U-Boot for Nios-32		    Last Update: February 1, 2004====================================================================This file contains information regarding U-Boot and the AlteraNios CPU. For information regarding U-Boot and the Nios DevelopmentKits see:  * Cyclone Edition (DK-1C20), see doc/README.dk1c20  * Stratix Edition (DK-1S10), see doc/README.dk1s10 (TODO)  * Stratix Edition (DK-1S40), see doc/README.dk1s40 (TODO)  * Stratix Edition (DK-20K200), see doc/README.dk20k200 (TODO)For informations regarding Nios Development Kit hardware overviewand the NIOS CPU standard configuration of all known boards made byAltera see:  * Development Kit (DK) hardware overview, see doc/README.nios_DK  * NIOS CPU standard_32 at DK-1C20, see doc/README.dk1c20_std32  * NIOS CPU standard_32 at DK-1S10, see doc/README.dk1s10_std32  * NIOS CPU standard_32 at DK-1S40, see doc/README.dk1s40_std32  * NIOS CPU standard_32 at DK-20K200, see doc/README.dk20k200_std32For those interested in contributing ... see HELP WANTED below.1. OVERVIEW------------U-Boot has been successfully tested on the Nios Cyclone developmentboard using both the 'safe' and 'standard 32' configurations withNios CPU revision 3.1 (CPU_ID = 0x3018). U-Boot can be used withor without the GERMS monitor. The initial version of U-Boot for theCyclone development kit is about 60 Kbyte and will fit in a singlesector of on-board FLASH. Only the Nios 32-bit CPU is supported.1.1 GERMS Monitor------------------If GERMS is just not enough, then U-Boot is a great antibiotic.You will be very pleased with its high degree of configurabilityand its rich feature set.A few of the most obvious limitations of GERMS are overcome byusing U-Boot (See 'Brain Damage'). Most notably, you can useminicom or Hyperterminal (duh).1.2 Altera Source Code-----------------------The Nios port does NOT include ANY sources that Altera has thecopyright. This was a conscious decision ... not an accident.The Altera license is not clear in terms of distributing Alterasources (when altera silicon is not involved). This isn't reallya problem as little, if any, of the Altera source containsfeatures that are not already available in U-Boot.2. CONFIGURATION OPTIONS/SETTINGS----------------------------------2.1 Nios-specific Options/Settings-----------------------------------All configuration options/settings that are specific to Nios beginwith "CONFIG_NIOS_", "CFG_NIOS_", or "CFG_NIOS_CPU_".The configuration follows a two-stage process. In the first stagethe NIOS CPU core will defined like defined in Alteras SOPC Builder.At this point we use the "CFG_NIOS_CPU_" defines exclusively. Formore informations about all the definitions you have to setup seeinto current board configurations and doc/README.nios_CFG_NIOS_CPU.In second stage we bring the NIOS CPU configuration in relation toU-Boot configuration options/settings. The following is a list ofcurrently defined Nios-specific options/parameters used inside ofU-Boot. If any options are related to Standard-32 Nios SDKexcalibur.h definitions, the related definition follows thedescription).CONFIG_NIOS -- defined for all Nios-32 boards.CFG_NIOS_CONSOLE -- the base address of the console UART.	(standard-32: nasys_uart_0 resp. na_uart1_base).CFG_NIOS_FIXEDBAUD -- defined if the console UART PTF fixed_baud	parameter is set to '1'.CFG_NIOS_MULT_HW -- use full hardware multiply (not yet implemented).CFG_NIOS_MULT_MSTEP -- use hardware assisted multiply using the	MSTEP instruction (not yet implemented).CFG_NIOS_TMRBASE -- the base address of the timer used to support	xxx_timer routines (e.g. set_timer(), get_timer(), etc.).	(standard-32: nasys_timer_1 resp. na_lo_priority_timer2_base).CFG_NIOS_TMRIRQ -- the interrupt request (vector number) assigned to	the timer. (standard-32: nasys_timer_1_irq resp.	na_low_priority_timer2_irq).CFG_NIOS_TMRMS -- the period of the timer in milliseconds.CFG_NIOS_TMRCNT -- the preloadable counter value for the timer if it has	no fixed period.CFG_NIOS_ASMIBASE -- the base address of the ASMI peripheral.	(standard-32: na_asmi_base).CFG_NIOS_SPIBASE -- the base address of the SPI master (!) peripheral.	(nasys_spi_0)CFG_NIOS_SPIBITS -- the amount of configured SPI data bits in PTF.	This value can be 8 or 16 only! (PTF: databits)2.2 Differences in U-Boot Options/Settings-------------------------------------------Some 'standard' U-Boot options/settings are treated differently inthe Nios port. These are described below.CFG_GBL_DATA_OFFSET -- in the Nios port, this is the offset of the	global data structure in the Nios memory space. More simply,	the address of global data.3. ASSEMBLY CODING-------------------In browsing the assembly source files, you may notice the absenceof the 'magic macros' (e.g. MOVIA, MOVIP, ADDIP etc.). This isdeliberate. The documentation for the magic macros is scant andit is hard to find ... it does not appear in the Nios programmer'smanual, nor does it appear in the assembler manual. Regardless,the macros actually do very little to improve readability anyway.With this in mind, all assembler modules use only instructions thatappear in the Nios programmer's manual OR are directly supportedby the nios-elf toolchain. For example, the 'dec %rB' instructionis an alias for 'subi %rB,1' that is supported by the assemblerbut does not appear in the programmer's manual.4. BOOT PROCESS---------------4.1 Boot process over GERMS---------------------------When the NIOS CPU catch a reset signal it will begin to be runningcode from CFG_NIOS_CPU_RST_VECT. Normally at this place it willfind the GERMS monitor. That's the case for the generic NIOS CPUconfiguration "standard_32". When the GERMS monitor starts running,it performs important system initializations and then looks forexecutable code in flash, using the following steps:    1. Examining the two bytes at CFG_NIOS_CPU_FLASH_BASE + 0x04000C.    2. Examining the button 0 on the PIO CFG_NIOS_CPU_BUTTON_PIO.    3. If the button is not pressed and the two bytes contain 'N'       and 'i', the monitor executes a CALL to location       CFG_NIOS_CPU_FLASH_BASE + 0x040000.    4. If the code is not executed in step 3 or the code returns,       then prints an 8-digit version number to STDOUT and waits for       user commands from STDIN.In normal case, for "standard_32", STDIN and STDOUT are the firstserial port.4.2 Return to GERMS command line--------------------------------During the boot process, the GERMS monitor checks for the existenceof application software in flash memory. If found, the processorimmediately executes the code. To return program execution to theGERMS monitor (that is, avoid running code stored in flash memory):    1. Hold down CFG_NIOS_CPU_BUTTON_PIO, button number 0.    2. Press then release the CPU reset button.    3. Release CFG_NIOS_CPU_BUTTON_PIO, button number 0.5. BRAIN DAMAGE----------------This section describes some of the unfortunate and avoidable aspectsof working with the Nios CPU ... and some things you can do toreduce your pain.5.1 GERMS doesn't work with Hyperterminal------------------------------------------GERMS doesn't do CR/LF mapping that is compatible with Hyperterminal(or minicom) -- geez. Regardless of you opion of Hyperterminal, thissad design decision is remedied by using U-Boot.5.2 cygwin Incompatibility---------------------------The version of cygwin distributed with the nios GNUPro toolchain isout-of-date and incompatible with the latest cygwin distributions.In addition, many of the standard utilities are very dated as well.If you try to download and build the lastest version of grep forexample, you'll quickly realize that a native gcc is not available(the next topic) which leads to U-Boot build problems (followingtopic).The solution ... well, you can wait for Altera ... or build asset of tools for linux.5.3 No native gcc------------------I'm not sure how this one slipped through the cracks ... but it isa real pain. Basically, if you want to build anything for the nativeenvironment -- forget it! A native (cygwin) gcc is not distributed,and the old version of cygwin makes locating one challenging.The solution ... same as above. Just download the gcc source fromAltera and build up a set of cross tools for your favorite linuxdistro. Anybody who wants to use an already precompiled NIOS crosstoolchain can it found in the CDK4NIOS project hosted by SourceForge at http://cdk4nios.sourceforge.net.5.4 Can't build default U-Boot-------------------------------By default, when you build U-Boot you will be building some nativetools along with the target elf, bin, and srec files. Without anative gcc, this (obviously) causes problems.For developers using the Altera cygwin tools you can remove the'tools' directory from SUBDIRS in the top-level Makefile. You willalso have to edit common/Makefile:Replace:environment.o: environment.c ../tools/envcrc	$(CC) $(AFLAGS) -Wa,--no-warn \		-DENV_CRC=$(shell ../tools/envcrc) \		-c -o $@ environment.cWith:environment.o: environment.c ../tools/envcrc	$(CC) $(AFLAGS) -Wa,--no-warn \		-DENV_CRC=0 \		-c -o $@ environment.cBTW, thats a 'zero' ... not the letter 'O'.6. HELP WANTED---------------There are plenty of areas where help is needed. Here's are some ideasfor those interested in contributing:-CompactFlash. Port & test CF/FAT.-Bedbug. Develop bedbug for Nios ... or at least provide a disassemble command.-Add boot support for ucLinux (niosnommu).-Implement (don't copy Altera code) the __mulxx routines using the MSTEP and MUL instructions (e.g. CFG_NIOS_MULT_HW and CFG_NIOS_MULT_MSTEP).Regards,--Scott<smcnutt@psyent.com>--Stephan<linz@li-pro.net>