Compiling RTL

[Duncan Clark]

Hi Steve,

Would I be correct in saying that one can't compile the RTL using 32bit
Quartus? It must be 64bit?

I ask because I haven't one 64bit Windows machine at work or home.
Everything is running 32bit Windows7 Pro or 8.1, even computers supplied
to us for instrumentation control.

Under Quartus 13.1 32bit, I get an initial error about not supporting
Cyclone IV as attached. I told it not to remove location assignments and
simply picked the correct revision for the CV (leaving it for now on
your default 23I7 device) and hit compile. I then get errors i.e.


Info:
*******************************************************************
Info: Running Quartus II 32-bit Analysis & Synthesis
Info: Version 13.1.0 Build 162 10/23/2013 SJ Web Edition
Info: Processing started: Mon Jan 26 20:30:09 2015
Info: Command: quartus_map --read_settings_files=on
--write_settings_files=off Hermes_Lite -c Hermes_Lite_12CV
Error (125091): Tcl error: ERROR: Illegal assignment:
IP_GENERATED_DEVICE_FAMILY. Specify a legal assignment name.

while executing
"set_global_assignment -name IP_GENERATED_DEVICE_FAMILY "{Cyclone IV
E}""
(file "Polyphase_FIR/firromI_1024.qip" line 3)
Info (125063): set_global_assignment -name IP_TOOL_VERSION 14.0
-qip Polyphase_FIR/firromI_1024.qip
Error (125091): Tcl error: ERROR: Illegal assignment:
IP_GENERATED_DEVICE_FAMILY. Specify a legal assignment name.

while executing
"set_global_assignment -name IP_GENERATED_DEVICE_FAMILY "{Cyclone IV
E}""
(file "Polyphase_FIR/firram36I_1024.qip" line 3)
Info (125063): set_global_assignment -name IP_TOOL_VERSION 14.0
-qip Polyphase_FIR/firram36I_1024.qip
Error (125091): Tcl error: ERROR: Illegal assignment:
IP_GENERATED_DEVICE_FAMILY. Specify a legal assignment name.

while executing
"set_global_assignment -name IP_GENERATED_DEVICE_FAMILY "{Cyclone IV
E}""
(file "Polyphase_FIR/firram36.qip" line 3)
Info (125063): set_global_assignment -name IP_TOOL_VERSION 14.0
-qip Polyphase_FIR/firram36.qip
Error (125091): Tcl error: ERROR: Illegal assignment:
IP_GENERATED_DEVICE_FAMILY. Specify a legal assignment name.

etc.

I'm assuming it's the 32bit issue, so it looks like I will be setting up
a 64bit Windows install :-)

Thanks

Duncan

--
Duncan Clark
G4ELJ

[Steve Haynal]

Hi Duncan,

32bit should work although I haven't tried. You'll need Quartus 14.0 as some of the IP are at that version. I'd install support for both Cyclone IV and V to avoid some of the warnings. I think when you tried to change revisions, you may not have clicked apply and it reverted back to the SDK revision. I'd try switching revisions again as described in the wiki and make sure to click apply or set current.

73,

Steve

KF7O

[John Laur KF5SAB]

Quartus II 14.0 is 64 bit only.  Altera has completely dropped 32 bit support as of this version and it will not be returning. I would strongly encourage Duncan to move to a 64 bit OS if possible. A modern computer with a 32 bit windows install is an absolutely crippling experience. Newer hardware primarily designed for 64 bit systems (particularly video cards with copious amounts of video memory) co-opt large chunks of address space, and on a 32 bit platform this essentially "steals" usable RAM from the already paltry 4GB maximum. Anyone stuck running 32 bit windows for a legacy piece of hardware or some other narrow use case ought to at least investigate the unofficial patch that adds PAE support to regular desktop windows...

73, John KF5SAB

[Steve Haynal]

Thanks for the reminder John. I remember now that you mentioned this before. I only have access to 64 bit machines. Your easiest route Duncan may be to install Linux (Ubuntu or Mint) on one of your machines.

In the long run, I like to make the need for someone to recompile very rare. I'm looking into storing the IP and MAC on the same EEPROM used for the FPGA firmware. With this model, a user would combine two files when creating a .jic file - one with the firmware and one with the IP/MAC information. Note that it looks like the Hermes requires you to recompile to change the MAC, but not the IP.

73,

Steve

KF7O