VHDL Logic Simplification

Question

I've been having a common reoccurring issue when I write VHDL code. I end up writing code similar to this (as an example):

ENTITY registerfile IS
    PORT(VX : OUT STD_LOGIC_VECTOR(7 DOWNTO 0);
         RS1: IN  STD_LOGIC_VECTOR(3 DOWNTO 0));
END registerfile;

ARCHITECTURE rtl OF registerfile IS
    TYPE FeedbackSignal IS ARRAY(15 DOWNTO 0) OF STD_LOGIC_VECTOR(7 DOWNTO 0);
    SIGNAL V_F : FeedbackSignal;
BEGIN
    PROCESS(RS1, V_F)
    BEGIN
        CASE RS1 IS
            WHEN "0000" =>
                VX <= V_F(0);
            WHEN "0001" =>
                VX <= V_F(1);
            WHEN "0010" =>
                VX <= V_F(2);
            WHEN "0011" =>
                VX <= V_F(3);
            WHEN "0100" =>
                VX <= V_F(4);
            WHEN "0101" =>
                VX <= V_F(5);
            WHEN "0110" =>
                VX <= V_F(6);
            WHEN "0111" =>
                VX <= V_F(7);
            WHEN "1000" =>
                VX <= V_F(8);
            WHEN "1001" =>
                VX <= V_F(9);
            WHEN "1010" =>
                VX <= V_F(10);
            WHEN "1011" =>
                VX <= V_F(11);
            WHEN "1100" =>
                VX <= V_F(12);
            WHEN "1101" =>
                VX <= V_F(13);
            WHEN "1110" =>
                VX <= V_F(14);
            WHEN "1111" =>
                VX <= V_F(15);
            WHEN OTHERS =>
                VX <= (OTHERS => 'Z');
        END CASE;
    END PROCESS;
END rtl;

Assume V_F is connected to an internal register or something similar. I feel like this is extremely repetitive, and I can't seem to figure out a better way. Is there a more concise way similar to something like:

VX <= V_F(RS1);

Answer 1

I have resolved this issue myself in a different, more compact way.

I have essentially used the following:

PROCESS(RS1, V_F)
BEGIN
    VX <= V_F(TO_INTEGER(UNSIGNED(RS1)));
END PROCESS;

Answer 2

It looks like this is one of those occasions where a loop works very well:

if (RS1 > 15) then
    VX <= (others => 'Z';
end if;

for i in 0 to 15 loop
    if RS1 = i then
        VX <= V_F(i);
    end if;
end loop

I've used these constructs for expanding 8-bit FIFOs to 32-bit data buses and also for implementing register reads for arrays of similar components (e.g. 8 identical serial ports with their register sets in a contiguous block of I/O memory).

Answer 3

VX <= V_F(RS1);

won't work since vector indicies must be determinable at compile-time (for concurrent statements).

Instead, the most compact way of describing the behaviour you want is to use sequential statements. Look at Kohlsmith's suggestion.