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Introduction

Linux_FUT is a C application for the GNU/Linux operating system based on Trenz Electronic API commands and libusb C API to program USB FX2 microcontroller firmware and FPGA bitstreams.

libusb and libusbx merged

libusb and libusbx release will be officially merged from v1.0.19. These two project/libraries are already actually ("unofficially") merged.

Linux_FUT can be downloaded from our GiiHub repository.

Generation 2 or Generation 3 support; it depends on a #define

Device Ids of the usb (lsusb): a C construct (#define) is used to choose between Generation 2 (DEWESoft device) and Generation 3 (Trenz Elecronic device).

The user should compile and use the Linux_FUT.c file with the correct #define uncommented or the SW tool will not work.

 
Linux_FUT.c
// TE USB FX2: generation 2.0
// #define VENDOR_ID 0x0547
// #define PRODUCT_ID 0x1002


// TE USB FX2: generation 3.0
#define VENDOR_ID 0x0BD0
#define PRODUCT_ID 0x0300

Firmware Upgrade/Change and/or FPGA Configuration

Linux_FUT can be used (with Generation 2 and/or Generation 3 firmware) for:

Necessary files

The two files needed for firmware update and FPGA configuration are usb.bin and fpga.bin.

In the past, these two files were normally packed together in a file with the extension .fwu . This file was a zip-file.  

The usb.bin was delivered by the company Trenz Electronic.

The FPGA.bin was generated with the Xilinx ISE by the user.

Firmware Recovery

Linux_FUT cannot be used for firmware recovery.

Writing wrong (or corrupted) firmware to EEPROM will (normally) bring the USB FX2 microcontroller to a standstill when the EEPROM firmware is running in FX2 microcontroller's RAM.

FX2 microcontroller's standstill will hinder/prevent host computer USB connection with TE USB FX2 module.

To bring FX2 microcontroller's back out of this standstill and re-establish the host computer USB connection with TE USB FX2 module two firmware recovery procedure are possible:

  • use a recovery boot (Windows);
  • use a modified recovery boot (mainly Linux, for Windows the recovery boot is recommended).

Under Windows, the user should instead use CyControl, CyConsole or OpenFutNet for a recovery boot.  After this procedure, the user could use Linux_FUT again.

Under Linux, the user should instead use fx2loader (see also here) for a modified recovery boot. After this procedure, the user could use Linux_FUT again.

It's a good idea to load (and test) custom firmware into FX2 microcontroller's RAM before writing the new firmware into EEPROM; in this way the user/developer could safely test the new firmware.


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