What is the best VHDL book?

[iVenky]

Re: the best vhdl book

Circuit Design With VHDL, V. A. Pedroni; MIT Press

 

[std_match]

Re: the best vhdl book

Circuit Design With VHDL, V. A. Pedroni; MIT Press

I have this book, and my edition has a major problem. It uses the non-standard libraries std_logic_arith, std_logic_unsigned etc.
There is no reason to write new VHDL code with those libraries.
As a beginner, it is much better to learn the standard library numeric_std directly, otherwise you will get "bad habits".

Look at "Designer's guide to VHDL" by Peter J. Ashenden

 

[blade_2011]

Re: the best vhdl book

Hello , i want to send data to my ethernet controller on my
FPGA(cyclone) board of Altera.
What algorithm of sending data via this interface ?? What first steps i
need to do in order to accomplish this mission. Maybe someone can advise
me some book that can help me in this project.
Thanks.

 

[permute]

My main issue with VHDL books is that they don't offer anything that useful. There are language references out online. Bad examples of writing inappropriately low-level code is also commonplace in both book and webpages.

Look at the recommended coding styles for various vendors -- synplify, xilinx (xst), altera (quartus), etc... You'll see how HDL can be written to do things people actually want to do.

also, i looked at the free-range guide. I certainly don't suggest it overall. There are several mistakes. It also falls into the "inappropriately low level" category.

 

[TrickyDicky]

Im sorry, but anything that suggest a clock divider with a counter is a Fail in my book.
Plus a few glaring errors

"The std_logic type is officially defined in the VHDL STANDARD package" - FAIL
"Mind that VHDL is a vast programming language " - FAIL, the clue is in the HDL part of the the name.
"These types are basically integers with shifted ranges. the natural and positive types range from 0 and 1 to the full 32-bit range, respectively" - FAIL. Natural and positive are subtypes of integer so therefore only have a 31bit range.

So I would not recommend this to anyone (there are plenty of other irregularities).

I highly recommend the Doulos VHDL Quick reference guide.

 

[vincent_it]

My main issue with VHDL books is that they don't offer anything that useful. There are language references out online. Bad examples of writing inappropriately low-level code is also commonplace in both book and webpages.

Look at the recommended coding styles for various vendors -- synplify, xilinx (xst), altera (quartus), etc... You'll see how HDL can be written to do things people actually want to do.

also, i looked at the free-range guide. I certainly don't suggest it overall. There are several mistakes. It also falls into the "inappropriately low level" category.

would you please tell why you would not suggest it and what are the reasons why it falls into the inappropriately low level category?

thanks

 

[vincent_it]

Im sorry, but anything that suggest a clock divider with a counter is a Fail in my book.
Plus a few glaring errors

"The std_logic type is officially defined in the VHDL STANDARD package" - FAIL
"Mind that VHDL is a vast programming language " - FAIL, the clue is in the HDL part of the the name.
"These types are basically integers with shifted ranges. the natural and positive types range from 0 and 1 to the full 32-bit range, respectively" - FAIL. Natural and positive are subtypes of integer so therefore only have a 31bit range.

So I would not recommend this to anyone (there are plenty of other irregularities).

I highly recommend the Doulos VHDL Quick reference guide.

thank you for your great feedback. Most of the comments you produced have been included in the new version of "free range vhdl" version 1.08 (to be released in few days)

If you think that you want to (and that you can) help others to learn better VHDL, I would suggest you to send me all comments you might have at:
contact(at)freerangefactory.org

cheers
Fabrizio