Define and Add IP Repository to Custom Reference Design

When you create your custom reference design, you might require custom IP modules that do not come with Altera^® Qsys or Xilinx^® Vivado^®. To use custom IP modules, create your own IP repository folder that contains IP module subfolders. The IP Core Generation workflow then uses these custom IP modules when creating the reference design project. You can create multiple IP repositories and add all or some of the IP modules in each repository to your custom reference design project. You can also reuse and share IP repositories across multiple reference designs.

Create an IP Repository Folder Structure

Create an IP repository folder anywhere on the MATLAB^® path. This figure shows a typical IP repository folder structure.

When you create the folder structure, use the naming convention +(company)/+(product)/+(tool). In this example, the folder structure is +(mathworks)/+(hdlcoder)/+(vivado). The folder +vivado acts as the IP repository. This folder contains subfolders corresponding to IP modules such as AXI4StoHDMI and HDMItoAXIS. The folder also contains a hdlcoder_video_iplist MATLAB function. Using this function, specify the IP modules to add to the reference design.

The same repository folder can have multiple MATLAB functions. This figure shows two MATLAB functions, hdlcoder_video1_iplist and hdlcoder_video2_list, in the +vivado folder. The functions can share the same IP modules or point to different IP modules in the repository.

Note

If your synthesis tool is Xilinx Vivado, the IP modules in the repository folder can be in zip file format.

Define IP List Function

Create a MATLAB function that specifies the IP modules to add to the reference design. Save this function in the IP repository folder. For the function name, use the naming convention hdlcoder_<specific_use>_iplist. This example uses hdlcoder_video_iplist as the function name because it targets video applications. Using this function, specify whether you want to add all or some of the IP modules in the repository to the reference design project. To add all IP modules, use an empty cell array for ipList. This MATLAB code shows how to add all IP modules in the repository to the reference design.

function [ipList] = hdlcoder_video_iplist(  )
% All IP modules in the repository folder.

ipList = {};

You can specify the root directory as an optional second output argument to the IP list function. In this case, the IP modules do not have to be located in a path relative to the IP list function. The IP repository can also be located outside the MATLAB path.

If you do not specify the root directory, the function searches for IP modules relative to its location.

function [ipList, rootDir] = hdlcoder_video_iplist( )
% All IP modules with a root directory.

ipList = {};

To add some of the IP modules that are in the folder, specify the IP modules as a cell array of character vectors. This MATLAB code specifies the AXI4StoHDMI IP and the HDMItoAXIS IP as the IP modules to add to your custom reference design.

function [ipList] = hdlcoder_video_iplist(  )
% AXI4StoHDMI and HDMItoAXIS IP in the repository folder.

ipList = {'AXI4StoHDMI','HDMItoAXIS'};

Add IP List Function to Reference Design Project

Using the addIPRepository method of the hdlcoder.ReferenceDesign class, add the IP list function to your custom reference design. This example reference design adds hdlcoder_video_iplist to the custom reference design My Reference Design.

function hRD = plugin_rd()
% Reference design definition

% Construct reference design object
hRD = hdlcoder.ReferenceDesign('SynthesisTool', 'Xilinx Vivado');
hRD.ReferenceDesignName = 'My Reference Design';
hRD.BoardName = 'ZedBoard'

% Tool information
hRD.SupportedToolVersion = {'2020.2'};

%% Add custom design files
hRD.addCustomVivadoDesign( ...
    'CustomBlockDesignTcl', 'system_top.tcl', ...
    'VivadoBoardPart',      'em.avnet.com:zed:part0:1.0');

% Add IP Repository
hRD.addIPRepository(...
    'IPListFunction', 'mathworks.hdlcoder.vivado.hdlcoder_video_iplist',
		 'NotExistMessage', 'IP repository not found');

% ...
% ...

To use the IP modules when the code generator creates the project, open the HDL Workflow Advisor, and run the IP Core Generation workflow to the Create Project task. After running this task, you can see the IP module subfolders in the repository copied over to the ipcore folder of the project. The CustomBlockDesignTcl can then use these IP modules.