how to update the output on the rising edge of the clock in structural VHDL code? - vhdl

Question

I have this very simple 16-bit and gate written in structural form in VHDL:
The files are uploaded here.
library IEEE;
use IEEE.STD_LOGIC_1164.ALL;
entity and_16bit is
Port (
A : in std_logic_vector(15 downto 0);
B : in std_logic_vector(15 downto 0);
Clk : in STD_LOGIC;
--Rst : in STD_LOGIC;
C : out std_logic_vector(15 downto 0) );
end and_16bit;
architecture Behavioral of and_16bit is
component and_1bit is
Port (
A : in std_logic;
B : in std_logic;
C : out std_logic );
end component;
signal s : std_logic_vector(15 downto 0);
begin
ands: for i in 15 downto 0 generate
and_1bit_x: and_1bit port map (A => A(i), B => B(i), C => s(i));
end generate;
process(Clk)
begin
if rising_edge(Clk) then
C <= s;
end if;
end process;
end Behavioral;
In order to update the output in the rising edge of the clock, I have defined this "s" signal. I wonder if this is the correct way to update the output in structural VHDL codes? what should I do to scape the unknown output for the first output?
Any comments will be a great help.

Answer 1

It's better to put the sequential process into a submodule and instantiate it in the top-level (and_16bit). Then your top-level will be more structural.
You can have one instance for each bit as you did for and_1bit.
For example, this module is a 1-bit register.
entity dff_1bit is
Port (
D : in std_logic;
Clk : in std_logic;
Q : out std_logic );
end dff_1bit;
architecture Behavioral of dff_1bit is
begin
process(Clk)
begin
if rising_edge(Clk) then
Q <= D;
end if;
end process;
end Behavioral;
Then you can instantiate it in and_16bit, inside the same generate block.
dff_1bit_x: dff_1bit port map (D => s(i), Clk => Clk, Q => C(i));