When using an ASP component in a design, how are the Generate ASP and Use ASP from Software options best used?
The typical (and most efficient) way in which these two options are used, is actually driven from a debugging perspective. In terms of code development, debugging a function is only really possible at the C source code level. It is near-impossible to debug the corresponding hardware implementation of that function. By enabling the Generate ASP option, and disabling the Use ASP from Software option, you can effectively test and develop the software-compiled code only. The FPGA logic for any functions enabled for implementation in hardware will still be generated, but the processor will only use software-compiled versions of those functions. Once the software is fully debugged and operates as required, simply enable the Use ASP from Software option, to switch over to using the hardware implementations of those functions. As the logic for the hardware functions already exists, full reprocessing of the entire FPGA design is not required – it is simply a case of recompiling and downloading
