How to erase a specific sector of addresses with JIC file ?

[Matan_b]

Hello

I am using Cyclone V (5CEFA7) with EPCQL256 flash device.

There is a way to erase a specific sector of addresses with a JIC file? or in another way using the Quartus Programmer tool?

Thanks.

[Fakhrul]

Hi Matan_b,

Kindly refer to the Generic Flash Programmer User Guide: Intel® Quartus® Prime Standard Edition on page 15.

Regards,

Fakhrul

[Matan_b]

Hi Fakhrul, thank you.

I did try to delete a certain area from the flash with the help of creating a JIC file, but I'm looking for a way to delete certain areas based on a start address and an end address in a simple way, is there one?
I will explain what I mean.

For the example - I want to erase the flash between the addresses 0x01600000 - 0x0163FFFF.

First, I tried to create a JIC from a SOF file, and indeed the "Convert Programming file" tool allows to define a start address and an end address, but the smallest JIC file I was able to create exceeds the area I want to delete and occupies the addresses 0x01600000 -  0x017FDA58 , and I created the SOF file from one almost completely empty VHDL file...

After that I tried to generate a JIC from a HEX file, and it did succeed, but it is very manual - when generating from a HEX file, the "Convert Programming file"  tool allows you to set only a starting address, so I had to prepare such a HEX file that would capture exactly the address area I wanted. (I used this answer https://community.intel.com/t5/FPGA-SoC-And-CPLD-Boards-And/How-to-generate-a-full-16MB-size-image/m-p/1203796/highlight/true#M18248)

So I am refining my questions now -
Is there a way to produce a JIC file from a smaller SOF file than I was able to?
Alternatively, is there a way to also set an end address when generating a JIC file from a HEX file?

Thank you!

[Fakhrul]

Hi Matan_b,

Sorry for the delay in response. We just had a long-weekend holiday recently. I tried to do some research on this, and it seems there's no simple way to perform this. Perhaps, by generating ie. 2 sectors size of hex in order to erase 2 sectors is the possible workaround for this.

Regards,

Fakhrul

[Matan_b]

I understand, so I will do it the hex file way.

Thanks @Fakhrul .

Matan.

[Fakhrul]

Hi Matan_b,

I wish to follow up with you on this case. Do you still have further inquiries on this issue? Please feel free to let me know if there is any concern so that we could further assist you.

Otherwise, this thread will be idling and marked as inactive, thus it will be transitioned to community support because there is no update received from you in a while.

Regards,

Fakhrul

[Fakhrul]

As we do not receive any response from you to the previous notification that we provided. This thread will be transitioned to community support. If you have a new question, feel free to open a new thread to get the support from Intel experts. Otherwise, the community users will continue to help you on this thread. Thank you.