dSPACE FAQ 019

FAQ 019

Missing Output in the Variable Browser

Keywords
missing block output variables; missing signal labels; ControlDesk Variable Browser; referenced
models; variable description file; TRC file; <model>.trc; Inline Parameter; virtual blocks; Signal storage
reuse; optimization
Question
I have built and downloaded my model without any problems and want to trace some variables with
ControlDesk. But in the ControlDesk Variable Browser, some block output variables, parameters or
signal labels seem to be missing. What is the reason for this?
Solution
1. Depending on your installation, check the following:

MATLAB R12.x/MATLAB R13.x On the Advanced page of the Simulation Parameters

dialog set the Signal storage reuse option to Off.
If this option is On, block output variables may be shared by several blocks. RTI does not
generate such block outputs into the trace file as it would be unclear what data was being
traced.
Since MATLAB R14.x On the Optimization page of the Configuration Parameters dialog
deselect the Signal storage reuse checkbox.
If this option is selected, block output variables may be shared by several blocks. RTI
does not generate such block outputs into the trace file as it would be unclear what data
was being traced.

Since RTI 3.5 a warning is displayed during the build process if the Signal storage reuse
option is set to On.

2. Depending on your installation, check the following:

Up to MATLAB R13.x on the Advanced page of the Simulation Parameters dialog
deselect the Inline parameters checkbox.
Since MATLAB R14.x on the Optimization page of the Configuration Parameters dialog
deselect the Inline parameters checkbox.
If this option is selected, the block parameters are inlined so that their concrete values are
used in the generated C code, which make them non-modifiable. As a result, no block-specific
parameter is available below the Model Root node of the variable description file. For further

information on Inline parameters refer to Real-Time Workshop User's Guide/Simulink Coder

User's Guide by The MathWorks.
3. Check whether you want to trace a signal of a RTI I/O block that is unconnected or
connected to virtual blocks (Ground, Terminator, Input, Output, Goto, From, Mux Demux,
etc.). If a RTI I/O block is unconnected or connected to only virtual blocks, Real-Time
Workshop/Simulink Coder marks the I/O block as unconnected. For performance reasons RTI
optimizes the real-time code. No code for the I/O channel is generated and either the entry for
the block port is not generated to the variable description file or the port is marked as No data
(unused channel).
In this case, include at least one non-virtual block in the signal line, for example, a Gain block

with its gain set to 1 or for Boolean signals a Simulink Logical Operator with its operator
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parameter set to OR and its second input port set to a constant Boolean 0.
The Hardware interrupt block, Software interrupt block, Data Capture block, Background
block and IPI block are completely virtual and offer no signal to be traced. Therefore, such
blocks do not appear in the variable description file.
4. Since MATLAB R13 in some cases, Real-Time Workshop/Simulink Coder does not generate
separate variables for the block output signals of Constant blocks.
Instead of the block output signals, you can also observe the Constant block parameters
within ControlDesk: In the Variable Browser, locate the Constant block you want to
observe and drag and drop its parameter to the desired instrument.
To make sure that Real-Time Workshop/Simulink Coder generates a separate variable for
an output signal of a Constant block, you can declare the signal to be a test point. To

declare a test point, use the Simulink Signal Properties dialog box. For further information
on test points, refer to Real-Time Workshop User's Guide/Simulink Coder User's Guide by
The MathWorks.
5. Check whether the variable description file options Include signals labels and Include
virtual blocks have been set
Up to MATLAB R13.x on the Advanced page of the Simulation Parameters choose the
category RTI variable description file options and ensure the checkboxes Include
signals labels and Include virtual blocks.
Since MATLAB R14.x on the RTI variable description file options page of the
Configuration Parameters dialog ensure the checkboxes Include signals labels and
Include virtual blocks.
6. Due to an optimization of the Real-Time Workshop/Simulink Coder, the output ports of Bus
Selector blocks might not be written to the variable description file. If the Bus Selector blocks
outputs do not seem to be necessary for calculating another non-virtual block, no code is
generated for the block. This is the case if the following conditions apply
The Bus Selector block is fed by a Signal Conversion block
The output of the Bus Selector block is not used in any non-virtual block.
Select the Test point checkbox in the Signal Properties dialog of the Bus Selector blocks
output signal to have code generated for the Bus Selector block.
7. When using referenced models (available since dSPACE Release 6.1) several aspects
regarding the appearance of signals and parameters in the variable description files have to
be taken into consideration.
If the Total number of instances per top model option in the Model Referencing dialog
is set to Multiple, the contents of the respective referenced models do not appear in the
variable description file.
For referenced models the Inline parameters optimization is always assumed to be
enabled (on), regardless of the referenced models actual setting. Definitions of global
parameters made in the Configuration dialog are ignored for referenced models. Only
those blocks parameters specified by Simulink.Parameters objects with storage class set
to "SimulinkGlobal", "ImportedExtern" or "ExportedGlobal" appear in the variable
description file.
Variables of Inport blocks located on the root-level of a referenced model are never
generated into the variable description file. This also applies to the outputs of virtual blocks
which are directly connected to such an Inport block.
Variables of Outport blocks located on the root-level of a referenced model are never
generated into the variable description file. Furthermore it may happen, that block outputs

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of blocks which drive such an Outport block are not generated either. To solve this
problem, a test point can be set for the respective signal
Up to dSPACE Release 6.3 model block outputs are not available for Buses which
contain another buses.
8. Signal generators and viewers defined with the Signal & Scope Manager of MATLAB R14.x
and later are not generated into the variable description file.
9. With MATLAB R2009b the generated variable description file (TRC file) does not contain
entries for variables that are connected to a Simulink Outport block on the root level of the
model. This applies to direct signal connections and also indirect connections via virtual
blocks.
The following entries are missing in the generated variable description file:
Variables for input signals of Simulink Outport blocks on model root level
Signal labels for signals that are connected to Simulink Outport blocks on model root level
Variables for output signals that are directly or indirectly (via virtual blocks) connected to a
Simulink Outport block on model root level
10. Check whether one of the following variable description file features have been set in the
respective subsystem or in one of the subsystems located above the respective subsystem.
Normally these features are used to either hide the contents of a subsystem in the variable
description file (TRC file) or to reduce the size of the variable description file:
An activated TRC Exclusion block (Block Display: TRC Exclusion <activated>)
The Configuration Parameters option Apply subsystem omission tags (On the RTI
variable description file options page of the Configuration Parameters dialog) in
combination with a subsystem tag DsVdOmit set to 1 or -1.
11. With MATLAB R2010a, the tunable parameters can be structures containing numerical values.
If MATLAB workspace variables and Simulink.Parameter objects provide a data structure
as a value, they can be configured as tunable parameter structures.
However, tunable parameter structures are not generated into the variable description file.
12. With MATLAB R2010b the Constant block supports a bus object as data type to use
structured parameter as Constant value. Structured parameters are not generated into the
variable description file.

13. With MATLAB R2010b, you can use arrays of buses to represent structured data. A Simulink
bus itself can also contain bus arrays. RTI supports this feature, but for the elements of a bus
array no entries are generated to the variable description file.
If you use the -aTRCEnableEnhancedBusSupport=0 option with buses containing bus arrays,
the elements of the bus arrays are not considered for numbering the SubArray<Number>
entries.
14. Up to dSPACE Release 7.0 signals and parameters with enumerated data types are not
generated in the variable description file.
15. In former releases RTI has extended the code of the Signal Generator Block. With this
extension the WaveForm parameter was available in the variable description file allowing to
switch the Signal Generator's wave form during simulation. With MATLAB R2010a, the RealTime Workshop changed the code generation of this block. As a result, RTI no longer can
provide the WaveForm parameter in the variable description file.
If you detect missing output in the Variable Browser and none of the documented reasons apply to
you, send the Simulink model together with the version information of the active MATLAB Release and
the active dSPACE Release and a short description about the missing output to the dSPACE Support
Team (mailto:support@dspace.de) for further examination.

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Related dSPACE HelpDesk documents

Variable Description File (TRC File) in the RTI and RTI-MP Implementation Reference.
Available Variables in the Variable Description File in the RTI and RTI-MP Implementation
Reference.
Limitations with Variable Description File in the RTI and RTI-MP Implementation Guide
Related FAQs
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How to Contact dSPACE Support

dSPACE GmbH
Rathenaustr. 26
D-33102 Paderborn
Germany
++49 5251 1638-941
mailto:support@dspace.de
http://www.dspace.com/support

dSPACE recommends that you use the support request form on the internet to contact
dSPACE support.
It is available under
http://www.dspace.com/goto?supportrequest
Software Updates and Patches
dSPACE strongly recommends that you download and install the most recent patches for your
current dSPACE installation. Visit http://www.dspace.com/goto?patches for software updates
and patches.
FAQ
FAQ documents are available under http://www.dspace.com/goto?faq.

Important Notice
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reserved. Neither the documentation nor software may be copied, photocopied, reproduced,
translated, or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part,
without the prior written consent of dSPACE GmbH.
Copyright 2012 by:
dSPACE GmbH
Rathenaustr. 26
D-33102 Paderborn
Germany
This publication and the contents hereof are subject to change without notice.
For a list of registered trademarks of dSPACE products refer to
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