METHOD, SYSTEM AND PROGRAM PRODUCT PROVIDING A CONFIGURATION SPECIFICATION LANGUAGE THAT SUPPORTS THE DEFINITION OF LINKS BETWEEN CONFIGURATION CONSTRUCTS

Methods, data processing systems, and program products are disclosed that support the definition and accessing of links indicating a relationship between configuration construct instances, such as Dial and Dial group instances, within a digital design. According to one method, first and second latches within the digital design are specified in at least one HDL statement within one or more HDL files representing the digital design. In the one or more HDL files, a first configuration construct instance referencing the first latch and a second configuration construct instance referencing the second latch are also defined. The first and second configuration construct instances provide interfaces through which values of the first and second latches can be accessed. In addition, a link indicating a relationship between the first and second configuration construct instances is also defined within the one or more HDL files.