Error when trying to interface Raspberry Pi 2 and serial devices: The 'serial' class does not support code generation.

Hello,

I am having trouble creating code in Simulink to handle interfacing between my Raspberry Pi 2 and a serial device connected to pins 8 and 10. I have had no problem interfacing with this setup using the serialDev class. My goal is to build a MatLAB function block in Simulink that initializes the Raspberry Pi 2 serial port and read/write to it. The serialDev class doesn't seem like it works in Simulink so I attempted to use the serial class. Here is my code:

function y = GetParallaxParam()

%serial port parameters for Parallax

port = '/dev/ttyAMA0';

baudRate = 115200; %fastest allowed

dataBits = 8;

parity = 'none';

stopBits = 1;

%connect to serial port

Parallax = serial(port); %error Here!

Parallax.BaudRate = baudRate;

Parallax.DataBits = dataBits;

Parallax.StopBits = stopBits;

%default parity is none

fopen(Parallax);

y = Parallax;

Here is the error message:

The 'serial' class does not support code generation.

Function 'MATLAB Function' (#225.209.221), line 10, column 12:
"serial(port)"

Is my implementation of the serial class wrong? Or is there another strategy I need to follow?

Thank you,

Will

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

serial class has a lot of implications about callbacks and background processing and buffering and so on, which mostly cannot be expected to be supported on a generic system; remember that code generation has to target something that barely has a Standard C library.

Is there a reason to not use the Serial Configuration Block ?

[Will Schoenhals]

Thank you for the response!

The examples that MatLAB provides use Serial Configuration Block only for communication with serial devices connected to the host PC. I suspect that the Instrument Control Toolbox wasn't designed to work on the Pi. With my Pi connected I wasn't able to use the 'Query Instrument' or 'To Instrument' block (only option for port is COM1-COM4; Raspberry Pi port is /dev/ttyAMA0) or the 'Serial Configuration' block (only option for communication port never populated).

I've been searching for examples or tutorials on using the Instrument Control Box for controlling serial devices connected to the Raspberry Pi but to no avail. I'll keep looking and experimenting to see if I find anything.

[Walter Roberson]

http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/25323-using-serial-to-connect-to-an-arduino

[Will Schoenhals]

I don't have trouble communicating between Raspberry Pi 2 and my serial device with normal matlab.m files. My difficulty lies with Simulink. I am unable to find a way to facilitate communication between my Raspberry Pi 2 and serial device with MatLAB function blocks, Level-2 MatLAB functions in an S-block, or any other S-block.

Answer 2

[Will Schoenhals]

For anyone else with the same problem: This isn't much of an answer but I think it's a step in the right direction. http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/114683-simulink-read-a-file-on-raspberrypi-in-external-mode-error-unknown-type-name-a-filea If this code can read/write to an external I2C device there is a way to read/write serial.