Embedding BRAM with hex/elf contents

[vsekar]

In my previous projects I was able to embedded hex file content into the Virtex 6 device through the *.bmm file -> ngdbuild -> Implementation run provides *_bd.bmm -> data2mem tool usage in order. Now for current project I am using Virtex 7. For this we have to use Vivado which doesn't take "*.bmm" and gives "*_bd.bmm" file. Even if I manually create the "*_bd.bmm" file and use it with data2mem, the bit seems to be corrupted. Not able to program this bit file into the device.

The questions that I have are:

1) Does data2mem support programming Virtex 7 device, in particular XC7V2000T?

2) If I don't use "microblaze" processor in my design and use some other processor. Does Vivado support "embedding BRAM memory with mem/hex/elf content" in my design? I see "write_bmm, write_mem_info, updatemem tools and commands not supporting this flow".

VinothS

[arpansur · Accepted solution]

Hi @vsekar,

You have to generate a .mmi file to define the address map. If it's not generated by tool you have to create the .mmi file manually.

Then you can make use of updatemem to load the elf file contents to BRAM.

Please go through https://www.xilinx.com/support/answers/63041.html 

It describes the complete steps. You can confirm BRAM contents using -debug option in updatemem which will generate a debug.txt file.

[vsekar]

I was not able to find about the devices supported by data2mem in the document that you provided. But was able to follow a link from your document to 13.4_data2mem.pdf which doesn't show the support to virtex 7.

VinothS

[vsekar]

https://forums.xilinx.com/t5/Embedded-Development-Tools/MEM-file-in-vivado/m-p/654784/highlight/true#M37917

Tried this post's suggestion of creating a property and then using the tcl (after few modification that I needed for my design). I just had the doubt that "updatemem" will work without processor or not, which got cleared with your post. Thanks

[simchask]

This link is broken.

[vsekar]

The link is still working for me. Probably some other login or cookies problem.

VinothS

[shri1527]

the link isn't working. pls update it