Main Content

Debug Generated Code During SIL or PIL Simulation

If a software-in-the-loop (SIL) or processor-in-the-loop (PIL) simulation fails or you notice differences between the outputs of your original functions and the generated code, you can rerun the simulation with a debugger enabled. By inserting breakpoints, you can observe the behavior of code sections, which can help you to understand the cause of the issue.

For a SIL or PIL simulation failure, you can also view information from the standard output and standard error streams in the Diagnostic Viewer. For example:

  • Output from printf statements in your code.

  • Error messages sent to stderr.

  • Some low-level system messages.

During a SIL simulation, the target application redirects the stdout and stderr streams. When the application terminates, the Diagnostic Viewer displays the information from the redirected streams. The target application also provides a basic signal handler, which captures the POSIX® signals SIGFPE, SIGILL, SIGABRT, and SIGSEV. For this signal handler, the target application includes the file signal.h.

SIL Debugging

This table gives information about debugger support.

Operating SystemSupported Debuggers

Windows®

Microsoft® Visual Studio® IDE.

Visual Studio Code with MinGW® GDB. Requires installation of MATLAB® Coder™ Interface for Visual Studio Code Debugging support package. See https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/103555-matlab-coder-interface-for-visual-studio-code-debugging.

Linux®

GNU® Data Display Debugger (DDD).

Visual Studio Code with GDB. Requires installation of MATLAB Coder Interface for Visual Studio Code Debugging support package. See https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/103555-matlab-coder-interface-for-visual-studio-code-debugging.

Note

You can perform SIL debugging only if the Simulink® product family supports your Microsoft Visual C++®, Xcode, or GNU GCC compiler. For more information, see supported compilers.

To enable your debugger for a SIL simulation, perform one of these actions:

  • On the SIL/PIL tab, in the Settings gallery, under SIL/PIL Settings, click Debugging.

  • In the Configuration Parameters dialog box, select the Enable source-level debugging for SIL or PIL check box.

If your top model has Model blocks, the Enable source-level debugging for SIL or PIL parameter for the top model overrides the corresponding parameter for referenced models.

When you run the SIL simulation, your model.c or model.cpp file opens, for example, in the Microsoft Visual Studio IDE with debugger breakpoints at the start of the model_initialize and model_step functions.

Microsoft Visual Studio display shows function with debugger breakpoint.

You can now use the debugger features to observe code behavior. For example, you can step through code and examine variables.

When using a dynamic link library (DLL), Microsoft Visual Studio applies two breakpoints per function breakpoint for SIL debugging: one for the C/C++ code function and another for the DLL entry point in disassembly code. When the debugger runs through the code, it reaches the DLL entry point first. To reach the corresponding point in the C/C++ code, click the Continue button (F5).

To end the debugging session:

  1. Remove all breakpoints.

  2. Click the Continue button (F5).

    The SIL simulation runs to completion and the Microsoft Visual Studio IDE closes.

Note

In the Microsoft Visual Studio IDE, if you select Debug > Stop Debugging, the SIL simulation times out with the following error message:

The timeout of 1 seconds for receiving data from the rtiostream 
interface has been exceeded. There are multiple possible causes 
for this failure.
... 
...

PIL Debugging

When you set up PIL connectivity between Simulink and the target hardware, specify a debugger by using target.ExecutionService and target.DebugExecutionTool objects — see Support PIL Debugging and DebugExecutionTool Template.

To enable your debugger for a PIL simulation, perform one of these actions:

  • On the SIL/PIL tab, in the Settings gallery, under SIL/PIL Settings, click Debugging.

  • In the Configuration Parameters dialog box, select the Enable source-level debugging for SIL or PIL check box.

If your top model has Model blocks, the Enable source-level debugging for SIL or PIL parameter for the top model overrides the corresponding parameter for referenced models.

Related Topics