Version 2.0.5 (5/12/04): 
Block STRreadFixFmt updated: added formatting code to parse also characters blocks and the block has been better documented (only on this web page). Some documentation added on the present page. A sample for the interpretation of a NMEA GPS message ($GPRMC) has been added together with the source code. 

Version 2.0.4 (17/9/04): 
Block RS232_Setup updated: removed Simulink segmentation-violation bug in message string formatting (Thanks to Andrea Beltrame Pomè for bug signaling). Some documentation added on the present page.

Version 2.0.2 (10/9/04): Documentation of RS232 blocks, LAN blocks and some STR blocks has been added. STRtoFile function has been updated: two arguments (separator and terminator chars) have been added.

Version 2.0.0 (5/9/04): First release. No documentation still available.

Blockset

Overview

Block Type

Block name

Short Description

Serial Port Communication

RS232_Setup

Initialize and close the serial communication.

RS232_Read

This block reads from the serial port all the bytes in input and send it to the block port as a string object.

RS232_Write

This block writes to the serial port the string of the input port. 

LAN Port Communication

LAN_Setup

Initialize and close the TCP/IP communication.

LAN_Read

This block reads from the TCP/IP port all the bytes in input and send it to the block port as a string object.

LAN_Write

This block writes to the serial port the string of the input port. 

String transformation blocks

STRtoToken

This block divides a string in tokens, using the delimitation characters declared as block panel argument. 

STRtoString

Converts a vector of number into a vector of formatted strings

STRtoBin

Converts a vector of numbers into a vector of binary strings

STRfromBin

Converts a vector of binary strings into a vector of numbers

String utility blocks

STRconst

Generate a constant string (object)

STRlen

Compute the length of a string

STRmem

It’s the string equivalent of the discrete memory block. It stores the input for the next simulation step.

STRcksum

Compute the 8-bit or 16-bit checksum of the input string

Purpose

Initialize and close the serial communication. The settings of the serial communication are selectable using the block panel

Parameters

·        Port: COM1/2/3/4 (If needed, a port number greater then 4 can be used simply modifying the block's mask).

·        Baudrate: 115200,...,9600,...,110 baud

·        Number of Databits: 8 / 7 / 6 / 5 bits

·        Number of Stopbits: 1 / 2

·        Parity: None / Odd / Even

Input

None

Output

·        hnd: the first is used to transmit an handle for the opened communication. Therefore, it should be connected to all the blocks that use the port opened by this block. More then one RS232 Setup block can be present at the same time in the same simulation model, allowing the management of many serial port at the same time.

·        flag: The second port is used to communicate the state of the port (0: not open, 1: open). This output is used to conditioning the others RS232 blocks to the actual status of the port.

Description

Even if this block is executed at each step, this block is active only in correspondence to the first and the last step of the simulation, step in which the block, respectively, open and close the communication. During the simulations, when the communication is open, the handle (hnd) and the flag (flag) are constant, unless a major communications error occurs: in that case, hnd and flag becomes 0.

Purpose

This block reads from the serial port all the bytes in input and send it to the block port as a string object.

Parameters

·      Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·      hnd: the handle to an open communication link generated from a RS232 Setup block. 

·      flag: flag that enable the execution of the read operations (0: not enabled, 1: enabled). It is sufficient that the input flag becomes 1 once, to let the block executes its read operation.

Output

·      hnd: A replication of the Input 1 handle

·      flag: A flag that indicated the completion (successful or not) of the read operation (0: no byte in input or port not open, 1: read complete).

·      str: a string object containing the bytes read from the serial port. 

Description

Remarks:

The block starts its read operations when received a '1' flag from the input 2. Once completed the read it modify the output 3 with new data and put the output 2 flag to '1' for only one simulation step. The string is presented to output port for only the simulation step in which the string has been read.

While the block is not active (the comm. handle is not valid (0) or the input flag (input 2) is not active, the block doesn't performs any operation.  

Purpose

This block writes to the serial port the string of the input port. 

Parameters

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        hnd: the handle to an open communication link generated from a RS232 Setup block. 

·        flag: flag that enable the execution of the write operations (0: not enabled, 1: enabled). It is sufficient that the input flag becomes 1 once, to let the block executes its read operation. The block writes to the serial output each time the flag becomes 1.

·        str: the string to be written to the serial port.

Output

·        hnd: A replication of the Input 1 handle

·        flag: A flag that indicated the completion (successful or not) of the write operation (0: not completed or not enabled, 1: write complete).

Description

Remarks:

While the block is not active (the comm. handle is not valid (0) or the input flag (input 2) is not active) the block doesn't performs any operation.  

Purpose

Initialize and close the TCP/IP communication. The settings of the serial communication are selectable using the block panel

Parameters

·        Port: Number of client/server port to open. Use big numbers (greater then 200) to avoid the use of an already busy port.

·        Address: The address of the client/server. For a client block, this is the address of the host that runs the server. For a server block, this is the address (filter) of the client allowed to connect to the server.

·        Type: Type of the port. May be client or server.

Input

None

Output

·        hnd: the first is used to transmit an handle for the opened communication. Therefore, it should be connected to all the blocks that use the port opened by this block. More then one LAN Setup block can be present at the same time in the same simulation model, allowing the management of many serial port at the same time.

·        flag: The second port is used to communicate the state of the port (0: not open, 1: open). This output is used to conditioning the others blocks to the actual status of the port.

Description

Even if this block is executed at each step, this block is active only in correspondence to the first and the last step of the simulation, step in which the block, respectively, open and close the communication. During the simulations, when the communication is open, the handle (hnd) and the flag (flag) are constant, unless a major communications error occurs: in that case, hnd and flag becomes 0.

Purpose

This block reads from the TCP/IP port all the bytes in input and send it to the block port as a string object.

Parameters

·      Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·      hnd: the handle to an open communication link generated from a LAN Setup block. 

·      flag: flag that enable the execution of the read operations (0: not enabled, 1: enabled). It is sufficient that the input flag becomes 1 once, to let the block executes its read operation.

Output

·      hnd: A replication of the Input 1 handle

·      flag: A flag that indicated the completion (successful or not) of the read operation (0: no byte in input or port not open, 1: read complete).

·      str: a string object containing the bytes read from the serial port. 

Description

Remarks:

The block starts its read operations when received a '1' flag from the input 2. Once completed the read it modify the output 3 with new data and put the output 2 flag to '1' for only one simulation step. The string is presented to output port for only the simulation step in which the string has been read.

While the block is not active (the comm. handle is not valid (0) or the input flag (input 2) is not active, the block doesn't performs any operation.  

Purpose

This block writes to the serial port the string of the input port. 

Parameters

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        hnd: the handle to an open communication link generated from a LAN Setup block. 

·        flag: flag that enable the execution of the write operations (0: not enabled, 1: enabled). It is sufficient that the input flag becomes 1 once, to let the block executes its read operation. The block writes to the serial output each time the flag becomes 1.

·        str: the string to be written to the serial port.

Output

·        hnd: A replication of the Input 1 handle

·        flag: A flag that indicated the completion (successful or not) of the write operation (0: not completed or not enabled, 1: write complete).

Description

Remarks:

While the block is not active (the comm. handle is not valid (0) or the input flag (input 2) is not active) the block doesn't performs any operation.  

Purpose

This block divides a string in tokens, using the delimitation characters declared as block panel argument. 

Parameters

·        Tokens separators string: the list of all characters that will be considered as string separators

·        Number of output tokens: Indicates the maximum number of tokens in output. If the number of token in the string is smaller than the size of the output port, the remaining ports channels output null strings. If the number of token in the string is greater, the last port channel contains all the remaining non-tokenized strings.

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The string to be subdivided in tokens;

Output

·        str: A vector of token strings;

Description

Remarks:

Take care in what you connect to the input port. If the input is not a string, a major Simulink error may occurs.

Example:

Tokens separators string: @.

Number of output tokens: 3

Input string: leonardo.daga@libero.it

Output vector: [leonardo, daga, libero.it]

Purpose

Converts a vector of number into a vector of formatted strings

Parameters

·        format string: a formatting string, that specifies the final numeric format of the numeric string. The format specification follows the same rules as the C-standard printf function, as described in the string format page.

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        n: The input number vector;

Output

·        str: A vector of formatted strings. The width of the output is the same of the input width.

Description

Example:

format string: %5.3f

Input number vector: [1, 5, 223.33, 4.4]

Output vector: [1.000, 5.000, 223.3, 4.400]

Purpose

Converts a vector of numbers into a vector of binary strings

Parameters

·        Data Type: The binary structure of the string to create. Possible types are: DOUBLE, SINGLE, INT8, UINT8, INT16, UINT16, INT32, UINT32;

·        Invert byte order: Inverts the order of the bytes in the created string.

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        n: The input number vector;

Output

·        str: A vector of binary formatted strings. The width of the output is the same of the input width.

Description

Example:

Data Type: SINGLE

Invert byte order: No

Input number vector: [1.0, 223.33, 4.4]

Output vector: [00 00 80 3f, 7b 54 5f 43, cd cc 8c 40]

Purpose

Converts a vector of binary strings into a vector of numbers

Parameters

·        Data Type: The binary structure of the string to translate. Possible types are: DOUBLE, SINGLE, INT8, UINT8, INT16, UINT16, INT32, UINT32;

·        Invert byte order: Inverts the order of the bytes in the created string.

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: A vector of binary formatted strings.

Output

·        n: The output number vector; The width of the output is the same of the input width.

Description

Example:

Data Type: SINGLE

Invert byte order: Yes

Input string vector: [3f 80 00 00, 43 5f 54 7b, 40 8c cc cd]

Output numeric vector: [1.0, 223.33, 4.4]

Purpose

Generate a constant string (object)

Parameters

·        Const String: A single-quoted text that represent the constant output string. More single-quoted text separated by a comma, generate an output string vector;

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        none.

Output

·        str: The output string vector; The width of the output is given by the number of comma-separated single-quoted text in the string parameter.

Description

Example:

Const String: ‘const’, ‘abba’, ‘0010’

Output string vector: [const, abba, 0010]

Purpose

Compute the length of a string

Parameters

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The input string vector;

Output

·        len (int32): The output length vector; The number of elements of the output vector is the same number of elements of the input vector.

Description

Example:

Input numeric vector: ‘const’, ‘abba’, ‘0010’

Output numeric vector: [5, 4, 4]

Purpose

It’s the string equivalent of the discrete memory block. It stores the input for the next simulation step.

Parameters

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The input string vector;

Output

·        str: The output string vector, relative to the last simulation step. In the first simulation step the output of the block is a null string.

Description

Note: Actually there’s no way to set the output of the block in the first simulation step.

Purpose

It’s the string equivalent of the discrete memory block. It stores the input for the next simulation step.

Parameters

·        Check Type: (8 bit Sum/16 bit Sum): Selection of the checksum type to be computed

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The input string vector;

Output

·        chk: A vector of uint8 (8-bit checksum) or uint16 (16-bit checksum) corresponding to each input string.

Description

The checksum is the sum (8-bit) of the binary values corresponding to each byte of the string, or the sum (16-bit) of the binary values corresponding to each word (2 bytes) of the string. In the second case, the string must contain a pair number of bytes.

Example:

Purpose

Create a string binary formatting the input number into string

Parameters

·        Format String: The binary format of the data into the string

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        n (1..n): the nth input port contains the data to write to the n-th format element of the output data.

Output

·        str: The binary formatted string.

Description

The width and the type of the input port is dependant of the format string argument, as reported in the Binary Format Page.

Example:

Format String: 2i1,2u4,3d8,1i1 (i.e.: 2 1-byte integer, 2 4-byte unsigned integer, 3 8-byte double, 1 1-byte integer)

Cautions:

Sometimes, Simulink avoid the saving of modifications of the Format String or the number of input port. To override this problem, disable the link of the block to the library (right-click on the block and then select the popup menu item: Link Options®Disable.

Purpose

Scan a binary string interpreting the content as described in the argument Format String

Parameters

·        Format String: The binary format of the data into the string

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The binary formatted string.

Output

·        flag: A flag that indicated the completion (successful or not) of the read operation (0: not completed or not enabled, 1: read complete).

·        n (1..n): the output port that contains the data read from the input data. The nth output port contains the read data relative to the n-th format element.

Description

The width and the type of the input port is dependant of the format string argument, as reported in the  Binary Format Page.

Example:

Format String: 2i1,2u4,3d8,1i1 (i.e.: 2 1-byte integer, 2 4-byte unsigned integer, 3 8-byte double, 1 1-byte integer)

Cautions:

Sometimes, Simulink avoid the saving of modifications of the Format String or the number of input port. To override this problem, disable the link of the block to the library (right-click on the block and then select the popup menu item: Link Options®Disable.

Purpose

Translate a fix formatted string into a vector of numbers. This block has been generated specifically to read Flight Simulator's formatted data string, but it can be adapted to many fix formatted string interpretation problems.

Parameters

·        Format String: The format string is structured as follows: 

o   each field is contained into a couple of '%' chars. 

o   each field is structured as follows: - the number of characters that is assigned to this field in the input string; 

o   the type of the input data; 

o   the size of the input data; 

o   each field not contained in the '%' delimitators is considered as a simple string, that should be found in each input string; 

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The fix formatted string to translate.

Output

·        flag: A flag that indicated the completion (successful or not) of the read operation (0: not completed or not enabled, 1: read complete).

·        n (1..n): the output port that contains the data read from the input data. The nth output port contains the read data relative to the n-th format element.

Description

Details:

The format interpretation string uses the following coding:

%[nOfChr][Type]%

where:

Remarks:

The parsing of the input strings is based on the detection of the detection of the start and the end of the string to parse. No translation is possible if a string terminator or header is not present. 

For example, to parse the first three numeric fields of the string:

'$GPRMC,231225.336,V,04408.1213,S,01211.121,E,321.2,113.2,251204,111.9,W,A,*23'

you should add a format parsing string like:

$GPRMC,%10d8%,%1c%,%10d8%,%1c%,%9d8%,%1c%,*

The last '*' character is needed to correctly detect the start and the end of the string. Fields in the string to parse before and after the '*' not foreseen in the format string are simply skipped.

Examples:

About the format string, for example, to read a string like this: 

"#DATA:123.19,1010.1,23.1*" 

you have to use a format string as follows: 

"#DATA:%6d4%,%6d8%,%4d8%*" 

In this example format string: 

1. the format %6d4% means a field of 6 chars that should be translated into a single precision float (double of 4 bytes); 

2. the format %6d8% means a field of 6 chars that should be translated into a double precision float (double of 8 bytes); 

3. the format %4d8% means a field of 4 chars that should be translated into a double precision float (double of 8 bytes); 

The decimal point inside the field should be taken into account in the evaluation of the field length. In your case, the string to read is something like this: "_00594-003+000357000000_" The format string is the following: "_%5i4%%4i4%%4i4%%3i4%%3i4%%3i4%_"

Example:

Cautions:

Sometimes, Simulink forgets to saving the modifications of the Format String or the number of input or output port. To override this problem, disable the link of the block to the library (right-click on the block and then select the popup menu item: Link Options®Disable).

Purpose

This function creates a formatted string (function analogue to the standard-C sprintf function). 

Parameters

·        Format String: A format control string that defines how data is organized in the output string. The format specification follows the same rules as the C-standard sprintf function, as described in the string format page.

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        in (1..n): The input element to be formatted into the string. In this block, even strings are accepted as input values. The number of ports is in the same number of the type of argument. See description for more details.

Output

·        str: The formatted output string.

Description

The type sequence of input port is predetermined, following the order fixed by the following list:

1. DATA_DOUBLE,

2. DATA_SINGLE,

3. DATA_INT,

4. DATA_HEX,

5. DATA_STRING,

6. DATA_CHAR

Then, if you have in you format string an integer, a string and two double (it doesn’t matter the effective sequence of format tokens), the sequence of input port will be: 1) double type port with width = 1, 2) integer type port with width = 1, 3) string type port with width = 1.

Example:

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: In the example, even if STRwriteFmt 2nd and 3rd input are both int32 type, the 2nd input is an hexadecimal while the 3rd input is a string type. Inverting types may cause a major memory protection error.

Cautions:

Sometimes, Simulink forgets to saving the modifications of the Format String or the number of input or output port. To override this problem, disable the link of the block to the library (right-click on the block and then select the popup menu item: Link Options®Disable).

Purpose

This function translates a formatted string (function analogue to the standard-C sprintf function). 

Parameters

·        Format String: A format control string that defines how data is organized in the incoming string. The format specification follows the same rules as the C-standard sprintf function, as described in the string format page.

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The string to be translated.

Output

·        flag: A flag that indicated the completion (successful or not) of the read operation (0: not completed or not enabled, 1: read complete).

·        out (1..n): The output element read from the string. In this block, even strings may be presented as output values. The number of output ports is in the same number of the type of argument.

Description

The type sequence of output port is predetermined, following the order fixed by the following list:

1. DATA_DOUBLE,

2. DATA_SINGLE,

3. DATA_INT,

4. DATA_HEX,

5. DATA_STRING,

6. DATA_CHAR

Then, if you have in you format string an integer, a string and two double (it doesn’t matter the effective sequence of format tokens), the sequence of output port will be: 1) double type port with width = 1, 2) integer type port with width = 1, 3) string type port with width = 1.

Remarks:

While the C-language fscan function is not able to discriminate a sequence of input string, ReadFmt look first for the token end (in the example that follows, a ‘;’, and then translates the token, being so able to distinguish two or more successive strings or a string from successive numbers.

Example:

The output port sequence is: a single, the hex and two strings.

Cautions:

Sometimes, Simulink forgets to saving the modifications of the Format String or the number of input or output port. To override this problem, disable the link of the block to the library (right-click on the block and then select the popup menu item: Link Options®Disable).

Purpose

Convert a string object in a C string

Parameters

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: Whatever string object.

Output

·        chr*: A pointer to a permanent memory zone where the string is stored. Use this area with care. The string could be not null-terminated, so do not apply C-string function without taking into account the real length of the string.

·        sz: The size of memory reserved to the string (the length of the string).

Description

Example:

The two outputs are the address of the memory containing the two strings. These address may be used by another block to process a string output and, for example, translate the content of the string. The second output is the length of the two strings and the length of the allocated memory. The address and the length of the string is permanent only for the actual simulation step, and it may change from one simulation step to the next one.

Purpose

Convert a C string in a string object

Parameters

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        chr*: A pointer to a permanent memory zone where the string is stored. The string could be not null-terminated, because the real end of the string is given by the size port of the block.

·        sz: The size of memory reserved to the string (the length of the string).

Output

·         str: A string object containing the input string.

Description

Example:

The two input channels of the first port are the address of the memory containing the two strings. These address may be generated by a custom block (see customizable block section). The second input port is the length of the two strings and the length of the allocated memory. The address and the length of the string must be permanent only for the actual simulation step, and it could change from one simulation step to the next one.

Purpose

This block extracts a left portion of the string, for the indicated length. 

Parameters

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The string from which the characters are extracted

·        nLeft: The number of characters to extract from the left of the string.

Output

·        str: A string containing a copy of the specified range of characters. Note that the returned string may be empty;

Description

Remarks:

This block works also for string vector arguments. The nLeft input is applied cyclically on the input strings.

Example:

Input string: [sample, oracle, virtuality]

Input nLeft: [3, 5]

Output vector: [sam, oracl, vir]

Purpose

This block extracts a right portion of the string, for the indicated length. 

Parameters

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The string from which the characters are extracted

·        nRight: The number of characters to extract from the right of the string.

Output

·        str: A string containing a copy of the specified range of characters. Note that the returned string may be empty;

Description

Remarks:

This block works also for string vector arguments. The nRight input is applied cyclically on the input strings.

Example:

Input string: [sample, oracle, virtuality]

Input nRight: [3, 5]

Output vector: [ple, racle, ity]

Purpose

This block extracts a mid portion of the string, starting from a given point, for the indicated length. 

Parameters

·        Mode: application mode. Select an option from the following list:

o       apply one per string: apply the n-th element of the nLeft and nNum input vector to the n-th element of the string input vector;

o       apply all on each string: apply all the element of the nLeft and nNum input vector to each element of the string input vector;

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The string from which the characters are extracted

·        nLeft: The position from which to extract the string.

·        nNum: The number of characters to extract from the nLeft character of the string.

Output

·        str: A string containing a copy of the specified range of characters. Note that the returned string may be empty;

Description

Example:

Mode: Apply one per string

Input string: [sample, oracle, virtuality]

Input nLeft: [2, 3]

Input nNum: [2, 4]

Output vector: [mp,cle]

Example:

Mode: Apply all on each string

Input string: [sample, oracle, virtuality]

Input nLeft: [2, 3]

Input nNum: [2, 4]

Output vector: [mp,ple,ac,cle,rt,tual]

Purpose

This block sum the content of two or more strings, adding, if requested, a string separator or terminator.

Parameters

·        Number of string vector to sum: Number of block input port

·        Separator character: The character, if any, to be used as separator between strings. Special characters are (still) not allowed. Max one character allowed.

·        Terminator string: The character, if any, to be used as terminator of the output string. Special characters are (still) not allowed. One or more character allowed.

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str (1..n): The string to sum

Output

·        str: The resulting string

Description

Remarks:

This block works also for string vector input. The separators and terminators are applied even for each element of input vectors.

Example:

Number of input vectors: 2

Separator character: -

Terminator string: **

Input string 1: [sample, oracle, virtuality]

Input string 2: [testing, simulink]

Output vector: [sample-oracle-virtuality-testing-simulink**]

Cautions:

Sometimes, Simulink forgets to saving the modifications of the Format String or the number of input or output port. To override this problem, disable the link of the block to the library (right-click on the block and then select the popup menu item: Link Options®Disable).

Purpose

Print the input string in the Matlab Command Window

Parameters

··        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

··        str: The string vector to print

Output

··        none

Description

Each sample time, the input string is printed in a row, separating each element of the vector by a comma. Non printable chars are not translated to printable chars before being sent to the Matlab Command Window.

Purpose

Send the input string to a file

Parameters

·        Filename: Name of the file (in the Matlab current directory) where to save the strings

·        Separator character: The character, if any, to be used as separator between strings. Special characters are (still) not allowed. Max one character allowed.

·        Terminator string: The character, if any, to be used as terminator of the output string. Special characters are (still) not allowed. One or more character allowed.

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The string vector to save on the file

Output

·        none

Description

Remarks:

This block works also for string vector input. The separators and terminators are applied even for each element of input vectors.

Example:

Number of input vectors: 2

Separator character: -

Terminator string: **

Input string 1: [sample, oracle, virtuality]

Input string 2: [testing, simulink]

String saved on the file: [sample-oracle-virtuality-testing-simulink**]

Cautions:

Sometimes, Simulink forgets to saving the modifications of the strings or the number of input or output port. To override this problem, disable the link of the block to the library (right-click on the block and then select the popup menu item: Link Options®Disable).

Purpose

Search a substring in a string

Parameters

·        String to find: The substring to search

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The string vector where substring should be searched

Output

·        pos: The (0-based) position vector of the substring in each element of the input string vector. If string is not found, the resulting output is –1;

Description

Remarks:

This block works also for string vector input. Resulting vector reports the position of the found string for each input vector element.

Example:

String to find: ‘IO’

Cautions:

Sometimes, Simulink forgets to saving the modifications of the Format String or the number of input or output port. To override this problem, disable the link of the block to the library (right-click on the block and then select the popup menu item: Link Options®Disable).

Purpose

Search an input substring in a string

Parameters

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        str: The string vector where substring should be searched

·        find: The substring to search. Only 1-element (non vector) string allowed. Even binary string accepted.

Output

·        pos: The (0-based) position vector of the substring in each element of the input string vector. If string is not found, the resulting output is –1;

Description

Remarks:

This block works also for string vector input. Resulting vector reports the position of the found string for each input vector element.

Example:

Cautions:

Sometimes, Simulink forgets to saving the modifications of the Format String or the number of input or output port. To override this problem, disable the link of the block to the library (right-click on the block and then select the popup menu item: Link Options®Disable).

Purpose

A customization sample that use the output of the STRtoCStr block.

Parameters

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

Input

·        chr*: A pointer to a permanent memory zone where the string is stored. The string could be not null-terminated, because the real end of the string is given by the size port of the block.

·        sz: The size of memory reserved to the string (the length of the string).

Output

·        none

Description

This is a simple block that read the input string. The relative C-language S-function is contained in the installation directory and its name is “STR_CustomFun.c”. In this S-function, the mdlUpdate function use the input pointer and length of the string to allocate some memory and print it on the Matlab Command Window. See the source code of the S-function for more details.

Purpose

A customization sample that generates a C-string pointer (and string length) that (approximately) simulates the output of the Crossbow IMU sensor.

Parameters

·        Sample Time: Indicates if the sample time should be inherited from the preceding blocks or should be defined independently (but it should be a multiple of the base sample time).

·         DMU Mode:

o        VG Mode: In voltage (VG) mode, the analog sensors are sampled and converted to digital data with 1 mV resolution. The digital data represents the direct output of the sensors. The data is 12-bit, unsigned. The value for each sensor is sent as 2 bytes in the data packet over the serial interface. A single data packet can be requested using a serial poll command or the DMU can be set to continuously output data packets to the host.

o       Scaled sensor mode: the analog sensors are sampled, converted to digital data, temperature compensated, and scaled to engineering units. The digital data represents the actual value of the quantities measured. A calibration table for each sensor is stored in the DMU non-volatile memory. A single data packet can be requested using a serial poll command or the DMU can be set to continuously output data packets to the host. The data is sent as signed 16-bit 2’s complement integers. In this mode, the DMU operates as a six-axis measurement system.

·        G Range: defines the maximum absolute value of detectable g (acceleration measured in g); 1g (put “1” in the control) is a standard g maximum value.

·        Angular rate range: defines the maximum absolute value of detectable angular rate range; 150°/sec (put “150” in the control) is a standard value.

Input

·        data:

o       VG mode: A double value 10 element vector containing the actual value (in the order: roll and pitch angle, roll, pith and yaw angle rate, the x-y-z accelerations, the temperature and time);

o       Scaled sensor mode: A double value 8 element vector containing the actual value (in the order: roll, pith and yaw angle rate, the x-y-z accelerations, the temperature and time);

Output

·        chr*: A pointer to a permanent memory zone where the string is stored. The string could be not null-terminated, because the real end of the string is given by the size port of the block.

·        sz: The size of memory reserved to the string (the length of the string).

Description

This is a simple block that output a C-String. The relative C-language S-function is contained in the installation directory and its name is “STR_CustomFunIO.c”. In this S-function, the mdlUpdate function translates the physical values into scaled values and then compose the output string. See the C-function for more details.