Announcing VeriStand 2021

[Darin_G]

We open up the calendar year 2022 with the latest and greatest VeriStand -- ironically known as VeriStand 2021!

Download: https://www.ni.com/en-us/support/downloads/software-products/download.veristand.html

Release notes: https://www.ni.com/en-us/support/documentation/release-notes/product.veristand.html

What is in this release?

• LabVIEW 2021 SP1, 64-bit Support

The entire VeriStand product, inclusive of all R&D-supported Custom Devices that work with VeriStand, are now necessarily built using the 64-bit variant of LabVIEW/LabVIEW RT. Partners that create Custom Devices intended to work with VeriStand 2021 will need to rebuild their Custom Devices using LabVIEW 2021 SP1 64-bit. The LabVIEW Model Interface Toolkit and the LabVIEW Model Generation support pieces are also only supported in LV 2021 SP1, 64-bit.

Say goodbye to the 32-bit process limitation of only being able to access <3GB memory!
Say goodbye to VeriStand files in the `C:\Program Files (x86)` folder!

NOTE: The 64-bit LV FPGA Module does not support R Series modules or cRIO controllers at this time. You will still need to use 32-bit LV FPGA to produce bitfiles for that hardware before integrating into VeriStand.

• No Support for Phar Lap & Linux ARM Targets

One quarter ahead of the rest of NI, we have dropped support for Phar Lap targets. We also decided to drop support for Linux ARM targets due to unpopularity in the market. This made the VeriStand installer leaner and faster to install.

If you require Phar Lap or Linux ARM RT target hardware, you should stick with VeriStand 2020 R6.

• Removed Console Viewer, Added the Target Output Viewer

VeriStand’s Console Viewer tool has been removed from the product and replaced with a more functional and usable tool called the Target Output Viewer that works on both Windows and Linux RT targets.

This is a new bottom pane tool which connects to live targets and retrieves the same messages that were posted to the console tool before, but this tool allows you to scroll through the messages and copy message text out of the application.

The Target Log viewer doesn’t include CPU usage info, so if you need that you may want to use the System Monitor Custom Device that gives CPU usage info for Linux RT targets. 

• NI R&D-supported Custom Devices are Now Installable from Offline Media

The VeriStand 2021 offline installation suite now includes an installation option for NI R&D supported Custom Devices.

You can even install just the Custom Devices from the VeriStand 2021 suite on a machine with VeriStand 2019 or VeriStand 2020 to get the Custom Devices added to those older VeriStand versions.

• Upgraded Custom Device Developer Guide

The Beta Custom Device Developer Handbook that provides background, design decisions, and technical information required to develop custom devices is now out of Beta!

This important guide is now hosted online and can be updated via GitHub.

Users can access the guide directly from VeriStand 2021’s launch screen.

• Configure More with VeriStand’s Editor

There are now fewer reasons to make configuration changes via the System Explorer:

1. Configure the Primary Control Loop Rate for a target directly from the Mapping Diagram document configuration pane.
2. The System Definition pane on left side of the VeriStand’s editor now displays configured Alarms allows the user to create new alarms, configure existing alarms or delete existing alarms using right-click commands.

• One more thing… vsmodels

Users can install the VeriStand Model Generation Support MATLAB add-on that enables creation of a new type of VeriStand model (.vsmodel file) that can be built from within the MathWorks Simulink® environment and then consumed from VeriStand. This model compilation technique uses Mathworks best practices and is the first of many VeriStand fruits to be borne from increased NI & Mathworks collaboration. Access this support natively from Simulink. As this is the first release of this toolbox, please refer to current limitations in the toolbox documentation.

What excites you most from this announcement? Leave a comment below!

[Harvey_He]

I tried it, but it didn't work.

I followed the steps, but when I import the vsmodel to veristand2021, it went to an error, I could not go on, here is the error and the model and the simulink file.

[Brian.D]

Hi Harvey_He,

You can add .vsmodels and any supported Simulation Model directly from the Mapping Diagram as shown below. This allows you to add models to your System Definition File without needing to open System Explorer. I tested with your model, and it imports and deploys successfully. As you discovered, System Explorer does not support importing .vsmodels, we recommend using the Mapping Diagram.

Once you select the Simulation Model from the palette, you can drop it on the diagram and then browse to your model. 

From there, you can complete a variety of your next tasks, such as setting the model rate, create mappings, etc...This section of the VeriStand 2021 manual discusses this topic. 

Brian.D

NI - VeriStand - Product Owner

[Harvey_He]

Dear Brian.D,

Many thanks to you, I successed to add .vsmodel following your instruction!

-Harvey

[GRE_]

I'm interested in the VeriStand Model Generation Support MATLAB add-on.

Quick question: the documentation page notes that one should uninstall the VeriStand Model Framework prior to using the new add-on. Is the VeriStand Model Framework unnecessary when using this new add-on? 

Thanks

[Brian.D]

Hi GRE_,

That is accurate. On the system where you have MathWorks Simulink® installed, you only need either the new VeriStand Model Generation Support MATLAB Add-On or the VeriStand Model Framework. This was the first release of the new Add-On, so there are a few limitations (namely lack of bus support for model inports/outports/parameters), but we intend to continue releasing with new features.