Linux News Desk

FSMLabs released RTLinuxPro for Windows, an innovative Microsoft Windows-hosted cross-development product. RTLinuxPro for Windows allows any Windows workstation to be used to develop RTLinuxPro hard real-time applications. RTLinuxPro for Windows features a full graphical interface and build system based upon the industry-standard Eclipse IDE.

“We waited to release a Windows-hosted tool kit until we could offer the same high level of reliability offered by our Linux-hosted products,” commented FSMLabs CTO Cort Dougan. “RTLinuxPro for Windows features a solid graphical user interface, and unlike other Linux cross-development kits for Windows, provides developers with the same tools that are tested and deployed with our Linux-based development systems, leveraging years of quality assurance and support experience.”

Most prior attempts to support embedded Linux development on Microsoft Windows rely on a fragile stack of marginally compatible software tools ported from UNIX to Windows. In contrast, FSMLabs' innovative approach places its entire standard development environment on top of Windows. Developers simply install and launch RTLinuxPro for Windows as a standard Windows application and can immediately take advantage of the Eclipse-based IDE to develop projects and automatically cross-develop, load, execute and debug code on target devices. The enterprise strength environment insulates programmers from differences between different Windows versions.

RTLinuxPro for Windows also offers a pre-built and pre-configured network mountable Linux root file system that is transparently available to the target embedded device – and that can be moved to target device flash memory. For developers who prefer command line interfaces and scripting capabilities, RTLinuxPro for Windows also provides a familiar command line interface and text editor. “Our goal is to allow developers to be productive right away rather than spending time installing and configuring a development system,” added Dougan.

Using FSMLabs’ RTCore platform, developers can write hard real-time software to control motors, acquire data, and move network packets in real-time while also taking advantage of the enterprise software platform provided by Linux. Linux provides sophisticated networking and storage capabilities, comprehensive security functionality, excellent driver support, and a wealth of applications, while RTCore provides a POSIX API environment for hard real-time applications. RTCore’s patented virtualization technology allows Linux to be run alongside real-time code while being prevented from interfering with timing.

The RTLinuxPro for Windows is released as part of FSMLabs Embedded Enterprise initiative. The initiative exploits the productive synergy between state-of-the-art POSIX real-time in FSMLabs RTCore and the sophisticated capabilities and rich base of drivers, middleware and applications available on the Linux and BSD clients and other interoperable systems. The RTLinuxPro Cross Development system leverages the interoperability of Microsoft Windows, Eclipse, Java, Linux, and POSIX to improve programmer productivity.