Dashboard Blocks (Lamps) do not update in External Mode

Hello everyone,

I am facing a persistent issue in MATLAB/Simulink R2022a when using Dashboard elements (specifically Lamp blocks) in External Mode targeting an ARM processor.

The Goal:

I want to visualize approximately 100 runtime boolean status/error signals generated on the target hardware live within the Simulink model canvas using Dashboard Lamps.

The Symptom:

As soon as the External Mode simulation is started via "Monitor & Tune", all Dashboard Lamps freeze completely. They retain the exact state they had prior to compiling and connecting to the model.

Curiously, if I place standard, classic "Display" blocks parallel to these lamps, they update perfectly fine and show the live data (0 or 1) from the ARM target. This proves that the physical communication layer is working and the data successfully arrives at the host PC's GUI thread.

According to the documentation: "Dashboard blocks are ignored for code generation." It appears that the modern, WebView-based engine of the Dashboard blocks fails to establish a data binding in External Mode, whereas the legacy Block Animation engine succeeds.

We have already tried a wide variety of troubleshooting steps without success:

1. Signal Logging & Global Settings: Signal logging (the blue antenna badge) is explicitly enabled on the respective lines. In the Configuration Parameters (Data Import/Export), "Signal logging" is globally activated.
2. Enforcing Code Sinks: To guarantee the signals physically exist in the generated C code, they are connected to classic blocks that are not ignored for code generation (e.g., Terminator blocks or standard Displays).
3. Model Hierarchy: We tested the Dashboard blocks both nested deeply within Subsystems (using local Active / Tripped namespaces) and pulled out onto the topmost level (Top-Level Canvas).
4. Signal Copy: Placed "Signal Conversion" blocks (configured as Signal copy) directly before the indicators.
5. Simulation Data Inspector (SDI): Parallel to this behavior, the SDI also fails to capture or stream data live during External Mode. However, no warnings regarding SDI streaming limitations are printed to the MATLAB Command Window during the build or runtime.

It seems that the background XCP/SDI-based streaming engine is completely failing or blocked (leaving both the SDI and the Dashboards blind), while the legacy animation data stream for old blocks is properly served. Since running get_param(..., 'DisplayString') from an external MATLAB App is also blocked during External Mode execution, we are restricted to a pure, Simulink-internal solution.

My questions to the community:

1. Is there a way in R2022a to force Dashboard blocks to bind to the working, classic animation data stream instead of the modern SDI/XCP streaming engine?
2. Are there hidden Embedded Coder or External Mode Transport Layer configuration parameters that explicitly disable/enable live streaming for WebViews?
3. Does anyone know a reliable workaround (e.g., using a custom S-Function or MATLAB System block acting purely on the host side) to inject these runtime values directly into the UI parameters during execution?

Thanks everybody for your advices and with best greetings,

Lars

Answer 1

[Aarthi]

if true % code end