Progrmming the EPCS device

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originally posted by maga@Nov 16 2004, 01:00 PM

first, be careful when upgrading the epcs dynamically because there is no multi-region available and then you can not have user and factory like structure. then, if the transfert fails, your epcs might be corrupted and your board will be dead. http://forum.niosforum.com/work2/style_emoticons/<#emo_dir#>/ph34r.gif

i will advice you to use a local memory in which you will transfert the contents (external sram or sdram). once the transfer into the local memory is completed, do erase and rewrite the entire epcs. be sure that no power down will occur. again, you could get a piece of wood http://forum.niosforum.com/work2/style_emoticons/<#emo_dir#>/smile.gif .

otherwise, hal provides you with sufficient driver to erase and write into the epcs. epcs is just a serial flash. you should be able to implement your own mecanism upgrading the epcs.

maga

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Thank you for your reply. I now know I have to use the HAL flash API to program &#39;things&#39;.

Yes, we do recognize the risks.

Since we can not use the JTAG to program our product, after it is manufacutred and delivered (being in operation),

software (FPGA and/or application codes) download (into RAM) and then program it to the serial Flash is the ONLY option.

I assume that I have to use one or more of the following build output files:

1. epcs.flash

2. epcs_controller_boot_rom.flash

3. our_application.elf

4. nios2_quartus2_project.sof (FPGA contents ??)

The programs I am facing are that I don&#39;t know how to interpret these mentioned files.

I am hoping that someone has done this before. So I don&#39;t have to invent the wheel again.