Additional Information to KPR.2019.04.15.001 for ControlDesk 5.5 (Release 2015-B) to ControlDesk 6.4 (Release 2018-B)

Subject

ControlDesk misinterprets data type of common axes in SDF/TRC based variable descriptions.

Relevant for ControlDesk 5.5 (Release 2015-B) to ControlDesk 6.4 (Release 2018-B)
using TRC files built with RTI 2015-B, or newer in conjunction with MATLAB R2015b, or newer.

Description

For SDF/TRC based variable descriptions ControlDesk may misinterpret the data type of common axes for maps and curves.
Measuring and/or calibrating such common axes may cause access to wrong addresses and to unpredictable behavior!

This behavior occurs if more than one common axis with same length, but different data types is used.
Furthermore, the address mode of the common axes must be indirect, which however is the default address mode.

A common axis is an axis that is used by 1..n maps/curves.
Using workspace variables as breakpoint parameters of Simulink Lookup Table blocks leads to common axes.

Please note that the default axis type is "double".
If you do not change data types of axes, the issue will not occur.

Check Tool

To check if your TRC files are potentially affected, you can use a tool provided by dSPACE:

• Please find and download the zipped file "TRCCommonAxisTypeChecker.ZIP" following this link http://www.dspace.com/go/KPR.2019.04.15.001-CHECK .
  • Unzip the file on your PC
  • Open a command window (Start->Run->CMD)
  • Switch to the directory containing the checker tool, e.g.
    cd C:\TrcCommonAxisTypeChecker
  • Run the check by using the path to your TRC file as command line parameter of the tool
  • If you need to check multiple files, use the path to the folder containing the TRC files as command line parameter, all TRC files in this folder and its subfolders will be checked

Result:
You will get info in the command window about potentially affected files, axes and variables using the axes.
Additionally, the same info is stored in a file "TrcCommonAxisTypeChecker‑Results‑[timestamp].CSV" situated in the path that was checked. 

Please note that the checker tool may also give the verdict "Error" or "Exception" in case a file with the extension "TRC" cannot be parsed.
Such a file cannot be imported to ControlDesk, so it is not a critical file.
If you check ControlDesk projects with successfully imported variable description files, such verdicts should not occur.

If you have affected files, it is highly recommended to install the appropriate ControlDesk patch and import the variable description again afterwards or apply a workaround and import the variable description again afterwards.

Bugfix / Workaround

Workaround
Do not use such variables.

• Use the data type "double" for all common axes.

or

• Define all the affected workspace parameters which are used as axes for lookup tables as Simulink.Parameter with storage type "Exported Global"  so that they are directly addressed

or

• Use the SDF import option “Interpret complex as simple variables / Import lookup table components as single variables”

and

• import the variable description again.

Solution
Install the latest ControlDesk patch containing a bug fix for this problem as soon as available and import the variable description again.

• 6.4p1 or newer
• 6.3p3 or newer
• 6.2p2 or newer
• 6.1p5 or newer

In need, please contact support for the availability of fixes for the following versions:

• 6.0p5 or newer 
• 5.6p5 or newer
• 5.5p5 or newer

This information corresponds to KPR.2019.04.15.001 that you find also in the Known Problem Reports list.

This page can only be reached via the link http://www.dspace.com/go/KPR.2019.04.15.001-INFO