Autoforking

In MLDesigner there is a wide variety of options when connecting ports, primitives, or modules. In some domains it is possible to make use of the autoforking and automerging facility built into MLDesigner.

In some instances, delays and buses are allowed but are not necessary. The following section explains where buses and delays are allowed and where autofork and automerge functions are supported.

Relations without formal ports

Domains containing Merge and Fork Primitives
Domain	Identity	Merge	Fork
DE	OneWay	Yes	Yes
SDF	Repeat	No	Yes
DDF	Repeat	No	Yes
CTDE	Fork	Yes	Yes
FSM	No	No	No
HOF	No	No	No

Single to single port

Multi to multi port

In cases where one single input port is connected to a single output port or where a multi-input is connected to a multi-output:

delay is allowed
bus is allowed if both ports are multiports
ports must be compatible or must be of type anytype

Single to many multi port

In cases where one single output is connected to many single/multi input ports:

delay is allowed
bus is not allowed
port types must be compatible

Many Single to Single/Multi Ports

In cases where many single/multi output ports are connected to one multi input port:

delays are allowed
port types must be compatible
bus width must be equal to one

(a) Auto Merge and Fork with Multi input Port

(b) Example with Input Ports of Type input

In cases where many single/multi ports are connected to many ports

delays are allowed
busses are not allowed
inmulti ports are not allowed. The transitions are broken if a multiple input port is used in conjunction with a fork.
buswidth on multi output ports must be equal to one
all ports must be compatible
a new merge primitive is created if a built-in merge primitive exists in the domain and all outputs are connected with the merge's input

Relations with formal inputs

In cases where a single output is connected to a single input port:

delays and buswidth have no effect
ports must be compatible
connections to outputs are only allowed if a Identity primitive exists in the actual domain. A block of the Identity primitive is created between the ports.

In cases where a input port is connected to many single/multi input ports:

a new fork primitive is created if a built-in fork exists in the actual domain and the and the input is connected with the fork’s output. If the fork primitive does not exist for the domain, such connections are not allowed.

(a) Auto Fork

(b) What really happens

Relations with formal outputs

In cases where a single output port is connected to a single input port:

delay and buswidth have no effect
ports must be compatible
connections to formal input ports are only allowed if a built-in identity star exists in the actual domain. A block of the identity primitive is created between the formal ports

In cases where many single/multi input ports are connected to a formal output:

a new merge primitive of the actual domain is created (if one exists in the actual domain) and the formal output is connected with the merge’s outputs
If no merge exists for the actual domain, such connections are not allowed

(a) Auto merge in DE domain

(b) What really happens