Command line interface tools

limeDevice

Utility to list detected devices and retrieve device information descriptors and status.

user@computer:~$ limeDevice --full
0: LimeXTRX0, media=PCIe, addr=/dev/LimeXTRX0_control, serial=0000000000000000
Expansion name          : UNSUPPORTED
Firmware version        : 1
Gateware version        : 1
Gateware revision       : 0
Gateware target board   : LimeSDR XTRX
Hardware version        : 0
Protocol version        : 1
Serial number           : 2748
SPI slave devices       :
                          FPGA
                          LMS7002M
Memory devices          :
                          FPGA FLASH
GPS Lock:
        GPS - Undefined
        Glonass - Undefined
        Galileo - Undefined
        Beidou - Undefined

limeConfig

Utility to configure generic software defined radio parameters.

user@computer:~$ limeConfig --initialize --samplerate=20e6 --rxen=1 --rxlo=2.442e9 --rxpath=LNAW --rxlpf=120e6

Full table of limeConfig utility configuration flags:

Configuration flags	Description
General configuration flags
-h, --help	Prints list of all posible LimeSDR device configuration flags.
-d[device], --device=[device]	Specifies which device to use. Auto selects device if only a single device is present.
-c[chip], --chips=[chip]	Selects destination chip to update it’s configuration. Chip indexes start form 0.
-l[log-level], --log=[log level]	Log verbosity: info, warning, error, verbose, debug.
-i, --initialize	Reset and initialize LimeSDR device.
--refclk=[reference clock]	Selected LimeSDR board reference clock in Hz. Set this option only if the actual reference clock of the board is changed or modified.
--samplerate=[sample rate]	Sampling rate in Hz.
--ini=[path]	Path to LMS7002M .ini configuration file to use as a base.
Receiver configuration flags
--rxen=[rx enable]	Enable receiver.
--rxlo=[rxlo]	Sets receiver center frequency in Hz.
--rxpath=[antenna name]	Receiver antenna path.
--rxlpf=[Hz]	Sets receiver low pass filter bandwidth in Hz.
--rxoversample=[value]	Receiver sample decimation 1, 2, 4, 8, …
--rxtestsignal	Enables receiver test signal if available.
--rxgain=[dB]	Sets generic device RX gain in dB. Gain range is auto clamped.
--rxcalibrate	Calibrates RX DC and IQ imbalance.
Transmitter configuration flags
--txen=[tx enable]	Enable transmitter.
--txlo=[txlo]	Sets transmitter center frequency in Hz.
--txpath=[antenna name]	Transmitter antenna path.
--txlpf=[Hz]	Sets transmitter low pass filter bandwidth in Hz.
--txoversample=[value]	Transmitter sample interpolation.
--txtestsignal	Enables transmitter test signal if available.
--txgain=[dB]	Sets generic device TX gain in dB. Gain range is auto clamped.
--txcalibrate	Calibrate TX DC and IQ imbalance.

limeTRX

Utility for receiving and/or transmitting RF samples.

Note

The device has to be already in configured working state, otherwise it will not stream samples.

user@computer:~$ limeTRX --fft --output="receivedSamples.wfm" --samplesCount=20000000

Full table of limeTRX utility configuration flags:

Configuration flags	Description
General configuration flags
-h, --help	Prints list of all posible limeTRX utility flags.
-d[name], --device=[name]	Specifies which device to use. Auto selects device if only a single device is present.
-c[index], --chip=[index]	Specify chip(s) for streaming using chip index, or index list for aggregation [0,1, …]. Index starts from 0.
-i[file path], --input[file path]	Samples to transmit from selected waveform file.
-o[file path], --output[file path]	Waveform file to store received samples.
--looptx	Transmits input file contents in a loop.
-s[sample count], --sampleCount[sample count]	Number of samples to receive.
--time=[ms]	Duration of sampling in RX channel in milliseconds.
--fft	Display RX channel FFT plot.
-l[verbosity], --log=[verbosity]	Log verbosity: info, warning, error, verbose, debug.
--mimo=[channel count]	Use multiple channels to receive and transmit. Default channel count is 1.
--repeater=[delaySamples]	Retransmit received samples with a delay.
--linkFormat=[format]	Data transfer format. Default: I12. Supported formats: I16, I12.
--syncPPS	Start sampling on the next PPS.
--rxSamplesInPacket=[samples]	Number of IQ samples in a single RX packet. Recommended to use only for debugging.
--txSamplesInPacket=[samples]	Number of IQ samples in a single TX packet. Recommended to use only for debugging.
--rxPacketsInBatch=[packets]	Number of packets in a single RX data transfer. Recommended to use only for debugging.
--txPacketsInBatch=[packets]	Number of packets in a single TX data transfer. Recommended to use only for debugging.

limeSPI

Utility for reading/writing device’s SPI registers

user@computer:~$ limeSPI write --chip LMS7002M --stream=0020fffd
user@computer:~$ limeSPI read --chip LMS7002M --stream=0020
0020fffd

Full table of limeSPI utility commands and configuration flags:

Configuration flags	Description
-h, --help	Prints list of all posible limeTRX utility flags.
Commands
read	Register reading operation.
write	Register writing operation.
Arguments
-d[name], --device=[name]	Specifies which device to use. Auto selects device if only a single device is present.
-c[name], --chip=[name]	Selects destination chip by it’s name.
Data options
-f[file path], --file=[file path]	File with a sequence of register address and data bytes for write command or a file with a sequence of register adress bytes for read command. Checkout stream flag for byte structure required for write and read commands.
-s[stream], --stream=[stream]	Direct data stream. Write command format: Register address 2x bytes and 2x data bytes --stream=[reg addr \| data] Read command format: Register address 2x bytes --stream=[reg addr]

limeFLASH

Utility for writing firmware/gateware into device’s FLASH memory. The gateware files for each device can be found in their github repositories.

Warning

Be aware that the gateware file must be designed for your specific hardware, otherwise the device will stop functioning and will require JTAG tools to recover. Recovery steps are device specific and described in their documentation.

user@computer:~$ limeFLASH --target="FPGA FLASH" flash_programming_file.bin

Full table of limeFLASH utility configuration flags:

Configuration flags	Description
-h, --help	Prints list of all posible limeFLASH utility flags.
-d[name], --device=[name]	Specifies which device to use. Auto selects device if only a single device is present.
-t[TARGET], --target=[TARGET]	Specifies which target to use. Checkout `\-l, \-\-list` flag.
-l, --list	List available device’s targets.
“--”	Can be used to terminate flag options and force all following arguments to be treated as positional options.

limeOEM

Utility for device testing and custom device specific operations.

Warning

This software utility is designed for developers. Users should only use --test and optionally (if multiple devices are pluged in to system) --device flag to run basic device tests.

Note

Currently limeOEM can only perform tests for LimeSDR XTRX device.

user@computer:~$ limeOEM --test

Full table of limeOEM utility configuration flags:

Configuration flags	Description
-h, --help	Prints list of all posible limeOEM utility flags.
-d[device], --device=[device]	Specifies which device to use. Auto selects device if only a single device is present.
-l[level], --log=[level]	Log verbosity: info, warning, error, verbose, debug.
-o[path], --output=[path]	File to append test results. File must be created prior to utility launch.
--write-serial-number=[decimal]	One time programmable serial number to be written to device.
--test	Run tests to check device functionality.
--version	Prints limeOEM version.
--interactive	Wait for user input after each test.