Understanding uvm_object::print(), sprint(), sformat(), and convert2string()

🖨️ Understanding uvm_object::print(), sprint(), sformat(), sformatf(), and convert2string()

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In this section, we explore the print, sprint, sformat, sformatf, and convert2string methods of uvm_object. These methods are essential for debugging and visualizing object contents in UVM testbenches.

1️⃣ What is print()?

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✅ The print() method prints the contents of an object to the simulator’s console or transcript window.

• Uses the UVM printer to generate human-readable output.
• Shows all registered fields of the object.

Example:

txn.print();

2️⃣ What is sprint()?

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✅ The sprint() method returns the output as a string instead of printing it directly.

• Useful for appending object data to log files or UVM reports.

Example:

string txt;
txt = txn.sprint();
`uvm_info("TXN_DATA", txt, UVM_LOW)

3️⃣ What is sformat()?

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✅ The sformat() method formats object contents in a single-line summary and returns it as a string.

• Provides a concise, quick view for logs.

Example:

string summary;
summary = txn.sformat();
`uvm_info("TXN_SUMMARY", summary, UVM_LOW)

4️⃣ What is sformatf()?

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✅ The sformatf() method is a SystemVerilog built-in function that formats strings with embedded variables, similar to printf() in C.

• Typically used within convert2string() to build custom object summaries.

Example:

function string convert2string();
  return $sformatf("op_a=%0h, op_b=%0h, opcode=%0h", op_a, op_b, opcode);
endfunction

Usage:

string summary;
summary = txn.convert2string();
`uvm_info("TXN_STRING", summary, UVM_LOW)

5️⃣ What is convert2string()?

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✅ The convert2string() method generates a user-defined string representation of the object.

• By default, it returns the result of sformat().
• Can be overridden to create custom object summaries.

Example:

function string convert2string();
  return $sformatf("op_a=%0h, op_b=%0h, opcode=%0h", op_a, op_b, opcode);
endfunction

Usage:

string summary;
summary = txn.convert2string();
`uvm_info("TXN_STRING", summary, UVM_LOW)

6️⃣ Benefits

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✅ These methods:

• Enable quick and consistent introspection of object contents.
• Reduce the need for manual $display statements.
• Integrate with UVM reporting.
• Simplify debugging, randomization, and DUT interactions.

📖 Conclusion

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The print(), sprint(), sformat(), sformatf(), and convert2string() methods are powerful tools in uvm_object that make your verification environment easier to debug and maintain.