AR# 7867: 2.1i COREGEN, BLOCK RAM: "Error:unable to open file for memory initialization: MIF file - binary error xx"
AR# 7867
2.1i COREGEN, BLOCK RAM: "Error:unable to open file for memory initialization: MIF file - binary error xx"
Description
Keywords: coregen, RAM, mif, binary, virtex, rom, block, memory, init, single port, dual port
Urgency: standard
General description: When trying to generate a Single Port or Dual Port Virtex Block RAM memory core in the 2.1i release, you may see the following error message if you direct the module to read in a non-binary MIF initialization file:
"Error:unable to open file for memory initialization: MIF file - binary error xx Error:An internal error has occured. Please call Xilinx support. Error:Sim has a problem implementing the selected core. Implementation netlist will not be generated. Error:SimGenerator: Failure of Sim to implement customization parameters core <core_name>"
One possible cause of this error may be that the values in the MIF file are specified in a format other than binary format--i.e., in hexadecimal or decimal format. According to the block RAM datasheet, MIF file data must be specified in binary format.
Solution
If you would like to specify the initialization values in HEX or decimal format, you can do so by specifying the values in a .COE file in the "MEMORY_INITIALIZATION_VECTOR" parameter field, rather than in the MIF.
Otherwise, if you are using an MIF file, make sure the MIF file data is specified in binary format. This should not be confused with the RADIX option in the popup from the "Initial Contents" button, which gives you a choice of Binary, Decimal, and Hexadecimal formats. The "RADIX" setting here only applies to the "default value" for memory locations that are not otherwise defined within the MIF file.
The preferred method for specifying initial values is through the COE file. In a future release of the Block memory modules, initial values will only be specifiable through a COE file.