Technical computing developer The MathWorks announced on Wednesday the release of major upgrades to two of its key software applications, algorithm development and data analysis and visualization tool Matlab and the simulation and embedded system development package Simulink. Matlab 7 offers new tools, an enhanced MATLAB Compiler and more, while Simulink 6 features the arrival of model-based design for complex projects. The new versions are free for MathWorks customers who have software maintenance agreements with the company.
Matlab 7 includes new programming and debugging tools as well as the ability to automatically analyze a program for code quality and publish code and output directly to Microsoft Word or HTML. In addition, Matlab graphics creation is now faster and easier with new point-and-click plotting tools, according to the company. The new version of The MathWorks’ flagship application also features built-in support for integer and single-precision floating-point math, which increases performance and saves storage space compared to using double-precision values in large data sets. Finally, the new Matlab Compiler supports the full Matlab language, including most Matlab toolboxes, which enables engineers to deploy their work as self-contained applications. Licensing for Matlab 7 is US$1,900 and system requirements call for Mac OS X v10.3.2, a G4 or G5 processor, 400MB hard drive space and 256MB RAM (512MB recommended).
Simulink 6 offers model-based design for complex projects that require large models and multiple design teams. Its new features include component-based modeling and unified data-dictionary management capabilities, which allow the building and sharing of multiple configurations and subsystems, as well as the ability to write algorithms with a subset of the Matlab language, automatically creating embeddable C code. The MathWorks notes that engineers can use Simulink 6 with Matlab 7 for design, implementation and verification of fixed-point hardware and software systems. Licensing for Simulink 6 is $2,800 and system requirements call for Matlab, Mac OS X v10.3.2, a G4 or G5 processor, 400MB hard drive space and 256MB RAM (512MB recommended).