Simulink Real-Time Explorer

Interact with target computer and real-time application running on target computer

Since R2020b

Description

Simulink^® Real-Time™ Explorer provides a user interface for viewing connection status and interacting with a real-time application. You can visualize real-time signals, tune parameters, and stream real-time signals to the Simulation Data Inspector.

Note

Do not use Simulink external mode simulation to interact with the real-time application while Simulink Real-Time Target Explorer is running the real-time application. Use only one interface or the other to interact with the real-time application.

To use the Simulink Real-Time Explorer, open the Explorer from the Real-Time tab in the Simulink Editor or open the Explorer from the MATLAB^® or Simulink Apps tab.

Use Simulink Real-Time Explorer for these tasks:

• Connect the MATLAB development computer and Speedgoat^® target computer.

• Load, start, and stop a real-time application on target computer.

• View real-time application parameters and signal hierarchy.

• Select real-time application signals for streaming to the Simulation Data Inspector.

• Set real-time application stop time.

• View task execution time (TET).

For examples, click the links in the More Information column.

Target Computer Configuration

Capability	More Information
Configure target computer configuration settings. View target computer disk usage.	See example Configure Target, Update, and Reboot. For more information, see Target Computer Settings.

Real-Time Application Access and Control

Capability

More Information

Connect target computers to a development computer, and then disconnect them. Load a prebuilt real-time application into a target computer. Start and then stop running a real-time application that you downloaded to the target computer. Display execution time, task execution time, and other properties of the real-time application. Change stop time without regenerating code. Start and stop signal logging and streaming by using Start Recording and Stop Recording buttons. Import file logs from the target computer by using the Import File Log button. Set target computer time and time zone by using the Set Target Time button.

See example Connect, Load Application, and Start. For more information, see: Real-Time Application and Target Computer Modes Configure and Control Real-Time Application by Using Simulink Real-Time Explorer Real-Time Signal Logging and Streaming Basics

Real-Time Application Management

Capability	More Information
By using Configuration tab or right-click menu in Targets tree: View real-time applications available on target computer, including detailed properties. Delete real-time applications from target computer. Select a real-time application as startup application.	See example Connect, Load Application, and Start. For more information, see: Configure and Control Real-Time Application by Using Simulink Real-Time Explorer Real-Time Signal Logging and Streaming Basics

Signal Access

Capability	More Information
Filter and group hierarchical signals.	For more information, see Filter Hierarchical List of Signals and Parameters in Simulink Real-Time Explorer.
Visualize signals.	See example Select Signals and Stream Data to the Simulation Data Inspector. For more information, see: Stream Real-Time Signals by Using Simulink Real-Time Explorer Add an Instrument to a Stateflow Subsystem Customize Instrumentation Display
Create, save, and load signal groups.	For more information, see Export and Import Signals in Instrument by Using Simulink Real-Time Explorer.
Copy signal block paths, add to instrument list, highlight in model, add to signal table, or add to axes.	See figure Simulink Real-Time Explorer, Signals Tab, Signal Context Menu.

Simulink Real-Time Explorer, Signals Tab, Signal Context Menu

Parameter Tuning

Capability	More Information
Filter and group hierarchical parameters.	For more information, see Filter Hierarchical List of Signals and Parameters in Simulink Real-Time Explorer.
Display and tune parameter values while the real-time application is running.	For more information, see: Tune Parameters by Using Simulink® Real-Time™ Explorer Customize Instrumentation Display
When the ECU page and XCP page selections do not match, the mismatch disables the explorer Parameter table. You can enable parameter table operation by coordinating ECU page and XCP page selection in the real-time application. Use the explorer Enable Parameter Table button. This button is context sensitive and appears when explorer detects a page selection mismatch.	For more information, see: copyPage getECUPage getNumPages getXCPPage setECUAndXCPPage setECUPage setXCPPage
Refresh cached parameter table values by clicking the Refresh Values button.	Use the Refresh Values button for instances in which the parameter table data becomes disabled (for example when page switching occurs).
Use the Hold Updates button and Update All Parameters button to change multiple parameter values simultaneously. These buttons in Explorer operate in the same way as these buttons on the Real-Time tab in the Simulink Editor.	For more information, see Tune Parameters by Using Hold Updates and Update All Parameters in Tune Parameters by Using Simulink® External Mode.
Use the Save Param Set or Load Param Set buttons on the Parameters tab to save or load a parameter set file for the current real-time application. You can save or load the parameter set file from the development computer or target computer.	See figure Save and Load Parameter Set Workflow. For more information, see Save and Reload Parameters by Using Simulink Real-Time Explorer.

Save and Load Parameter Set Workflow

Observe Task Execution Time and Target Computer Status

Capability	More Information
Open the TET Monitor tab and monitor task execution time.	For more information, see: Simulink Real-Time TET Monitor Customize Instrumentation Display
Open the System Log Viewer tab and observe the target computer system messages.	For more information, see: slrtLogViewer Target Computer Status Monitor
Open the System Log Viewer tab and use the log controls to filter messages, clear the display, clear the messages, or retrieve messages from the target computer.	For more information, see Filter, Clear, or Retrieve System Messages.

Open the Simulink Real-Time Explorer App

From the Simulink Editor, in the Real-Time tab, select Prepare > SLRT Explorer. Or, from the MATLAB Command Window, type:

slrtExplorer

Examples

Configure Target, Update, and Reboot

This example shows how to change the IP address of the target computer, update the target computer software, update the target computer date and time, and reboot the target computer.

1. Open the Simulink Real-Time Explorer.

2. Select the target computer in the Targets Tree panel.

3. To change the IP address of the target computer, click the Change IP Address button.

4. To update the target computer software, click the Update Software button.

5. To update the target computer date, time, and time zone preference, click the Set Target Time button. The Set Target Time button is disabled when an application is loaded on the target computer.

6. To reboot the target computer, click the Reboot button.

Connect, Load Application, and Start

This example shows how to connect to the target computer, load the real-time application, set the stop time, and start the real-time application.

1. Open the Simulink Real-Time Explorer.

2. Select the target computer in the Targets Tree panel.

3. To connect to the target computer if not already connected, click Disconnected toggling it to Connected.

4. To select and load a real-time application, click Load Application and select the MLDATX file.

   Note

   You can select and load a real-time application by using the context menu. Right-click on the application and select Load.

   

5. To select the application stop time, type a value (in seconds) in the Stop time field.

6. To start the application, click the Start button.

   In Explorer, clicking the Start button is equivalent to executing this command for target object tg:

   start(tg, 'ReloadOnStop', true, 'AutoImportFileLog', true)

   Note

   To change the ReloadOnStop and AutoImportFileLog operation of the Start button, you can:

   • Select Start > ReloadOnStop

   • Select Start > AutoImportFileLog.

   Note

   To change the AutoImportFileLog operation of the Stop button, you can:

   • Select Stop > AutoImportFileLog.

7. To stop the real-time application, click the Stop button.

Filter, Clear, or Retrieve System Messages

This example shows how to filter the messages displayed by the System Log Viewer tab. You also can clear the log display in explorer, clear the log messages from explorer, or retrieve the log messages from the target computer. The tab provides filter selections for message severity and buttons that let you Clear Display, Retrieve Logs, or Clear Logs. These operations also are available in a right-click context menu for the message area of the tab.

1. Open the Simulink Real-Time Explorer.

2. Connect to a target computer. Load and run a real-time application. For more information, see Connect, Load Application, and Start.

3. Select the System Log Viewer tab.

4. Use the tab controls to filter the system log message display by message severity.

   While the target computer status is 'loaded', 'loading', or 'running', you can clear the display of log messages or retrieve log messages from the target computer.

   While the target computer status is 'stopped', you can clear the log messages from the System Log Viewer.

5. Right click on a message in the System Log Viewer, and use the right-click context menu to clear the display, retrieve logs, or clear logs.

Select Signals and Stream Data to the Simulation Data Inspector

This example shows how to connect to the target computer, load the real-time application, select signals for a signal list, start the real-time application, and view the streaming data in the Simulation Data Inspector.

1. Open the Simulink Real-Time Explorer.

2. To connect to the target computer if not already connected, click Disconnected toggling it to Connected.

3. To select and load a real-time application, click Load Application and select the MLDATX file.

4. To select signals for streaming, click the application name, select signals from the Signals tab, and click the Add selected signals button.

5. To run the application and generate data for streaming, click the Start button.

6. To stream the signal data, select the signals in the Signals in instrument list and click the Add Instrument button.

7. To view the streaming signals, click the Data Inspector button.

8. To stop streaming and logging signal data, click the Stop Recording button. This button also stops signal logging.

9. After viewing the data, to stop the real-time application, click the Stop button.

Customize Instrumentation Display

To customize the instrumentation display in explorer, use the Instrumentation button to:

• Add signal tables, parameter tables, and axes as custom instrumentation tabs in explorer.

• Bind signals and parameters to the custom instrumentation tabs by using the Signal Selector button and the Parameter Selector button.

• Configure the display of signals that you bind to custom axes.

• Add a task execution time (TET) monitor tab to explorer.

• Export or import custom instrumentation display configurations in explorer.

This example shows how to add and configure custom instrumentation (an axes display).

1. Open the Simulink Real-Time Explorer.

2. Select the target computer in the Targets Tree panel.

3. To connect to the target computer if not already connected, click Disconnected toggling it to Connected.

4. To select and load a real-time application, click Load Application and select the MLDATX file.

5. To add an Axes tab, pull down the options for the Instrumentation button and select the Axes button.

6. Use the controls in the Axes tab to name the tab and set features for the axes. Bind signals to the axes by using the Signal Selector button.

7. To export the custom instrumentation configuration, pull down the options for the Instrumentation button and select the Export Configuration button.

8. To import the custom instrumentation configuration in another explorer session, pull down the options for the Instrumentation button and select the Import Configuration button.

Programmatic Use

slrtExplorer

slrtExplorer opens the Simulink Real-Time Explorer. Operations in the Simulink Real-Time Explorer UI correspond to Simulink Real-Time commands. For example, the explorer Start button corresponds to the start function.

Version History

Introduced in R2020b

R2025a: Update target computer date, time, and time zone

Added Set Target Time button to the Target Configuration tab. This button allows you to set the target computer date, time, and time zone preference.

R2024a: Filter, clear, or retrieve messages in system log viewer

You can use controls in the System Log Viewer tab of Simulink Real-Time Explorer to filter message display by severity, clear the message display, clear message logs, or retrieve message logs. A right-click on the message area opens a context menu with these controls.

Added color-coding by severity for messages makes the message display in explorer and on the target computer easier to read. Messages with log level 'Error' or 'Fatal' appear in red text. Messages with log level 'Warning' appear in yellow text. Messages with log level 'Trace', 'Debug', or 'Info' appear in black text.

R2024a: Apply line style properties in signal selector

You can apply line style properties to signals that you add to Axes in Simulink Real-Time Explorer. To apply these properties, click the edit icon in the Line Style column of the signal in the Signal Selector dialog box.

R2023b: Customize Instrumentation and use Signals context menu

In R2023b, the Instrumentation button lets you add signal table, parameter tables, and axes to the tabs in Simulink Real-Time Explorer. You also can export and import your instrumentation configuration. For more information, see Customize Instrumentation Display.

In R2023b, the Signals context menu is available when you select a signal in the Signals tab and right-click on the signal. From this menu, you can copy signal block paths, add to instrument list, highlight in model, add to signal table, or add to axes. For more information, see Simulink Real-Time Explorer, Signals Tab, Signal Context Menu.

R2023b: Import previous file log while recording

In R2023b, you can import a previously stored file log while recording file log data. The change to Simulink Real-Time Explorer is that the Import File Log button remains enabled while recording is active. You also can use the file log import function while recording file log data.

R2023a: Parameter Set Support

The Simulink Real-Time Explorer supports save or load of a parameter set to or from the development computer or target computer. This support is similar to the operation of the loadParamSet and saveParamSet functions.

R2023a: UI enhancements for file log import options

In Simulink Real-Time Explorer, you can enable the AutoImportFileLog check box from the Run button or Stop button. This check box corresponds to the AutoImportFileLog option of the start function and stop function.

R2022b: Added Recording Buttons and Import File Log Button

Added Start Recording button and Stop Recording button to the Real-Time tab in the Simulink Editor and in the Simulink Real-Time Explorer. The Start Recording button and Stop Recording button have the same functionality as the startRecording function and stopRecording function.

R2022a: Parameter Table Caching and Parameter Tuning

The Parameters tab supports caching parameter table data. By caching the data, updates to parameter data in the table is improved. This improvement is noticeable for real-time applications that have a substantial number of parameters.

The Parameters tab supports a Hold Updates button and Update All Parameters button to change multiple parameter values simultaneously.

R2021b: Disk Usage Display

The target computer disk usage appears on the Target Configuration tab and appears on the target computer status monitor.

R2021a: Added Right-Click Menu for Application Options and Add Options to Start Button

The Explorer provides access to real-time application actions and properties through an application context menu and access to real-time application start options through the Start button. When you right-click an application name in the Targets Tree, the Explorer displays a menu of actions for the application. The application Start button provides ReloadOnStop and AutoImportFileLog options.