Tool Mentor: dSpace AbsInt Toolbox for TargetLink
AbsInt toolbox for TargetLink (TL) automates the process of measuring worst case execution time (WCET) from TL using absInt a3 tool.
Upon invocation from TargetLink menu bar, it automatically configures the absInt a3 tool in the desired mode and generates the files from TL that are necessary for the computation of WCET of runnables present in the TL system.
Relationships
Main Description

Abstraction level

Implementation

Use Case Tasks

Estimating WCET of individual runnables in software components

Covered aspect

Worst case execution time analysis of the software components designed in TargetLink tool

Algorithm

Firstly, it generates the C Code files and Data Dictionary (DD). On second step, it generates target specific binary file for WCET analysis using AbsInt aiT tool along with XTC configuration file to process the binary in a particular configuration. The resulting WCETs are imported back into TargetLink’s DD.

Inputs

AUTOSAR software component model and data dictionary in TargetLink

Particular constraints on inputs

TargetLink generates binary files for a limited set of targets that include, Metrowerks (56F83xx, HCS12, MPC55xx, MPC55xxVLE), Task (C16x), Cosmic (HCS12), GAIO (M32R), DIAB (MPC55xx), GNU (MPC55xx), …

Preparation of input

TargetLink GUI editor is used to design the software component model. The model is then used by TargetLink to generate the C code files describing the component behavior. The generated C files are then compiled by TargetLink for a particular target to generate binary files for WCET analysis with AbsInt aiT.

Required: Data Dictionary (DD) file -- defining the range of variable values, loop bounds, lookup tables, algorithms, etc. to analyze realistic WCET

Invocation of the algorithm

The algorithm is invoked using AbsIntmenu item in a TargetLink model. The AbsInt menu offers command to compile and build a binary to invoke aiT and to read the resultant WCETs

Outputs

From TargetLink perspective, AbsInt aiT provides WCET in XTC file, which is imported back into TargetLink’s DD. The WCET values are annotated to each runnable in DD. For importing the WCETs in SystemDesk, the TargetLink exports the software component description in AUTOSAR format including the WCET values.

Visualization of result

For detailed analysis the AbsInt aiT provides a graphical visualization of the analyzed WCETs. TargetLink and SystemDesk provides property dialog to inspect WCETs.