Manual Pin Mapping

In an FPGA project, you define* the mapping between I/O signals and FPGA balls in a constraint file.

If you are writing for a project with a fixed layout, that's a one-off task.

With flexible kits (like the XuLA and its motherboard, where you can plug modules in different ports) things are different.

You'd have to look up the mapping between the connector you use and the FPGA I/Os. Then adapt the constraint file with the appropriate links.

The documentation has all info that's needed. But it's a tedious job.

Mapping Utility

Tedious work calls for automation. And there's good news.

There's a mapping utility xsconnect available for the XuLA family.

It's a Python script that does  the whole cross-ref. It knows all XuLA products and their pinouts.

Based on your combination (what is plugged where in which motherboard for what FPGA board), it generates a ready-to-go mapping list.

In my case, I'm using a VGA module, plugged in connectors 2 and 3 of a motherboard version 4, running on an FPGA board version 2 .

I throw that combination to the utility, and it kindly creates the entries:

xsconn -p "StickIt! VGA V2" -m "StickIt! V4" -n pm2+pm3 -d "XuLA2"

output:

########################################################################
# StickIt! VGA V2 ==[pm2+pm3]==> StickIt! V4 ==> XuLA2
net b2      loc = c1;
net b3      loc = j4;
net b4      loc = k3;
net g1      loc = b2;
net g2      loc = e1;
net g3      loc = h1;
net g4      loc = r1;
net hsync_n loc = r2;
net r2      loc = f1;
net r3      loc = m1;
net r4      loc = m2;
net vsync_n loc = t4;
########################################################################

You can then paste that in your constraint file and adapt the signal names to your design.

If your design uses the same signal names as the ones in the utility, you can just cut and paste.

Here's the relevant snippet of a constraint file I adapted for the above combination:

# Horizontal & vertical syncs.
net hSync_bo        loc = r2;
net vSync_bo        loc = t4;

# Red, green, blue color components to VGA DACs.
net red_o<1>        FLOAT;
net red_o<2>        loc = f1;
net red_o<3>        loc = m1;
net red_o<4>        loc = m2;
net green_o<0>      FLOAT;
net green_o<1>      loc = b2;
net green_o<2>      loc = e1;
net green_o<3>      loc = h1;
net green_o<4>      loc = r1;
net blue_o<0>       FLOAT;
net blue_o<1>       FLOAT;
net blue_o<2>       loc = c1;
net blue_o<3>       loc = j4;
net blue_o<4>       loc = k3;

Where Next?

To get the utility, execute this command from your Python enabled computer:

easy_install xsconnect

It's open source. The version created by Xess supports all their FPGA boards, motherboards and plug-ins.

But it's extendable if you want. You can add your own designs, or use it in a completely different context where flexible FPGA pin mapping is needed.

* generalisation. There are other options