Simulink® PLC Coder™ Release

Notes
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Simulink® PLC Coder™ Release Notes
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 Contents

R2014a
Static code metrics report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Code generation for Siemens STEP 7 V5.5 IDE, B&R
Automation Studio 4 IDE, and Beckhoff TwinCAT 3
IDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Model block description in generated code for CoDeSys 2.3
IDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Simulink.Parameter description in generated code for
Codesys 2.3 IDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Change in Diagnostic Viewer launch behavior after code
generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

R2013b
Masked parameters for atomic subsystems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Reusable code for intrinsic functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Millisecond and microsecond units with absolute-time
temporal logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
PC WORX IDE support improvements including enhanced
support for global tunable parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Temporary variable minimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Relative tolerance for test bench data comparison . . . . . . . 5

R2013a
Code generation for OMRON Sysmac Studio IDE . . . . . . . 8
Code generation for multirate models in single-tasking
mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

iii
 R2012b
Workflow for behavioral simulation and code generation of
motion instructions for RSLogix 5000 IDE . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Code generation report with bidirectional traceability
between model and code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Propagation of block descriptions to generated
code comments and RSLogix 5000 AOI/routine
descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Code generation optimizations for efficient casts and signal
reuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Internal signals available as optional AOI outputs for
debugging in RSLogix 5000 IDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Rockwell Automation RSLogix 5000 IDE Version 19 . . . . . 12
Absolute Time Temporal Logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

R2012a
Code Generation for Rockwell Automation RSLogix 5000
Routines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Global Tunable Parameters for Generated Code from
Rockwell Automation RSLogix 5000 Add-On Instructions
and Routine Formats and Phoenix Contact PC WORX . . 14
Support for Absolute Time Temporal Logic for the Rockwell
Automation RSLogix 5000 IDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Integration of Externally Defined Symbols in Generated
Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Support for Configuring Tunable Parameters Using
Simulink.Parameter Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Author Creation Data, Descriptions, and Sample Times in
Generated Code Header Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Support for atan2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Convenience Dynamic Lookup Table Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
New Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

R2011b
Automatic IDE Import of Subsystem Code Without Test
Bench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

iv Contents
Subsystem Function Block Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
New Demo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

R2011a
Support for New PLC Target IDEs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Generated Code File Name Can Now Be Renamed . . . . . . 24
Generated Code File Header Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Support for Lookup Table Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Support for Fixed Point Data Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
CORDIC Trigonometric Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
64-Bit Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
New Demos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

R2010b
Support for Triggered Subsystems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Support for New PLC Target IDEs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Automatic Import of Generated Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
New Demo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

R2010a
New Product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

v
vi Contents
R2014a
Version: 1.7

New Features: Yes

Bug Fixes: Yes

1
R2014a

Static code metrics report

Simulink® PLC Coder™ reports key characteristics of the generated code,
such as number of variables and lines of code in each function block. For more
information, see “Generate a Static Code Metrics Report”.

Code generation for Siemens STEP 7 V5.5 IDE, B&R

Automation Studio 4 IDE, and Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 IDE
Simulink PLC Coder supports Siemens® STEP® 7 version 5.5, B&R
Automation Studio® 4, and Beckhoff® TwinCAT® 3.

Model block description in generated code for

CoDeSys 2.3 IDE
Simulink PLC Coder generates a model block description in the code for the
CoDeSys 2.3 IDE.

Simulink.Parameter description in generated code

for Codesys 2.3 IDE
Simulink PLC Coder generates a Simulink.Parameter description in the
code for the CoDeSys 2.3 IDE.

Change in Diagnostic Viewer launch behavior after

code generation
After PLC code generation, the Diagnostic Viewer window showing the PLC
Code Generation log no longer launches automatically. Instead, a "View
diagnostics" hyperlink appears at the bottom of the Simulink model window.
This link opens the Diagnostic Viewer and the PLC Code Generation log with
links to the generated code.

2
R2013b
Version: 1.6

New Features: Yes

Bug Fixes: Yes

3
R2013b

Masked parameters for atomic subsystems

Mask parameters for subsystems now map to function block inputs in the
generated code.

To see how mask parameters map to generated code, see Generated Code
Structure for Subsystem Mask Parameters.

Reusable code for intrinsic functions

For internal MATLAB® functions, such as atan2, Simulink PLC Coder
generates a single copy of the function in the generated code.

Millisecond and microsecond units with absolute-time

temporal logic
You can generate code for Stateflow® absolute-time temporal logic that uses
the millisecond (msec) and microsecond (usec) time units.

PC WORX IDE support improvements including

enhanced support for global tunable parameters
Simulink PLC Coder generates code for the PC WORX™ IDE with the
following improvements:

• Global tunable parameters that are structures and array data types
are initialized in a PLC_INIT_PARAMETERS function block. For more
information, see Global Tunable Parameter Initialization for PC WORX.
• floor and ceil rounding is supported.
• Array type names incorporate data type description and size.
For example, if you have a 51-element array of real data, the generated
code for the array data type is:

PLC_ARRAY_0_50_LREAL: ARRAY [0..50] OF LREAL;

4
 Temporary variable minimization

• Code generation header comments and block description comments are in

the body of the generated code, and are therefore visible when you import
the code into the IDE.

Temporary variable minimization

The coder minimizes the number of temporary variables. This optimization
improves code quality and memory usage.

Relative tolerance for test bench data comparison

When checking single and double data type values, the test bench now uses
a relative error tolerance. Integer data type comparisons in the test bench
still use an absolute tolerance.

To learn more about test bench data comparison, see How Test Bench
Verification Works.

5
R2013a
Version: 1.5

New Features: Yes

Bug Fixes: Yes

7
R2013a

Code generation for OMRON Sysmac Studio IDE

The Simulink PLC Coder software now supports OMRON® Sysmac® Studio
Version 1.04 or later.

Code generation for multirate models in

single-tasking mode
The Simulink PLC Coder software can now generate code for multirate
models in single-tasking mode. For more information, see Generated Code
Structure for Multirate Models and Multirate Model Restrictions.

To open an example that shows how to generate code from a multirate model,
at the command line, enter:

plcdemo_multirate

8
R2012b
Version: 1.4

New Features: Yes

Bug Fixes: Yes

9
R2012b

Workflow for behavioral simulation and code

generation of motion instructions for RSLogix 5000
IDE
The Simulink PLC Coder software now supports a workflow for the behavioral
simulation and code generation of motion instructions for the Rockwell
Automation® RSLogix™ 5000 IDE. For more information, see Simulation and
Code Generation of Motion Instructions.

Code generation report with bidirectional traceability

between model and code
Simulink PLC Coder now creates and displays a traceability report file. You
can also opt to display the report in a model Web view. See the following
Configuration Parameter options.

GUI option Command-Line Property Description

Generate PLC_GenerateReport Specify whether to create
traceability code generation report.
report
Generate PLC_GenerateWebview Include the model Web view
model Web in the code generation report
view to navigate between the
code and model within the
same window. You can share
your model and generated
code outside of the MATLAB
environment.

For more information, see Information in Code Generation Reports.

10
Propagation of block descriptions to generated code comments and RSLogix™ 5000 AOI/routine descriptions

Propagation of block descriptions to generated

code comments and RSLogix 5000 AOI/routine
descriptions
The Simulink PLC Coder software now propagates block comments to
generated code for all target IDEs. For more information, see Propagation
of Block Descriptions.

For Rockwell Automation RSLogix 5000 AOI/routine target IDEs, the coder
also generates the subsystem block description text as an AOI or routine
description L5X XML tag. The IDE can then import the tag as part of AOI
and routine definition in the generated code.

Code generation optimizations for efficient casts and

signal reuse
An Optimization pane has been added to the Configuration Parameters dialog
box PLC Coder node. This pane contains the following parameters:

GUI option Command-Line Property Description

Signal PLC_PLCEnableVarReuse Reuse signal memory.
storage reuse
Remove PLC_PLCEnableEfficientCast Enable code removal for
code from efficient casts.
floating-point
to integer
conversions
that wraps
out-of-range
values
Loop PLC_RollThreshold Specify the minimum
unrolling signal or parameter
threshold width for which a for loop
is generated.

For more information, see Model Architecture and Design.

11
R2012b

Internal signals available as optional AOI outputs

for debugging in RSLogix 5000 IDE
The Simulink PLC Coder software now generates code where test point
outputs to the top level subsystem are mapped to optional AOI outputs for
RSLogix 5000 IDE. In the generated code, the variable tags that correspond
to the test points have the property Required=false.

For more information, see Internal Signals for Debugging in RSLogix 5000
IDE.

Rockwell Automation RSLogix 5000 IDE Version 19

The Simulink PLC Coder software now supports Rockwell Automation
RSLogix 5000 IDE Version 19.

Absolute Time Temporal Logic

The Simulink PLC Coder product now enables absolute time temporal logic
for all supported IDEs. In previous releases, this capability was supported
only for the Rockwell Automation RSLogix IDE. For more information, see
Integrate Absolute Time Temporal Logic Code.

12
R2012a
Version: 1.3

New Features: Yes

Bug Fixes: Yes

13
R2012a

Code Generation for Rockwell Automation RSLogix

5000 Routines
The Simulink PLC Coder software now generates code for routines from the
Rockwell Automation RSLogix 5000 IDE.

• Load the code generated from routines without first restarting the Rockwell
Automation RSLogix 5000 PLC. You can now:
• Take advantage of RSLogix user defined types (UDTs) to preserve model
hierarchy in routine code and represent model.
• Observe that reusable subsystems become separate routine instances and
access instance data in program UDTs.

To accommodate this capability:

• In the Configuration Parameters dialog box PLC Code

Generation > Target IDE parameter, the Rockwell RSLogix 5000 17,
18: Routine option was added.
• In the Configuration Parameters dialog box PLC Code
Generation > Target IDE parameter, the Rockwell RSLogix 5000
17, 18 option was changed to Rockwell RSLogix 5000 17, 18: AOI.
This renamed option continues to generate code for Add-On instruction
constructs, as in previous releases.
• In the command-line PLC_TargetIDE parameter, the rslogix5000_routine
option was added.

For more information, see Target IDE.

Global Tunable Parameters for Generated Code

from Rockwell Automation RSLogix 5000 Add-On
Instructions and Routine Formats and Phoenix
Contact PC WORX
The Simulink PLC Coder software supports global tunable parameters for
generated code from Rockwell Automation RSLogix 5000 Add-On instructions
(AOIs) and routine formats and Phoenix Contact® PC WORX. For more

14
 Support for Absolute Time Temporal Logic for the Rockwell Automation® RSLogix™ 5000 IDE

information on how tunable parameters are mapped, see About Tunable

Parameters in the Simulink PLC Coder Environment in the Simulink PLC
Coder User’s Guide.

Support for Absolute Time Temporal Logic for the

Rockwell Automation RSLogix 5000 IDE
The Simulink PLC Coder software now supports absolute time temporal logic
in Stateflow charts for the Rockwell Automation RSLogix 5000 IDE. The
coder does not support absolute time temporal logic for other target IDEs.

Note If your model uses absolute time temporal logic, you cannot create test
bench code for that model.

Integration of Externally Defined Symbols in

Generated Code
You can now suppress symbol definitions in the generated code. This
suppression allows the generated code to refer to these symbols. You must
then provide these definitions when importing the code into the PLC IDE. For
more information, see Integrating Externally Defined Symbols.

Support for Configuring Tunable Parameters Using

Simulink.Parameter Objects
You can now configure tunable parameters using Simulink.Parameter
objects. In previous releases, you could only configure tunable parameters
using the Configuration Parameters dialog box. For more information, see
Working with Tunable Parameters in the Simulink PLC Coder Environment.

Author Creation Data, Descriptions, and Sample

Times in Generated Code Header Comments
The Simulink PLC Coder generated code header now includes:

15
R2012a

• Author names from model properties

• Creation dates from model properties
• Model descriptions from model properties
• Fundamental sample times for the model and the subsystem block for
which you generate code

Support for atan2

The Simulink PLC Coder software now supports the math function atan2.

Convenience Dynamic Lookup Table Block

As a convenience, the DynamicLookup block has been added to the
plclib/Simulink/Lookup Tables sublibrary. In previous releases, you
could achieve the dynamic lookup behavior using the Prelookup block
with the Interpolation Using Prelookup block. Going forward, use the
plclib/Simulink/Lookup Tables/DynamicLookup block.

New Examples
The following examples are new:

• Speed Cruise Control System Using Variable-Step Continuous

Solver — Illustrates code generation for the variable-step continuous
solver. In this example, the controller subsystem has a fixed sample time,
while the model has a variable-step continuous solver.
• Mapping Tunable Parameters Defined Using Simulink.Parameter
Objects to Structured Text — Illustrates the specification of tunable
parameters using Simulink.Parameter objects in the MATLAB base
workspace.
• Generating Structured Text for Stateflow Chart with Absolute
Time Temporal Logic — Illustrates code generation for Stateflow Chart
blocks with absolute time temporal logic. This example requires the
Rockwell Automation RSLogix AOI or routine format.

16
 New Examples

• Integrating User Defined Function Blocks, Data Types, and

Global Variables into Generated Structured Text — Illustrates how
to integrate user defined function blocks, data types, and global variables
and constants into generated Structured Text.

17
R2011b
Version: 1.2.1

New Features: Yes

Bug Fixes: Yes

19
R2011b

Automatic IDE Import of Subsystem Code Without

Test Bench
The Simulink PLC Coder software now generates and imports subsystem code
into target IDEs without the test bench. To use this feature:

1 In the Configuration Parameters dialog box, clear the Generate testbench

for subsystem check box.

2 In the Simulink editor, right-click the subsystem and select PLC Code
Generation > Generate and Import Code for Subsystem.

In previous releases, the coder generated and imported test bench code into
the target IDE regardless of the setting of the Generate testbench for
subsystem check box.

Subsystem Function Block Code

Compatibility Considerations: Yes

In generated code, the function block code of the top-level subsystem has
been simplified. The coder now generates the function block code depending
on whether or not the top-level subsystem has internal state. In previous
releases, the coder always generated the function block code with the
ssMethodType parameter for top-level subsystems.

Compatibility Considerations

This release simplifies the function block code of the top-level subsystem for
generated code.

• If the top-level subsystem in the Simulink model has internal state, the
generated function block for the block will have an extra first parameter
ssMethodType of integer type. This extra parameter is in addition to the
function block I/O parameters mapped from Simulink block I/O ports.
To use the function block:
1 Initialize the block by calling the function block with ssMethodType set
to integer constant SS_INITIALIZE.

20
 New Demo

2 If the IDE does not support symbolic constants, set ssMethodType to

integer value 0.
3 For each follow-up invocation, call the function block with ssMethodType
set to constant SS_STEP.
4 If the IDE does not support symbolic constants, set ssMethodType to
integer value 1.
These settings cause the function block to initialize or compute and return
output for each time step.
• If the top-level subsystem does not have internal state, the function block
code has only parameters mapped from Simulink block I/O ports. There is
no ssMethodType parameter. To use the function block in this case, call the
function block with I/O arguments.

For non-top-level subsystems, either with or without internal state, the

function block code has the ssMethodType parameter. The generated code
might have other ssMethodType constants to implement Simulink semantics.

New Demo
The following demo is new:

• Generating Structured Text for a Simple Simulink Subsystem without

Internal State — Illustrates changes for function block prototypes in
generated code.

21
R2011a
Version: 1.2

New Features: Yes

Bug Fixes: Yes

23
R2011a

Support for New PLC Target IDEs

The Simulink PLC Coder software now supports code generation and
automatic import of code for the Phoenix Contact PC WORX IDE.

See Supported IDE Platforms in the Simulink PLC Coder User’s Guide for
more information.

Generated Code File Name Can Now Be Renamed

You can now specify a custom name for the code file that you generate with
Simulink PLC Coder. Use the Function name options parameter in the
Subsystem block.

Generated Code File Header Change

The comment header in the code file that you generate with Simulink PLC
Coder now includes a sample time field for the model.

Support for Lookup Table Blocks

Simulink PLC Coder models can now generate code for lookup table blocks.

Support for Fixed Point Data Types

Simulink PLC Coder models can now generate code for fixed point data
types. For more information, see Fixed-Point Data Type Limitations in the
Simulink PLC Coder User’s Guide.

CORDIC Trigonometric Functions

The Simulink PLC Coder product now supports code generation for CORDIC
trigonometric functions. This support enables you to use trigonometric
functions for PLCs that do not support these functions in built-in libraries.

To generate code for CORDIC trigonometric functions:

24
 64-Bit Support

1 Add the Simulink Trigonometric Function block to the coder subsystem.

2 Configure the block to the desired trigonometric function.

3 From the Approximation method parameter, select CORDIC.

4 Generate code for the atomic subsystem.

64-Bit Support
The Simulink PLC Coder product supports 64-bit systems. You can still use
the Simulink PLC Coder product with 32-bit IDEs.

See the MathWorks® website at Supported IDEs for a list of supported IDEs
and platforms.

New Demos
The following demos are new:

• Airport Conveyer Belt Control System — Illustrates code generated for an

airport conveyer belt.
• Generating Structured Text for Simulink Model with Fixed-Point Data
Types — Illustrates generating fixed-point code in the Simulink PLC Coder
environment.

25
R2010b
Version: 1.1

New Features: Yes

Bug Fixes: No

27
R2010b

Support for Triggered Subsystems

You can now use the Simulink PLC Coder software to generate code from
Simulink triggered subsystems. Use the Triggered Subsystem block. See How
Triggered Subsystem Code Maps to Function Blocks in the Simulink PLC
Coder User’s Guide.

Support for New PLC Target IDEs

The Simulink PLC Coder software now supports:

• Siemens SIMATIC® STEP 7 IDE

• KW-Software MULTIPROG® 5.0 IDE

See Supported IDE Platforms in the Simulink PLC Coder User’s Guide for
more information.

Automatic Import of Generated Code

You can now automatically import Structured Text code, generated by the
Simulink PLC Coder software, to your PLC IDE. In previous releases, you
imported the generated code manually according to the instructions provided
by the PLC IDE manufacturer.

You can take advantage of this capability for the following PLC IDEs:

• CoDeSys IDE V2.3

• Rockwell Automation RSLogix 5000 IDE
• Siemens SIMATIC STEP 7 IDE
• KW-Software MULTIPROG 5.0 IDE

See Automatically Importing Structured Text Code in the Simulink PLC

Coder User’s Guide for more information.

28
 New Demo

New Demo
A new Simulink PLC Coder demo, Speed Cruise Control System Using
Simulink and Stateflow, illustrates code generated for a cruise control
controller subsystem using a triggered subsystem.

29
R2010a
Version: 1.0

New Features: Yes

Bug Fixes: No

31
R2010a

New Product
Simulink PLC Coder generates hardware-independent IEC 61131-3
Structured Text from Simulink models, Stateflow charts, and Embedded
MATLAB® functions. The Structured Text is generated in PLCopen and other
file formats supported by widely used integrated development environments
(IDEs). As a result, you can compile and deploy your application to numerous
programmable logic controller (PLC) and programmable automation
controller (PAC) devices.

Simulink PLC Coder generates test benches that help you verify the
Structured Text using PLC and PAC IDEs and simulation tools.

Key features:

• Automatic generation of IEC 61131-3 Structured Text

• Simulink support, including reusable subsystems, PID controller blocks,
and lookup tables
• Stateflow support, including graphical functions, truth tables, and state
machines
• Embedded MATLAB support, including if-else statements, loop constructs,
and math operations
• Support for multiple data types, including Boolean, integer, enumerated,
and floating-point, as well as vectors, matrices, buses, and tunable
parameters
• IDE support, including B&R Automation Studio, PLCopen, Rockwell
Automation RSLogix 5000, and Smart Software Solutions CoDeSys
• Test-bench creation

32