Getting SymbiFlow

This section describe how to install SymbiFlow and setup a fully working enviroment to later build example desings.

Prerequisites

To be able to follow through this tutorial, install the following software:

apt update -y
apt install -y git wget xz-utils
yum update -y
yum install -y git wget which xz

Next, clone the SymbiFlow examples repository and enter it:

git clone https://github.com/SymbiFlow/symbiflow-examples
cd symbiflow-examples

Toolchain installation

Now we are able to install the SymbiFlow toolchain. This procedure is divided into three steps:

  • installing the Conda package manager,

  • choosing an installation directory,

  • downloading the architecture definitions and installing the toolchain.

Conda

Download Conda installer script:

wget https://repo.continuum.io/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh -O conda_installer.sh

Choose the install directory

The install directory can either be in your home directory such as ~/opt/symbiflow or in a system directory such as /opt/symbiflow. If you choose a system directory, you will need root permission to perform the installation, and so you will need to add some sudo commands to the instructions below.

export INSTALL_DIR=~/opt/symbiflow

Toolchain

Select your target FPGA family:

export FPGA_FAM=xc7
export FPGA_FAM=eos-s3

Next, setup Conda and your system’s enviroment:

bash conda_installer.sh -u -b -p $INSTALL_DIR/$FPGA_FAM/conda;
source "$INSTALL_DIR/$FPGA_FAM/conda/etc/profile.d/conda.sh";
conda env create -f $FPGA_FAM/environment.yml

Download architecture definitions:

mkdir -p $INSTALL_DIR/xc7/install
wget -qO- https://storage.googleapis.com/symbiflow-arch-defs/artifacts/prod/foss-fpga-tools/symbiflow-arch-defs/continuous/install/112/20201208-080919/symbiflow-arch-defs-install-7c1267b7.tar.xz | tar -xJC $INSTALL_DIR/xc7/install
wget -qO- https://storage.googleapis.com/symbiflow-arch-defs/artifacts/prod/foss-fpga-tools/symbiflow-arch-defs/continuous/install/112/20201208-080919/symbiflow-arch-defs-xc7a50t_test-7c1267b7.tar.xz | tar -xJC $INSTALL_DIR/xc7/install
wget -qO- https://storage.googleapis.com/symbiflow-arch-defs/artifacts/prod/foss-fpga-tools/symbiflow-arch-defs/continuous/install/112/20201208-080919/symbiflow-arch-defs-xc7a100t_test-7c1267b7.tar.xz | tar -xJC $INSTALL_DIR/xc7/install
wget -qO- https://storage.googleapis.com/symbiflow-arch-defs/artifacts/prod/foss-fpga-tools/symbiflow-arch-defs/continuous/install/112/20201208-080919/symbiflow-arch-defs-xc7z010_test-7c1267b7.tar.xz | tar -xJC $INSTALL_DIR/xc7/install
wget -qO- https://quicklogic-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/p/kkumar/EWuqtXJmalROpI2L5XeewMIBRYVCY8H4yc10nlli-Xq79g?download=1 | tar -xJ -C $INSTALL_DIR/eos-s3/

If the above commands exited without errors, you have successfuly installed and configured your working enviroment.

Build Example Designs

With the toolchain installed, you can build the example designs. The example designs are provided in separate directories:

  • xc7 directory for the Artix-7 devices

  • eos-s3 directory for the EOS S3 devices