Memory Access via JTAG (MemTest)

Hi Michael,

Here are some possible solutions:

1) Add (eventually interupt activated) debugging software to your nios applications to communicate with the JTAGuart.

2) Write some kind of debug application on the nios and communicate with the JTAGuart.

3) For some on-chip MegaFunctions you can use the TCL scripting facility of the "In-System Memory Content Editor". See page 16.8 (http://www.altera.com/literature/hb/qts/qts_qii53012.pdf) in Volume 3 of the Quartus-II handbook.

thank, just had tried this from nios wiki :

Starting System Console

•From SOPC Builder, click Tools --> Launch System Console

•From Nios II 8.0 Command Shell, type "system-console"

&#9702;If you have the Quartus Project handy, try "system-console -jdi=<quartus_proj>.jdi". This will give System Console more information about the JTAG nodes in your system.

Reading and Writing Memory with a Nios II Processor

This assumes that only one Nios II Processor exists in the system. If one or more Nios II's or a JTAG Avalon Master exists, then in Step 1 you might have to change the list index to get the correct master.

0. <From System Console shell>

1. set nios [ lindex [ get_service_paths master ] 0 ] - might need to change the index number if there are > 1 masters.

2. open_service master $nios

3. processor_stop $nios - the Nios must be in debug mode to access memory

4. master_read_memory $nios 0x00000 4 - Read 4 bytes starting at address 0x00000.

5. master_write_memory $nios 0x00000 [ list 0xaa 0xbb 0xcc 0xdd ] - Writes 0xaa to address 0x0, 0xbb to addr 0x1, etc.

6. close_service master $nios - release SLD Node lock when finished.

so with this i could read and write without the need to modify the target design, just plug in the jtag ...

You don't even need a Nios/NiosII! There is a "JTAG to Avalon MM bridge" component that implements an Avalon MM Master for talking to all of your Avalon slaves. Please go through this training (http://www.altera.com/education/training/courses/oemb1117), if you're really interested in using System Console. It has a nice example attached to it that doesn't use NiosII and most (all?) of the typical usage modes.

Cheers,

- Ura

hi,

i'm having a strange problem, i used following commands

1) nios2-configure-sof -c USB-Blaster -d 2 mysof.sof

<device programmer show success>

2) nios2-download -c USB-Blaster -d 2 -r -g myelf.elf

<elf downloaded and verified>

3) system-console

<console opens>

<now inside system console>

4) set mydev [lindex [get_service_paths device] 0]

/connections/USB-Blaster [USB-0]/EP2SGX90

5) device_load_jdi $mydev myjdi.jdi

6) lindex [get_service_paths processor ] 0

/connections/USB-Blaster [USB-0]/EP2SGX90/cpu

7) lindex [get_service_paths master ] 0

/connections/USB-Blaster [USB-0]/EP2SGX90/cpu

8) set myproc [lindex [get_service_paths processor ] 0]

9) open_service processor $myproc

Jul 8, 2009 4:33:13 PM com.altera.systemconsole.scripting.ScriptEngine$27 execute

SEVERE: Target must be configured before use

Target must be configured before use

=======================================================

my system just have one NIOS-II and no other jtag master. I have configure the device and downloaded the ELF...so what configuartion is left?

Note:I'm using

- PCI Express Development Kit, Stratix II GX Edition

- Quartus/NIOS-II 9

in what order are your devices on the jtag line ?

in earlier designs i did, the fpga was after a maxII that lead to some problems and we hat to be aware of the fpga position in the jtag line.

if your fpga is not the first device on the jtag line, check wheter you can assign its device position number to your script.

i am unshure if the 0 is the device number, beginning to count from 0

nowadays all new designs have the fpga as the first device in the jtag flow

Altera has kindly provided a JAR patch for this issue. It will be permanently fixed in V9.1.

The default location for the file is here C:\Altera\90\nios2eds\sdk2\lib, just replace the existing one.

Best Regards,

where did you get this fix from ?

i haven't found it on altera ftp nor altera web site.

and quartus V9.x is no option as long there is an issue with EPCS that was not fixed in SP1. latest quartus without this bug is quartus 8.1. if quartus sp2 fixes this bug is unknown to me.