The reference architecture can be tested in two ways:
Two types of connection are available:
JTAG vs USB connection
Both USB connection and JTAG connection could be used to downolad the FPGA bitstream on the SPI Flash (write the SPI Flash content).
JTAG connection could also be used to directly downolad the FPGA bitstream on the FPGA without the need of a reset.
Only through the JTAG interface connection it is possible to use Xilinx EDK and SDK for develop and debug phases, using EDK/SDK GUI and XMD console.
USB connection could not be used with Xilinx EDK and SDK for develop and debug. USB connection should be used when develop and debug phases ended.
It is possible to use Xilinx EDK/SDK and Impact (or equivalent console XMD commands) to develop a FPGA bitstream (with MicroBlaze's SW "fused" in a FPGA bitstream) and program the TE USB FX2 module without use of a JTAG connection.
With the use of a JTAG connection the develop and debug phases are easier; without the JTAG connection, the user/developer should create/use custom functions/programs for the debug phase and some JTAG debug feature may not be easily replicated with the use of a USB connection.
To test the USB communication in the Reference Architecture case is necessary:
For an example see here.
To completely test the Reference Architecture is necessary:
The procedures are the following (a TE0300 board case is described).
.bit or .mcs direct download iMPACT, OpenFut or OpenFutNet | Procedure SDK: opening and update SDK project only Compile and link time less than 1 minute. | Procedure XPS+SDK: opening and update both XPS and SDK projects Resynthesis of reference HW could take from 10 minutes to 1 hour(1) |
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Skip. | ||
Skip. | Skip. | Update XPS project from an old version to a new one |
Skip. | Skip. | |
Skip. | Open SDK project and (if needed) update the SDK project from an old version to a new one | Recreate SDK project using the new exported HW project |
Skip. | Generate a new link script | |
Download the reference bitstream to the FPGA using iMPACT, Open_FUT or OpenFutNet | Download the reference bitstream to the FPGA using SDK | |
Skip. | Run the demo project to run on board tests | |
Check the fiirmware of FX2 microcontroler | ||
USB communication tests + DMA tests |
(1) It depends on which computer is used (workstation, regular PC or low-end PC).
For old version of Xilinx EDK with older version of Project Reference (they do no longer exist on GitHub) the procedure is the folowing
To use the "demo" application contained in TE0xxx-Reference-Designs\reference-TE0xxx\SDK\SDK_Workspace, you should (1) copy GitHub's "TE-EDK-IP" folder (from https://github.com/Trenz-Electronic/TE-EDK-IP) to the folder that contains the folder "reference-TE0xxx":
otherwise you must copy the contents of GitHub's 'TE-EDK-IP' folder inside the already existent empty folder "TE0xxx-Reference-Designs\TE-EDK-IP".
Choice assumed in this step and in the following ones.
From now on, the choice (1) is assumed.
The FX2 microcontroller on the TE USB FX2 module should contain valid firmware before proceeding.