Parameter files

The single Kathryn executable takes exactly one argument: a parameter file (see the params/ directory). The parameter file selects what to run and where output goes.

The file format

ParamReader::getKeyVal (src/frontEnd/cmd/paramReader.cpp) parses each line by whitespace. A line is one of:

• A comment — its first token is ; (the whole line is skipped).
• A key/value — exactly three tokens, key = value (the middle token must literally be =).
• Blank lines are ignored; any other shape is a fatal error, and a duplicate key is a fatal error.

; path to riscv result folder
prefix = /path/to/KOut/riscv/
buildSimMode = gcr

There are no sections and no quoting — a value is a single whitespace-delimited token.

Common keys

Each key below is read by real code in src/ or appears in a shipped file in params/.

Key	Purpose
testType	Selects the entry point. cfe.cpp::start() dispatches on this value (see the table below).
prefix	Output directory for a simulation run (read as params["prefix"] by the RISC-V, O3, Kride, and autoSim managers).
vcdFile	Destination path for the VCD waveform (used by blinkSample.cpp and cacheSimParams).
profFile	Destination path for the ZEP profiler report.
buildSimMode	Simulator JIT stages — g/c/r = generate / compile / run (see The Hybrid Simulator).
genFolder	Output folder for generated Verilog (read as genFolder by GenController::initEnv).
topFileName	Base name of the emitted top .v file.
topModName	Verilog module name of the top module.
limitCycle	Cycle limit for co-simulation runs (stoull(params["limitCycle"])).
workload	Co-sim workload set — standard or cpp (simCtrlComb.h).

Note

Other keys appear in individual files: ioOptimize, extractMulFile, synName (synthesis), slotFile, amt, reqRegTest, and genPath (used by tutorialParams instead of genFolder). Only the keys a given testType consumes are required.

Mode decision

Generation keys and simulation keys are distinct, and testType decides which set matters:

flowchart TB
    P["params file"] --> R["ParamReader::getKeyVal<br/>(key = value, ; comments)"]
    R --> T{"testType"}
    T -->|"sim: testSimple,<br/>testO3Sim, testKrideSim, ..."| S["Hybrid Simulator<br/>needs prefix or vcdFile/profFile<br/>plus buildSimMode"]
    T -->|"gen: testGen,<br/>testGenO3"| G["Verilog generator<br/>needs genFolder,<br/>topFileName, topModName"]
    T -->|"co-sim: testKrideRideCombSim"| C["Kride vs RIDECORE compare<br/>needs workload, limitCycle"]

Shipped params files

The params/ directory ships one file per scenario. Their testType values map to entry points via cfe.cpp::start():

File	testType	Purpose
smParams	testSimple	Auto simulation regression suite (src/test/autoSim); the smoke test.
o3Params	testO3Sim	Kride out-of-order superscalar simulation.
o3GenParams	testGenO3	Kride out-of-order → Verilog generation (has synName).
krideParams	testKrideSim	Kride standalone simulation.
krideRideParams	testKrideRideCombSim	Co-simulation vs RIDECORE, standard workload, limitCycle = 10000.
krideRideCxxParams	testKrideRideCombSim	Co-simulation vs RIDECORE, cpp workload, longer limitCycle.
rideParams	testRideSim	RIDECORE via Verilator (needs BUILD_RIDECORE=ON).
cacheSimParams	testSimpleCacheAcc	Cache-accelerator simulation; sets vcdFile, profFile, and slotFile.
genParams	testGen	Small generator test cases.
blinkParams	(none)	Paths for the standalone blinkSample.cpp demo (vcdFile / profFile only).
tutorialParams	(none)	Single genPath for the tutorial generation demo.

Note

blinkParams and tutorialParams carry no testType: they feed standalone example executables (blinkSample.cpp and the tutorial), not the testType dispatch in cfe.cpp.

Where to go next

• Building and running — how to compile the framework and invoke it with one of these files.
• The Hybrid Simulator and The Verilog generator — the two backends the keys configure.