Implementing VHDL Modules onto Atlys Demo Board Jeremy Sandoval University of Washington April 23, 2013
Overview Requirements Creating Project in ISE Project Navigator Synthesizing Implementing Generating Programming File Uploading via Digilent Adept
Requirements Software: Hardware: Xilinx ISE Project Navigator Digilent Adept Pre-written VHDL code .vhd General Atlys UCF (user constraint file) Hardware: Atlys board Micro USB cable Universal power supply
Step 1: Creating a New Project File>New Project Create a Project Name and Select Top Level Source as “HDL”
Step 2: Check Project Settings Change Project Settings to match configuration below Then Click ‘Next’ and ‘Finish’ after confirming that the Project Settings are accurate
Step 3: Adding Source Files Click the Add Source button or Project>Add Source Select .vhd files and click ‘Open’
Step 4: Add User Constraint File Project>Add New Source Browse to General UCF for Atlys board Click ‘Open’
Step 5: Edit User Constraint File Doubleclick AtlysGeneral.ucf to open in Project Navigator Comment out unused pins with a ‘#’ before the line Change the Net names to match project I/O
Step 6: Synthesize Select top level .vhd file in the Hierarchy window Double click “Synthesize” in the Processes pane Green Check means successfully synthesized If Red ‘X’, check the error report
Step 7: Implement Next, doubleclick “Implement Design” Wait for process to finish Green check means no error
“LOCWARN ERROR” Run into error when the implementation process is generating pin mapping.
Step 8: Generate Programming File Doubleclick “Generate Programming File” in the process pane Generates the .bit file to be uploaded to the FPGA
Step 9: Connect Atlys Board Once the .bit file has been generated, connect the Atlys board to the PC via the USB cable Connect power to board Turn on the board
Step 10: Open Digilent Adept Open Adept and wait for Atlys board to be recognized
Step 11a: Load .bit onto Board Click on “Browse…” on the Config tab Open .bit file Click “Program”
Step 11b: Load .bit into SPI Flash Can also upload .bit to the onboard flash memory Program isn’t erased after turning off the Atlys board Navigate to “Flash” tab Click “Browse” and open .bit file Click “Program”
Step 12: Test on FPGA Use the onboard I/O to test your design for proper functionality
Issues/Questions?