There is some work in progress towards [support for Xilinx devices](https://github.com/daveshah1/nextpnr-xilinx/) but it is not upstream and not intended for end users at the present time. We hope to see more FPGA families supported in the future. We would love your help in developing this awesome new project!
- A copy of Python that matches the version in vcpkg (currently Python 3.6.4). You can download the [Embeddable Zip File](https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-364/) and extract it. You may need to extract `python36.zip` within the embeddable zip file to a new directory called "Lib".
For iCE40 support, install [Project IceStorm](http://www.clifford.at/icestorm/) to `/usr/local` or another location, which should be passed as `-DICESTORM_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr` to CMake. Then build and install `nextpnr-ice40` using the following commands:
For ECP5 support, install [Project Trellis](https://github.com/YosysHQ/prjtrellis) to `/usr/local` or another location, which should be passed as `-DTRELLIS_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr/local` to CMake. Then build and install `nextpnr-ecp5` using the following commands:
- Examples of the ECP5 flow for a range of boards can be found in the [Project Trellis Examples](https://github.com/YosysHQ/prjtrellis/tree/master/examples).
For Nexus support, install [Project Oxide](https://github.com/daveshah1/prjoxide) to `$HOME/.cargo` or another location, which should be passed as `-DOXIDE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$HOME/.cargo` to CMake. Then build and install `nextpnr-nexus` using the following commands:
- Examples of the Nexus flow for a range of boards can be found in the [Project Oxide Examples](https://github.com/daveshah1/prjoxide/tree/master/examples).
Nexus support is currently experimental, and has only been tested with engineering sample silicon.
For Gowin support, install [Project Apicula](https://github.com/YosysHQ/apicula). If a virtualenv is used, the python paths need to be provided as follows:
- Examples of the Gowin flow for a range of boards can be found in the [Project Apicula Examples](https://github.com/YosysHQ/apicula/tree/master/examples).
The nextpnr GUI is not built by default, to reduce the number of dependencies for a standard headless build. To enable it, add `-DBUILD_GUI=ON` to the CMake command line and ensure that Qt5 and OpenGL are available:
- On Ubuntu, install `qt5-default`
- For MSVC vcpkg, install `qt5-base` (32-bit) or `qt5-base:x64-windows` (64-bit)
- For Homebrew, install `qt5` and add qt5 in path: `echo 'export PATH="/usr/local/opt/qt/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bash_profile`
` - this change is effective in next terminal session, so please re-open terminal window before building
It is possible to pre-generate chip databases (`.bba` files). This can come in handy when building on time-constrained cloud instances, or in situations where Python is unable to use modules. To do this, build the architecture as a standalone project, which will produce the chip database alone. For example, for iCE40:
This will create a `chipdb` directory with `.bba` files. Provide the path to this directory when building nextpnr by using `-D<arch>_CHIPDB=/path/to/chipdb`.
Cross-compilation
-----------------
Apart from chip databases, nextpnr requires the `bba` tool to be compiled for the build system. This tool can be compiled as a separate project:
This will create a `bba-export.cmake` file. Provide the path to this file when cross-building nextpnr by using `-DBBA_IMPORT=/path/to/bba-export.cmake`.
Additional notes for building nextpnr
-------------------------------------
The following runs a debug build of the iCE40 architecture without GUI, without Python support, without the HeAP analytic placer and only HX1K support:
The HeAP placer's solver can optionally use OpenMP for a speedup on very large designs. Enable this by passing `-DUSE_OPENMP=yes` to cmake (compiler support may vary).
You can change the location where nextpnr will be installed (this will usually default to `/usr/local`) by using `-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/install/prefix`.
