Quartus memory init file

Here is an example of a .MIF (not Intel hex) file which initialises

36-bit wide memory:

Width = 36; Address_radix = Hex; Data_radix = Hex;

% Character shapes % Content BEGIN

0000 : 000000000; 0001 : 000000000; 0002 : 000000000; : : (bulk of this file omitted) : 01F6 : 0600C00C0; 01F7 : 380000000; 01F8 : 0000001E2; 01F9 : 37623C000; 01FA : 000000000; 01FB : 000000000; 01FC : 000000000; 01FD : 000000000; 01FE : 000000000; 01FF : 000000000; END;

Thanks Mike, but I want to use intel hex, not MIF, mainly because the intel hex can be used for both synthesis and simulation in ModelSim.

I think I've found the answer anyway. For now I create an 8-bit wide intel hex file, then open the hex file in Quartus and use the memory size wizard to change it to 32 bits, then re-save the file. I'm yet to confirm it produces the results I expect, but at least it builds now...

Since I use my own utility to create intel hex files in the first place, I'll simply modify it to produce the same output as Quartus...

Regards,

--
Mark McDougall, Engineer
Virtual Logic Pty Ltd, 
21-25 King St, Rockdale, 2216
Ph: +612-9599-3255 Fax: +612-9599-3266

Mark-

I've used 8-, 16-, 24-, and 32-bit wide Intel hex files with Quartus. The general format is (spaces for readability--not in file): - -- ---- -- ~~ -- -- -- : nn addr 00 ** cs \ data records : 00 0000 01 ff \ end record - -- ---- -- ~~ -- -- -- where nn = number of data bytes in memory word addr = 16-bit memory address

00, 01 = record type ** = nn data bytes cs = 100h - (byte.sum mod 256)

The tools will complain if you don't initialize more OR less than the full memory.

-John

The format I've been using for 8-bit data is 16 bytes/record. I tried all sorts of permutations of that for 32-bit wide memory some time back but never got it to work. In the end I settled for 4x 8-bit memory blocks. Now it's time to fix it properly.

Using Quartus to re-size my 8-bit intel hex file did the trick. It basically spat out 1 word/line in the format you specify above.

FYI it does let you initialise *less* than the full block, as long as the word size is correct...

BTW I wish Xilinx memories were as easy to specify and initialise as Quartus... I'm porting some projects and it's a real PITA!

Thanks for your assistance! Regards,

--
Mark McDougall, Engineer
Virtual Logic Pty Ltd, 
21-25 King St, Rockdale, 2216
Ph: +612-9599-3255 Fax: +612-9599-3266