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Generate Structured Text Code for a Stateflow Chart That Uses Absolute-Time Temporal Logic

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Model, simulate, and generate code for a Stateflow® chart that uses absolute-time temporal logic. Absolute-time temporal logic tracks elapsed time since the state became active. Absolute-time temporal logic is used in industrial applications on programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to implement logic for processes that transition between process steps by using a combination of logic-and time-based transitions. After verifying that the model functions for your requirements, generate code for the Stateflow® chart by using Simulink® PLC Coder™.

Model Description

The model has a simple Stateflow® chart called Temporal. The chart transitions between four states that use absolute-time temporal logic. Verify that the transitions occur at the designed times by simulating the model and opening the Scope block. This image shows the absolute-time temporal logic based transitions inside the Temporal chart.

verify_temporal_transitions.png

Open the model:

load_system('plcdemo_sf_abs_time');
open_system('plcdemo_sf_abs_time/Temporal');

Generate Code

To generate structured text code, do one of the following:

  • Open the PLC Coder app. Click Settings > PLC Code Generation > Interface > Absolute-time temporal logic. Set Absolute-time temporal logic to either Target timer or Target-independent counter. For more information on which option to set, see Absolute-Time Temporal Logic.

  • Open the PLC Coder app. Select the Temporal chart and click Generate PLC Code.

  • Use the plcgeneratecode function:

warning('OFF', 'plccoder:plccheckreport:UnsupportedType');
plcgeneratecode('plcdemo_sf_abs_time/Temporal');
### Generating PLC code for 'plcdemo_sf_abs_time/Temporal'.
### Using model settings from 'plcdemo_sf_abs_time' for PLC code generation parameters.
### Begin code generation for IDE rslogix5000.
Creating PLC Code Generation Check Report file:///tmp/Bdoc24b_2725827_2662597/tpbfd9b19a/plccoder-ex40574535/plcsrc/plcdemo_sf_abs_time_report.html
PLC check for 'plcdemo_sf_abs_time' complete with 0 errors, 4 warnings, and 0 messages.
### Emit PLC code to file.
### Creating PLC code generation report plcdemo_sf_abs_time_codegen_rpt.html.
### PLC code generation successful for 'plcdemo_sf_abs_time/Temporal'.
### Generated files:
plcsrc/plcdemo_sf_abs_time.L5X

warning('ON', 'plccoder:plccheckreport:UnsupportedType');

Structure of Generated Code

The generated structured text code components depend on the setting of the Absolute-time temporal logic parameter. For more information, see Absolute-Time Temporal Logic.

To deploy the generated code to a target PLC hardware that is supported by the target IDE, set Absolute-time temporal logic to Target timer. When you set Absolute-time temporal logic to Target timer, the generated code has a function block that implements the target integrated development environment (IDE) specific timer semantics. This image shows the function block generated for the Codesys version 2.3 target IDE.

ide_based_timer.png

To verify your generated code by generating a testbench, set Absolute-time temporal logic to Target-independent counter. When you set Absolute-time temporal logic to Target-independent counter the generated code implements the timer by using a target IDE independent counter block.

See Also