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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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20 years ago

Newbe in NIOS - so much questions

Well, I have not get much answers in the uClinux part of the forum, so I'll post it here as well.

I'm starting now, I'm fresh new in this area, and I don't really know much ...

I've tried to read what I have to do, but as I was reading, I have to go to other document, and then to other,

and so on, and I'm having a headache, and I need to know if what I want to do is 'doable'. In a couple of

months I will start a new project in school and if this don't work I'll have to look for something else ...

The board I'm using is a Cyclone EP1C20 - www.microtronix.com/product_cyclone.htm.

I want to work with linux in it, with usb and vpn.

I've tried to do all this stuff last week, but it didn't work, so if you can answer this, or get me the

basisc I'll be thankful.

So, my questions are :

1 - where to upload what I've done ?

I configured thw kernel, builted the project, now is time to upload it. But in the data sheet I saw that are 2 ports

to make the upload: ByteBlasterII and ByteBlasterMV. The MV one is to upload the .sof, and the II is to upload the

.pof - wich isnt't in the \linux directory ...

So, wich port do I use ? For both kernel and filesystem ?

2 - are there a correct order to upload it ? first the kernel, then the filesystem, and then the .sof ?

Or can I upload it in any order ?

3 - the .sof file will be lost after a power down.

What do I need to do to don't lose it ? How I change it for a .pof file, maybe ?

4 - I've read that the .sof is time limited. Wich Altera's software need a license, so it won't ask for the time

anymore ? How much time it work, or how is it counted, when will it expire ??

5 - why aren't there all the files for linux, just the .ptf and the .sof ? If I want to change anything, can I open

up these files or I have to start a new project ?

6 - how about the usb and the uClinux ? is it working or not ? or there are an older version where it does work

correctly ? The board came with a CD that have some stuff about USB, maybe it can help if I put it in the Quartus

program, but I don't know much of how it work

That is what I remember asking, for now smile.gif

I probably will need to ask so much more, but with this I'll get a good picture of it !

Best regards.

Arthur

2 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
    Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
    20 years ago

    I'll let someone more familar with RTOSs answer 5-6

    1) The .sof and .pof files are device programming files so they contain your actual hardware. Too me it sounds like your are confusing your software and hardware files

    2) The .sof would have to be sent first (otherwise you have nothing to recieve the software components)

    3) The .sof data is stored in the FPGA SRAM. So when the FPGA is powered down those contents are lost. If you want the contents to stay you must have some way to download these contents from some pre-populated non-volatile memory (Flash, EPCS are the two most likely types). So at powerup the non-volatile contents are restored back into the FPGA

    4) If you do not have a license for Nios II or use any open core Altera IP, Quartus II compiles a sof that is time limited. This is meant to give you an evaluation copy of the IP so that you can try it out before purchasing it. When you download a time limited sof a window will open saying something like "leave the JTAG cable connected or this sof will time out".

    I hope that helps.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
    Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
    20 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    originally posted by badomen+jun 3 2005, 11:16 am--><div class='quotetop'>quote (badomen @ jun 3 2005, 11:16 am)</div>

    --- quote start ---

    i&#39;ll let someone more familar with rtoss answer 5-6

    1) the .sof and .pof files are device programming files so they contain your actual hardware. too me it sounds like your are confusing your software and hardware files[/b]

    --- quote end ---

    truth be told, i don&#39;t know much of all this, because i&#39;m really really new in this world ... but i&#39;ll do all the steps to download the files again.

    i am confused more with the ports really, because in the board i have 2 ports - byteblaster ii and mv - and it seems to be the mv that i should upload the software, and not the ii as it looks like ... go figure ...

    <!--quotebegin-badomen@Jun 3 2005, 11:16 AM

    4) if you do not have a license for nios ii or use any open core altera ip, quartus ii compiles a sof that is time limited. this is meant to give you an evaluation copy of the ip so that you can try it out before purchasing it. when you download a time limited sof a window will open saying something like "leave the jtag cable connected or this sof will time out".

    --- Quote End ---

    Yes, I got a message in the upload, but I dont remember what was it ...

    --- Quote Start ---

    originally posted by badomen@Jun 3 2005, 11:16 AM

    i hope that helps.

    --- Quote End ---

    Any help is welcome http://forum.niosforum.com/work2/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

    New question - to get the shell working, wich port I use ? ByteBlaster II or MV ?