litex-renode

Tools for using Renode from Antmicro with LiteX for simulation.

This repo hosts the parser of LiteX 'csr.json' file generating scripts for Renode allowing to simulate the given configuration of the LiteX SoC.

Renode

Renode was created by Antmicro as a virtual development tool for multinode embedded networks (both wired and wireless) and is intended to enable a scalable workflow for creating effective, tested and secure IoT systems.

With Renode, developing, testing, debugging and simulating unmodified software for IoT devices is fast, cost-effective and reliable.

For details, see the official webpage.

LiteX

LiteX is a MiSoC-based SoC builder using Migen as Python DSL that can be used to create SoCs and full FPGA designs.

LiteX provides specific building/debugging tools for high level of abstraction and compatibily with the LiteX core ecosystem.

Think of Migen as a toolbox to create FPGA designs in Python and LiteX as a toolbox to create/develop/debug FPGA SoCs in Python.

For details, see the github repository.

Usage

First, build your LiteX platform with --csr-json csr.json switch, e.g.:

python3 litex/boards/targets/arty.py --cpu-type vexriscv --with-ethernet --csr-json csr.json

Now, use the generated configuration file as an input for generate-renode-scripts.py:

./generate-renode-scripts.py csr.json \
    --resc litex.resc \
    --repl litex.repl
    --bios-binary soc_ethernetsoc_arty/software/bios/bios.bin

This will generate two files:

• litex.repl - platform definition file, containing information about all the peripherals and their configuration,
• litex.resc - Renode script file, allowing to easily run the simulation of the generated platform.

Finally, you can run the simulation by executing the command::

renode litex.resc

Additional options

The script provides additional options:

--firmware-binary

Allows to set a path to the file that should be loaded into flash. Allows to use the flashboot command in LiteX bios.

--configure-network

Generates virtual network and connects it to the host's interface. Allows to use the netboot command in LiteX bios.

Supported LiteX components

The script can generate the following elements of the LiteX SoC:

• uart,
• timer0,
• ethmac,
• cas,
• cpu,
• spiflash,
• ctrl.

Examples

See litex-buildenv for an example of use.