Using TCP Ports

This provides the simplest way to interface to a system that is not on the same machine. Each of the external interface is mapped to a TCP port and can be read from or written to.

Walkthrough

  • For the purpose of demonstration in this walkthrough, we will use a simple function included in vsi_examples repository. Using git, clone the vsi_examples repository: https://github.com/systemviewinc/vsi-examples.git.
  • Create a new project and work through the wizard to the end. Select any part/board as it won’t matter since we’re only going to be using the software for the walkthrough.
  • Click menu->flow->Create Platform. Accept the prefilled default options and Press okay.
  • Click menu->flow->Create Context. Change the dropdown to Software and enter name as tcp_walkthrough. Press okay.
  • Open Context block properties by double clicking inside tcp_walkthrough and scroll down to Software Parameters->map exposed interfaces as. Make sure that TCP Ports is selected.
  • Press okay to close the properties dialog.
  • Select menu->Flow->Compile Platform.
  • Then create a system canvas by selecting flow->create system. Accept the prefilled defaults.
  • Open the newly created system canvas and select menu->Flow->Import Platform
  • Double click the tcp_walkthrough context to enter hierarchy.
  • Add a new VSI Software Wizard block by right clicking and selecting VSI Software Wizard.
  • Open newly added block properties by double-clicking it.
  • Click browse beside Source Directory and browse to select source code directory <vsi_examples>/example_1.
  • The C/C++ Function dropdown box should be populated with multiple entries. Open and select process_tcp1.
  • Enable Execution Trigger for Arg 1 in Arguments section.
  • Change the direction of Arg 2 in Arguments section to output. Press okay to close properties.
  • Right click each interface and select Mark External.
  • Select flow->Generate System.
  • Select flow->Build Software Contexts and then Select Build.
  • Wait for the build to successfully complete.
  • Browse to the directory <project_dir>/vsi_auto_gen/sw/system_1 in a terminal.
  • Run the system by using the following command ./build/tcp_walkthrough/bin/tcp_walkthrough
  • Use a tcp client to connect to the input interface marked external. For this walkthrough, we’ll use netcat as a TCP client. Enter the following command to run netcat localhost 1999.
  • Open another terminal and enter netcat localhost 2000. This will connect to the output where you will see the processed data being emitted.
  • Enter a blob of data < 256 Bytes and press enter.
  • You should see the processed data in the second terminal.