Value change dump

Value Change Dump (VCD) (also known less commonly as 'Variable Change Dump') is an ASCII-based format for dumpfiles generated by EDA logic simulation tools. The standard, four-value VCD format was defined along with the Verilog hardware description language by the IEEE Standard 1364-1995 in 1996. An Extended VCD format defined six years later in the IEEE Standard 1364-2001 supports the logging of signal strength and directionality. The simple and yet compact structure of the VCD format has allowed its use to become ubiquitous and to spread into non-Verilog tools such as the VHDL simulator GHDL and various kernel tracers. A limitation of the format is that it is unable to record the values in memories. Value Change Dump (VCD) (also known less commonly as 'Variable Change Dump') is an ASCII-based format for dumpfiles generated by EDA logic simulation tools. The standard, four-value VCD format was defined along with the Verilog hardware description language by the IEEE Standard 1364-1995 in 1996. An Extended VCD format defined six years later in the IEEE Standard 1364-2001 supports the logging of signal strength and directionality. The simple and yet compact structure of the VCD format has allowed its use to become ubiquitous and to spread into non-Verilog tools such as the VHDL simulator GHDL and various kernel tracers. A limitation of the format is that it is unable to record the values in memories. The VCD file comprises a header section with date, simulator, and timescale information; a variable definition section; and a value change section, in that order. The sections are not explicitly delineated within the file, but are identified by the inclusion of keywords belonging to each respective section. VCD keywords are marked by a leading $ (but variable identifiers can also start with a $). In general every keyword starts a section which is terminated by an $end keyword. All VCD tokens are delineated by whitespace. Data in the VCD file is case sensitive. The header section of the VCD file includes a timestamp, a simulator version number, and a timescale, which maps the time increments listed in the value change section to simulation time units.