Due to a problem in the SoC EDS software version 15.1 and later, BSP-Editor will not allow a boot loader to be generated unless emif.xml exists in the software handoff files directory created by the Intel® Quartus® Prime software (hps_isw_handoff).
The emif.xml file is only created in the software handoff folder if the Intel® Arria® 10 SoC HPS component has the External Memory Interface conduit enabled.
To work around this problem in the SoC EDS software version 15.1 and later follow the steps below:
1. Compile your design in the Quartus Prime software to generate the hps_isw_handoff folder
2. In a text editor, create a file named emif.xml with the following content and save it to the hps_isw_handoff folder:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<emif>
</emif>
3. Create your BSP in BSP-Editor
This problem is fixed starting with the respective version SoC EDS of Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro/Standard Edition Software version 19.1