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  3. AR# 35985: 12.1 EDK - ERROR:EDK - Ethernet_MAC (xps_ethernetlite) - expected integer but got ""

AR# 35985

12.1 EDK - ERROR:EDK - Ethernet_MAC (xps_ethernetlite) - expected integer but got ""

Description

After adding a mii_to_rmii core to an XPS project, and making the connections between xps_ethernetlite and the mii_to_rmii core, the following platgen error occurs:

ERROR:EDK - xget_value name : a null handle was provided
ERROR:EDK - Ethernet_MAC (xps_ethernetlite) - expected integer but got ""


How do I resolve this error?

Solution

This problem is caused by irrelevant OFFSET IN/OUT constraints generated by the XPS_ETHERNETLITE TCL file, which assumes that the PHY signals will be connected to external I/O pins.

To resolve this issue:

1. Right-click on the core in the GUI, and select 'Make this IP local'
 
2. Open the core TCL file located at "Project Folder/pcore/xps_ethernetlite_v4_00_a/data/xps_ethernetlite_v2_1_0.tcl"
 
3. Comment out the following lines:
 

########################################################
### OFFSET IN and OFFSET OUT constraints on PHY Clocks
########################################################
set tx_clk [ xget_connected_global_ports $mhsinst "PHY_tx_clk"]
set rx_clk [ xget_connected_global_ports $mhsinst "PHY_rx_clk"]
set global_tx_clk_name [ xget_hw_name [lindex $tx_clk 0] ]
set global_rx_clk_name [ xget_hw_name [lindex $rx_clk 0] ]
#puts $outputFile "OFFSET = OUT 10.000 AFTER \"$global_tx_clk_name\";"
puts $outputFile "OFFSET = IN 6.000 BEFORE \"$global_rx_clk_name\";"
#########################################################


Note: These TCL commands are used to generate the OFFSET IN/OUT constraint for the tx and rx clk, which are not required when connected to a mii_to_rmii core still inside the FPGA.

4. After commenting these command out, re-generate the bitstream.
 
5. Refer to the following Answer Records for information on system-level constraints:

(Xilinx Answer 18997)
(Xilinx Answer 19112)

This issue is fixed in the AXI_Ethernetlite core through the addition of a parameter to suppress constraint generation, starting in EDK 12.3.

The XPS_Ethernetlite is not planned to be enhanced.
AR# 35985
Date 06/08/2020
Status Active
Type Error Message
Tools
IP