nvc: Waveform files are only generated with --gui option

[tmeissner]

It seems that when using nvc as simulator, the waveforms set with --viewer-fmt format are only generated when using the --gui option of the Python runner. With ghdl, this isn't the case, waveforms are generated regardless of the --gui option.

I think, the problem is in nvc.py simulate() method:

First, wave_file is only set to a value if _gui is set:

vunit/vunit/sim_if/nvc.py

Lines 260 to 265 in acf7e7f

	if self._gui:
	wave_file = script_path / (f"{config.entity_name}.{self._viewer_fmt or 'fst'}")
	if wave_file.exists():
	remove(wave_file)
	else:
	wave_file = None

Later if wave_file is set, the nvc --wave is added to the command line:

vunit/vunit/sim_if/nvc.py

Lines 295 to 296 in acf7e7f

	if wave_file:
	cmd += [f"--wave={wave_file}"]

In ghdl.py, creation of the waveform export command line option is only dependent on _viewer_fmt, but not on _gui:

vunit/vunit/sim_if/ghdl.py

Lines 368 to 375 in acf7e7f

	if self._viewer_fmt is not None:
	data_file_name = str(Path(script_path) / f"wave.{self._viewer_fmt!s}")
	if Path(data_file_name).exists():
	remove(data_file_name)
	else:
	data_file_name = None
	cmd = self._get_command(config, script_path, elaborate_only, ghdl_e, test_suite_name, data_file_name)

vunit/vunit/sim_if/ghdl.py

Lines 327 to 333 in acf7e7f

	if wave_file:
	if self._viewer_fmt == "ghw":
	sim += [f"--wave={wave_file!s}"]
	elif self._viewer_fmt == "vcd":
	sim += [f"--vcd={wave_file!s}"]
	elif self._viewer_fmt == "fst":
	sim += [f"--fst={wave_file!s}"]

[LarsAsplund]

@oscargus Do you have any comments on this?

[oscargus]

There is #1042 which solves it. (There is also a bit of discussions/rambling in #1003 about the need for it.)

My thought has been to add a command to generate the waveforms in a more "non-surprising" way than specifying --viewer-fmt, but got wound up in what to call it...

--waveform(s) or --wave(s), but then one should probably have called --viewer-fmt --wave-fmt or something. And there I got stuck as I had just renamed it once... The idea is, to clarify, to specify that waveforms should be generated (but the gui should not be opened, so calling it something related to viewer seems confusing).

Coming back to it, I guess it can make sense to have a flag like that (--wave*) and then add aliases for --viewer-fmt that matches the selected name.

If you agree @LarsAsplund , and can make an executive decision on the naming, I should be able to provide a PR within a week or so.

[oscargus]

I added #1101 which unifies things.

[LarsAsplund]

Let's close this one and continue in #1101