Specifications

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Chapter 2
Xilinx Platform Studio (XPS)
This chapter describes the Xilinx Platform Studio (XPS) IDE for the Xilinx Embedded
Processors, MicroBlaze and PowerPC.
Xilinx Platform Studio (XPS) provides an integrated environment for creating the software
and hardware specification flows for an Embedded Processor system. It also provides an
editor and a project management interface to create and edit source code. XPS offers
customization of tool flow configuration options. It also provides a graphical system editor
for connection of processors, peripherals and buses. XPS is available on both Windows and
Solaris platforms. There is also a batch mode invocation of XPS available.
This chapter contains the following sections.
x “Processes Supported”
x “Tools Supported”
x “Project Management”
x “XPS Interface”
x “Platform Management”
x “Software Application Management”
x “Flow Tool Settings and Required Files”
x “Tool Invocation”
x “Debug and Simulation”
x “PBD Editor”
x “XPS “No Window” Mode”
Processes Supported
XPS supports the creation of the MHS (refer to Chapter 15, “Microprocessor Hardware
Specification (MHS)”) and MSS file, (refer to Chapter 19, “Microprocessor Software
Specification (MSS)”) files needed for embedded tools flow. The MVS file used in EDK 3.2
has been discontinued and that information is stored in XPS project files. XPS also aids
users in creating an MHS (refer to Chapter 15, “Microprocessor Hardware Specification
(MHS)”) through a dialog based editor and bus connection matrix, or through a graphical
block diagram editor (referred to as the Platform Block Diagram editor). It supports
customization of software libraries, drivers, interrupt handlers and compilation of user
programs. Source management of C source files and header files for user applications is
also provided by XPS. Users can also choose the simulation mode for the complete system.
Users can begin a project by either importing an existing MHS file or by starting with an
empty MHS file and then adding cores to it. It performs process management and
dependency checking between the hardware, software and simulation tool flows by