Verifying Correct Application Behavior (RT Module)
You first must ensure that the application behaves as expected. Use the LabVIEW debugging tools to detect errors and step through the flow of execution to locate the error source. Finally, use the Profile Performance and Memory window or the LabVIEW Execution Trace Toolkit to test the execution timing and memory usage of an application.
LabVIEW Debugging Tools
Use the LabVIEW debugging tools, such as execution highlighting and single-stepping, while the host computer is connected to an RT target to step through LabVIEW code.
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Note Do not use the LabVIEW debugging tools to debug execution timing because all debugging tools affect the timing of an application. |
The only feature not supported by the Real-Time Module is the Call list pull-down menu, which appears in the toolbar of a subVI block diagram window while single-stepping.
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Note You must place a checkmark in the Allow debugging checkbox of the Execution page of the VI Properties dialog box to use the LabVIEW debugging tools to debug a VI. |
Profile Performance and Memory Window
The Profile Performance and Memory window is a powerful tool for statistically analyzing how an application uses execution time and memory. The Profile Performance and Memory window displays information that can identify the specific VIs or parts of VIs you need to optimize. For example, if you notice that a particular subVI takes a long time to execute, you can improve the performance of that VI. The Profile Performance and Memory window displays the performance information for all VIs in memory in an interactive tabular format. From the Profile Performance and Memory window, you can select the type of information to gather and sort the information by category. You also can monitor subVI performance within different VIs. Select Tools»Profile»Performance and Memory to display the Profile Performance and Memory window.
You must place a checkmark in the Profile memory usage checkbox before starting a profiling session. Collecting information about VI memory use adds a significant amount of overhead to VI execution, which affects the accuracy of any timing statistics gathered during the profiling session. Therefore, perform memory profiling separate from time profiling to return an accurate profile.
Many of the options in the Profile Performance and Memory window become available only after you begin a profiling session. During a profiling session, you can take a snapshot of the available data and save it to an ASCII spreadsheet file. The timing measurements accumulate each time you run a VI.
Real-Time System Manager (ETS, VxWorks)
The Real-Time System Manager displays details about VIs running on an RT target and provides a dynamic display of the memory and CPU resources for the target. You can stop VIs and start idle VIs on the RT target using the Real-Time System Manager. Select Tools»Real-Time Module»System Manager to launch the Real-Time System Manager.
Debug Application or Shared Library Dialog Box
Use the Debug Application or Shared Library dialog box to debug stand-alone real-time applications running on an RT target.
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Note You must place a checkmark in the Enable debugging checkbox located on the Advanced page of the Real-Time Application Properties dialog box before you build the stand-alone real-time application for debugging. |