Port Map VHDL?

Question

What is a port map in VHDL, and what is the proper way to use it?

Answer 1

VHDL Port Map

Quick Syntax

Here's how you declare the ports at the top of your design source file:

entity my_module is
  port(
    clk                       : in  std_logic;
    reset                     : in  std_logic;
    input_en                  : in  std_logic;
    output                    : out std_logic);
end my_module;

And here is how you instantiate your module in another source file like your top level. In this example we instantiate it twice:

MODULE1 : entity work.my_module
  port map (
    clk                        => clk,
    reset                      => reset,
    input_en                   => module1_input_en,
    output                     => module1_output);

MODULE2 : entity work.my_module
  port map (
    clk                        => clk,
    reset                      => reset,
    input_en                   => module2_input_en,
    output                     => module2_output);

Purpose

The purpose of ports and a port map is to give you the ability to create a standalone entity that is a design source, and then you have the ability with a port map to instantiate that entity any number of times that you want in any part of your design. It also allows you to connect the ports to signals in the higher level file where you are instantiating it.

Think of it as naming the pins of your part.

Note that in my examples I am using the better method of referencing the entity in its compiled library, such that you don't need to do a component declaration. This is recommended and used by the pros. Newer versions of VHDL after 87 allow this, which reduces repetitive code that can be problematic to maintain.

The "MODULE1 : entity work.my_module" is how you do this method, assuming that it was compiled in the library work.

Best Practices

1. Use entity references by library and skip component declarations.

2. Pay careful attention to your last port pin as far as commas or semicolons, and the need for a close parenthesis and semicolon.

3. In your instantiations, you should always drive inputs on the port map, but you can leave outputs open by putting the word open as the signal connection.

Answer 2

A port map is where the interface of a component is connected to the reset of the design.

Example:

architecture some_architecture of some_entity is

signal x : std_logic ;
signal y : unsigned ( 2 downto 0 ) ;

signal z : std_logic_vector ( 10 downto 0 ) ;

component some_component is

port 
(
    input_a : in std_logic ;
    input_b : in unsigned ( 2 downto 0 ) ;

    output_c : out std_logic_vector ( 10 downto 0 ) 
) ;

end component some_component ;

begin 

    connecting : some_component 

    port map
    (
        input_a => x ,
        input_b => y ,

        output_c => z
    ) ;

end architecture some_architecture ;

Answer 3

A port map is a VHDL construction that maps signals in an architecture (actual part) to ports on an instance (formal part) within that architecture. Port maps can be in a component instantiation, in a block or in a configuration. These connections can be coded via named associations as well as via positional associations.

Syntax:
port map ( [ port_name => ] expression, ... )

Example:

  aes_round_par_inst : aes_round_par
  generic map (
    debug => debug,
    eram => eram
  )
  port map(
    clk_i => clk_i,
    clr_i => clr_i,
    gnd_i => '0',
    data_i => data_t_i,
    rkey_i => rkey_i,
    ce_i => aes_round_pair_ce,
    data_o => data_t_o,
    ce_o => ce
  );

or as variant:

  aes_round_par_inst : aes_round_par
  generic map (
    debug => debug,
    eram => eram
  )
  port map(
    clk_i,
    clr_i,
    '0',
    data_t_i,
    rkey_i,
    aes_round_pair_ce,
    data_t_o,
    ce
  );