ZTEX SDK

ZTEX SDK is designed specifically for ZTEX modules, but it also plays nicely with other EZ-USB based hardware. This software package includes a Firmware Development Kit (FDK) for EZ-USB devices and a Java API to help you build your own host software.

Open Source Fun

The ztex package is Open Source and distributed under the GPLv3 license. That means you can dive in, tinker with it, and even share your changes!

Compatibility Across Systems

This package works on Linux and Windows, but it’s pretty flexible! It should run on any operating system that supports libusb and Java. The cool thing about the Java API is that it lets you create platform-independent host software.

Firmware Development Made Easy

You’ll use the Firmware Development Kit to develop the firmware for your EZ-USB device. You can upload this firmware either through a handy utility included in the SDK or directly using your host software via the Java API.

Your Host Software Package

The typical setup for your host software is contained in a single jar archive which packs everything you need:

• All necessary Java bytecode;


• The libusb Java wrapper libraries for Linux (libusbJava.so) and Windows (libusbJava.dll). These are linked against libusb, so no extra installation is required;


• The firmware for your EZ-USB device (unless it's already installed in EEPROM);


• A bitstream for the FPGA if needed.

This single jar file runs smoothly on both Linux and Windows or any other OS that supports libusb and Java.

No Extra Hassles on Linux

If you're on Linux, this jar archive doesn’t need anything else to work. The libusb(Java) library talks directly to the EZ-USB device using kernel routines.

A Quick Note on Windows Requirements

If you're using Windows, you'll need a libusb driver (don’t worry—this driver comes with the ZTEX SDK package). The libusb(Java) library communicates with your EZ-USB device through that driver.