Splitting a project into two .bit files to upload program separate from CPU

[Cactus]

Hi,

 

I've finished the first version of my first ever FPGA project: a CPU that uses Brainfuck as its machine language. See  http://gergo.erdi.hu/blog/2013-01-19-a_brainfuck_cpu_in_fpga/http://gergo.erdi.hu/blog/2013-01-19-a_brainfuck_cpu_in_fpga/ for details.

Now, I'd like to split it into two parts so that I can upload the CPU definition proper into the FPGA's flash memory in one go of papilio-prog, then upload the programs (preferably as a raw blob, i.e. without any processing on the original Brainfuck program file)  by running papilio-prog again. So basically, I'd like to be able to upload ROM data without having to re-load the hw configuration bitfile.

 

Is this something that's somehow possible with papilio-prog? How?

 

Thanks,

Gergo

[Jack Gassett]

Cactus,

 

You need to use the data2mem tool to do what you are talking about. It will allow you to merge your code into the BRAM space of a bit file, this is the method that we use with the AVR8 and the arcade games to load code and video games into the bit file.

 

There was a discussion thread about it here:

http://forum.gadgetfactory.net/index.php?/topic/1479-bmm-files/?hl=data2mem

 

Here are some helpful app notes:

http://www.xilinx.com/support/documentation/sw_manuals/xilinx13_4/data2mem.pdf

http://forums.xilinx.com/xlnx/attachments/xlnx/EDK/17670/1/data2mem_standalone.pdf

 

Jack.