Flash memory share for POF and NIOS HEX

Hi!

I owe you a report on how this works on the S3150 dev kit.

Very easy actually but some time spent to find out.

In fact, for bigger designs that won't fit in the on chip memories:

-- put the reset entry of NIOS in the flash area.

-- for the S3 kit, choose a flash address which doesn't interfere with the CPLD's POF pages for S3 initialization.

-- this is above 0x0350_0000

-- take into account that NIOS might see this address with additional offset

-- with the Eclipse perform "Make Targets / Build"

-- you'll get a .flash file which actually is a Motorola s-record

-- inside, you'll get the boot copier automatically

-- use the NIOS II Command Shell and type nios-elf-objcopy -I srec -O ihex <my_soft_stuff>.flash <loutput_file_name>.hex

-- this will generate an Intel HEX

-- use Convert Programming Files in Quartus II and set up:

** your design SOF to be converted to POF at the page you want

** add HEX data, specify your .HEX file with "Absolute Addressing mode"

** you'll see that an address will show up and it is right where you want to put it

** click generate to get your POF

-- Use the Standard programmer and use the PFL design to access the on boar flash

-- when done, click the Auto detect, you'll see the CFI flash;

-- choose the POF just generated for that CFI and programm.

That's it.

May be this applies somehow to other dev kits too!

Kind regards

Thouthi38