Skip to main content

iCEcube2 Guide

This guide quickly shows you how to synthesize a design and generate a bitmap using iCEcube2. For more detailed information, see the official iCEcube2 User Guide published by Lattice Semiconductor.

Installation​

  1. Download iCEcube2 and obtain a free license from https://www.latticesemi.com/iCEcube2.
  2. Save the license.dat file somewhere safe (such as C:/lscc/license/ on Windows). You'll need this file in the next step.
  3. Finally, install iCEcube2.

Folder Structure​

You can organize your files in any way that makes sense for your project. It's good practice, however, to keep your source files independent from your vendor's tool files. This makes it easier to migrate your designs should you ever change vendors.

For most of our projects, we use a folder structure similar to the one shown below:

my-project/
├── icecube2/
├── src/
└── sim/
note

The icecube2 directory will be created in the next section.

Download the Project (Optional)​

This guide uses a project called my-project which contains a single source file (my-project/src/top.sv) that makes an LED blink once per second.

If you would like to follow this guide verbatim, you can download and extract the eth4k-demo-guide.zip file.

Creating a New Project​

  1. Launch iCEcube2.
  2. In the top left corner, click File > New Project.
  3. Set Project Name to something like icecube2.
  4. Set Project Directory to your project's root directory.
  5. Set Device Family to iCE40.
  6. Set Device to HX4K.
  7. Set Device Package to TQ144.
  8. Under Junction Temperature, set Range to Industrial.
  9. Set all four options under IOBank Voltage(V) to 3.3
  10. Click Next.

  1. Add the files from your src directory using the >> button. You only need to select the files that will be used for synthesis.

  1. Click Finish.

Synthesizing Your Design​

  1. Double-click the Run Synplify Pro Synthesis option to begin synthesis.
  2. Review the output for any warnings and errors. If all goes well, the output will read Synthesis succeeded near the end.
  3. Double-click Import P&R Input Files.
  4. Open the Pins Constraints Editor () and enter the pin numbers.
    • This editor can also be opened by clicking Tool > Pins Constraints Editor.

  1. After entering the pin information, save the constraints (ctrl+s). If asked if you want to overrite the existing constraints file, click Yes.
  2. Double-click Run Placer.
  3. Double-click Run Router.
  4. Double-click Generate Bitmap.
  5. Navigate to Output Files > Bitmap > <filename>_bitmap.bin. Right click on it, and click Open File Location.
  6. This is the bitmap that you'll flash onto the FPGA, so either take note of this directory or copy the .bin file somewhere safe.
tip

By default, the bitmap files are stored in my-project/icecube2/icecube2_Implmnt/sbt/outputs/bitmap/.

Next Steps​

Now that you have successfully generated a bitmap, you need to flash this bitmap onto the FPGA. Our Diamond Programmer Guide will walk you through this process.