An ASCII text file (with the extension .hexout), that is in the Intel hexadecimal format and contains configuration data for use outside the Quartus® Prime Standard Edition software.
You can use the Programming Files tab of the Device and Pin Options dialog box, which is available from the Assignments menu, to direct the Compiler to generate Hexadecimal (Intel-format) Output Files containing configuration data for the sequential Passive Parallel Synchronous (PPS), Passive Parallel Asynchronous (PPA), and Passive Serial (PS) configuration schemes; for the Passive Serial (PS) configuration scheme for supported device(Cyclone series) families; and for the Passive Parallel Asynchronous (PPA), and Passive Serial (PS), and Fast Passive Parallel (FPP) configuration schemes for supported device(Stratix series families. Each of these Hexadecimal (Intel-format) Output Files can be programmed into a parallel data source, such as a configuration device or a mass storage device, which in turn configures any SRAM-based Altera device supported by the Quartus® Prime Standard Edition software. The file name of the Hexadecimal (Intel-format) Output File the Compiler generates is the same as the name of the current Compiler settings.
You can also generate Hexadecimal (Intel-format) Output Files with the makeprogfile command-line utility, or generate Hexadecimal (Intel-format) Output Files for SRAM or for EPC16 by using previously generated SRAM Object Files (.sof) with the Convert Programming Files command on the File menu or the convert_prog_file command-line utility.
A Hexadecimal (Intel-format) Output File for SRAM is a converted SRAM Object File used by an external host to configure SRAM-based devices.
A Hexadecimal (Intel-format) Output File for EPC16 is a converted Programmer Object File (.pof) used by an external host to program a single EPC16 configuration device. A Hexadecimal (Intel-format) Output File for EPC16 can contain only one Programmer Object File.
When configuring a device in Passive Serial configuration scheme, be sure to send each byte of data with the LSB first.