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

One step forward and one backward:

---

The problem with the rio-generator has been solved in def generate(self, output_path=None, preview=False):

....
else:
os.system(f"{sys.executable} {generator_path} -p {self.config_file} {output_path}") # modified line
# old line os.system(f"{generator_path} {self.config_file} {output_path}")
self.check_status()
except Exception as error:
print(f"ERROR generating output: {error}")

---

There is another problem left in def check_status(self):

The compile button is not enabled after generating:

# checking generated config
path_config_json = os.path.join("Output", config_name, ".config.json")
if os.path.isfile(path_config_json):
ret = os.system(f"diff {self.config_file} {path_config_json} >/dev/null")
else:
ret = 1
if ret == 0:
self.info_generated.setChecked(True)
self.button_generate.setStyleSheet("background-color: green;")
self.button_compile.setEnabled(True)
else:
self.info_generated.setChecked(False)
self.button_generate.setStyleSheet("background-color: red;")
self.button_compile.setEnabled(False)

The problem seems to be in two paths that are compared. I am going to solve it next.

thanks MirkoCNC,

the -p stands for preview, which should be omitted when generating correctly (fixed in dev branch)

the diff command should be replaced, preferably with a python lib, as it does not exist under windows

EDIT: diff is now replaced with python code

Thanks for solving the diff issue, it has given me a real headache.

The Compile button is enabled now and I am going to check, if it compiles etc.

By the way, Tangbob config.json contains a plugin "blink" mapped to pin10, which is not available on the Tangbob FPGA board (not wired on your PCB). Furthermore, pin10 belongs to the bank 3, which works with 1.8V (not 3.3V) causing an error when placing in the toolchain.
(I used the generated files from your program in the Windows Gowin IDE for running the whole process. It gives me more control what's going on during the processing)

I forgot to mention, in case of dual-purpose pins like the PINOUT_WLED1_DATA of the Tangbob board, it needs to be configured as regular I/O pin. (It is a dedicated SSPI pin.) In the IDE, it can be done under Place&Route -> Configuration by right mouse click.

if you using the makefile, all should work with the gowin enviroment (WLED/1.8V).

pin 10 in one of the LED's on the Tangnano9k and the blink plugin is only to show that the gateware is flashed and running

I did not know about the LED on the FPGA board. Now it makes sense.

However, as the bank 3 of the FPGA is powered by 1.8V, the IO_TYPE should not be LVCMO33, which is in conflict with the power of bank 3 causing an error during place & route.

I have not tried the toolchain of the riocore, as Compile does not work with my Windows setup. I may look into it later as I can live with the Gowin IDE.

File pins.cst:

// ### blink3 ###
IO_LOC "PINOUT_BLINK3_LED" 10;
IO_PORT "PINOUT_BLINK3_LED" IO_TYPE=LVCMOS33 DRIVE=8;

IO_TYPE=LVCMOS18 solves the problem.

Pins of bank 3 are 3 to 11, 13 to 16 and 79 - 88 (some of the pins are used for the right sight of the board)

Just for the case that somebody else uses the IDE....

Ups, I have just seen the correct IO standard can be configured /edit in the plugin of the blink module in the riocore software. Hence, it is not necessary to do it manually in the pins.cst file.

i have removed the IO_TYPE from the cst pinfile generation,
you need to checkout the newest dev branch and generate the files new

Now, after the first start of the generator, a file is created:

riocore/toolchains.json

there you can enter the paths to your toolchains, these are then transferred to the makefile.

under windows please note that backslashes must be double

 

so you do not need to add the toolchains to your enviroment variables
 

I pulled the dev branch.
It creates the toolchains.json file and I added:

{
"gowin": "C:\\Gowin\\Gowin_V1.9.10.03_Education_x64\\IDE",
"diamond": "",
"vivado": "",
"quartus": "",
"icestorm": "",
"ise": ""
}

However, it does not compile. It gives me following error:

Der Befehl "make" ist entweder falsch geschrieben oder
konnte nicht gefunden werden.

Furthermore, the graphic in the tab Overview is completely gone.