SDK related problem

[manjotsingh]

1.  I am using nexys 3 spartan 6 digilent board. I am unable to burn the bit file using SDK. When i try to program fpga it shows these errors. The kit contains serial to usb convertor. so i am using usb points to burn the fpga.I am using 13.1 version.please help me as soon as possible.

ERRORS:

FPGA configuration encountered errors.
Program FPGA failed
   ERROR: Connection to Board Failed

Failed to Open JTAG Cable
    Cable target is not connected to the host.

2. when i use IMPACT it does not detect the usb cable or even the JTAG cable.

[hgleamon1]

Some things to check:

1. Do you actually have the correct cable drivers?

2. Do you have power applied to the target board?

3. What does the user manual for the Nexys board say about programming?

4. From what I could tell (by briefly searching for the Nexys board), there are multiple USB ports. Have you confirmed you are connected to the correct port for programming?

From the errors you describe, it looks like the software cannot detect the target, implying a lack of connectivity (e.g. wrong port) or a lack of power.

Regards,

Howard

[hgleamon1]

I have searched a bit deeper on this board and its documentation.

My first inclination would be to use the ADEPT software to program the board, as suggested on page 4 of the user reference manual. The board seems to be designed to use this interface as a preference. If you are using SDK to generate a software program to run in the embedded processor, your programming file will have to be the combined .bit and .elf, commonly titled download.bit by Xilinx.

If you want to program directly from SDK, you will need a JTAG cable connected to the JTAG header J7 (a 0.1" pitch header). Do you have such a cable?

I hope this helps a bit more.

Regards,

Howard

[manjotsingh]

1. yes i am using the jtag cable but SDK is having such problem and IMPACT also is unable to detect the cable although i have used digilent plugins also.I have used adept and it programs the fpga successfully but i just want to embedd SDK files with it.

2. You said that download.bit is required but it is generated at the time of generating bit file i.e before using SDK. so is it  updated with c project in SDK...?

[hgleamon1]

1. If you have a proper JTAG cable and correct drivers for it then I don't know why neither SDK or iMPACT will recognise it. My only thought now is pin out.

2. The download.bit file is generated from a combination of system.bit (the pure hardware platform) and the <program>.elf, a software for the embedded processor. You can generate download.bit from XPS/ISE or you generate it in SDK. You can export the system.bit to SDK, develop your software there, then combine the two into download.bit. Once you have this file, you can program the FPGA directly or use it to program boot memory (e.g. generate an .mcs from iMPACT).

If you have had success programming with ADEPT, for the meantime, I suggest you stick to that route as, with the information available to me, I cannpt determine why you cannot program via JTAG in either SDK or iMPACT.

Regards,

Howard

[manjotsingh]

okay . I will use adept only. 

thanks.