Embedded Design Handbook

ID 683689
Date 8/28/2023
Public
Document Table of Contents

3.6.5.7. Download the Hardware Design to the Target FPGA

To download the .sof to the target board, perform the following steps:

  1. Connect the board to the host computer with the download cable, and apply power to the board.
  2. On the Tools menu in the Intel® Quartus® Prime software, click Programmer.
    The Intel® Quartus® Prime Programmer appears and automatically displays the appropriate configuration file (nios2_quartus2_project.sof).
  3. Click Hardware Setup in the upper left corner of the Intel® Quartus® Prime Programmer to verify your download cable settings.
    The Hardware Setup dialog box appears.
  4. Select the appropriate download cable in the Currently selected hardware list.
    If the appropriate download cable does not appear in the list, you must first install drivers for the cable.
  5. Click Close.
  6. In the nios2_quartus2_project.sof row, turn on Program/Configure.
  7. Click Start.
    The Progress meter sweeps to 100% as the Intel® Quartus® Prime software configures the FPGA.
At this point, the Nios® II system is configured and running in the FPGA, but it does not yet have a program in memory to execute.