VHDL - IF alternative

Question

I want write an alternative of the if, I have following if statement.

if val1(1)&val1(0) < val2(1)&val2(0) then
            r:="10";
    else
            if  val1(1)&val1(0) = val2(1)&val2(0) then
                r:="00";
            else 
                r:="01";
            end if;
    end if;

And I want it to change to following.

s:=((data1(9)&data1(8)) < (data2(9)&data2(8)))?"01":(((data1(9)&data1(8)) = (data2(9)&data2(8)))?"00":"01");

But the compiler gives me following error.

"# Error: COMP96_0015: min: (111, 49): ';' expected."

How can I resolve this? Thanks.

Answer 1

Question: what's the type of val1 and val2?

Here are some improvements:

• if val1 and val2 have only 2 bits: val1 < val2
• use slices instead of single bit concats: val1(1 downto 0) < val2(1 downto 0)
• you could use the y <= a when (condition) else b;statement
  this is the VHDL equivalent to C's ternary operator y = cond ? val1 : val2;

• you could define a if-then-else functions let's call it ite:

  function ite(cond : boolean; val1 : std_logic_vector; val2 : std_logic_vector)
  return std_logic_vector is
  begin
    if cond then
      return val1;
    else
      return val2;
    end if;
  end function;
  

  Usage:

  s := ite((val1(1 downto 0) < val2(1 downto 0)), "10",    -- less
       ite((val1(1 downto 0) = val2(1 downto 0)), "00",    -- equal
                                                  "01"));  -- greater
  

• you could define a compare function, let's call it comp:

  function comp(val1 : std_logic_vector; val2 : std_logic_vector)
  return std_logic_vector is
  begin
    if (val1 < val2) then
      return "10";
    elsif (val1 = val2) then
      return "00";
    else
      return "01";
    end if;
  end function
  

  Usage:

  s := comp(val1(1 downto 0), val2(1 downto 0));