After the AI Engine graph and the C/C++
kernels are compiled, and any RTL kernels are packaged, the Vitis
v++ --link
command links them with the target
platform to build the device binary (XCLBIN), used to program the hardware. For more
information, see
Linking the Kernels in the
Application Acceleration Development flow of the Vitis Unified Software Platform Documentation
(UG1416).
The following is an example of the linking command for the Vitis compiler in the AI Engine design flow.
v++ --link -t hw_emu --platform xilinx_vck190_base_202110_1 -g \
<pl_kernel1>.xo <pl_kernel2>.xo ../libadf.a -o vck190_aie_graph.xclbin \
--config ../system.cfg --save-temps
The v++
command uses the options
in the following table.
Option | Description |
---|---|
--link
|
Specifies the linking process. |
-t
hw_emu
|
Specifies the build target of the link process.
For the AI Engine kernel flow,
the target can be either hw_emu
for emulation and test, or hw to
build the system hardware.Important: The v++ compilation and
linking commands must use both the same build target (
-t ) and the same target platform
(--platform ). |
--platform
|
Specifies the path to the target platform. |
-g
|
Specifies the addition of debugging logic required to enable debug (for hardware emulation) and to capture waveform data. |
<pl_kernel1>.xo
<pl_kernel2>.xo
|
Specifies the input compiled PL kernel object
files (.xo ) to link with the
AI Engine graph and the
target platform. |
../libadf.a
|
Specifies the input compiled AI Engine graph application to link with the PL kernels and the target platform. |
-o
|
Specifies the device binary (XCLBIN) file that is the output of the linking process. |
--config
|
Specifies a configuration file to define some of the compilation or linking options. 1 |
--save-temps
|
Indicates that the temporary files created during the build process should be preserved for later examination or use. This includes output files created by Vitis HLS and the Vivado Design Suite. |
|
For the AI Engine kernel flow,
the Vitis compiler requires two specific
sections in the configuration file:[connectivity]
and [advanced]
. The following is an example
configuration file.
[connectivity]
nk=mm2s:1:mm2s
nk=s2mm:1:s2mm
stream_connect=mm2s.s:ai_engine_0.DataIn1
stream_connect=ai_engine_0.DataOut1:s2mm.s
[advanced]
param=compiler.addOutputTypes=hw_export
The [connectivity]
section of the
configuration file has options described in the following table.
Option | Description |
---|---|
nk
|
Specifies the number of kernel- instances or
CUs the v++ command adds to the
device binary (XCLBIN).The Multiple instances of
the kernels are specified as |
sc
|
Defines AXI4-Stream connections
between the ports of the AI Engine graph and the streaming ports of the PL kernels. Connections can
be defined as the streaming output of one kernel connecting to the
streaming input of a second kernel, or to a streaming input port on
an IP implemented in the target platform. For more information, see
--connectivity Options in
the Application Acceleration Development flow of the Vitis Unified Software Platform Documentation
(UG1416). The example The example |
To instruct the Vitis linker to generate an XSA archive of the generated hardware design, add the following parameter to a configuration file.
[advanced]param=compiler.addOutputTypes=hw_export
Alternatively, for a custom platform, add the following TCL command prior to
invoking
write_hw_platform
.
set_property compiler.default_output_type=hw_export
which directs the Vitis linker to always generate an XSA for any design.
During the linking process, the Vitis compiler invokes the Vivado Design Suite to generate the device binary (XCLBIN) for the target platform. The XCLBIN file is used to program the device and includes the following information.
- PDI
- Programming information for the AI Engine array
- Debug data
- Debug information when included in the build
- Memory topology
- Defines the memory resources and structure for the target platform
- IP Layout
- Defines layout information for the implemented hardware design
- Metadata
- Various elements of platform meta data to let the tool load and run the XCLBIN file on the target platform
For more information on the XRT use of the XCLBIN file, see XRT.