Speedier demo, flash app clear added

README.md

@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ to life!).
 
 ### 1. Software ###
 
-To use this project effectively, you will have to install LiteX, see https://github.com/enjoy-digital/litex for details. Project Trellis, NextPNR & YoSys shall also be installed.
-Also, it is recommended to install the board support, see https://github.com/litex-hub/litex-boards.
+To use this project effectively, you will have to install LiteX, see https://github.com/enjoy-digital/litex for details (and project Trellis, NextPNR & YoSys requirements).
+Also, it is recommended to install the board support, see https://github.com/litex-hub/litex-boards,
+as well as the the RISC-V tool chain (see https://github.com/sifive/freedom-tools/releases).
 To communicate with your board via network, install the wishbone tools, see https://github.com/litex-hub/wishbone-utils.
 
 To use the automatic documentation feature, you will have to install sphinx, see https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master. Also its wavedrom extension has to be installed, see https://pypi.org/project/wavedrom.
@@ -75,11 +76,10 @@ After installation of the relevant toolchains:
    automatically
 12. Make sure, your JTAG adapter is in place!
 13. Run:  
-    ./ramcreate.sh main illumination 1  
-    and then:  
     ./flashcreate.sh main illumination 
 14. This flashes the application permanently to the boot address, where it will be verified by the BIOS
     and started automatically (the good news: the 64kBytes of the sample application only take some 18 s ...)
-15. You probably want to modify the application now ...
+15. You probably want to modify the application now ... (for development purposes, I recommend the quicker RAM bank  
+    loading - to get rid of an annoying flashed app, you may also use ./flashclearapp.sh ;)
 
-Have fun!
+Have fun!

helpers/ffffffff.img

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>

helpers/imageflasher.py

@@ -175,7 +175,13 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         relpath = "../"    
     else:
         relpath = "./"
-    filename = relpath + "software/build/main" # Fixed main.img!
+    print("arg1", sys.argv[1])
+    if sys.argv[1] == "--clear":
+        filename = relpath + "software/build/ffffffff" # Fixed ffffffff.img
+        from shutil import copyfile
+        copyfile(relpath + "software/helpers/ffffffff.img", filename)        
+    else:
+        filename = relpath + "software/build/main" # Fixed main.img!    
     print(f"Translating {filename}.img to {filename}.svf")    
     convertBitToUploadFlashFile(filename + ".img", filename + ".svf", address=0x100000, id_provided= 0x41111043)
     print(f"Load/flash {filename}.svf ...")    

software/README.md

@@ -7,4 +7,9 @@ This directory contains the actual application & the loading/flashing tools.
     example: ./ramcreate.sh main illumination 1  
 
 2. flashcreate.sh - Create & flash an application image (for permanent action across power losses)  
-    usage: ./flashcreate.sh
+    usage: ./flashcreate.sh  
+    
+3. flashclearapp.sh - Make flash app invalid, thus booting faster & then RAM boot dev. (pure convenience ...)  
+    usage: ./flashclearapp.sh  
+    
+

software/flashclearapp.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# flashclearapp.sh
+# Clear
+# 
+# History:
+# --------
+# 29.10.20/KQ	Initial version
+#
+
+echo "Clearing flash application ..."
+cd ..
+python3 helpers/imageflasher.py --clear
+cd software
+echo "Done."
+

software/flashcreate.sh

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ echo "Preparing flash image ..."
 ./ramcreate.sh main illumination 1
 echo "Flashing image ..."
 cd ..
-python3 helpers/imageflasher.py
+python3 helpers/imageflasher.py --flash
 cd software
 echo "Done."
 

software/source/illumination.c

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ static int32_t arLEDBuffer[MAXTABLES][MAXLEDS]; // GRB values
 extern char kbhit(void);
 extern int key_eval(void);
 
-static int iDelay = 100; // 100ms by default
+static int iDelay = 15; // 100ms by default
 
 int key_eval(void)
 {
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ int key_eval(void)
 		case 'w': if(iDelay < 200)
 					iDelay += 10; 
 				  break;
-		case 's': if(iDelay > 20) 
+		case 's': if(iDelay > 10) 
 					iDelay -= 10; 
 				  break;
 		case 'x': return 1; // Abort indication
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ void send_LEDs(void)
 			npe_b24Data2Load_write(arLEDBuffer[j][i]); // store 32(24) bit value @Table/Offset
 		}	
 	}
-	busy_wait(25); // Minimum that meets the eye ;)			
 }
 
 void clear_LEDs(int iTable)