Getting Started with Vivado

The full feature system edition of Vivado is installed in the lab computers. A basic Webpack version is available as a free download. Note: the files are huge!

Using Vivado
Vivado is similar to ISE. The constrainst files, ucf file in ISE and xdc in Vivado, are used to map the FPGA to physical I/O pins. These files can also used to constraint timing parameters. The following instructions are for using Vivado with a Nexys4 DDDR FPGA board. To run Vivado:

• Log into one of the Athena workstations in the Digital Lab. Your username and password are your standard Athena user name and password.

  You can setup your environment permanently and avoid adding the locker and set up command each time you login by customizing your configuration file. First determine your shell by

  Type: ps
  Look at what is listed under the CMD column. It should be either tcsh or bash (the name of your shell program). Most accounts created after 2009 use bash.

  If you have tcsh, add the following to ~/.cshrc.mine

       add 6.111
       source /mit/6.111/vivado-setup.csh
  
  

  If you have bash, add the the following to ~/.bashrc.mine

       add 6.111 
       source /mit/6.111/vivado-setup.sh 
  

  Alternatively, you can add the locker and source the files each time you login.

• To start a project launch "Vivado &" in the command prompt:
  1. start a new RTL (Register Level Transfer) Project and select or create an appropriate directory
     
     
  2. add the source file labkit_lab4.v, display_8hex.v; skip the IP screen, and add the appropriate constrainst file (xdc). "Copy source" should be checked by default.
     
     
     
     
  3. select the part type from the drop down menus: Family [Artix-7], Package [csg324], Speed grade [-3], Part [xc7a100tcsg324-3]
     
     
     
     
  4. Assuming no errors, "Run Synthesis", "Run Implementation" and "Generate Bitstream"
     
     
     
     
  5. After the bitstream is generated, plug in, turn on the board, select Hardware Manager under Program and Debug, and select the target using "Auto Connect".
     
     
     
     
  6. Now program the target by clicking Program Device (under Program and Debug).