Specify the Hardware

Step 3 of 10 in Implement a Target

Specify the name of your hardware. This name displays in Simulink^® dialog boxes so that the users can select it when they want to build a model for it. Also, specify the processor ID that determines the sizes of the different data types used by the processors that your hardware includes. Repeat these steps for each hardware device that your target supports.

1. Create the Hardware object, hw, that represents your hardware by calling createHardware with the name you chose for the hardware, for example, 'TIRM46Lx2 Launchpad'.

   hw = createHardware('TIRM46Lx2 Launchpad');

   You will map the Hardware object to the Target object in a later step.

2. Set the DeviceID property of the Hardware object to a name-identifier of the processor that your hardware includes, for example, 'ARM Cortex-R4F'.

   hw.DeviceID = 'ARM Cortex-R4F';

3. View the properties of the Hardware object.

   hw

   hw = 
   
     Hardware with properties:
   
              Name: 'TIRM46Lx2 Launchpad'
          DeviceID: 'ARM Cortex-R4F'
       IOInterface: {}

4. Map the Hardware object to the Target object by calling map with the name you chose for your hardware for Simulink dialog boxes, for example, 'TIRM46Lx2 Launchpad'.

   map(tgt,hw,'TIRM46Lx2 Launchpad');

   The name used in the above command is also known as the display name. The display name enables you to have unique names appear in the Hardware board list on the Configuration Parameters > Hardware Implementation pane for the hardware even when the same Hardware object is mapped to different Target objects.

   For example, suppose that you want your new target to support the same hardware that its reference target already supports. Because the names of the hardware supported by both targets show in the same list in Simulink, the display name used for the hardware with your new target must be different than the display name used for the same hardware with the reference target.

   The Hardware object is now mapped to your Target object. The display name of the hardware is set to 'TIRM46Lx2 Launchpad'.

   Do not delete the Hardware object from the MATLAB^® workspace before you save the target.

5. Confirm that your target supports the hardware and that the hardware display name is 'TIRM46Lx2 Launchpad'.

   show(tgt);

                     TIRM46Lx2 Launchpad      
   Display Name      TIRM46Lx2 Launchpad 

   The output shows that the hardware 'TIRM46Lx2 Launchpad' is added to the target with the display name 'TIRM46Lx2 Launchpad'.

6. Save the target description information to that target’s framework.

   saveTarget(tgt);

7. Test that the hardware has been registered successfully.

   testTarget(tgt,'hardware');

   Upon completion of the test, a summary result is displayed. If the test PASSED, then you can proceed with adding the next feature. Otherwise, if the test either FAILED or is INCOMPLETE, a link to the test diagnostic logs is shown below the test summary.

Repeat the process in this section for each additional hardware device that your new target supports. Use unique hardware names each time.

Confirm Hardware Registration

Confirm that your hardware is registered with Simulink by following the steps below.

1. Create a new Simulink model and select Simulation > Model Configuration Parameters.

2. In the Configuration Parameters dialog box, select Solver.

3. From the Type list, select Fixed-step. From the Solver list, select auto.

4. In the Configuration Parameters dialog box, select Hardware Implementation.

5. Expand the Hardware board list and confirm that the selection of the name that you specified for your hardware.

   

6. Click Cancel.