For other users using the ancient 32-bit processor architecture the software package is not executable directly as it is only compiled for 64-bit computers. Fortunately it is possible to emulate such a processor with qemu-x86_64 contained by the qemu-user package in the Debian distribution. I was successfully able to upload a bitstream to my Alchitry Cu by executing
qemu-x68_64 ./tools/loader -f test.bin
in the extracted package directory of Alchitry Loader.
I don’t think that it is possible to launch the GUI easy like this. But in my usecase it is all I wanted since I use project Icestorm directly to develop my stuff on that FPGA.
-RRC
Update:
For the Alchitry Cu there is a way better solution in using the iceprog tool of project IceStorm.
I was able to upload the bitstream by just executing
iceprog test.bin
This tool should be available for many devices. For Debian it is in the package fpga-icestorm
It would be also super nice to be able to load the boards from a ARM32 or ARM64 single board computer.
Indeed for a «medium project» I am considering putting together a small ARM64 SBC (for «outside world interface») with a Cu board, and I’d be happy if I could directly update the bitstream of the board from the ARM64 SBC rather than having to temporarily connect the Cu to a amd64 computer.
Any chances that the loader get «open-sourced» later on ?
Cheers,
Serge.
PS : to me it seems that the «loader» itself is «only C/C++» without any java on it… ?
There is also a third probability: I was able to build a 32-bit version of the alchitry-loader repo. This procedure should also work for other platforms.
Here is how to do it:
First clone the alchitry-loader repository:
git clone https://github.com/alchitry/alchitry-loader
cd alchitry-loader
In the lib/linux directory there is the precompiled proprietary FTDI library libftd2xx.a. It has to be replaced.
Download the driver for your platform from https://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/D2XX.htm .
In the downloaded archive there should be a file that has the name libftd2xx.a . In my case it was in the ./release/build/ directory.
Copy it into the lib/linux directory of the repository as replacement.
Make shure there is a libpthread installed. Debian package(?): libpthread-stubs0-dev
I think there is more demand for the Alchitry Loader on ARM devices that would enable an ARM SBC to upload a bitstream.
I willl try to build a 32-bit version of Alchitry Labs. Should be easy to make.
How is the Java stuff compiled? Some documentation or just a Makefile would be helpful.
It is possible dear, why you are thinking like this? I am currently using ARM32, and really it’s working very well, now I am thinking to buy ARM64, I saw it on Christmas Coupons, after buying and using it will share my opinion.