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Programming and Configuration File Support

Configuration Devices for SRAM-Based LUT Devices

January 2012

Altera Corporation

Programming and Configuration File Support

The Quartus II and MAX+PLUS II softwares provide programming support for Altera

configuration devices. During compilation, the Quartus II and MAX+PLUS II

softwares automatically generates a .pof, which is used to program the configuration

devices. In a multi-device configuration, the software combines the programming

files for multiple ACEX 1K, APEX 20K, APEX II, Arria GX, Cyclone, Cyclone II,

FLEX 10K, Mercury, Stratix, Stratix GX, Stratix II, and Stratix II GX devices into one or

more configuration devices. The software allows you to select the appropriate

configuration device to store the data for each FPGA.

All Altera configuration devices are programmable using Altera programming

hardware in conjunction with the Quartus II or MAX+PLUS II software. In addition,

many third-party programmers offer programming hardware that supports Altera

configuration devices.

device. An EPC1 device can be programmed with a .pof generated for an EPC1441

device.

EPC2 configuration devices can be programmed in-system through its

industry-standard four-pin JTAG interface. ISP capability in the EPC2 devices provide

ease in prototyping and FPGA functionality. When programming multiple EPC2

devices in a JTAG chain, the Quartus II and MAX+PLUS II softwares and other

programming methods employ concurrent programming to simultaneously program

multiple devices and reduce programming time. EPC2 devices can be programmed

and erased up to 100 times.

After programming an EPC2 device in-system, FPGA configuration is initiated by the

INIT

_CONF JTAG instruction of the EPC2 device. For more information, refer to

Table 6.

following documents:

■

Altera Programming Hardware Data Sheet

■

USB-Blaster Download Cable User Guide

■

MasterBlaster Serial/USB Communications Cable User Guide

■

ByteBlaster II Download Cable User Guide

■

ByteBlasterMV Download Cable User Guide

■

BitBlaster Serial Download Cable Data Sheet

You can also program the configuration devices using the Quartus II or MAX+PLUS II

software with the APU or the appropriate configuration device programming adapter.