Programming the Actel Smartfusion Eval Kit in Linux

[cim123]

Hi,

I recently got the Actel Smartfusion eval kit. Since I use Linux, I am running the windows Libero IDE under wine.

While the application runs fine under wine, I am not able to program the device with the Flashpro software. Seems like it is not able to talk to the programmer.

I know this is as much a wine issue, but i wanted to know if there is a native software for linux which can be used to just program the device and which supports smartfusion fpgas.

And which can work on the free gold license.

Thanks
Manish

 

[joan_actel]

Actel does not support FPGA programming on Linux OS at this time. This includes FlashPro software and FlashPro3 and FlashPro4 for FPGA programming hardware, or SoftConsole IDE for embedded processor and flash programming. For embedded and flash programming, the two leading software IDE suppliers, IAR Systems and Keil (ARM) do not support Linux, nor do they have any near term plans to support it.

Actel did not test that Windows FlashPro programming can be done on Linux systems running VMware (https://www.vmware.com/ ), but has been told by various customers that it can be done. IAR Systems has noted that they have users successfully running EWARM on Linux with VMWare, and Keil claims to have customers that are using Keil MDK on Linux systems with WINE HQ (https://www.winehq.org/) .

Actel does have plans to support FlashPro software and FlashPro4 hardware on RH Linux in 2011.

Unfortunately for existing Linux users, the Linux user base is still very small in comparison to the ever growing Windows market. It is very expensive for software suppliers like Actel to support all operating systems, therefore we have to concentrate our resources on supporting the major market which will continue to be Windows.

Thank you for your interest in Actel. If we can be of further service please contact your local Actel sales office or distributor.

 

[cim123]

Hi Joan,

Thanks for the clarification. So does this mean that if am a Platinum user running Libero on Linux, I would still need to have a windows machine just to program the device ?

I don't get it, what is the use of having a Linux version, I mean doesn't it defeat the purpose.
I understand that supporting software versions is difficult ... but its not that there is no linux version, it just lacks the programming option.

Running in VMware is not an option since I don't want to use windows.
I have worked on Altera, am currently working on a Xilinx fpga at work and for sometime now I have been wanting to work on Actel's mixed signal flash based fpgas.
So when Actel released the smartfusion device i got myself the evalkit. I liked the idea of an inbuilt SoC with an analog engine - makes for some interesting possibilities and I wanted to play with it.

I am sorry if this comes of as a rant, but was really frustrated trying to make it work.
So for now I have installed it on another old XP machine which I have kept around for just such times, just to get on with the development stuff.

Thanks
Manish

Added after 3 hours 20 minutes:

Joan,

Is it possible to have native linux drivers for the flashpro hardware ?

Wine will allow access to the hardware only if it has native linux drivers.
Now i can run the softwares under wine, only the programming hardware is not detected.

Just hoping here.

Regards
Manish