Forum Discussion
Remote update EPCS file format?(rpd or rbf)
I have a Cyclone III EP3C5 design that uses an EPCS4 device in AS mode for remote system update. my question: what file format am I supposed to use when downloading a new application configuration into the EPCS16?.rpd or .rbf or else?
Please help. Thanks a lot in advance13 Replies
- Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
i think you make this too complicated,CPU deliver the .rbf file without any change,
i did bit-reversal in fpga as foll assign d_to_E[0] = data_to_EPCS[7]; assign d_to_E[1] = data_to_EPCS[6]; assign d_to_E[2] = data_to_EPCS[5]; assign d_to_E[3] = data_to_EPCS[4]; assign d_to_E[4] = data_to_EPCS[3]; assign d_to_E[5] = data_to_EPCS[2]; assign d_to_E[6] = data_to_EPCS[1]; assign d_to_E[7] = data_to_EPCS[0]; - Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
Then what did you write into EPCS? How did you applied bit-reversal to each byte before writing into EPCS? You mentioned that you used I2C, so you must had some byte to transfer. You can't transfer symbols. I think you might be reading the file in some way and that's why you didn't bother about the contents of the file. How did you do that?
- Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
I use quartus 9.0,same as you,i just see symbols ,that‘s doesn't matter
- Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
lanliang714
I have made the settings in 'device and pin' settings in Quartus for rbf file genaration and compiled the design. Quartus have generated the .rbf file. When I open this .rbf file in Quartus editor, its contents are all symbols. Is it a problem of Quartus Licence? Which Quartus are you using? I am using Quartus II 12.0 sp2. Thanks. - Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
RBF file is not encrypted,i wrote it to EPCS use I2c bus of CPU through FPGA,using remote configeration core in FPGA.
- Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
RBF file is encrypted, isn't it? Then, how can you write its content in EPCS?
- Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
I did it as amilcar (http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/member.php?u=27697) said,it works, thanks a lot.
- Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
Hmmm not sure I ever found a definition, which is why I had to find out the hard way that the bits are in reverse order with respect to the way the serial flash is programmed. But viewing with a hex editor, it just seems to be what it's name suggests: a binary config file (compressed if you have compression enabled). There are some bytes at the top that never change - some kind of header.
- Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
Where can I find the rbf format definition
- Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
use the .rbf file and write it into your flash reversing the bits of each byte.
The .rbf file can be generated at build time, but its up to you to write it into flash correctly.