FPGA4U and Linux

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This page is obsolete. Since Quartus 10.0, the Web Edition is available for Linux system. We suggest you to have a look here.

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This is about running Altera tools on Linux, for information on how to run Linux on the FPGA4U, see Linux on FPGA4U

This is NOT a supported way to use Quartus

The Linux version is not very well supported at LAP as we have (at LAP) only 1 license for the Linux version.

Problem with old firmware

In case you have an old firmware, you should upgrade it to the latest version (see: FX2), which works well.

Get A License For Quartus II Web Edition

It is possible to get a free license for quartus II web edition, for academic usage, visit this page : Academic License. Theses licenses are for Students or University program members.

Quartus: Native Linux version

This is the recommended way. Here is a useful reference in case you run into problems: Nios II Wiki page, !! NEW web reference !!.

Note: On Gentoo, you must add your user to the usb group (in /etc/group) to be able to program the device. On other distributions, you need to have write access to /proc/bus/usb/bus/id.

• Quartus II 9.0 Subscription edition:
  • Works very well on Ubuntu (both 32 & 64bit editions). I can program the FPGA.
  • Download it here. You need a License (see above on how to get one).
  • Useful Documentation for the installation.
  • Media:Quartus.sh A script for launching Quartus. It mounts the usb, for programming the FPGA, simply connect your FPGA and then launch this script ($ bash Quartus.sh) you may need root priviledges. Please verify the integrity of this script with a text editor you don't wan't to launch a script you don't know. (Just security in case someone uploaded a malicious version of this script.)

• Quartus II 8.0 (SP1 or not):
  • Seems to work very well. I can program FPGA, and communicate with the Nios II.

Advantages

• Native, no virtualisation leads to better performance
• Less space required, no parallel windows installation
• Less ram required, same reason

Disadvantages

• You need an internet connection (VPN, or direct WPA) to the EPFL license server, because there are no web-licenses for Linux.

Pin assignment

You cannot copy-paste a region of pins from the Excel sheet to the Pin Planner (i.e. the Windows way doesn't work). So use the TCL scripts instead.

Quartus: Windows version on Linux using Wine

First, you need to get MFC42.DLL (e.g. from a installed Windows), and put it in Wine's C:/windows/system32.

• Quartus II 7.1 SP1 Web Edition with Wine 0.9.45:
  • Works perfectly, there is just a few harmless error messages when the application is starting.
  • To install and run it, you need to put Wine in Windows Me emulation mode, run winecfg to do that.

Setup programming

Programming is possible, using the firmware available on this page, but you have to install the Linux version first.

• Remove or move away jtagserver.exe from C:/altera/71sp1/quartus/bin, to prevent it from conflicting with the Linux version.
• Start bin/jtagd from Quartus Linux directory when you want to program the device. You can check that it works by running bin/jtagconfig.
• If you want to save space, you can copy these files from Quartus for Linux directory to another directory, and delete Quartus for Linux:

linux/jtagconfig
linux/jtagd
linux/libccl_ver.so
linux/libdinkum_alt.so
linux/libjtag_client.so

• And use a script like this to start jtagd or jtagconfig. Make 2 copies of the script, name one jtagd, the other jtagconfig, and put the files mentioned above in a directory called bin.

Advantages

• Performances almost as good as the Linux version (Wine Is Not an Emulator .-))
• Less space required, no parallel windows installation
• Less ram required, same reason
• Web-license possible - permits internet-independent work

Disadvantages

• Over complicated, since the Linux native version works well now.

Quartus: Windows in a virtual machine

For those who already have a virtual machine running windows, it might be interesting to install the windows version of Quartus, because the installation is simpler.

This has been tested under Gentoo Linux, VMware 5, with Windows 2000 inside and Fedora running a Virtual box. Under Gentoo with ehci_hcd loaded, Quartus II gives the infamous Can't access jtag chain, CONF_DONE blabla error, but the program runs correctly (incl compiling). On Fedora/VBox, USB 2.0 ehci has to be deactivated under the port preferences of VBox or you will have no a no go.

Without ehci_hcd, programming is possible. Quartus should thus work without any problems.

It might work with the firmware you can download above too, and with ehci_hcd loaded (not tested).

Advantages

• Web-license possible - permits internet-independent work
• Easier to set up if you already have a virtual machine running

You need a VM (vmware or similar), which has the following drawbacks:

Disadvantages

• Probably slower
• Needs more resources (Due to the additional OS)

Modelsim: Windows version on Linux using Wine

• Modelsim 6.3a Student Edition with Wine 0.9.45:
  • Works fine, there is just one thing to take care of when using contextual menus (i.e. right-click). Do not release the right button after the menu appears, i.e. press the right button, move the mouse to the desired menu entry, and release the button (by opposition with right-click, move the mouse, left-click).

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--Matthias Philippe Brändli 22:01, 21 April 2007 (CEST)

New firmware, Quartus on Wine: --Nicolas Boichat 20:30, 26 September 2007 (CEST)