PLC Model Advisor Checks

The PLC Model Advisor checks in Simulink^® PLC Coder™ verify and update your Simulink model or subsystem for compatibility with PLC code generation. The Model Advisor has checks for:

Model Configuration settings
Blocks and block settings
Industry standard guidelines

When you run a check, the Model Advisor displays the result as a pass or failure. You can fix warnings or failures by using the Model Advisor recommended settings.

Model configuration checks

To prepare your model for compatibility with PLC code generation, use the checks in this folder. This folder contains checks that verify whether:

The components in data store memory blocks resolve to Simulink.Signal objects.
The model uses Stateflow messages.
The model uses row-major algorithms.
The model mask parameters use the Inf value.
The model tunable parameters uses the Inf value.
The model has signal lines that resolve to Simulink.Signal objects.

Check Name	Description
Check Data Store Memory blocks	Check that the Data Store Memory block has the option to resolve the data store memory object to `Simulink.Signal` object enabled.
Check model for Stateflow messages	Check that the model does not use Stateflow^® messages.
Check if signal lines are configured properly	Check that the model does not have signal lines that resolve to `Simulink.Signal` objects.
Check if model uses row-major algorithms	Check that the model does not use row-major algorithms.
Check model mask parameters	Check that the model does not contain masked parameters that use the `Inf` value.
Check if model uses custom code	Check that the model does not use custom code.
Check model tunable parameters	Check that the model does not have tunable parameters that use the `Inf` values.

Checks for blocks and block settings

These checks verify whether blocks in your model are supported for PLC code generation and whether the supported blocks have PLC coder-compatible settings. You can verify whether:

The models use Event-Based blocks, Probe blocks, or Environment Controller blocks.
The model Stateflow chart has a Continuous chart update rate.
The model has Discrete Integrator blocks that have settings not supported for PLC code generation.
The model contains blocks that are not supported for PLC code generation.
The top-level subsystem has inputs and outputs when testbench generation is enabled.
The subsystem block parameter function packaging is not set to Nonreusable function.
The model does not contain Trigonometric Function blocks that have settings not supported for PLC code generation.

Check Name	Description
Check if model uses event based blocks	Check that the model does not use Event-Based blocks.
Check if model uses probe blocks	Check that the model does not use the Probe block.
Check if model uses environment controller blocks	Check that the model does not use the Environment Controller block.
Check Stateflow chart update	Check that the model does not have Stateflow charts containing update rates set to `Continuous`.
Check issues with integrator blocks	Check that the model does not have Discrete-Time Integrator blocks that have conditions not supported for PLC code generation.
Check if model uses unsupported blocks	Check that the model does not have blocks that are not supported for PLC code generation.
Check if model can generate testbench	Check that the model top-level subsystem has inputs and outputs when the generate testbench option is enabled.
Check function packaging configuration	Check that the subsystem block Function packaging parameter is not set to `Nonreusable function`.
Check trigonometric blocks	Check that the trigonometric functions in the model do not have settings that are not supported for PLC code generation.

Industry standard checks

These checks verify whether your Simulink model conforms to the coding best practices as described in the PLCOpen standard and other industry standards. Use the checks in this folder to verify whether:

Names in your model are not reserved keyword names.
Names in your model have consistent upper case or lower case utilization.
Subsystem names, top-level subsystem and port names, and signal and port names have the recommended number of characters in length.
Your model has comments that describe the role of the subsystem, functions, and so on.
Your model does not have nested comments.
Your model subsystem inputs and outputs do not exceed the user defined maximum input and output variables.
Your model variables use prefixes defined as part of the model PLC code generation configuration settings.

Check Name	Description
Define names to avoid	Check that model does not contain names that are reserved keywords.
Define use of case (capitals)	Check that model consistently uses capital letters.
Define maximum variable name length	Check that a model contains names that do not exceed a predefined length.
Comments must describe purpose of component	Check that a model component for code generation contains comments describing the purpose of the component.
Avoid nested comments	Check that a model component for code generation does not contain nested comments.
Define maximum number of input/output/in-out variables of a Program Organization Unit (POU)	Check that model's input variables, output variables, and in-out variables are within a predefined limit.
Define type prefixes for variables (if used)	Check that model's data types use a predefined prefix.