SymbiFlow examples

This repository provides example FPGA designs that can be built using the SymbiFlow open source toolchain. The examples target the Xilinx Artix-7 and the QuickLogic EOS S3 devices.

The repository includes:

• examples - Example FPGA designs including:

  • Verilog code
  • Pin constraints files
  • Timing constraints files
  • Makefiles for running the SymbiFlow toolchain

• .travis.yml - Travis CI configuration file

Toolchain installation

This section describes how to install the toolchain. This procedure is divided in two steps:

• Installing the Conda package manager
• Downloading the architecture definitions and installing the toolchain

1. Conda

wget https://repo.continuum.io/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh -O conda_installer.sh

2. Toolchain

For the Artix-7 devices:

INSTALL_DIR="/opt/symbiflow/xc7"
bash conda_installer.sh -b -p $INSTALL_DIR/conda && rm conda_installer.sh
source "$INSTALL_DIR/conda/etc/profile.d/conda.sh"
conda env create -f examples/xc7/xc7.yml
conda activate xc7
wget -qO- https://storage.googleapis.com/symbiflow-arch-defs/artifacts/prod/foss-fpga-tools/symbiflow-arch-defs/continuous/install/4/20200416-002215/symbiflow-arch-defs-install-a321d9d9.tar.xz | tar -xJ -C $INSTALL_DIR
conda deactivate

For the EOS S3 devices:

INSTALL_DIR="/opt/symbiflow/eos-s3"
bash conda_installer.sh -b -p $INSTALL_DIR/conda && rm conda_installer.sh
source "$INSTALL_DIR/conda/etc/profile.d/conda.sh"
conda env create -f examples/eos-s3/eos-s3.yml
conda activate eos-s3
wget -qO- https://storage.googleapis.com/symbiflow-arch-defs-install/quicklogic/arch-defs-install-eos-s3-f7880e1f.tar.xz | tar -xJ -C $INSTALL_DIR
conda deactivate

Build Example Designs

With the toolchain installed, you can build the example designs. The example designs are provided in separate directories:

• examples/xc7 directory for the Artix-7 devices
• examples/eos-s3 directory for the EOS S3 devices

Example designs for the Artix-7 devices:

1. counter - simple 4-bit counter driving LEDs. The design targets the Basys3 board and the Arty board.
2. picosoc - picorv32 based SoC. The design targets the Basys3 board.
3. linux_litex - LiteX based system with Linux capable VexRiscv core. The design includes DDR and Ethernet controllers. The design targets the Arty board.

The Linux images for the linux_litex example can be built following the linux on litex vexriscv instructions. The linux_litex example is already provided with working Linux images.

To build the examples, run the following commands:

export INSTALL_DIR="/opt/symbiflow/xc7"
# adding symbiflow toolchain binaries to PATH
export PATH="$INSTALL_DIR/install/bin:$PATH"
source "$INSTALL_DIR/conda/etc/profile.d/conda.sh"
conda activate xc7
git clone https://github.com/SymbiFlow/symbiflow-examples && cd symbiflow-examples
# counter example
pushd examples/xc7/counter_test && TARGET="arty" make && popd
pushd examples/xc7/counter_test && make clean && TARGET="basys3" make && popd
# picosoc example
pushd examples/xc7/picosoc_demo && make && popd
# litex example
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/enjoy-digital/litex/master/litex_setup.py
chmod +x litex_setup.py
./litex_setup.py init
./litex_setup.py install
wget https://static.dev.sifive.com/dev-tools/riscv64-unknown-elf-gcc-8.1.0-2019.01.0-x86_64-linux-ubuntu14.tar.gz
tar -xf riscv64-unknown-elf-gcc-8.1.0-2019.01.0-x86_64-linux-ubuntu14.tar.gz
export PATH=$PATH:$PWD/riscv64-unknown-elf-gcc-8.1.0-2019.01.0-x86_64-linux-ubuntu14/bin/
pushd litex/litex/boards/targets && ./arty.py --toolchain symbiflow --cpu-type vexriscv --build && popd
# linux litex example
pushd examples/xc7/linux_litex_demo && make && popd

Example design for the EOS S3 devices:

1. btn_counter - simple 4-bit counter driving LEDs. The design targets the EOS S3 FPGA.

To build the example, run the following commands:

export INSTALL_DIR="/opt/symbiflow/eos-s3"
# adding symbiflow toolchain binaries to PATH
export PATH="$INSTALL_DIR/install/bin:$PATH"
source "$INSTALL_DIR/conda/etc/profile.d/conda.sh"
conda activate eos-s3
git clone https://github.com/SymbiFlow/symbiflow-examples && cd symbiflow-examples
pushd examples/eos-s3 && make && popd