Mesa + 7i76e + xilinix bitfile creation

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09 Apr 2022 17:22 - 01 May 2022 13:28 #239754 by robertspark
Bit of background research into creating / making MESA bit files (firmware).

Unfortunately some of the info is a little older and it doesn't show all of the steps for a non-programmer person like me.  + the odd you tube video clip I found on youtube was in german, and although I wish I could understand it, I just sort of watched it and tried as best as I could to get the idea of what to do.

YouTube clip in German,


and a bit on the wiki 
wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?Editing_MESA_Bitfiles

and a couple of pdfs

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j...-SMImLXpv_5rwGhXq4bz

and this one
tom-itx.no-ip.biz:81/~webpage/emc/xilinx...14_install_index.php
Last edit: 01 May 2022 13:28 by robertspark.

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09 Apr 2022 18:36 - 01 May 2022 13:29 #239764 by robertspark
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Last edit: 01 May 2022 13:29 by robertspark.

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30 Apr 2022 20:46 #241734 by robertspark
Anyone looking for a bit of a guide on this

The be fair the wiki is actually right / sort of (it doesn't expand on what exactly to do and I'd not done it for a 18 months or so... so I forgot!) + it doesn't deal with ethernet mesa cards (but the principle is really the same!)
wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?Editing_MESA_Bitfiles

Basically download and install the current xilinx ISE 14.7
www.xilinx.com/support/download/index.ht...ols/archive-ise.html

you will need to sign up / register etc to download the file.
Note it is very large (15gb) and will take a while.

It basically sets up a virtual environment (on windows)

download the mesa firmware file from the mesa site (I have a the 7i76e + 7i92 so that is was I set up)
www.mesanet.com/software/parallel/hostmot2.zip

then use notepad / notepad++ or geany (basically a text editor) and just review the *.vhd PIN files to find one that is close to your needs, and create a copy of it for you to edit.

eg... for the 7i76e this is the basic file
PIN_7I76E_51.vhd

for my needs (I was in need of a few PWM pins to control a laser and a few mesa SPINx1 boards) I used
PIN_7I76x1_5abobD_51.vhd

basically copy and rename it.
I chose "PIN_7I76xROB.vhd" {choose whatever works for you!}

open the file and edit the header and footer and change it from
"package PIN_7i76x1_5abobD_51 is"
to
"package PIN_7i76xROB is"
{also change the footer too!}

At this point I'd suggest checking that xilinx complies the file ok...

you will need to start up xilinx Project Navigator and browse to the firmware folder.

open the *.xise file that relates to your hardware (7i76e in my case)



you will need to add the newly created *.vhd file to the project.

it's the second button down on the LHS in the project bar (Add Source)

 

Add the file you created by coping and renaming as per above.

{I'll continue this over a few posts}

 
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The following user(s) said Thank You: tommylight

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30 Apr 2022 20:54 #241735 by robertspark
bit of space to continue the above post

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30 Apr 2022 22:28 - 01 May 2022 13:29 #241742 by robertspark
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Last edit: 01 May 2022 13:29 by robertspark.

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30 Apr 2022 22:30 - 04 May 2022 21:30 #241743 by robertspark
For the creation of the *.pin file (to provide a human readable pin file for the firmware):

Kindly copied from here:  forum.linuxcnc.org/27-driver-boards/4579...file-creation#242006

mesaflash --device 7i96 -- addr 10.10.10.10 --readhmid > pinout.txt

or

sudo mesaflash --device 5i25 --readhmid > pinout.txt

Or if you want the daughtercard pinout:

mesaflash --device 7i92 --addr 10.10.10.10 --readhmid --dbname1 5abob > pinout.txt

or

sudo mesaflash --device 5i24 --readhmid --dbname1 7i47s --dbname2 7i37
Last edit: 04 May 2022 21:30 by robertspark.

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01 May 2022 00:19 #241750 by tommylight
You are welcomed, always.
Keep adding, i will keep deleting mine and when requested by you, yours.

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13 Apr 2023 07:49 #268960 by Boogie
it looks like the tutorial is not finished?
Guys, does it mean i can make my own firmware for my mesa cards using Xilinx ISE 14.7 on my windows machine only?
Triedto use this tutorial:
wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?Editing_MESA_Bitfiles

but it say i need to install Xilinx Design Suite 14.5 in Linux... but no info how to do it (i'm not Linux guy:(). Is it only about something like "sudo apt get install..."?

My concerns are related to the following card i have: 5i25, 7i85s, 7i76d, 7i96s and 7i92tf. I have a bunch of them to play with and learn Linuxcnc. As i have a bunch of H-brigde modules and DC servo motors i'd like to use servo capability in Linuxcnc and output PQM/dir signals instead of step/dir. I'm buiding three machines slowly: cnc lathe (conversion), router (XYYZA) and modified scara kinematics machine (scara with first joint linear along with Y axis and scara arm operating in vertical plane, not horizontal one). Its kinematics is another topic i need to study.

For now my concerns relate to how can is change firmaware by myself for pwm/dir operation.
One more question in 2023 - is there tangential axis implemented in Linuxcnc already? I couldn't find info about it.
Thank you!

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13 Apr 2023 18:30 #268986 by PCW
I am running webpack 14.7 on Linux without issue.

To install you need to download it from Xilinx and follow the install
instructions

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13 Apr 2023 23:23 #268994 by Boogie
Thank you for your response. I'm at work offshore and have win10 machine on hand only. that is why i've installed Xilinx ISE 14.7 for Windows. I have Linuxcnc 2.8 in VM as well for training only (let me put OT here: I started latency test and after hours i got results in seconds using Linuxcnc under VM:D:D).

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