Expected behavior of sc_simcontext::next_time

[SRachuj]

Hello,

I have issues understanding sc_simcontext::next_time. The easiest way to describe what does not make sense for me is to give an example:

#include <systemc>

using namespace sc_core;

SC_MODULE(A)
{
	sc_out<bool> out;
	SC_CTOR(A)
	{
		SC_THREAD(t);
	}

	void t()
	{
		bool c = false;
		while (1) {
			wait(sc_time(1, SC_NS));
			c = !c;
			out.write(c);
		}
	}
};

SC_MODULE(B)
{
	sc_in<bool> in;
	SC_CTOR(B)
	{
		SC_THREAD(t)
	}

	void t()
	{
		while (1) {
			wait(in.value_changed_event());
			std::cout << "got: " << in.read() << std::endl;
		}
	}
};

int sc_main(int argc, char** argv)
{
	A a("a");
	B b("b");
	sc_signal<bool> s;
	a.out.bind(s);
	b.in.bind(s);

	while (1) {
		sc_time t;
		std::cout << sc_get_curr_simcontext()->next_time(t) << ": " << t << std::endl;
		sc_start(sc_time(1, SC_NS));
		sleep(1);
	}
}

In this example, I would expect, that the output within the while loop of sc_main always prints 1 and the time until the next event happens (which should be 1 ns). However, when I run this program I get the following output:

0: 0 s
0: 0 s
got: 1
0: 0 s
got: 0
0: 0 s
got: 1
0: 0 s
got: 0
0: 0 s
got: 1
0: 0 s
got: 0
^C

Why do I always get "false" as the result for next_time? Did I misunderstand the what next_time does? Currently I'm using SystemC 2.3.1a.

Thank you for your answers in advance!

[AmeyaVS]

Hello @SRachuj,

Please find the comment in-line:

while (1) {
		sc_time t;
		std::cout << sc_get_curr_simcontext()->next_time(t) << ": " << t << std::endl; //< It hits the call to next_time(t) when the simulation has ended or did not even begin.
		sc_start(sc_time(1, SC_NS));
		sleep(1);
	}

You are calling the next_time(t):

• when the simulation has not even started so no events would be scheduled in the SystemC kernel.
• In the next pass once you have started the simulation for 1 ns. The simulation kernel will delete all the events which are scheduled after 1 ns.

Try running putting the code in the module B.

void t()
{
	sc_time t; //< Added the sc_time state variable.
	while (1) {
		wait(in.value_changed_event());
		std::cout << sc_get_curr_simcontext()->next_time(t) << ": " << t << std::endl; //< Added the next_time(t) in Module B.
		std::cout << "got: " << in.read() << std::endl;
	}
}

Regards,

Ameya Vikram Singh

 

[SRachuj]

Thank you @AmeyaVS for your response. Do you know of other approaches that achieve what I have written above? I thought, that it must be possible like this after reading a paper about distributing SystemC. But maybe, they didn't implement it in this way.

 

Best Regards

[maehne]

Have you looked at the functions defined in clause 4.5.7 Functions to detect pending activity of IEEE Std. 1666-2011? Using the simcontext directly is not advisable as its interface is not part of the SystemC standard. It is thus an implementation detail of the Accellera proof-of-concept implementation of SystemC on which you should not depend on if you want a portable solution.

[SRachuj]

Thank you very much, @maehne ! The example in the clause helped me a lot. I think, I can work with it, now.

Best Regards