how to compile XSA100 Retromicro examples for XSA50 board

Disclaimer:

ANY INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS IS, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY ON WHATEVER YOU THINK.
EVERYTHING YOU DO, YOU DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK UNDER YOUR RESPONSABILITY.
AUTHOR WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE, RELATED OR UNRELATED WITH WHAT’S REPORTED HERE.

Well, first of all I want to tell you than I’m beginner about VHDL & c. 🙂

I’m playing with XSA50 board, I have to make some experience, so I’m lurking for ready-to-use examples to better understand the whole thing.

On Xess website (http://www.xess.com) there area lots of examples, but few of them are for XSA50 board.
A little more are for XSA100 board, that is very similar to XSA50 except for:
-FPGA chip:XSA50 has XC2S50 FPGA, XSA100 has XC2S50 FPGA, both from Spartan2 family;
-SRAM chip: XSA50 has 8M-Byte chip, XSA100 has 16M-Byte chip.

You may find more infos on XSA board manual, more manuals here .

Well, XSA50 examples aren’t that popular, so XSA100 examples on Retromicro website are very usefull.
I started with “VGA Bouncing Ball on XSA-100 Board” (vgaBall) and “VGA Character Display on XSA-100 Board” (vgaChars) examples thinking they were easy … wrong! 😦

Getting .bit file at first run isn’t easy (to me was impossible).

These examples, and I think the other examples too, were made with Xilinx ISE 5.1 while Xilinx ISE 10.1 is now available.
Don’t you like it? 😉

I made some changes to different files in order to get .bit file compiled.
Please, first of all read documentation of each example.

READ CAREFULLY (better more than twice)
I’ve got .bit files but I haven’t tested yet, so I don’t know what those files really are. sorry
ANY INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS IS, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY ON WHATEVER YOU THINK.
EVERYTHING YOU DO, YOU DO AT YOUR OWN RISK UNDER YOUR RESPONSABILITY.
I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE YOU’LL HAVE,RELATED OR UNRELATED INFORMATION PRESENT HERE

Here are the changes.

• file chipIO.ucf
  • rename pin_dqmh and pin_dqml ports (line 78 and 79)
    

    78: NET “pin_sdram_dqmh” LOC = “p124”;

    79: NET “pin_sdram_dqml” LOC = “p122”;

  • comment pin_rs232_rd as pin_rs232_cts assignments (lines 81 and 82), (they share pin with ps2 pins)
    

    81: #NET “pin_rs232_rd” LOC = “p60”;

    82: #NET “pin_rs232_cts” LOC = “p62”;

file src/chipIO.vhd: comment pin_rs232_rd as pin_rs232_cts ports (lines 54 and 56)

54: — pin_rs232_rd : in std_logic; — receive data

55: pin_rs232_td : out std_logic; — transmit data

56: — pin_rs232_cts : in std_logic; — clear to send

file chipIO.xst: change architecture parameter (line 8)

8: -p xc2s50-6tq144

file make.bat

• change architecture parameter in ngdbuild and map commands
  

  -p xc2s50-tq144-6

• (optional) add “-detail” parameter to map command
• change effort level parameter in map command
  

  -ol high

• do it at your own risk!!!: add “-d” parameter to bitgen command in order to exclude DRC step (do it at your own risk!!!)

(once more…)
READ CAREFULLY (better more than twice)
I’ve got .bit files but I haven’t tested yet, so I don’t know what those files really are.
ANY INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS IS, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY ON WHATEVER YOU THINK.
EVERYTHING YOU DO, YOU DO AT YOUR OWN RISK UNDER YOUR RESPONSABILITY.
I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE YOU’LL HAVE,RELATED OR UNRELATED INFORMATION PRESENT HERE

more: RetroMicro Examples, Xess examples

Technorati tags: XSA, VHDL, BIT

Birt: using parameters in your report

Here are some examples how to use parameter in reports.

• How to use report parameters with “allow multiple values” option and disable filters on a dataset.
• Null Report Parameter Passed to Data Set (BIRT)
• Hints and tips for using the Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools
• Report Parameter Enhancements – BIRT 2.2.1 Tutorial Series
• How to get dynamic data in Birt

I still preferer let the rdbms do his job filtering data, than doing it inside the report.
I’ll post my solution asap.

Technorati tags: Birt, Report,Parameters

Your agile wall is …

Have you ever seen or built an agile wall ?
Maybe, you are a newbie about it (me included).

Well, here is a video by codesqueeze explaining his agile wall, how he use it, postcards, colors, ecc.

My Agile Wall (Plus A Few Tricks)

Very good lesson, better view it … twice and more. 😉

source: My Agile Wall (Plus A Few Tricks)
Technorati Tags: Agile wall

XSA50 tips: vga and video frequencies

Recently I have been “playing” with this toy: XSA50 board by Xess.
Xess web site have several examples.

If you want to run some vga examples, VGACHARS VGABALL VGASTRIPES by RetroMicro,
remember to use a multifrequency monitor.
If you use an “old fashion” monitor, such D2851 by HP, you’ll see nothing at all. 😦
This happens because vga frequencies are: horizontal 62.5 KHz , vertical 119 Hz .
I suggest a more “modern” monitor, in order to handle these frequencies. 😉

If you want more “friendly” frequencies, managed by “old fashion” monitors, I used a flip-flop to get main clock halfed.
This way video frequencies are hor 31.2 KHZ, vert 60Hz.

Here is a test version of main vhd file chipIO.vhd .
Red colored code are mine updates… no warranty at all, of course.

disclaimer: it’s an pre-alpha-alpha-alpha-alpha-alpha version, no warranty at all, use at your own risk, etc etc.

library IEEE;
use IEEE.std_logic_1164.all;
use IEEE.std_logic_arith.all;
use IEEE.std_logic_unsigned.all;
use IEEE.numeric_std.all;

--
-- vgaBall Example Project
-- Doug Hodson, May 2003
-- www.RetroMicro.com
--
entity chipIO is

   port(
      pin_sysclk  : in std_logic;                      -- master clock from external clock source

      -- misc buttons and leds
      pin_pushbtn : in std_logic;                      -- push button on XSA board
      pin_led     : out std_logic_vector(6 downto 0);  -- 7-segment LED

      -- Flash RAM connections
      pin_flash_ce_n  : out std_logic;  -- chip-enable

      -- parallel port connections
      --parport_d: in std_logic_vector(7 downto 0);
      pin_parport_d : in std_logic_vector(4 downto 0);
      pin_parport_s : out std_logic_vector(6 downto 3);

      -- vga port connections
      pin_vga_red0     : out std_logic;
      pin_vga_red1     : out std_logic;
      pin_vga_green0   : out std_logic;
      pin_vga_green1   : out std_logic;
      pin_vga_blue0    : out std_logic;
      pin_vga_blue1    : out std_logic;
      pin_vga_hsync_n  : out std_logic;
      pin_vga_vsync_n  : out std_logic;

      -- SDRAM pin connections
      pin_sdram_clkfb : in std_logic;                   -- feedback clock with PCB delays
      pin_sdram_clk   : out std_logic;                  -- clock to RAM
      pin_sdram_cke   : out std_logic;                  -- clock-enable
      pin_sdram_cs_n  : out std_logic;                  -- chip-select
      pin_sdram_ras_n : out std_logic;                  -- RAS
      pin_sdram_cas_n : out std_logic;                  -- CAS
      pin_sdram_we_n  : out std_logic;                  -- write-enable
      pin_sdram_ba    : out unsigned( 1 downto 0);      -- bank-address
      pin_sdram_addr  : out unsigned(11 downto 0);      -- address bus
      pin_sdram_data  : inout unsigned(16-1 downto 0);  -- data bus
--      pin_sdram_dqmh  : out std_logic;                  -- DQMH
--      pin_sdram_dqml  : out std_logic;                  -- DQML

      -- RS232 port connections
      pin_rs232_rd    : in std_logic;                   -- receive data
      pin_rs232_td    : out std_logic;                  -- transmit data
      pin_rs232_cts   : in std_logic;                   -- clear to send
      pin_rs232_rts   : out std_logic;                  -- request to send

      -- XStend-2 SRAM connections
      pin_sram_ce_n   : out std_logic;                  -- chip enable

      -- PS-2 interface
      pin_ps2_data    : in std_logic;
      pin_ps2_clk     : in std_logic
   );

end chipIO;

architecture arch of chipIO is

	constant YES:	std_logic := '1';
	constant NO:	std_logic := '0';
	constant HI:	std_logic := '1';
	constant LO:	std_logic := '0';

   signal sysClk   : std_logic;  -- system clock
   signal sysReset : std_logic;  -- system reset

	component VGA_SYNC_NEW
		port(
		clock_25Mhz : in std_logic;
		red, green, blue : in std_logic;
		red_out, green_out, blue_out : out std_logic;
		horiz_sync_out, vert_sync_out : out std_logic;
		pixel_row, pixel_column : out std_logic_vector(9 downto 0));
	end component;

	signal vga_pixel_row     : std_logic_vector(9 downto 0);
	signal vga_pixel_column  : std_logic_vector(9 downto 0);
	signal vga_vert_sync_out : std_logic;

	component ball
   	port(
   	signal red,green,blue : OUT std_logic;
		signal vert_sync_out : in std_logic;
		signal pixel_row, pixel_column : in std_logic_vector(9 downto 0);
		signal myled     : out std_logic_vector(6 downto 0)  -- 7-segment LED
		);
	end component;

	signal ball_red   : std_logic;
	signal ball_green : std_logic;
	signal ball_blue  : std_logic;

signal pin_localclk      : std_logic;
signal XLXN_4   : std_logic;
signal XLXN_5   : std_logic;
attribute BOX_TYPE   : string ;

   component FTC_MXILINX_generale
      port ( C   : in    std_logic;
             CLR : in    std_logic;
             T   : in    std_logic;
             Q   : out   std_logic);
   end component;

   component VCC
      port ( P : out   std_logic);
   end component;
   attribute BOX_TYPE of VCC : component is "BLACK_BOX";

   component GND
      port ( G : out   std_logic);
   end component;
   attribute BOX_TYPE of GND : component is "BLACK_BOX";

begin

   XLXI_15 : FTC_MXILINX_generale
      port map (C=>pin_sysclk,
                CLR=>XLXN_5,
                T=>XLXN_4,
                Q=>pin_localclk);

   XLXI_16 : VCC
      port map (P=>XLXN_4);

   XLXI_17 : GND
      port map (G=>XLXN_5);

   -- disable flash and sram
   pin_flash_ce_n <= '1';
   pin_sram_ce_n <= '1';

   -- define system clock and reset
   sysClk   <= pin_sysclk;
   sysReset <= not pin_pushbtn;

	pin_vga_red0   <= '0';
	pin_vga_green0 <= '0';
	pin_vga_blue0  <= '0';

   --
   -- CREATE COMPONENTS
   --

	vgadriver:
		VGA_SYNC_NEW
		port map(
		clock_25Mhz    => pin_localclk,  -- sysClk,
		red            => ball_red,
		green          => ball_green,
		blue           => ball_blue,
		red_out        => pin_vga_red1,
		green_out      => pin_vga_green1,
		blue_out       => pin_vga_blue1,
		horiz_sync_out => pin_vga_hsync_n,
		vert_sync_out  => vga_vert_sync_out,
		pixel_row      => vga_pixel_row,
		pixel_column   => vga_pixel_column
		);

	pin_vga_vsync_n  ball_red,
   	green          => ball_green,
   	blue           => ball_blue,
		vert_sync_out  => vga_vert_sync_out,
		pixel_row      => vga_pixel_row,
		pixel_column   => vga_pixel_column,
		myled => pin_led
		);

end arch;

disclaimer: it’s an pre-alpha-alpha-alpha-alpha-alpha version, no warranty at all, use at your own risk, etc etc.

XSA manual xsa-manual-v1_2.pdf

Technorati tags: XSA, VHDL, VIDEO