User Guide

Nios II Booting General Flow
Design
• Create your Nios II processor-based project using the Quartus Prime software and Qsys.
Configuration and Compilation
• Set the Nios II processor reset and exception vector based on your boot options.
• Generate your design in Qsys.
• Compile your design in the Quartus Prime software.
BSP Editor Settings
• Use Nios II SBT, create the Nios II processor HAL BSP based on the .sopcinfo file created
during Qsys system generation.
• Edit the Nios II processor BSP settings and the Linker script in the BSP Editor based on
your boot options.
• Generate the BSP.
Programming
Method?
Application
• Using the Nios II SBT, develop the Nios II processor
application code.
• Compile the Nios II processor application and generate the
.hex file using the mem_init_generate utility.
Application
• Using the Nios II SBT, develop the Nios II processor
application code.
• Compile the Nios II processor application, which generates
the Nios II .elf file.
Quartus Prime Programming Nios II Flash Programming
Programming File Conversion
• Generate the .jic or .pof using the Quartus Prime Convert
Programming Files feature.
Programming File Conversion
• Using the Nios II command shell, convert your FPGA config-
uration file (.sof) to an SREC image (.flash) using the
sof2flash utility.
• Convert your Nios II .elf to an SREC image (.flash) using the
elf2flash utility.
Download
• Use the Quartus Prime Programmer to program the device
with the programming file (.jic or .pof).
Download
• Use the Quartus Prime Programmer to program the device
with the configuration file (.sof).
• Use the Nios II Flash Programmer to program the external
flash with the SREC images.
Reset and Boot
• Reset your FPGA using the reset button or power cycle the hardware.
Summary of Nios II Processor Vector Congurations and BSP Settings
Table 1: Summary of Nios II Processor Vector Congurations
Boot Option Reset Vector Conguration Exception Vector Conguration
Nios II processor applica‐
tion execute-in-place from
CFI ash
CFI ash Choose between:
8
Nios II Booting General Flow
UG-20001
2016.05.24
Altera Corporation
Generic Nios II Booting Methods User Guide
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