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Adding Ewen's detailed instructions for the MimasV2.
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‎MimasV2.md

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# MicroPython on Numato Mimas V2 FPGA
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## Prerequisites
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* Ubuntu 16.04 LTS `x86_64` system
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* [Numato Mimas V2](http://numato.com/mimas-v2-spartan-6-fpga-development-board-with-ddr-sdram/) Spartan6 FPGA board, with `MimasV2Config.py` set up to be able to upload "gateware" to the FPGA board (there is also a copy of `MimasV2Config.py` installed as part of this envvironment setup below which is used for flashing the MicroPython FPGA gateware).
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* USB A to USB Mini B cable, to connect Numato Mimas V2 to laptop
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* Xilinx ISE WebPACK installed, reachable from `/opt/Xilinx` (or optionally installed within the `Xilinx` directory *inside* your `build` directory).
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Before you begin it would be a very good idea to check that the [Numato Mimas v2 `sample.bin`
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code](http://productdata.numato.com/assets/downloads/fpga/mimasv2/mimasv2_sample_bin_file.bin) will run on your Mimas v2, and that you can successful replace it with a program of your own (eg, the [Numato tutorial synthesis example](https://docs.numato.com/kb/learning-fpga-verilog-beginners-guide-part-4-synthesis/).
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## Gateware
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### Setup
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Clone repository, which originated with HDMI2USB (hence the dependencies listed):
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git clone https://github.com/upy-fpga/upy-fpga-litex-gateware
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Install the relevant bits of the environment in two parts, firstly as root:
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cd upy-fpga-litex-gateware
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sudo bash -x scripts/download-env-root.sh
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which will install dozens of packages as direct or indirect dependencies, including some from Tim's Ubuntu PPA.
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And then as a *non-root* user (eg, your own user) for the remaining parts:
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cd upy-fpga-litex-gateware
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bash -x scripts/download-env.sh
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which will download a bunch more packages, and execute/install them. Among other things it installs `lm32` cross build tools (`binutils`, `gcc`, etc), as pre-built binary tools. The install process is managed with `[conda](https://conda.io/docs/intro.html)`, a Python environment management tool. (It currently actually installs a Python 3.6 environment, and then downgrades it to Python 3.5.1 for compatability, as well as a lot of other [old tools](https://github.com/upy-fpga/issues-wiki/issues/3).)
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It also automatically `git clone`s the relevant [Enjoy Digital `litex` git modules](https://github.com/enjoy-digital/litex), as listed in the [README](https://github.com/upy-fpga/upy-fpga-litex-gateware/blob/nextgen/README).
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The environment install process will take several minutes, mostly depending on the download speed.
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### Build
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From a terminal which has *not* entered the Xilinx ISE WebPack environment, set the desired `PLATFORM` and `TARGET` to select what will be built, then enter the `upy-fpga` environment:
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cd upy-fpga-litex-gateware
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PLATFORM=mimasv2
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TARGET=base
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export PLATFORM TARGET
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source scripts/enter-env.sh
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All going well, it should do some checking, report the directories being used, and then change the prompt to include the `PLATFORM` and `TARGET` values. Eg,
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(H2U P=mimasv2 T=base)
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`make help` will show you the valid `PLATFORM` and `TARGET` values, but *cannot* be run until after `scripts/enter-env.sh` has been done; to change platforms or targets it would be best to start with a fresh terminal. ([README.targets](https://github.com/upy-fpga/upy-fpga-litex-gateware/blob/nextgen/README.targets) has some information on the possible `TARGET` values.)
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From there, you can build the "gateware" for your selected `PLATFORM`/`TARGET` combination with:
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make gateware
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which will result in a *lot* of output, most of it from the Xilinx ISE WebPACK tools. This step will also take a few minutes, and will keep your CPU pretty busy. All going well you should end up with a `build/mimasv2_base_lm32/gateware/top.bin` file which can be loaded onto the Mimas V2.
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Next you can build the "firmware" to run on the softcore CPU to provide MicroPython on the FPGA. You can build this for your selected `PLATFORM`/`TARGET` combination with:
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make firmware
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This step appears build quite quickly. It should result in a `build/mimasv2_base_lm32//software/firmware/firmware.bin` file.
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### Install
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Ensure that the Numato Mimas v2 "operation mode" switch (`SW7`) is set to *program mode* -- the side nearest the USB connector is program mode (see the [Numato Mimas V2 documentation](https://docs.numato.com/doc/mimas-v2-spartan-6-fpga-development-board-with-ddr-sdram/)).
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Install the gateware with:
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make gateware-flash-mimasv2
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Because the upload happens at 19200 bps, this will take a couple of minutes to complete -- it does an erase cycle, a write cycle, and a read-back verification cycle.
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The process looks something like:
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(H2U P=mimasv2 T=base) ewen@parthenon:~/work/naos/src/upy-fpga/upy-fpga-litex-gateware$ make gateware-flash-mimasv2
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python $(which MimasV2Config.py) /dev/ttyACM0 build/mimasv2_base_lm32//gateware/top.bin
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****************************************
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* Numato Lab Mimas V2 Configuration Tool *
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****************************************
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Micron M25P16 SPI Flash detected
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Loading file build/mimasv2_base_lm32//gateware/top.bin...
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Erasing flash sectors...
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Writing to flash 100% complete...
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Verifying flash contents...
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Flash verification successful...
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Booting FPGA...
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Done.
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(H2U P=mimasv2 T=base R=nextgen) ewen@parthenon:~/work/naos/src/upy-fpga/upy-fpga-litex-gateware$
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## Get & Build MicroPython
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It needs to be built from an in-development repository with changes for MicroPython on FPGA and the Mimas v2.
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Get toolchain and clone the *forked* MicroPython repository, with Mimas V2 support in it:
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(H2U P=mimasv2 T=base R=nextgen) ewen@parthenon:~/work/naos/src/upy-fpga/upy-fpga-litex-gateware$ ./scripts/build-micropython.sh
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That should build fairly quickly, and result in a ``build/mimasv2_base_lm32/micropython.bin` file.
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## Installing MicroPython on the Numato Mimas v2
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Return to the gateware build top directory, with the environment set up, ie as before (possibly you still have a suitable terminal open):
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cd upy-fpga-litex-gateware
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PLATFORM=mimasv2
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TARGET=base
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export PLATFORM TARGET
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source scripts/enter-env.sh
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Then this custom flash image can be loaded onto the Numato Mimas v2, by ensuring that the "operation mode" switch (`SW7`) is in "program mode" (nearest to the USB connector), and then unplugging and plugging in the Numato Mimas v2 to reset it.
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Once `/dev/ttyACM0` appears on the system again, run:
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MimasV2Config.py /dev/ttyACM0 build/mimasv2_base_lm32/flash.bin
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to program MicroPython onto the Mimas v2. This will take a few minutes to write, as it is uploading at 19200 bps.
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The result should look something like:
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(H2U P=mimasv2 T=base R=nextgen) ewen@parthenon:~/work/naos/src/upy-fpga/upy-fpga-litex-gateware$ MimasV2Config.py /dev/ttyACM0 build/mimasv2_base_lm32/flash.bin
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****************************************
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* Numato Lab Mimas V2 Configuration Tool *
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****************************************
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Micron M25P16 SPI Flash detected
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Loading file build/mimasv2_base_lm32/flash.bin...
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Erasing flash sectors...
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Writing to flash 100% complete...
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Verifying flash contents...
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Flash verification successful...
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Booting FPGA...
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Done.
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(H2U P=mimasv2 T=base R=nextgen) ewen@parthenon:~/work/naos/src/upy-fpga/upy-fpga-litex-gateware$
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