In Nov. 2007 the Motor Industry Software Reliablility Association (MISRA) published the first version of the "Modelling style guidelines for the application of TargetLink in the contect of code generation". The guidelines address aspects of functional safety for embedded software generated with the TargetLink code generator from dSPACE.

The Model Examiner is the first guidelines checker which covers all statically checkable MISRA AC TL rules.

Download list of MISRA AC TargetLink checks in MXAM

No.	Rule	Guideline Title	Repair
1	1.1	Use of block priorities	yes
2	1.2	Comments in block properties
3	2.3	Restricting identifiers to 31 characters	yes
4	3.2	Definition of calibration constants in Simulink and ...
5	3.3	Use of calibration constraints
6	4.2	Permitted data types at the Stateflow chart interface	yes
7	4.4	Avoidance of saturation in integer arithmetic	yes
8	4.5	Avoidance of rounding operations
9	4.6	use of user-defined min and max values
10	5.1	Attributes of Look-up table outputs
11	5.2	Use of the Switch-case block	partial
12	5.3	Use of Data Store Memory block across TargetLink ...
13	5.4	Use of From and Goto blocks across TargetLink subsystems
14	5.5	Inports and Outports at the TargetLink subsystem interface
15	5.6	Use of the Multiport Switch block
16	5.7	Use of data types for the Multiport Switch block
17	5.8	Use of the Switch block
18	5.9	Use of the Fcn block for assigning Boolean variables
19	5.10	Use of Custom Code block	yes
20	6.1	Power-of-two scaling	yes
21	6.2	Zero Offsets	yes
22	6.3	Use of the Math block sqrt function for fixed-point code ...
23	6.4	Use of the FIR Filter block for fixed-point code generation
24	6.5	Use of the Trogonometric function for fixed-point code ...
25	6.6	Use of custom Lookuptable functions
26	6.7	Avoiding rescaling of input signals to Lookup tables
27	7.1	Generating generic code without pragmas	yes
28	7.2	Avoiding target-specific assembly code	yes
29	7.5	Avoiding local macros
30	7.6	Correct declaration of external variables
31	7.7	Use of include statements in Custom Code
32	7.9	Avoiding shift operations on signed data types

In Mai 2008 dSPACE published the latest version 2.1 of the "Modeling Guidelines for MATLAB/Simulink/Stateflow and TargetLink". The guidelines address best practices for TargetLink models. 

The Model Examiner focuses on the adoption of a safe language subset for code generation wth TargetLink.

Download list of dSPACE TargetLink checks in MXAM

No.	Rule	Guideline Title	Repair
1	2.1.1	Block Priorities	yes
2	2.1.5	Bus Capable Blocks
3	2.3.2	Limitations with Regard to the Dead Zone Block
4	2.4.2	Limitations with Regard to the Discrete-Time Integrator Block
5	2.5.2	Limitations with Regard to the Relational Operator and ...
6	2.6.2	Limitations with Regard to the Look-up Table (n-D) and ...
7	2.7.2	Limitations with Regard to Operand Numbers for the Product Block
8	2.7.3	Limitations with Regard to Parameters for the Product Block
9	2.7.4	Limitations with Regard to the Sum Block	yes
10	2.7.5	Restrictions with Regard to the Math Function Block	yes
11	2.10.2	Use of the Switch Case Block	yes
12	2.10.3	Duplicate Inports
13	2.11.2	Use of the Data Type Conversion Block
14	2.12.4	Restrictions with Regard to the Merge Block	yes
15	2.12.5	No Cascades of Merge Blocks prior to TargetLink 2.1.6
16	2.12.7	Use of the Multiport Switch Block
17	2.12.8	Restrictions with Regard to the Multiport Switch Block	yes
18	2.12.9	Limitations with regard to the Bus Creator Block	yes
19	2.16.1	Initialization of a Stateflow Chart	yes
20	2.16.2	Reserved Names in Stateflow
21	2.16.3	Permitted Dimensionality at the Stateflow Chart Interface
22	2.16.4	Usage of Constants
23	2.16.5	Permitted Data Types at the Stateflow Chart Interface	yes
24	2.16.6	Transition Actions
25	2.16.11	MATLAB Functionality
26	2.16.12	Alias Types
27	2.16.14	Arrays at Interfaces of Graphical Functions
28	2.16.16	Data on the Level of Stateflow Boxes
29	2.16.17	Embedded MATLAB Functionality
30	2.16.18	Complex Expressions for the Size Property
31	2.16.19	Simulink-Stateflow Inheritance
32	4.2	Reserved System Header File Names
33	5.2	Comments in Block Properties
34	7.2	Diagnostics Settings	yes
35	7.3	Advanced Settings	yes
36	8.3	Data Types for Signal Buses at the TargetLink-Simulink Interface
37	8.5	Avoidance of Saturation in Integer Arithmetic	yes
38	8.6	Avoidance of Rounding Operations
39	8.13	Use of Data Types for Multiport Switch Blocks

dSPACE constantly updates the known problems for TargetLink within their Known Problems Report.  The Known Problems Report lists known TargetLink limitations, possible workarounds and available bugfixes.

The Model Examiner focuses on TargetLink modelling patterns, which result in incorrect but compilable code.  

No.	Report ID	Title
1	PR20041110-13	State variables with local scope are not re-initialized
2	PR20050721-08	Handling of expr. w/ SF int. types can differ from SF semantics
3	PR20050809-07	Nonpersistent variable in multirate production code
4	PR20051017-01	Stateflow: overflow in relational operation
5	PR20060928-17	Components of DD struct variables may get incorrectly merged...
6	PR20061030-09	Wrong code for a relational operation in Stateflow
7	PR20070320-01	TL InPort or BusInport on root level may cause downsampling of data
8	PR20070704-01	Wrong code is generated for a Rate Limiter block if the product of ...
9	PR20070914-06	Wrong code for an Enabled, Triggered and Enabled or Action triggered ...
10	PR20080125-07	Wrong code generated for While Iterator block
11	PR20080214-11	Erroneous elimination of unscaled SF relational opperation
12	PR20080215-03	Interface variable of incremental subsystem may be eleminated in ...

The MathWorks Automotive Advisory Board (MAAB) published the latest version of the "CONTROLLER STYLE GUIDELINES FOR PRODUCTION INTENT USING MATLAB®, Simulink® and Stateflow® Version 2.0" in July 2007. The guideline address style guidelines and best practices for the use of Simulink and Stateflow in the context of automotive embedded software modeling and code generation. 

Download list of MAAB checks in MXAM

No.	ID	Guideline Title	Repair
1	jc_0201	Usable characters for Subsystem names	yes
2	jc_0211	Usable characters for Inport block and Outport block	yes
3	jc_0221	Usable characters for signal line name	yes
4	jc_0231	Usable characters for block names	yes
5	jc_0011	Optimization parameters for Boolean data types	yes
6	jc_0021	Model diagnostic settings
7	na_0004	Simulink model appearance	yes
8	db_0043	Simulink font and font size
9	db_0042	Port block in Simulink models	yes
10	jc_0081	Icon display for Port block	yes
11	db_0142	Position of block names
12	jc_0061	Display of block names	yes
13	jm_0013	Annotations	yes
14	db_0032	Simulink signal appearance
15	jc_0281	Naming of Trigger Port block and Enable Port block	yes
16	jm_0010	Port block names in Simulink models	partial
17	na_0008	Display of labels on signals	yes
18	db_0081	Unconnected Ports and Signals
19	jm_0001	Prohibited Simulink standard blocks inside controllers
20	hd_0001	Prohibited Simulink sinks
21	na_0011	Scope of Goto and From blocks	yes
22	jc_0141	Use of the switch block
23	jc_0121	Use of the Sum Block	yes
24	jc_0131	Use of Relational Operator block
25	jc_0111	Direction of Subsystem	yes
26	db_0123	The name of a Stateflow input/output is the same as the corresponding signal
27	db_0129	Stateflow transition appearance
28	db_0122	Stateflow/Simulink interface signals and parameters	yes