Installation of Xilinx SDK 2019.1

This installation tutorial is intended for anyone who wants to develop FPGA projects that also require modifications to the software running on the ARM processor of the Red Pitaya board, such as creating custom device drivers or modifying the First Stage Boot Loader (FSBL).

Overview

What is Xilinx SDK?

Xilinx Software Development Kit (SDK) is an integrated development environment for creating embedded software applications. For Red Pitaya FPGA development, SDK is used for:

• Generating the First Stage Boot Loader (FSBL)

• Creating and modifying device tree files

• Developing custom Linux drivers

• Building bare-metal applications for the ARM processor

• Debugging hardware-software interfaces

Why SDK 2019.1?

Red Pitaya FPGA projects are configured to work with SDK 2019.1 specifically. Using a different version may cause compatibility issues with:

• Device tree generation scripts

• FSBL compilation

• Hardware handoff files from Vivado

• Build automation scripts

Note

Xilinx has replaced SDK with Vitis starting from version 2019.2. However, Red Pitaya projects still use SDK 2019.1 for maximum stability and compatibility. Future versions will migrate to Vitis.

Prerequisites

Before installing SDK, ensure you have:

System Requirements

• Operating System:

  • Ubuntu 18.04/20.04/22.04/24.04

  • Windows 10 or later (with limitations, not recommended)

• Disk Space: Minimum 60 GB free space (100 GB recommended)

• RAM: Minimum 8 GB (16 GB recommended)

• Internet Connection: For downloading installer (~24 GB)

Software Prerequisites

• Vivado 2020.1 must be installed first (see Vivado Installation Guide)

• Git command-line tools

• Required system libraries (Linux)

User Account

• AMD account (free registration at https://login.amd.com/)

• Download access to archived SDK versions

Note

SDK 2019.1 is required for building the Red Pitaya OS and ecosystem, both of which are supported only on Ubuntu Linux. For best results in building SDK-based projects, use Ubuntu as the native platform.

Installation Steps

Download SDK 2019.1 Installer

1. Create/Login to AMD Account

   Visit the AMD Registration Page and create a free account if you don’t have one.

2. Navigate to Vivado SDK Downloads

   Go to the AMD Xilinx Vivado SDK Downloads Page (Vitis/SDK Archive page).

3. Select Vivado 2019.1

   • Scroll to find 2019.1 version

   • You will see multiple installer options, find the following version:

     • Vivado Design Suite - HLx Editions - 2019.1 Full Product Installation

4. Download the Installer

   • Download: Vivado HLx 2019.1: All OS installer Single-File Download

   • File size: ~21.39 GB

   

Note

Important: Since SDK web installers do not work anymore, please download the full Vivado 2019.1 installer from the archive which also includes the SDK 2019.1.

Install Required Libraries (Linux Only)

Before running the SDK installer on Linux, install required system libraries:

# Update package list
sudo apt update

# Install required libraries for SDK
sudo apt install -y \
    libxft2 \
    libxft2:i386 \
    lib32stdc++6 \
    libgtk2.0-0:i386 \
    dpkg-dev:i386 \
    libncurses5 \
    libtinfo5

# Install additional dependencies for FSBL and device tree generation
sudo apt install -y \
    libncurses-dev \
    libedit-dev \
    libxrender-dev \
    libxrender-dev:i386 \
    libxt6 \
    libxt6:i386

Note

If you’re using Ubuntu 22.04 or newer, some 32-bit libraries may not be available in default repositories. If you encounter missing package errors, you may need to enable i386 architecture:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install <package-name>:i386

Run the SDK Installer

Linux Installation

1. Extract the installer:

   • Navigate to your download directory

   • Extract the downloaded .tar.gz file:

   tar -xvf Xilinx_Vivado_SDK_2019.1_0524_1430.tar.gz
   

2. Make the installer executable:

   # Navigate to download directory
   cd ~/Downloads
   
   # Make installer executable
   chmod +x Xilinx_Vivado_SDK_2019.1_0524_1430.bin
   

3. Handle OS Version Warning (Ubuntu 20.04/22.04):

   Vivado SDK 2019.1 officially supports Ubuntu 18.04. If you’re running a newer version and the installer gives an OS version warning, you can temporarily modify /etc/os-release:

   # Backup the original file
   sudo cp /etc/os-release /etc/os-release.backup
   
   # Edit the file
   sudo nano /etc/os-release
   

   Change the VERSION line to:

   VERSION="18.04.4 LTS (Bionic Beaver)"
   

   Save and exit (Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter).

   

3. Run the installer:

   # Run installer
   sudo ./Xilinx_Vivado_SDK_2019.1_0524_1430.bin
   

   The graphical installer will launch.

4. Restore os-release (Important!):

   After installation completes, restore the original file:

   sudo mv /etc/os-release.backup /etc/os-release
   

   Failure to restore this file may cause issues with other software!

Windows Installation

1. Extract the installer:

   • Navigate to your download directory

   • Extract the downloaded .tar.gz file using 7-Zip or similar tool.

1. Run the installer executable:

   • Open the extracted folder and run the xsetup.exe executable.

   • Windows may ask for administrator permissions - click “Yes”

2. Follow the installer wizard:

   The graphical installer will launch.

SDK Installation Wizard Steps

1. Welcome Screen

   • Close the “newer version available” message if it appears.

   • Click Next

   

2. Accept License Agreements

   • Check all “I Agree” boxes

   • Click Next

   

3. Select Edition

   • Choose Vivado HL Design Edition

   • Click Next

   

   Note

   Vivado HL Design Edition also includes the SDK 2019.1.

4. Select Installation Options

   Check these components:

   • ✅ Software Development Kit (SDK)

   • ✅ DocNav (documentation browser - optional but recommended)

   Uncheck components you don’t need to save space. See the figure below for reference.

   

5. Choose Installation Location

   Default paths:

   • Linux: /opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1 or /tools/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1

   • Windows: C:\Xilinx\SDK\2019.1

   Note

   Important for Linux: If you installed Vivado in /opt/Xilinx/, install SDK in the same parent directory (/opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1) to keep tools organized.

   Click Next

   

6. Installation Summary

   • Review your selections

   • Note the installation size (approximately 25 GB)

   • Click Install

   

7. Installation Progress

   • The installation may take 30-60 minutes depending on your system

8. Installation Completed

   • Click Finish

   • Do NOT launch SDK immediately; we need to configure environment variables first

9. Delete Vivado 2019.1 Files (Optional)

   Since we already have Vivado 2020.1 installed, you can delete the Vivado 2019.1 files to free up disk space:

   sudo rm -rf /opt/Xilinx/Vivado/2019.1
   

10. Restore os-release (Linux Only)

    If you modified /etc/os-release earlier, ensure you have restored it to the original version as described in Step 4 of the Linux installation section.

Post-Installation Configuration

Environment Variables (Linux)

After installation, you must configure environment variables so the system can find SDK executables.

Temporary Configuration (Current Terminal Session Only)

Run these commands in your terminal:

# Source SDK settings script
source /opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1/settings64.sh

# Add SDK to PATH (may be necessary for some tools)
export PATH=/opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1/bin:$PATH

Note

Replace /opt/Xilinx/ with your actual installation directory if different.

Permanent Configuration (Recommended)

Add the SDK settings to your .bashrc file so they’re loaded automatically:

# Open .bashrc in text editor
nano ~/.bashrc

Add these lines at the end of the file:

# Xilinx Vivado 2020.1 settings
source /opt/Xilinx/Vivado/2020.1/settings64.sh

# Xilinx SDK 2019.1 settings
source /opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1/settings64.sh

# Add SDK to PATH
export PATH=/opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1/bin:$PATH

Save and exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).

Apply changes:

# Reload .bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Environment Variables (Windows)

Method 1: Automatic Setup

The Windows installer typically adds environment variables automatically. Verify by opening a new Command Prompt and typing:

echo %XILINX_SDK%

If it shows the SDK path, you’re set. If not, proceed to Method 2.

Method 2: Manual Configuration

1. Right-click “This PC” or “My Computer” → Properties

2. Click Advanced system settings

3. Click Environment Variables

4. Under “System variables”, click New

Add these variables:

• Variable name: XILINX_SDK Variable value: C:\Xilinx\SDK\2019.1

• Variable name: XILINX_VIVADO Variable value: C:\Xilinx\Vivado\2020.1

5. Edit the Path variable:

   • Select Path → Click Edit

   • Click New

   • Add: C:\Xilinx\SDK\2019.1\bin

   • Add: C:\Xilinx\Vivado\2020.1\bin

6. Click OK on all windows

7. Restart your terminal or computer for changes to take effect

For detailed Windows PATH instructions, see this Windows PATH guide.

Verify Installation

Test SDK Command-Line Tools

Linux:

# Check SDK version
which xsdk

# Expected output: /opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1/bin/xsdk

# Check HSI (Hardware Software Interface) tool
which hsi

# Expected output: /opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1/bin/hsi

# Verify SDK is in PATH
echo $PATH | grep SDK

Windows:

# Check SDK installation
where xsdk

# Expected output: C:\Xilinx\SDK\2019.1\bin\xsdk.bat

# Check environment variable
echo %XILINX_SDK%

Launch SDK GUI (Optional Test)

To verify the graphical interface works:

Linux:

# Launch SDK
xsdk &

Windows:

# Launch SDK
xsdk

SDK should open with a workspace selection dialog. You can close it after verifying it launches successfully.

Using SDK with Red Pitaya Projects

SDK Integration with Build System

Red Pitaya FPGA projects use SDK for:

1. FSBL Generation: Creates the First Stage Boot Loader

2. Device Tree Generation: Generates device tree files for Linux kernel

3. Hardware-Software Interface: Bridges FPGA hardware with ARM software

Build Commands Using SDK:

When you build Red Pitaya FPGA projects, SDK is invoked automatically by Make:

# Build FPGA project (includes FSBL and device tree generation)
make PRJ=v0.94 MODEL=Z10

# Build only FSGA (skips SDK parts)
make build PRJ=v0.94 MODEL=Z10

SDK Components Used

HSI (Hardware Software Interface)

The hsi command-line tool is used in TCL scripts to:

• Read hardware handoff files (.hdf) from Vivado

• Generate FSBL source code

• Generate device tree source files

• Configure processor settings

XSCT (Xilinx Software Command-line Tool)

Used for:

• Building FSBL executables

• Cross-compiling ARM applications

• Debugging via JTAG

File Locations in Red Pitaya Build:

fpga/
├── prj/v0.94/
│   └── sdk/
│       └── fsbl/           # FSBL source generated by HSI
├── hsi/
│   ├── fsbl.elf            # Compiled FSBL binary
│   └── dts/                # Device tree sources
└── dts/
    └── system.dts          # Final device tree file

Common SDK Usage Scenarios

Scenario 1: Building FPGA with FSBL

To build a complete FPGA project including FSBL:

# Navigate to FPGA repository
cd RedPitaya-FPGA

# Source environment variables (if not in .bashrc)
source /opt/Xilinx/Vivado/2020.1/settings64.sh
source /opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1/settings64.sh

# Build everything (bitstream, FSBL, device tree)
make PRJ=v0.94 MODEL=Z10

SDK will be invoked during the build to generate FSBL and device tree.

Scenario 2: Generating Only FSBL

To regenerate only the FSBL without rebuilding the entire FPGA:

# Navigate to project directory
cd RedPitaya-FPGA/prj/v0.94

# Run FSBL TCL script
hsi -source ../../red_pitaya_hsi_fsbl.tcl -tclargs v0.94 Z10

The FSBL binary will be generated in fpga/hsi/fsbl.elf.

Scenario 3: Modifying Device Tree

To customize the device tree for your FPGA design:

1. Generate initial device tree:

   make PRJ=v0.94 MODEL=Z10
   

2. Edit device tree sources:

   nano fpga/dts/system.dts
   

3. Compile device tree:

   # Compile DTS to DTB (device tree blob)
   dtc -I dts -O dtb -o system.dtb fpga/dts/system.dts
   

4. Deploy to Red Pitaya:

   scp system.dtb root@rp-xxxxxx.local:/boot/devicetree.dtb
   

Scenario 4: Creating Custom Bare-Metal Application

To create a bare-metal application that runs on the ARM processor:

1. Launch SDK:

   xsdk &
   

2. Import Hardware Platform:

   • File → New → Application Project

   • Select hardware platform from Vivado export (.hdf file)

3. Write your application:

   • Select “Empty Application” template

   • Add your C++ source files

4. Build and run:

   • Right-click project → Build Project

   • Use JTAG to download and run on Red Pitaya

Troubleshooting

SDK Won’t Start

Problem: xsdk command not found

Solution:

# Check if SDK is in PATH
echo $PATH | grep SDK

# If not, source settings script
source /opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1/settings64.sh

# Add to .bashrc for permanent fix
echo "source /opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1/settings64.sh" >> ~/.bashrc

HSI Command Fails

Problem: hsi: command not found during FPGA build

Solution:

# Verify HSI is installed
ls /opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1/bin/hsi

# If file exists but command not found, add to PATH
export PATH=/opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1/bin:$PATH

# Add to .bashrc
echo 'export PATH=/opt/Xilinx/SDK/2019.1/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc

FSBL Generation Fails

Problem: Error during make: “FSBL generation failed”

Possible causes and solutions:

1. Missing .hdf file:

   # Verify hardware handoff exists
   ls prj/v0.94/project/redpitaya.sdk/
   
   # If missing, export from Vivado:
   # File → Export → Export Hardware (include bitstream)
   

2. SDK version mismatch:

   # Check SDK version
   xsdk -version
   
   # Should show: Xilinx SDK 2019.1
   

3. Corrupted SDK installation:

   # Reinstall SDK or run repair from installer
   

Missing Libraries (Linux)

Problem: SDK won’t launch, shows library errors

Solution:

# Install 32-bit library support
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update

# Install missing libraries
sudo apt install -y \
    libxft2:i386 \
    libncurses5 \
    libtinfo5 \
    libstdc++6:i386

Permission Denied Errors

Problem: Cannot write FSBL or device tree files

Solution:

# Fix directory permissions
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER RedPitaya-FPGA
chmod -R u+w RedPitaya-FPGA

# Or run make with sudo (not recommended)
sudo make PRJ=v0.94 MODEL=Z10

Device Tree Compilation Fails

Problem: dtc: command not found

Solution:

# Install device tree compiler
sudo apt install device-tree-compiler

# Verify installation
dtc --version

Additional Resources

Official Documentation:

• Xilinx SDK User Guide (UG1027)

• Xilinx HSI User Guide (UG1138)

• Device Tree Xilinx Repository

Red Pitaya Resources:

• Vivado Installation Guide

• FPGA Project Creation

• Device Tree Configuration (coming soon)

• Red Pitaya Forum

Community Support:

• AMD Xilinx Forums

• Red Pitaya Forum

• GitHub Issues

Next Steps

Now that SDK is installed, you can proceed to:

1. Create Your First FPGA Project

2. Build FPGA Projects

3. Generate Device Tree

4. Program FPGA via JTAG

For a complete FPGA development workflow, see FPGA Development Guide.