An ASCII text file (with the extension .hex). A HEX File can be used in the Quartus II software to store the initial memory values for a memory block, such as CAM, RAM, or ROM, that is implemented in an Altera device, or to build software project executables.

HEX Files are used as input files in the Quartus II software in the following ways:

• You can create a HEX File for memory initialization in the Compiler and Simulator, using the Memory Editor. You can also use a Memory Initialization File (.mif) to provide memory initialization data.

• You or the Software Builder can use a HEX File to generate a boot data file or passive programming files using the makeprogfile utility. In addition, the Compiler can also use the HEX File to generate passive programming files. You or the Software Builder generate this type of HEX File using an assembler, C/C++ compiler, linker, and code converter,

You can store configuration data for one or more Altera devices in an output file called a Hexadecimal (Intel-Format) Output File (.hexout). The HEXOUT File format is an ASCII text file using the extension .hexout to avoid overwriting your initial memory content files having the extension .hex.

In the Quartus II software, you have the option of reading or writing HEX Files using byte addressing (Intel hexadecimal format) or using word size addressing. In the Memory Editor General Options tab of the Options dialog box (Tools menu), you can turn on Read or write Hexadecimal Files (.hex) using byte addressing (Intel format). If you turn this option off, you can read or write HEX Files using word size addressing. If you turn on Read or write Hexadecimal Files (.hex) using byte addressing (Intel format), and you use a word size other than 8 bits, only 8 bits are used to initialize each word of memory for a device. Therefore, when you compile or simulate a design, the Quartus II software will give different results than it would with an 8-bit word size. For best results, Altera recommends that you use a word size of 8 bits. For information on Intel hexadecimal format, refer to the Intel Hexadecimal Object File Format Specification, which is available from Intel Corporation.

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