Hi, I'm working on a project involving multiple Quartus projects that share common components. All of the common verilog components are shared in an external folder, but I can't find any way to share SOPC Builder files. I would like to move the .sopc file and the Nios IDE projects to a common directory, then simply include them in any Quartus projects that need them. I tried moving the .sopc file, opening it in SOPC Builder, and generating the system but I ran into errors saying the *_setup_quartus.tcl script couldn't find my project. I can't quite see what SOPC Builder needs from my project since the system doesn't have any knowledge of my other hardware until I connect it at the top level. Has anyone had any success doing this before? I could copy the files into each of the Quartus projects' folders, but I would like to maintain a common base of changes across all of them - everything is checked into SVN and I'd like to be able to maintain consistency across the projects by updating to a new revision. Thanks.

I tried the same kind of thing, without success... My workaround for now is to replicate the common code in every project, but put in folders declared as SVN externals. It makes it easy to transfer modifications from one project to another, and gives more control on updates.

I'm using externals right now but they slow updates down tremendously so I want to try to remove them. I think I'd rather have multiple versions at this point than have to deal with the externals because they are so slow.

I have been doing exactly what you need to do for many years now. My primary reason for doing it is to organize the file structure. Here is what I do: 1 - Create the folder where you would like your SoPC builder system located. 2 - Don't use the little SoPC builder toolbar button to launch SoPC builder. Instead, use the megawizard to create a new SoPC builder system and specify the location of the SoPC builder file. 3 - When you generate your SoPC builder system, SoPC builder will give you an error. It will inform you that the system generated correctly but there were errors. This error can be ignored. The error is generated because SoPC builder wants to add run a TCL script for your Quartus project but there is no project associated with SoPC builder. 4 - Add the folder that contains your SoPC builder system as a user library Jake

I guess basically what I'm saying is the error that SoPC builder gives you is irrelevant. Jake

Great, that worked! Thanks for the help. One last question, normally when you program the FPGA Quartus also programs the Nios (assuming the software has been compiled at least once), but now that it's in a different directory it doesn't seem to be doing that. Do you know how to tell to do that so I don't have to run the IDE and reprogram the thing each time I rebuild my hardware?

Changing SOPC File Location | Altera Community

16 Replies

Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
It looks ok I think. I just deleted and recompiled the .hex file and it still doesn't program. I'm going to try recompiling the project now with the .hex file already built to see if that helps.
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
Oh I should mention one other thing.

Are you aware that if you make a change to the HEX file after compiling the Quartus Project, it's necessary to run the "Update Memory Initialization File" routine and the assembler to create a new FPGA programming file?

Jake
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
Bingo. Thanks for all of your help! This is going to make things so much easier.
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
--- Quote Start ---
Oh I should mention one other thing.

Are you aware that if you make a change to the HEX file after compiling the Quartus Project, it's necessary to run the "Update Memory Initialization File" routine and the assembler to create a new FPGA programming file?

Jake
--- Quote End ---

Ahhh, that could do it. Thanks!
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
If you've got the project set for "Smart Compilation", it should automatically figure out that these are the only steps that need to be done. Then you just click the compile button and it should just run those two steps.

Jake
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
I had turned that off a while ago. If I remember correctly I couldn't use SignalTap with it on (I'm using the web edition of Quartus). That should definitely save a ton of time though, since I'm not using SignalTap now anyway. I can just turn it back off if I need to use it. Thanks.

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Changing SOPC File Location

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