Simulator locking up -- memory problems?

[WBahn]

I am using v2.5 on a Windows7 64-bit platform.

I am trying to build the memory parts in Project 3. When I try to test the parts REG64 and larger, the simulator runs for varying amounts of time and then just stops. I can restart the sim, load new scripts (say a test that I know works or one that uses just the bultin parts), and other things but if I attempt to run a sim it remains stalled. I have to close the simulator and relaunch it.

The Console window reports NullPointer Exceptions. Sometimes the simulation locks up immediately after the first of these appear, but other times it continues running and many more of these appear before it finally locks up.

This problem started after I successfully implemented the RAM64 module (i.e., it passed the test successfully). When I did the RAM512 the sim locked up. Ever since then, when I run the sime on RAM64 it locks up, too (and the file has not been modified since when it was passing). If I run the RAM512 sim using the builtin part, it runs to completion with no problem.

[cadet1620]

William Bahn wrote

The Console window reports NullPointer Exceptions. Sometimes the simulation locks up immediately after the first of these appear, but other times it continues running and many more of these appear before it finally locks up.

I've seen this happen when the Hardware Simulator runs out of memory.

It is very important to build the memory parts in the 'a' and 'b' subdirectories under projects/03, as structured in the distribution .zip file. Do not copy any of your other HDL sources into these subdirectories, especially don't copy any of the RAM*.hdl files from 'a' into 'b'.

--Mark

[WBahn]

After I rebooted the machine I was able to run the simulations on my parts, all the way up to the RAM16K. The console still shows a number of null pointer exceptions being thrown, so I think there is still a problem with the simulator. My guess is that, at some point, the JVM becomes corrupted in such a way that the machine has to be rebooted (or perhaps just the right process has to be killed).

[Abdulhafiz]

I encountered the same problem and found Mark's suggestion of clearing the 'a' and 'b' directories of any new files other than the preexisting files helpful.

Thanks