non-comment line.
-l file -v file
A -l token prefixes a library file in the command file, exactly like it does on the command line.
The parameter to the -l flag may be on the same line or the next non-comment line. -v is an alias
for -l, provided for compatibility with other simulators.
Variables in the file are substituted.
-y libdir
A -y token prefixes a library directory in the command file, exactly like it does on the command
line. The parameter to the -y flag may be on the same line or the next non-comment line.
Variables in the libdir are substituted.
+incdir+includedir
The +incdir+ token in command files gives directories to search for include files in much the
same way that -I flags work on the command line. The difference is that multiple +includedir
directories are valid parameters to a single +incdir+ token, although you may also have multiple
+incdir+ lines.
Variables in the includedir are substituted.
+libext+ext
The +libext token in command files lists file extensions to try when looking for a library file.
This is useful in conjunction with -y flags to list suffixes to try in each directory before
moving on to the next library directory.
+libdir+dir
This is another way to specify library directories. See the -y flag.
+libdir-nocase+dir
This is like the +libdir statement, but file names inside the directories declared here are case
insensitive. The missing module name in a lookup need not match the file name case, as long as
the letters are correct. For example, "foo" matches "Foo.v" but not "bar.v".
+define+NAME=value
The +define+ token is the same as the -D option on the command line. The value part of the token
is optional.
+parameter+NAME=value
The +parameter+ token is the same as the -P option on the command line.
+timescale+value
The +timescale+ token is used to set the default timescale for the simulation. This is the time
units and precision before any `timescale directive or after a `resetall directive. The default
is 1s/1s.
+toupper-filename
This token causes file names after this in the command file to be translated to uppercase. This
helps with situations where a directory has passed through a DOS machine, and in the process the
file names become munged.
+tolower-filename
This is similar to the +toupper-filename hack described above.
+integer-width+value
This allows the programmer to select the width for integer variables in the Verilog source. The
default is 32, the value can be any desired integer value.
+width-cap+value
This allows the programmer to select the width cap for unsized expressions. If the calculated
width for an unsized expression exceeds this value, the compiler will issue a warning and limit
the expression width to this value.
VARIABLES IN COMMAND FILES
In certain cases, iverilog supports variables in command files. These are strings of the form
"$(varname)" or "${varname}", where varname is the name of the environment variable to read. The entire
string is replaced with the contents of that variable. Variables are only substituted in contexts that
explicitly support them, including file and directory strings.
Variable values come from the operating system environment, and not from preprocessor defines elsewhere
in the file or the command line.
PREDEFINED MACROS
The following macros are predefined by the compiler:
__ICARUS__ = 1
This is always defined when compiling with Icarus Verilog.
__ICARUS_SYNTH__ = 1
This is defined when synthesis is enabled.
__VAMS_ENABLE__ = 1
This is defined when Verilog-AMS is enabled.
ENVIRONMENT
iverilog also accepts some environment variables that control its behavior. These can be used to make
semi-permanent changes.
IVERILOG_ICONFIG=file-name
This sets the name used for the temporary file that passes parameters to the compiler proper, and
prevents that file being deleted after the compiler has exited.
IVERILOG_VPI_MODULE_PATH=/some/path:/some/other/path
This adds additional components to the VPI module search path. Paths specified in this way are
searched after paths specified with -L, but before the default search path. Multiple paths can be
separated with colons (semicolons if using Windows).
EXAMPLES
These examples assume that you have a Verilog source file called hello.v in the current directory
To compile hello.v to an executable file called a.out:
iverilog hello.v
To compile hello.v to an executable file called hello:
iverilog -o hello hello.v
To compile and run explicitly using the vvp runtime:
iverilog -ohello.vvp -tvvp hello.v
AUTHOR
Steve Williams (steve@icarus.com)
SEE ALSO
vvp(1), <http://iverilog.icarus.com/>
Tips on using, debugging, and developing the compiler can be found at <http://iverilog.wikia.com/>
COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2002-2021 Stephen Williams
This document can be freely redistributed according to the terms of the
GNU General Public License version 2.0
Jan 14th, 2021 iverilog(1)