First steps • Install • Troubleshooting • Advanced usage
Universal utility for programming FPGAs. Compatible with many boards, cables and FPGA from major manufacturers (Xilinx, Altera/Intel, Lattice, Gowin, Efinix, Anlogic, Cologne Chip). openFPGALoader works on Linux, Windows and macOS.
Not sure if your hardware is supported? Check the hardware compatibility lists:
Also checkout the vendor-specific documentation: Anlogic, Cologne Chip, Efinix, Gowin, Intel/Altera, Lattice, Xilinx.
OpenFPGALoader has a dedicated channel: #openFPGALoader at libera.chat.
arty in the example below is one of the many FPGA board configurations listed here.
openFPGALoader -b arty arty_bitstream.bit # Loading in SRAM
openFPGALoader -b arty -f arty_bitstream.bit # Writing in flashYou can also specify a JTAG cable model (complete list here) instead of the board model:
openFPGALoader -c cmsisdap fpga_bitstream.bitUsage: openFPGALoader [OPTION...] BIT_FILE
openFPGALoader -- a program to flash FPGA
--altsetting arg DFU interface altsetting (only for DFU mode)
--bitstream arg bitstream
--secondary-bitstream arg
secondary bitstream (some Xilinx UltraScale
boards)
-b, --board arg board name, may be used instead of cable
-B, --bridge arg disable spiOverJtag model detection by
providing bitstream(intel/xilinx)
-c, --cable arg jtag interface
--status-pin arg JTAG mode / FTDI: GPIO pin number to use as a
status indicator (active low)
--invert-read-edge JTAG mode / FTDI: read on negative edge
instead of positive
--vid arg probe Vendor ID
--pid arg probe Product ID
--cable-index arg probe index (FTDI and cmsisDAP)
--busdev-num arg select a probe by it bus and device number
(bus_num:device_addr)
--ftdi-serial arg FTDI chip serial number
--ftdi-channel arg FTDI chip channel number (channels 0-3 map to
A-D)
-d, --device arg device to use (/dev/ttyUSBx)
--detect detect FPGA, add -f to show connected flash
--dfu DFU mode
--dump-flash Dump flash mode
--bulk-erase Bulk erase flash
--enable-quad Enable quad mode for SPI Flash
--disable-quad Disable quad mode for SPI Flash
--target-flash arg for boards with multiple flash chips (some
Xilinx UltraScale boards), select the target
flash: primary (default), secondary or both
--external-flash select ext flash for device with internal and
external storage
--file-size arg provides size in Byte to dump, must be used
with dump-flash
--file-type arg provides file type instead of let's deduced
by using extension
--flash-sector arg flash sector (Lattice parts only)
--fpga-part arg fpga model flavor + package
--freq arg jtag frequency (Hz)
-f, --write-flash write bitstream in flash (default: false)
--index-chain arg device index in JTAG-chain
--misc-device arg add JTAG non-FPGA devices <idcode,irlen,name>
--ip arg IP address (XVC and remote bitbang client)
--list-boards list all supported boards
--list-cables list all supported cables
--list-fpga list all supported FPGA
-m, --write-sram write bitstream in SRAM (default: true)
-o, --offset arg Start address (in bytes) for read/write into
non volatile memory (default: 0)
--pins arg pin config TDI:TDO:TCK:TMS
--probe-firmware arg firmware for JTAG probe (usbBlasterII)
--protect-flash arg protect SPI flash area
--quiet Produce quiet output (no progress bar)
-r, --reset reset FPGA after operations
--scan-usb scan USB to display connected probes
--skip-load-bridge skip writing bridge to SRAM when in
write-flash mode
--skip-reset skip resetting the device when in write-flash
mode
--spi SPI mode (only for FTDI in serial mode)
--unprotect-flash Unprotect flash blocks
-v, --verbose Produce verbose output
--verbose-level arg verbose level -1: quiet, 0: normal,
1:verbose, 2:debug
-h, --help Give this help list
--verify Verify write operation (SPI Flash only)
--xvc Xilinx Virtual Cable Functions
--port arg Xilinx Virtual Cable and remote bitbang Port
(default 3721)
--mcufw arg Microcontroller firmware
--conmcu Connect JTAG to MCU
-D, --read-dna Read DNA (Xilinx FPGA only)
-X, --read-xadc Read XADC (Xilinx FPGA only)
--read-register arg Read Status Register(Xilinx FPGA only)
-V, --Version Print program version
Mandatory or optional arguments to long options are also mandatory or optional
for any corresponding short options.
Report bugs to <gwenhael.goavec-merou@trabucayre.com>.
By default spiOverJtag are search into ${CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_DATAROOTDIR}
(/usr/local/share/ by default). It's possible to change this behaviour by
using an environment variable:
export OPENFPGALOADER_SOJ_DIR=/somewhere
openFPGALoader xxxxor
OPENFPGALOADER_SOJ_DIR=/somewhere openFPGALoader xxxx
OPENFPGALOADER_SOJ_DIR must point to directory containing spiOverJtag
bitstreams.