Abs

R2026b

Output absolute value of input

• 

Abs block

To add a block to a model, double-click the canvas and start typing the block name. Then, select the block from the list.

Libraries:
Simulink / Math Operations
HDL Coder / HDL Floating Point Operations
HDL Coder / Math Operations

Description

The Abs block outputs the absolute value of the input.

For signed-integer data types, the absolute value of the most negative value is not representable by the data type. In this case, the Saturate on integer overflow check box controls the behavior of the block.

If you...	The block...	And...
Select this check box	Saturates to the most positive value of the integer data type	For 8-bit signed integers, -128 maps to 127. For 16-bit signed integers, -32768 maps to 32767. For 32-bit signed integers, -2147483648 maps to 2147483647.
Do not select this check box	Wraps to the most negative value of the integer data type	For 8-bit signed integers, -128 remains -128. For 16-bit signed integers, -32768 remains -32768. For 32-bit signed integers, -2147483648 remains -2147483648.

The Abs block supports zero-crossing detection. However, when you select Enable zero-crossing detection on the dialog box, the block does not report the simulation minimum or maximum in the Fixed-Point Tool. If you want to use the Fixed-Point Tool to analyze a model, disable zero-crossing detection for all Abs blocks in the model first.

Examples

Model Stick-Slip Friction and Hard Stops in Mass-Spring-Damper System

One way you can incorporate hard stops and friction changes from stick-slip motion into a mass-spring-damper model.

• Open Live Script

Accurate Zero-Crossing Detection

How zero-crossing detection works in Simulink®. Simulink uses zero-crossing detection to accurately simulate an abrupt model change or discontinuity without decreasing the solver time steps. For more information, see Zero-Crossing Detection.

• Open Model

Ports

Input

Port_1 — Input signal

scalar | vector

Input signal to the absolute value block.

Data Types: half | single | double | int8 | int16 | int32 | int64 | uint8 | uint16 | uint32 | uint64 | fixed point

Output

Port_1 — Absolute value output signal

scalar | vector

Absolute value of the input signal.

Data Types: half | single | double | int8 | int16 | int32 | int64 | uint8 | uint16 | uint32 | uint64 | fixed point

Parameters

Main

Enable zero-crossing detection — Option to enable zero-crossing detection

on (default) | off

Select to enable zero-crossing detection. For more information, see Zero-Crossing Detection.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: ZeroCross

Type: character vector | string

Values: 'off' | 'on'

Default: 'on'

Sample time (-1 for inherited) — Interval between samples

-1 (default) | scalar | vector

Specify the time interval between samples. To inherit the sample time, set this parameter to -1. For more information, see Specify Sample Time.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only if you set it to a value other than -1. To learn more, see Blocks for Which Sample Time Is Not Recommended.

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter:	SampleTime
Values:	"-1" (default) | scalar or vector in quotes

Signal Attributes

The Data Type Assistant helps you set data attributes. To use the Data Type Assistant, click . For more information, see Specify Data Types Using Data Type Assistant.

Output minimum — Minimum output value for range checking

[] (default) | scalar

Lower value of the output range that the software checks.

The software uses the minimum to perform:

• Parameter range checking (see Specify Minimum and Maximum Values for Block Parameters) for some blocks.

• Simulation range checking (see Specify Signal Ranges and Enable Simulation Range Checking).

• Automatic scaling of fixed-point data types.

• Optimization of the code that you generate from the model. This optimization can remove algorithmic code and affect the results of some simulation modes such as SIL or external mode. For more information, see Optimize using the specified minimum and maximum values (Embedded Coder).

Tips

Output minimum does not saturate or clip the actual output signal. Use the Saturation block instead.

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter:	OutMin
Values:	'[]' (default) | scalar in quotes

Output maximum — Maximum output value for range checking

[] (default) | scalar

Upper value of the output range that the software checks.

The software uses the maximum value to perform:

• Parameter range checking (see Specify Minimum and Maximum Values for Block Parameters) for some blocks.

• Simulation range checking (see Specify Signal Ranges and Enable Simulation Range Checking).

• Automatic scaling of fixed-point data types.

• Optimization of the code that you generate from the model. This optimization can remove algorithmic code and affect the results of some simulation modes such as SIL or external mode. For more information, see Optimize using the specified minimum and maximum values (Embedded Coder).

Tips

Output maximum does not saturate or clip the actual output signal. Use the Saturation block instead.

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter:	OutMax
Values:	'[]' (default) | scalar in quotes

Output data type — Specify the output data type

Inherit: Same as input (default) | Inherit: Inherit via internal rule | Inherit: Inherit via back propagation | double | single | half | int8 | int32 | uint32 | int64 | uint64 | fixdt(1,16,2^0,0) | <data type expression> | ...

Choose the data type for the output. The type can be inherited, specified directly, or expressed as a data type object such as Simulink.NumericType.

Dependencies

When input is a floating-point data type smaller than single precision, the Inherit: Inherit via internal rule output data type depends on the setting of the Inherit floating-point output type smaller than single precision configuration parameter. Data types are smaller than single precision when the number of bits needed to encode the data type is less than the 32 bits needed to encode the single-precision data type. For example, half and int16 are smaller than single precision.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: OutDataTypeStr

Type: character vector

Values: 'Inherit: Same as input' | 'Inherit: Inherit via internal rule'| 'Inherit: Inherit via back propagation' | 'double' | 'single' | 'half' | 'int8' | 'uint8' | int16 | 'uint16' | 'int32' | 'uint32' | 'int64' | 'uint64' | fixdt(1,16,0) | fixdt(1,16,2^0,0) | fixdt(1,16,2^0,0) | '<data type expression>'

Default: 'Inherit: Same as input'

Lock output data type setting against changes by the fixed-point tools — Option to prevent fixed-point tools from overriding Output data type

off (default) | on

Select this parameter to prevent the fixed-point tools from overriding the Output data type you specify on the block. For more information, see Use Lock Output Data Type Setting (Fixed-Point Designer).

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter:	LockScale
Values:	'off' (default) | 'on'

Integer rounding mode — Rounding mode for fixed-point operations

Floor (default) | Ceiling | Convergent | Nearest | Round | Simplest | Zero

Specify the rounding mode for fixed-point operations. For more information, see Rounding Modes (Fixed-Point Designer).

Block parameters always round to the nearest representable value. To control the rounding of a block parameter, enter an expression using a MATLAB^® rounding function into the mask field.

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter:	RndMeth
Values:	'Floor' (default) | 'Ceiling' | 'Convergent' | 'Nearest' | 'Round' | 'Simplest' | 'Zero'

Saturate on integer overflow — Choose the behavior when integer overflow occurs

off (default) | on

When you select this check box, saturation applies to every internal operation on the block, not just the output or result. In general, the code generation process can detect when overflow is not possible. In this case, the code generator does not produce saturation code.

Action	Reason for Taking This Action	What Happens	Example
Select this check box.	Your model has possible overflow and you want explicit saturation protection in the generated code.	Overflows saturate to the maximum value that the data type can represent.	The number 130 does not fit in a signed 8-bit integer and saturates to 127.
Do not select this check box.	You want to optimize efficiency of your generated code.	Overflows wrap to the appropriate value that is representable by the data type.	The number 130 does not fit in a signed 8-bit integer and wraps to -126.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: SaturateOnIntegerOverflow

Type: character vector

Value: 'off' | 'on'

Default: 'off'

Block Characteristics

Data Types	double | fixed point | half | integer | single
Direct Feedthrough	yes
Multidimensional Signals	yes
Variable-Size Signals	yes
Zero-Crossing Detection	yes

Programmatic Use: Add Block

To add the block programmatically, use the add_block function with one of these library block paths as the source.

"simulink/Math Operations/Abs"

"hdlsllib/HDL Floating Point Operations/Abs"

"hdlsllib/Math Operations/Abs"

Example: add_block("simulink/Math Operations/Abs","myModel/myBlock",MakeNameUnique="on")

For information about programmatic access to individual block parameters, see the Programmatic Use section of parameter descriptions on this page.

More About

Model Coverage

If you have a Simulink^® Coverage™ license, the Abs block receives decision coverage and relational boundary coverage. Decision coverage is based on:

• Whether the input to the block is less than zero

• Data type of the input signal

When the input to the block is less than zero, decision coverage measures:

• The number of time steps that the block input is less than zero, which indicates a true decision

• The number of time steps that the block input is not less than zero, which indicates a false decision

If you select the Saturate on integer overflow parameter on the Coverage pane of the Configuration Parameters dialog box, the Abs block receives saturate on integer overflow coverage. For more information, see Saturate on Integer Overflow Coverage (Simulink Coverage).

If the input data type to the Abs block is an unsigned integer, Simulink Coverage does not report decision coverage for the block. Simulink sets the block output equal to the block input without making a decision.

Because the Abs compares the input with zero, if you select the Relational Boundary coverage metric, the Abs block receives relational boundary coverage. For more information, see Relational Boundary Coverage (Simulink Coverage).

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

HDL Code Generation

Generate VHDL, Verilog and SystemVerilog code for FPGA and ASIC designs using HDL Coder™.

HDL Coder™ provides additional configuration options that affect HDL implementation and synthesized logic.

HDL Architecture

This block has one default HDL architecture.

HDL Block Properties

General
ConstrainedOutputPipeline	Number of registers to place at the outputs by moving existing delays in the design. Distributed pipelining does not redistribute these registers. The default value is 0. For more details, see ConstrainedOutputPipeline (HDL Coder).
InputPipeline	Number of input pipeline stages to insert in the generated code. Distributed pipelining and constrained output pipelining can move these registers. The default value is 0. For more details, see InputPipeline (HDL Coder).
OutputPipeline	Number of output pipeline stages to insert in the generated code. Distributed pipelining and constrained output pipelining can move these registers. The default value is 0. For more details, see OutputPipeline (HDL Coder).
SynthesisAttributes	Specifies the synthesis attributes for the blocks and block output signals in the model. The generated HDL code contains these attributes. For more information, see SynthesisAttributes (HDL Coder).

Native Floating Point
LatencyStrategy	Specify whether to map the blocks in your design to inherit, Max, Min, or Zero for the floating-point operator. The default is inherit. See also LatencyStrategy (HDL Coder).

Complex Data Support

This block supports code generation for complex signals with floating-point types in Native Floating Point mode.

Code generation for the block with complex signals that use fixed-point types is not supported. To calculate the magnitude of a complex number, use the Complex to Magnitude-Angle (DSP HDL Toolbox) block instead.

PLC Code Generation
Generate Structured Text code using Simulink® PLC Coder™.

Fixed-Point Conversion
Design and simulate fixed-point systems using Fixed-Point Designer™.

Version History

Introduced before R2006a

R2026a: Specify synthesis attributes for blocks and block output signals

Use the SynthesisAttributes HDL block property to specify the synthesis attributes for the block and its output signals. HDL Coder includes these attributes in the generated HDL code.