Honored ContributorHi at all, I'm new in this forum.
I create a Nios II system containing a Nios II/f core, with 2k data cache and 2k instruction cache, and 128k of on chip-memory. I want to run on this system an assembly code, but i need to use both cacheable and non-cacheable instruction. How can I define a non-cacheable sector of instruction memory?:confused: Thanks at all. Daniele.
Honored ContributorYou can't, instructions read from an Avalon slave have to read into the instruction cache first.
What you can do is use a tightly coupled memory block for the instructions. You'll probably need to make the memory blocks second port a slave to the avalon bus and give the cpu data access to it. If you want to use the jtag debugger, you'll still need the instruction master and a minimal instruction cache.Honored ContributorThank you for fast reply. I'm a master student and I have to realize a project on which I must to load a part of assembly program in cacheable instruction memory and the other on non-cacheable instruction memory.
From your reply I understand that all instructions load into tightly coupled memory block are not loaded into instruction cache and the instructions into on-chip memory are loaded in cache, is correct?:confused: If it is correct, how can I load a part of the assembly program into on-chip memory and the other part on tightly coupled memory block?:confused: Thank you for your helpfullness.:) Daniele.Honored ContributorThat's correct, if you want some of your code to be cacheable and the rest be uncacheable using the instruction master for cacheable accesses (need a Nios 's' or 'f' core) and the tightly coupled instruction master for the uncacheable accesses is what you'll need to do.
Determining where code winds up in memory is done by the linker. Both your main memory and on-chip tightly coupled memories should each show up in BSP editor along with their linker section names. There is a gcc attribute called "section" which you can use in your code to inform the linker what section your code should be placed in. If you take a look at the tightly coupled memory design example on altera.com you'll see an example of this for some C code. I would imagine there is a way to do this with assembly code as well.... not sure though since I typically write assembly at a function level which I could just use the C prototype to do this type of linking. There might be easier ways, if you explained more about what you are trying to do maybe we can make a better suggestion.Honored ContributorThank you, I must implement a test for instruction cache, for this reason I must jump from the cacheable section of the assembly program to the non cacheable one. My problem is to know the instruction useful to inform the linker using a assembly code.
My first problem is error given during the NiosII Application and BSP from Template. In this application I include a .sopciifo file relative to a system like the one in attach. During the creation of the application I receive this error: Failed to execute: ./create-this-bsp --cpu-name cpu_0 --no-make SEVERE: nios2-bsp-create-settings failed. SEVERE: Tcl script "bsp-set-defaults.tcl " failed: Section ".rodata" has no memory region mapping. nios2-bsp: nios2-bsp-create-settings failed :confused::confused::confused: What does it means?????Honored Contributor.....up.......
Honored ContributorThat means your read only data section isn't mapped to memory. You can correct this using BSP editor.
Honored ContributorThank you for the answer, but now I have another problem. When I map the .text section into tightly coupled memory and I debug an assembler code on hardware the Nios II IDE gives this error:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Downloading 02100020 ( 0%) Downloading 04000000 ( 1%) Downloading 06000000 (21%) Downloaded 39KB in 0.6s (65.0KB/s) Verifying 02100020 ( 0%) Verifying 04000000 ( 1%) Verifying 06000000 (21%) Verify failed between address 0x6000000 and 0x6007923 Leaving target processor paused -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0x6000000 is the starting address of the tightly coupled memory. What does it mean??? How can I solve it??? Thank you. Rolfo Daniele.Honored ContributorHow big is the memory area - looks like you need at least 32kb.
Did you give the cpu data access to the instruction memory (via the Avalon bus and it's second port) that access is needed to allow the JTAG to download code, it is also needed if there is any data (eg .rodata or switch statement jump tables (esp. gcc4)) in the code.Honored ContributorLike DSL said you need to make sure a CPU data master is hooked up to the other port of the tightly coupled memory (dual port the memory first). You can use the Nios II data master or a tightly coupled data master for this purpose.
Honored ContributorThank for the answers, now I'm able to debug assembler code corresponding to the non-cacheable instruction memory.
Another problem is related to creation of a new .section, called .cacheable, into the cacheable instruction memory. I tried to insert a new line into the .stf file like: <section memory="ddr_sdram_0" name=".cacheable"/> In order to put some code in cacheable memory and some code in non-cacheable memory, but when I jump to the code inserted into this section the program counter jump to another location, that doesn't correspond to the label indicated into the program. How can I solve this problem????:confused::confused::confused: Thank you for helpfulness. Rolfo Daniele.
