| MATLAB® & Simulink® Release Notes for R2008a | |
Note For information about potential issues for upgrading from R2007b, see Compatibility Considerations. |
This section summarizes the major new features and enhancements introduced in R2008a for the following products:
MATLAB® Version 7.6, part of R2008a, offers a broad range of improvements in the following areas, including a major update to object-oriented programming capabilities.
Watch a video on object-oriented capabilities (11 min , 11 s)
Watch a video on other new language and programming capabilities (4 min , 57 s)
Major enhancements to object-oriented programming capabilities allowing easier development and maintenance of large applications and data structures. Many new features, including:
New classdef keyword enabling you to define properties, methods, and events in a class definition file
New handle class with reference behavior, aiding the creation of data structures such as linked lists
Events and listeners allowing the monitoring of object property changes and actions
JIT/Accelerator support providing significantly improved object performance over previous releases
Several enhancements to the development environment to support developing and using classes including improved support for objects in the variable editor and M-lint warnings specific to classes
Ability to manage namespace by placing classes and functions in packages
New clearvars function for clearing or keeping specified variables
New onCleanup function to specify any cleanup tasks that need to be performed by MATLAB when a function completes
Watch a video (6 min, 56 s)
Ability to customize and rearrange the MATLAB Desktop and Editor toolbars
Expanded code-folding support in the Editor, providing the ability to collapse cells and language constructs (including for, if, switch, and more)
Enhanced inspection of structures and objects with the Variable Editor, previously known as the Array Editor
File comparison tool expanded to allow comparison of directories, MAT-files and binary files
Several enhancements to automatic M-file publishing, including support for functions and the ability to define configurations on a per-file basis
M-Lint code checker support for Embedded MATLAB™ features
Ability to insert custom FFTW and LAPACK libraries
New algorithms for ldl, logm, and funm based on recent numerical methods research
Watch a video (9 min, 31 s)
Ability to link plots to workspace variables, synchronizing displays of changing data
Support for "brushing" (interactively selecting ) data in plots for analysis and manipulation
Brushed variables in one plot also will highlight in other plots linked to the same workspace data
New control uitable, accessible from GUIDE, enabling the display and editing of tabular information in graphical user interfaces
MEX support for Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2008, OpenWATCOM 1.7, and Intel® FORTRAN 10.1 software
mmreader multimedia reader expanded to support QuickTime video on the Apple® Macintosh® platform (previously released on Microsoft® Windows® platforms)
New memory function providing memory information such as largest block available, providing diagnostics of memory problems on Windows platforms
JIT/Accelerator support enhanced to statements executed at the MATLAB command line and in cell mode in the editor, providing improved performance in these environments
Automatic multithreaded computation providing improved performance of supported functions on computers with multiple processors
Significant speed improvement in multiplication of sparse matrices
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Now runs on all platforms supported by Simulink® software
Improved performance for browsing and searching of libraries, by allowing these operations to proceed without actually loading the libraries
Enhanced search finds all blocks and displays search results in a separate tab
New option to display library blocks in a compact grid layout that conserves screen space
Improved Rapid Accelerator sim command performance when running long simulations of small models on Windows platforms
Additional zero-crossing algorithm with adaptive detection and adjustable threshold limits improves simulation performance
Accelerator mode now supports an unlimited number of referenced models on all platforms, including 32-bit Windows
Improved model compilation time when using models referenced in accelerator mode by rebuilding parent models only when the interface to a referenced model changes
Support for nontunable MATLAB structure parameters in Embedded MATLAB Function blocks
Enhanced Data Type Assistant display of status and details of fixed-point data type
Enhanced signal range checking for both real and imaginary parts of a complex number
Enhanced Bus Editor importing/exporting of data from MAT-files and M-files, defining bus elements with the Data Type Assistant, and expanding bus hierarchies
Simulink Editor graphical indication of signals that must resolve to signal objects
In models with asynchronous function calls, correct assignment of generic sample times instead of triggered sample times by some virtual blocks
Changes to nontunable parameters during simulation ignored, matching the behavior in generated code
Enhanced data logging on 64-bit platforms, providing the ability to save more than 2 GB of simulation data
New autosave option for automatically saving models before updating or simulating
New option to notify when loading a model saved in a previous version of Simulink
Enhanced model dependencies manifest tools now also detect TLC files required by S-functions, .fig files created by GUIDE, and files referenced by common data loading functions
New Discrete FIR Filter block replaces the Weighted Moving Average block for faster simulation and improved code generation
Rate Transition block output port sample time now can be specified as multiple of input port sample time
Enhanced auto-insertion options for the Rate Transition block to control the level of data transfer determinism, allowing reduced latency for models that do not require determinism
Auto-insertion of Rate Transition block now supported for additional rate transitions, such as sample times with nonzero offset, and between non-integer-multiple sample times
Enhanced Lookup Table (n-D) block supports all data types, complex table data, and nonscalar inputs
Expanded Sum block dialog box displays new parameters for specifying the accumulator data type and its minimum and maximum values
New unified Simulink Preferences window for configuring default settings
Enhanced controls in the Solver pane of the Configuration Parameters dialog box
Enhanced Model Advisor with improved GUI navigation and report production
Context-sensitive help available for Configuration Parameters dialog box
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Support for quaternion functions in Embedded MATLAB Function block, including quatconj, quatinv, quatmod, quatmultiply, quatdivide, quatnorm, and quatnormalize
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Support for 1999 version of Datcom
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Illumina® BeadStudio™ microarray data support
Expanded clustergram feature with more flexible clustering analysis and additional annotation and export functionality
Expanded Ramachandran plotting with more accessible residue information and ability to display reference regions and plot multiple chains and models
Expanded array—based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) visualization with frequency plot
Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) SOFT data support expanded to allow the retrieval of Data Set (GDS) data
Improved performance of pairwise sequence alignment
New demo on analyzing metagenomic data
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Fixed-Point data type support added to: Integrate and Dump, OQPSK Demodulator, General QAM Demodulator, and Gold Sequence Generator blocks
New default Inherit via internal rule mode added to the Output data type parameter on many blocks in the Utility library
Asynchronous signal support added for all blocks
New parameters for specifying bit ordering and signed or unsigned integer formatting added to the Bit to Integer Converter and Integer to Bit Converter blocks
New demos added for fixed-point equalization and passband modulation
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Eye diagram measurements can now be generated from the histogram data of eye diagram objects
New EyeScope tool shows both the eye diagram figure and measurement results in a unified, graphical user environment
New CRC generator and detector objects
The bchdec, bchenc, rsdec, and rsenc functions have been upgraded to objects that can now perform erasure decoding
New demo for MIMO systems using spatial multiplexing
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New Simulink blocks to acquire and send single samples between a Simulink model and an analog device
Support for additional National Instruments® data acquisition devices, including PXI-4496, PXI-4498, USB-6225, USB-6255, SCXI-1102, SCXI-1104, SCXI-1120, and SCXI-1125
Support for additional Measurement Computing™ data acquisition devices: USB-1608HS, USB-1608HS-2AO, USB-1616HS, USB-1616HS-2, USB-1616HS-4, and AI-EXP48
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Profiling stack usage
Support for TMS3202833x processor
Context-sensitive help available for Configuration Parameters dialog box
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Context-sensitive help available for Configuration Parameters dialog box
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Infineon® TriCore® Optimized Code: Support for ISO/IEC 9899:1999 Math Library
New Supported Altium Limited TASKING® Toolsets for Infineon® C166® , Infineon TriCore, and Arm Limited ARM® processors
Limitation removed: multidimensional signals now supported at the PIL component Boundary
Context-sensitive help available for Configuration Parameters dialog box
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Profiling stack usage
Support for additional Analog Devices® Blackfin®, SHARC®, and TigerSHARC® processors
Support for Analog Devices™ VisualDSP++® Version 5.0
Context-sensitive help available for Configuration Parameters dialog box
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Code generation support for multirate Farrow sample rate converter filters (standalone or within a cascade)
Support for multifile test-bench generation: option to generate separate files for test bench code, helper functions, and test bench data
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
fdesign support for highpass halfband filters
fdesign support for Farrow sample rate converters
realizemdl support for polyphase and Farrow sample rate converters
Input quantization added to models generated by the block method
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Support for actual/365 (ISDA)
Support for pricing callable and puttable bonds
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Support for actual/365 (ISDA)
Enhanced mean-variance portfolio optimization based on linear complementarity programming
Support for ret2tick or tick2ret functions for financial time series objects
Support for additional descriptive statistics functions for financial times series objects
Support for new chart types
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Support for actual/365 (ISDA)
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Enhanced memory management of the fi object
New rounding functions for fi objects and Embedded MATLAB subset include ceil, convergent, fix, floor, nearest, and round
New bitwise operator bitreplicate and new syntax for bitwise operator bitconcat
ndgrid function support for fixed-point inputs
New fi constructor syntax
For details, see the product-specific release notes
Support for Monte Carlo simulation of stochastic differential equations, which enables modeling of dependent financial and economic variables such as interest rates and equity prices
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New parallel computing support in genetic algorithm and pattern search solvers to allow simultaneous exploration of local solution space
New automatic population generator for genetic algorithm solvers to provide well-dispersed initial populations satisfying linear constraints
Genetic algorithm and pattern search GUIs combined into the existing Optimization Tool GUI
Simulated annealing, threshold acceptance, and multiobjective genetic algorithms are now accessible through Optimization Tool GUI
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Support for additional Hamamatsu device: C9100-13
Support for RTSI functionality in National Instruments boards supported by the toolbox
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New makehdr and hdrwrite functions to create high dynamic range (HDR) images and write them to files
Getting information about properties of grayscale images, using regionprops function
Display of large images using imshow with the new 'reduce' parameter
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New Simulink blocks to send and receive data over a serial port in a Simulink model.
Improved throughput in Instrument Control Serial interface and TCP/IP Receive blocks
Enhanced capability for discovery of VISA-USB and VISA TCP/IP (VXI-11) instruments in the TMTOOL
New instrument drivers available on MATLAB Central
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Three new functions for working with geographic quadrangles
Enhancements to the angl2str, avhrrgoode, and closePolygonParts functions
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Improved error diagnostics available through printing of mstack traces
For details, see the product-specific release notes
Support added for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 compiler
CTF archives now embedded in a single binary executable for convenient deployment
For details, see the product-specific release notes
MATLAB pool jobs allow noninteractive use of parfor-loops
New batch command provides a simple way to run your MATLAB scripts on computers in a cluster or in the background on your desktop if you have a multi-core computer
New Administration GUI helps test your cluster and diagnose possible failures when using the job manager scheduler
Full support for Altair Grid Technologies, L.L.C.PBS Pro® and TORQUE schedulers
Significant increase in the size limit on files and data that can be passed between clients and workers
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New command-line functionality for creating space-filling, optimal, classical, or custom experimental designs
New Sobol and Halton sequence space-filling design types for generating highly uniform experimental designs
New contour and surface views of optimization output that aid in assessment of results for generating optimal lookup tables
New parallel computing support for fitting multiple models to experimental data
Enhanced generation of multiple starting conditions to help detect global optima with gradient-based optimization algorithms
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New pattern recognition GUI, network, plots and analysis functions
New clustering GUI, plots, and faster initialization and training
New network diagram viewer that generates a network architecture graphic from any neural network object
New training window that offers rich feedback and animated visualization plots during the training process
Enhanced neural network fitting GUI that includes automatic generation of Simulink models, sample data sets, and new visualization plots
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New parallel computing support for accelerating gradient estimation in selected constrained nonlinear solvers
New general large-scale nonlinear programming algorithm in fmincon with improved bound constraint management
New interface to KNITRO®, a third-party nonlinear programming solver
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
MATLAB pool jobs allow noninteractive use of parfor-loops
New batch command provides a simple way to run your MATLAB scripts on computers in a cluster or in the background on your desktop if you have a multi-core computer
New Administration GUI helps test your cluster and diagnose possible failures when using the job manager scheduler
Full support for Altair Grid Technologies, L.L.C.PBS Pro and TORQUE schedulers
Significant increase in the size limit on files and data that can be passed between clients and workers
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Removed dependency on Cygwin for Windows platforms, to simplify the installation process while improving performance and robustness
Enhanced and simplified installer for all PolySpace™ products
Added support for Solaris 2.10
Added support for Windows XP x64 (32-bit mode)
Enhanced exploring capability in the viewer to provide more precise information
New Generic Target option for C++, to allow custom target processors
New support for the GNU compiler (GCC 3.4) for C++
Added support for Telelogic Rhapsody® Version 7.1
Added support for C language in Rhapsody
Memory for storing local variables increased from 4 KB to 1 MB
Support for Measurement Computing PCI-DDA series boards
Improved support for large lookup tables and user-written functions
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Removed static libraries rtwlib_* to simplify code integration
New API for registering hardware device vendor and type
More cases supported for automatic Rate Transition Block insertion
Removed limitations for number of referenced models built
Enhanced BuildInfo API to contain a composite Model Reference description
MATLAB Editor syntax highlighting for Target Language Compiler (TLC) code
Context-sensitive help available for Configuration Parameters dialog box
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New AUTOSAR compliant code generation capability and demos
Bidirectional traceability for Stateflow® charts and Embedded MATLAB functions
More optimized inlining between Simulink blocks and Stateflow charts
More optimized code for Bus Assignment, Bus Creator, and Bus Selector blocks
Function prototype control supports model reference and has getPreview command
Improved MISRA-C compliance for matrix math utilities and lookup block utilities
Context-sensitive help available for Configuration Parameters dialog box
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Two new parameters enhance user control of baseband-equivalent modeling
Upgraded "Touchstone Data File for 2-Port Passive Network" demo to use more realistic data
Upgraded existing demos to show passband frequency values on the Spectrum Scope block
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New group delay, voltage gain, and stability factor computation and visualization from calculate and plot methods
Alternate port arrangements now available in s2sdd, s2sdc, s2scd, and s2scc functions
New gammams and gammaml functions for computing source and load reflection coefficients required for simultaneous conjugate match
New z2gamma function for converting impedance values to reflection coefficients
New "Writing a Touchstone File" demo and upgraded existing demos to reflect newest features
Upgraded M-file help for objects and packages
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Ability to use the loopmargin command to analyze robustness of a nonlinear Simulink model
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
N-D support added to many blocks, including several blocks in the Statistics library
Block parameter edit boxes support any built-in MATLAB data type other than Boolean and char
From Audio Device and To Audio Device blocks generate code on platforms other than Windows
FIR Interpolation uses less memory and is more efficient for frame-based signals in "Maintain input frame rate" mode
Delay Line block support for selective enabling of output for increased efficiency
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New marcumq function
New mag2db and db2mag functions
Enhanced pmtm function with ability to keep or drop last taper
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Note SimBiology® 2.2, which was released via the Web after R2007b but before R2008a, included these new features. Version 2.3 did not add any major new features. |
Support for compartmental modeling
Support for simulation events
Enhanced support for performing tasks on the SimBiology desktop, such as ensemble runs, sensitivity analysis, parameter scans, custom analysis, and conserved cycle calculations
Ability to generate reports for projects on the desktop
New functions for applying alternate parameter or initial condition values to a model during simulation
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New Fundamental Friction Clutch block enables customized clutch modeling
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Initial Value block for setting a signal value before the first event occurs
Vector and matrix support for event-based computations involving dense payloads
Seed management for random number generators
Diagnostics to advise you of race conditions
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New Cartridge Valve Insert and Hydraulic Cartridge Valve Actuator blocks
Additional configurations for the Centrifugal Pump block
Six predefined fluids, including water and three automotive brake fluids, added to the Hydraulic Fluid block
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Context-sensitive help available for all parameters in Simulink Configuration Parameters dialog box, including those on Simscape and SimMechanics panes
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New Fuel Cell Stack block
Ability to specify initial conditions for the PM Synchronous Machine block
Multiple discretization rates within a model now available with certain blocks
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Finding and managing operating points by trimming Simscape™ models now available
Thermal unit conversions now supported
New Gyrator block in the Electrical Elements library
New PS Abs block in the Physical Signals library returns absolute value of input signal
Enhancements to simulation algorithms, for improved robustness and reliability
Context-sensitive help available for all parameters in Simulink Configuration Parameters dialog box, including those on Simscape pane
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New diagnostic summary for troubleshooting linearization results
Ability to compute steady-state operating points for Simscape models
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New support for the Embedded MATLAB Function block in Simulink and Stateflow Embedded MATLAB functions
New support for the Stateflow Truth Table block and Embedded MATLAB truth tables
New option for collecting test case simulation outputs in MAT-file
New test generation strategy that is optimized for large models
Improved input data values for detecting errors
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Fixed-Point Tool enhanced to provide autoscaling based on specified design minimum and maximum values
New Fixed-Point Advisor facilitates converting a floating-point model or subsystem to an equivalent fixed-point representation
Lookup Table (n-D) block now supports fixed-point data types
Accumulator data type of the Sum block can be specified using any data type supported by Simulink, including fixed-point data types
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Complex data type is now supported for many blocks, including Embedded MATLAB Function block and Stateflow chart
Numerous additional blocks supported for code generation, including Discrete-time Integrator, NCO, PN Sequence Generator, CIC and FIR Decimation Filters
Enhanced pipelining support includes input pipelining for most blocks and automatic pipeline insertion for Embedded MATLAB Function block and Stateflow chart
Enhanced test bench options include automatic generation of HDL Cosimulation blocks for use with the EDA Simulator Link™ IN, EDA Simulator Link MQ, or EDA Simulator Link DS products
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Faster viewing of Web views of large Simulink models
Faster loading of the Show All Layers view in Web views
Support for exporting information contained in Simulink model DocBlocks to Web views
Support for embedded URLs in Simulink Annotations, which enable the Web page with the specified URL to be launched when the Annotation is clicked in a Web view
Support for Embedded MATLAB Function blocks in Web views, which allow M-code contained in a given block to be displayed in a Web view
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Model coverage for referenced models enhanced to provide new graphical user interface for enabling coverage and new summary report for displaying coverage results
New submenu on Model Explorer context menu for access to the Requirements Management Interface
New Model Advisor IEC 61508 Standard check for safety-critical applications
Enhanced Model Advisor check for MathWorks Automotive Advisory Board guidelines
Model Advisor API enhanced to extend customization capabilities
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Support for data with complex data types
Support for graphical functions with multiple outputs
New temporal logic notation for defining absolute time periods
New "temporalCount" operator for counting occurrences of events
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Bidirectional traceability and navigation between generated code and states, transitions, truth tables, and Embedded MATLAB functions (requires Real-Time Workshop® Embedded Coder™ software)
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New cross-validation functions for regression, classification, and clustering
New sequential feature selection for regression and classification
New quasi-random numbers for space-filling designs and Monte Carlo integration
New partial least-squares regression for multicollinear data
New nonnegative matrix factorization for dimension reduction
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New support for simulating nonlinear black-box models in Simulink
Ability to linearize nonlinear black-box models at user-specified operating points
Ability to estimate models using weighted sum of least-squares minimization criterion
Improved handling of initial states for linear and nonlinear models
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Support for mapping test signals to individual Simulink inport blocks using the Simulink element in SystemTest™ software.
Test results now available in a dataset array that can be accessed from the MATLAB command line, for comparing the results of separate test runs and post-processing of test results
The new Spreadsheet Data test vector type for reading data from a Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheet or CVS file into the SystemTest environment
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Context-sensitive help available for Configuration Parameters dialog box
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Context-sensitive help available for Configuration Parameters dialog box
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New support and demos for the 2833x DSP chip
New support for C280x Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) Transmit and Receive
Expanded control of on-chip peripherals using Qualification Type and Sampling Period
Expanded control of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) using interrupts
New watchdog timer support for the C280x, C281x, and C2833x DSPs
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New video workflow demo
New video capture and display blocks for DM6437 EVM
New demo for DM6437 EVM audio driver blocks (codec blocks)
New support on DM6437 for EVM CAN Send and Receive blocks
New support on DM6437 for EVM video OSD block
New DM6437EVM block: Draw Rectangles
New Custom Device Driver Integration via Legacy Code Tool Demo for DM6437EVM AIC33 codec
New "Can Loopback Testing" and "Video Stabilization" demos for DM6437EVM
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
New Estimate Geometric Transformation block with RANSAC and Least Median of Squares algorithms
N-D support added to several blocks in the Statistics library
Enhanced "Video Mosaicking" and "Disparity Estimation for Stereo Vision" demos
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Support for matrix-type data input for the VR Sink block, enabling both MATLAB and Simulink interfaces to support matrices (MFxx fields)
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
True color images now supported
Wavelet families display added
Extension modes for Continuous Wavelets added
New norms calculations
New demos for multiscale principal component analysis and for multivariate denoising
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
Support for the target PC to interface to the Vector CAN Application Environment (CANape) using Universal Calibration Protocol (XCP)
Support for Simulink models that contain multidimensional signals and parameters
Support for booting a target PC from a host PC within a dedicated network
xPC Target Device Driver Authoring Tool, a new GUI for creating templates for simple custom xPC Target™ device drivers
Arbitrarily sized target application (DLM) files can now be loaded in BootFloppy and StandAlone modes
For details, see the product-specific release notes.
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