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Which .stp file should be used for SignalTap in Quartus 13.0?

Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Quartus 13.0 generates 2 .stp files, e.g.: aaa.stp and aaa_auto_stripped.stp. 

 

When I tried to use aaa.stp with SignalTap, I got "instance not found" error. 

 

When I tried to use aaa_auto_stripped.stp, SignalTap crashed: 

 

Internal Error: Sub-system: SEDQ, File: /quartus/sld/sedq/sedq_layout_widget.cpp, Line: 856 

instance_index != -1 

Stack Trace: 

0x3baf0: SEDQ_LAYOUT_WIDGET::get_hierarchy_widget + 0x30 

0x45125: SEDQ_VIEW::paintEvent + 0x55 

0x64046: QWidget::event + 0x4b6 

0x1b9e5c: QFont::QFont + 0x6c 

0x18009a: QPaintDevice::depth + 0x211a 

0x1276cc: QPainter::begin + 0x6ac 

0x12770a: QPainter::begin + 0x6ea 

0x21c75: _mbsnbicoll + 0x14 

0x4e01: msg_main_thread + 0x11 

0x3eadf: QUI_FRAME_MGR::unload_dll_signal + 0x2f 

0x51df: _Dinkum_std::vector<enum DEV_FAMILY_TRAIT_ENUM,MEM_STL_ALLOCATOR<enum DEV_FAMILY_TRAIT_ENUM> >::_Insert_n + 0x26f 

0x9af37: AFCQ_DIALOG::get_help_topic_string + 0x5 

0x9b5f7: QWidget::qt_metacall + 0x5 

0x9b5fd: QObject::eventFilter + 0x5 

0x9b603: QObject::timerEvent + 0x5 

0x9b609: QObject::childEvent + 0x5 

0x9b60f: QObject::customEvent + 0x5 

0x9b615: QObject::connectNotify + 0x5 

0x9af3d: QApplication::event + 0x5 

0x9b61b: QObject::disconnectNotify + 0x5 

0x9af43: QApplication::notify + 0x5 

0x9af49: QApplication::compressEvent + 0x5 

0x9af4f: QApplication::commitData + 0x5 

0x71df: QUI_APP::execute_tcl + 0x2ef 

0x4eff: QUI_APP::~QUI_APP + 0x4f 

0x341f: QUI_PROCESSING_MENU::trUtf8 + 0x5f 

0x40bf: QUI_APP::QUI_APP + 0xbf 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

End-trace 

 

 

Quartus II 32-bit Version 13.0.0 Build 156 04/24/2013 SJ Full Version
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3 Replies
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
455 Views

Hi, 

I assume you have activated the signal tap instance either in Assignment settings or by invoking via tools => signalTapII logic analyzer?  

By starting the singaltap logic analyzer (opening the analyzer window) and defining the signals, you are requested to recompile which will also automatically either activate (or ask if it should activate) the signaltap instance. Before you can use the signaltap, you have to programm the device with an *.sof containing the instance - otherwise you'll get the "instance not found" error. This error will also occurr, if you change signals in signaltap and do not recompile / reprogram as the "PC" signaltap and "device" signaltap configurations must match.  

 

I assume there is a difference giving the "aaa.stp" => "instance not found" condition ...
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
455 Views

I know all of this and I did compile the same design with Quartus 12.1 SP1 and SignalTaps works as expected in version 12.1 SP1. 

 

I would like to use 13.0 because timing models in 12.1 SP1 are "preliminary" and timing results seem better in 13.0, plus there are issues with PCIe hard macro in 12.1 SP1. But it look like as usual the new version of Quartus is so buggy that it is unusable.
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
455 Views

Hi,  

I also switched to QII 13.0 and have no issues. Thus the SignalTap itself is working, but that does not solve your Problem. At least the aaa.stp is the correct file. A Long time ago I had - never discovered why - some issues, that the *.sof download from within the SignalTap window failed and I had to download via the normal programmer...  

Finally - QII 13.0 creates an "output files" directory where the *.sof is located by standard configuration, QII 12 did store these files in the normal project directory. Maybe - if you just Switch to QII 13.0 you are still using the *.sof in the normal Project Directory which is outdated? Maybe it's worth to check for *.sof in the Project Directory (including subdirs) to locate the newest one.
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