# Techniques for Generating Production Code Constructs from Modeling Design Patterns

By Bill Chou, MathWorks

A key step in Model-Based Design is the generation of C code and deployment of an algorithm onto a target processor in the production environment. There are many different ways to implement the same algorithm in a Simulink® model; the quality of the generated C code will depend on the way it was modeled in Simulink.

Figure 1 shows a simplified code generation workflow in Model-Based Design. "A" and "B" denote opportunities for optimizing code.

Figure 1. Code generation workflow in Model-Based Design.

Using a do-while loop as an example, this article focuses on optimizing the algorithm at stage A. We demonstrate how modeling design patterns can be used to generate efficient C code. You can further optimize your algorithms when compiling C source code into object code by using Target Function Libraries. For details, see the paper “Generating Target-Optimized Code Using Target Function Libraries.”

### Modeling Design Patterns and Their Benefits

A modeling design pattern is much like a software design pattern used in object-oriented literature. It is a template containing modeling elements that can be reused in commonly recurring design problems. Figure 2 shows an example of a modeling design pattern for do-while logic implemented in Stateflow®. This pattern can be used to generate the common do-while loop construct in the C code.

Figure 2. Stateflow do-while loop design pattern.

Design patterns bring several benefits. First, more optimized C source code can be generated, resulting in designs that utilize less RAM and ROM on the target hardware. Second, modeling patterns can be standardized across models created by various users and teams. This standardization can result in more efficient design reviews because everyone involved is working from familiar modeling patterns. Third, custom modeling patterns can be shared across teams, resulting in the reuse of efficient designs across the organization.

For the design pattern presented in this article, we measure code efficiency in terms of lines of code (LOC). As a rule of thumb, LOC is a good indication that the source code will produce more optimized object code, although other measures, such as RAM, ROM, stack, and execution time, will ultimately be needed to assess the efficiency of the algorithm running on the hardware.

### Comparing C Code Generated With and Without Design Patterns

Figure 3 shows the matrix multiplication of two 10x10 matrices u_1 and u_2 in Stateflow. This algorithm could have been implemented using the Matrix Multiplication block, the Embedded MATLAB Function block, or for-loops in Stateflow. We will use a Stateflow chart because this is the clearest way to show the design pattern graphically and to compare the size of the two generated code samples.

Figure 3. Modeling multiplication of two 10x10 matrices without using a modeling design pattern. Click on image to see enlarged view.

Our first example does not make proper use of a design pattern. The two outer loops use counters i and j to loop through rows of u_1 and columns of u_2. The innermost loop computes each element of the output matrix y_1 as the dot product of the row from u_1 and the column from u_2. The model uses nested loops very similar to the Stateflow do-while loop design pattern shown in Figure 2. The difference lies in the duplicate initializations of y_1[i][j] in the outer i and j loops.

This model generates 40 LOC (Figure 4). Note the checks for i and j with redundant initializations of y_1[i][j] on lines 32–37 and 41–47. These multiple initializations can be reduced to just one right before the do-while loop in lines 25–29.

Figure 4. Code generated from an improper design pattern. Click on image to see enlarged view.

Figure 5 shows an implementation of the same algorithm that makes proper use of a nested Stateflow do-while loop design pattern.

Figure 5. Modeling a multiplication of two 10x10 matrices using nested Stateflow do-while loop design patterns. Click on image to see enlarged view.

The generated C source code has only 23 LOC (Figure 6). The redundant initializations of y_1[i][j] and checks for i and j have been eliminated, resulting in more efficient C source code.

Figure 6. C source code generated with the proper use of nested Stateflow do-while loop design patterns. Click on image to see enlarged view.

The above example shows how modeling design patterns help optimize C source code for size. However, optimized C source code does not necessarily guarantee optimized object code. Other factors, such as the compiling and linking stages, will also affect the quality of the object code. For more information on this topic, refer to Compiling C Source Code Into Object Code.

### Selecting and Applying Model Design Patterns

You can access additional design patterns using the Stateflow Pattern Wizard or the guide “Modeling Patterns for C Constructs.”

The Stateflow Pattern Wizard, released in R2008b, provides several prespecified design patterns that generate C code constructs such as for-loops, while-loops, and do-while loops (figure 7). Other patterns, such as those from the “Modeling Patterns for C Constructs” guide, can be programmed into the tool.

Figure 7. A pre-configured for-while loop design pattern added to a Stateflow chart. Click on image to see enlarged view.

You can also incorporate your own modeling patterns (Figure 8) and distribute them to others.

Figure 8. Custom design pattern added to the Stateflow Design Pattern Wizard. Click on image to see enlarged view.

“Modeling Patterns for C Constructs” contains mappings from model design patterns to C code constructs for Simulink, Stateflow, and Embedded MATLAB™ functions, such as the do-while loop. The following C code construct mappings are included:

• Data types, operators, and expressions, such as data declarations, data type conversions, and type qualifiers

• Control flows, such as if-then-else, switch, and for-loops

• Functions and program structures, such as void-void functions and calling external functions

• Structures, such as nested structures and bit fields

### Getting the Most out of Design Patterns

To gain maximum benefit from design patterns, it is important to understand the various parameters that optimize object code at key steps in the workflow. It is also helpful to incorporate these optimizations into a set of best practices that can be applied to future designs. Documents such as “Modeling Patterns for C Constructs” and “MAAB Modeling Style Guidelines” provide a starting point for building a library of modeling patterns that others can use to generate more efficient C code. These patterns can be distributed through these documents or through tools such as the Stateflow Pattern Wizard.

Published 2009 - 91767v00