Mentor Graphics Nucleus RTOS with Qt application framework eases embedded UI development

WILSONVILLE, USA: Mentor Graphics Corp. announced a new version of the Mentor Embedded Nucleus real time operating system (RTOS) that includes the open source Qt application framework for easier development of embedded graphical user interface (GUI) applications.

The integration of the Qt application framework with the Nucleus RTOS enables embedded user interface (UI) developers to access the full benefits of the extensive Qt application framework open source development community. This includes cross-platform support, wide market penetration, and wide availability of Qt application framework skills and resources.

The Nucleus add-on for the Qt application framework improves the UI development workflow based on the tight integration of Mentor Embedded tools, such as memory footprint optimization, software performance analysis and debugging, and simplifying the Qt application framework configuration and build process.

This solution enables full UI host simulation at the desktop using QEMU for even the most advanced graphics. This capability allows UI developers to iterate and be productive in parallel with the other development team members, to bring up the target hardware.

"The Nucleus RTOS with the Qt application framework will help our mutual customers develop sophisticated UIs with greater ease and confidence based on the tight integration with the Mentor Embedded toolchain," said Miller Adair, GM, Sitara processors, Texas Instruments. "Embedded UIs are a key differentiator for our customers' end-products, and using the tightly integrated Nucleus development platform will decrease development time and help them create more advanced UIs."

The tight integration between the Mentor Embedded integrated development environment (IDE) and the Qt UI framework provides a robust platform to ease the development of embedded UI applications. This also makes the Qt memory footprint easier to configure and scale, allowing footprint optimization and reduced size.

Developers will also benefit by using the integrated Sourcery Analyzer trace tool with "in-the-box" Qt application framework-specific analysis agents, enabling rapid analysis of complex UI issues such as: UI smoothness, UI start-up, UI latency and UI resource loading.

These agents help users quickly investigate and resolve common Qt UI performance problems. The Sourcery Analyzer tool also provides Qt application framework performance analysis visualization that is time-correlated with trace events in the Nucleus RTOS, middleware, and device drivers.