Article ID: 000080181 Content Type: Troubleshooting Last Reviewed: 08/03/2014

Why do I get a fatal error when simulating a PLL in ModelSim?

Environment

  • PLL
  • Simulation
  • BUILT IN - ARTICLE INTRO SECOND COMPONENT
    Description

    Due to a problem in the Quartus® II software, you may see the following errors when simulating using ModelSim if your design contains an Altera PLL megafunction with dynamic phase shift port enabled. This problem affects designs targeting Arria V devices where the PLL is generated in VHDL.

    # ** Fatal: Error occurred in protected context.
    #    Time: 0 ns  Iteration: 0  Protected: /<hierarchical path to PLL>/<protected>/<protected>/<protected> File: nofile
    # FATAL ERROR while loading design
    # Error loading design
    Resolution

    To work around this problem, compile the Verilog definitions in arriav_atoms.v instead of arriav_components.vhd and arriav_atoms.vhd. Then have the simulator link to them using the –L option.

    For example, put the following command in your .do file or msim_setup.tcl file:

    vlog "/eda/sim_lib/arriav_atoms.v" -work arriav

    Related Products

    This article applies to 5 products

    Arria® V GT FPGA
    Arria® V GX FPGA
    Arria® V GZ FPGA
    Arria® V SX SoC FPGA
    Arria® V ST SoC FPGA