S7Mini program flash

[ralblas]

I want to load the flash of S7Mini using a tcl script. For loading directly into fpga it's no problem, using the bit file generated by write_bitstream.
Using the Vivado gui I can see that I have to select a flash device, I assume that n25q64-3.3v-spi-x1_x2_x4 is the one to choose?
Can I use the same bit file to load into flash, or must that be generated in another way?

[Agnesbartlett]

I want to load the flash of S7Mini using a tcl script. For loading directly into fpga it's no problem, using the bit file generated by write_bitstream.
Using the Vivado gui I can see that I have to select a flash device, I assume that n25q64-3.3v-spi-x1_x2_x4 is the one to choose?
Can I use the same bit file to load into flash, or must that be generated in another way?

Hello,

To load a bitstream into the flash memory of an S7Mini FPGA using a Tcl script in Vivado, you typically follow these steps:

Generate the Bitstream File:

Use Vivado's GUI or Tcl commands to generate the bitstream file (.bit) as you normally would. You mentioned that you can generate a bit file using write_bitstream. This bitstream file is the configuration data that you will eventually load into the flash memory.
Select the Appropriate Flash Device:

In Vivado, select the appropriate flash device for your S7Mini board. You mentioned the n25q64-3.3v-spi-x1_x2_x4 flash device, which seems suitable if it matches the flash chip on your board. Verify this information with your board's documentation.
Initialize the Flash Configuration:

You'll need to initialize the flash memory with the bitstream file. This is typically done using the "Initialize Memory" feature in Vivado. You can use Tcl commands for this purpose.

open_hw
connect_hw_server
current_hw_target [get_hw_targets *]
refresh_hw_device [get_hw_devices]
set_property PROGRAM.FILE [your_bitstream_file.bit] [get_hw_devices [get_property PROGRAM.HW_CFGMEM [get_hw_devices]]]
program_hw_cfgmem -force
Replace [your_bitstream_file.bit] with the path to your generated bitstream file.

Program the Flash:

Use the program_hw_cfgmem Tcl command to program the flash memory with the bitstream.
Verify the Configuration:

After programming the flash, you should verify that the configuration was successful.
Here's a condensed version of the Tcl script:

open_hw
connect_hw_server
current_hw_target [get_hw_targets *]
refresh_hw_device [get_hw_devices]
set_property PROGRAM.FILE [your_bitstream_file.bit] [get_hw_devices [get_property PROGRAM.HW_CFGMEM [get_hw_devices]]]
program_hw_cfgmem -force

Make sure to replace [your_bitstream_file.bit] with the actual path to your bitstream file.

[Agnesbartlett]

Hello,

To load a bitstream into the flash memory of an S7Mini FPGA using a Tcl script in Vivado, you typically follow these steps:

Generate the Bitstream File:

Use Vivado's GUI or Tcl commands to generate the bitstream file (.bit) as you normally would. You mentioned that you can generate a bit file using write_bitstream. This bitstream file is the configuration data that you will eventually load into the flash memory.
Select the Appropriate Flash Device:

In Vivado, select the appropriate flash device for your S7Mini board. You mentioned the n25q64-3.3v-spi-x1_x2_x4 flash device, which seems suitable if it matches the flash chip on your board. Verify this information with your board's documentation.
Initialize the Flash Configuration:

You'll need to initialize the flash memory with the bitstream file. This is typically done using the "Initialize Memory" feature in Vivado. You can use Tcl commands for this purpose.

open_hw
connect_hw_server
current_hw_target [get_hw_targets *]
refresh_hw_device [get_hw_devices]
set_property PROGRAM.FILE [your_bitstream_file.bit] [get_hw_devices [get_property PROGRAM.HW_CFGMEM [get_hw_devices]]]
program_hw_cfgmem -force
Replace [your_bitstream_file.bit] with the path to your generated bitstream file. mcdvoice

Program the Flash:

Use the program_hw_cfgmem Tcl command to program the flash memory with the bitstream.
Verify the Configuration:

After programming the flash, you should verify that the configuration was successful.
Here's a condensed version of the Tcl script:

open_hw
connect_hw_server
current_hw_target [get_hw_targets *]
refresh_hw_device [get_hw_devices]
set_property PROGRAM.FILE [your_bitstream_file.bit] [get_hw_devices [get_property PROGRAM.HW_CFGMEM [get_hw_devices]]]
program_hw_cfgmem -force

Make sure to replace [your_bitstream_file.bit] with the actual path to your bitstream file.

May be this information helps you.

[ralblas]

Thanks, that helps, but there are a few things to mention (apart from missing "open_hw_target" in your script).
Programming the flash is only possible with a file with extension .bin.
But write_bitstream only can generate a file with extension .bit.
Just renaming helps, but it's kind of strange; it suggests that another step is needed to convert the .bit file into a .bin file?
Anyway, I did load the renamed file into the flash which did work, after a boot_hw_device it indeed loads the program from flash to fpga.
And it does load the progam from flash after power-up!

Thanks,
Rob.

[JH]

Hi,
you must generate mcs file which includes your bitstream.
br
John

[salmawisoky]

To load the flash of S7Mini using a TCL script, you can follow these steps:

1. Generate the bitstream file: Use Vivado to generate the bitstream file (.bit) for your design using the "write_bitstream" command. Make sure to include the necessary configuration options for the Spartan-7 FPGA on the S7Mini board.

2. Select the flash device: In Vivado, you need to select the appropriate flash device for programming. The n25q64-3.3v-spi-x1_x2_x4 is a common flash device used in many boards. You can confirm if this is the correct flash device for your S7Mini board by referring to the board's documentation or specifications.

3. Generate a programming file: To load the bitstream into the flash, you need to generate a programming file (.mcs or .bin) that combines the bitstream with the necessary configuration data for the flash device. This file defines the format and contents to be written to the flash memory.

4. Use the TCL script: Write a TCL script that automates the programming process. Within the script, you can use the Vivado TCL commands to specify the flash device, load the bitstream file, and generate the programming file.

Here's an example of the TCL script to load the flash:

```
# Set the flash device
set_property PROGRAM.BLANK_CHECK  0 [get_mfg_parts "n25q64-3.3v-spi-x1_x2_x4"]

# Load the bitstream
set_property BITSTREAM.SPI_BUSWIDTH 4 [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_32BIT_ADDR NO [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_BUSWIDTH 4 [current_design]
set_property CONFIG_MODE SPIx4 [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.CONFIGRATE 33MHZ [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.UNUSEDPIN PULLUP [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.EXTMASTERCCLK_EN DIV-2 [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_FALL_EDGE YES [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_32BIT_ADDR YES [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_FALL_EDGE YES [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_BUSWIDTH 4 [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_FALL_EDGE YES [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_32BIT_ADDR YES [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_FALL_EDGE YES [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_BUSWIDTH 4 [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_FALL_EDGE YES [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_32BIT_ADDR YES [current_design]
set_property BITSTREAM.CONFIG.SPI_FALL_EDGE YES [current_design]

# Generate the programming file
write_cfgmem -force -format MCS -size 16 -interface SPIx4 -loadbit "up 0x0 <bitstream_file.bit>" -file "output_file.mcs"
```

Replace `<bitstream_file.bit>` with the path to your generated bitstream file. The script sets the flash device properties, configures the bitstream settings, and generates the programming file in MCS format.

Make sure to customize the script based on your specific configuration and flash device requirements. You can execute the TCL script within the Vivado TCL console or run it using the Vivado batch mode.

Remember to refer to the Vivado documentation and the S7Mini board documentation for detailed information on flash programming and configuration settings specific to your board.