Programming Devices with Flash Loaders

You can program devices with either the Serial Flash, Parallel Flash, or Active Parallel Flash Loader schemes, with an in-system JTAG programming method. The Serial Flash Loader programming scheme allows you to program Altera , which can then be used to configure one or more Cyclone IV devices. With the Parallel Flash Loader scheme, you can program flash devices that have the use to reconfigure one or more Altera FPGA devices.

Use the Assembler to generate an SRAM Object File (.sof) containing the FPGA configuration data.
On the File menu, click Convert Programming Files.
Under Output programming file, select JTAG Indirect Configuration File (.jic) in the list.
In the Configuration device list, select the target configuration device you want to program.
In the File name box, type the file name for the JTAG Indirect Configuration File you want to create.
To specify an existing SRAM Object File for conversion to a JTAG Indirect Configuration File, select the SOF Data item under Input files to convert and click Add File.
To specify the target FPGA device that will program the configuration device, select the Flash Loader item under Input files to convert and click Add Device.
To generate the JTAG Indirect Configuration File containing configuration device programming data, click OK.
On the Tools menu, click Programmer.
If necessary, in the Mode list, select JTAG.
To add the newly created JTAG Indirect Configuration File to the programming list, click Add File in the Programmer window and select the JTAG Indirect Configuration File.
In the same row as the FPGA device in the programming list, turn on the Program/Configure option.
In the same row as the configuration device in the programming list, turn on the Program/Configure option.
To configure the FPGA device with the Serial Flash Loader IP and then program the configuration device, click Start in the Programmer.
To reconfigure the FPGA device with configuration data from the configuration device, turn the power to the FPGA device off and on.

Instantiate the Parallel Flash Loader (PFL) IP in a MAX II device with the altparallel_flash_loader megafunction.
In the Settings dialog box on the Assignments menu, select the Device page, and then select MAX II from the Family list.
Add pin assignments.
On the Tools menu, click Programmer to open the Programmer.
Select the MAX II device in the Programmer list.
Click Start to compile a design and generate a Programmer Object File for the MAX II device.
To generate a Programmer Object File for the flash device, follow these steps:
1. On the File menu, click Convert Programming Files.
2. In the Configuration device list, select the targeted common flash interface (CFI) device.
3. Add the SRAM Object File (.sof) into the SOF data item for the targeted Altera device.
4. Click Options and specify the same start address as specified in the megafunction. You can also assign the start address for the SRAM Object File by pointing to the SRAM Object File in Input files to convert and clicking Properties.
5. Click Generate to a Programmer Object File.
To program the Parallel Flash Loader, follow these steps:
1. In Programmer, add the Programmer Object File for the MAX II device that you created in step 6.
2. Right-click anywhere on the Programmer Object File listed in the Programmer, and then click Attach Flash Device.
3. In the Select Flash Device dialog box, select a flash device to attach to the MAX II device.

Note: If there are devices in the Device list in the Programmer that contain a PFL IP block when you click Auto Detect, the Quartus II software automatically adds new flash devices to the list under the devices with a PFL IP block.

1. Select the flash device in the Programmer, and right-click Add File.
2. In the Select Programming File dialog box, select the Programmer Object File you generated in step 7.
3. Select programming options for the flash pages in the Programmer and click Start.