Learn more about xPC Target

xPC Target Embedded Option Modes

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Introduction Standalone Mode Overview Restrictions

Introduction

The xPC Target Embedded Option software extends the xPC Target base product with the Standalone mode

Use this mode to load the target PC with both the xPC Target kernel and a target application. This mode of operation can start the kernel on the target PC from a flash disk or hard disk. After starting the kernel on the target PC, Standalone mode also automatically starts the target application that you loaded with the kernel. This configuration provides complete stand-alone operation. Standalone mode eliminates the need for a host PC and allows you to deploy real-time applications on target PCs. See Standalone Mode Overview for further details.

Regardless of the mode, you initially boot your target PC with DOS from any boot device, then the xPC Target kernel is started from DOS. The xPC Target software only needs DOS to boot the target PC and start the xPC Target kernel. DOS is no longer available on the target PC unless you reboot the target PC without starting the xPC Target kernel.

Note, you cannot build a 16 MB target application to run in Standalone mode.

Note   The xPC Target Embedded Option software requires a boot device with DOS installed. It otherwise does not have any specific requirements as to the type of boot device. You can boot the xPC Target software from any device that has DOS installed. DOS software and license are not included with the xPC Target or xPC Target Embedded Option software.

Without the xPC Target Embedded Option software, you can only download real-time applications to the target PC after booting the target PC from an xPC Target boot disk or network boot image.

The following are some instances where you might want to use the xPC Target Embedded Option product. You might have one of these situations if you deploy the target PC in a small or rugged environment.

• Target PC does not have a 3.5-inch disk or CD drive.

• The Target PC 3.5-inch or CD disk drive must be removed after setting up the target system.

• You do not have a dedicated network to boot the target PC from the host PC.

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Standalone Mode Overview

The primary purpose of the Standalone mode is to allow you to use a target PC as a stand-alone system. Standalone mode enables you to deploy control systems, DSP applications, and other systems on PC hardware for use in production applications using PC hardware. Typically these production applications are found in systems where production quantities are low to moderate.

The following summarizes the sequence of events for Standalone mode. For a detailed step-by-step procedure, see Stand-Alone Target Setup.

1. Ensure that the target PC has an appropriate version of DOS on the target PC hard drive. The MathWorks has tested the xPC Target software with FreeDOS Beta 8 ("Nikita") distribution, MS-DOS (6.0 or higher), PC DOS, and Caldera OpenDOS.

2. Create a standard boot disk and boot the target PC.

3. From the host PC MATLAB window, type xpcexplr.

4. In the xPC Target Explorer xPC Target Hierarchy pane, select a target PC Configuration node.

5. In the configuration node, select the Standalone tab.

6. Click the Enable Standalone Mode check box.

7. Select and build a model.

   This step creates a directory in the current working folder named modelname_xpc_emb.

8. Copy the contents of model_name_emb to the target PC hard drive. The target PC hard drive should now contain the following files:

   • DOS files — Provide your own copy of DOS to boot the target PC (see step 1).

   • *.rtb — This file contains the xPC Target kernel. It also contains, as applicable, options such as serial or TCP/IP communications and the IP address of the target PC.

   • xpcboot.com — This file executes loads and executes the *.rtb file.

   • autoexec.bat — xPC Target version of this file that calls the xpcboot.com executable to boot the xPC Target kernel.

9. Boot the target PC.

   When you boot the target PC, the target PC loads DOS, which then calls the xPC Target autoexec.bat file to start the xPC Target kernel (*.rtb) and associated target application. If you set up the boot device to run the xPC Target autoexec.bat file upon startup, the target application starts executing as soon as possible. The xPC Target application executes entirely in protected mode using the 32-bit flat memory model.

Note   This mode does not require any connection between the host PC and target PC.

If you do not want to view signals on the target PC, you do not need a monitor for the target PC, nor do you need to add target scopes to the application. In this instance, your xPC Target system operates as a black box without a monitor or keyboard. Stand-alone applications are automatically set to continue running for an infinite time duration or until the target computer is turned off.

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Restrictions

To use the Standalone mode, your DOS environment must comply with the following restrictions:

• The CPU must execute in real mode.

• While loaded in memory, the DOS partition must not overlap the address range of a target application.

To satisfy these restrictions,

• Do not use additional memory managers like emm386 or qemm.

• Avoid any utilities that attempt to load in high memory (for example, himem.sys). If the target PC DOS environment does not use a config.sys file or memory manager entries in the autoexec.bat file, there should be no problems when running xpcboot.com.

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Introduction

Embedded Option Setup

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