Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard Embedded Tutorial

Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard Embedded Tutorial

Tutorial 1
Creating an AXI-based Embedded System

Version 13.1.01

Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard Embedded Tutorial

Revision History
Version
13.1.01

Description
Initial release for EDK 13.1

Date
5/15/2011

Table of Contents
Revision History.............................................................................................................................. 2
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... 2
Table of Figures.............................................................................................................................. 2
Overview......................................................................................................................................... 3
Objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Requirements ................................................................................................................................. 4
Software ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Hardware .................................................................................................................................... 4
Recommended Reading ............................................................................................................. 4
I. Create the Hardware Platform ..................................................................................................... 5
II. Understanding the System ......................................................................................................... 7
III. Compiling a Test Application Using SDK ................................................................................... 8
IV. Test the Generated System with the Test Application ............................................................. 11
Getting Help and Support ............................................................................................................. 15

Table of Figures
Figure 1 - Hardware Platform ......................................................................................................... 3
Figure 2 - Base System Builder Peripherals ................................................................................... 6
Figure 3 - System Assembly View .................................................................................................. 7
Figure 4 - Workspace Launcher ..................................................................................................... 9
Figure 5 - SDK Project Explorer ................................................................................................... 10
Figure 6 - Linker Script Configuration ........................................................................................... 11
Figure 7 - Connect LX9 MicroBoard to host PC............................................................................ 12
Figure 8 - FPGA Programming ..................................................................................................... 13
Figure 9 - Run Configurations....................................................................................................... 13
Figure 10 - STDIO Configuration .................................................................................................. 14
Figure 11 - Console View ............................................................................................................. 14

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Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard Embedded Tutorial

Overview
This is the first tutorial in a series of training material dedicated to introducing engineers to creating their
first embedded designs featuring the new AXI interface. These tutorials will cover all the required steps
for creating a complete MicroBlaze design in the Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard. While dedicated to this
platform, the information learned here can be used with any Xilinx FPGA.
The tutorial is divided into four main steps: creating the hardware platform, understanding what was
created, using SDK to compile a software application and testing the system on the FPGA. The test
application will reside in Block memory inside the FPGA. Below is a block diagram of the hardware
platform. The General Purpose I/O (GPIO) core will be used for the LEDs on the board.

Figure 1 - Hardware Platform

Objectives
This tutorial demonstrates how to create an embedded hardware platform for MicroBlaze using the Xilinx
Platform Studio (XPS) Base System Builder (BSB). The lab will show

How start Base System Builder from Project Navigator

How to generate a MicroBlaze embedded hardware platform
What files are generated
How to use the software environment (SDK) to test a simple application

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Requirements
The following items are required for proper completion of this tutorial.

Software
The following software setup is required for this reference design:
WindowsXP 32-bit Service Pack 2
Xilinx ISE WebPack with the EDK add-on or ISE Embedded Edition version 13.1
Installed Digilent Adept and Xilinx 3rd-party USB Cable driver (see Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard
Configuration Guide, listed in Recommended Reading, below)
Installed Silicon Labs CP210x USB-to-UART Bridge Driver (see Silicon Labs CP210x USB-toUART Setup Guide, listed in Recommended Reading, below)
Installation of the Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard IPXACT files (Available from Avnet:
http://em.avnet.com/s6microboard)

Hardware
The hardware setup used by this reference design includes:
Computer with a minimum of 300-900 MB (depending on O/S) to complete an XC6SLX9 design1
Avnet Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard Kit
o Avnet Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard
o USB Extension cable (if necessary)
o USB A-to-MicroB cable

Recommended Reading
Available from Avnet: http://em.avnet.com/s6microboard
The hardware used on the Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard is described in detail in Avnet document,
Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard User Guide.
An overview of the configuration options available on the Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard, as well as
Digilent driver installation instructions can be found in the Avnet document, Spartan-6 LX9
MicroBoard Configuration Guide.
Instructions on installing the Silicon Labs CP210x USB-to-UART drivers can be found in the
Avnet document, Silicon Labs CP210x USB-to-UART Setup Guide.

Available from Xilinx: http://www.xilinx.com/support/documentation/spartan-6.htm

Details on the Spartan-6 FPGA family are included in the following Xilinx documents:
o Spartan-6 Family Overview (DS160)
o Spartan-6 FPGA Data Sheet (DS162)
o Spartan-6 FPGA Configuration User Guide (UG380)
o Platform Studio Help (available in tool menu)
o Platform Studio SDK Help (available in tool menu)
o MicroBlaze Reference Guide v.13.1 (UG081)
o Embedded System Tools Reference Manual v.13.1 (UG111)

Refer to www.xilinx.com/ise/products/memory.htm
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Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard Embedded Tutorial

I. Create the Hardware Platform

We will use Base System Builder to create the MicroBlaze embedded system. The Wizard can quickly
create baseline systems for current development boards or for custom boards. The system will include a
timer, a UART, a GPIO controller for the LEDs, external DDR memory, and internal memory to store the
application.
1. Start Xilinx ISE Project Navigator, Start Programs Xilinx ISE Design Suite 13.1 ISE
Design Tools Project Navigator and create a new project: File > New Project
2. Set the Project Location to C:\Xilinx\Embedded\ and the Project Name to EDK_Tutorial. Click
Next.
3. Select Spartan6, XC6SLX9, CSG324, -2. For this tutorial, pick VHDL as the Preferred Language.
Click Next.
4. Click Finish.
5. Go to Project > New Source then select Embedded Processor. Type mb_system for the File
name. Click Next. Click Finish.
6. A message will appear asking if you want to create a Base System using the BSB wizard, click Yes.
Note: the Base System Builder screen may be minimized to the application tray at the bottom of the
screen.
7. Select the AXI system (might already be selected) then click OK.
8. In the Welcome window click Next to create a new design.
9. Based on the part selected in Project Navigator, the wizard automatically selected a board with a
matching part, the Avnet Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard. Select Board Revision B, Click Next
10. In the System Configuration window click Next to select a single processor system.
11. Configure the processor:

Processor Frequency = 66 MHz

16KB of Local Memory.

Click Next

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Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard Embedded Tutorial

12. Configure the peripherals

Remove the CDCE913_I2C core

Remove the DIP_Switch_4Bits core
Remove the Ethernet_Lite core
Remove the SPI_FLASH core
Select the axi_timer core on the left side and add it to the system
o Click on the Use Interrupt checkbox. The interrupt controller will be added automatically
when the use interrupt option is selected.

Click Next.

Figure 2 - Base System Builder Peripherals

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13. In the Cache Configuration window, For the Instruction Cache and the Data Cache, using the
drop-down list, select 2 KB for each. Click Next.
14. In the Summary Window, click on the Finish button to create the project. Click OK in the constraints
pop-up window.

II. Understanding the System

The Base System Builder wizard created all the files needed to get started with an embedded MicroBlaze
system. Once finished the Xilinx Platform Studio IDE has all the information for the project. We will look at
the interface and the files created. Xilinx Platform Studio provides an integrated environment for creating
an embedded hardware platform. We will explore all of the windows and necessary files as shown in the
figure below.
.

Figure 3 - System Assembly View

1. The System Assembly View shows each peripheral used and the connections between the
peripherals when the Bus Interface tab is selected. We will learn more about the System Assembly
View as well as the IP Catalog tab in the next tutorial.
2. The Project window provides information on the project options used, gives access to the main
project files, and log files. The main Project Files are:

MHS File. The Microprocessor Hardware Specification file contains the hardware
specification of the entire system. The MHS file contains the bus architecture, list of
peripherals, connectivity for the system, interrupt request priorities, and address space.
The MHS file can also call out custom IP.

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UCF File. The User Constraints File contains the timing and placement constraints for
the FPGA.

In previous versions of Platfrom Studio, several other key files were listed under Project Files; the MSS
file, Download.cmd, Fast_rutime.opt and Bitgen.ut. The MSS file is now managed by SDK in 13.1. The
other three files are managed by ISE in 13.1 since ISE is recommended to be the top-level design entry
tool.
3. The Addresses tab in the System Assembly View shows the address map for the system. The Bus
Interfaces tab show peripheral connections to the processor via the AXI interface. And the Ports tab
lists internal and external connections.
4. Click on the Block Diagram tab to view the block diagram for the project. The block diagram shows
the connections between the different busses and components in the system. Also, you can export
this Block Diagram to a jpeg image by clicking Project > Generate Block Diagram Image. This
image gets saved in your under your project in a folder named blockdiagram
5. A datasheet of the system can also be generated. Go to Project > Generate and View Design
Report to view the design report. This is an html file that is generated in a report subfolder.
6. To view the general project options go to Project > Project Options Click Cancel to close the
window.
7. To start a software project in SDK, the hardware design information needs to be exported. Go to
Project > Export Hardware Design to SDK Select Export Only.
The exported files are located in the SDK\SDK_Export\hw directory inside the XPS project directory. We
will use the files to create a new C application for our system.
8. Close XPS when finished.
9. Return to Project Navigator and Go to Project > Add Copy of Source to add the FPGA constraints
to the project.
10. Select mb_system.ucf in the mb_system\data directory. Click OK.
11. Select mb_system in the hierarchy window.
12. Double-click on Generate Top HDL Source in the Processes window. This is a new step in ISE
13.1. It creates a HDL instantiation template for your MicroBlaze processor subsystem and
instantiates into a new created top-level HDL entity, or module if using Verilog.
13. Select mb_system_top in the hierarchy window.
14. Double-click on Generate Programming File in the Processes window to implement the system.
Project Navigator may show files out of date after running, you can ignore this.

III. Compiling a Test Application Using SDK

Xilinx SDK is an Eclipse based software development environment to create and debug software
applications. Features include project management, multiple build configurations, a feature-rich C/C++
code editor, error navigation, a debugging and profiling environment, and source code version control.

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Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard Embedded Tutorial

More time will be spent on the different features of the SDK in the next tutorials. The steps below can be
done while Project Navigator is building the hardware.
1. Start Xilinx SDK. Start Programs Xilinx ISE Design Suite 13.1 EDK Xilinx Software
Development Kit.
2. Create a Workspace named WorkSpace in the EDK_Tutorial directory. Click OK.

Figure 4 - Workspace Launcher

3. Close the Welcome window.
4. Go to File > New > Xilinx C Project to create a new C project.
5. Click on Specify to indicate the hardware design we will be using. A Xilinx C application needs to be
associated with a valid MicroBlaze hardware design.
6. Click on Browse in the Target Hardware Specification section. Browse to the
EDK_Tutorial\mb_system\SDK\SDK_Export\hw directory and select the mb_system.xml file. Click
Finish.
7. Select the Peripheral Tests application from the project templates then click Next.
8. Change the Board Support Package project name to Standalone_BSP.
9. Click Finish.

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10. The Project Explorer View in SDK contains 3 projects: the hardware platform, the Board Support
Package, and the C application as shown below.

Figure 5 - SDK Project Explorer

11. Within the Board Support Package, all the libraries and include files associated with the hardware
project are available to browse. The microblaze_0\include folder contains all the header files
applicable for the current project.
12. The peripheral_tests_0 project contains C source files to test each peripheral. Expand the project
src folder to view the sources. The project is compiled automatically after being created.
13. Double click on the testperiph.c file to view the main application.
14. To view the project properties right click on the peripheral_tests_0 project and select Properties.
Expand C/C++ Build and select Settings to view all the build options. Click Cancel to exit.
15. The system contains internal BRAM memory as well as external DDR memory. We can select where
the code will be physically located through a linker script. Right-click on the peripheral_tests_0
project and select Generate Linker Script.

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16. Use the drop-down list to select the internal BRAM memory,
microblaze_0_i_bram_ctrl_microblaze_0_d_bram_ctrl, for all the code sections.
Click Generate then Yes.

Figure 6 - Linker Script Configuration

17. You can ignore the warning regarding code size. The test application is small enough to fit.

IV. Test the Generated System with the Test Application

The MicroBoard uses a USB-to-UART Bridge controller which is mapped to a COM port on the Windows
machine. We will need to check which COM port is being used. The COM port was specified when
installing the drivers for the Silicon Labs USB-to-UART Bridge.
1. Plug the MIcroBoard board into the PC. The included USB extension cable can be used if USB
access is not convenient.

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2. Plug the USB-UART cable between the MicroBoard and the PC.

Figure 7 - Connect LX9 MicroBoard to host PC

3. On your desktop, right-click on My Computer and select Properties.

4. Select the Hardware tab.
5. Click on Device Manager and expand the Ports option.
6. Write-down the COM port used for the Silicon Labs USB to UART Bridge. If this does not appear,
ensure you have completed all the steps in the Software Requirements section.
7. Close the Device Manager and the System Properties window.
8. In SDK go to Xilinx Tools > Configure JTAG Settings.
a. For the JTAG Cable, select 3rd Party Cable, Xilinx Plug-in.
b. For the Other Options, type -cable type xilinx_plugin modulename digilent_plugin
c.

Click OK.

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9. In SDK, click on the Program FPGA icon

a. For the Bitstream, browse to the EDK_Tutorial directory and select mb_system_top.bit
b. For the BMM File, browse to the EDK_Tutorial directory and select
edkBmmFile_bd.bmm
c.

Click on Program

Figure 8 - FPGA Programming

10. In the SDK Project Explorer View, right-click on the peripheral_tests_0 project and select Run As >
Run Configurations.
11. Select Xilinx C/C++ ELF and click on the New Launch Configuration icon.

Figure 9 - Run Configurations

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The Run Configuration contains settings to run the application on the target board. We will change the
default settings to enable STDIO inputs and outputs on the SDK console.
12. In the SDK Run Configurations window, select the STDIO Connection tab.
13. Check the Connect STDIO to Console box.
14. Select the COM port from step 5 above and leave the BAUD Rate at 9600.

Figure 10 - STDIO Configuration

15. Click on Run.
16. Verify that the different peripheral print statements appear on the Hyperterminal window and that the
LEDs blink.

Figure 11 - Console View

17. Close SDK. This completes Tutorial #1 of the Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard Embedded Tutorial.

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Getting Help and Support

Evaluation Kit home page with Documentation and Reference Designs
http://em.avnet.com/s6microboard
Avnet Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard forum:
http://community.em.avnet.com/t5/Spartan-6-LX9-MicroBoard/bd-p/Spartan-6LX9MicroBoard
For Xilinx technical support, you may contact your local Avnet/Silica FAE or Xilinx Online Technical
Support at www.support.xilinx.com. On this site you will also find the following resources for assistance:
Software, IP, and Documentation Updates
Access to Technical Support Web Tools
Searchable Answer Database with Over 4,000 Solutions
User Forums
Training - Select instructor-led classes and recorded e-learning options
Contact Avnet Support for any questions regarding the Spartan-6 LX9 MicroBoard reference designs, kit
hardware, or if you are interested in designing any of the kit devices into your next design.
http://www.em.avnet.com/techsupport
You can also contact your local Avnet/Silica FAE.

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