What use of Python, Perl in FPGA development?

Hi, Around the tools (that indeed have usually TCL included) are often a wide variety of additional scripts to help you automate your designflow in several aspects (eg. code generators, make-mechanism, filter tool reports, manage regression tests,.... ).

For these scripts is usually Phyton and Perl required, as TCL is not very compfortable.

regards Thomas

One example is the hdlmake project[1]: a very nice HDL project manager, bui ld in Python. It allows you to flexibly manage multi-language and multi-pla taform projects.

Another example is MyHDL[2], a python-based HDL code generator[2].

[1] [2]

variety of additional scripts to help you automate your designflow in seve ral aspects (eg. code generators, make-mechanism, filter tool reports, mana ge regression tests,.... ).

compfortable.

Here is another one:

From their website:

Why verify in Python?

1) It's easy to interface to other languages from Python 2) Python has a huge library of existing code to re-use like constraint solvers packet parsing/generation libraries. 3) Python is interpreted. Tests can be edited and re-run them without having to recompile the design or even exit the simulator GUI. 4) Writing Python is fast, it's easy to understand and everybody knows it.

Aldec has a free webinar on the subject (10/07/14):

Hans

build in Python. It allows you to flexibly manage multi-language and multi

-plataform projects.

.

WOW! This is the kind of project what I was looking for my DSP testbenchs! For some time I had the feeling that Python would be ideal for testbenches, and this just fits my dream.

Thanks for sharing, I'll test it soon!

uild in Python. It allows you to flexibly manage multi-language and multi-p lataform projects.

de variety of additional scripts to help you automate your designflow in se veral aspects (eg. code generators, make-mechanism, filter tool reports, ma nage regression tests,.... ).

ry compfortable.

Thank you very much. It really looks like an excellent tool.

I am still new to Linux.I download the first (hdlmake-v1.0) from the below

4 files. And put it under ~(Home) directory in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. I can rename the full hdlmake-v1.0 to hdlmake (as in its tutorial of the author)?

hdlmake-v1.0 05/05/2013 15:20 37 kB 184 hdlmake-v1.0-isyp 05/05/2013 15:21 40.8 kB 53 hdlmake-v1.0-isyp.tar.gz 05/05/2013 15:20 220.3 kB 62 hdlmake-v1.0.tar.gz 05/05/2013 15:20 100.5 kB 126

variety of additional scripts to help you automate your designflow in seve ral aspects (eg. code generators, make-mechanism, filter tool reports, mana ge regression tests,.... ).

compfortable.

Hi,

I clone the repository, but I don't know what the following command does:

$ python path/to/hdlmake/hdlmake

"path/to/hdlmake/hdlmake" is the menifest file path, or the Python Tool pat h?

Thanks,

............ Cloning the repository

If you prefer to get the source code, you need to have the popular Git vers ion control system installed on your machine; if you don't, this page offer s details on how you can configure Git to clone our repositories. Assuming you have Git installed, running the following will clone (download all file s in the) repository to a folder named hdlmake under your /home/user_name/ folder:

$ git clone git://ohwr.org/misc/hdl-make.git hdlmake

Now you're almost ready to go. You can run hdlmake by changing directory to a desired location and running

$ python path/to/hdlmake/hdlmake

build in Python. It allows you to flexibly manage multi-language and multi

-plataform projects.

wide variety of additional scripts to help you automate your designflow in several aspects (eg. code generators, make-mechanism, filter tool reports, manage regression tests,.... ).

very compfortable.

w 4

me

Downloading the compiled executable

For downloading the compiled executable, click here and choose one of the f iles without extension. Download to a location of choice, and you're almost ready to use it! You can jump directly to the final steps.

He said that "choose one of the files without extension". Is it this one:

hdlmake-v1.0 05/05/2013 15:20 37 kB 184

In which directory do you put it? I am using Ubuntu 12.04.

Thanks,

de variety of additional scripts to help you automate your designflow in se veral aspects (eg. code generators, make-mechanism, filter tool reports, ma nage regression tests,.... ).

ry compfortable.

ath?

rsion control system installed on your machine; if you don't, this page off ers details on how you can configure Git to clone our repositories. Assumin g you have Git installed, running the following will clone (download all fi les in the) repository to a folder named hdlmake under your /home/user_name / folder:

to a desired location and running

It is the path for the hdlmake executable.

r, build in Python. It allows you to flexibly manage multi-language and mul ti-plataform projects.

a wide variety of additional scripts to help you automate your designflow i n several aspects (eg. code generators, make-mechanism, filter tool reports , manage regression tests,.... ).

t very compfortable.

low 4

name

files without extension. Download to a location of choice, and you're almo st ready to use it! You can jump directly to the final steps.

You may put it wherever it works best for you. When invoking the tool, you just have to make sure to use the full path.

Later, if you want to, you may put the directory in the $PATH environment v ariable so you won't have to use the full path every time you use the tool. Google how to do it, it is a very common task.

On Friday, July 4, 2014 10:35:32 PM UTC-4, Aylons Hazzud wrote:

ger, build in Python. It allows you to flexibly manage multi-language and m ulti-plataform projects.

n a wide variety of additional scripts to help you automate your designflow in several aspects (eg. code generators, make-mechanism, filter tool repor ts, manage regression tests,.... ).

not very compfortable.

below 4

rename

he files without extension. Download to a location of choice, and you're al most ready to use it! You can jump directly to the final steps.

e:

u just have to make sure to use the full path.

variable so you won't have to use the full path every time you use the too l. Google how to do it, it is a very common task.

Thank you. I have managed to run the first synthesis with this tool. Great! In the end, it says that there is an error:

ERROR:Xst:2793 - Top module specified via the -top switch wa s not found in any library.

I install Xilinx ISE 14.2 on Ubuntu 12.04 32-bit. Is the tool not compatibl e, or the sample design, downloaded from the tool author's website intentional ly having an error? I am still not very clear about the above error message.

Do you see where the "-top" switch? In which library does it search for?

Thanks,

Full message from my running:

robert@MS-7696:~/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/syn$ source /opt/Xilinx/14.

2/ISE_DS/settings32.sh . /opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/common/.settings32.sh /opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/com mon . /opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/EDK/.settings32.sh /opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/EDK . /opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/common/CodeSourcery/.settings32.sh /opt/Xilinx /14.2/ISE_DS/common/CodeSourcery . /opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/PlanAhead/.settings32.sh /opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS /PlanAhead . /opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/ISE/.settings32.sh /opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/ISE robert@MS-7696:~/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/syn$ env SSH_AGENT_PID=2021 GPG_AGENT_INFO=/tmp/keyring-tFgbsf/gpg:0:1 XILINX_DSP=/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/ISE TERM=xterm SHELL=/bin/bash XDG_SESSION_COOKIE=32b521a8b574c9de6facec5a00000008-1404558998.97504-1715 864184 WINDOWID=56623110 OLDPWD=/home/robert/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play GNOME_KEYRING_CONTROL=/tmp/keyring-tFgbsf USER=robert LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/ISE/lib/lin:/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_ DS /EDK/lib/lin:/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/common/lib/lin LS_COLORS=rs=0:di=01;34:ln=01;36:mh=00:pi=40;33:so=01;35:do =01;35:bd=40; 33;01:cd=40;33;01:or=40;31;01:su=37;41:sg=30;43:ca=30;41:tw=30; 42:ow=34; 42:st=37;44:ex=01;32:*.tar=01;31:*.tgz=01;31:*.arj=01;31:*.taz= 01;31:*.lzh=01; 31:*.lzma=01;31:*.tlz=01;31:*.txz=01;31:*.zip=01;31:*.z=01;31:*.Z =01;31:*.dz=01; 31:*.gz=01;31:*.lz=01;31:*.xz=01;31:*.bz2=01;31:*.bz=01;31:*.tbz =01; 31:*.tbz2=01;31:*.tz=01;31:*.deb=01;31:*.rpm=01;31:*.jar=01;31:*. war=01; 31:*.ear=01;31:*.sar=01;31:*.rar=01;31:*.ace=01;31:*.zoo=01;31:*. cpio=01; 31:*.7z=01;31:*.rz=01;31:*.jpg=01;35:*.jpeg=01;35:*.gif=01;35:*.b mp=01; 35:*.pbm=01;35:*.pgm=01;35:*.ppm=01;35:*.tga=01;35:*.xbm=01;35:*. xpm=01; 35:*.tif=01;35:*.tiff=01;35:*.png=01;35:*.svg=01;35:*.svgz=01;35: *.mng=01; 35:*.pcx=01;35:*.mov=01;35:*.mpg=01;35:*.mpeg=01;35:*.m2v=01;35:* .mkv=01; 35:*.webm=01;35:*.ogm=01;35:*.mp4=01;35:*.m4v=01;35:*.mp4v=01;35: *.vob=01; 35:*.qt=01;35:*.nuv=01;35:*.wmv=01;35:*.asf=01;35:*.rm=01;35:*.rm vb=01; 35:*.flc=01;35:*.avi=01;35:*.fli=01;35:*.flv=01;35:*.gl=01;35:*.d l=01; 35:*.xcf=01;35:*.xwd=01;35:*.yuv=01;35:*.cgm=01;35:*.emf=01;35:*. axv=01; 35:*.anx=01;35:*.ogv=01;35:*.ogx=01;35:*.aac=00;36:*.au=00;36:*.f lac=00; 36:*.mid=00;36:*.midi=00;36:*.mka=00;36:*.mp3=00;36:*.mpc=00;36:* .ogg=00; 36:*.ra=00;36:*.wav=00;36:*.axa=00;36:*.oga=00;36:*.spx=00;36:*.x spf=00;36: LIBGL_DRIVERS_PATH=/usr/lib/fglrx/dri:/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/dri:/usr/li b/dri XDG_SESSION_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Session0 XILINX_EDK=/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/EDK XDG_SEAT_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Seat0 SSH_AUTH_SOCK=/tmp/keyring-tFgbsf/ssh SESSION_MANAGER=local/MS-7696:@/tmp/.ICE-unix/1984,unix/MS-7696:/tmp/.ICE

- unix/1984 DEFAULTS_PATH=/usr/share/gconf/ubuntu.default.path XDG_CONFIG_DIRS=/etc/xdg/xdg-ubuntu:/etc/xdg PATH=/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/ISE/bin/lin:/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/ISE/sysg en /util:/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/PlanAhead/bin:/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/EDK/bin /lin:/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/EDK/gnu/microblaze/lin/bin:/opt/Xilinx/14.2/IS E_DS /EDK/gnu/powerpc-eabi/lin/bin:/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/EDK/gnu/arm/lin/bin:/ opt /Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/common/bin/lin:/usr/lib/lightdm/lightdm:/usr/local/sbin : /usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games DESKTOP_SESSION=ubuntu PWD=/home/robert/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/syn GNOME_KEYRING_PID=1973 LANG=en_CA.UTF-8 MANDATORY_PATH=/usr/share/gconf/ubuntu.mandatory.path QMAKESPEC=/home/robert/ti-sdk-am335x-evm-06.00.00.00/linux-devkit/arm-ara go-linux-gnueabi/usr/share/qtopia/mkspecs/linux-g++ UBUNTU_MENUPROXY=libappmenu.so COMPIZ_CONFIG_PROFILE=ubuntu GDMSESSION=ubuntu __KMP_REGISTERED_LIB_2052=0xb5fb5394-cafefce3-libiomp5.a SHLVL=1 HOME=/home/robert LANGUAGE=en_CA:en GNOME_DESKTOP_SESSION_ID=this-is-deprecated LOGNAME=robert XDG_DATA_DIRS=/usr/share/ubuntu:/usr/share/gnome:/usr/local/share/:/usr/s hare/ DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:abstract=/tmp/dbus- Zr40Ve1bAV,guid=a407da5a3fa1e15c9f9840da0000003b LESSOPEN=| /usr/bin/lesspipe %s DISPLAY=:0 XILINX_PLANAHEAD=/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/PlanAhead XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=Unity LESSCLOSE=/usr/bin/lesspipe %s %s XILINX=/opt/Xilinx/14.2/ISE_DS/ISE COLORTERM=gnome-terminal XAUTHORITY=/home/robert/.Xauthority _=/usr/bin/env robert@MS-7696:~/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/syn$ ./hdlmake-v1.0 INFO: Running automatic flow INFO: Generating/updating ISE project INFO: Generating makefile for local synthesis. WARNING: Connection data is not given. Accessing environmental variables in the makefile INFO: Generating makefile for remote synthesis. robert@MS-7696:~/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/syn$ ls hdlmake-v1.0 led_ctrl.ucf led_ctrl.xise Makefile Manefest.py~ Manifest .py run.tcl robert@MS-7696:~/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/syn$ ls -al total 88 drwxrwxr-x 2 robert robert 4096 Jul 5 08:40 . drwxrwxr-x 7 robert robert 4096 Jul 5 08:03 ..

-rwx--x--x 1 robert robert 37848 Jul 4 06:46 hdlmake-v1.0

-rw-rw-r-- 1 robert robert 22270 Jul 4 20:59 led_ctrl.ucf

-rw-rw-r-- 1 robert robert 2095 Jul 5 08:40 led_ctrl.xise

-rw-rw-r-- 1 robert robert 2702 Jul 5 08:40 Makefile

-rw-rw-r-- 1 robert robert 0 Jul 5 08:33 Manefest.py~

-rw-rw-r-- 1 robert robert 236 Jul 5 08:33 Manifest.py

-rw-rw-r-- 1 robert robert 84 Jul 5 08:40 run.tcl robert@MS-7696:~/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/syn$ make echo "project open led_ctrl.xise" > run.tcl echo "process run {Generate Programming File} -force rerun_all" >> run.tcl xtclsh run.tcl

Started : "Synthesize - XST". Running xst... Command Line: xst -intstyle ise -ifn "/home/robert/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4ch a/play/syn/led_ctrl_top.xst" -ofn "/home/robert/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/p lay/syn/led_ctrl_top.syr" Reading design: led_ctrl_top.prj

========================= ========================= =======================

• HDL Parsing * ========================= ========================= ======================= Parsing VHDL file "/home/robert/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/hdl/design /led_ctrl.vhd" into library work Parsing entity . Parsing architecture of entity . Parsing VHDL file "/home/robert/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/hdl/design /irq_controller_regs.vhd" into library work Parsing entity . Parsing architecture of entity . Parsing VHDL file "/home/robert/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/hdl/design /irq_controller.vhd" into library work Parsing entity . Parsing architecture of entity . Parsing VHDL file "/home/robert/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/hdl/design /addr_dec.vhd" into library work Parsing entity . Parsing architecture of entity .

========================= ========================= =======================

• HDL Elaboration * ========================= ========================= ======================= ERROR:Xst:2793 - Top module specified via the -top switch wa s not found in any library.

-->

Total memory usage is 97520 kilobytes

Number of errors : 1 ( 0 filtered) Number of warnings : 0 ( 0 filtered) Number of infos : 0 ( 0 filtered)

Process "Synthesize - XST" failed INFO:TclTasksC:1850 - process run : Generate Programming File is done. robert@MS-7696:~/pyprj/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/syn$

uild in Python. It allows you to flexibly manage multi-language and multi-p lataform projects.

de variety of additional scripts to help you automate your designflow in se veral aspects (eg. code generators, make-mechanism, filter tool reports, ma nage regression tests,.... ).

ry compfortable.

Hi, Finally, it passes Manifest.py. When I run synthesis with make utility, it has such errors (see below for complete message please):

ERROR:ProjectMgmt - The software version (13) is older than the version sav ed in the project file (14).

I do not know which file it says. Could you help me?

Thanks,

.............................................................. Jeff@Jeff-PC ~/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/syn $ ./hdlmake-v1.0 INFO: Running automatic flow INFO: Generating/updating ISE project INFO: Generating makefile for local synthesis. WARNING: Connection data is not given. Accessing environmental variables in the makefile INFO: Generating makefile for remote synthesis.

Jeff@Jeff-PC ~/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/syn $ make echo "project open led_ctrl.xise" > run.tcl echo "process run {Generate Programming File} -force rerun_all" >> run.tcl xtclsh run.tcl ERROR:ProjectMgmt - The software version (13) is older than the version sav ed in the project file (14). Opening newer project with older software releases is not supported. ERROR:ProjectMgmt - The software version (13) is older than the version sav ed in the project file (14). Opening newer project with older software releases is not supported. ERROR:TclTasksC:project_085: Error opening specified project "C:/cygwin64/h ome/Jeff/fmc-adc-100m14b4cha/play/syn/led_ctrl.xise": ERROR:TclTasksC:tcl_p roject_mgr_007 - Internal error. Can not open "C:\cygwin64\home\Jeff\fmc-ad c-100m14b4cha\play\syn\led_ctrl.xise". . while executing "project open led_ctrl.xise" (file "run.tcl" line 1) Makefile:11: recipe for target 'local' failed make: *** [local] Error 1

IMO hdlmake fails in being a 'simple' makefile generation tool, since it added the complexity of the VCS management and remote synthesis features which IMO are out of the scope for a 'make' utility (and can be simply handled separately).

To give an example I installed hdlmake to give it a go and wanted to start with one of the examples provided with the documentation and BANG, I was cloning a ~2GB git repository to test an example!

A 'make' tool resolves dependencies, that's all it does. I use vmk to build my dependencies and I do not ask more to a 'makefile generator'. The Makefile has hooks that you can use to run whatever other tool or script you can imagine and is not bound to any X vendor.

There are only two shortcoming of vmk:

1. the library management is not straight forward and I do believe the author did have another utility to fill the gap (IIRC is called lmk). While this is a bit of a pity is certainly not a show stopper for using it.
2. supports only vhdl-93, which is a bit disappointing especially for testbenches which I tipically write leveraging the new features of vhdl-2008.

I'm not aware which language standard hdlmake is supporting, at least I didn't find it in the documentation.

Al