Running UVM 1.2 Testbench - Quick Start

A quick guide to compile and run a UVM 1.2 testbench with QuestaSim or other simulators.

Step 1: Download UVM Library

Download the UVM 1.2 library from Accellera.

Step 2: Extract and Locate Package

After extraction, the main package file is located at:

uvm-1.2/src/uvm_pkg.sv

Step 3: Configure Compilation

QuestaSim Commands

# Create work library
vlib myWork
vmap work myWork

# Compile with UVM
vlog -work myWork -f tb.f +define+UVM_NO_DPI

# Run simulation
vsim -c work.tb_top -do "run -all"

File List (tb.f)

# UVM package include path
+incdir+uvm-1.2/src

# UVM package
uvm-1.2/src/uvm_pkg.sv

# Your testbench files
+incdir+./tb
./tb/tb_pkg.sv
./tb/tb_top.sv

Important Flags

Flag	Description
+incdir+<path>	Add include directory for `include directives
+define+UVM_NO_DPI	Disable DPI (required if DPI not supported)
+UVM_TESTNAME=<test>	Specify test to run (runtime)
+UVM_VERBOSITY=<level>	Set message verbosity (UVM_LOW, UVM_MEDIUM, UVM_HIGH)

Example Run Command

vsim -c work.tb_top +UVM_TESTNAME=my_test +UVM_VERBOSITY=UVM_MEDIUM -do "run -all"

Note: The +define+UVM_NO_DPI flag is needed when your simulator doesn't support DPI or you want to avoid DPI compilation. For full functionality including backdoor access, DPI should be enabled.