FPGARelated.com
Blogs

Designing Embedded Systems with FPGA-2

Pragnesh PatelNovember 13, 200710 comments

In last part, we created hardware design of basic system. The next step is to generate (compile) hardware design. Compiled hardware design is known as bit-stream andstored in *.bit file. To compile hardware, use hardware->generate hardware tab. The complete hardware design generation takes several seconds to several minutes depending on computer speed and design complexity. In back ground, the whole design process involves many different steps including synthesis, placement, routing and run time checking. If we use VHDL to write and generate hardware design, we must follow all these steps in sequence, but Xilinx EDK is making life easier for embedded system by executing all these steps in sequence in background.

Generate Hardware System 1

 

 

Compilation generates design report and stored in system.map.mrp file and displayed in output part of console window that looks like,

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

analysis completed Tue Oct 30 20:18:40 2007

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Generating Report ...

 

Number of warnings: 0

Number of info messages: 2

Total time: 5 secs

 

 

xflow done!

*********************************************

Running Bitgen..

*********************************************

cd implementation; bitgen -w -f bitgen.ut system

 

Release 9.1.02i - Bitgen J.33

Copyright (c) 1995-2007 Xilinx, Inc.All rights reserved.

 

Loading device for application Rf_Device from file '3s500e.nph' in environment

C:\Xilinx91i.

 

"system" is an NCD, version 3.1, device xc3s500e, package fg320, speed -4

 

Opened constraints file system.pcf.

 

Tue Oct 30 20:18:43 2007

 

Running DRC.

 

DRC detected 0 errors and 0 warnings.

 

Creating bit map...

 

Saving bit stream in "system.bit".

 

Bitstream generation is complete.

 

Done!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Once hardware design get finished, we need to generate software libraries and board support package using software->Generate Libraries and BSPs tab. (Use following screen for reference). If you look in your project folder *.mhs is hardware description file and *.mss is software description file used for generation.

 

Generate Hardware

 

and message in output window is,

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Libraries generated in D:\FPGA\BookSample1\microblaze_0\lib\ directory

 

Running execs_generate for OS'es, Drivers and Libraries ...

 

LibGen Done.

 

Done!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

The final step is to compile software for applications for testing memory and peripheral created by base system builder wizard. Use software->Build All User Applications tab to compile software applications. EDK uses GCC to compile software applications written for Microblaze.

 

If you look at Application tab in project information area (or project explorer), you will see two defaults and two projects. We will not discuss about defaults. Out of two projects, TestApp_Memory is marked green and TestApp_Peripheral is marked with cross (see following pic.)

 

Generate Software System

 

So out of two projects TestApp_Memory is marked to go in default memory which starts from 0x0 location and will run immediately after reset of processor. Other projects share memory but not placed from 0x0. To execute such projects, software controlled execution point transfer is required. We will learn more about that later on. So be ready to get result from first basic design next time.

 

 


[ - ]
Comment by harihardwareJanuary 30, 2008
hi pragnesh, i am working on arm7tdmi target board. can you suggest me how to erase and program external flash.
[ - ]
Comment by shivajiFebruary 27, 2008
Good evening sir, I am a student in University Malaya, Malaysia.Your website is simply superb. I am doing a project that is using Xilinx EDK and Virtex-4(ML401). Do you have any tutorial for Ml401? Although I am using Virtex 4 (ML401) and Xilinx EDK 9.2, the tutorial that I obtained is on Virtex4 (ML403). I just followed the tutorial, I just changed to my board specification. The problem occur is that the hyperterminal does not display any out put. I can send to you the coding to your email. May I know your email address? Can you please rectify my problem? Please do reply to me as soon as possible. Your help is really being appreciated. Thank you.
[ - ]
Comment by lathasJune 12, 2008
I am working on FPGA, how to implement I2c in fpga?. Kindly suggest.
[ - ]
Comment by PatelbarodaJuly 2, 2008
For I2C, (1) you can implement in hardware, look at opencores.org and you will find VHDL for implementing I2C core. (2) You can also do bitbanging in microblaze software if you wanna talk less then 100 KHz speed. (3) I am no VHDL guru, so normally what I do is use small picoblaze to read ADCs, I2C or SPI peripheral and store them in common registers shared between picoblaze and microblaze. That way microblaze is free from bitbanging ports. Picoblaze can also implement moving average filters if required and let microblaze get smooth result.
[ - ]
Comment by baharsakliNovember 3, 2008
Hello. ı want to ask a question. Which one is useful for embedded linux , xilinx ML403 or ML405 development kits?
[ - ]
Comment by PatelbarodaNovember 13, 2008
Any one is Ok. I actually worked once with uClinux and SPARTAN 3E starter kit.
[ - ]
Comment by VeerendraMay 27, 2009
does altera board work with RT-Linux
[ - ]
Comment by PatelbarodaMay 30, 2009
It should work if you find a port or able to port the RTLinux kernel. I have no practical experience of porting RT-Linux for Microblaze or Altera.
[ - ]
Comment by ZaibTechMarch 4, 2011
contact zaib tech for any of your embedded related queries info@zaib-tech.com
[ - ]
Comment by AnkurSMarch 16, 2015
Hi everyone there!
We Gill Instruments Pvt. Ltd. have a requirement for an engineer with a strong expertise and hands on experience in the field of MSP430. Candidates who are willing to relocate in Bangalore can send us their CV on - ankur@gill-instruments.com.

To post reply to a comment, click on the 'reply' button attached to each comment. To post a new comment (not a reply to a comment) check out the 'Write a Comment' tab at the top of the comments.

Please login (on the right) if you already have an account on this platform.

Otherwise, please use this form to register (free) an join one of the largest online community for Electrical/Embedded/DSP/FPGA/ML engineers: