PROMGen

PROMGen formats a BitGen-generated configuration bitstream (BIT) file into a PROM format file. The PROM file contains configuration data for the FPGA device. PROMGen converts a BIT file into one of three PROM formats: MCS-86 (Intel), EXORMAX (Motorola), or TEKHEX (Tektronix). It can also generate a Hex file format.

Figure 17.1 PROMGen

There are two functionally equivalent versions of PROMGen. There is a stand-alone version you can access from an operating system prompt. There is also an interactive version, called the PROM File Formatter, that you can access from inside the Design Manager for Alliance or the Project Manager in Foundation. This chapter first describes the stand-alone version; the interactive version is described in the PROM File Formatter Guide.

You can also use PROMGen to concatenate bitstream files to daisy-chain FPGAs.

Note: If the destination PROM is one of the Xilinx Serial PROMs, you are using a Xilinx PROM Programmer, and the FPGAs are not being daisy-chained, it is not necessary to make a PROM file. See the Hardware User Guide for more information about daisy-chained designs.