Are there any known issues creating .jbc files with Quartus 18?

RWegg · ‎12-14-2018

I have been successful making .jbc files for a Max 5 CPLD using Quartus 13.1. I now need to do a similar thing for a Max 10 FPGA. I've heard issues regarding Quartus 17+ and generating .jbc files. Are there known issues with Quartus 18? Would I be better off using an earlier version until any known issues are resolved?

This is a project non-starter if I cannot generate .jbc files.

Vicky1 · ‎12-17-2018

Hi,

As Quartus tool edition is not mentioned in the post so in case of Quartus lite edition used then user need to request the license to enable the encryption option from the SSLC (Self Service Licensing Center) refer the below old thread, https://forums.intel.com/s/question/0D50P000045aENR/generating-encrypted-bitstream-pof-ekp-files-for-max10-10m50daf484c6ges?s1oid=00DU0000000YT3c&s1nid=0DB0P000000U1Hq&emkind=chatterCommentNotification&s1uid=0050P000008AbZD&emtm=1542607151000&fromEmail=1&s1ext=0
If design contains any OpenCore Plus time-limited cores/IP then Quartus tool can not create the encryption files, https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/quartushelp/14.1/mergedProjects/msgs/msgs/opgmio_cannt_generate_jam.htm https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/quartushelp/15.0/mergedProjects/msgs/msgs/epgmio_can_not_have_multiple_files.htm
Refer '3.8. AES Encryption' from the below link,

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/programmable/us/en/pdfs/literature/hb/max-10/ug_m10_config.pdf

Let me know if this has helped resolve the issue you are facing or if you need any further assistance.

Best Regards

Vikas Jathar

(This message was posted on behalf of Intel Corporation)

RWegg · ‎03-11-2019

I'm afraid I do not understand the response. I am not intending to encrypt anything. I am simply trying to generate .JBC files as I have done successfully with versions of Quartus (Lite Edition) prior to 18.0. WHile I can (apparently) generate the .JBC file itself, it fails to program 100% of the time. If I use Quartus 15.1 (again, Lite Edition) to create the .JBC file, it works fine. I have seen one other post in which a similar observation was made. That author of that post indicated an apparent issue related to some internal "algorithm version 68" which is new after Quartus 17.

I have not worked on this issue for about three months. Back then I was under pressure to prove that our design was viable (i.e. that the hardware could support in-system programming using the JAM player). While I mananged to prove that, I must now get the design polished to the point of reliable operation. This includes the firmware revision and re-programming process in the field.

So, is Intel aware of any issues regarding the ability of Quartus 18.0 (Lite Edition) and later to generate reliable .JBC files?

I will continue to use my workaround (i.e. use Quartus 15) to create .JBC files. However, such a workaround makes me uncomfortable, especially with the newer MAX 10 device family.

Vicky1 · ‎03-12-2019

Hi,

Actually,sometimes it is difficult to identity exact issue with only one post & that made me to support my previous post.

Now I request you,please provide below information,

Are you able to generate .JBC file using Q18 Lite
what do you mean "it fails to program 100% of the time." ? which programming tool & cable are you using?
"So, is Intel aware of any issues regarding the ability of Quartus 18.0 (Lite Edition) and later to generate reliable .JBC files?" I could able to generate .JBC file using Q18.1 Lite, refer below user guide,

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/documentation/sss1393988509894.html#pfa1517985961879

Regards,

Vikas

RWegg · ‎03-12-2019

Vikas, Thank you for the reply. I expect to revisit and resolve this issue in the coming 1-2 weeks. However, until I can get back in the lab and reproduce these difficulties, I can only provide low-detail answers. (I will be able to provide more specific failure mode symptoms when I reproduce them.) 1. Are you able to generate .JBC file using Q18 Lite – Yes. I can generate the .JBC file. However, the subsequent use of that file to program the device fails a few minutes into the process. Again, I will provide more details when I’m back in the lab. 2. what do you mean "it fails to program 100% of the time." ? which programming tool & cable are you using? – The actual .JBC file that Q18.1 Lite produces is different than the file Q15.1 produces. The Q18.1 generated file always fails to program. The Q15.1 file seems to work. As one forum post suggests, there seems to be a difference related to algorithm 68 (“ALG_VERSION 68”) used in the convert programming files program, which started, I think, with Q17? I am using the JAM player in an embedded application (i.e. “no cable”). 3. "So, is Intel aware of any issues regarding the ability of Quartus 18.0 (Lite Edition) and later to generate reliable .JBC files?" I could able to generate .JBC file using Q18.1 Lite, refer below user guide, -- I too can generate the .JBC file. It is the file’s content that changes with different versions of Quartus. I understand if I haven’t provided all the necessary details in my responses above. I will be able to do better in a couple weeks. However, I had asked a general question of “known issues” because it would seem that others may have raised this issue. For example, I’ve seen Bug ID: 461822 which suggests a similar problem with Q17. Is this bug still active in Q18.1? Are there other, similar issues that have not been resolved yet? As a side note, I find the website particularly non-intuitive with respect to searching. This complicates and frustrates my efforts to reliably find answers that may have already been posted on this (or similar) issues. Thanks again for your response. I look forward to finding/understanding an Intel-suggested solution for my issue. Sincerely, Bob Weggel Electronics Engineer Performance Controls, Inc. 151 Domorah Drive Montgomeryville, PA 18936 USA <http://www.pcipa.com/> www.pcipa.com Main: +1 215-619-4920 Desk: +1 215-619-4952 . CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE The information contained in this message, including any attachment, may be privileged and confidential and protected by applicable law from unauthorized disclosure. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or is not an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message or any attachment is strictly prohibited and can subject such person to penalties. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by calling 215-619-4920; then delete the message and any attachment from your computer. Any content delivered to an intended recipient shall be destroyed or returned to PCI, Inc. when no longer required for authorized purposes.

Vicky1 · ‎03-29-2019

Hi,

I used MAX 10 development kit & Quartus 18.1 Lite edition to check .jbc programming using Embedded Intel FPGA Download Cable II (JTAG) & I could able to program the .jbc & _pof.jbc files generated using below link,

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/documentation/sss1393988509894.html#pfa1517985961879

Refer the attachment & screenshot & let me know if you have any different concern.

Regards,

Vikas

RWegg · ‎05-15-2019

Hello Vikas,

It has been some time since I last discussed the issues I've been having with .jbc file creation/use. However, I have finally had the time to better document/explain the scenario I am encountering. I summarize it as follows:

I have a project, "Ex_rev1", in Quartus Prime Lite 18.0.0 Build 614 04/24/2018 Lite Edition for the device 10M04SCE144C8G.
When I compile the project, I get two programming files as expected: Ex_rev1_pof.jbc and Ex1_rev1.pof.
Using the JAM Player and Ex_rev1_pof.jbc to program the device, the programming sequence fails on every attempt to program.
If I use the file converter, quartus_cpf (version 18.0.0), to convert Ex1_rev1.pof to a .jbc file, I get (not surprisingly) a binary file whose contents are identical to Ex_rev1_pof.jbc. (This file also fails when used with the JAM Player.)
However, if I use an older version of the file converter, quartus_cpf (version 15.1.0), to convert Ex1_rev1.pof to a .jbc file, the resulting file works 50% of the time. That is, the first attempt to program a device using the JAM player is successful. If a second attempt is made to program that same device, the process fails. A third attempt will be successful, a fourth attempt will fail, fifth attempt successful, and so on...

There seem to be two issues, and they may be related:

Why the difference in behavior between newer and older Quartus versions with regard to creating working .jbc files? (Please note, I have also used Quartus 18.1 with exactly the same failing results as Quartus 18.0).
Why, when I use quartus_cpf version 15.1.0, would I get a .jbc file that seems to work only every other time? (BASIC THEORY: I suspect that the .jbc file works only on unprogrammed devices, possibly causing the repeated failures and successes. For example, since the device is initially unprogrammed, the first attempt is successful. The second attempt will fail since the device is programmed -- but this failure invalidates the device's program and the device does not run. On the third attempt, since the device is not running, the programming will be successful.)

Can you offer any help to this ongoing issue? I sincerely appreciate any attention you or your team can devote to helping me solve this. I am eager to design this very capable device into future designs (and its already been designed into 3 of our products). However, this problem is discouraging me from doing so any further.

To help explain the above in a different way, I've created a diagram of the .jbc file creation process I have followed. Please have a look at the attached .PDF entitled "JBC_issues_flow_diagram.pdf". I hope that it will clarify the issue at hand.

Many thanks in advance for your time/effort.

Sincerely,

RWegg

RWegg · ‎05-15-2019

Vikas,

I apologize. The previous .PDF contains an error.

I have corrected the error and attached a new version entitled "JBC_issues_flow_diagram_v2.pdf".

The error pertains to the dialog boxes that appear on the right side of the diagram. These dialog boxes show the sequence of JAM Player messages that were received when the programming of that particular file failed. The sequences are clearly different betwen Q18.0 and Q15.1.

The error in the first .PDF I sent had these two dialog boxes swapped.

Please let me know if I can clarify any further.

Thank you.

RWegg · ‎05-16-2019

Hello Vikas, I’m not sure if you received my most recent post on the Intel Forum. (I’m rather confused about the organization of the website and how best to use it (or not use it). Anyway, I added two posts yesterday. Hopefully you or someone at Intel will have time to take a look and see if either I’m doing something incorrectly, or if there are issues with Quartus 18.0 (or 18.1). Sincerely, RWegg

Vicky1 · ‎05-27-2019

Hi,

The issue at my end is, almost all machines are with windows 10 & Jam STAPL Byte-Code Player Version 2.2 tool supports only on

Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98, Windows 95 so I am unable to replicate issue.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/support/support-resources/download/legacy/jam/dnl-byte_code_player.html

if you are using JAM player installed on other than above mentioned operating system or any custom application, In that case it might get encountered an issue.

If you observed my previous post, where I was able to configure MAX10 development kit with the .jbc file using Intel download cable II(USB blaster II) in Quartus 18.1 lite tool.

Thanks.

Vikas