Verilog - Read bits of register dynamically or using some variable

Question

I want to read 8 bit register bit by bit. i.e first reading 0:3 , then 1:4 , then 2:5 . Reading 4 bits at one time. Below code give error when accessing register bits using integer.

module First_Module(
      clock,
      reset,
      enable,
      counter_out
    );    
// input ports
input clock;
    input reset;
    input enable;
    output [3:0] counter_out;
wire clock;
wire reset;
wire enable=1'b1;
reg[3:0] counter_out=0001;
reg[9:0] line=1101101101;
reg[3:0] testPattern=1101;
reg[3:0] temp=0000;
integer IndexStart,IndexEnd;
initial
begin
IndexStart=0;
IndexEnd=3; 
end 
initial
  #20 $finish;     //finish after 20 time units       
always 
begin:COUNTER     
\#1 
$monitor ("counter Out = %d Reset = %d",counter_out,reset);
$monitor ("Temp = %d ",temp);
if(reset==1'b1)    
begin

counter_out <=    4'b0000;

end// if-end    
else if (enable==1'b1)    
begin    
counter_out= counter_out+1;     
IndexEnd=IndexEnd+1;    
temp=line[IndexEnd:IndexStart];   // Error at this line    

end    

end// always end
endmodule

Help is required .

Answer 1

temp=line[IndexEnd:IndexStart];

Verilog sees this a s a dynamic length selector. Which does not make sense in hardware. from Verilog 2001 a new standard for making variable location, fixed width selections (part selects) was introduced.

You should be able to use the following for 4 bit selects:

temp=line[IndexStart +: 4];

For more info see page 23 of Using the New Verilog-2001 Standard by Stuart Sutherland