Forum Discussion
New Contributoralftp components missing in altera_mf_components on Quartus 20.1
I've recently updated from 18.1 Lite to 20.1 Lite and now my build is failing as all altfp components are missing in the declaration file.
I haven't found anything about deprecation of this use. Do I need to compile this megafunctions by myself or can I define them in every file? Is there another workaround?
What's the recommended way to use those megafunctions? I like the use with a USE statement more than generating every megafunction, this way I have all informations I need in the corresponding *.vhd-file instead of an extra folder with compiled megafunctions I need to update and keep an eye of breaking things when multiple IPs are using the same compiled megafunction.
Thanks for your help
Jan
Hello,
I came across the same problem today and noticed that the question hasn't been clearly answered by Intel team.
The answer seems quite obvious though. All altfp_xxx IP has been removed from the library since Quartus 19 but is still in the IP catalog for some devices, curiously not for all, e.g. MAX10. As stated in a different thread, it's expected that you use the new HLS based FP_FUNCTIONS Intel FPGA IP instead. It has additional features like freely selecting the pipeline level based on speed requirements.
Regards
Frank
20 Replies
KhaiChein_Y_IntelRegular Contributor
Hi Jan,
I can reproduce the error here and I will file a case to our engineering team for investigation.
Thanks
Best regards,
KhaiY
- dns13
Hi KhaiY,
thanks.
Greetings
Jan
- KhaiChein_Y_Intel
Hi Jan,
Could you share the design for investigation?
Thanks.
Best regards,
KhaiY
- dns13
Hi KhaiY,
I've attached a component (and the used component "st_driver") that's failing compilation on 20.1 with "Error (10482): VHDL error at measure_trigger_time.vhd(75): object "altfp_div" is used but not declared". It worked completely fine with 18.1 as it is.
When I check the library file under "<quartus install dir>/libraries/vhdl/altera_mf/altera_mf_components.vhd" all altfp_* declarations are missing - they are present in the 18.1 version of this file. I could do the component declaration in each file for my own, but I think that's not how it's supposed to be.
Thanks
Jan- dns13
The issue seems to lay deeper:
- Just creating a new library with all the altfp_* component declarations from 18.1 failed with component not found
- Then I tried to use the megafunction compiler to create the used megafunctions. This worked for altfp_div, but alftp_convert just creates an empty *.qip file with not even opening the MegaWizard, failed with "Error (14736): Error: Wizard "ALTFP_CONVERT" cannot be launched."
- Reinstalling Quartus 20.1 did not help
- KhaiChein_Y_Intel
Hi,
Could you share the design.qar that includes the Quartus project/settings file, qip/qsys, etc? To generate the QAR file, click on Project > Archive Project > Archive.
Thanks.
Best regards,
KhaiY
- dns13
Hi KhaiY,
I've created a test project and archived it as my main project is kind of huge and includes internas.
Thanks,
Jan
- KhaiChein_Y_Intel
Hi Jan,
I received the reply from the team, you may create altera_fp_function in version 18.1 and use that instance in version 20.1. In v18.1, a qip file is also generated which will list all the generated files you need to include in your v20.1 project.
Thanks.
Best regards,
KhaiY
- KhaiChein_Y_Intel
Hi,
We do not receive any response from you to the previous question/reply/answer that I have provided. This thread will be transitioned to community support. If you have a new question, feel free to open a new thread to get the support from Intel experts. Otherwise, the community users will continue to help you on this thread. Thank you
Best regards,
KhaiY
JHill1Occasional Contributor
Grrrrrrrrrrrr!
- JHill1
My use case is that my VHDL component's port has a fixed fractional width generic which cascades to a generic passed to the alt_fpconvert VHDL component's port. So my complaint is that functionality that worked in the past, and is described in the 2020 version of the manual, no longer works, and we are wedged by Intel when trying to migrate our code base in-between versions. This generics passing down functionality isn't supported by the wizard, assuming of course that the wizard was even working in 20 and or 19, which it isn't.
Furthermore, what is really frustrating is such problems with the FP library exist, and users are documenting them, but they continue to persist year after year.
TomMiddletonIs there any resolution to this other than use the ones from 18.1? I've found I cannot even open the MegaWizard for the IP that won't upgrade (ALTFP_MULT and ALTFP_CONVERT) that bails out without notice only leaving an "iplauncher_debug.log" file with the line "Fatal Error: The file altfp_mult_info.xml does not exist or cannot be read" It isn't clear from your answers, is this just an Intel " is not going to fix" thing?
TSudo2I have encountered this same problem. Also would like to know if there is any other solution expected other than install 18.1.
- dns13
It's been two years. Still no version after 18.1 that is working as it should.
FvMSuper Contributor
Hello,
I came across the same problem today and noticed that the question hasn't been clearly answered by Intel team.
The answer seems quite obvious though. All altfp_xxx IP has been removed from the library since Quartus 19 but is still in the IP catalog for some devices, curiously not for all, e.g. MAX10. As stated in a different thread, it's expected that you use the new HLS based FP_FUNCTIONS Intel FPGA IP instead. It has additional features like freely selecting the pipeline level based on speed requirements.
Regards
Frank- dns13Wow. Thank you Frank!
That was the answer I was looking for. So sad that wasn’t given from Intel itself.
Where did you get the information that they were deprecated in favor of the HLS versions? I‘ve checked the update notes multiple times but haven’t stumbled upon that.
Greetings
Jan
