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https://github.com/ghdl/ghdl-yosys-plugin

VHDL synthesis (based on ghdl)
https://github.com/ghdl/ghdl-yosys-plugin

Last synced: 16 days ago
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VHDL synthesis (based on ghdl)

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# ghdl-yosys-plugin: VHDL synthesis (based on [GHDL](https://github.com/ghdl/ghdl) and [Yosys](https://github.com/YosysHQ/yosys))



**This is experimental and work in progress!** See [ghdl.github.io/ghdl: Using/Synthesis](http://ghdl.github.io/ghdl/using/Synthesis.html).



> TODO: Create table with features of VHDL that are supported, WIP and pending.



## Build as a module (shared library)



> On Windows, Yosys does not support loading modules dynamically. Therefore, this build approach is not possible. See [*Build as part of Yosys*](#build-as-part-of-yosys-not-recommended) below.



- Get and install [Yosys](https://github.com/YosysHQ/yosys).

- Get sources, build and install [GHDL](https://github.com/ghdl/ghdl). Ensure that GHDL is configured with synthesis features (enabled by default since v0.37). See [Building GHDL](https://github.com/ghdl/ghdl#building-ghdl).



> NOTE: GHDL must be built with at least version of 8 GNAT (`gnat-8`).



> HINT: The default build prefix is `/usr/local`. Sudo permission might be required to install tools there.



- Get and build ghdl-yosys-plugin: `make`.



> HINT: If ghdl is not available in the PATH, set `GHDL` explicitly, e.g.: `make GHDL=/my/path/to/ghdl`.



The output is a shared library (`ghdl.so` on GNU/Linux), which can be used directly: `yosys -m ghdl.so`.



To install the module, the library must be copied to `YOSYS_PREFIX/share/yosys/plugins/ghdl.so`, where `YOSYS_PREFIX` is the installation path of yosys. This can be achieved through a make target: `make install`.



Alternatively, the shared library can be copied/installed along with GHDL:



```sh

cp ghdl.so "$GHDL_PREFIX/lib/ghdl_yosys.so"



yosys-config --exec mkdir -p --datdir/plugins

yosys-config --exec ln -s "$GHDL_PREFIX/lib/ghdl_yosys.so" --datdir/plugins/ghdl.so

```



## Build as part of yosys (not recommended)



- Get and build GHDL as in the previous section.



- Get [Yosys](https://github.com/YosysHQ/yosys) sources.



- Get ghdl-yosys-plugin and:

  - Copy `src/*` to `yosys/frontends/ghdl`.

  - Configure Yosys by adding (to) `Makefile.conf`:



```makefile

ENABLE_GHDL := 1

GHDL_PREFIX := 

```



- Build and install Yosys.



## Pre-built packages



Some projects provide pre-built packages including GHDL, Yosys and ghdl-yosys-plugin. Unless you have specific requirements (targeting a different arch, OS, build options...), we suggest using one of the following solutions before building ghdl-yosys-plugin from sources.



- On Windows, there is a package group in [MSYS2](https://www.msys2.org/) repositories named [mingw-w64-x86_64-eda](https://packages.msys2.org/group/mingw-w64-x86_64-eda)|[mingw-w64-i686-eda](https://packages.msys2.org/group/mingw-w64-i686-eda). See [hdl/MINGW-packages](https://github.com/hdl/MINGW-packages).



- On GNU/Linux, the [guix-science](https://codeberg.org/guix-science/guix-science) [guix](https://guix.gnu.org/) channel provides binaries for both ghdl and ghdl-yosys-plugin



```sh

guix install ghdl-clang ghdl-yosys-plugin



# use it as

alias yosys='yosys -m ~/.guix-profile/lib/yosys/ghdl.so'

```



## Usage



Example for IceStick, using GHDL, Yosys, nextpnr and icestorm:



```sh

cd examples/icestick/leds/



# Analyse VHDL sources

ghdl -a leds.vhdl

ghdl -a spin1.vhdl



# Synthesize the design.

# NOTE: if GHDL is built as a module, set MODULE to '-m ghdl' or '-m path/to/ghdl.so',

#       otherwise, unset it.

yosys $MODULE -p 'ghdl leds; synth_ice40 -json leds.json'



# P&R

nextpnr-ice40 --package hx1k --pcf leds.pcf --asc leds.asc --json leds.json



# Generate bitstream

icepack leds.asc leds.bin



# Program FPGA

iceprog leds.bin

```



Alternatively, it is possible to analyze, elaborate and synthesize VHDL sources at once, instead of calling GHDL and Yosys in two steps. In this example:



```

yosys $MODULE -p 'ghdl leds.vhdl spin1.vhdl -e leds; synth_ice40 -json leds.json'

```



## Containers



Container (aka Docker/Podman) image [`hdlc/ghdl:yosys`](https://hub.docker.com/r/hdlc/ghdl/tags) includes GHDL, Yosys and the ghdl-yosys-plugin module (shared library). These can be used to synthesize designs straightaway. For example:



```sh

docker run --rm -t \

  -v $(pwd)/examples/icestick/leds:/src \

  -w /src \

  hdlc/ghdl:yosys \

  yosys -m ghdl -p 'ghdl leds.vhdl blink.vhdl -e leds; synth_ice40 -json leds.json'

```



> In a system with [docker](https://docs.docker.com/install) installed, the image is automatically downloaded the first time invoked.



Furthermore, the snippet above can be extended in order to P&R the design with [nextpnr](https://github.com/YosysHQ/nextpnr) and generate a bitstream with [icestorm](https://github.com/cliffordwolf/icestorm) tools:



```sh

cd examples/icestick/leds/



DOCKER_CMD="$(command -v winpty) docker run --rm -it -v /$(pwd)://wrk -w //wrk"



$DOCKER_CMD hdlc/ghdl:yosys    yosys -m ghdl -p 'ghdl leds.vhdl rotate4.vhdl -e leds; synth_ice40 -json leds.json'

$DOCKER_CMD hdlc/nextpnr:ice40 nextpnr-ice40 --hx1k --json leds.json --pcf leds.pcf --asc leds.asc

$DOCKER_CMD hdlc/icestorm      icepack leds.asc leds.bin



iceprog leds.bin

```



See [hdl/containers](https://github.com/hdl/containers) for further info about containers including other EDA tools.



> NOTE: on GNU/Linux, it should be possible to use board programming tools through `hdlc/icestorm`. On Windows and macOS, accessing USB/COM ports of the host from containers is challenging. Therefore, board programming tools need to be available on the host. Windows users can find several board programming tools available as [MSYS2](https://www.msys2.org/) packages. See [mingw-w64-x86_64-eda](https://packages.msys2.org/group/mingw-w64-x86_64-eda)|[mingw-w64-i686-eda](https://packages.msys2.org/group/mingw-w64-i686-eda) and [hdl/MINGW-packages](https://github.com/hdl/MINGW-packages).