Temporary files and log removal from c++ side

[allegroCoder]

Trying to remove as many temporary files as possible in scenco-cpp, as well as the log file. Following a list of all fo the temporary files, and their usage:

• [ ] CONSTRAINTS_FILE contains all of the constraints of nodes and arcs. This is file parsed for loading the graph structure. Below the file format. I would intentionally not remove this one.

00111---0     (MAU -> ALU) PCIU

• [x] TRIVIAL_ENCODING_FILE This file contains the non-trivial constraints found. Removed.
• [ ] TMP_FILE It is used for the following reasons:
  • [ ] Storing the output file generated by ABC to estimate the area.
  • [ ] Storing the truth tables of the nodes/arcs, ABC needs an input file where to read the truth tables (with the input/output names) from.
• [x] LOG Removed.
• [ ] SCRIPT_TMP dinamically store the script which is currently input into ABC. It might be a script either for the verilog generation, or for the mapping process, or for the Boolean equation synthesis.
• [ ] BOOL_PATH store the Boolean equations generated by ABC for each node/arc. I could probably use SCRIPT_TMP to store them, but I do not think it would make any difference. I would rather keep it for consistency.
• [x] CODE_CONSTRAINTS stores the code constraints. Removed

[snowleopard]

Thanks for the detailed summary, and for removing several files already!

Let me ask a couple of questions about the remaining ones:

TMP_FILE is used for various reason.

Let's avoid vague statements like this :-) Please list all its use-cases, and probably it would be useful if they have separate check-boxes, so we can track them separately. Just edit the list above.

SCRIPT_TMP dinamically store the script which is currently input into ABC.

Can't you pass the script to ABC via standard input?

BOOL_PATH store the Boolean equations generated by ABC for each node/arc.

Can't you capture ABC Boolean equations via standard output?

[allegroCoder]

Just edit the list above.

Done.

Can't you pass the script to ABC via standard input?

I have been trying now in Linux but I did not manage yet. ABC runs interactevely, therefore the only way I could make this execute a bunch of commands is through a script. Not sure if feeding ABC through stdin might be better than having a script though, considering compatibility issues between UNIX / OS X / Windows.

Can't you capture ABC Boolean equations via standard output?

No, I have also been trying this now. But the only command I found for the Boolean equations generation is the following:

write_eqn – Outputs the combinational part of the current network in the Synopsys equation format.

and it must be followed by a file name.

[snowleopard]

@allegroCoder Thanks! So, it looks like we can't use standard I/O for anything else.

Perhaps, the only way to get rid of temporary files would be to integrate ABC source code into scenco, similar to how this is done in abcBridge. But this will require quite a lot of work.

So, if you think we can't do anything else about the remaining temporary files now, feel free to close this.

[snowleopard]

Or we could keep this issue open, until we figure out a better way :-)

[allegroCoder]

Agree, let's keep this open and let's give it a think. Maybe we will come back to this later :+1: