How to make Altera-Modelsim free download version to work?

Hi,

I downloaded 11.0_modelsim_ase_windows.exe from https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/downloads/software/modelsim/121.html

Release Notes For ModelSim Altera 10.1b

                                 Apr 26 2012
               Copyright 1991-2012 Mentor Graphics Corporation
                            All rights reserved.

After installing the software, I cannot run it: Unable to checkout a licence. Modelsim-Altera uses the following environment variables to check the licence (listed in the order of preference)

1. MGLS_LICENCE_FILE
2. LM_LICENCE_FILE.

I don't know:
1. How to set the environment variables.

2. If the licence file is valid for me to free use?

Thank you.

Weng

Weng Tianxiang <wtxwtx@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I downloaded 11.0_modelsim_ase_windows.exe from
> https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/downloads/software/modelsim/121.html
> 
> Release Notes For ModelSim Altera 10.1b

Why are you using a 7 year old version?

> After installing the software, I cannot run it: Unable to checkout a
> licence.  Modelsim-Altera uses the following environment variables to
> check the licence (listed in the order of preference)
> 
> 1. MGLS_LICENCE_FILE
> 2. LM_LICENCE_FILE.

Modelsim-Altera should run without a licence for suitably small designs.
However the older versions may have needed a licence server, which you
probably don't have.

Theo

On 12/5/18 2:58 AM, Theo wrote:
> Weng Tianxiang <wtxwtx@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I downloaded 11.0_modelsim_ase_windows.exe from
>> https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/downloads/software/modelsim/121.html
>>
>> Release Notes For ModelSim Altera 10.1b
> 
> Why are you using a 7 year old version?
> 
>> After installing the software, I cannot run it: Unable to checkout a
>> licence.  Modelsim-Altera uses the following environment variables to
>> check the licence (listed in the order of preference)
>>
>> 1. MGLS_LICENCE_FILE
>> 2. LM_LICENCE_FILE.
> 
> Modelsim-Altera should run without a licence for suitably small designs.
> However the older versions may have needed a licence server, which you
> probably don't have.
> 
> Theo
> 


You need older versions of the software to generate designs for older
chips, as the software drops support for older "obsolete" chips (even if
you can still buy them).

Even though it is listed as "free to use", you still need a license
file, which you can apply for and get for free on the Altera web site.

How to set the environment variables to point to the file you get will
depend on your operating system, but it generally will be in the control
panel.

On Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 3:43:28 AM UTC-8, Richard Damon wrote:
> On 12/5/18 2:58 AM, Theo wrote:
> > Weng Tianxiang <wtxwtx@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> I downloaded 11.0_modelsim_ase_windows.exe from
> >> https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/downloads/software/modelsim/121.html
> >>
> >> Release Notes For ModelSim Altera 10.1b
> > 
> > Why are you using a 7 year old version?
> > 
> >> After installing the software, I cannot run it: Unable to checkout a
> >> licence.  Modelsim-Altera uses the following environment variables to
> >> check the licence (listed in the order of preference)
> >>
> >> 1. MGLS_LICENCE_FILE
> >> 2. LM_LICENCE_FILE.
> > 
> > Modelsim-Altera should run without a licence for suitably small designs.
> > However the older versions may have needed a licence server, which you
> > probably don't have.
> > 
> > Theo
> > 
> 
> 
> You need older versions of the software to generate designs for older
> chips, as the software drops support for older "obsolete" chips (even if
> you can still buy them).
> 
> Even though it is listed as "free to use", you still need a license
> file, which you can apply for and get for free on the Altera web site.
> 
> How to set the environment variables to point to the file you get will
> depend on your operating system, but it generally will be in the control
> panel.

Hi Richard,

Thank you for your response. 

My project does not need any chip, but a concept project, to make sure it works without linking to any FPGA chip.

> Even though it is listed as "free to use", you still need a license
> file, which you can apply for and get for free on the Altera web site.
> 

I will try to get a licence file based on your advice, and am trying to buy a commercial one.

Weng

On Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 8:18:12 AM UTC-8, Weng Tianxiang wrote:
> On Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 3:43:28 AM UTC-8, Richard Damon wrote:
> > On 12/5/18 2:58 AM, Theo wrote:
> > > Weng Tianxiang <wtxwtx@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >> Hi,
> > >>
> > >> I downloaded 11.0_modelsim_ase_windows.exe from
> > >> https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/downloads/software/modelsim/121.html
> > >>
> > >> Release Notes For ModelSim Altera 10.1b
> > > 
> > > Why are you using a 7 year old version?
> > > 
> > >> After installing the software, I cannot run it: Unable to checkout a
> > >> licence.  Modelsim-Altera uses the following environment variables to
> > >> check the licence (listed in the order of preference)
> > >>
> > >> 1. MGLS_LICENCE_FILE
> > >> 2. LM_LICENCE_FILE.
> > > 
> > > Modelsim-Altera should run without a licence for suitably small designs.
> > > However the older versions may have needed a licence server, which you
> > > probably don't have.
> > > 
> > > Theo
> > > 
> > 
> > 
> > You need older versions of the software to generate designs for older
> > chips, as the software drops support for older "obsolete" chips (even if
> > you can still buy them).
> > 
> > Even though it is listed as "free to use", you still need a license
> > file, which you can apply for and get for free on the Altera web site.
> > 
> > How to set the environment variables to point to the file you get will
> > depend on your operating system, but it generally will be in the control
> > panel.
> 
> Hi Richard,
> 
> Thank you for your response. 
> 
> My project does not need any chip, but a concept project, to make sure it works without linking to any FPGA chip.
> 
> > Even though it is listed as "free to use", you still need a license
> > file, which you can apply for and get for free on the Altera web site.
> > 
> 
> I will try to get a licence file based on your advice, and am trying to buy a commercial one.
> 
> Weng

Hi,

May there be 3rd party FREE simulation tools in VHDL and Window 7/10 that are purely designed to do simulation only except Modelsim?

Thank you.

Weng

On 05/12/2018 17:18, Weng Tianxiang wrote:
> On Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 3:43:28 AM UTC-8, Richard Damon wrote:
>> On 12/5/18 2:58 AM, Theo wrote:
>>> Weng Tianxiang <wtxwtx@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> I downloaded 11.0_modelsim_ase_windows.exe from
>>>> https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/downloads/software/modelsim/121.html
>>>>
>>>> Release Notes For ModelSim Altera 10.1b
>>>
>>> Why are you using a 7 year old version?
>>>
>>>> After installing the software, I cannot run it: Unable to checkout a
>>>> licence.  Modelsim-Altera uses the following environment variables to
>>>> check the licence (listed in the order of preference)
>>>>
>>>> 1. MGLS_LICENCE_FILE
>>>> 2. LM_LICENCE_FILE.
>>>
>>> Modelsim-Altera should run without a licence for suitably small designs.
>>> However the older versions may have needed a licence server, which you
>>> probably don't have.
>>>
>>> Theo
>>>
>>
>>
>> You need older versions of the software to generate designs for older
>> chips, as the software drops support for older "obsolete" chips (even if
>> you can still buy them).
>>
>> Even though it is listed as "free to use", you still need a license
>> file, which you can apply for and get for free on the Altera web site.
>>
>> How to set the environment variables to point to the file you get will
>> depend on your operating system, but it generally will be in the control
>> panel.
> 
> Hi Richard,
> 
> Thank you for your response.
> 
> My project does not need any chip, but a concept project, to make sure it works without linking to any FPGA chip.
> 
>> Even though it is listed as "free to use", you still need a license
>> file, which you can apply for and get for free on the Altera web site.
>>
> 
> I will try to get a licence file based on your advice, and am trying to buy a commercial one.
> 

If you don't specifically need this old version of the software for 
handling old chips, then why not use newer and better versions, and save 
yourself the fuss with the licence files?

Richard Damon <Richard@damon-family.org> wrote:
> You need older versions of the software to generate designs for older
> chips, as the software drops support for older "obsolete" chips (even if
> you can still buy them).

Quartus yes, but not for Modelsim.
(there may be some models of chip-specific logic cells if you want to simulate
synthesised logic, but most users are simulating direct from HDL source
code)

> Even though it is listed as "free to use", you still need a license
> file, which you can apply for and get for free on the Altera web site.

That used to be true (hence why I queried using an older version), but is no
longer.  For recent Quartus and Modelsim, you don't need a licence for
Quartus Lite and Modelsim-Intel FPGA Edition.

Quartus prompts whether you want to ask for a 30 day trial licence, but it
still works for a limited set of FPGAs and IP cores without.
(eg Cyclone is included in Quartus Lite but Stratix needs Quartus Std with a
paid licence)

Theo

David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> wrote:
> If you don't specifically need this old version of the software for 
> handling old chips, then why not use newer and better versions, and save 
> yourself the fuss with the licence files?

There's a legitimate reason to use an old version when synthesising, because
porting from one version of the tools to another is nontrivial (particularly
with respect to supplied IP cores, which can change functionality in
incompatible ways).  So if somebody gives me a project built with a particular
version, the first thing I do is try and build with that version, then port
forward and see if it still works.  Timing can often be markedly different
between versions (not always for the better).

However, I can't think of an instance when simulating where you might need
to use an older version of the simulator.

(give or take issues like 32 v 64 bit versions of tools and whatever your
host OS supports)

Theo

On Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 12:50:18 PM UTC-8, Theo wrote:
> Richard Damon <Richard@damon-family.org> wrote:
> > You need older versions of the software to generate designs for older
> > chips, as the software drops support for older "obsolete" chips (even if
> > you can still buy them).
> 
> Quartus yes, but not for Modelsim.
> (there may be some models of chip-specific logic cells if you want to simulate
> synthesised logic, but most users are simulating direct from HDL source
> code)
> 
> > Even though it is listed as "free to use", you still need a license
> > file, which you can apply for and get for free on the Altera web site.
> 
> That used to be true (hence why I queried using an older version), but is no
> longer.  For recent Quartus and Modelsim, you don't need a licence for
> Quartus Lite and Modelsim-Intel FPGA Edition.
> 
> Quartus prompts whether you want to ask for a 30 day trial licence, but it
> still works for a limited set of FPGAs and IP cores without.
> (eg Cyclone is included in Quartus Lite but Stratix needs Quartus Std with a
> paid licence)
> 
> Theo

Hi Theo,

Where can I download Quartus Lite and Modelsim-Intel FPGA Edition?

I downloaded from Intel website  and got Altera_installer_12.1. I clicked the application Modelsim.10.1b and it immediately popped a window saying fatal licence error. 

After entering Intel website I really missed and don't know which is which.

> For recent Quartus and Modelsim, you don't need a licence for
> Quartus Lite and Modelsim-Intel FPGA Edition.

If you are kind enough, please give me the exact address. I downloaded just yesterday. So actually I downloaded a different version from yours.

I ask for an old version, not because I use any old chip, but it is free. If it is true that "For recent Quartus and Modelsim, you don't need a licence for Quartus Lite and Modelsim-Intel FPGA Edition", absolutely I would like to download a 2008 VHDL version simulator.

Writing code in VHDL 2008 is much easier than in VHDL 2002.

Thank you.

Weng

On Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 11:18:12 AM UTC-5, Weng Tianxiang wrote:
> On Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 3:43:28 AM UTC-8, Richard Damon wrote:
> > On 12/5/18 2:58 AM, Theo wrote:
> > > Weng Tianxiang <wtxwtx@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >> Hi,
> > >>
> > >> I downloaded 11.0_modelsim_ase_windows.exe from
> > >> https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/downloads/software/modelsim/121.html
> > >>
> > >> Release Notes For ModelSim Altera 10.1b
> > > 
> > > Why are you using a 7 year old version?
> > > 
> > >> After installing the software, I cannot run it: Unable to checkout a
> > >> licence.  Modelsim-Altera uses the following environment variables to
> > >> check the licence (listed in the order of preference)
> > >>
> > >> 1. MGLS_LICENCE_FILE
> > >> 2. LM_LICENCE_FILE.
> > > 
> > > Modelsim-Altera should run without a licence for suitably small designs.
> > > However the older versions may have needed a licence server, which you
> > > probably don't have.
> > > 
> > > Theo
> > > 
> > 
> > 
> > You need older versions of the software to generate designs for older
> > chips, as the software drops support for older "obsolete" chips (even if
> > you can still buy them).
> > 
> > Even though it is listed as "free to use", you still need a license
> > file, which you can apply for and get for free on the Altera web site.
> > 
> > How to set the environment variables to point to the file you get will
> > depend on your operating system, but it generally will be in the control
> > panel.
> 
> Hi Richard,
> 
> Thank you for your response. 
> 
> My project does not need any chip, but a concept project, to make sure it works without linking to any FPGA chip.
> 
> > Even though it is listed as "free to use", you still need a license
> > file, which you can apply for and get for free on the Altera web site.
> > 
> 
> I will try to get a licence file based on your advice, and am trying to buy a commercial one.

You will find the same thing with Lattice.  You need to obtain a free license to run their free tools.  Not a big deal, but it runs out after a year and you need to get another free license. 

  Rick C. 

  Tesla referral code -- https://ts.la/richard11209