LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0 Readme File
Primary Software: LabVIEW Toolkits>>Simulation Interface Toolkit
Primary Software Version: 4.0
Primary Software Fixed Version: N/A
Secondary Software: N/A
Problem: I have not installed LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit (SIT). Can I still access the readme files?
Solution: The SIT 4.0 readme file is attached below, and also install with the toolkit. The readme document describes any last-minute installation instructions, known issues, and changes from the previous version.
LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0 Readme
August 2007
This file contains the following information about the LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0.
System Requirements
Installation/Upgrading Instructions
Upgrading from SIT 3.0.x
What's New in 4.0
Support for Real-Time Targets
Accessing the Help and Examples
Development Tips
Known Issues
Bug Fixes
System Requirements
To install the LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0, you must already have installed National Instruments LabVIEW 8.5 Full or Professional Development System on the same computer.
To create a host VI for a previously-developed model, you need only LabVIEW installed. To develop a model, you also must be a properly licensed user of and have the following software installed on the host computer or a remote networked computer.
- The MathWorks, Inc. MATLAB® / Simulink® application software release 13.x, 14.x, or 2006a, 2006b, 2007a
To control an offline simulation using SIT 4.0, you must install SIT 4.0 in addition to the MATLAB application software and the Simulink application software.
To convert a model into a model DLL, you must install the following software:
- The MathWorks, Inc. Real-Time Workshop® release 13.x, 14.x or 2006a, 2006b, 2007a
- Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 or .NET 2003
To control a simulation in real time, you must be a properly licensed user of and have the following software installed on both the host computer and the real-time target.
- National Instruments LabVIEW 8.5 Real-Time Module for ETS Targets.
- (Optional) National Instruments LabVIEW 8.5 FPGA Module, for customized FPGA VIs used in real-time simulations involving NI FPGA devices
To control a simulation in real time, you also must install the following driver software versions, depending on the type of hardware you want to use.
| National Instruments Hardware |
Driver Software Version Required |
| National Instruments FPGA Devices |
NI-RIO™ 2.2 or later |
| National Instruments CAN Interfaces |
NI-CAN™ 2.5.1 or later |
| National Instruments DAQ Devices |
NI-DAQmx™ 8.6 or later |
Installation/Upgrading Instructions
Complete the following steps to install the LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0.
- Install and activate the necessary software as described in the System Requirements section of this document.
- Uninstall any existing installations of the LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit. If you do not perform this step, the installer automatically uninstalls any existing installations.
- Insert the LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0 installation CD.
- Run the setup.exe program.
- Follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
Upgrading from SIT 3.0.x
Compared to SIT 2.0.x, SIT 3.0 represents an improvement in the process of configuring and running a simulation. For example, you now build driver VIs using the SIT Connection Manager dialog box, not the MATLAB application software. National Instruments recommends you refer to the tutorials in the Simulation Interface Toolkit How-To book of the Simulation Interface Toolkit Help before using SIT 4.0.
- Load a host VI saved in SIT 3.0.x and launch the SIT Connection Manager dialog box. Click the OK button to apply new settings. The conversion process preserves control/indicator mappings and all block diagram code. You will lose changes to the driver VI, but SIT 4.0 maintains hardware mappings. If the path to the model is invalid, SIT 4.0 prompts you to specify a valid path.
- To upgrade the driver VI manually, open the block diagram of the driver VI. The driver VI will be broken. Wire the output of the stop terminal in the Background Loop to Last Run? input of the SIT Log Continuously VI.
- SIT 4.0 does not convert driver VIs that SIT 2.0.x generated. Use the SIT Connection Manager dialog box to build a new driver VI for use in real-time simulations.
- The Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0 deprecates the following VIs: SIT Execute Task and SIT Synchronize Base Rate.
- The Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0 relies heavily upon the SIT Connection Manager dialog box. National Instruments recommends you use this dialog box to create host VIs and driver VIs.
- The Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0 no longer automatically refreshes the Current Mappings table in the Mappings tab of the SIT Connection Manager dialog box. After adding or deleting a control or indicator, click the Refresh button to reload the list of mappings.
What's New in 4.0
The Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0 includes the following new features:
- TDMS Data Logging—Use the Data Logging tab of the SIT Connection Manager dialog box to log data in the TDMS or TXT formats. When you log data in the TDMS format, you can group signals and specify decimations on a per-group basis.
- Data Log File Playback—Use the File Playback tab of the SIT Connection Manager dialog box to configure playback of logged data files. You can use multiple channels from a single TDMS file as input data for model inports.
- Find Parameters—When selecting a parameter or signal from a model tree, click the Find button to display the Find Parameter dialog box. Use the Find Parameter dialog box to search for parameters by name or regular expression.
- Maintain Changes to the Driver VI—In SIT 3.0.x and earlier, when you make changes to configuration settings with the SIT Connection Manager dialog box, SIT overwrites any user-defined changes to the driver VI. In SIT 4.0, only four subVIs of the driver VI are overwritten, and SIT maintains any other changes to the driver VI.
- Multi-board DAQ and DAQ with CAN and FPGA—You now can configure SIT with multiple DAQ devices or a DAQ device and a CAN interface and/or an FPGA device.
Support for Real-Time Targets
The LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit supports running a simulation on the following types of National Instruments RT Series Hardware.
- PXI
- FieldPoint
- Any FieldPoint or Compact Fieldpoint controller with at least 32 mb of RAM. National Instruments recommends at least 64 mb of RAM. For targets with less than 32 mb of RAM, you should not install VISA if you want to use the SIT server in the driver VI.
- CompactRIO
The Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0 ships with FPGA VIs for the following FPGA devices:
- NI PCI-7811R
- NI PXI-7811R
- NI PCI-7813R
- NI PXI-7813R
- NI PCI-7831R
- NI PXI-7831R
- NI PCI-7833R
- NI PXI-7833R
- NI cRIO-9103
Accessing the Help and Examples
The LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit Help contains conceptual, how-to, and reference information about the Simulation Interface Toolkit. Complete the following steps to access this help file.
- Launch LabVIEW.
- Select Help»Search the LabVIEW Help to launch the LabVIEW Help.
- Click the Contents tab.
- Navigate to the Toolkits»Simulation Interface top-level topic.
The LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit examples are located in the labview\examples\Simulation Interface\ directory.
Development Tips
- By default, DAQmx scripted code assumes measurements are differential. To change to reference single-ended (RSE) measurements, find the DAQmx Configure Analog In VI, which is called as a subVI from the driver VI, and select RSE for the input terminal configuration control.
- Driver VIs running on NI FPGA devices use the hardware settings for channel measurements.
- To create a driver VI using PCI FPGA devices inside the host computer, you manually must execute NIVisaServer.exe. To execute this program, launch MAX, right-click the NIVisaServer.exe item from the My System»Software»NI-VISA tree, and select Launch NIVisaServer.exe from the shortcut menu. After you execute this program, PCI FPGA devices appear in the Configure FPGA Devices dialog box when you create a driver VI.
Known Issues
Installation
- If you installed the MATLAB application software files as read-only, the SIT Server does not start automatically and you cannot place a SignalProbe block in the Simulink window. You must modify the matlabrc.m file in order to make these changes. Refer to the Communicating with the SIT Server topic in the LabVIEW Help for information about making these changes.
General
- When converting a model to a model DLL, you can improve conversion time by excluding signals from virtual blocks. However, if you exclude these signals, you cannot probe these signals unless you add a non-virtual block to the signal. Complete the following steps to exclude signals from virtual blocks.
- Launch the Simulink application software and load the model you want to convert.
- For the MathWorks, Inc. MATLAB® application software release 13, select Simulation»Simulation parameters to launch the Simulation Parameters dialog box.
For the MathWorks, Inc. MATLAB® application software release 14, select Simulation»Configuration Parameters to launch the Configuration Parameters dialog box.
- Click the Real-Time Workshop tab.
- Click the Browse button to launch the System Target File Browser dialog box.
- Select nidll.tlc—NI Real-Time Target from the list.
- Click the OK button.
- For the MathWorks, Inc. MATLAB® application software release 13, enter nidll.tlc -aNiDisableVirtualBlockMap=1 in the System target file text box.
For the MathWorks, Inc. MATLAB® application software release 14, enter -aNiDisableVirtualBlockMap=1 in the TLC options text box.
- The directory structure of the SIT VIs is reorganized. When you open a client VI or driver VI, LabVIEW may search for some of the subVIs. LabVIEW will automatically find and load the subVIs. Save the VI to allow the subVIS to load immediately the next time you load the VI.
- If you do not map file playback channels before you attempt to play back a TDMS file, the Driver VI does not execute correctly. Workaround: If you enable file playback use the Edit Mappings dialog box to map file playback channels before you play back a TDMS file. You also can remove the checkmark from the Enable File Playback option in File Playback page of the SIT Connection Manager dialog box
- If you log more than 62 channels to a TDMS file for a model that is running in the Simulink application software, LabVIEW does not log data correctly. LabVIEW shifts the data one channel over such that channel 1 contains the data from channel 2, and the last channel contains an empty data set. This issue does not affect models running in driver VIs on real-time targets or text file logging. Workaround: Do not log more than 62 channels to TDMS files for a model that is running in the Simulink application software.
- When you map a fixed-point control or indicator to a model parameter, LabVIEW returns an error when you run the simulation. Workaround: Do not map fixed-point controls or indicators to a model parameter. Instead, map double-precision controls or indicators to model parameters.
- If you create a mapping using the SIT Connection Manager dialog box and then click the Cancel button, the new mapping is retained.
- If you run a driver VI on a non-RT target and want to connect to the driver VI by using a networked PC, you must run the driver VI before attempting to connect to it from the networked PC. You also must complete the following steps on the PC running the driver VI.
- Launch LabVIEW and open the driver VI.
- Select Tools»Options from the pull-down menu.
- Select VI Server: Configuration in the Category list.
- Place a checkmark in the TCP/IP checkbox.
- Select VI Server: Machine Access in the Category list.
- Click the Add button, and enter the IP address of the networked PC in the Machine name/address text box.
- Select VI Server: Exported VIs in the Category list.
- Click the Add button, and enter the path and name of the driver VI in the Exported VI text box.
- Click the OK button.
- If you are running a multirate simulation and a lower-priority task finishes late, this late finish forces the driver VI to report an overrun, which halts the simulation.
- If you map more than one model signal to a host VI indicator, the signals tree does not automatically highlight the signals you selected.
- The target model of a model reference block cannot contain a SignalProbe block. Placing a SignalProbe block in a target model prevents the simulation from running.
- If you do not specify any signals to probe, SIT 4.0 does not return the current simulation time in the Simulation Details dialog box.
- SIT 4.0 returns error –14103 if you use non-English regional settings or if you use a comma as the decimal separator when specifying a double-precision number. Workaround: Launch the Windows Control Panel and double-click the Regional and Language Options icon. On the Regional Options page, select English (United States) from the pull-down list in the Standards and formats section.
- Waveform charts might scroll incorrectly to a slightly different time than the end time of the simulation. For example, the chart might display 299.90 instead of 300.00. This is an issue with the LabVIEW chart. Workaround: Enter the correct end time into the scale of the chart to show the appropriate data.
- If you run a simulation more than once, an XY graph does not clear between runs.
Bug Fixes
The following items are the IDs and titles of fixed issues from the LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit 3.0 to the LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0.
| Bug ID |
Fixed Issue |
| 3LI9JAF2 |
Multiboard DAQ Scripting Support |
| 3MQ94ODG |
Ability to save/load customized datalogging lists |
| 3MRFM6R6 |
Allow DAQ/CAN configurable I/O support |
| 3MRFNNR6 |
Allow multirate DAQ support in Connection Manager |
| 3NQF0DA3 |
Datalogging signal selection dialog for SIT does not remember signals connected |
| 3ONGN45V |
DAQmx Driver VI will return an error -200429 If You Only Map AI or AO |
| 3P0EIAF2 |
Non-helpful Warning 42 With Invalid Signal When Using User API |
| 3R8DQ6A3 |
Driver VI Location dialog does not allow copy and paste |
| 3UQC2R5V |
FPGA Bitfiles File Path Control Grayed Out Even Though Custom Bitfiles Present |
| 3VGGOO5V |
Format String in sit Create Message String.vi (for the SET_PARAM on RT case) should end with %.4g instead of %.4f, so that numbers like 1E-5 aren't displayed as 0 |
| 3X1EBMAO |
"Simulation Environment" shouldn't appear in the Current Mappings list in Remap Controls and Indicators |
| 3XLECCA3 |
SIT Connection Manager does not handle cluster indicators |
| 3XUFREAO |
Problems with mapping a vector signal ("State feedback gain") in statespace UI.vi SIT example |
| 3Y5AJ7AO |
RTW build error with nidll.tlc when "Inline Parameters" is on and an external output of the model is constant |
| 3YDG9495 |
"Load Mappings from File" and "Edit Multiple Parameters" not working when param/signal info loaded from DLL |
| 3YTFUKPQ |
Unable to select cRIO as Real-Time Target from within SIT Connection Manager unless hardware is physically connected |
| 3ZCDNUA3 |
Driver VI should be scripted using port number set in host VI |
| 3ZUAJ4AO |
If Save from Edit Multiple Parameters fails (due to permissions or Cancel on Replace dialog) on OK, then you don't get a chance to save the parameters to a different file, so your changes are lost |
| 406ATUA3 |
Remap Controls and Indicators dialog does not tab through all controls |
| 407DEOAO |
SIT should deploy to the RT target in non-silent mode so that in case of error users will get a better error message |
| 40GD1D00 |
Improve logic for determining if FPGA master or slave bitfiles are present |
| 40MCEB00 |
Simulation Interface Error Should Have Better Dialog |
| 40SAAVAO |
SIT should be more helpful to users when a Control or Indicator is greyed out due to model settings |
| 40U9O9A3 |
Inspect SIT initialization to make improvements |
| 40UA2Q00 |
Report Driver VI errors in the host VI for SIT |
| 40UE9DA3 |
Make status field of host VI say connecting when model is initializing |
| 4109OTCI |
More Clear Description of Start Server? option in the Driver VI |
| 415ENPA3 |
If SIT driver is run in windows we should make its front panel open |
| 43TCMEA3 |
Error 8 when running driver VI on localhost on Vista |
| 43TGEHA3 |
Compile error for SIT on 64 bit machines |
| 4779BHA3 |
SIT Client VI can not be built into a EXE |
| 47M3T2U1 |
Can not install SIT 3.0.2(3) to PXI 810x RT controllers |
Copyright
© 2002–2007 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.
Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National Instruments Corporation.
Trademarks
MATLAB®, Real-Time Workshop®, and Simulink® are the registered trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc. Further, other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective companies.
LabVIEW™, National Instruments™, NI™, ni.com™, NI-CAN™, NI-RIO™, and NI-DAQmx™ are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation. For patents covering National Instruments products, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in the software, the patents.txt file on your CD, or ni.com/patents. You are only permitted to use this product in accordance with the accompanying license agreement. All rights not expressly granted to you in the license agreement accompanying the product are reserved to NI. Further, and without limiting the forgoing, no license or any right of any kind (whether by express license, implied license, the doctrine of exhaustion or otherwise) is granted under any NI patents or other intellectual property right of NI with respect to any other product(s) of NI or of anyone else (including without limitation, the Simulink and the Real-Time Workshop products of The MathWorks, Inc.), including without limitation, the right to use any of these other products.
Where NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials belonging to others, you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you may reproduce in accordance with the terms of any applicable license or other legal restriction.
Patents
For patents covering the National Instruments products, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your CD, or ni.com/patents.
Related Links: LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit 4.0 Readme Update
Attachments:
Report Date: 08/15/2007
Last Updated: 03/17/2008
Document ID: 4CEGTHGH
