LinuxCNC-RIO - RealtimeIO for LinuxCNC based on FPGA (ICE40 / ECP5)

Hi Meister,

Unfortunately, I cannot make it run under Windows.

I have changed:

file_path = r".\riocore\__init__.py"
if os.path.isfile(file_path):
sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath("."))

When running rio_setup, the first problem, I cannot import halpins from riocore.
Directory is OK and the __init__.py file is there.

Perhaps you can help me out. Thanks a lot!

i think you are on the wrong branch:

git checkout dev


BTW: very experimental, only for the gui and to generate the config-files,
i think, building bitfiles will not work yet on windows


 

Another question for Meister:

FPGA Module 2.00: Spartan 6 FPGA Board.

I would like to use that FPGA board. It has SPI / JTAG connectors for programming EEPROMs. Is it suitable?

I assume that the W5500 uses another SPI module inside the FPGA after programming for the data communicaktion with LinuxCNC. Therefore, I think it the configuaration EEPROMS cannot be flashed via the W5500. Is it correct?

Does the RIO System write the FPGA everytime when getting online or is the data permanently flashed on the EEPROMs?
 

you can use this Spartan6 module, but have to setup/modify 'riocore/boards/Spartan6/board.json' and change package and type for your needs.

programming will not work over w5500 you need to write the bitfile into the flash.

---

@all
WINDOWS-WARNING:
rio was not intended to run on windows, at the moment i can't give windows/mac support for it.
I just made the system a bit more platform independent.

i normally don't use windows at all, but i think if you customise the generated makefiles a bit, you could generate the bitfiles there too, but very experimental .

I can run it under Windows now, but the graphical stuff does not work. 

In my case, it would be more convenient, as I only have Linux on the Raspberrry Pi 5.

Anyway, it is better that you use your time on the important stuff. The whole project is very impressive. Congratulation!!!

thanks
for the gui you need to install some python packages.


@all
oss-cad-suite stuff runs also on windows now

 

so it is not so hard to run the other toolchains also

EDIT: gowin works also
 

I am almost done. The Graphic in Overview, Hal and Axis works now.

rio.v and makefile OK.

One last issue: Warning: can not find toolchain installation in PATH: nextpnr (nextpnr-ice40)

Furthermore there is an error: loading joypad:: No module named 'fcntl'. No idea what I have to install here.

The toolchain for Tangbob has been installed and the PATH set. That warning is gone.

This error message is left:

loading board setup: Tangbob
loading toolchain gowin
writing gateware to: OutputTMP\Tangbob\Gateware
!!! gateware changed: needs to be build and flash |||
writing linuxcnc files to: OutputTMP\Tangbob\LinuxCNC
Der Befehl "C:\Users\MW\Downloads\riocore-using_os_path_join\riocore-using_os_path_join\bin\rio-generator" ist entweder falsch geschrieben oder
konnte nicht gefunden werden.
ERROR loading output: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'Output\\Tangbob\\Gateware\\rio.v'
PS C:\Users\MW\Downloads\riocore-using_os_path_join\riocore-using_os_path_join>

After pressing the button Generate it  fails (dir OutputTMP can be created, but dir Output somehow not)

Any ideas on the rio-generator (directory is correct and rio-generator is there)?

MirkoCNC wrote:

In my case, it would be more convenient, as I only have Linux on the Raspberrry Pi 5.
 

For the Windows convenience I'd still recommend a debian Virtual Machine for the Rio, toolchains, configs, and bitstream gen. They are easy and quick to put together. Only challenge I could think of is the bit file programmer, some VM aren't good friends with USB2.0/3.0 (e.g. Hyper-v).

It's been a decade since I've VM anything and so I wouldn't know which is best to use. Bet Virtualbox does it USB nowadays though.     

Thanks for pointing out. I will keep this in mind.

Though, I am still having a problem with the toolchain on the Raspberry Pi5 running Linux on it:.

Pressing the compile button:

rm -rf rio.fs rio.json rio_pnr.json rio.tcl abc.history impl gw_sh rio.tcl

Gives me following error:

/home/cnc-winder/opt/gowin/IDE/bin/gw_sh: 2: Syntax error: Unterminated quoted string
make: *** [Makefile:34: impl/pnr/project.fs] Error 2

Any idea what could cause this?