Create and Run Real-Time Application from Simulink Model

This tutorial begins with a non-real-time Simulink^® model of a damped oscillator, slrt_ex_osc_nrt. To open the model, in the MATLAB Command Window, type:

open_system(fullfile(matlabroot, 'toolbox', 'slrealtime', ...
'examples', 'slrt_ex_osc_nrt'))

Image of slrt_ex_osc_nrt model

To complete the tutorial, you must already know how to create, configure, and simulate such a model. As you go through the tutorial, you transform slrt_ex_osc_nrt into a Simulink Real-Time™ model configured to build as a real-time application. You then build, download, and execute the real-time application on your target computer.

The final model is named slrt_ex_osc_rt. To open the model, in the MATLAB Command Window, type:

open_system(fullfile(matlabroot, 'toolbox', 'slrealtime', ...
'examples', 'slrt_ex_osc_rt'))

Image of slrt_ex_osc_rt model

Transform Simulink Model to Real-Time Application

To run a Simulink model as a real-time application under Simulink Real-Time, add and configure a real-time File Log block and set configuration parameters for code generation and target execution.

Add Simulink Real-Time File Log Block

Simulink Real-Time supports a real-time File Log block. This tutorial uses the File Log block, which logs signal data for display in the Simulation Data Inspector after the simulation run.

In the MATLAB Command Window, type slrt_ex_osc_nrt. MATLAB^® loads the oscillator model and displays the Simulink block diagram.
In Simulink Editor, from the Apps tab, click Simulink Real-Time.
From the Real-Time tab Prepare section, click Library Browser.
In the Simulink left pane, browse to and double-click the node Simulink Real-Time.
From the list of I/O block categories, click node Logging.
Click and drag the File Log block to the Simulink block diagram. Simulink adds a new real-time File Log block to the model.
Connect the Mux output to the File Log block input.
On the Simulation tab, from the Save button, click Save As. Enter a file name. For example, enter slrt_ex_osc_ucf, and then click OK. To open the unconfigured model slrt_ex_osc_ucf, in the MATLAB Command Window, type:
```
open_system(fullfile(matlabroot, 'toolbox', 'slrealtime', ...
'examples', 'slrt_ex_osc_ucf'))
```

Set File Log Block Parameters

File Log block parameters define the decimation for logged signals. After the simulation run, the signals that you log by using this block are available in the Simulation Data Inspector. For this tutorial, configure a File Log block.

In the MATLAB Command Window, type slrt_ex_osc_ucf. MATLAB loads the oscillator model and displays the Simulink block diagram.
Double-click the File Log block.
In the Decimation text box, type 1. This value means that data is collected at each sample interval.
Click OK, and then from the Simulation tab, click Save.

Set Configuration Parameters

The example model, slrt_ex_osc_ucf, is a non-real-time model of a damped oscillator. You enter the simulation and real-time run parameters in the Configuration Parameters dialog box. These parameters provide information to Simulink Coder™ on how to build a real-time application from the Simulink model.

After you open a Simulink model and start the target computer, you can enter the simulation parameters.

In the MATLAB Command Window, type slrt_ex_osc_ucf.
In Simulink Editor, from the Apps tab, click Simulink Real-Time.
From the Real-Time tab, click Hardware Settings.
In the Configuration Parameters dialog box, click the Solver node.
In the Solver selection section, from the Type list, select Fixed-step.
From the Solver list, select a solver. For example, select the general-purpose solver ode4 (Runge-Kutta).
Under Solver details, in the Fixed-step size (fundamental sample time) box, enter the sample time for the real-time application. For example, enter 0.00025 seconds (250 microseconds). After creating the real-time application, you can change this value.
If you find that a value overloads the CPU on the target computer, try a larger Fixed-step size value, such as 0.0002 seconds.
The sample times of the model blocks can be multiples only of Fixed-step size. If you enter 'auto' in Fixed-step size, the fundamental sample time is calculated from the sample times of the model blocks.
In the Configuration Parameters dialog box, click the Code Generation node.
To build a real-time application, in the Target selection section, click Browse at the System target file list. Click slrealtime.tlc, and then click OK.
Click OK.
In the Simulation tab, from the Save button, click Save As.
Enter a file name. For example, enter slrt_ex_osc_rt.

Start Target Computer and Display Status Monitor

Starting the target computer boots the RTOS. The target computer waits for the Simulink Real-Time software to download and start a real-time application from the development computer or to start a real-time application that was previously downloaded.

After you have configured the Simulink Real-Time product by using the Simulink Real-Time Explorer, you can start the target computer and connect the development computer to the target computer. Before building the real-time application, you start the target computer. After the build process is complete, you download the real-time application to the target computer.

The status monitor application on the target computer displays status of the real-time application and other target computer status information. The target computer display supports multiple sessions. You can choose to display the status monitor (default, session 1) or display the target computer command line interface (session 2). To display the target computer status monitor:

Start the target computer.
The target computer displays session 1 (default) and the target computer status monitor.

To view the status monitor from the development computer, you can use PuTTY to open an SSH client and start the status monitor application /usr/target/bin/statusmonitor on the target computer.

For more information, see Target Computer Status Monitor.

Build and Download Real-Time Application by Using Run on Target

The example model is a real-time model of a damped oscillator, slrt_ex_osc_rt. To open the model, in the MATLAB Command Window, type:

open_system(fullfile(matlabroot, 'toolbox', 'slrealtime', ...
'examples', 'slrt_ex_osc_rt'))

To generate C code, compile, link, and download the real-time application to the target computer, use the Simulink Real-Time build process available from the Simulink Editor Real-Time tab.

After you enter changes in the Configuration Parameters dialog box, you can build the real-time application. For information about real-time application options, see Simulink Real-Time Options Pane.

In the MATLAB Command Window, type slrt_ex_osc_rt.
MATLAB loads the oscillator model and displays the Simulink block diagram.
In the Simulink Editor, from the targets list on the Real-Time tab, select the target computer on which to run the real-time application.
Click Run on Target.
On the development computer, in the Diagnostics Viewer, you can view the build status. On the Debug tab, click Diagnostics. If the software detects an error during build and download, see Troubleshooting in Simulink Real-Time.
If you have a monitor connected to your target computer, the status monitor screen displays information about the application name. For more information, see Target Computer Status Monitor. You can also monitor the event status of a Target object by installing a listener for object events.

Execute Real-Time Application in Simulink External Mode by Using Step-by-Step Commands

Control of the real-time application with Simulink is limited to connecting a Simulink model to a real-time application through external mode, and then starting the real-time application. Using Simulink external mode is one method to tune parameters.

The model connects to the target computer that you have selected in the Simulink Editor on the Real-Time tab.

Note

To avoid target computer communication issues, do not use Simulink external mode while Simulink Real-Time Explorer is running. Use only one interface.

After you build and download a real-time application to the target computer, you can run the real-time application. This procedure uses the Simulink model slrt_ex_osc_rt. To open the model, in the MATLAB Command Window, type:

open_system(fullfile(matlabroot, 'toolbox', 'slrealtime', ...
'examples', 'slrt_ex_osc_rt'))

For more information about building applications, see Build and Download Real-Time Application by Using Run on Target.

You must already have specified the required target computer environment. Specifically, in the Simulink Editor, from the target computers list on the Real-Time tab, you must select the target computer to which you want to connect.

In the Simulink Editor, connect to the target computer. In the Real-Time tab, click Toggle target computer connection. The connection status toggles to the connected state .
From the Run on Target pull down, start the Step by Step Commands by selecting Build Application.
After the model build completes, from the Run on Target pull down, select Deploy to Target.
After the real-time application deploys to the target, from the Run on Target pull down, select Connect Model.
After you connect the model to the real-time application, the status bar displays External to indicate that the model is ready for external mode simulation. In this mode, the model serves as the interface to the application. This connection permits tuning parameters in the real-time application without rebuilding the application. This connection also permits observing signal activity in the real-time application by using, for example, Simulink Scope blocks in the model.
From the Run on Target pull down, select Start Application.
The current Simulink model parameters are downloaded from the development computer to the real-time application. The real-time application begins running and the Simulink Scope block displays signal data.
To stop the execution, from the Run on Target pull down, select Stop Application.

When the real-time application is deployed to the target computer, the step-by-step commands provide additional workflow options.

Commands	Step-by-Step Operations
	In the Step by Step Commands, after you deploy the real-time application to the target computer, you can connect the model to the real-time application. The Connect Model operation enables you to use the model as an interface to the real-time application for external mode simulation.
	In the Step by Step Commands, after you connect the model to the real-time application on the target computer, you can disconnect the model from the real-time application. The Disconnect Model operation enables you to keep the real-time simulation running on the target computer and reconnect to the model at a later time.
	In the Step by Step Commands, after you deploy the real-time application to the target computer and connect the model to the real-time application, you can start the real-time application. The Start Application operation enables you to start the real-time application for external mode simulation. Before you start the application, you can select the AutoImportFileLog option from the Run on Target button. This checkbox corresponds to the `AutoImportFileLog` option of the `start` function.
	When you are connected in external mode, to restart the real-time application from time `t=0`, click Restart Application. This button restarts the application and maintains the external mode connection.