Model-Based Design Toolbox for MPC57xx Automotive Microprocessors Version 3.1.0

[#1]

	Product Release Announcement Automotive Microcontrollers and Processors NXP Model-Based Design Toolbox for MPC57xx – version 3.1.0
Austin, Texas, USA December 16th, 2019	The Automotive Microcontrollers and Processors Model-Based Design Tools Team at NXP Semiconductors, is pleased to announce the release of the Model-Based Design Toolbox for MPC57xx version 3.1.0. This release supports automatic code generation for peripherals and applications prototyping from MATLAB/Simulink for NXP’s MPC574xB/C/G/P and MPC5777C series. FlexNet Location https://www.nxp.com/webapp/swlicensing/sso/downloadSoftware.sp?catid=MCTB-EX Activation link https://www.nxp.com/webapp/swlicensing/sso/downloadSoftware.sp?catid=MCTB-EX Release Content Automatic C code generation based on PA SDK 3.0.2RTM drivers from MATLAB®/Simulink® for NXP MPC574xB/C/G/P and MPC5777C derivatives: MPC5744B, MPC5745B, MPC5746B                                                   (*upd) MPC5744C, MPC5745C, MPC5746C, MPC5747C, MPC5748C         (*upd) MPC5746G, MPC5747G, MPC5748G                                                  (*upd) MPC5741P, MPC5742P, MPC5743P, MPC5744P                                (*upd) MPC5777C                                                                                            (*new) Added support for SIL, PIL and AUTOSAR Blockset code generation and simulation for the MPC5777C Ultra-Reliable MCU for Automotive and Industrial Engine Management. Currently only the basic enablement is available for this microcontroller as shown in the picture below: Enhance MATLAB/Simulink support to all versions starting with 2016a to 2019b Enable MATLAB AUTOSAR Blockset on all MPC574xB/C/G/P and MPC5777C to allow users to configure, simulate, generate and profile AUTOSAR Applications with NXP Hardware; For more details, features and how to use the new functionalities, please refer to the Release Notes and Quick Start Guide documents. MATLAB® Integration The NXP Model-Based Design Toolbox extends the MATLAB® and Simulink® experience by allowing customers to evaluate and use NXP’s MPC57xx MCUs and evaluation boards solutions out-of-the-box with: NXP Support Package for MPC57xx Online Installer Guide Add-on allows users to install NXP solution directly from the Mathwork’s website or directly from MATLAB IDE. The Support Package provide a step-by-step guide for installation and verification. NXP’s Model-Based Design Toolbox for MPC57xx version 3.1.0 is fully integrated with MATLAB® environment in terms of installation, documentation, help and examples; Target Audience This release (v.3.1.0) is intended for technology demonstration, evaluation purposes and prototyping for MPC574xB/C/G/P and MPC5777C MCUs and their corresponding Evaluation Boards: DEVKIT-MPC5744P PCB RevX1 SCH RevB DEVKIT-MPC5748G PCB RevA SCH RevB DEVKIT-MPC5777C-DEVB                                                                     (*new) Daughter Card MPC574XG-256DS RevB Daughter Card X-MPC574XG-324DS RevA Daughter Card MPC5744P-257DS RevB1 Daughter Card SPC5746CSK1MKU6 Daughter Card MPC5777C-516DS                                                        (*new) Daughter Card MPC5777C-416DS                                                        (*new) Motherboard X-MPC574XG-MB RevD Motherboard MPC57XX RevC

[jfrey]

Downloads incorrectly for me.

The file name should be 'MBDToolbox_MPC57xx_3.1.0_20191216.mltbx', but it is downloading as 'MBDToolbox_MPC57xx_3.1.0_20191216.zip'.

You can:

1. Rename it and install through Matlab

2. Just unzip it. All of the code is in the unzipped folder fsroot. Just run mbd_mpc_path.m.

However the instructions in the quickstart don't work with #2.

[jfrey]

There is also a serious bug in 'mbd_mpc_path.m', it overwrites your entire MATLAB path.

The matlab function 'path' is invoked incorrectly:

    if nargin == 1 && strcmpi(varargin{1}, 'append')
        path([newpth pathsep rppth]);
        disp('MBD Toolbox path appended.');
    else
        path([rppth pathsep newpth]);
        disp('MBD Toolbox path prepended.');
    end

From the Matlab documentation: the existing path is never added.

path(P1,P2) changes the path to the concatenation of the two search
    paths P1 and P2.  Thus path(path,P) appends the folder P to the
    current path and path(P,path) prepends the folder P.  If P is already
    on the path, then path(path,P) moves P to the end of the path,
    and similarly, path(P,path) moves P to the beginning of the path.

The way it is currently setup it wipes out the original Matlab path, Matlab can't find anything, even help and eventually crashes.

Fix:

1. addpath([rppth pathsep newpth])

2. path(path, [rppth pathsep newpth]);

[mariuslucianand]

Hello jfrey‌,

Thank you for your support!

Can you give us more details about which Matlab version you are using and which operating system?

We will investigate too!

Best Regards,

Marius

[jfrey]

1. Toolbox downloaded through Chrome on Ubuntu 19.10.

2. MATLAB R2019b on Ubuntu 19.10.

Which, after all of this, I realized you only included MEX files for Windows 64 bit, so that was going to be my next post comment.

Could you please release the source or include MEX files for more platforms. I realize Automotive is woefully behind, but Linux and Mac OS are heavily used these days. It's also much more work to get CI/CD running on Windows for MATLAB.

[mariuslucianand]

Hello jfrey‌,

Unfortunately, we currently support MBDT only for Windows.

Providing sources or MEX files for Linux systems will not be enough to make it work there.

We will consider your point of view, but I can not promise anything.

Kind Regards,

Marius

[jfrey]

Unfortunately, we currently support MBDT only for Windows.

This should be clearly stated in the release notes.  I just read it again and this "is fully integrated with MATLAB environment in terms of installation, documentation, help and examples;" leaves the impression that it's compatible with all versions and platforms MATLAB runs on.

Providing sources or MEX files for Linux systems will not be enough to make it work there.

What makes you say that? Once you have the MEX source the code for the blocks can be generated on any platform per my understanding. The Arduino target from Mathworks works great on Linux.

Someone has already made a Docker that will build the GCC toolchain from scratch allowing us to do full continuous integration for our MBD and MPC5744P.

I know Automotive and suppliers are 2 decades behind other industries, but there is a lot to learn from them. DevOps makes for safer, better, more tested software. The way the toolbox is currently setup there's no way to do that. I have managed to remove all the licensing bits so that we can build on newly spawned VirtualBox instances, but ideally we would like to move everything to a Linux cloud infrastructure.

[joãopaulo]

Hello,

I've bought a DEVKIT-MPC5748G and now I'm trying to run some model-based design examples, the uart example worked fine but the ADC didn't.

When I put an ADC block it says that 'The selected MCU has no support in MBDT for this peripheral'.

Is there any update that fix it?

If there is no update to fix it, what tool should I use to develop an automotive software for this mcu?

Thanks,

Regards

João Paulo

[constantinrazva]

Hello joãopaulo,

Unfortunately we do not have support for all the peripherals on MPC5748G - for that part we focused on the communication side, being targeted as a gateway MCU. You can use S32Design Studio for Power Architecture - it is an IDE where you'll also find an SDK with examples for your board.

Kind regards,

Razvan.