GRLIB VHDL IP library available (GPL)

[Jiri Gaisler]

The first beta of the GRLIB VHDL IP library and LEON3 is now available for
download from:

http://www.gaisler.com/products/grlib/grlib.html

Note that this is a first beta release, with some short-comings
and rough edges. We will improve the documentation and add more
functionality over then next few weeks.

To get started, read the GRLIB overview, the GRLIB User's Manual
and the GRLIB online documentation. GRLIB is a collection of
parametrizable VHDL IP blocks, which can be put together
in almost any configuration. While this provides a larger design
freedom, it also provides many more ways of making mistakes...

We have added some example designs, including a reference
design for LEON3 systems. The LEON2 GUI (tkconfig) has been
ported to the reference design to make configuration easier.
A short 'Getting started with LEON3' is also provided in
http://www.gaisler.com/products/grlib/docs/designs/leon3mp/index.html
The reference design allows SMP systems up to four processors,
but we have no software for it yet. A port of eCos SMP feature
is probably the quickest way of getting some SMP functionality.

Note that you will need new compiler tool-chains for LEON3, the
old leccs will not work. We have split the new tool-chains in
two: a pure RTEMS compiler for ERC32/LEON2/LEON3 and a bare-C
compiler for LEON2 and LEON3. We have also included the source
code for mkprom and libio (low-level I/O) for LEON3 ..!
A new GRMON debug tool is also needed, and a linux eval version
is available. A windows version and some more documentation will
follow soon. We have a beta LEON3 simulator, and a public eval
version is not far away.

In addtion to modelsim and ncsim, the full library (except two verilog
blocks) can be simulated by the free GNU VHDL (GHDL) compiler.
Although not as fast as modelsim or ncsim, it is still quite useful.

For synthesis, scripts for synplify, XST, synopsys DC and cadence RC
are automatically generated. One issue is however that XST cannot
be used for synthesis of GRLIB or LEON3 because XST produces incorrect
netlists. We are working on this issue but it is not easy to find
workarounds without making the code too ugly.

Enjoy, Jiri.

 

[Philipp Klaus Krause]

Have you considered creating pages at opencores.org for
your cores? To me it looks as if opencores.org is the place where
one can find the most free cores in one place.

Wishbone-compliant versions would be nice as well, since
Wishbone seems to be more widespread than Amba among free cores and
would ease integration.

Thanks for releasing these great cores under a free license.

Philipp

 

[Jiri Gaisler]

Have you considered creating pages at opencores.org for
your cores? To me it looks as if opencores.org is the place where
one can find the most free cores in one place.

Opencore uses pre-dominantely verilog, while GRLIB is VHDL. Also, opencores
have standardized on wishbone, while GRLIB is centered around AMBA bus. No
much use to put GRLIB on opencores since the GRLIB cores will not fit with
opencores cores.

Wishbone-compliant versions would be nice as well, since
Wishbone seems to be more widespread than Amba among free cores and
would ease integration.

Wishbone is not well defined and lacks proper burst transfers. GRLIB is designed
to be used in commercial designs where AMBA is the standard. We have developed
a wishbone/AMBA bridge for the opencores ethernet MAC though.

Regards, Jiri.