Programming the Actel Smartfusion Eval Kit in Linux

F M <fmont67@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 17 Giu, 15:11, "shoonya" <manish.paradkar@n_o_s_p_a_m.gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I am
> > running the windows Libero IDE under wine.
> >
> > While the application runs fine under wine, I am not able to program the
> > device with the Flashpro software. Seems like it is not able to talk
> > to the programmer.
> >
> > I know this is as much a wine issue, but i wanted to know if there is a
> > native software for linux which can be used to just program the
> >  device andwhich supports smartfusion fpgas.
> >
> > And which can work on the free gold license.
> >


> You could try  the 2 other ISP ways, DirectC and STAPL player. Both
> shoudl work under linux.
>    http://www.actel.com/download/program_debug/directc/default.aspx
>    http://www.actel.com/download/program_debug/stapl/default.aspx

Are the BSDL 1532 programming algorithms available?
-- 
Uwe Bonnes                bon@elektron.ikp.physik.tu-darmstadt.de

Institut fuer Kernphysik  Schlossgartenstrasse 9  64289 Darmstadt
--------- Tel. 06151 162516 -------- Fax. 06151 164321 ----------

On 23 Giu, 11:19, Uwe Bonnes <b...@elektron.ikp.physik.tu-
darmstadt.de> wrote:
> F M <fmon...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On 17 Giu, 15:11, "shoonya" <manish.paradkar@n_o_s_p_a_m.gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > > Hi,
>
> > > I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I a=
m
> > > running the windows Libero IDE under wine.
>
> > > While the application runs fine under wine, I am not able to program =
the
> > > device with the Flashpro software. Seems like it is not able to talk
> > > to the programmer.
>
> > > I know this is as much a wine issue, but i wanted to know if there is=
 a
> > > native software for linux which can be used to just program the
> > > =A0device andwhich supports smartfusion fpgas.
>
> > > And which can work on the free gold license.
>
> > You could try =A0the 2 other ISP ways, DirectC and STAPL player. Both
> > shoudl work under linux.
> > =A0 =A0http://www.actel.com/download/program_debug/directc/default.aspx
> > =A0 =A0http://www.actel.com/download/program_debug/stapl/default.aspx
>
> Are the BSDL 1532 programming algorithms available?
> --
> Uwe Bonnes =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0b...@elektron.ikp.physik.tu-dar=
mstadt.de
>
> Institut fuer Kernphysik =A0Schlossgartenstrasse 9 =A064289 Darmstadt
> --------- Tel. 06151 162516 -------- Fax. 06151 164321 ----------

The algo is inside the STAPL file, which is generated by Libero for
Actel devices (under PROGRAMMING FILE button). Then should be
available in linux also.
What is needed in this case is a LINUX STAPL player. Actel in his site
claims it is avaliable. I just had a look.
In any case, being the STAPL player 'universal' (it doesn't know
anything about device and algo, everithing is wrote in the STAPL file)
you can take any available on the net;
i.e. ACTEL STAPL player was derived from the ALTERA STAPL player,
which released the sources under some open-soft license (big present
for Actel).

Pls note the I never tried this personally. ISP is a low priority of
my working plan. Till now I just collected some info. I'll work on
this subject as soon as I will be able to come out from the many
problems I have to finish the design on A3PE3000.


Cheers, Fabio

Hello,

I'm also a linux user for most of my work.  On the other hand, Windows
is not that bad or expensive so I just dual boot. Actel is doing a
great job for a smaller company by releasing their mainline
development code as a linux version but some of the outlier tools,
like FlashPro, are still Windows only as you mention.

Lately I have been playing around with the Arm/Amba IP libraries for
Actel FPGAs.  I'm really impressed by what they get out there for
free. The SoftConsole tool for writing the embedded C code is really
practical and includes an integrated source code debugger that uses
the FlashPro cable to access the On Chip Debug (OCD) hardware of the
Arm processor.  It is based on open source tools but it is still a lot
of stuff to get working together.  I'm willing to meet them halfway
and boot over to Windows 7 to get all that.

What I would really like is for Actel to publish the register level
API for the FlashPro download cables.  Then Open Source people could
do their magic and write a really good linux driver. Linux drivers are
not that hard to do now with libusb allowing user space drivers.

Anyway, I just like it when FPGA vendors put out good solid software.
Linux support is really secondary for me.

  Pete