How to know the contexte (simulation, code generation ...) when running a mask init function?

I got trouble in a bloc with a mask I have created in a personal librairi.

In the mask,I change some block type according to the parameter (set by user in the mask dialog panel).

It alow to change a block input to constant (and resip.) in order to remove inputs when unused.

The code I used is given here:

ParamCheckbox = get_param(gcb,'Pid_En');
BlockName = 'Enable';
MyBlocType = get_param([gcb '/' BlockName],'BlockType');
pos = get_param([gcb '/' BlockName],'Position');
orient = get_param([gcb '/' BlockName],'Orientation');
if(strcmp(ParamCheckbox,'on'))
    if(strcmp(MyBlocType,'Constant'))
        delete_block([gcb '/' BlockName]);
        add_block('built-in/Inport',[gcb '/' BlockName],'Position',pos,'Orientation',orient);
        set_param([gcb '/' BlockName],'OutDataTypeStr','boolean');
    end
else
    if(strcmp(MyBlocType,'Inport'))
        delete_block([gcb '/' BlockName]);
        add_block('built-in/Constant',[gcb '/' BlockName],'Position',pos,'Orientation',orient);
        set_param([gcb '/' BlockName],'OutDataTypeStr','boolean');
        set_param([gcb '/' BlockName],'Value','true');
    end
end

The problem is that during code generation, the init function is called.

It reset the corresponding port: the input port is removed and set again according to the user selection in dialog panel.

But the line connected to the block are not well "reconnected" to the block and the code generation produce a code where the connection is not done.

And that is not what I expect.

A solution I see is to "read" the execution context in the init function (simulation, code generation ...) and avoid to execute the code during code generation.

Any other solution is of course welcome.

What is strange, is that I allready use the same pattern in other library bloc without trouble.

Answer 1

[Andrew Ouellette]

Hi @Yohann GOYER,

Generally, your mask initialization code should be written in a context-free manner. With the way you've writting your mask initialization function, the connections to the block will be severed every time that the mask initialization code runs. Instead, you should only perform the block replacement if necessary, i.e. the BlockType doesn't match the expected BlockType. You can see the following class for some inspiration on how you can do that:

mf = metafunction("slcontrollib.internal.maskutils.OptionalPortManager");
type(mf.FullPath);

classdef OptionalPortManager < handle
    %OPTIONALPORTMANAGER Manage optional block inports/outports and labels
    %   OPM = OPTIONALPORTMANAGER(Name,Value) creates a utility object for
    %   programmatically adding/removing optional block inports/outports
    %   and their custom port label display.
    %
    %   OPTIONALPORTMANAGER properties:
    %       BlockPath         - Path of the block being managed
    %       UseMaskDisplay    - Flag to use mask display
    %       MaskDisplayString - String for mask display
    %
    %   OPTIONALPORTMANAGER methods:
    %       changeToInport     - Change a block to an inport
    %       changeToGround     - Change a block to a ground
    %       changeToConstant   - Change a block to a constant
    %       changeToOutport    - Change a block to an outport
    %       changeToTerminator - Change a block to a terminator
    %
    %   Name-Value pair options:
    %       'BlockPath'             - Path of the block (default: gcb)
    %       'FirstOptionalInport'   - Number of first optional inport (default: 1)
    %       'FirstOptionalOutport'  - Number of first optional outport (default: 1)
    %       'PermanentMaskDisplay'  - Permanent mask display string (default: '')
    %
    %   Example:
    % 
    %       blockDisplay = "fprintf('My Block');"; 
    %       blockDisplay = sprintf('%s\n%s', blockDisplay, "port_label('input',1,'u');");
    %       blockDisplay = sprintf('%s\n%s', blockDisplay, "port_label('output',1,'y');");
    %
    %       portManager = OptionalPortManager('BlockPath',gcb,...
    %                                         'FirstOptionalInport',2,...
    %                                         'FirstOptionalOutport',2,...
    %                                         'PermanentMaskDisplay',blockDisplay);
    %
    %       if UseInportABC
    %           portManager.changeToInport('abc','PortDimensions','[1 1]','SampleTime','Ts');
    %       else
    %           portManager.changeToGround('abc');
    %       end
    %
    %       if UseOutportXYZ
    %           portManager.changeToOutport('xyz','Label','XYZ_{K}','TexMode','on');
    %       else
    %           portManager.changeToTerminator('xyz');
    %       end

    %   Copyright 2025 The MathWorks, Inc.

    %% Properties
    properties (SetAccess = private)
        BlockPath (1,1) string = ""
        MaskDisplayString (1,1) string = ""
    end

    properties (SetAccess=immutable)
        UseMaskDisplay (1,1) logical = true
    end

    properties (Access = private)
        Inport (1,1) double {mustBePositive,mustBeInteger} = 1
        Outport (1,1) double {mustBePositive,mustBeInteger} = 1
    end

    methods
        function obj = OptionalPortManager(arguments)
            %OPTIONALPORTMANAGER Construct an instance of this class
            %   OBJ = OPTIONALPORTMANAGER(ARGUMENTS) creates an OptionalPortManager
            %   object with the specified name-value pair arguments.
            %
            %   Name-Value pair arguments:
            %       'BlockPath'             - Path of the block (default: gcb)
            %       'FirstOptionalInport'   - Number of first optional inport (default: 1)
            %       'FirstOptionalOutport'  - Number of first optional outport (default: 1)
            %       'PermanentMaskDisplay'  - Permanent mask display string (default: '')
            %
            %   See also OPTIONALPORTMANAGER            
            arguments
                arguments.BlockPath (1,1) string = gcb()
                arguments.FirstOptionalInport (1,1) double {mustBePositive,mustBeInteger} = 1
                arguments.FirstOptionalOutport (1,1) double {mustBePositive,mustBeInteger} = 1
                arguments.PermanentMaskDisplay (1,1) string = ""
            end
            obj.BlockPath = arguments.BlockPath;
            obj.Inport = arguments.FirstOptionalInport;
            obj.Outport = arguments.FirstOptionalOutport;
            obj.MaskDisplayString = arguments.PermanentMaskDisplay;
            obj.UseMaskDisplay = strlength(obj.MaskDisplayString)~=0;
            % always reset mask display first to avoid warning
            if obj.UseMaskDisplay
                maskobj = get_param(obj.BlockPath,'MaskObject');
                maskobj.Display = "";
            end
        end
    end

    %% Public methods
    methods
        function h = changeToInport(obj, name, arguments)
            %CHANGETOINPORT Change a block to an inport
            %   H = CHANGETOINPORT(OBJ, NAME, ARGUMENTS) changes the specified
            %   block to an inport and returns its handle.
            %
            %   Name-Value pair arguments:
            %       'PortDimensions' - Dimensions of the port (default: '-1')
            %       'OutDataTypeStr' - Output data type (default: 'Inherit: auto')
            %       'SignalType'     - Signal type (default: 'auto')
            %       'SampleTime'     - Sample time (default: '-1')
            %       'Label'          - Port label (default: '')
            %       'TexMode'        - TeX mode for label (default: 'off')
            %
            %   See also OPTIONALPORTMANAGER
            arguments
                obj (1,1) slcontrollib.internal.maskutils.OptionalPortManager
                name (1,1) string
                arguments.PortDimensions (1,1) string = '-1'
                arguments.OutDataTypeStr (1,1) string = 'Inherit: auto'
                arguments.SignalType (1,1) string = 'auto'
                arguments.SampleTime (1,1) string = '-1'
                arguments.Label (1,1) string = name
                arguments.TexMode (1,1) string {mustBeMember(arguments.TexMode,["on";"off"])} = 'off'
            end
            %% append mask display
            obj.MaskDisplayString = sprintf('%s\n%s',obj.MaskDisplayString,...
                "port_label('input',"+obj.Inport+",'"+arguments.Label+...
                "','texmode','"+arguments.TexMode+"');");                            
            %% replace ground/constant block with inport block when needed
            block = obj.BlockPath+"/"+name;
            if ~strcmp(get_param(block,"BlockType"),'Inport')
                slInternal('replace_block',block,'built-in/Inport');
            end
            arguments.Port = num2str(obj.Inport);
            arguments = rmfield(arguments,["Label";"TexMode"]);
            obj.safeSetParam(block,arguments);
            %% increase optional port number, return block handle and update mask display
            obj.Inport = obj.Inport + 1;
            h = get_param(block,'Handle');
            updateMaskDisplay(obj);
        end

        function h = changeToGround(obj, name)
            %CHANGETOGROUND Change a block to a ground
            %   H = CHANGETOGROUND(OBJ, NAME) changes the specified block to a
            %   ground block and returns its handle.
            %
            %   See also OPTIONALPORTMANAGER            
            arguments
                obj (1,1) slcontrollib.internal.maskutils.OptionalPortManager
                name (1,1) string
            end
            %% replace inport block with ground block only when needed
            block = obj.BlockPath+"/"+name;
            if ~strcmp(get_param(block,"BlockType"),'Ground')
                slInternal('replace_block',block,'built-in/Ground');
            end
            %% return block handle and update mask display
            h = get_param(block,'Handle');
            updateMaskDisplay(obj);
        end

        function h = changeToConstant(obj, name, arguments)
            %CHANGETOCONSTANT Change a block to a constant
            %   H = CHANGETOCONSTANT(OBJ, NAME, ARGUMENTS) changes the specified
            %   block to a constant block and returns its handle.
            %
            %   Name-Value pair arguments:
            %       'Value'          - Constant value (default: '1')
            %       'SampleTime'     - Sample time (default: 'inf')
            %       'VectorParams1D' - 1-D vector parameters (default: 'on')
            %       'OutDataTypeStr' - Output data type (default: "Inherit: Inherit from 'Constant value'")
            %
            %   See also OPTIONALPORTMANAGER
            arguments
                obj (1,1) slcontrollib.internal.maskutils.OptionalPortManager
                name (1,1) string
                arguments.Value (1,1) string = '1'
                arguments.SampleTime (1,1) string = 'inf'
                arguments.VectorParams1D (1,1) string = 'on'
                arguments.OutDataTypeStr (1,1) string = "Inherit: Inherit from 'Constant value'"
            end
            %% replace inport block with constant block only when needed
            block = obj.BlockPath+"/"+name;
            if ~strcmp(get_param(block,"BlockType"),'Constant')
                slInternal('replace_block',block,'built-in/Constant');
            end
            obj.safeSetParam(block,arguments);
            %% return block handle and update mask display
            h = get_param(block,'Handle');
            updateMaskDisplay(obj);
        end

        function h = changeToOutport(obj, name, arguments)
            %CHANGETOOUTPORT Change a block to an outport
            %   H = CHANGETOOUTPORT(OBJ, NAME, ARGUMENTS) changes the specified
            %   block to an outport and returns its handle.
            %
            %   Name-Value pair arguments:
            %       'PortDimensions' - Dimensions of the port (default: '-1')
            %       'OutDataTypeStr' - Output data type (default: 'Inherit: auto')
            %       'SignalType'     - Signal type (default: 'auto')
            %       'SampleTime'     - Sample time (default: '-1')
            %       'Label'          - Port label (default: '')
            %       'TexMode'        - TeX mode for label (default: 'off')
            %
            %   See also OPTIONALPORTMANAGER
            arguments
                obj (1,1) slcontrollib.internal.maskutils.OptionalPortManager
                name (1,1) string
                arguments.PortDimensions (1,1) string = '-1'
                arguments.OutDataTypeStr (1,1) string = 'Inherit: auto'
                arguments.SignalType (1,1) string = 'auto'
                arguments.SampleTime (1,1) string = '-1'
                arguments.Label (1,1) string = name
                arguments.TexMode (1,1) string {mustBeMember(arguments.TexMode,["on";"off"])} = 'off'
            end
            %% append mask display
            obj.MaskDisplayString = sprintf('%s\n%s',obj.MaskDisplayString,...
                "port_label('output',"+obj.Outport+",'"+arguments.Label+...
                "','texmode','"+arguments.TexMode+"');");                            
            %% replace terminator block with inport block only when needed
            block = obj.BlockPath+"/"+name;
            if ~strcmp(get_param(block,"BlockType"),'Outport')
                slInternal('replace_block',block,'built-in/Outport');
            end
            arguments.Port = num2str(obj.Outport);
            arguments = rmfield(arguments,["Label";"TexMode"]);
            obj.safeSetParam(block,arguments);
            %% increase optional port number, return block handle and update mask display
            obj.Outport = obj.Outport + 1;
            h = get_param(block,'Handle');
            updateMaskDisplay(obj);
        end
    
        function h = changeToTerminator(obj, name)
            %CHANGETOTERMINATOR Change a block to a terminator
            %   H = CHANGETOTERMINATOR(OBJ, NAME) changes the specified block to a
            %   terminator block and returns its handle.
            %
            %   See also OPTIONALPORTMANAGER
            arguments
                obj (1,1) slcontrollib.internal.maskutils.OptionalPortManager
                name (1,1) string
            end
            %% replace outport block with terminator block only when needed            
            block = obj.BlockPath+"/"+name;
            if ~strcmp(get_param(block,"BlockType"),'Terminator')
                slInternal('replace_block',block,'built-in/Terminator');
            end
            %% return block handle and update mask display
            h = get_param(block,'Handle');
            updateMaskDisplay(obj);
        end

    end

    %% Private methods
    methods (Access = private)
        function updateMaskDisplay(obj)
            %% set mask display with custom mask icon and port labels
            maskObj = get_param(obj.BlockPath,'MaskObject');
            if obj.UseMaskDisplay
                maskObj.Display = sprintf('%s',obj.MaskDisplayString);
            else
                maskObj.Display = "";
            end
        end
    end

    %% Static private methods
    methods (Access=private,Static)
        function safeSetParam(block,paramStruct)
            %% set parameters without erroring
            paramStruct = namedargs2cell(paramStruct);
            try %#ok<TRYNC>
                set_param(block,paramStruct{:});
            end
        end
    end
end