10.1 Setting up Visual Studio C++ for Windows

To compile SystemC simulations on Windows we require Visual C++ to be the C++ compiler. Microsoft offers a free version of Visual Studio Express C++ that you can use to compile a SystemC Simulation. This section covers how to setup Visual Studio. If you are running on Linux, then skip to the next section.

Step 1: Download and Install Visual Studio C++

•Download and install the free Visual Studio Express C++ version located here (you can skip this step if you have previously installed a copy of Visual Studio C++ 2003, 2008, or 2010):

http://www.microsoft.com/express/downloads/#2010-Visual-CPP

•Note: Make sure you are getting the C++ version of Express and not C# or Visual Basic.

Step 2: Compile the SystemC Library Using Visual C++ IDE

Compile the systemc.lib static library that will be used whenever you compile a SystemC simulation. This only needs to be done once before you first try to run a System C project from within BugHunter.

•Launch the Visual C++ IDE from the Start menu and open this Visual C++ solution file:

C:\SynaptiCAD\lib\systemc\msvc71\SystemC\SystemC.sln

•When you open the solution you will probably be prompted to convert it to the version of Visual Studio that you have installed. This process may generate some warnings but it should not generate errors.

• In the Visual Studio IDE, select the Debug > Build menu option to build this solution.

•Verify that the debug systemc.lib file was created here:

c:\SynaptiCAD\lib\systemc\msvc71\SystemC\Debug

•Next we will build the Release configuration (the previous steps built the Debug configuration). Set the configuration dropdown box to Release (currently it should read "Debug") and perform another build operation in Visual Studio.

•Verify that the release systemc.lib file was created here:

c:\SynaptiCAD\lib\systemc\msvc71\SystemC\Release