User`s guide

1 Getting Started
1-10
Software Environment
The software environment is a place to design, build, and test an application in
nonreal time and real time.
This section includes the following topics:
• “Non-Real-Time Simulation” on page 1-10
• “Real-Time Execution” on page 1-10
• “Development Process” on page 1-11
Non-Real-Time Simulation
You create a Simulink model and use Simulink in normal mode for
non-real-time simulation on your PC computer.
Simulink model — Create block diagrams in Simulink using simple
drag-and-drop operations, and then enter values for the block parameters and
select a sample rate.
Non-real-time simulation — Simulink uses a computed time vector to step
your Simulink model. After the outputs are computed for a given time value,
Simulink immediately repeats the computations for the next time value. This
process is repeated until it reaches the stop time.
Because this computed time vector is not connected to a hardware clock, the
outputs are calculated in nonreal time as fast as your computer can run. The
time to run a simulation can differ significantly from real time.
Real-Time Execution
For real-time execution on your PC computer, create a real-time application
and use Simulink in external mode.
Real-time application — Real-Time Workshop, the Real-Time Windows
Target, and the Open Watcom C/C++ compiler produce an executable that the
kernel can run in real time. This real-time application uses the initial
parameters available from your Simulink model at the time of code generation.
If you use continuous-time components in your model and generate code with
Real-Time Workshop, you must use a fixed-step integration algorithm.