User guide
Nios II IDE Help System
Running the Project
Running a project in the Nios II IDE executes the project code so you can analyze the output.
You can run a project on these different targets using the Nios II IDE:
Nios II hardware
Nios II instruction set simulator (ISS)
ModelSim hardware simulator
This tutorial discusses running on a Nios development board (i.e., a Nios II hardware target)
and on the ISS.
Running has the following basic steps.
To configure the hardware:
Note: This step is not necessary for the ISS.
When targeting Nios II hardware, you must configure the FPGA on the development board
with your project's associated SOPC Builder system. The factory-programmed SOPC
Builder system (i.e. the FPGA hardware design) on the Nios development board is different
than your project's SOPC Builder system. Therefore, your executable code will not run
unless you configure the FPGA with the expected SOPC Builder system.
Note: You only need to configure the FPGA when you reset the board or if the SOPC
Builder system file changes. Normally, you configure the FPGA once after you apply
power to the board, and the configuration persists through the duration of the Nios II
IDE session.
To configure the FPGA, perform the following steps:
1. Click the tutorial project in the Nios II C/C++ Projects view.
2. Perform one of the following actions to launch the Quartus II Programmer. The
Quartus II Programmer is a tool for configuring Altera FPGAs via a JTAG download
cable, such as the USB Blaster.
o On Windows, click Quartus II Programmer... on the Tools menu.
o On Linux, launch the Quartus II software, and click Programmer on the
Tools menu.
3. Click Add File... in the Quartus II Programmer to browse to the SRAM object file
(.sof) for your project. The Select Programming File dialog box appears.
4. Browse to <Nios II EDS install path>/examples/verilog/<Nios development
board>/full_featured, which is the location of the full_featured example
hardware design that corresponds to your Nios development board.
5. Click the file NiosII_cycloneII_2c35_full_featured.sof, then click Open. You
return to the Quartus II Programmer.
6. Turn on the Program/Configure checkbox for the target device.
7. Click Start. When the progress meter progresses to 100%, configuration is
complete.
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