The CASPER Toolflow

Welcome to the CASPER Toolflow repository, mlib_devel!

What is mlib_devel?

The mlib_devel repository contains a set of FPGA DSP libraries and programming tools developed and maintained by the Collaboration for Astronomical Signal Processing and Electronics Research (CASPER). Within the collaboration, this collection of software is affectionately referred to as The Toolflow.

The CASPER toolflow allows you to generate signal processing designs using MATLAB's graphical programming tool Simulink. These designs can be turned into FPGA bitstreams and loaded onto a variety of supported hardware platforms to perform real-time digital signal processing systems. CASPER also provides a Python software library for interacting with running designs: casperfpga .

Using mlib_devel

For more information about installing and using the CASPER Toolflow, see the project's documentation.

If you want to build the documentation for a particular version of this repository you can do so by following these instructions. This may be useful if, for example, you're trying to do old (ROACH2) versions of tutorials.

Tutorials

CASPER maintain a set of tutorials, designed to introduce new users to the toolflow.

Updating an Existing Toolflow Installation

You can always update your installation of mlib_devel by pulling updated code from this repository. If you do this, chances are you'll need to update your Simulink models to match your new mlib_devel libraries.

A script is provided to automate this process. With your model open and active, in your MATLAB prompt, run

update_casper_blocks(bdroot)

This script will resynchronize every CASPER block in your design with its latest library version. Depending on the size of your model, it may take many minutes to complete! As always, back up your designs before attempting such a major operation. And, if you experience problems, please raise Github issues!

Directory structure

casper_library

Simulink DSP libraries

xps_library

Simulink libraries for tool-flow supported modules (ADC interfaces, Ethernet cores, etc.)

xps_base

HDL code and Xilinx EDK wrappers used in older (ROACH2 and earlier) versions of the toolflow.

docs

Sphinx documentation for the software in this project.

jasper_library

Python and MATLAB scripts required to drive the compilation process. Also platform-dependent configuration information and source-code for IP modules used by the toolflow in the following directories:

jasper_library/platforms

YAML files defining the compile parameters and physical constraints of CASPER-supported FPGA platforms.

jasper_library/golden

Golden boot images for FPGA platforms which require them.

jasper_library/hdl_sources

HDL source files for all toolflow-suppled modules (eg. ADC interfaces, Ethernet cores, etc.).

jasper_library/sw

Codebase for embedded software processors used by the toolflow.

jasper_library/yellow_blocks

Python classes for each yellow block in the simulink xps_library.

Getting Involved

If you are a CASPER collaborator, or you’re just interested in what we’re up to, feel free to join our mailing list by sending a blank email here.

If would like to get involved in the development of the tools, please join our dev mailing list by sending a blank email here.