Intel® Quartus® Prime Software
Intel® Quartus® Prime Design Software, Design Entry, Synthesis, Simulation, Verification, Timing Analysis, System Design (Platform Designer, formerly Qsys)
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Uniphy Platform Designer Error: "Cannot find sequencer/sequencer.elf"

ToddW
Novice
4,844 Views

Prior to Quartus Prime Std v19, Intel used Cygwin for the Nios II Command Shell.  Version 19.1 and beyond, they switched to using Ubunto 18.04 TLS and Windows Subsystem for  Linux (WSL) to operate the Nios Command Shell.  Here's a quote from the following support article.

 

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/programmable/articles/000074066.html

"Starting with the Nios® II EDS in the Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition software version 19.2 and Intel® Quartus® Prime Standard Edition software version 19.1, the Cygwin component in the Windows* version of Nios II EDS has been removed and replaced with WSL."

 

I've been unable to compile Platform Designer projects that use a UniPhy memory controller starting with Quartus Prime Std version 19.1 due to the errors mentioned below.  Consequently, I've had to keep the revision locked at version 18.  It is time to resolve the problem with later versions as my IP is becoming outdated.

 

This same issue is already mentioned (but not resolved) several times, starting with version 19 and subsequent releases.  I am currently running Quartus Prime Std 21.1.0.842.

 

Here’s a few of the times it is mentioned:

 

https://community.intel.com/t5/Nios-II-Embedded-Design-Suite/Error-s0-Error-during-execution-of-quot-C-intelfpga-20-1-quartus/m-p/1191914#M49912

 

https://community.intel.com/t5/Intel-Quartus-Prime-Software/Error-s0-Cannot-find-sequencer-sequencer-elf/m-p/1233588#M67281

 

https://community.intel.com/t5/Intel-Quartus-Prime-Software/Error-Cannot-find-sequences-sequencer-elf/m-p/95998#M19220

 

https://community.intel.com/t5/Intel-Quartus-Prime-Software/Qsys-fails-with-strange-error-messages-never-seen-before/m-p/1310027?lightbox-message-images-1310027=19018i388F0912252A31FC#M70597

 

Here is how the error/issue shows up in Platform Designer:

Platform_Designer_Errors.png

 

I’ve deleted all prior versions of Quartus in hopes that would clear up the issue…it didn’t. 

 

  • I’m able to successfully run Nios II Command Shell, which validates that I’ve successfully installed Ubunto 18.04 TLS and WLS. 
  • I’ve set WLS version to ‘1’
  • I’ve installed the following packages:
    • sudo apt update
    • sudo apt upgrade
    • sudo apt install wsl
    • sudo apt install dos2unix
    • sudo apt install make
  • I’ve confirmed the appropriate system environment variables:
    • QUARTUS_ROOTDIR E:\intelFPGA\21.1\quartus
    • QSYS_ROOTDIR E:\intelFPGA\21.1\quartus\sopc_builder\bin
    • SOPC_KIT_NIOS2 E:\intelFPGA\21.1\nios2eds

 

From what I read, it has never been successfully resolved.  I am VERY surprised that Intel has not taken the time to come up with a clear resolution to it.  I certainly can’t be the only one out there that is attempting to compile a Platform Designer project with a UniPhy DDR3 memory controller.

 

I am absolutely stuck at this point.  Any guidance would be most appreciated.

17 Replies
ToddW
Novice
4,776 Views

Here are some helpful links I've uncovered from others on the issue.  However, even after carefully following the instructions contained in these links, I am still having the same problem.

 

https://www.terasic.com.tw/wiki/Getting_Start_Install_WSL

 

https://wiki.trenz-electronic.de/display/PD/Install+Intel+Development+Tools

 

https://medium.com/@jpablo.pinilla/intel-quartus-19-1-university-program-extensions-and-nios-ii-command-shell-for-windows-10-8a37182fc07b

 

ToddW
Novice
4,755 Views

Thank you for your response. 

 

However, I have installed/removed/reinstalled Ubunto 18.04 and WSL while carefully following the instructions in the support article you mentioned as well as the more thorough Terasic article I mention above.

 

I am able to run Nios II Command Shell by itself from the Start menu.  It recognizes typed commands as expected.  

I have verified that the WSL is set to version 1.

I have verified the Environment variables are pointing to the correct locations:

  • QUARTUS_ROOTDIR       C:\intelFPGA\21.1\quartus
  • QSYS_ROOTDIR                C:\intelFPGA\21.1\quartus\sopc_builder\bin
  • SOPC_KIT_NIOS2             C:\intelFPGA\21.1\nios2eds

I am still receiving the same errors as mentioned earlier.

Is there a means to interrupt the flow to just prior to the error occurring to see what the state of the machine is at that point?

EricMunYew_C_Intel
Moderator
4,742 Views

Do you mean you are able to open the link below and tried it, but it failed?

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/programmable/articles/000086438.html


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ToddW
Novice
4,733 Views

Correct.  I had already done the steps shown in the link you posted.  The Terasic article is actually more detailed than the one you posted.  Even after carefully going through all of the steps described in the articles, I am still getting the same error as originally mentioned.

 

I am able to successfully run Nios II Command Shell from the Start Menu (even not as an Administrator).  See below.  However, I am still getting the "Cannot find sequencer/sequencer.elf" error when attempting to compile my DDR3 Platform Designer project. 

 

Nios2CommandShell.jpg

MoZdk
New Contributor I
4,671 Views

Thanks for posting this thorough problem report.

I am also running Quartus Prime Std 21.1.0.842, tries to generate a design with a DDR3 controller, and thereby get the exact same error.

DDR3 generation error.png

I have also tried the suggestions given in this topic, which unfortunately have not fixed the problem.

A solution i greatly appreciated, since it blocks use of Quartus Prime Std 21.1 for the design.

 

MoZdk
New Contributor I
4,651 Views

Installation of WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) breaks the Quartus lite 18.1 Platform Designer so it is not possible to generate code with the DDR3 controller, even through WSL is not expected to be used for Quartus 18.1.

The error messages are similar to those given in Quartus 21.1 shown above.

When I disable WSL and restarts Windows, then the Quartus lite 18.1 Platform Designer can again generate code with the DDR3 controller.

 

ToddW
Novice
4,520 Views

Yes.  In my opening paragraph of this forum post I said, 

 

Prior to Quartus Prime Std v19, Intel used Cygwin for the Nios II Command Shell.  Version 19.1 and beyond, they switched to using Ubunto 18.04 TLS and Windows Subsystem for  Linux (WSL) to operate the Nios Command Shell.  Here's a quote from the following support article.

 

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/programmable/articles/000074066.html

"Starting with the Nios® II EDS in the Intel® Quartus® Prime Pro Edition software version 19.2 and Intel® Quartus® Prime Standard Edition software version 19.1, the Cygwin component in the Windows* version of Nios II EDS has been removed and replaced with WSL."

 

So, prior to Quartus v19, the Platform Designer used Cygwin instead of WSL to run the Nios Shell used to generate the projects.

ToddW
Novice
4,418 Views

I had an online meeting with a couple support engineers at Intel regarding this topic.  It appears they concur this is potentially a bug and they have generated a HSD (whatever that is) and submitted to Intel Engineering for review/follow-up.  Time to watch some paint dry.

 

For now, I am reverting to Quartus Prime Std v18.1 so I can continue to work my project.

MoZdk
New Contributor I
4,360 Views

Sounds good that engineering will looks into this.

Please note the probably related issue in https://community.intel.com/t5/Programmable-Devices/Quartus-18-1-Lite-Platform-Designer-DDR3-Controller-can-t-build/m-p/1339839#M82242

 

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Elegan
Novice
4,173 Views

Hello,

in my case the proplem was related to a space in the "Windows User Account Name".

Please see details under:

https://community.intel.com/t5/Intel-Quartus-Prime-Software/DDR3-SDRAM-Controler-Compilation/m-p/1305130#M70355

 

Maybe this helps.

Best Regards,

Christian

 

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ToddW
Novice
4,093 Views

I tried your proposed solution.  I also have a space in my user account name.  So I created a local name without spaces and tried re-running the project.  No joy.  Same result as before.

 

Intel engineering sent me a patch to try.  It didn't work either.  This is happening on two separate computers.  Both have Ubuntu 18.04 and WLS v1 installed.  Both successfully run Nios Command Shell from the Start menu.

 

I don't understand why this commonly reported error has not been successfully addressed for the past 3-4 years.

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JFull1
Beginner
3,648 Views

I think I have a similar problem:

Platform Designer cannot find nios2eds commands

Installed Q21.1.0.842 on Win10 19042.1466, with Ubuntu 18.8.4

(problem observed with Q19 & Q20 as well on two Win10 machines)

PlatformDesigner generate CycloneV project

>ERROR
Info: p0: "fmem" instantiated altera_mem_if_lpddr2_hard_phy_core "p0"
Error: s0: Error during execution of "{C:/programs/altera/21.1/quartus/../nios2eds/Nios II Command Shell.bat}
make all 2>> stderr.txt": child process exited abnormally
Error: s0: Execution of command "{C:/programs/altera/21.1/quartus/../nios2eds/Nios II Command Shell.bat}
make all 2>> stderr.txt" failed

what I see is that

Quartus expects /../nios2eds/Nios II Command Shell.bat to be in /altera/21.1/quartus/
but
Quartus installation put the nios2eds/Nios II Command Shell.bat in /altera/21.1/
and fwiw,
Quartus installed the make.exe file in altera/21.1/nios2eds/bin/gnu/H-x86_64-mingw32/bin/
It seems that an environment variable is wrong.

I'm still using Q18 and waiting for the intel paint to dry.

-john

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ToddW
Novice
3,637 Views

I copied the text of your post and sent it to the Intel engineer that was helping me with this.  It's been a couple of months since I've heard anything from them.  

 

Your investigation into the problem sure seems plausible to me.

 

Thanks,

--Todd

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JFull1
Beginner
3,630 Views

I forgot to say that I'm using web/freebie versions of Quartus.

Also, Quartus compile works fine with Q19,20,21 and Windows 10. The problem is with the qsys/platform program.

Hard to believe that no Windows user has gotten these tools working.

-john

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JFull1
Beginner
3,506 Views

Todd, et.al.

Intel has fixed this for me, at least.
I found this post from 21-12-31:
www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/programmable/articles/000088789.html
Patch installed,
Q21.1 can generate now.
Case closed.

Quartus now finds the nios2eds/Nios II Command Shell.bat in /altera/21.1/ where it has been all along.

Back in the Altera days, these things were sorted in days, not months.

-John

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EricMunYew_C_Intel
Moderator
3,424 Views

I’m glad that your question has been addressed, I now transition this thread 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.


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