Programming the Actel Smartfusion Eval Kit in Linux

S

shoonya

Guest
Hi,

I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I a
running the windows Libero IDE under wine.

While the application runs fine under wine, I am not able to program th
device with the Flashpro software. Seems like it is not able to talk to th
programmer.

I know this is as much a wine issue, but i wanted to know if there is
native software for linux which can be used to just program the device an
which supports smartfusion fpgas.

And which can work on the free gold license.

Thanks
Manish



---------------------------------------
Posted through http://www.FPGARelated.com
 
shoonya <manish.paradkar@n_o_s_p_a_m.gmail.com> wrote:
Hi,

I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I am
running the windows Libero IDE under wine.

While the application runs fine under wine, I am not able to program the
device with the Flashpro software. Seems like it is not able to talk to the
programmer.

I know this is as much a wine issue, but i wanted to know if there is a
native software for linux which can be used to just program the device and
which supports smartfusion fpgas.

And which can work on the free gold license.
Click to expand...
How is the hardware connected (serial/parallel/USB).
--
Uwe Bonnes bon@elektron.ikp.physik.tu-darmstadt.de

Institut fuer Kernphysik Schlossgartenstrasse 9 64289 Darmstadt
--------- Tel. 06151 162516 -------- Fax. 06151 164321 ----------
 
shoonya <manish.paradkar@n_o_s_p_a_m.gmail.com> wrote:
Hi,

I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I am
running the windows Libero IDE under wine.

While the application runs fine under wine, I am not able to progra
the
device with the Flashpro software. Seems like it is not able to talk t
the
programmer.

I know this is as much a wine issue, but i wanted to know if there is a
native software for linux which can be used to just program the devic
and
which supports smartfusion fpgas.

And which can work on the free gold license.

How is the hardware connected (serial/parallel/USB).
--
Uwe Bonnes bon@elektron.ikp.physik.tu-darmstadt.de

Institut fuer Kernphysik Schlossgartenstrasse 9 64289 Darmstadt
--------- Tel. 06151 162516 -------- Fax. 06151 164321 ----------
Click to expand...
Hi,

Here's the kit
http://www.actel.com/products/hardware/devkits_boards/smartfusion_eval.aspx

It has to usb connections. One for power and uart - it uses the cp210x chi
from Silicon Labs.

The other usb is for programming which has actel flaspro3 programmer.
I got a response from actel saying that flaspro is not supported in Linu
even though they have a linux version of Libero.

Beats me.

Regards
Manish

---------------------------------------
Posted through http://www.FPGARelated.com
 
On 17 Jun., 15:11, "shoonya" <manish.paradkar@n_o_s_p_a_m.gmail.com
wrote:
[..]
I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I am
running the windows Libero IDE under wine.

While the application runs fine under wine, I am not able to progra
the
device with the Flashpro software. Seems like it is not able to talk t
the
programmer.

I know this is as much a wine issue, but i wanted to know if there is a
native software for linux which can be used to just program the devic
and
which supports smartfusion fpgas.
.
First there is also a linux version of most tools in Libero. But it
has drawbacks in performance against windows. It might be that wine
+windows version shows better performance than linux native version of
the tools.

For programming there is only the windows version of the FlashPro. I
guess this is due to the fact that the programmer needs direct control
of the interface. At least the older versions of FlashPro required
admin rights for programming over parallel port. I have no experience
with wine, but expect that wine won't allow that direct access to the
hardware that FlashPro seems to require.

bye Thomas
Click to expand...
Hi Thomas,
For programming there is only the windows version of the FlashPro.
That is it. There is no native Linux version of Flashpro. :(
Click to expand...

Wine will only allow direct access to the hardware if that hardware has
native linux driver loaded.

Regards
Manish


---------------------------------------
Posted through http://www.FPGARelated.com
 
On 17 Jun., 15:11, "shoonya" <manish.paradkar@n_o_s_p_a_m.gmail.com>
wrote:
[..]
I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I am
running the windows Libero IDE under wine.

While the application runs fine under wine, I am not able to program the
device with the Flashpro software. Seems like it is not able to talk to the
programmer.

I know this is as much a wine issue, but i wanted to know if there is a
native software for linux which can be used to just program the device and
which supports smartfusion fpgas.
..
Click to expand...
First there is also a linux version of most tools in Libero. But it
has drawbacks in performance against windows. It might be that wine
+windows version shows better performance than linux native version of
the tools.

For programming there is only the windows version of the FlashPro. I
guess this is due to the fact that the programmer needs direct control
of the interface. At least the older versions of FlashPro required
admin rights for programming over parallel port. I have no experience
with wine, but expect that wine won't allow that direct access to the
hardware that FlashPro seems to require.

bye Thomas
 
shoonya wrote:
Hi,

I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I am
running the windows Libero IDE under wine.
Click to expand...
I tried to install the Linux version of Libero, but gave up when it
looked as though the tools would not work.

Next I tried Win XP pro under the open source version of O/Sun
VirtualBox. Install was easy, but screen cramped, and couldn't use USB.

Finally installed the closed source version of VirtualBox. USB
ports can be forwarded, and screen is larger once the windows and
linux desktops are combined.

Both USB connections to my Igloo nano board were recognised by
Windows, and looked usable, but have not yet done any serious
development.

Jan Coombs
 
shoonya wrote:
Hi,

I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I am
running the windows Libero IDE under wine.

I tried to install the Linux version of Libero, but gave up when it
looked as though the tools would not work.

Next I tried Win XP pro under the open source version of O/Sun
VirtualBox. Install was easy, but screen cramped, and couldn't use USB.

Finally installed the closed source version of VirtualBox. USB
ports can be forwarded, and screen is larger once the windows and
linux desktops are combined.

Both USB connections to my Igloo nano board were recognised by
Windows, and looked usable, but have not yet done any serious
development.

Jan Coombs
Click to expand...
Hi Jan,

I don't want to buy a windows license. I'll need it if I have to run i
under virtualbox.

The flaspro3 programmer is implemented in a proasic chip - if only the
provide a native linux driver for it.

So for now I have installed it on an old laptop with windows xp on it whic
I have kept around for such situations :(.

Too bad the tools get in the way of developing things.

Regards
Manish



---------------------------------------
Posted through http://www.FPGARelated.com
 
On Jun 22, 9:39 am, "shoonya"
<manish.paradkar@n_o_s_p_a_m.n_o_s_p_a_m.gmail.com> wrote:
shoonya wrote:
Hi,

I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I am
running the windows Libero IDE under wine.

I tried to install the Linux version of Libero, but gave up when it
looked as though the tools would not work.

Next I tried Win XP pro under the open source version of O/Sun
VirtualBox. Install was easy, but screen cramped, and couldn't use USB.

Finally installed the closed source version of VirtualBox. USB
ports can be forwarded, and screen is larger once the windows and
linux desktops are combined.

Both USB connections to my Igloo nano board were recognised by
Windows, and looked usable, but have not yet done any serious
development.

Jan Coombs

Hi Jan,

I don't want to buy a windows license. I'll need it if I have to run it
under virtualbox.

The flaspro3 programmer is implemented in a proasic chip - if only they
provide a native linux driver for it.

So for now I have installed it on an old laptop with windows xp on it which
I have kept around for such situations :(.

Too bad the tools get in the way of developing things.

Regards
Manish
Click to expand...
thats YOUR problem that you dont want to buy windows license
you can of course program actel chip under linux, but not with
flashpro, so its your choice, want flashpro, get windows, easy as
that.

windows license doesnt cost that much that it would a be real
problem to use proper FPGA tools (flashpro)

Antti
PS we have our own actel flash tools, and yes they have open
interface so they can be used under linux if anyone interested
 
shoonya wrote:

I don't want to buy a windows license. I'll need it if I have to run it
under virtualbox.
Click to expand...
If you can borrow an XP pro install disk, and get something out of
a skip with an XP pro sticker on it, then you have done your part
towards keeping windows alive!

Jan Coombs
 
On 17 Giu, 15:11, "shoonya" <manish.paradkar@n_o_s_p_a_m.gmail.com>
wrote:
Hi,

I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I am
running the windows Libero IDE under wine.

While the application runs fine under wine, I am not able to program the
device with the Flashpro software. Seems like it is not able to talk to the
programmer.

I know this is as much a wine issue, but i wanted to know if there is a
native software for linux which can be used to just program the device and
which supports smartfusion fpgas.

And which can work on the free gold license.

Thanks
Manish

---------------------------------------        
Posted throughhttp://www.FPGARelated.com
Click to expand...

You could try the 2 other ISP ways, DirectC and STAPL player. Both
shoudl work under linux.
http://www.actel.com/download/program_debug/directc/default.aspx
http://www.actel.com/download/program_debug/stapl/default.aspx

Regards, Fabio
 
F M <fmont67@gmail.com> wrote:
On 17 Giu, 15:11, "shoonya" <manish.paradkar@n_o_s_p_a_m.gmail.com
wrote:
Hi,

I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I am
running the windows Libero IDE under wine.

While the application runs fine under wine, I am not able to program the
device with the Flashpro software. Seems like it is not able to talk
to the programmer.

I know this is as much a wine issue, but i wanted to know if there is a
native software for linux which can be used to just program the
device andwhich supports smartfusion fpgas.

And which can work on the free gold license.
Click to expand...

You could try the 2 other ISP ways, DirectC and STAPL player. Both
shoudl work under linux.
http://www.actel.com/download/program_debug/directc/default.aspx
http://www.actel.com/download/program_debug/stapl/default.aspx
Click to expand...
Are the BSDL 1532 programming algorithms available?
--
Uwe Bonnes bon@elektron.ikp.physik.tu-darmstadt.de

Institut fuer Kernphysik Schlossgartenstrasse 9 64289 Darmstadt
--------- Tel. 06151 162516 -------- Fax. 06151 164321 ----------
 
On 23 Giu, 11:19, Uwe Bonnes <b...@elektron.ikp.physik.tu-
darmstadt.de> wrote:
F M <fmon...@gmail.com> wrote:
On 17 Giu, 15:11, "shoonya" <manish.paradkar@n_o_s_p_a_m.gmail.com
wrote:
Hi,

I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I am
running the windows Libero IDE under wine.

While the application runs fine under wine, I am not able to program the
device with the Flashpro software. Seems like it is not able to talk
to the programmer.

I know this is as much a wine issue, but i wanted to know if there is a
native software for linux which can be used to just program the
 device andwhich supports smartfusion fpgas.

And which can work on the free gold license.

You could try  the 2 other ISP ways, DirectC and STAPL player. Both
shoudl work under linux.
   http://www.actel.com/download/program_debug/directc/default.aspx
   http://www.actel.com/download/program_debug/stapl/default.aspx

Are the BSDL 1532 programming algorithms available?
--
Uwe Bonnes                b...@elektron.ikp.physik.tu-darmstadt.de

Institut fuer Kernphysik  Schlossgartenstrasse 9  64289 Darmstadt
--------- Tel. 06151 162516 -------- Fax. 06151 164321 ----------
Click to expand...
The algo is inside the STAPL file, which is generated by Libero for
Actel devices (under PROGRAMMING FILE button). Then should be
available in linux also.
What is needed in this case is a LINUX STAPL player. Actel in his site
claims it is avaliable. I just had a look.
In any case, being the STAPL player 'universal' (it doesn't know
anything about device and algo, everithing is wrote in the STAPL file)
you can take any available on the net;
i.e. ACTEL STAPL player was derived from the ALTERA STAPL player,
which released the sources under some open-soft license (big present
for Actel).

Pls note the I never tried this personally. ISP is a low priority of
my working plan. Till now I just collected some info. I'll work on
this subject as soon as I will be able to come out from the many
problems I have to finish the design on A3PE3000.


Cheers, Fabio
 
Hello,

I'm also a linux user for most of my work. On the other hand, Windows
is not that bad or expensive so I just dual boot. Actel is doing a
great job for a smaller company by releasing their mainline
development code as a linux version but some of the outlier tools,
like FlashPro, are still Windows only as you mention.

Lately I have been playing around with the Arm/Amba IP libraries for
Actel FPGAs. I'm really impressed by what they get out there for
free. The SoftConsole tool for writing the embedded C code is really
practical and includes an integrated source code debugger that uses
the FlashPro cable to access the On Chip Debug (OCD) hardware of the
Arm processor. It is based on open source tools but it is still a lot
of stuff to get working together. I'm willing to meet them halfway
and boot over to Windows 7 to get all that.

What I would really like is for Actel to publish the register level
API for the FlashPro download cables. Then Open Source people could
do their magic and write a really good linux driver. Linux drivers are
not that hard to do now with libusb allowing user space drivers.

Anyway, I just like it when FPGA vendors put out good solid software.
Linux support is really secondary for me.

Pete
 
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