Add `--public-ignore` to ignore public metacomments (#7819)

Changes

@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ Verilator 5.033 devel
 
 **Minor:**
 
-* Add COVERIGN warning, as a more specific UNSUPPORTED error.
+* Add `COVERIGN` warning, as a more specific UNSUPPORTED error.
+* Add `--public-ignore` to ignore public metacomments (#7819). [Andrew Nolte]
 * Support generated classes (#5665). [Shou-Li Hsu]
 * Support `+incdir` with multiple directories.
 * Support side effects of form 'variable[index_function()]++'.

bin/verilator

@@ -431,8 +431,9 @@ detailed descriptions of these arguments.
     --protect-lib <name>        Create a DPI protected library
     --public                    Mark signals as public; see docs
     --public-depth <level>      Mark public to specified module depth
-    --public-params             Mark all parameters as public_flat
     --public-flat-rw            Mark all variables, etc as public_flat_rw
+    --public-ignore             Ignore all public comment markings
+    --public-params             Mark all parameters as public_flat
      -pvalue+<name>=<value>     Overwrite toplevel parameter
     --quiet                     Minimize additional printing
     --quiet-exit                Don't print the command on failure

docs/guide/exe_verilator.rst

@@ -1211,6 +1211,13 @@ Summary:
    module specifically enabled it with
    :option:`/*verilator&32;inline_module*/`.
 
+
+.. option:: --public-depth <level>
+
+   Enables public as with :vlopt:`--public-flat-rw`, but only to the specified depth of modules.
+   It operates at the module maximum level, so if a module's cells are A.B.X and A.X, the
+   a --public-depth 3 must be used to make module X public, and both A.B.X and A.X will be public.
+
 .. option:: --public-flat-rw
 
    Declares all variables, ports, and wires public as if they had
@@ -1222,11 +1229,12 @@ Summary:
    marking only those signals that need public_flat_rw is typically
    significantly better performing.
 
-.. option:: --public-depth <level>
+.. option:: --public-ignore
 
-   Enables public as with :vlopt:`--public-flat-rw`, but only to the specified depth of modules.
-   It operates at the module maximum level, so if a module's cells are A.B.X and A.X, the
-   a --public-depth 3 must be used to make module X public, and both A.B.X and A.X will be public.
+   Ignore all :code:`/*verilator public* */` metacomments. This is useful
+   for speed-optimizing VPI builds where VPI is not being used.  This only
+   affects metacomments; options such as :vlopt:`--public`,
+   :vlopt:`--public-depth`, etc. work normally.
 
 .. option:: --public-params
 
@@ -1234,6 +1242,7 @@ Summary:
    :code:`/*verilator public_flat_rd*/`
    metacomments.
 
+
 .. option:: -pvalue+<name>=<value>
 
    Overwrites the given parameter(s) of the top-level module. See

src/V3Options.cpp

@@ -1510,8 +1510,9 @@ void V3Options::parseOptsList(FileLine* fl, const string& optdir, int argc,
         m_publicFlatRW = flag;
         v3Global.dpi(true);
     });
+    DECL_OPTION("-public-ignore", CbOnOff, [this](bool flag) { m_publicIgnore = flag; });
     DECL_OPTION("-public-params", CbOnOff, [this](bool flag) {
-        m_public_params = flag;
+        m_publicParams = flag;
         v3Global.dpi(true);
     });
     DECL_OPTION("-quiet", CbOnOff, [this](bool flag) {

src/V3Options.h

@@ -273,7 +273,8 @@ private:
     bool m_protectIds = false;      // main switch: --protect-ids
     bool m_public = false;          // main switch: --public
     bool m_publicFlatRW = false;    // main switch: --public-flat-rw
-    bool m_public_params = false;   // main switch: --public-params
+    bool m_publicIgnore = false;    // main switch: --public-ignore
+    bool m_publicParams = false;    // main switch: --public-params
     bool m_quietExit = false;       // main switch: --quiet-exit
     bool m_quietStats = false;      // main switch: --quiet-stats
     bool m_relativeIncludes = false;  // main switch: --relative-includes
@@ -541,10 +542,11 @@ public:
     bool usesProfiler() const { return profExec() || profPgo(); }
     bool protectIds() const VL_MT_SAFE { return m_protectIds; }
     bool allPublic() const { return m_public; }
-    bool publicParams() const { return m_public_params; }
+    bool publicParams() const { return m_publicParams; }
+    bool publicOff() const { return m_publicIgnore; }
     bool publicFlatRW() const { return m_publicFlatRW; }
     int publicDepth() const { return m_publicDepth; }
-    bool anyPublicFlat() const { return m_public_params || m_publicFlatRW || m_publicDepth; }
+    bool anyPublicFlat() const { return m_publicParams || m_publicFlatRW || m_publicDepth; }
     bool lintOnly() const VL_MT_SAFE { return m_lintOnly; }
     bool ignc() const { return m_ignc; }
     bool quietExit() const VL_MT_SAFE { return m_quietExit; }

src/V3PreProc.cpp

@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ void V3PreProcImp::comment(const string& text) {
             //}
             // else ignore the comment we don't recognize
         }  // else no assertions
-    } else if (vlcomment) {
+    } else if (vlcomment && !(v3Global.opt.publicOff() && VString::startsWith(cmd, "public"))) {
         if (VString::startsWith(cmd, "public_flat_rw")) {
             // "/*verilator public_flat_rw @(foo) */" -> "/*verilator public_flat_rw*/ @(foo)"
             string::size_type endOfCmd = std::strlen("public_flat_rw");

test_regress/t/t_vpi_public_depth.cpp

@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 #include "Vt_vpi_public_depth__Dpi.h"
 #elif defined(T_VPI_PUBLIC_DEPTH_OFF)
 #include "Vt_vpi_public_depth_off__Dpi.h"
+#elif defined(T_VPI_PUBLIC_OFF)
+#include "Vt_vpi_public_off__Dpi.h"
 #else
 #error "Bad test"
 #endif
@@ -87,6 +89,15 @@ int mon_check() {
     it.freed();  // IEEE 37.2.2 vpi_scan at end does a vpi_release_handle
     CHECK_RESULT_Z(topmod_done_should_be_0);
 
+    TestVpiHandle mod_a = vpi_handle_by_name(const_cast<PLI_BYTE8*>("\\mod.a "), topmod);
+#if defined(T_VPI_PUBLIC_OFF)
+    // metacomment from module A should be ignored
+    CHECK_RESULT_Z(mod_a);
+    return 0;
+#endif
+
+    CHECK_RESULT_NZ(mod_a);
+
     TestVpiHandle it2 = vpi_iterate(vpiModule, topmod);
     CHECK_RESULT_NZ(it2);
 

test_regress/t/t_vpi_public_depth.v

@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ module A(/*AUTOARG*/
    clk, a, b
    );
 
-   input clk;
+   // this comment should get ignored for public-ignore
+   input clk /* verilator public_flat_rw */;
 
    input a, b;
    output x;

test_regress/t/t_vpi_public_off.py

@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# DESCRIPTION: Verilator: Verilog Test driver/expect definition
+#
+# Copyright 2024 by Wilson Snyder. This program is free software; you
+# can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU
+# Lesser General Public License Version 3 or the Perl Artistic License
+# Version 2.0.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-only OR Artistic-2.0
+
+import vltest_bootstrap
+
+test.scenarios('simulator')
+test.pli_filename = "t/t_vpi_public_depth.cpp"
+test.top_filename = "t/t_vpi_public_depth.v"
+
+test.compile(make_top_shell=False,
+             make_main=False,
+             make_pli=True,
+             iv_flags2=["-g2005-sv"],
+             verilator_flags2=[
+                 "+define+USE_DOLLAR_C32 --exe --vpi --no-l2name",
+                 test.pli_filename,
+                 "--public-depth 1 --public-ignore",
+             ],
+             make_flags=['CPPFLAGS_ADD=-DTEST_VPI_PUBLIC_OFF'])
+
+test.execute(use_libvpi=True)
+
+test.passes()