Exception Handler for misaligned data memory access

I agree about the compiler option. Sometimes you have no choice but to use old existing code that has already been paid for and it is not commercially viable to re-write for larger processors.

Keil compilers give the option of using a PRAGMA to wrap code that needs to be forced to compile with byte access. Why can't Altera do this ?

Out of interest I raised this 2 and a half years ago with them and was told that they were going to implement it in the avalon fabric, but nothing has ever materialized.