About Interfacing Other Simulation Environments

MATLAB interface

You can export models from the Dymola Behavior Modeling app to formats suitable for Simulink and Simulink Coder. Using the Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) you can also export and import models from and to Simulink.

Export to Simulink

You can export models to the MATLAB format suitable for use with Simulink simulation tools.

The export to Simulink function allows models developed in the Dymola Behavior Modeling app to be simulated in MATLAB/Simulink.

You need a Systems Simulink Export license to use the export to Simulink function.

When you have exported the files from the Dymola Behavior Modeling app, the following is required to use them with Simulink:

A Simulink license
A MATLAB/Simulink release. See the Program Directories for supported versions. A 3DPassport is required to display that page.

Only Visual Studio C++ compilers are supported to generate the DymolaBlock S-function. The LCC compiler is not supported.

Export for Use with Simulink Coder

You can export models to a format suitable for use with Simulink Coder simulation tools.

The export to Simulink function allows models developed in the Dymola Behavior Modeling app to be used with Simulink Coder for Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulation. The supported targets are the dSPACE (the DS1005 and DS1006 platform, the MicroLabBox platform, and the SCALEXIO platform), and the xPC targets (Simulink Coder is a code generator for Simulink).

You need a Systems Simulink Export license and a Systems Real Time Execution Export license to use the export to Simulink function to produce files suitable for use with Simulink Coder.

When you have exported the files from the Dymola Behavior Modeling app, the following is required to use them with Simulink Coder:

A Simulink license
A MATLAB/Simulink release, and Simulink Coder
dSPACE or xPC Target

Note: For supported platforms and versions, see the Program Directories. A 3DPassport is required to display that page.

Handling Simulink Using FMUs

You can export FMUs from Simulink and then import them into the Dymola Behavior Modeling app. This allows you to simulate Simulink models in the Dymola Behavior Modeling app. You can also import and embed FMUs into your Simulink models.

See FMI Support in Simulink below.

Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI)

You can use the Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) to export and import models.

Exporting a Model to an FMU Format

You can export models to the FMU format suitable for use with a range of simulation tools.

The export to FMU function produces a single file in zip format containing an xml description of the model together with the required binary .dll files.

You need a Systems FMU Export license to use the export to FMU function.

Importing a Model in FMU Format

You can import models in FMU format to the Dymola Behavior Modeling app.

You do not need any specific license to import an FMU, but the FMU itself might have a demand for a license corresponding to the system used to create the FMU.

FMI Support in Simulink

You can export FMUs from Simulink and then import them into the Dymola Behavior Modeling app. This allows you to simulate Simulink models in the Dymola Behavior Modeling app. You can also import and embed FMUs into your Simulink models.

FMU Export from Simulink

You can export FMUs from Simulink and then import them into the Dymola Behavior Modeling app. This allows you to simulate Simulink models in the Dymola Behavior Modeling app.

You can export FMUs from Simulink using the package FMIKit_for_Simulink.

The package can be used for free without any associated license. Support and maintenance are offered to customers through the regular support channel.

FMU Import into Simulink

You can import and embed FMUs into your Simulink models using the package FMIKit_for_Simulink.

The package can be used for free without any associated license. Support and maintenance are offered to customers through the regular support channel.

DDE Communication

You can use DDE to establish a connection between a client and the Dymosim application.

Dymosim as DDE Server enhances Dymosim with a DDEDDE server, with real-time capability, enabling external applications to control and monitor the simulation as DDE clients.

You need a Systems FMU Export license to use the Dymosim as a Server.

Code and Model Export

You can build and export stand-alone executables from source code (C code) or binary models for use with a range of external simulation tools.

Important: Models exported to binary files are more restrictive than those exported to C code (they do not give complete model C code) and can only be used on Windows platforms.

Exporting a Model to C Code

You can export models to a C code format suitable for use with a range of external simulation tools.

The export to C code function creates stand-alone model C code. This code can be compiled on Windows and non-Windows platforms to support advanced, model-based, system-level development. The exported code can be used on any platform without the need for a license on the target system.

Typical uses of the exported codes include rapid prototyping of control systems, real-time test rigs and driver-in-the-loop vehicle simulators.

You need a Systems C Code Export license to use the export to C code function.

Exporting a Model to Binary

You can export models to a binary format suitable for use with a range of external simulation tools.

The export to binary function allows models to be exported to other Windows computers without requiring a license to run the model on the target system. No additional simulation run-time code is added to dsmodel.c.

The export to binary function allows a developer to create stand-alone binary applications for the following purposes:

To generate a dymosim.exe application that can be executed on other Windows computers without a license.
To generate a dymosim.dll with a co-simulation API. The DLL includes solvers of the Differential-Algebraic Equations (DAE) of the model and the API contains routines to run a simulation for a given time and to load/save simulation setups.
To interface the dsmodel.c code to custom integration routines and compile stand-alone applications by linking with binary libraries for the run-time routines.
To generate a stand-alone Simulink model and execute it on a different computer.

You need a Systems FMU Export or a Systems C Code Export license to generate an executable free of any licensing.

Notes on Runtime Concept

An executable dymosim.exe created by Dymola Behavior Modeling (without any Systems FMU Export or Systems C Code Export license) demands a Dymola Behavior Modeling license when running on any computer.

If a license for Dymola Behavior Modeling is available, any dymosim.exe created by Dymola Behavior Modeling can be executed on that computer, independently of what commercial options were used to create the original model.

Having only a Dymola stand-alone product installed on a computer is not sufficient to execute a dymosim.exe created by Dymola Behavior Modeling (without any Systems FMU Export or Systems C Code Export license).

If the dymosim.exe has been generated with a Systems FMU Export or Systems C Code Export license, it is free to use on any Windows computer (32 or 64 bits).

Python and JavaScript Interfaces

You can automate some tasks in Dymola Behavior Modeling using Python scripts or JavaScript methods. Python and JavaScript interfaces are provided to enable such automation.

The Python and JavaScript interfaces in Dymola Behavior Modeling are based on:

An interface server (using the http protocol) running in Dymola Behavior Modeling, which receives the function calls.
Python and JavaScript packages, to provide an API for each language in order to call Dymola Behavior Modeling functions.

Functions available through the Python and JavaScript interface are the functions available in the DymolaCommands library. A few additional methods are available to manage Python/JavaScript objects.

Python Interface

The Python interface is an application programming interface for executing commands in Dymola Behavior Modeling using a Python program. It contains a number of functions for performing operations such as simulating, setting variables, plotting, and exporting data.

There are two levels of Python APIs available. They are complementary, but each has some restrictions:

Dymola Interface: This API allows scripting a Dymola Behavior Modeling (or stand-alone Dymola) session. This API is globally compatible with Dymola, but with some limitations (not able to start a new Dymola Behavior Modeling session, does not support multi-processes). This API supports 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Python 2.7 and Python 3.5.
Virtual Execution Interface: This API allows computing FMUs efficiently, potentially in parallel, and to start Dymola Behavior Modeling sessions. However, this API only supports the 32-bit version of Python 2.7.

JavaScript Interface

The class DymolaInterface provides a JavaScript API for accessing the most useful built-in functions in Dymola Behavior Modeling. It contains a number of functions for performing operations such as simulating, setting variables, plotting, and exporting data.