How to install casperfpga¶
This section explains how to install casperfpga, a python library used to interact with CASPER hardware. The casperfpga library currently works fully with Python 3.8.
Once you have cloned the casperfpga repository, ensure that you are on the correct branch (usually py38 unless you are a contributor) and always pull regularly to make sure you have the latest version of casperfpga.
Installing casperfpga using a virtual environment¶
$ python3.8 -m venv ./cfpga_venv
$ source ./cfpga_venv/bin/activate
$ git clone https://github.com/casper-astro/casperfpga
$ cd casperfpga/
$ git checkout py38
$ pip install -r requirements.txt
$ pip install .
### Testing that the installation worked
To check that casperfpga has been installed correctly open an ipython session and import casperfpga. **To avoid errors, move out of your cloned casperfpga repository directory before doing this test.** `casperfpga.__version__` will output the build and githash version of your casperfpga library.
```shell
$ cd ..
$ ipython
In [1]: import casperfpga
In [2]: casperfpga.__version__
If you receive any errors during this step please feel free to contact anyone on the CASPER Mailing List, or check the Mailing List Archive to see if your issue has been resolved already.
Using casperfpga¶
The introductory tutorials for current CASPER hardware serve as a guide to the entire process of:
- Creating an FPGA design in Simulink using the CASPER and Xilinx Blocksets
- Building the design using the toolflow, and lastly
- Reconfiguring your CASPER Hardware with the generated .fpg file using
casperfpga
casperfpga is written in python and mainly used to communicate with CASPER Hardware and reconfigure it’s firmware. Hence the medium of communication is usually done through an ipython session, as shown below:
import casperfpga
fpga = casperfpga.CasperFpga('skarab_host or roach_name')
fpga.upload_to_ram_and_program('your_file.fpg')