Hello, I'd like to adapt Jrunner to work with Serial Flash Loader. I've integrated SFL megafunction into my design and it works great. When I click auto detect in quartus II programmer it detects Cyclone II and EPCS4 which is good. How does it detect EPCS4? I'd like to modify Jrunner so I can read sillicon ID of EPCS4, erase or programm it. Reading sillicon ID is the simplest operation so I will implement it first. I've read AN39 (JTAG in Altera Devices) but there is nothing about "talking" with secondary device (EPCS) by SFL. I don't know which JTAG instruction mode I should use. I just only know that read sillicon ID operation code is "1010 1011" for EPCS devices and that the answer should be 0x12 for EPCS4. Do you have any suggestions?

Hello No many answers for you unfortunately! I'm interested by your topic, because I use the remote update megafunction, but it is only possible to read program to EPCS, and not possible to write into EPCS... so I try to find a solution. I have read that there is a solution with the NIOS, but I don't use it. I have an other microcontroller. I have found the Serial Flash Loader, this megafunction is a solution to have access to EPCS pins I think? But how should I design to write a program into EPCS? Do I have to use commands described in the EPCS datasheet? Did you find a solution? Or is there someone who know? (I use a stratix3 and EPCS64) See this link anyway, may help : epcs docs and datasheets (http://www.altera.com/support/devices/programming/configuration/prg-configuration.html?gsa_pos=8&wt.oss_r=1&wt.oss=serial%20configuration%20device%20epcs64)

Controlling SFL through a native JTAG tool requires understanding of the Altera virtual JTAG protocol and the SFL specific protocol as well. Basically, SFL does a low level access to serial SPI memory, so you finally have also to understand this point, but I think, it's the most easy part. There have been some previous discussions regarding VJTAG, also pointing to the (small) availible documentation. Anyway I'm convinced, that it's feasible, generally, but if the mentioned topics are new to you, it's possibly gonna be a long run.

I did it. I've used Virtual JTAG Megafunction and ALTASMI_PARALLEL Megafunction. My DSP is connected to the Cyclone II via JTAG interface. DSP is sending commands to Virtual JTAG and Cyclone II is sending commands to EPCS4 via ASMI (using ALTASMI_PARALLEL Megafunction). I am able to erase, program and read EPCS4. Full erase and program (145KB) takes about 28 seconds, so it is not bad. My Master's Thesis is going to the end. I hope so ;)

So you have built your own SFL rather than using the existing protocol?

Yes I have just found this friendly altASMI_parallel megafunction. But if I want to write a program (sof, rpd file, I still don't know which is appropriate) into EPCS, do I really need to use Virtual JTAG? JTAG is necessary for SFL, but not for altASMI_parallel megafunction? am I right? Thanks, and good luck PiK for the thesis!

Jrunner + Serial Flash Loader (SFL) + EPCS4 [How to programm EPCS without Quartus II]

32 Replies

Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
14 years ago
I didn't use linux, so I can't help here.
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
14 years ago
What a pity. But could you please paste here (send them to me by private message) the I/O routines that you have written to the ARM ports? That would help me a lot.

Altera_Forum

Honored Contributor

14 years ago

Here it is:

JTAG lines connected to pins P1.16,17,18,19


# define TDO_PIN	(1<<18)	//	out
# define TMS_PIN	(1<<17)	//	out
# define TDI_PIN	(1<<16)	//	in
# define TCK_PIN	(1<<19)	//	out
# define JTAG_PINS_MASK (TDO_PIN|TMS_PIN|TDI_PIN|TCK_PIN)
/***************************************************************//**
 *	Init processor pins.
 ******************************************************************/
int InitPorts(void)
{
	printf("Init JTAG ports.\n");
	
	IO1CLR = 0x02000000;//(unsigned int)(1<<25);	//	p1.25	led ON
	// JTAG
	IO1CLR  = (JTAG_PINS_MASK);	
	IO1DIR |= ( (TDO_PIN)|(TMS_PIN)|          (TCK_PIN)	);	//	out
	IO1DIR &=~(                     (TDI_PIN)			);	//	in
	return 0;
}
/***************************************************************//**
 *	DeInit processor pins.
 ******************************************************************/
int DeInitPorts(void)
{
	printf("De Init JTAG ports.\n");
	IO1SET = 0x02000000;//(unsigned int)(1<<25);	//	p1.25	led OFF
	// JTAG
	IO1CLR  = (JTAG_PINS_MASK);	
	IO1DIR &=~(JTAG_PINS_MASK);	//	all in :)
	return 0;
}
/******************************************************************/
/*  ReadPort    (int port input is ignored)                                   
/******************************************************************/
int ReadPort(int port)
{
	int data = 0;
	data = (IO1PIN & (TDI_PIN))?0x00:0x80;	//	inversed - nTDO = 0x00 or 0x80
	return (data & 0xff);
}
/******************************************************************/
/* WritePort                  
/******************************************************************/
void WritePort(int port,int data,int buffer_enable)
{
	unsigned int pins_to_clr=0,pins_to_set=0;
	pins_to_set |= ((port==0)&&(data&0x01)) ? (TCK_PIN) : (0);
	pins_to_set |= ((port==0)&&(data&0x02)) ? (TMS_PIN) : (0);
	pins_to_set |= ((port==0)&&(data&0x40)) ? (TDO_PIN) : (0);
	pins_to_clr = (~pins_to_set)&(JTAG_PINS_MASK);
	IO1SET = pins_to_set;
	IO1CLR = pins_to_clr;
# define PORTS_DEBUG_PRINT	0
# if PORTS_DEBUG_PRINT
		if((port==0) && (data & 0x01)) {printf("\t  TCK=1");}else{printf("\t  TCK=0");}
		if((port==0) && (data & 0x02)) {printf("\t  TMS=1");}else{printf("\t  TMS=0");}
		if((port==0) && (data & 0x40)) {printf("\t nTDO=1");}else{printf("\t nTDO=0");}
# endif
	
}

Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
14 years ago
Thank you so much!! I've fixed my program and now it's working fine. My problem was that I've not realised that I must invert the TDO bit.

See you
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
14 years ago
That's good news.
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
14 years ago
--- Quote Start ---
oposdasdsWell, I used ALTASMI_PARALLEL to get access to my epcs16.

Now I have some strange behaviour and try to describe it.
LPC - my microcontroller (lpc2138).
FPGA - Cyclone II, EP2C8T144
EPCS - EPCS16

1. LPC configures FPGA (via JTAG, with Jrunner port and array of *.rbf data)
2. LPC erases EPCS (uses newly configured FPGA with ALTASMI)
3. LPC writes the same array of *.rbf data to EPCS as to FPGA.
4. LPC checks data from EPCS byte-by-byte.

All seems to be ok, but after I power off the device and tur it on again, EPCS do not configures FPGA.
Can anyone tell me what's the issue?
--- Quote End ---

hi EnotAruz,
the same to u ,i have done the first step that have configured the FPGA via the Jrunner;and then ,how to erase the epcs device and send the data to write epcs or read data.
i see that u use the ,wahts that ? a IP? is it contained in the .rbf file at our first step generate? and whats the usage of ALTASMI?

Look forward to your reply.thx alot:):)
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
14 years ago
ALTASMI is used to access EPCS through FPGA.
I've added ALTASMI module in my FPGA configuration to erase EPCS device and send data to it.
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
14 years ago
--- Quote Start ---
ALTASMI is used to access EPCS through FPGA.
I've added ALTASMI module in my FPGA configuration to erase EPCS device and send data to it.
--- Quote End ---

thanks for your reply, e ~, do we not use the sfl module that our discussed before ?

i try to add the ALTASMI_PARALLEL module in my configure ,then how to connect/configure the pins on the modules?

and if i have configure the fpga with this configure file,how to send data to the fpga to read/write the epcs via jtag? have some protocol such as AS mode?

thank you once again..
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
14 years ago
--- Quote Start ---
how to send data to the fpga to read/write the epcs via jtag?
--- Quote End ---

You will need to make an interface from LPC to ALTASMI_PARALLEL. And then use it to control EPCS.
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
14 years ago
Just for knowing.... how long do you take to program the FPGA with the microcontroller?
Because using the Jrunner in the PC, it takes 25 seconds, but with the microcontroller it takes ¡¡¡ 5 minutes !!! (it's independent from the complexity or lenght of the FPGA code) It seems to be a lot, I've searched in the code if it's a place (like a define) where you can modify something related with a delay or something like that, but I've found nothing :(

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Jrunner + Serial Flash Loader (SFL) + EPCS4 [How to programm EPCS without Quartus II]

32 Replies

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