Debug Your TLC Codetlcdebug Tutorial Overview
Objective: Introduces the TLC debugger. You will learn how to set
breakpoints and familiarize yourself with TLC debugger commands.
Folder:
matlabroot/toolbox/rtw/rtwdemos/tlctutorial/tlcdebug
(open)
You can cause the TLC debugger to be invoked whenever the build process is invoked. In
this tutorial, you use it to detect a bug in a .tlc file for a model
called simple_log. The bug causes the generated code output from the
standalone version of the model to differ from its simulation output. The tutorial guides
you through following steps:
Getting Started — Run the model and inspect
output
Generate and Run Code from the Model — Compare compiled
results to original output
Start the Debugger and Use Its Commands — Things you can
do with the debugger
Debug
timesN.tlc — Find out what
went wrong
Fix the Bug and Verify — Easy ways to fix bugs and
verify fixesGetting Started
Copy the files from tlctutorial/tlcdebug to your current working
directory.
In the MATLAB® Command Window, create a MEX-file for the S-function:
mex timesN.c
This avoids picking up the version shipped with your Simulink® software.
Note
An error might occur if you have not previously run mex
-setup.
Open the model simple_log. The model looks like this.
In the Data Import/Export pane of the Configuration Parameters
dialog box, check Time and Output. This causes
model variables to be logged to the MATLAB workspace.
Run the model. On the Simulation tab, click
Run. Variables tout and
yout appear in your MATLAB workspace.
Double-click yout in the Workspace pane of
the MATLAB Command Window. The Variable Editor displays the 6x1 array output from
simple_log. The display looks like this:
Column 1 contains discrete pulse output for six time steps (3s and 0s), collected at
port out1.
Next, you generate a standalone version of simple_log. You execute it
and compare its results to the output from Simulink displayed above.
Note
For the purpose of this exercise, the TLC file provided,
timesN.tlc, contains a bug. This version must be in the same folder as
the model that uses it.Generate and Run Code from the Model
Press Ctrl+B.
The code generator produces, compiles, and links C source code. The MATLAB Command Window shows the progress of the build, which ends with these
messages:
### Created executable: simple_log.exe
### Successful completion of build procedure
for model: simple_log
Run the standalone model just created by typing
!simple_log
This results in the messages
** starting the model **
** created simple_log.mat **
Inspect results by placing the variables in your workspace. In the Current
Folder pane, double-click simple_log.mat, then
double-click rt_yout (the standalone version of variable
yout) in the Workspace pane.
Compare rt_yout with yout. Do you notice
differences? Can you surmise what caused values in rt_yout to
change?
A look at the generated C code that TLC placed in your build folder
(simple_log_grt_rtw) helps to identify the problem.
Edit simple_log.c and look at its MdlOutputs
function, which should appear as shown below:
/* Model output function */
static void simple_log_output(void)
{
/* DiscretePulseGenerator: '/Discrete Pulse Generator' */
simple_log_B.DiscretePulseGenerator = (simple_log_DW.clockTickCounter < 1.0) &&
(simple_log_DW.clockTickCounter >= 0) ? 1.0 : 0.0;
if (simple_log_DW.clockTickCounter >= 2.0 - 1.0) {
simple_log_DW.clockTickCounter = 0;
} else {
simple_log_DW.clockTickCounter++;
}
/* End of DiscretePulseGenerator: '/Discrete Pulse Generator' */
/* S-Function (timesN): '/Gain1st' incorporates:
* Outport: '/Out1'
*/
/* S-Function Block: /Gain1st */
/* Multiply input by 3.0 */
simple_log_Y.Out1 = simple_log_B.DiscretePulseGenerator * 1;
}
Note the line near the
end:
simple_log_B.first_output = simple_log_B.DiscretePulseGenerator * 1;How
did the incorrect product get assigned to the output when it was supposed to receive a
variable that alternates between 3.0 and 0.0? Use the debugger to find out.Start the Debugger and Use Its Commands
You use the TLC debugger to monitor the code generation process. As it is not invoked by
default, you need to request the debugger explicitly.
Set up the TLC debugging environment and start to build the application:
Select the Configuration Parameters > Code Generation pane, and select the options Retain .rtw file and
Start TLC debugger when generating code. Click
OK.
Build the model.
The MATLAB Command Window describes the building process. The build stops at the
timesN.tlc file and displays the command prompt:
TLC-DEBUG>
Type help to list the TLC debugger commands. Here are some
things you can do in the debugger.
View and query various entities in the TLC scope.
TLC-DEBUG> whos CompiledModel
TLC-DEBUG> print CompiledModel.NumSystems
TLC-DEBUG> print TYPE(CompiledModel.NumSystems)
Examine the statements in your current context.
TLC-DEBUG> list
TLC-DEBUG> list 10,40
Move to the next line of code.
TLC-DEBUG> next
Step into a function.
TLC-DEBUG> step
Assign a constant value to a variable, such as the input signal
%.
TLC-DEBUG> assign u = 5.0
Set a breakpoint where you are or in some other part of the code.
TLC-DEBUG> break timesN.tlc:10
Execute until the next breakpoint.
TLC-DEBUG> continue
Clear breakpoints you have established.
TLC-DEBUG> clear 1
TLC-DEBUG> clear all
If you have tried the TLC debugger commands, execute the remaining code to finish
the build process, then build simple_log again. The build stops at
the timesN.tlc file and displays the command
prompt:
TLC-DEBUG>Debug timesN.tlc
Now look around to find out what is wrong with the code:
Set a breakpoint on line 20 of timesN.tlc.
TLC-DEBUG> break timesN.tlc:20
Instruct the TLC debugger to advance to your breakpoint.
TLC-DEBUG> continue
TLC processes input, reports its progress, advances to line 20 in
timesN.tlc, displays the line, and pauses.
### Loading TLC function libraries
...
### Initial pass through model to cache user defined code
.
### Caching model source code
.
Breakpoint 1
00020: %roll idx = RollRegions, lcv = RollThreshold, block, "Roller", rollVars
Use the whos command to see the variables in the current
scope.
TLC-DEBUG> whos
Variables within:
gain Real
rollVars Vector
block Resolved
system Resolved
Inspect the variables using the print command (names are case sensitive).
TLC-DEBUG> print gain
3.0
TLC-DEBUG> print rollVars
[U, Y]
Execute one step.
TLC-DEBUG> step
00021: % = \
Because it is a built-in function, advance via the next
command.
TLC-DEBUG> next
.
00022: % * 1;
This is the origin of the C statement responsible for the erroneous constant output,
simple_log_B.first_output = simple_log_B.DiscretePulseGenerator *
1;.
Abandon the build by quitting the TLC debugger. Type
TLC-DEBUG> quit
An error message is displayed showing that you stopped the build by using the TLC
debugger quit command. Close the error window.Fix the Bug and Verify
The problem you identified is caused by evaluating a constant rather than a variable
inside the TLC function FcnEliminateUnnecessaryParams(). This is a
typical coding error and is easily repaired. Here is the code you need to fix.
%function Outputs(block, system) Output
%assign gain =SFcnParamSettings.myGain
/* % Block: % */
%%
/* Multiply input by % */
%assign rollVars = ["U", "Y"]
%roll idx = RollRegions, lcv = RollThreshold, block, "Roller", rollVars
% = \
% * 1;
%endroll
%endfunction
%% [EOF] timesN.tlc
To fix the coding error, edit timesN.tlc. The line
% * 1;multiplies
the evaluated input by 1. Change the line
to
% * %;
Save timesN.tlc.
Build the standalone model again. Complete the build by typing
continue at each TLC-DEBUG> prompt.
Execute the standalone model by typing
!simple_log
A new version of simple_log.mat is created containing its
output.
Load simple_log.mat and compare the workspace variable
rt_yout with yout, as you did before. The values
in the first column should now correspond.
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