Build C/C++ Models for VeriStand on Any Target OS With Command Line

Updated Oct 16, 2024

Environment

Software

  • VeriStand

Programming Language

  • C
  • C++

C and C++ are popular programming languages, a common implementation of these languages is to create simulation models. It is possible to build models for VeriStand that are C or C++ based.

This article is going to explain the steps required to execute to be able to build those models into a VeriStand compatible model using the VeriStand Model Framework. This article does not cover the VeriStand Model Generation Support MATLAB® Add-on The article is divided into the different operating systems VeriStand can deploy applications to Windows, Pharlap, and Linux Real-Time.

MATLAB ® is a registered Trademark of Mathworks Inc.

 

  1. Installing the software required.
  2. Adapt your C/C++ code for building a VeriStand Model
There are three main steps that you require to perform for building a C/C++ model compatible with VeriStand:
  • Create a model.h header file.
  • Adapt template.c to serve as your model code.
  • Create a makefile to compile your model code.
For More details on this steps you must consult the NI VeriStand Model Framework 
 
  1. Compiling the model with NI VeriStand Model Framework and the Command prompt tools.
  • Open the Command prompt by typing cmd on Windows Search bar
  • Open Microsoft Windows x86/x64 Debug Build Environment. To do that on your command navigate to the following directory using this command: “cd C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1\Bin”
  • Windows and Pharlap Targets:
    • Enter this command to pass to a x86 environment “SetEnv.Cmd /x86
    • Navigate to the folder your Model Files are located (model.h, makefile and model.c)(One of the shipping examples, For instance: write command: “cd C:\VeriStand\2019\ModelInterface\custom\examples\engine
    • Use the tool nmake to build the model for example: “nmake engine.mak”
    • Navigate to the folder the files are located and look for the .dll file. That file is the successful build you can import into VeriStand to run this model.
  • Linux RT 64:
    • Enter this command to pass to a x86 environment “SetEnv.Cmd /x64”
    • Navigate to the location your model source files are. For instance, C:\VeriStand\2019\ModelInterface\custom\examples\engine
    •   Once on the location Enter the following command to build a model compatible with Linux 64 bits RT targets modify the bolded section with the name of your .mk file “C:\VeriStand\2019\ModelInterface\tmw\toolchain\Linux_64_GNU_Setup.bat&s-make.exe -f engine-linux64.mk
    • Navigate to the folder the files were located and search for the .so file, that is going to be the built model that you can import into VeriStand.
​​​​​​
  • Linux RT 32-bit ARM:
    • Enter this command to pass to a x86 environment “SetEnv.Cmd /x86
    • Navigate to the location your model source files are. For instance, C:\VeriStand\2019\ModelInterface\custom\examples\engine
    •   Once on the location Enter the following command to build a model compatible with Linux 64 bits RT targets modify the bolded section with the name of your .mk file “C:\VeriStand\2019\ModelInterface\tmw\toolchain\Linux_ARM_32_GNU_Setup.bat&cs-make -f engine-linux.mk
    • Navigate to the folder the files were located and search for the .so file, that is going to be the built model that you can import into VeriStand.
 
Note: Make sure that you moved your .so file out of the source code folder before building for a second OS, otherwise there is a chance that building on the second time will conflict with the first build.