In LATOME project, hdl-make has been enhanced with the possibility to add attributes to files or modules in Manifests. The following attributes are added:

• action: uses the module/file only if the action matches
• dependencies: add fixed dependencies to a file, in order for example to compile Intel Quartus files (220model.v/20pack.vhd/altera_mf.v...) in the proper order as some of those files are encrypted and cannot therefore be checked with the VHDL/Verilog parser
• enable: uses the module/file only if the condition is True
• library: overrides the default library for the file. Useful for example to compile Intel Quartus files as they must be compiled in various libraries such that 1 Manifest only is used instead of 1 per library
• preprocess: used to preprocess the file, either replace an environment variable by its content (to have generic code) or calls C-preprocessor to use #if #else #endif constructs
• relations: to generate relation files locally to the Manifest for example if a module is common to many others and does not change like intel Quartus EDA files
• vcom_opt: allows to add a specific VHDL compiler option to the file

Example Manifest.py extracted from LATOME project:

# List of modules
modules = {
    'local': [
        'user_src',
        '$REPOSITORY_ROOT_PATH/PoC',
        '$REPOSITORY_ROOT_PATH/LATOME/src/ipctrl/src/ipctrl_util',
        {'$REPOSITORY_ROOT_PATH/LATOME/src/pattern_generator': {'enable': 'PATTERN_GENERATOR_INTERNAL_ENABLE'}},
    ],
}

# Default library
library = 'istage'

# List of source files
files = [
    {'istage_arch.vhd': {'preprocess': 'cpp'}},
    'istage_comp.vhd',
    'istage_ent.vhd',
]

This implementation is a choice. Other implementations can be made. Let's discuss on the best way to implement it.