Version 6.3 (R14SP3) Real-Time Workshop® Software Release Notes

Version 6.3 (R14SP3) Real-Time Workshop Software

This table summarizes what's new in V6.3 (R14SP3):

New features and changes introduced in this version are

• New rtw_precompile_libs Function

• Support for Subsystem Latch Enhancements

• Support for Variable Transport Delay Enhancements

• C++ Target Language Support for theReal-Time Windows Target Product and External Mode

• Rapid Simulation Target Enhanced for Use with the Distributed Computing Toolbox Product

• Simulink Model and MATLAB Desktop Window Interaction Enhanced

• Customizations to Built-In Blocks

• Use slbuild Instead of rtwgen

• Model Hardware Configuration Parameters Now Honor Device Type Restrictions

• rem Function No Longer Supports Tunable Arguments

• Block Libraries, RSim Target Executables, and MAT-Files

• Documentation Enhancements

New rtw_precompile_libs Function

The V6.3 (R14SP3) Real-Time Workshop product introduces a new M-file function, rtw_precompile_libs, which you can use to

• Precompile new or updated S-function libraries (MEX-files) for a model. By precompiling S-function libraries, you can optimize system builds. Once your precompiled libraries exist, the Real-Time Workshop build process can omit library compilation from subsequent builds. For models that use numerous libraries, the time savings for build processing can be significant.

• Recompile precompiled libraries included as part of the Real-Time Workshop product, such as rtwlib or dsplib. You might consider doing this if you need to customize compiler settings for various platforms or environments.

For details on using rtw_precompile_libs, see Precompiling S-Function Libraries in the Real-Time Workshop documentation.

Support for Subsystem Latch Enhancements

The V6.3 (R14SP3) Real-Time Workshop software supports Simulink latch enhancements for triggered and function-call subsystems discussed in Input Port Latching Enhancements in the Simulink Release Notes.

• A renamed Inport block option is available for triggered subsystems. Latch (buffer) input was renamed to Latch input by delaying outside signal to better reflect the option's purpose.

• A new option, Latch input by copying inside signal, was added for the Inport block for use with function-call subsystems.

If you select Latch input by copying inside signal for a function-call subsystem, the Real-Time Workshop build process

• Preserves latches in generated code regardless of any optimizations that might be set

• Places the code for latches at the start of a subsystem's output/update function

For more detail, see the description of the Inport block.

Support for Variable Transport Delay Enhancements

The V6.3 (R14SP3) Real-Time Workshop software supports new Simulink enhancements to the Variable Transport Delay block. Prior to V6.3 (R14SP3), the block performed a variable time delay function. The block has been enhanced to support both variable time and variable transport delays with a new parameter Select delay type.

• For instances of the block in existing models, Select delay type is set to Variable time delay to preserve the block's variable time delay behavior. In such cases, you can use the block as is, or consider changing the parameter settings for transport delay behavior.

• The Simulink Library Browser now offers a Variable Time Delay block and Variable Transport Delay block, which are instances of the original Variable Transport Delay block. Both blocks have the delay type parameter, which is preset depending on the type of block you include. In addition, for the Variable Time Delay block, you can select a parameter for handling zero delays. For the Variable Transport Delay block, you can specify a fixed buffer size and absolute tolerance.

For more detail, see the descriptions of the Variable Time Delay and Variable Transport Delay blocks.

C++ Target Language Support for theReal-Time Windows Target Product and External Mode

The V6.3 (R14SP3) Real-Time Workshop software supports

• C++ code generation for Real-Time Windows Target™

• The use of external mode with executables it generates from C++ source files

For more information on C++ target language support, see Support for C and C++ Code Generation in the Real-Time Workshop documentation.

Rapid Simulation Target Enhanced for Use with the Distributed Computing Toolbox Product

The Rapid Simulation (RSim) target has been enhanced such that RSim executables that specify a variable step solver do not check out a Simulink license when run by a worker executing a task created by the Distributed Computing Toolbox™ product.

Simulink Model and MATLAB Desktop Window Interaction Enhanced

In V6.3 (R14SP3) of the Real-Time Workshop product, the interaction between Simulink model and MATLAB desktop windows during code generation has been enhanced such that the window layering and input focus during code generation on Microsoft Windows systems matches that of Linux systems.

Prior to V6.3 (R14SP3), if you had a Simulink model window on top of the MATLAB desktop window on a Windows system, the MATLAB desktop window would move on top of the model window when you generated code for that model. When code generation was complete, the MATLAB desktop window would retain input focus. This behavior intentionally differed from the behavior on Linux systems, which kept the model window on top.

Customizations to Built-In Blocks

The MathWorks recommends that you not customize built-in blocks provided as part of the Simulink product even though the capability exists to do so.

Compatibility Considerations

Customizations that you make to built-in Simulink blocks might not be applied during the code generation process and can lead to unpredictable results.

Use slbuild Instead of rtwgen

The Target Language Compiler documentation for V6.2 (R14SP2) and earlier recommends using the rtwgen and tlc commands together to create targets and generate code. Instead, you should use the slbuild command.

Compatibility Considerations

The rtwgen command is not intended for direct use, and upgrading the Real-Time Workshop product may cause code that uses the command to fail. Existing code that uses rtwgen should change to use slbuild instead, and new code should use slbuild exclusively. The syntax for slbuild is

slbuild('model'[,'TargetType'])

Use of the tlc command is unaffected by this change.

Model Hardware Configuration Parameters Now Honor Device Type Restrictions

Prior to V6.3 (R14SP3), the Real-Time Workshop software allowed you to use set_param to modify model hardware configuration settings such that they did not conform to device type restrictions. In V6.3 (R14SP3), the Real-Time Workshop software honors device type requirements associated with the following configuration parameters:

If you attempt to reset of one of these parameters, the Real-Time Workshop build process returns an error.

Compatibility Considerations

If you set model parameters programmatically, check for and remove instances of set_param that specify the preceding parameters.

rem Function No Longer Supports Tunable Arguments

In V6.3 (R14SP3), the rem function no longer supports tunable parameters when used with the Real-Time Workshop software.

Compatibility Considerations

If you use tunable parameters with the rem function, the Real-Time Workshop build process inlines the equivalent numeric value into the generated code in place of the tunable expression.

Block Libraries, RSim Target Executables, and MAT-Files

You can use the Real-Time Workshop product to rebuild an RSim target executable for a model that you previously created with blocks provided in an earlier release.

Compatibility Considerations

Block libraries for V6.3 (R14SP3) are not compatible with block libraries provided in earlier releases. Consequently, starting with V6.3 (R14SP3) , if you rebuild an RSim target executable as noted above, you cannot use the -p option to run the rebuilt executable with a new MAT-file. To use new MAT-files, you need to replace the blocks in the model with blocks provided in the R14SP3 block libraries

Documentation Enhancements

The following areas of the Real-Time Workshop documentation have been corrected or enhanced:

• Help button on Real-Time Workshop pane and subpanes of the Configuration Parameters dialog box — displays help that is specific to the pane or subpane that is active

• Example index — expanded

• Model reference tutorial

• Code Generation and the Build Process — reorganized to reflect workflow and make key topics more accessible

• Controlling the Location and Naming of Libraries During the Build Process — added as a new topic

• Tunable Expressions in Masked Subsystems

• Profiling Generated Code — added as a new topic

• Reusable Code and Referenced Models

• Sharing Utility Functions

• Data Transfer Assumptions for rate transitions

• Writing Noninlined S-Functions

• Build Support for S-Functions

• Checksums and the S-Function Target — added as a new topic

• Specifying New Signal Data File for a From File Block when running a rapid simulation

• Generating ASAP2 and C API Files — added as a new topic

• Simulink Block Support — new reference listing Real-Time Workshop and Real-Time Workshop Embedded Coder block support for blocks available in Simulink

• Target Language Compiler documentation

Version 6.4 (R2006a) Real-Time Workshop Software

Version 6.2.1 (R14SP2+) Real-Time Workshop Software