Test-specific Entities

For each test there is a separate testbench which uses test-specific transactors. For example there may be a microprocessor transactor mp.vhd. The testbench tb_test1 would then instantiate a test-specific microprocessor transactor mp_test1.vhd which would be coded by enhancing the mp.vhd template.

Some problems of this approach are:

• Bug fixes in the transactor code may have to be made in many files
• Results in a large number of files which are difficult to handle

Some of the benefits are:

• Pure VHDL, no dependency on OS specific tools
• Tests can be compiled before simulation, so syntax errors are detected before the simulation runs
• Tests can be readily understood by designers who are familiar with VHDL
• All structural elements of VHDL are available
• Tests can react flexibly on the response of the DUT, full access to all signals known to the transactor is possible