Using The Board Update Portal To Update User Designs - Altera Cyclone IV GX User Manual

5–2
5. Click Cyclone IV GX Transceiver Starter Kit on the Board Update Portal web page
to access the kit's home page. Visit this page occasionally for documentation
updates and additional new designs.
f
You can also navigate directly to the
Altera website to determine if you have the latest kit software.

Using the Board Update Portal to Update User Designs

The Board Update Portal allows you to write new designs to the user hardware 1
portion of flash memory. Designs must be in the Nios II Flash Programmer File
(.flash) format.
1
Design files available from the
Altera website include .flash files. You can also create .flash files from your own
custom design. Refer to
for information about preparing your own design for upload.
To upload a design over the network into the user portion of flash memory on your
board, perform the following steps:
1. Perform the steps in
the Board Update Portal web page.
2. In the Hardware File Name field specify the .flash file that you either downloaded
from the Altera website or created on your own. If there is a software component
to the design, specify it in the same manner using the Software File Name field,
otherwise leave the Software File Name field blank.
3. Click Upload. The file takes about 20 seconds to upload.
4. To configure the FPGA with the new design after the flash memory upload process
is complete, set the USER_PGM switch (S8.2) to the on position and power cycle
the board, or press the PGM_SEL button (S2) until the PGM 0 LED (D4) is on and
the PGM 1 LED (D3) is off and then press the PGM_CONF button (S1). Refer to
Table 6–2 on page 6–5
1
As long as you don't overwrite the factory image in the flash memory device, you can
continue to use the Board Update Portal to write new designs to the user hardware 1
portion of flash memory. If you do overwrite the factory image, you can restore it by
following the instructions in
page
Cyclone IV GX Transceiver Starter Kit User Guide
"Preparing Design Files for Flash Programming" on page A–2
"Connecting to the Board Update Portal Web Page"
for information about the PGM LEDs.
"Restoring the Flash Device to the Factory Settings" on
A–4.
Using the Board Update Portal to Update User Designs
Cyclone IV GX Transceiver Starter Kit
Cyclone IV GX Transceiver Starter Kit
Chapter 5: Board Update Portal
page of the
page of the
to access
© March 2010 Altera Corporation