Simulink 7.6

Latest Features

Version 7.6

Released: 03 Sept 2010
 

Version 7.6, part of Release 2010b, includes the following enhancements:

Component-Based Modeling

• New array-of-buses capabilities (4:05) for compact representation of structured data and efficient iterative processing using For Each subsystems
• Variant Subsystem blocks (4:33) for managing design alternatives
• Expanded support for referencing a model multiple times in normal mode, improving component workflows, linearization, and model coverage analysis

User Interface Enhancements

• New Simulation Data Inspector tool (4:26) for quickly viewing and comparing data from multiple simulations
• Model Explorer tool (4:54) with improved data import and export and the ability to group and filter items on the spreadsheet
• Interactive traceability between models and workspace variables based on the Simulink.findVars function
• Sample time display enhanced for hybrid systems
• Efficient management of model configuration sets by saving and loading them directly to and from files

Data Management

• Expanded support for defining root-level, input-port signal data using MATLAB structures and timeseries objects
• Enhanced Signal Builder block with ability to import multiple test cases from Excel^®, MATLAB, and CSV files
• Enhanced From File block, providing additional interpolation control and support for enumerated data
• Expanded enumerated data-type support to define multiple enumerated types in a single MATLAB file
• Expanded signal data-type specification to include bus objects

Model Management

• Enhanced Simulink Manifest Tools to identify data used in models, but not defined by files in the manifest
• Comparison Tool enhanced, allowing comparison among ZIP files, folders, and Simulink manifests, and improving MAT-file comparisons
• Ability to back up Simulink models when upgrading to a newer release

Block Enhancements

• Array-of-buses support in blocks, including Vector and Matrix Concatenation, Assignment, Selector, and in bus-capable blocks
• Multiport Switch block support for specification of the default case and diagnostic option for out-of-range control input
• Bus data-type support for Constant block and Signal Specification block
• Prelookup block and Interpolation Using Prelookup block support for specification of dynamic breakpoint and table data
• Switch block support to display criteria and threshold values
• Trigonometric Function block support for expanded input range for CORDIC algorithm
• Repeating Sequence Stair block support for enumerated data types

Embedded MATLAB

• Support for Embedded MATLAB^® Function blocks with distinct data types, sizes, and complexities in Simulink libraries
• Support for MATLAB linear algebra functions sqrtm, linsolve, and schur
• Support for creation and processing of arrays of buses

Update Now

• Download the latest version if your software maintenance service is current.
• Purchase or request a renewal quote if your maintenance service has lapsed.
• Try the latest version by downloading or requesting trial software.

---

Version 7.5

Released: 05 Mar 2010
 

Version 7.5, part of Release 2010a, includes the following enhancements:

See highlights and screen shots

Model Management

• Enhanced File and Folder Comparison Tool, highlighting changes within lines in file comparisons, and sorting results by name, type, size, or timestamp in folder comparisons

Block Enhancements

• Enhanced To File and From File blocks for reduced data memory use and efficient support of large file sizes
• New Second-Order Integrator block for efficient and accurate modeling of second-order systems with limits
• Enhanced enumeration support for Multiport Switch block, including data-port ordering specification and icon display of enumerated values
• New block, Find Nonzero Elements, to obtain indices and values of nonzero elements of a signal
• New Square Root Function block to perform square root, signed square root, and reciprocal square root operations
• Enhanced Direct Lookup Table (n-D) block, supporting multidimensional input signals, fixed-point data types, and explicit specification of table data types
• Trigonometric Function block support for CORDIC approximation

Embedded MATLAB

• Support for global data and data store memory
• Support for logical indexing
• Support for MATLAB set functions, including ismember, intersect, and union
• Automatic renaming of a reused MATLAB variable name in generated C code
• Support for CORDIC approximation of trigonometric and complex exponential functions

Simulation Performance

• Parallel builds of model reference hierarchies that leverage MATLAB® Distributed Computing Server™ for faster update diagram
• Improved performance and accuracy of implicit solvers for models with large numbers of continuous states, by computing the Jacobian matrix in analytical and sparse form

User Interface Enhancements

• New customizable views in Model Explorer for enhanced control over columns displayed in the Contents pane
• New data store memory grouping inside the Model Advisor, including a new check to detect potential read/write issues without needing to simulate the model
• New MaskDisplay callback that supports creation of MATLAB variables, improving simulation speed

See the Release Notes for details.

Version 7.4.1

Released: 01 Apr 2010
 

Version 7.4.1, part of Release 2009bSP1, includes bug fixes.

Version 7.4

Released: 04 Sep 2009
 

Version 7.4, part of Release 2009b, includes the following enhancements:

See highlights and screen shots

Component-Based Modeling

• Ability to configure model variants for efficiently managing design alternatives
• Enhanced library link management, making it easier to visualize and restore edited library links
• Model reference protected mode, enabling the sharing of models for simulation without exposing contents (requires Real-Time Workshop)
• Enhanced Simulink Manifest Tools to discover and analyze model variants, protected models, and Simscape files
• Enhanced S-Function Builder that supports bus signals for managing complex signal interfaces

Variable-Size Signals

• New ability to change signal sizes during execution, facilitating modeling of systems with varying environments, resources, and constraints
• Support for variable-size inputs and outputs in over 40 Simulink blocks, including many blocks from the Math Operations library

Data Management

• Enhanced sim command that saves all simulation results to a single object for easier management of simulation results
• New Simulink.saveVars function to save workspace variables to a MATLAB file
• Enhanced simulation restart capability with SimState feature, supporting common model configuration changes

Block Enhancements

• New turnkey PID Controller blocks with expanded simulation capabilities and automated tuning (requires Simulink Control Design)
• New EnumeratedConstant block and enhanced Switch-Case block that support enumerated variables
• Enhanced Relational Operator block that efficiently detects infinite, NaN, or finite signals for floating-point arithmetic
• Enhanced Lookup Table (n-D) block, supporting parameter data types that are different from signal data types
• Reduced parameter memory use for evenly spaced breakpoints in Prelookup and Lookup Table (n-D) blocks
• Enhanced Math Function block that directly supports reciprocal square root, 1/sqrt(u), for efficient computation

Embedded MATLAB

• Ability to create dynamically sized data in Embedded MATLAB Function blocks
• New report for analyzing compilation errors, array sizes, and target hardware compatibility of compiled data types in Embedded MATLAB Function blocks
• Ability to eliminate run-time checks from simulation code for faster simulation of Embedded MATLAB Function blocks and Stateflow charts

Simulation Performance

• Enhanced sim command improves compatibility with parfor-loops
• Enhanced timing resolution of fixed-step simulations by applying integer arithmetic to sample hit computations
• Enhanced Simulink Accelerator mode to support SimState feature for continuing simulations from a saved state
• Expanded Rapid Accelerator mode support for enumerations for root inputs and all fixed-point word lengths for parameters

User Interface Enhancements

• Enhanced Mask Editor that supports tabs and specification of data type, min, and max parameters
• New Frequently Used Blocks tab in Library Browser and context menu item for adding commonly used blocks to models
• New Model Advisor Configuration Editor to manage and deploy Model Advisor configurations and custom checks (requires Simulink Verification and Validation)

See the Release Notes for details.

Version 7.3

Released: 06 Mar 2009
 

Version 7.3, part of Release 2009a, includes the following enhancements:

See highlights and screen shots

Simulation Performance

• Ability to save, restore, and restart the complete simulation state using the SimState feature
• Ability to save Simulink Profiler results for subsequent viewing

Component-Based Modeling

• Ability to display port values during simulation for referenced models in Normal mode
• Parallel builds enabling faster update diagram times for large model reference hierarchies when configured in Accelerator Mode (requires Parallel Computing Toolbox)

Embedded MATLAB

• Support for enumerated data types in Embedded MATLAB™ Function blocks
• Support for Basic Linear Algebra Subroutines (BLAS) libraries to speed up low-level matrix operations in simulation

Data Management

• Ability to specify custom storage class on the Signal Properties dialog box without creating a Simulink signal object in the workspace

File Management

• Ability to specify a project root folder in the Simulink manifest, making manifests easier to share, compare, and read

Block Enhancements

• Support for parameter data types different from signal data types in Prelookup and Interpolation Using Prelookup blocks
• Lookup Table (n-D) and Interpolation Using Prelookup blocks now performing more efficient fixed-point interpolations
• Lookup Table (n-D) block now supporting faster calculation of index and fraction for power of 2 evenly spaced breakpoint data
• Discrete Filter block now supporting fixed-point data types
• MinMax block now performing more efficient and accurate comparison operations for mixed floating-point and fixed-point data types

User Interface Enhancements

• Ability to customize the Library Browser by adding, hiding, or disabling menu items and selecting which libraries and blocks appear in the browser
• New Smart Guides option facilitating dynamic block alignment when editing a block diagram
• Physical port rotation option for masked blocks to synchronize port rotation with block rotation and enable new Flip Block Up-Down and Left-Right options
• New block rotation option to rotate counter clockwise
• New programmatic methods for creating subsystems from selected blocks and accessing the compiled block sample time data, color, and annotations
• New option to print the Sample Time Legend from the legend or from the block diagram print dialog box
• Enhanced status bar progress indicator now showing additional information during update diagram for Windows® platforms

See the Release Notes for details.

Version 7.2

Released: 09 Oct 2008
 

Version 7.2, part of Release 2008b, includes the following enhancements.

See highlights and screen shots

Simulation Performance

• New capability to run parallel simulations in rapid accelerator mode using parfor on prebuilt Simulink models (requires Parallel Computing Toolbox)
• Enhanced tuning of solver and logging parameters in rapid accelerator mode without the need to rebuild
• Fixed-point and integer word size limit extended from 32 to 128 bits for Embedded MATLAB code, accelerated simulation modes, and automatic code generation

Component-Based Modeling

• New Model block simulation mode for Processor-in-the-Loop (PIL) verification of generated code (requires Real-Time Workshop Embedded Coder)
• Enhanced handling of initial conditions for conditionally executed subsystems, Merge blocks, and Discrete-Time Integrator blocks, improving consistency of simulation results
• Model block inputs can now be local and reusable for more efficient Real-Time Workshop® generated code, and reduced memory usage during simulation

Data Management

• Support for enumerated data types
• Filtering of displayed bus objects by name or relationship in bus editor
• Fully customizable export and import functionalities in bus editor

File Management

• Enhanced Simulink Manifest Tools additionally finds system target files, analyzes STF_make_rtw_hook functions, and analyzes all config sets

Block Enhancements

• Enhanced Trigonometric Function block to support sincos
• Enhanced Math Function and Trigonometric Function blocks to provide more floating-point consistency

User Interface Enhancements

• Unified simulation and custom code options in the Configuration Parameters dialog for Embedded MATLAB Function blocks, Stateflow charts, and Truth Table blocks
• New Model Advisor model and data restore point, providing ability to revert to changes made in response to advice fromModel Advisor
• Context-sensitive help available for Model Advisor
• Context-sensitive help available for Simulink Commonly Used block parameters
• New Sample Time Legend that defines the Sample Time Colors and new color-independent annotations
• New ultracompact display mode for library contents in Library Browser
• Independent setting for Log signal data and Test point options in the Signal Properties dialog box

See the Release Notes for details.

Version 7.1.1

Released: 30 Oct 2008
 

Version 7.1.1, part of the Simulink product family update for Release 2008a, resolves several key customer-reported issues.

Read about the latest bug fixes for:

• Fixed-Point Toolbox 2.2.1
• Real-Time Workshop 7.1.1
• Real-Time Workshop Embedded Coder 5.1.1
• Simulink 7.1.1
• Simulink Design Verifier 1.2.1
• Simulink Fixed Point 5.6.1
• Simulink Report Generator 3.3.1
• Simulink Verification and Validation 2.3.1
• Stateflow 7.1.1
• Stateflow Coder 7.1.1

Version 7.1

Released: 01 Mar 2008
 

Version 7.1, part of Release 2008a, includes the following enhancements.

See highlights and screen shots

Simulink Library Browser Enhancements

• Now runs on all platforms supported by Simulink software
• Improved performance for browsing and searching of libraries, by allowing these operations to proceed without actually loading the libraries
• Enhanced search finds all blocks and displays search results in a separate tab
• New option to display library blocks in a compact grid layout that conserves screen space

Simulation Performance

• Improved Rapid Accelerator sim command performance when running long simulations of small models on Windows platforms
• Additional zero-crossing algorithm with adaptive detection and adjustable threshold limits improves simulation performance

Component-Based Modeling

• Accelerator mode now supports an unlimited number of referenced models on all platforms, including 32-bit Windows
• Improved model compilation time when using models referenced in accelerator mode by rebuilding parent models only when the interface to a referenced model changes

Embedded MATLAB™

• Support for nontunable MATLAB structure parameters in Embedded MATLAB Function blocks

Data Management

• Enhanced Data Type Assistant display of status and details of fixed-point data type
• Enhanced signal range checking for both real and imaginary parts of a complex number
• Enhanced Bus Editor importing/exporting of data from MAT-files and M-files, defining bus elements with the Data Type Assistant, and expanding bus hierarchies
• Simulink Editor graphical indication of signals that must resolve to signal objects
• In models with asynchronous function calls, correct assignment of generic sample times instead of triggered sample times by some virtual blocks
• Changes to nontunable parameters during simulation ignored, matching the behavior in generated code
• Enhanced data logging on 64-bit platforms, providing the ability to save more than 2 GB of simulation data

File Management

• New autosave option for automatically saving models before updating or simulating
• New option to notify when loading a model saved in a previous version of Simulink
• Enhanced model dependencies manifest tools now also detect TLC files required by S-functions, .fig files created by GUIDE, and files referenced by common data loading functions

Block Enhancements

• New Discrete FIR Filter block replaces the Weighted Moving Average block for faster simulation and improved code generation
• Rate Transition block output port sample time now can be specified as multiple of input port sample time
• Enhanced auto-insertion options for the Rate Transition block to control the level of data transfer determinism, allowing reduced latency for models that do not require determinism
• Auto-insertion of Rate Transition block now supported for additional rate transitions, such as sample times with nonzero offset, and between non-integer-multiple sample times
• Enhanced Lookup Table (n-D) block supports all data types, complex table data, and nonscalar inputs
• Expanded Sum block dialog box displays new parameters for specifying the accumulator data type and its minimum and maximum values

User Interface Enhancements

• New unified Simulink Preferences window for configuring default settings
• Enhanced controls in the Solver pane of the Configuration Parameters dialog box
• Enhanced Model Advisor with improved GUI navigation and report production
• Context-sensitive help available for Configuration Parameters dialog box

See the Release Notes for details.

Getting Started with Simulink Demo Video