Install VIVADO on Ubuntu

Linux for FPGA Design:

  1. FPGA Design Tools can be installed on Linux Distro’s
  2. Linux can be used for building the FPGA bit files and sources [Bootable File], the linux commands allow to design any FPGA design more faster than following the VIVADO GUI.
  3. Installation of PetaLinux on Linux can be done for creating the embedded processing systems [bootable files].
  4. Development of Drivers on the Linux is more preferred for FPGA’s: as example writing the driver for PCI Express application for FPGA is preferred on Linux.

Tutorial Series on Linux and VIVADO:

1. How to Download & Install VIVADO on Linux [Ubuntu]: Tutorial

2. How to Install FPGA Board driver [After installation of VIVADO on Ubuntu Completes]

Goto the VIVADO installed directory on your Ubuntu Machine -In this tutorial, we assume installed directory as /opt/Xilinx/Vivado/2019.1 , you can take your’s.

$ cd /opt/Xilinx/Vivado/2019.1/data/xicom/cable_drivers/lin64/install_script/install_drivers 
$ sudo ./install_drivers

After this command, you will see this type of output

INFO: Installing cable drivers.
INFO: Script name = ./install_drivers
INFO: HostName = Compaq8200
INFO: Current working dir = /opt/Xilinx/Vivado/2018.2/data/xicom/cable_drivers/lin64/install_script/install_drivers
INFO: Kernel version = 4.4.0-130-generic.
INFO: Arch = x86_64.
Successfully installed Digilent Cable Drivers 
.
.
.
INFO: Driver installation successful.
CRITICAL WARNING: Cable(s) on the system must be unplugged then plugged back in order for the driver scripts to update the cables.


Now enter following command:
$ sudo adduser $USER dialout

3. How to Install FPGA Board Files [From Digilent or Xilinx] on VIVADO at Ubuntu:

[Similar tutorial is also available at Digilent but at first review our’s]. This tutorial will work for VIVADO 2016 or later on Ubuntu, for older version of VIVADO please review this tutorial.

  • Download the Board Files from the Digilent Website or Github, extract those board files on your Ubuntu.
  • Goto: vivado-boards-master/new/board_files and copy all the board files. If you have open VIVADO then close for now.
  • Now goto:  /opt/Xilinx/Vivado/201x.x/data/boards/boards_files and paste.
  • Now you can open VIVADO from Terminal: $vivado & , and create a test project and check either new boards are available there  or not.
  • If this method don’t work then follow this tutorial [section 3.2]: Link