ModelSim SE User's Manual - Electrical and Computer Engineering

Library mapping with environment variables
Environment variables UM-523
Once the MY_PATH variable is set, you can use it with the vmap command (CR-370) to
add library mappings to the current modelsim.ini file.
If you’re using the vmap command from a DOS prompt type:
vmap MY_VITAL %MY_PATH%
If you’re using vmap from the ModelSim/VSIM prompt type:
vmap MY_VITAL \$MY_PATH
If you used DOS vmap, this line will be added to the modelsim.ini:
MY_VITAL = c:\temp\work
If vmap is used from the ModelSim/VSIM prompt, the modelsim.ini file will be modified
with this line:
MY_VITAL = $MY_PATH
You can easily add additional hierarchy to the path. For example,
vmap MORE_VITAL %MY_PATH%\more_path\and_more_path
vmap MORE_VITAL \$MY_PATH\more_path\and_more_path
The "$" character in the examples above is Tcl syntax that precedes a variable. The "\"
character is an escape character that keeps the variable from being evaluated during the
execution of vmap.
Referencing environment variables within ModelSim
There are two ways to reference environment variables within ModelSim. Environment
variables are allowed in a FILE variable being opened in VHDL. For example,
use std.textio.all;
entity test is end;
architecture only of test is
begin
process
FILE in_file : text is in "$ENV_VAR_NAME";
begin
wait;
end process;
end;
Environment variables may also be referenced from the ModelSim command line or in
macros using the Tcl env array mechanism:
echo "$env(ENV_VAR_NAME)"
Removing temp files (VSOUT)
Note: Environment variable expansion does not occur in files that are referenced via the
-f argument to vcom, vlog, or vsim.
The VSOUT temp file is the communication mechanism between the simulator kernel and
the ModelSim GUI. In normal circumstances the file is deleted when the simulator exits. If
ModelSim crashes, however, the temp file must be deleted manually. Specifying the
location of the temp file with TMPDIR (above) will help you locate and remove the file.
ModelSim SE User’s Manual