programming files Definition

A file containing data for programming Intel devices.

The following programming file formats are available in the Quartus® Prime software and contain information about device names, device order, and optional programming file names for use in multidevice programming or configuration schemes:

  • Chain Description File (.cdf)
  • Conversion Setup File (. cof)

The following programming file formats are available in the Quartus® Prime software and contain information about specific devices:

  • Hexadecimal (Intel-Format) Output File (.hexout)
  • Hexadecimal (Intel-Format) Output File for EPC16 (.hexout)
  • Hexadecimal (Intel-Format) Output File for SRAM (.hexout)
  • In System Configuration File (.isc)
  • I/O Pin State File (.ips)
  • Jam Files (.jam)
  • Jam Byte Code Files (.jbc)
  • Programmer Object File (.pof)
  • Programmer Object File for Local Update (.pof)
  • Programmer Object File for Remote Update (.pof)
  • Raw Binary File (.rbf)
  • Raw Programming Data File (.rpd)
  • SRAM Object File (.sof)
  • JTAG Indirect Configuration File (. jic)
  • Serial Vector Format File (.svf)
  • Tabular Text File (.ttf)

You use the following methods to create Chain Description Files (.cdf) and Conversion Setup Files (.cof):

  • You can open a Jam File or a Jam Byte Code File, or one or more SRAM Object Files and/or Programmer Object Files, in the Quartus® Prime Programmer and then save the contents of the Programmer window in a Chain Description File.
  • You can use the Convert Programming Files command to create Conversion Setup Files from SRAM Object Files, Programmer Object Files, andHexadecimal (Intel-Format) Output Files.

The following rules apply when creating the following programming files:

  • When creatingHexadecimal (Intel-Format) Output Filesfor EPC16, you must use only Programmer Object Files.
  • When creating Programmer Object Files for Remote Update, you must use remote update enabled Programmer Object Files and SRAM Object Files.
  • When creating Programmer Object Files for Local Update, you must use local update enabled Programmer Object Files and SRAM Object Files.

The files used to program or configure devices with the Quartus® Prime Programmer can be used to program or configure devices in other environments.

The Quartus® Prime Programmer can save data from an examined device in (.pof) format.

Note: Each successive release of the Quartus® Prime software typically includes:
  • Added support for new features in supported FPGA devices.
  • Added support for new devices.
  • Efficiency and performance improvements.
  • Improvements to compilation time and resource use of the design software.
Due to these improvements, different versions of the Quartus® Prime Pro Edition, Quartus® Prime Standard Edition, and Quartus® Prime Lite Edition software can produce different programming files from release to release.