Simulink: 'getDegaultValue' method for custom enumeration does not work

Dear helper, here is the outline:

I am simulating ship's operating profile in simulink, where "operating mode" controls the flow of the calculations.

Since there is a finite number of operating modes, I created a custom enumerations as follows (shortened on purpose)

classdef shipModes < Simulink.IntEnumType
      enumeration
       unknown(0)
       seaScantling(1)
       seaDesign(2)
       seaBallast(3)
       seaAnchor(4)
       manPort(5)
...
    end

    methods (Static)
        function mode = getDefaultValue()
      % GETDEFAULTVALUE Specifies the default enumeration member.
      % Return a valid member of this enumeration class to specify the default.
      % If you do not define this method, Simulink uses the first member.
          mode = shipModes.seaDesign;
        end  
    end
end

When I call this command from Matlab (2021a), works as expected:

When the same command is used in Simulink's Matlab function block I get following error:

'getDefaultValue' is not a valid enumeration name of 'shipModes'. Function 'Power Demand Configurator' (#946.372.381), line 12, column 5: "shipModes" Launch diagnostic report.

Component: MATLAB Function | Category: Coder error

Errors occurred during parsing of MATLAB function 'demandConfigurator/Power Demand Configurator'

Simulink does not complain to usage of for example "shipModes(3)", only to use of methods.

Could that be a Simulink's limitation or I should use another approach?

Answer 1

[Benjamin Thompson]

Simulink cannot use MATLAB enumerated class types. Instead you need to define the enumeration in a data dictionary as a Simulink Enumerated Type.

[Bogdan Molchanov]

thank you for the reply! I searched far and wide about enumerations but did not find until now that they can be stored ina dictionary. Migrating to data dictionary does not look like a straightforward approach at a first glance and might defy the purpose of the task