SystemVerilog Parameters

There are two ways to define constants:

• parameter
• `define

Parameter

Parameters must be defined within module boundaries using the keyword parameter.

A parameter is a constant that is local to a module that can optionally be redefined on an instance. Parameters are typically used to specify the width of variables and time delays.

Parameter example

module mem_model #(
 parameter ADDR_WIDTH=8;
 parameter DATA_WIDTH=32;)
 (clk, addr, data);

 input  clk;
 input  [ADDR_WIDTH-1:0] addr;
 output [DATA_WIDTH-1:0] data;
 .....
 .....
endmodule

Parameter redefinition

Parameter values are not allowed to modify at runtime but can be modified using the defparam statement and #delay specification with module instantiation.

//Creates mem_1 instance with default addr and data widths.
mem_model mem_1 (.clk(clk),
                 .addr(addr_1),
                 .data(data_1));

//Creates mem_2 instance with addr width = 4 and data width = 8.
mem_model #(4,8) mem_2 (.clk(clk),
                        .addr(addr_2),
                        .data(data_2));

//Creates mem_3 instance with addr width = 32 and data width = 64.
mem_model #(32,64) mem_3 (.clk(clk),
                          .addr(addr_3),
                          .data(data_3));

//Creates mem_4 instance with default addr width and data width = 64.
mem_model #(DATA_WIDTH=64) mem_4 (.clk(clk),
                                 .addr(addr_3),
                                 .data(data_3));

//ADDR_WIDTH value of mem_1 instance can be changed by using defparam as shown below,
defparam hierarchical_path.mem_1.ADDR_WIDTH = 32;

`define Macro

The `define compiler directive is used to perform global macro substitution and remain active for all files read/compiled after the macro definition.

It will available until another macro definition changes the value or until the macro is undefined using the `undef compiler directive.

`define WIDTH 8
to avoid redefincation `ifdef can be used,

`ifdef WIDTH
 // do nothing (better to use `ifndef)
`else
 `define WIDTH 8
`endif

`ifndef WIDTH
 `define WIDTH 8
`endif

`ifdef can be used as if..else

 `ifdef TYPE_1
   `define WIDTH 8
`else
 `define WIDTH 32
`endif

//`ifdef can also be used to avoid redefining/recompiling the module/class,
//In the below example, 
//definition of MODULE_1 is checked, if it is not defined then MODULE_1 will be defined and compiles the module/class inside the `ifndef - `endif.
//suppose if the same file is compiled twice then at the first time MODULE_1 will get defined, so second time `ifndef condition will not be satisfied. 
`ifndef MODULE_1
`define MODULE_1
module mem;
   ....
   ....
endmodule
`endif

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