Re: transfer from nios to 64-bit component

Altera_Forum · ‎03-06-2010

Hello,

I am currently working on my own slave component. I've written and tested the 32-bit input version and it worked well.

Now I have 64-bit input version. I know that nios cpu handles 32-bit only but I have to transfer 64-bit vector somehow...

I read a lot about memory maped slave intefaces, esspecially mm bus specification and I found out that I have to use the byteenable signal.

I'd like to send 64-bit in two parts 0-31 and 63-32 I know it corresponds to offset 0x0 and 0x04.

What should be the value of byteenable signal in such operation?

Altera gives only a table of Byte Enable Usage for 32-bit Slave...

Thanks in advance for any help!

Altera_Forum · ‎03-07-2010

The valid cases are all those where the access has the same alignment as it's width.

For a 64 bit slave, the bytenable signal is 8 bits wide and the following valid cases.

64 bit accesses (0x0 to 0x7):

1111_1111

32 bit accesses:

0000_1111 (0x0 to 0x3); 1111_0000 (0x4 to 0x7)

16 bit accesses

0000_0011; 0000_1100; 0011_0000; 1100_0000

8 bit accesses

0000_0001; ...; 1000_0000

Altera_Forum · ‎03-07-2010

thanks for answer.

You're right I'am a little bit confused about this solution.

byteenable should be 8bytes, I understand. but how all operation of data transfer should look like?

To send 64-bit vector from nios to slave input

do i have to do it like this:

set the byteenable to 0000_1111

send 64-bit data (the master will send first 32-bit)

then

set the byteenable to 1111_0000

send 64-bit data (the master will send last 32-bit)

am i right or did i missunderstood the whole process?

Maybe there is a easier solution for such transfer?

Altera_Forum · ‎03-07-2010

Jason,

You don't set byteenable -- it's done for you automatically by the master/fabric. Your slave just has to handle it properly.

A 64 bit transfer will look much like you described it.

First, your NIOS program issues a 32 bit write to SLAVE_ADDR+0x0.

Your slave will see a write to 0x0 with byteenable set to 0000_1111.

Next, your NIOS program issues another 32 bit write to SLAVE_ADDR+0x4.

Your slave will see a write to 0x0 with byteenable set to 1111_0000.

Altera_Forum · ‎03-08-2010

Thank You very much, to be sure would the following code act correctly?


avs_we_writedata: in std_logic_vector(0 downto 63); --the input
(...)
--then i declare two internal signals
signal register_1: std_logic_vector(0 downto 31);
signal register_2: std_logic_vector(0 downto 31);
--and then in process
if  avs_we_byteenable = "00001111" then
                        register_1 <= avs_we_writedata(31 downto 0);
                        register_2 <=register_2;
                elsif avs_we_byteenable = "11110000" then
                        register_1 <=register_1;
                        register_2 <= avs_we_writedata(63 downto 32);
               else
                        register_1 <= register_1;
                        register_2 <= register_2;
                end if;

and in software should i use

IOWR(COMPONENT_IN_BASE, 0, vector_64bit);

or

IOWR(COMPONENT_IN_BASE, 0x0, vector_1_32bit);
IOWR(COMPONENT_IN_BASE, 0x4, vector_2_32bit);

?

I am a little bit confused

Thanks in advance

Altera_Forum · ‎03-08-2010

Your VHDL looks ok, but I'd advise you to also support the 16 and 8 bit cases...

In software, it shall be the second form.

Altera_Forum · ‎03-08-2010

--- Quote Start ---

Your VHDL looks ok, but I'd advise you to also support the 16 and 8 bit cases...

In software, it shall be the second form.

--- Quote End ---

Hmm well so I have to split my data into two 32bit vectors? Are you sure? in this case shouldn't be there 32bit input?

Altera_Forum · ‎03-08-2010

At the software level, yes.

NIOS II is a 32 bit CPU, it has no instructions to read or write 64 bits at once.

And it's only available with a 32 bit interface, anyway.

What do you mean by "shouldn't be there 32bit input" ?

Altera_Forum · ‎03-09-2010

--- Quote Start ---

At the software level, yes.

NIOS II is a 32 bit CPU, it has no instructions to read or write 64 bits at once.

And it's only available with a 32 bit interface, anyway.

--- Quote End ---

Ok I see the point, but I have a lot of data in hex 64-bit format, so now I have to convert it to binary and split into 32bit vectors and then go to hex, am I right?

Is it possible to send binary vector using IOWR?

Thanks

Altera_Forum · ‎03-09-2010

IOWR writes binary data. It takes a alt_u32 parameter and writes the exact same bits to the specified address.