How to start "Xilinx SDK" from command line instead of from Vivado "File->Launch-SDK" Menu?

Question

I'm wondering how to start "Xilinx SDK Eclipse GUI" (XSDK) directly from the command line?

Currently, I'm launching XSDK by first launching "vivado", and then going to the "File->Launch SDK" menu. However, this is a bit cumbersome to always open Vivado first, just to open "Xilinx SDK". What I want to do, is launch "Xilinx SDK" directly from my Git bash Shell under windows 10 and then open the previous project under "project_1.sdk" and to continue with what I was working on last time.

Answer 1

My Git Bash Setup:

#~/.bashrc:
export PATH=/c/Xilinx/Vivado/2017.3/bin:$PATH
export PATH=/c/Xilinx/SDK/2017.3/bin:$PATH

Then:

$ xsdk -workspace your_project_dir.sdk &

Also:

$ xsdk -h

Display Options:
  -help
        Help -- just display this message and quit.
  -version
        Display Version and quit.

  -batch
        SDK Tcl Batch Mode.

  -wait
        Wait for SDK to complete.

Options:
  -workspace <Workspace location>
        Specify the Workspace directory for SDK projects
  -hwspec <hardware specification file>
        Specify the XML file to load.
  -bit <bitstream file>
        Specify the Bitsteam file to use for programming FPGA
  -bmm <bmm file>
        Specify the BMM file to use for BRAM initialization
  -batch -source <tcl script file>
        Specify tcl Script file to executee all commands in SDK batch mode
  {-lp <repository_path>}
        Add <repository_path> to the list of Driver/OS/Library search directories.
  -eclipseargs <eclipse arguments>
        Any other arguments that should be passed to Eclipse.
        This should follow all other SDK arguments.
  -vmargs <java vm arguments>
        Any other arguments that should be passed to Java VM.
        This should follow all other SDK arguments.

Also useful:

SDK Command Line Batch Mode

Answer 2

The Eclipse/SDK can be launched in these two other ways

(1) Launch from the Vivado TCL Command Line: Going from Vivado to SDK often has these steps - File > Export (Hardware) - File > Launch SDK Each of these commands prints information in blue text in the Tcl Console. Those commands can be copied into a tcl script and run from Tcl Console. By default Tcl runs from this folder

C:\Users\WinUserName\AppData\Roaming\Xilinx\Vivado If the script is placed there (e.g. zz1.tcl, or just zz1) Then it can be run from the Tcl Console as source zz1.tcl That will execute the commands in zz1.tcl -> export hardware and launch the SDK

(2) Or, run Eclipse/SDK from Windows, then select the SDK folder: The SDK can be run directly and can be found here:

C:\Xilinx\SDK\2019.1\bin\xsdk.bat When it runs it will ask for a Workspace Click [Browse] and navigate to the .SDK folder in the Vivado project It will open and run as usual, without Vivado running, etc

Note: I have noticed that Vivado/SDK can be temperamental about how and when project folder contents are changed. Including if the SDK is launched and another SDK is already running in that folder. In some cases, the easiest recovery is to rename the ~corrupt SDK folder, create a new HelloWorld project, get HelloWorld running, and then update files into the new folder.