VC707 bitstream download from Windows command line using a .bat file

[guix]

Good afternoon, 

I need a solution to download the bitstream into a VC707 evaluation board (Virtex 7) from the Windows command line, without starting Vivado.

I would like to avoid the installation of Vivado to do the bitstream download.

Is it possible? 

Where can I find documentation to do that?

What is the minimum software installation needed to perform the bitstream download?

Thank you for your support

Regards

GuiX

[timothyv]

Hello @guix 

Yes, being able to program your VC707 without a full installation of Vivado is possible. The tool required to do this is called Vivado Lab Edition, which is a lightweight version of Vivado that allows you to Program your board, use Vivado Logic Analyzer, and Vivado Serial I/O Analyzer. This would be the minumum software download required to program your board.

I have provided links to the download page for the Lab Edition, a past forum on the difference between vivado and vivado lab edition, and a table highlighting exactly what you can do with Lab Editions and how it differs from other version of Vivado. Lastly, I have added a link to UG908, which contains a section on Vivado Lab Edition that you may use for reference. 

Download: https://www.xilinx.com/support/download.html

Forum: https://forums.xilinx.com/t5/Welcome-Join/Lab-edition-vs-Webpack/td-p/756089

Table: https://www.xilinx.com/products/design-tools/vivado/vivado-webpack.html

UG908: https://www.xilinx.com/support/documentation/sw_manuals/xilinx2019_1/ug908-vivado-programming-debugging.pdf

I hope this helps! 

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[guix]

Hello timothyv,

Thank you! It really helps.

Where can I find a .bat example file to do the VC707 programing from the Windows command line?

Regards

[timothyv]

@guix 

Of course! I'm glad I could be of help. 

I do not believe there is an example batch file for programming your specific board. However, I will point you to resources that will certainly help. This is possible through tcl scripting and this past forum question will hopefully help! I have also attached a link to UG894, "Using tcl scripting" user guide, for reference. 

Forum: https://forums.xilinx.com/t5/Vivado-TCL-Community/Programming-FPGA-from-command-line/td-p/552058

UG894: https://www.xilinx.com/support/documentation/sw_manuals/xilinx2019_1/ug894-vivado-tcl-scripting.pdf

UG908, which I sent a link to you earlier, also has sections that involve using the command line. 

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[harshit · Accepted solution]

You can use the attached .bat for reference. We have included them in VC707 BIST design (ready to download)

-Harshit 

[guix]

Hi timothyv,

Thank you very much for your utmost support.

This is the solution I found after digging in the information you provide to me:

• Opened Vivado
• Open HW Manager
• Tools --> Auto Connect
• Right click on the device (xc7vx485t_0 for VC707 board) --> Add Configuration Memory Device
• Choose the Memory Device (mt28gu01gaax1e-bpi-x16 for VC707 board) --> Ok
• Right click on the Memory Device --> Program Configuration Memory Device
• Choose the Configuration File --> Ok
• What until the process ends
• Close Vivado
• Find the log file named “vivado_lab.jou” (or “vivado.jou”) (C:\Xilinx\Vivado_Lab\2019.1\bin in my case)
• Open it and copy form row starting with “open_hw” to row starting with “endgroup”
• Create an empty file and paste the copied part of the .jou file.
• Modify the row starting with “PROGRAM.FILES” and remove the path to the .mcs. Just leave the mane of the file (set_property PROGRAM.FILES [list "MAME_OF_THE_FILE.mcs" ] ….)
• Create a new directory and place inside:
  • The .tcl file
  • The .mcs file
  • A new .bat file containing:

---------------

call C:\Xilinx\Vivado_Lab\2019.1\bin\vivado_lab.bat -mode batch -source YOUR_TCL_FILE.tcl

if exist *isWriteableTest*.tmp del /F *isWriteableTest*.tmp

if exist vivado_*.backup.jou del /F vivado_*.backup.jou

if exist vivado_*.backup.log del /F vivado_*.backup.log

if exist vivado_*.str del /F vivado_*.str

pause

------------------

• Now you can run the .bat file to download the .mcs file to the flash memory.

Regards

[guix]

 Hi timothyv,

Just some tuning around this thread:

• Is it possible to do this form a Raspberry Pi running Raspbian?
• Is it possible to reduce the “Vivado Lab“ size? It takes almost 4 GB.

Thanks again for your support.

Regards

[guix]

Hi harshit,

Thank you, this is really helpful

Regards

Guillermo