You can probably use the same script with other Ubuntu based distributions but I haven't tested it. I like Xubuntu because it runs a bit leaner than the full Ubuntu and is better for use in a VM.

I've been using Xubuntu 19.04 hosted in the VirtualBox 6.1 with no real issues and is what I recommend. The first step is to create the virtual machine.

All the latest system updates to your Linux installation.

VirtualBox Guest Additions (if running in a VirtualBox VM).

A bunch of common Linux command line tools like curl, screen, minicom and python and Python libraries for serial communications (handy for programming and communicating with FPGA boards).

Opera - an easy to install Chromium based alternative to Google Chrome/Chromium.

MimasV2 Loader - for uploading designs to Mimas V2 boards.

Papilio Loader - for uploading designs Papilio boards.

mphidflash - for flashing the firmware on various boards.

xilt - my Xilinx command line tools that make it easy to build Xilinx FPGA programs from make files.

Visual Studio Code - my current favorite text editor and build environment.

ISE 14.7 - the Xilinx development tool-chain and IDE.

What You'll Getīesides ISE there's a few other tools that you'll need and/or want for your FPGA development environment. It keeps everything contained and separate from the rest of your work and with the script I'll be describing in this post it really is very easy to setup - despite the apparently long list of steps.Īlso, even if you do get ISE running on Windows, I find that GHDL/GtkWave and some other tools work better under Linux anyway. My recommendation here is to setup a dedicated VM specifically for Xilinx development. Xilinx do have what they call their Windows 10 version of ISE, but it's just a virtual Linux machine with ISE pre-installed on it.

The latest version of the Xilinx development tools don't support the Spartan 6 and earlier FPGAs so you need to use the prior version those tools - ISE 14.7 and that only works on Linux and older versions of Windows. The first thing I'll suggest is that Linux is the only real option here.

This guide, along with setup script I've written aim to make this a little easier - and as a bonus it can also optionally install and configure a range of other handy programs and utilities that'll help with your FPGA development process. Unfortunately setting up a development environment for the Spartan 6 isn't a straight-forward process. It's been around for about 10 years and Xilinx has committed to making the chip available for at least another 10 years. The Xilinx Spartan 6 is a popular FPGA used in many development boards like the Mimas V2, the Papilio Duo and many others.

Xilinx ise software