output GPIO on DE2

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Hello I m trying to use the output GPIO on the DE2 board and cannot even get the clock to output. I have pin one out of a breakout board running through a 1k and then to Comm.

My code was immensely simple

GPIO_1(1) <=clock_27;

Is there something wrong? Is there a spefic string of code I need to output anything?

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What is the pin assignment? Perhaps you have a typo.

Is this a DE2, DE2-70, or DE2-115?

Here's a snippet from my DE2 pin assignments ...

set pin(gpio_a(0))              D25
set pin(gpio_a(1))              J22
set pin(gpio_a(2))              E26
set pin(gpio_a(3))              E25
...
set pin(gpio_b(0))              K25
set pin(gpio_b(1))              K26
set pin(gpio_b(2))              M22
set pin(gpio_b(3))              M23

and my DE2-70

set pin(gpio_a(0))              C30
set pin(gpio_a(1))              C29
set pin(gpio_a(2))              E28
set pin(gpio_a(3))              D29
...
set pin(gpio_b(0))              G27
set pin(gpio_b(1))              G28
set pin(gpio_b(2))              H27
set pin(gpio_b(3))              L24

Cheers,

Dave

The board is just a plain old DE2 board. THey have since come out with the DE2 70 board.

I cannot get anything to output at all. I checked the Pin list and it's fine. I also checked the labeling. It is GPIO_0 or GPIO_1

Do I assign like this?

GPIO_1(1) <=clock_27;

or this

clock_27 => GPIO_1(1) ;

Thanks

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Do I assign like this?

GPIO_1(1) <=clock_27;

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Yep, like that.

Perhaps clock_27 has an issue.

Why not start with

GPIO_1(0) <= '0';
GPIO_1(1) <= '1';

And see if you get the two different voltage levels on your GPIO pins.

If you don't want to probe with a voltmeter or scope, use the LEDs.

Cheers,

Dave

Here's a 'basic' example for the DE2 board. Here's how to compile it:

1) Download and unzip the file, eg., into c:/temp/de2_basic

2) Start Quartus and select the Tcl console. If its not visible, bring it up using View->Utility Windows, Tcl console

3) Change to the source folder, eg.,

tcl> cd {c:/temp/de2_basic}

(The {} pass the path to Tcl as a string, allowing it to expand correctly under Windows. Its not needed under Linux.)

4) Build the design

tcl> source scripts/synth.tcl

5) Download the design.

Pressing the buttons on the board will change the hex display values.

Cheers,

Dave

EPCS programming instructions (added 3/10/14)

1. Download de2_basic.zip
2. Unzip into c:/temp/de2_basic
3. Start Quartus
4. Select the Tcl console
   If the Tcl console is not visible, make it visible via
   View->Utility Windows->Tcl console
   
5. Change directory to the zip folder
   tcl> cd  {C:\temp\de2_basic}
6. Source the synthesis script
   tcl> source scripts/synth.tcl
   The script will output the following:
    Synthesizing the DE2 'basic' design
    -----------------------------------
     - Creating the Quartus work directory
     - Create the project 'de2'
       * create a new de2 project
     - Creating the VHDL files list
     - Applying constraints
     - Processing the design
     - Processing completed
7. Download the configuration using JTAG
   a) Plug in your DE2 board
   b) Start the programmer
   
      Tools->Programmer
      
   c) Check that the USB-Blaster is detected
   
      The "Hardware Setup" should have text next to it
      that says "USB-Blaster ". If it has "None",
      then click the "Hardware Setup" button and configure
      the programmer to use the DE2 USB-Blaster
   d) Click the "Auto Detect" button in the programmer
   
      The programmer should detect an EP2C35F672 and
      be ready to download the file de2.sof
   e) Make sure the RUN/PROG button is in the RUN position
      
   f) Click the "Start" button
   
      The "basic" design connects the switches to the LEDs,
      and the push-button switches to the 7-segment displays.
      Toggle a switch and see that the LEDs change.
      Push a push-button and see that the 7-segment 
      displays change.
      
8. EPCS programming
   To program the EPCS device
   
   a) Change the RUN/PROG button to PROG
   
   b) In the programmer window, change the "Mode" to
      "Active Serial Programming"
      
   c) Click on the "Add File" button and add the file de2.pof
   
      This adds the DE2 file to the GUI. Note that the "Device"
      is EPCS16.
     
   d) Check the "Program/Configure" and "Verify" check buttons
   
      The programmer will always erase the device, so the
      "Erase" button is optional
      
   e) Click the "Start" button.
   
   If you forgot to change the RUN/PROG button you will see the
   following error in the Quartus messages window:
   
   Info (209060): Started Programmer operation at Mon Mar 10 13:20:37 2014
   Error (209025): Can't recognize silicon ID for device 1
   Error (209012): Operation failed
   
   If you did everything correct, you will see
   
   Info (209060): Started Programmer operation at Mon Mar 10 13:20:46 2014
   Info (209018): Device 1 silicon ID is 0x14
   Info (209044): Erasing ASP configuration device(s)
   Info (209024): Programming device 1
   Info (209022): Performing verification on device 1
   Info (209018): Device 1 silicon ID is 0x14
   Info (209011): Successfully performed operation(s)
   Info (209061): Ended Programmer operation at Mon Mar 10 13:21:06 2014
   f) Change the PROG/RUN button back to RUN
   g) Cycle power
   
   Viola, the board loads the "basic" design.

Hello,

The DE2 basic pin list is incorrect. I will not load on the machine and brings a number of errors up I cannot fix

Here is what I have been using. There is an error with the if statement and I have no idea what it is

LIBRARY ieee;
USE ieee.std_logic_1164.all;
USE ieee.numeric_std.all;
	
entity DE2_top is
Port(
--////////////////////////	Clock Input	 	////////////////////////
	CLOCK_27 	:in		std_logic;						-- 27 MHz
	CLOCK_50	:in		std_logic;						-- 50 MHz
	EXT_CLOCK	:in		std_logic;						-- External Clock
	
-- ////////////////////////	Push Button		////////////////////////
	KEY			:in		std_logic_vector( 3 downto 0);	--Pushbutton
	
--////////////////////////	DPDT Switch		////////////////////////
	SW			:in		std_logic_vector( 17 downto 0 ); --Toggle Switch
	
--////////////////////////	7-SEG Dispaly	////////////////////////
	HEX0		:out	std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);	--Seven Segment Digit 0
	HEX1		:out	std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);	--Seven Segment Digit 1
	HEX2		:out	std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);	--Seven Segment Digit 2
	HEX3		:out	std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);	--Seven Segment Digit 3
	HEX4		:out	std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);	--Seven Segment Digit 4
	HEX5		:out	std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);	--Seven Segment Digit 5
	HEX6		:out	std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);	--Seven Segment Digit 6
	HEX7		:out	std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);	--Seven Segment Digit 7
--////////////////////////////	LED		////////////////////////////
	LEDG		:out	std_logic_vector( 8 downto 0);	 --LED Green
	LEDR		:out	std_logic_vector( 17 downto 0);	 --LED Red
--////////////////////////////	LED		////////////////////////////
	GPIO_0		:inout std_logic_vector(35 downto 0);
	GPIO_1		:inout std_logic_vector(35 downto 0)
	
	);
	
	end DE2_top;
	
architecture struct of DE2_top is
begin
	    -- GPIO (expansion headers)
	    
	if sw(1) /= '0'then
		gpio_0 <= (others => 'Z');
		gpio_1(0) <= '1';
		gpio_1(1) <= '1';
		gpio_1(2) <= '1';
		gpio_1(3) <= '1';
	else 
		gpio_1(0) <= '0';
		gpio_1(1) <= '0';
		gpio_1(2) <= '0';
		gpio_1(3) <= '0';
	end if;
    
end;

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The DE2 basic pin list is incorrect.

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In what way? The Tcl pin list was generated from the schematic (with minor renaming of signals).

Note that there are several versions of the DE2 board. I recall seeing a CD release for two different revisions of board. My board will be one of the originals. I can check the board tomorrow if you'd like.

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I will not load on the machine and brings a number of errors up I cannot fix

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I checked place-and-route on Quartus 11.0sp1 and it worked fine.

What version are you using?

Cheers,

Dave

PS. Here's what Quartus 11.0sp1 and 10.1 output:

Synthesizing the DE2 'basic' design
-----------------------------------
 - Creating the Quartus work directory
 - Create the project 'de2'
   * create a new de2 project
 - Creating the VHDL files list
 - Applying constraints
 - Processing the design
 - Processing completed

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Here is what I have been using. There is an error with the if statement and I have no idea what it is.

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If statements need to be inside a process. Try the following:

LIBRARY ieee;
USE ieee.std_logic_1164.all;
USE ieee.numeric_std.all;
    
entity DE2_top is
Port(
--////////////////////////    Clock Input         ////////////////////////
    CLOCK_27     :in        std_logic;                        -- 27 MHz
    CLOCK_50    :in        std_logic;                        -- 50 MHz
    EXT_CLOCK    :in        std_logic;                        -- External Clock
    
-- ////////////////////////    Push Button        ////////////////////////
    KEY            :in        std_logic_vector( 3 downto 0);    --Pushbutton
    
--////////////////////////    DPDT Switch        ////////////////////////
    SW            :in        std_logic_vector( 17 downto 0 ); --Toggle Switch
    
--////////////////////////    7-SEG Dispaly    ////////////////////////
    HEX0        :out    std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);    --Seven Segment Digit 0
    HEX1        :out    std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);    --Seven Segment Digit 1
    HEX2        :out    std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);    --Seven Segment Digit 2
    HEX3        :out    std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);    --Seven Segment Digit 3
    HEX4        :out    std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);    --Seven Segment Digit 4
    HEX5        :out    std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);    --Seven Segment Digit 5
    HEX6        :out    std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);    --Seven Segment Digit 6
    HEX7        :out    std_logic_vector( 6 downto 0);    --Seven Segment Digit 7
--////////////////////////////    LED        ////////////////////////////
    LEDG        :out    std_logic_vector( 8 downto 0);     --LED Green
    LEDR        :out    std_logic_vector( 17 downto 0);     --LED Red
--////////////////////////////    LED        ////////////////////////////
    GPIO_0        :inout std_logic_vector(35 downto 0);
    GPIO_1        :inout std_logic_vector(35 downto 0)
    
    );
    
    end DE2_top;
    
architecture struct of DE2_top is
begin
        -- GPIO (expansion headers)
    process(sw)
    begin
      -- Default state
      gpio_1 <= (others => 'Z');
              
      if sw(1) /= '0'then
          gpio_1(3 downto 0) <= (others => '1');
       else 
          gpio_1(3 downto 0) <= (others => '0');
      end if;
    end process;
    
    -- Unused outputs
    gpio_0 <= (others => 'Z');
    ledr <= (others=> '0');
    ledg <= (others=> '0');
    hex1  <= (others => '0');
    -- and so on for the other hex ports
end;

Untested of course :)

Note that *all* outputs and bidirectionals must be driven; either with a logic level or tri-state. Look at the example I sent you.

Connect the switches to the LEDs, and that'll be easier to see.

Cheers,

Dave

Dave,

Thanks for your help. I checked my breakout board and it works and is labeled correctly I double checked the pin list and the schematics and it is correct. Still when I hold a multi-meter across the com and 00 or 01 and flip switch 1 I see no change in voltage. Is the pin floating? I cannot get anything from the pins. Am I using the wrong comms? are certain grounds only for certain pins? This is really confusing and frustrating. Are the pins sinking only? How should I go about checking them?

Thanks

Bill

Hi Bill,

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Is the pin floating? I cannot get anything from the pins. Am I using the wrong comms? are certain grounds only for certain pins? This is really confusing and frustrating. Are the pins sinking only? How should I go about checking them?

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You're going about things the right way.

I would do the following;

1) Make sure the LEDs and 7-segment displays work like I would expect. For example, there are the same number of switches as there are LEDs, so per the example I sent you, add this line to your project and re-synthesize:

led_r <= sw(17 downto 0);

led_g <= sw(8 downto 0);

2) Check the pin assignments in the final place-and-route design. Quartus will generate a .pin file. Check a few of the switch and LED connections.

3) Download to the board. Toggle a few switches. If the LEDs toggle, then you've confirmed that at least something is working.

4) Look at the DE2 schematic. Determine which bank(s) power the GPIOs. Check that bank power supply is working.

Hope that helps!

Cheers,

Dave