How can I use LabView to control Altera Scripting

Question

Hi
I have kind of run into a stone wall. I am building a production test executive based on LabView. Part of this process includes loading an FPGA image on to a CFI flash that is in the JTAG chain. I am trying to make so that the production operators don't have to open a second application, select the right FPGA and Flash navigate to the file then load it, then go back to LabView and run the rest of the tests.
Altera has a command line interface that will let me load .cdf file.  The problem is that nowhere in Altera’s documentation does it show me how to first load the “Parallel Flash Loader IP” into the FPGA. The flash loader acts as a temporary bridge between the JTAG input and the CFI Flash.  I have looked on Altera’s Forums and have had an open ticket with Altera’s support engineers for more than a week.
I can’t be the first person to want to do this; I am hoping someone here has done it before. I would really rather not try to use the activeX controls to manipulate the windows based program.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated (Note I am not trying to put LV code on the FPGA/Flash just use LV to control the process)  
Thanks in advance
Below is the error message and the script I am using. It almost works just missing the flash loader IP
C:\altera\12.1sp1\qprogrammer\bin>quartus_pgm -c USB-BLASTER -m JTAG  S_FPGA.
cdf
Info: *******************************************************************
Info: Running Quartus II 32-bit Programmer
    Info: Version 12.1 Build 243 01/31/2013 Service Pack 1 SJ Full Version
    Info: Copyright (C) 1991-2012 Altera Corporation. All rights reserved.
    Info: Your use of Altera Corporation's design tools, logic functions
    Info: and other software and tools, and its AMPP partner logic
    Info: functions, and any output files from any of the foregoing
    Info: (including device programming or simulation files), and any
    Info: associated documentation or information are expressly subject
    Info: to the terms and conditions of the Altera Program License
    Info: Subscription Agreement, Altera MegaCore Function License
    Info: Agreement, or other applicable license agreement, including,
    Info: without limitation, that your use is for the sole purpose of
    Info: programming logic devices manufactured by Altera and sold by
    Info: Altera or its authorized distributors.  Please refer to the
    Info: applicable agreement for further details.
    Info: Processing started: Thu Oct 03 18:16:53 2013
Info: Command: quartus_pgm -c USB-BLASTER -m JTAG S_FPGA.cdf
Info (213045): Using programming cable "USB-Blaster [USB-0]"
Info (209060): Started Programmer operation at Thu Oct 03 18:17:19 2013
Error (209062): Flash Loader IP not loaded on device 1
Error (209053): Unexpected error in JTAG server -- error code 5
Error (209012): Operation failed
Info (209061): Ended Programmer operation at Thu Oct 03 18:17:21 2013
Error: Quartus II 32-bit Programmer was unsuccessful. 3 errors, 0 warnings
    Error: Peak virtual memory: 376 megabytes
    Error: Processing ended: Thu Oct 03 18:17:21 2013
    Error: Elapsed time: 00:00:28
    Error: Total CPU time (on all processors): 00:00:03
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Answer 1

Hi Eric,
I got it figured out today, basically you have to load the Parallel Flash Loader first into FPGA ram. It is a special .sof file (pfl_epXXXX.sof) based on your FPGA. Code is actually pretty straight forward, using the Sys Exec VI. Use the windows based programmer to generate the .cdf file that identifies your FPGA, attached Flash and .pof file .
Syntax was odd going into Sys Exec. Note the extra "C" in in front of the "quartus_prm.exe" I have no idea why that was needed, but I was getting an error until I just happened to put it in there (Blind Luck :-))
I used a 2 element array going into a four loop
cmd /cquartus_pgm.exe -c USB-BLASTER -m JTAG -o P;pfl_epXXXX.sof
cmd /cquartus_pgm.exe -c USB-BLASTER -m JTAG S_FPGA.cdf
Defining the working director C:\altera\12.1sp1\qprogrammer\bin
And added match string with "Successfully performed operation" on the output in the loop to make sure everything loaded correctly then adding the array to give me a overall P/F
To anyone doing this same thing Altera's documentation is poor to say the least. It took most of a week to figure this out Not allowed to upload code, so anyone wanting details just post here and I will try to help. This was painful, with lots of lessons learned.
Thanks for the interest though
Best regards John