SystemBuild to Simulink® Translator

Limitations

Unsupported Conversions

No translator can completely convert an optimally designed SystemBuild™ model into an optimally designed Simulink^® model. There are subtle differences in the way that the two models work that prevent faithful translation of all capabilities. However, this tool does the job of converting basic blocks and hierarchy from one tool to the other in a form that can be simulated. The following are limitations of SB2SL:

• Does not translate binary SystemBuild files.

• Only double data types are supported. Other data types are not supported.

• Write to Variable and Read from Variable blocks do not support the element- or bit-addressing option.

• The SystemBuild simulation parameter cdelay is not supported.

• The timing of triggered subsystems with the "as soon as finished" output posting requirement differs from the SystemBuild implementation:

  • SystemBuild updates the outputs at the beginning of the next minor numerical integration step.

  • In the Simulink environment, the outputs are available immediately.

• Simulink models obtained from SB2SL conversions of SuperBlocks containing any triggered SuperBlocks with both of the following attributes will not run:

  • The output posting is selected as "at timing requirement."

  • The triggered SuperBlock is nested within another triggered SuperBlock.

• BlockScripts with scalar parameters cannot generate embedded real-time (ERT) target code.

• BlockScripts cannot be used in referenced models.

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File Formats

SB2SL cannot read SystemBuild files stored in the binary file format.

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Blocks Not Converted to Simulink^® Models

SB2SL converts the following SystemBuild blocks into empty placeholder blocks in Simulink models. You may want to replace these with various Simulink blocks you have developed that are equivalent.

• State transition diagrams

• MathScript blocks

• UserCode blocks

• Interactive Animation blocks

• Any new blocks introduced since SystemBuild Version 6.0

These blocks are converted into blocks labeled Unconverted. To view a complete listing of the blocks not translated, select Build > Unconverted Blocks from the SB2SL GUI.

Suggestions for Handling Unconverted Blocks

You can implement all of the SystemBuild operations represented by the unconverted blocks on your Simulink diagram using the MATLAB^® software, Simulink, and, in some cases, other related products. Here are some suggestions for replacing the unconverted blocks with ones usable for simulation with the Simulink environment:

• You can replace MathScript blocks with MATLAB Fcn blocks. These blocks are used to run M-files. You must write your own M-files to execute the equivalent MathScript.

• You can replace UserCode blocks with S-Function blocks. These are blocks you can use to run C code or Fortran.

• You can use a variety of blocks in the Simulink Sinks library to replace Interactive Animation blocks, depending on the function of that block. For a greater variety of animated blocks, see the Gauges Blockset™ documentation.

• You can replace state transition diagrams with Stateflow^® charts. This requires you to purchase Stateflow in addition to MATLAB and Simulink software.

To replace an unconverted block in your Simulink model with the correct Simulink block:

1. Open an unconverted block in the Simulink model by double-clicking it.

   This opens a window listing the SystemBuild component that caused the unconverted block to be created.

2. Either:

   • Delete the unconverted block and copy an appropriate standard Simulink block into its place.

   • Use the Simulink function replace_block to replace the unconverted block in the Simulink model.

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Compatibility Between SystemBuild™ and Simulink® Software