IceStudio with BlackIce MX

Alwil 2020-06-07 18:23:44 UTC #21

Where does Icestudio get its PCFs from? The pcf in my icestudio folder seems fine, as well as the one that is inside the application package contents under resources/boards/blackice-mx . But when I export the pcf of a project for which the currently selected board is blackice-mx, the pcf comes out with the wrong assignments. However I cannot locate where Icestudio is getting these assignments from. If i could I would just go ahead and change them. Any hints?

Alwil 2020-06-08 12:54:19 UTC #22

Nevermind. I was reading the pin out schematic wrong... I can now upload my Icestudio Designs manually with cat. APIO upload still does not work, but at least I have a workflow going! Thanks to everyone for the help.

Folknology 2020-06-09 11:28:39 UTC #23

The only think I can think of here is that APIO isn't just uploading but is rebuilding it incorrectly, try a raw upload command and maybe some of it's options to see if that makes any difference.

Alwil 2020-06-10 10:23:06 UTC #24

I've tried the upload command with various verbose settings. Interestingly the --verbose-arachne fails.

I do :
apio upload --verbose-arachne

and get:
Error: no such option: --verbose-arachne

-v, and --verbose-yosys complete without errors, but my design is not getting uploaded. I can see in these modes that the blackice-prog is appropriately addressed.

Perhaps something is wrong with arachne-pnr?

almejia 2020-10-15 23:28:02 UTC #25

Finally I had time to play a little bet with blackiceprog, that is the one who upload design to BlackIce MX when you are using APIO or IceStudio, it was a problem in pyhton code that leaves the port open and never reset BlackIce MX, therefore red led near to pc connector never turn down whe you tried to upload from OSX

I made some changes in black-iceprog in order to work in OSX (I did not test until now in linux with the new structure)

This is a small video (sorry in spanish) showing how work upload design directly from IceStudio

(https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aSMMbEXwOJbiziZmDUO2_RgtlyV2T85h/view?usp=sharing)

In order to work you have to clone this repo (it is a fork from original code in https://github.com/jpenalbae/black-iceprog)

use same building and install instructions
install or update icestudio Toolchain
goto ~/.icestudio/venv/bin
replace black-iceprog binary with the new one builded ... that all!!

by the way ... now Icestudio nightly uses next-pnr

almejia 2020-10-17 17:42:34 UTC #26

Please take in account that I rename PMOD pins in IceStudio, this is the Blackice-MX pinout with corresponding names in Icestudio.

Folknology 2020-10-18 20:26:17 UTC #27

Love this BlackIce Mx diagram..

almejia 2020-10-18 22:48:55 UTC #28

Alan, I made it in Inkscape, svg file, This is the file, to share it.. you can modify it all that you want!

blackice-mx.svg.zip (84.2 KB)

almejia 2020-10-18 23:55:17 UTC #29

Just a question, How is internally connected RX and TX to second USB connector? I want to use to connect with serial instanced in FPGA. Thanks

Folknology 2020-10-19 10:03:48 UTC #30

We do not currently use the 2nd USB there are no drivers for it. Rx and Tx are available on the current USB..
You can just Cat the serial device to see it BTW

almejia 2020-10-21 16:54:38 UTC #31

Thank's Al... If I understand I can instance a UART on FPGA connected to pins RX and TX and I will be able to communicate with internal design?

How SAM identify that is not user communication but upload new design?

Thanks

Folknology 2020-10-21 17:59:59 UTC #32

Basically the firmware automagically recognises when you upload (it looks for a bitfile signature), otherwise it basically converts the RX/TX over the usbCDC.