The Control Design (CD) Toolkit 2.1.2 updates CD 2.1.1 to address installation issues with Microsoft Windows Vista 64-bit. If you have already installed CD 2.1.1, you do not need to install CD 2.1.2. However, if you have CD 2.1.1 installed and plan to upgrade that computer to Windows Vista 64-bit, National Instruments recommends that you install CD 2.1.2 on that computer.
If you have already installed CD 2.1.1, you must first uninstall this version before installing CD 2.1.2.
If you install CD 2.1.2 for LabVIEW 8.2.1, National Instruments recommends that you mass compile the Control Design VIs and Functions. Complete the following steps to mass compile these VIs and functions.
Launch LabVIEW.
Select Tools»Advanced»Mass Compile.
Browse to the labview\vi.lib\addons\Control Design\ folder.
Click Current Folder. LabVIEW displays the Mass Compile dialog box.
Click Mass Compile to start mass compiling this folder.
After LabVIEW finishes mass compiling this folder, mass compile the following folders:
The Control Design Toolkit 2.1.2 installer does not install this readme file to the labview\readme\ directory. The installer installs the Control Design Toolkit 2.1.1 readme file instead.
The Control Design Assistant 2.1.2 does not support Microsoft Windows Vista. Additionally, the Control Design Assistant 2.1.2 supports only SignalExpress 1.x.
After installing CD 2.1.2, the plus and minus MathScript functions do not work properly. Workaround: Use the + and – operators instead.
If you are using Internet Explorer 7 on Microsoft Windows Vista, clicking an external link in the LabVIEW Help might display a JavaScript error while displaying the linked page. An external link is a link to a Web site or other place outside the LabVIEW Help. You can ignore this JavaScript error because the script has run already and the page displays properly. If Internet Explorer prompts you to continue running scripts, click the Yes button to close the dialog box and continue.
LabVIEW Control Design Toolkit 2.1.1 Readme
August 2006
The LabVIEW Control Design Toolkit 2.1.1 updates version 2.1 to support LabVIEW 8.2. You must install LabVIEW 8.2 Full or Professional Development System to use the Control Design Toolkit 2.1.1.
LabVIEW Control Design Toolkit 2.1 Readme
February 2006
This file contains information to introduce you to the LabVIEW Control Design Toolkit 2.1. This file also provides you with help resources you can use while working with the toolkit. The file contains the following information:
Overview
What's New in 2.1
System Requirements
Installation Instructions
Accessing the Help
Finding Examples
Changes from 2.0
Known Issues
Overview
The Control Design Toolkit provides several tools for designing a controller based on a model of a plant. These tools enable you to complete the entire control design process from creating a model of the controller to deploying the controller.
Without prior knowledge about programming in LabVIEW, you can use the interactive LabVIEW Control Design Assistant to develop models that reflect the behavior of single-input single-output (SISO) systems. Using the Control Design Assistant, you can load or create a model of a plant into the Control Design Assistant, analyze the time or frequency response, and then synthesize a controller. The Control Design Assistant has windows in which you can immediately see the mathematical equation and graphical representation that describe the model. You also can view the response data and the configuration of the controller.
The Control Design Toolkit provides VIs that you can use to develop mathematical models, analyze the models to learn about their dynamic characteristics, and create controllers to achieve certain dynamic characteristics. These Control Design VIs enable you to customize a LabVIEW block diagram to achieve specific goals. You also can use other LabVIEW VIs and functions to enhance the functionality of the application. Unlike creating a project with the Control Design Assistant, creating a LabVIEW application using these VIs requires basic knowledge about programming in LabVIEW.
The Control Design Toolkit also includes numerous functions that extend the functionality of the LabVIEW MathScript window. Use these functions to design and analyze controller models in a text-based environment. You generally can use the LabVIEW MathScript engine to execute scripts you have previously written using The MathWorks, Inc. MATLAB® application software. However, the MathScript engine is not intended to support all functions supported by the MATLAB application software.
Where NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials belonging to others, you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you may reproduce in accordance with the terms of any applicable license or other legal restriction.
Note Regarding the LabVIEW 3D Picture Control Evaluation Software—The Control Design Toolkit 2.1 installation CD includes the LabVIEW 3D Picture Control Evaluation Software. This software is a set of tools for that allow the modeling and rendering of basic 3D scenes for advanced visualization in LabVIEW. These tools are provided by National Instruments to help execute some of the Control Design Example VIs, but these tools are not supported.
To install and use these tools, browse to the X:\Picture 3D\ directory, where X is the drive letter of the Control Design Toolkit 2.1 installation CD, and double-click the picture3d.msi file. Please note that the installer package is supplied by a third party but contains components that are property of National Instruments.
What's New in 2.1
The Control Design Toolkit 2.1 incorporates the following new features:
Control Design MathScript Functions
Use these functions to design and analyze controller models in a text-based environment. You generally can use the LabVIEW MathScript engine to execute scripts you have previously written using The MathWorks, Inc. MATLAB® application software. However, the MathScript engine is not intended to support all functions supported by the MATLAB application software.
Stochastic Systems
Use the Stochastic Systems VIs to construct and analyze stochastic state-space system models. Use these models to analyze how a controller performs in the presence of noise. Refer to Chapter 16, Using Stochastic System Models, of the LabVIEW Control Design Toolkit User Manual for more information about using these VIs.
Real-Time Controller Implementation
Use the Implementation VIs and functions to deploy a controller, observer, or Kalman filter to a real-time (RT) target. Refer to Chapter 17, Deploying a Controller to a Real-Time Target, of the LabVIEW Control Design User Manual for more information about deploying a controller model to an RT target. Refer to Chapter 16, Using Stochastic System Models, of the LabVIEW Control Design Toolkit User Manual for more information about defining Kalman filters.
Before using the Implementation functions on an RTX real-time target, you must register CDMatrixSup.rtdll. You can register this file by launching the command prompt, navigating to the labview\resource\ directory, and entering rtssrun /dll CDMatrixSupp.rtdll.
The deterministic Implementation functions are State Feedback Controller, Discrete Transfer Function, Discrete Zero-Pole-Gain, Discrete State-Space, and Discrete Stochastic State-Space (External). The deterministic Implementation VIs are CD Predictive Observer VI, CD Current Observer Corrector VI, CD Current Observer Predictor VI, CD Discrete Recursive Kalman Filter Corrector VI, and CD Discrete Recursive Kalman Filter Predictor VI.
Fractional Delay Support
The CD Convert Continuous to Discrete VI supports model delays that are not an integer multiple of the sampling time.
Updated and New Examples
The Control Design Toolkit includes nearly 100 examples that demonstrate how to accomplish certain tasks using the Control Design VIs and functions. These examples include both getting-started tutorials and in-depth case studies. Access these examples using the NI Example Finder, which is available by launching LabVIEW and selecting Help»Find Examples from the pull-down menu. You also can access these examples by browsing to the labview\examples\Control Design\ directory.
System Requirements
To use the Control Design VIs and functions, you must be a properly licensed user of and have the following software installed on the host computer.
National Instruments LabVIEW 8.0, Full or Professional Development Systems
You can install the Control Design Assistant without installing LabVIEW 8.0 on the host computer. However, to convert projects created with the Control Design Assistant into LabVIEW block diagrams, you must have LabVIEW 8.0 installed on the host computer.
Installation Instructions
Complete the following steps to install the Control Design Toolkit.
Insert the LabVIEW Control Design Toolkit CD.
Run the setup.exe program.
Follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
Accessing the Help
The LabVIEW Control Design Toolkit User Manual contains conceptual information about using the LabVIEW Control Design Toolkit. Open this manual by selecting Start» Programs»National Instruments»LabVIEW 8.0»LabVIEW Manuals and opening CD_User_Manual.pdf or by navigating to the labview\manuals\ directory and opening CD_User_Manual.pdf.
The LabVIEW Control Design Toolkit VI & Function Help contains reference information about Control Design VIs and functions. Complete the following steps to access the LabVIEW Control Design Toolkit VI & Function Help:
Launch LabVIEW.
Select Help»Search the LabVIEW Help from the pull-down menu to launch the LabVIEW Help.
Click the Contents tab.
Navigate to Toolkits»Control Design VIs & Functions.
Refer to the Control Design Toolkit Algorithm References for information about algorithms implemented in the Control Design Toolkit and their corresponding references. The Control Design Toolkit Algorithm References (CDreference.pdf) is located in the labview\manuals\ directory.
Refer to the NI Express Workbench Help, accessible by selecting Help»Express Workbench Help from the pull-down menu in the NI Express Workbench, for information about the Control Design Assistant. The NI Express Workbench Help includes reference information about the Control Design steps and a tutorial that helps you familiarize yourself with the Control Design Assistant.
Finding Examples
LabVIEW examples for the Control Design Toolkit are located in the labview\examples\control design\ directory. You can modify an example VI to fit an application, or you can copy and paste from one or more examples into a VI that you create.
Examples for the Control Design Assistant are located in the National Instruments\Express Workbench\Control Design Assistant\Examples\ directory.
Changes from 2.0
New VIs
The CD Construct Special TF Model VI replaces the CD Construct Special Model VI.
Use the CD Construct PID Model VI to construct a PID model in academic, series, or parallel form.
Use the CD Construct Lead-Lag Controller VI to construct a phase-lead or phase-lag controller model.
Use the CD Construct Filter Model VI to construct a digital filter model from direct coefficients of the inverse power of z or from filter design specifications.
Use the CD Draw State-Space Equation VI to render a state-space equation on the front panel.
Use the CD Zeros VI to return the zeros of a model.
Use the CD Poles VI to return the poles of a model.
Deprecated VIs
LabVIEW no longer supports the CD Construct Special Model VI. Use the CD Construct Special TF Model VI or the CD Construct PID Model VI instead.
The Control Design Toolkit no longer uses special indicators for Nichols, Nyquist, Root-Locus, and Pole-Zero plots. These indicators now are standard LabVIEW graphs. You now can right-click the output terminals of these VIs and select Create»Indicator to create Nichols, Nyquist, Root-Locus, or Pole-Zero Map plots on the front panel.
VI / Function Changes
If you open a VI saved in the Control Design Toolkit 2.0, the CD Parametric Time Response VI, CD Root Locus VI, and CD Pole-Zero Map VI icons appear with a red banner. The data types of the plot indicators of these VIs have changed. You must navigate to the VI on the appropriate palette and place the VI on the block diagram again. You also must create new plot indicators using the updated VIs.
The CD Parametric Time Response VI has three new polymorphic instances. Use these External instances to calculate parametric information using a set of previously-calculated time response data. Additionally, you now can choose whether this VI uses a step, impulse, or initial responses to obtain the time response data. For state-space models, you also can choose whether you want the time response data for the model states or outputs. This VI also returns the Peak Value of the time response data.
The Rise Time Thresholds (%) control of the CD Parametric Time Response VI now has only two parameters, Lower and Upper, that define the rise time thresholds.
The Gain Type parameter of the CD Ackerman and CD Pole Placement VIs now has options for choosing whether you want the Controller gain, Current Observer gain, or Predictive Observer gain. Use the Current Observer gain and the Predictive Observer gain with the CD Current Observer VI and CD Predictive Observer VI, respectively. Use either gain type for the CD Continuous Observer function.
The CD Kalman Gain VI now has four polymorphic instances that compute the Kalman gain matrix L for continuous and discrete stochastic and deterministic models. You also can use this VI to discretize internally a continuous model before computing L.
The CD Linear Quadratic Regulator now has a Discretized LQR instance. Use this instance to discretize internally a continuous model before computing K.
The CD Controllability Matrix VI has a new output, Is Stabilizable?
The CD Observability Matrix VI has a new output, Is Detectable?
The default values of the Input (column) and Output (row) parameters of the CD Draw Transfer Function Equation VI and the CD Draw Zero-Pole-Gain Equation VI now are –1, which specifies that these VIs draw all inputs and outputs. A value of 0 now specifies these VIs draw the first input or output of the equation.
The CD Draw Transfer Function Equation VI and the CD Draw Zero-Pole-Gain Equation VI have the following new inputs: Format Coefficients, Origin, and Function Name.
In the Control Design Toolkit 2.0, the CD Draw Transfer Function Equation VI and the CD Draw Zero-Pole-Gain Equation VI render equations at an Origin of (20, 20) even though you cannot control this location. In the Control Design Toolkit 2.1, the default value for this parameter is (10, 10). To draw the equations in the same location as in version 2.0, wire a constant value of (20, 20) to the Origin input.
The CD All Margins VI and the CD Gain and Phase Margin VI have a new polymorphic instance, Frequency Response Data. Use this instance to determine the margins for a set of stand-alone frequency response data without wiring in a model.
The CD Bode, CD Nichols, CD Nyquist, and CD Singular Values VIs now accept either a specified range of frequency information or a vector of frequency values. The Frequency Info input to these VIs now is the Frequency Range input.
The CD Root Locus VI now has a Gain input. Use this input to adjust the feedback gain as you view the pole locations.
Miscellaneous
The Model Information VIs palette now is located under the Control Design VIs palette instead of the Model Construction VIs palette.
Known IssuesControl Design VIs
When using the CD Pole Placement VI, if the desired poles are sufficiently close to the open-loop poles, the gain does not place the poles in the desired locations.
The CD Parametric Time Response VI calculates rise time by performing a step response and measuring the time it takes to go from 10% to 90% (default values) of the final steady-state value. If a system has a step response where the initial overshoot is in a direction opposite to that of the final steady-state value, that portion of the step response does not affect the calculation of the rise time.
When calculating the Input-State DC Gain value of the CD DC Gain VI for a state-space model that has a pure integrator, the VI returns Inf.
Control Design Assistant
The User-Defined step does not work with LabVIEW 8.0.
Control Design MathScript Functions
The LabVIEW MathScript window might not display multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system label plots correctly for time and frequency responses. Also, you might not be able to add grids to a subplot.
You cannot make root locus plots part of subplots.
In the LabVIEW MathScript environment, transfer function polynomial coefficients always are in descending order. However, the Control Design VIs assume these coefficients are in ascending order.
Documentation
Some help topics for the Control Design VIs and Functions include links to topics related to the LabVIEW Simulation Module. These links will be broken if you have not installed the Simulation Module.
The Detailed Help link for the CD Construct Special TF Model VI links to the help for the CD Construct Special Model VI.
The user manual and help refer to the CD Root Locus with Gain VI. The correct name is the CD Root Locus VI.
The Context Help window of the CD State Feedback Controller VI does not contain a Detailed Help link.
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