Do we need a major mode for verilog?

Do we need a major mode for verilog?

[Sun Yijiang]

Hi, all,

I used to live in Emacs and work with verilog every day but could not
find a satisfying major mode for verilog, so I wrote one myself (named
vlog-mode) and made it public on sourceforge since Dec 2004
(http://vlog-mode.sf.net).  since there's no default major mode for
verilog, I wonder if there's a need for such a major mode and if
vlog-mode is a qualified candidate.  I wish that vlog-mode could
become part of GNU Emacs distribution since the next release.

Sun Yijiang

Re: Do we need a major mode for verilog?

[Stefan Monnier]

> I used to live in Emacs and work with verilog every day but could not
> find a satisfying major mode for verilog, so I wrote one myself (named
> vlog-mode) and made it public on sourceforge since Dec 2004
> (http://vlog-mode.sf.net).  since there's no default major mode for
> verilog, I wonder if there's a need for such a major mode and if
> vlog-mode is a qualified candidate.  I wish that vlog-mode could
> become part of GNU Emacs distribution since the next release.

There is also http://www.veripool.com/verilog-mode.html
(http://www.veripool.com/ftp/verilog-mode.el.gz).

Looking at your tarball, I don't see any comparison with it, could you
outline the respective strength/weaknesses?


        Stefan

Re: Do we need a major mode for verilog?

[Sun Yijiang]

I think there's no overwhelming strength/weakness for vlog-mode to
verilog-mode.  Highlighting, code indentation, code alignment,
sensitive lists generation...  It's easy to switch from verilog-mode
to vlog-mode.  Of cource, vlog-mode has some unique features that
verilog-mode does not have.

In fact, I used to hack a lot on verilog-mode.el but the author of
verilog-mode tries to control the source and is not very friendly to
other contributors (It's official website is http://www.verilog.com).
Of cource, that's only my personal impression, maybe very biased.  But
that's the original motivation for vlog-mode: a more open and public
project of and for the Emacs-Verilog community, just like vhdl-mode is
doing now.

2006/8/26, Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>:
> > I used to live in Emacs and work with verilog every day but could not
> > find a satisfying major mode for verilog, so I wrote one myself (named
> > vlog-mode) and made it public on sourceforge since Dec 2004
> > (http://vlog-mode.sf.net).  since there's no default major mode for
> > verilog, I wonder if there's a need for such a major mode and if
> > vlog-mode is a qualified candidate.  I wish that vlog-mode could
> > become part of GNU Emacs distribution since the next release.
>
> There is also http://www.veripool.com/verilog-mode.html
> (http://www.veripool.com/ftp/verilog-mode.el.gz).
>
> Looking at your tarball, I don't see any comparison with it, could you
> outline the respective strength/weaknesses?
>
>
>         Stefan
>

Re: Do we need a major mode for verilog?

[Stefan Monnier]

> I think there's no overwhelming strength/weakness for vlog-mode to
> verilog-mode.  Highlighting, code indentation, code alignment,
> sensitive lists generation...  It's easy to switch from verilog-mode
> to vlog-mode.  Of cource, vlog-mode has some unique features that
> verilog-mode does not have.

> In fact, I used to hack a lot on verilog-mode.el but the author of
> verilog-mode tries to control the source and is not very friendly to
> other contributors (its official website is http://www.verilog.com).
> Of cource, that's only my personal impression, maybe very biased.  But
> that's the original motivation for vlog-mode: a more open and public
> project of and for the Emacs-Verilog community, just like vhdl-mode is
> doing now.

Please add a text like the above to your package.  If you can make it more
precise (e.g. describing what details might be different, or also
describing the difference in philosophy), better.  Being biased is
unavoidable, so don't try to avoid it.  But do try to avoid denigrating the
other package's author (even if you think he deserves it).

If you're willing/able to sign the legal paperwork and he's not, then
there's no question that your package is immensely superior from our point
of view ;-)


        Stefan


> 2006/8/26, Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>:
>> > I used to live in Emacs and work with verilog every day but could not
>> > find a satisfying major mode for verilog, so I wrote one myself (named
>> > vlog-mode) and made it public on sourceforge since Dec 2004
>> > (http://vlog-mode.sf.net).  since there's no default major mode for
>> > verilog, I wonder if there's a need for such a major mode and if
>> > vlog-mode is a qualified candidate.  I wish that vlog-mode could
>> > become part of GNU Emacs distribution since the next release.
>> 
>> There is also http://www.veripool.com/verilog-mode.html
>> (http://www.veripool.com/ftp/verilog-mode.el.gz).
>> 
>> Looking at your tarball, I don't see any comparison with it, could you
>> outline the respective strength/weaknesses?
>> 
>> 
>> Stefan
>> 

Re: Do we need a major mode for verilog?

[Richard Stallman]

It would be good to include a verilog mode.  We should wait until
after the release to install it, but we could prepare now by signing
legal papers for it.  I will send you the form to get started.