Using RESTful API

A much more high level API can be used through RESTful interfaces. RESTful is a semi-official standard used throughout cloud/web infrastructure and Visual System Integrator provides a simple way to plug an FPGA/Embedded workflow into the rich ecosystem effortlessly while retaining the high performance promised by VSI.

Walkthrough

  • For the purpose of demonstration in this walkthrough, we will use a simple function included in vsi_examples repository. Using git, clone the vsi_examples repository: https://github.com/systemviewinc/vsi-examples.git.
  • We will also need a RESTful server in order to display the processed data. For this walkthrough, we will use a third- party library mongoose. Using git, clone the repository https://github.com/cesanta/mongoose.git locally.
  • In a terminal, enter the examples directory in cloned repository and run make. This will build the example projects.
  • Enter the restful_server directory and run ./restful_server. This will startup the restful server on port 8000 locally.
  • Create a new project and work through the wizard to the end. Select any part/board as it won’t matter since we’re only going to be using the software for the walkthrough.
  • Click menu->flow->Create Platform. Accept the prefilled default options and Press okay.
  • Click menu->flow->Create Context. Change the dropdown to Software and enter name as rest_walkthrough. Press okay.
  • Open Context block properties by double clicking inside rest_walkthrough and scroll down to Software Parameters->map exposed interfaces as. Make sure that RESTful Endpoints is selected.
  • Press okay to close the properties dialog.
  • Select menu->Flow->Compile Platform.
  • Then create a system canvas by selecting flow->create system. Accept the prefilled defaults.
  • Open the newly created system canvas and select menu->Flow->Import Platform
  • Double click the rest_walkthrough context to enter hierarchy.
  • Add a new VSI Software Wizard block by right clicking and selecting VSI Software Wizard.
  • Open newly added block properties by double-clicking it.
  • Click browse beside Source Directory and browse to select source code directory <vsi_examples>/sort.
  • The C/C++ Function dropdown box should be populated with multiple entries. Open and select sort function.
  • Enable Execution Trigger for Arg 1 in Arguments section.
  • Change the direction of Arg 2 in Arguments section to output and access type to Random. Press okay to close properties.
  • Right click each interface and select Mark External.
  • Select flow->Generate System.
  • Select flow->Build Software Contexts and then Select Build.
  • Wait for the build to successfully complete.
  • Browse to the directory <project_dir>/vsi_auto_gen/sw/system_1 in a terminal.
  • Run the system by using the following command ./build/rest_walkthrough/bin/rest_walkthrough
  • Open another terminal and enter the following command: curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST -d '[{ "name": "rest_walkthrough::vsi_gen_ip_0::arg_2_seq_o", "type": "webhook", "target": "http://localhost:8000/printcontent"}]' http://localhost:1999/connect. This sets the REST endpoint for the output interface which will be used to emit the processed data.
  • Enter printf "" > ~/sort.txt; for i in {1..256}; do printf "ABCDEFGH12345678" >> ~/sort.txt; done. This will create a file with unsorted blob of alphanumeric data.
  • Enter curl -H "Content-Type: application/octet-stream" -X POST -d @/home/$USER/sort.txt http://localhost:1999/rest_walkthrough::vsi_gen_ip_0::arg_1_seq_i. This will read the sort.txt file and push it to the input interface marked external.
  • You should see part of processed data in the first terminal with the content sorted.