How to readback from a Bram column?

[fduhem]

Hi,

I am currently trying to perform readback of reconfigurable partitions on a ML506 board through ICAP. I succeeded in reading back all the frames from a CLB column, and using it to reconfigure the partition.

My question is: how to readback frames from a Bram column? In UG191, we can read the following: "This means that block RAMs have two major addresses: one to access their normal configuration, and the other to access their contents" (p133)
I am using the functions XHwIcap_DeviceReadFrame and XHwIcap_DeviceWriteFrame present in the hwicap driver v2.00.a, but I don't understand how to use it for a Bram block, assuming I want to read content and configuration.

Regards,

Francois

[goetmalswood]

Hi François,

I also trying to perform readback through ICAP on ml506 board.

In fact, I only managed to perform frame readback and written the algorithm to perform readback on entire bitstream or partial zone, using HwIcap_DeviceReadFrame API. Indee, the HwIcap_DeviceRead doesn't work : The ICAP remains busy because the ICAP's FIFO doesn't fill as it should it after the first frame readback...

I don't know if it's sensible to perform readback on BRAM contents (I think these contents evolve in time) but I managed to do this, in fact you have to change Block type to '1' in Frame adressing, and give the major adress (BRAM contents column address....0,1,2 or 3) and the minor address vary from 0 to 127.

I would be very interesting to talk with you on ICAP readback and how you managed to perform it on reconfigurable partition.

So don't hesitate to contact me at demelo@ensea.fr. I'm workig at ETIS laboratory in Cergy-Pontoise, France.

Best regards,

Fred.