systemcomposer.arch.VariantComponent

Variant component in System Composer model

Description

A VariantComponent object represents a variant component that allows you to create multiple design alternatives for a component in a System Composer™ model. This class inherits from systemcomposer.arch.BaseComponent. This class is derived from systemcomposer.arch.Element.

Creation

Create a variant component using the addVariantComponent function.

varComp = addVariantComponent(archObj,'compName');

Properties

Name — Name of variant component

character vector

Name of variant component, specified as a character vector.

Data Types: char

Position — Position of component on canvas

vector of coordinates in pixels

Position of component on canvas, specified as a vector of coordinates in pixels: [left top right bottom].

Parent — Architecture that owns variant component

architecture object

Architecture that owns variant component, specified as a systemcomposer.arch.Architecture object.

Architecture — Architecture of active variant choice

architecture object

Architecture of the active variant choice, specified as a systemcomposer.arch.Architecture object.

OwnedArchitecture — Architecture owned by variant component

architecture object

Architecture owned by variant component, specified as a systemcomposer.arch.Architecture object.

Ports — Input and output ports

component port objects

Input and output ports of variant component, specified as systemcomposer.arch.ComponentPort objects.

OwnedPorts — Array of component ports

array of component port objects

Array of component ports, specified as an array of systemcomposer.arch.ComponentPort objects.

Parameters — Parameters of component

array of parameter objects

Parameters of component, specified as an array of systemcomposer.arch.Parameter objects.

Model — Parent model

model object

Parent System Composer model of component, specified as a systemcomposer.arch.Model object.

SimulinkHandle — Simulink handle

numeric value

Simulink^® handle, specified as a double.

This property is necessary for several Simulink related workflows and for using Requirements Toolbox™ programmatic interfaces.

Example: handle = get(object,'SimulinkHandle')

Data Types: double

SimulinkModelHandle — Simulink handle to parent model

numeric value

Simulink handle to parent System Composer model, specified as a double.

This property is necessary for several Simulink related workflows and for using Requirements Toolbox programmatic interfaces.

Example: handle = get(object,'SimulinkModelHandle')

Data Types: double

ExternalUID — Unique external identifier

character vector

Unique external identifier, specified as a character vector. The external ID is preserved over the lifespan of the element and through all operations that preserve the UUID.

Data Types: char

UUID — Universal unique identifier

character vector

Universal unique identifier, specified as a character vector.

Example: '91d5de2c-b14c-4c76-a5d6-5dd0037c52df'

Data Types: char

Object Functions

addChoice	Add variant choices to variant component
setCondition	Set condition on variant choice
setActiveChoice	Set active choice on variant component
getChoices	Get available choices in variant component
getActiveChoice	Get active choice on variant component
getCondition	Return variant control on choice within variant component
makeVariantAssembly	Convert variant component to variant assembly component
updatePortsFromChoices	Update ports in Variant Component block to match its variant choices
isProtected	Find if component reference model is protected
isReference	Find if component is referenced to another model
connect	Create architecture model connections
getPort	Get port from component
applyStereotype	Apply stereotype to architecture model element
getStereotypes	Get stereotypes applied on element of architecture model
removeStereotype	Remove stereotype from model element
getPropertyValue	Get value of architecture property
getEvaluatedPropertyValue	Get evaluated value of property from element
getStereotypeProperties	Get stereotype property names on element
getProperty	Get property value corresponding to stereotype applied to element
setProperty	Set property value corresponding to stereotype applied to element
hasStereotype	Find if element has stereotype applied
hasProperty	Find if element has property
getParameter	Get parameter from architecture or component
getEvaluatedParameterValue	Get evaluated value of parameter from element
getParameterNames	Get parameter names on element
getParameterValue	Get value of parameter
setParameterValue	Set value of parameter
setUnit	Set units on parameter value
resetParameterToDefault	Reset parameter on component to default value
getQualifiedName	Get model element qualified name
lookup	Search for architectural element
destroy	Remove model element

Examples

Build Architecture Models Programmatically

Build an architecture model programmatically using System Composer™.

To build a model, add a data dictionary with data interfaces, data elements, a value type, and a physical interface, then add components, ports, and connections. Create a profile with stereotypes and properties and then apply those stereotypes to model elements. Assign an owned interface to a port. After the model is built, you can create custom views to focus on specific considerations. You can also query the model to collect different model elements according to criteria you specify.

Add Components, Ports, Connections, and Interfaces

Create a model and extract its architecture.

model = systemcomposer.createModel("mobileRobotAPI");
arch = model.Architecture;

Create an interface data dictionary and add a data interface. Add a data element to the data interface. Add a value type to the interface data dictionary. Assign the type of the data element to the value type. Add a physical interface and physical element with a physical domain type. Link the data dictionary to the model.

dictionary = systemcomposer.createDictionary("SensorInterfaces.sldd");
interface = dictionary.addInterface("GPSInterface");
element = interface.addElement("SignalStrength");
valueType = dictionary.addValueType("SignalStrengthType",Units="dB", ...
    Description="GPS Signal Strength");
element.setType(valueType);
physicalInterface = dictionary.addPhysicalInterface("PhysicalInterface");
physicalElement = addElement(physicalInterface,"ElectricalElement", ...
    Type="electrical.electrical");
linkDictionary(model,"SensorInterfaces.sldd");

Save the changes to the interface data dictionary.

dictionary.save

Save the model.

model.save

Open the model.

systemcomposer.openModel("mobileRobotAPI");

View the interfaces in the Interface Editor.

Add components, ports, and connections. Set the physical interface to the physical ports, which you connect later.

componentSensor = addComponent(arch,"Sensor");
sensorPorts = addPort(componentSensor.Architecture,{'MotionData','SensorPower'}, ...
    {'in','physical'});
sensorPorts(2).setInterface(physicalInterface)

componentPlanning = addComponent(arch,"Planning");
planningPorts = addPort(componentPlanning.Architecture, ...
    {'Command','SensorPower1','MotionCommand'}, ...
    {'in','physical','out'});
planningPorts(2).setInterface(physicalInterface)

componentMotion = addComponent(arch,"Motion");
motionPorts = addPort(componentMotion.Architecture,{'MotionCommand','MotionData'}, ...
    {'in','out'});

Create an owned interface on the MotionData port. Add an owned data element under the owned data interface. Assign the data element Rotation to a value type with units set to degrees.

ownedInterface = motionPorts(2).createInterface("DataInterface");
ownedElement = ownedInterface.addElement("Rotation");
subInterface = ownedElement.createOwnedType(Units="degrees");

View the interfaces in the Interface Editor. Select the MotionData port on the Motion component. In the Interface Editor, switch from Dictionary View to Port Interface View.

Connect components with an interface rule and the default name rule. The interface rule connects ports on components that share the same interface. By default, the name rule connects ports on components that share the same name.

c_sensorData = connect(arch,componentSensor,componentPlanning,Rule="interface");
c_motionData = connect(arch,componentMotion,componentSensor);
c_motionCommand = connect(arch,componentPlanning,componentMotion);

Add and Connect Architecture Port

Add an architecture port on the architecture.

archPort = addPort(arch,"Command","in");

The connect command requires a component port as an argument. Obtain the component port, then connect.

compPort = getPort(componentPlanning,"Command");
c_Command = connect(archPort,compPort);

Save the model.

model.save

Arrange the layout by pressıng Ctrl+Shift+A or using this command.

Simulink.BlockDiagram.arrangeSystem("mobileRobotAPI"); 

Create and Apply Profile with Stereotypes

Profiles are XML files that you can apply to any model. You can add stereotypes with properties to profiles and then populate the properties with specific values in the Profile Editor. Along with the built-in analysis capabilities of System Composer, stereotypes help you optimize your system for performance, cost, and reliability.

Create Profile and Add Stereotypes

Create a profile.

profile = systemcomposer.createProfile("GeneralProfile");

Create a stereotype that applies to all element types.

elemSType = addStereotype(profile,"projectElement");

Create stereotypes for different types of components. You select these types according to your design needs.

pCompSType = addStereotype(profile,"physicalComponent",AppliesTo="Component");
sCompSType = addStereotype(profile,"softwareComponent",AppliesTo="Component");

Create a stereotype for connections.

sConnSType = addStereotype(profile,"standardConn",AppliesTo="Connector");

Add Properties

Add properties to the stereotypes. You can use properties to capture metadata for model elements and analyze nonfunctional requirements. These properties are added to all elements to which the stereotype is applied, in any model that imports the profile.

addProperty(elemSType,'ID',Type="uint8");
addProperty(elemSType,'Description',Type="string");
addProperty(pCompSType,'Cost',Type="double",Units="USD");
addProperty(pCompSType,'Weight',Type="double",Units="g");
addProperty(sCompSType,'develCost',Type="double",Units="USD");
addProperty(sCompSType,'develTime',Type="double",Units="hour");
addProperty(sConnSType,'unitCost',Type="double"',Units="USD");
addProperty(sConnSType,'unitWeight',Type="double",Units="g");
addProperty(sConnSType,'length',Type="double",Units="m");

Save Profile

profile.save;

Apply Profile to Model

Apply the profile to the model.

applyProfile(model,"GeneralProfile");

Apply stereotypes to components. Some components are physical components, while others are software components.

applyStereotype(componentPlanning,"GeneralProfile.softwareComponent")
applyStereotype(componentSensor,"GeneralProfile.physicalComponent")
applyStereotype(componentMotion,"GeneralProfile.physicalComponent")

Apply the connector stereotype to all connections.

batchApplyStereotype(arch,'Connector',"GeneralProfile.standardConn");

Apply the general element stereotype to all connectors and ports.

batchApplyStereotype(arch,'Component',"GeneralProfile.projectElement");
batchApplyStereotype(arch,'Connector',"GeneralProfile.projectElement");

Set properties for each component.

setProperty(componentSensor,'GeneralProfile.projectElement.ID','001');
setProperty(componentSensor,'GeneralProfile.projectElement.Description', ...
    'Central unit for all sensors');
setProperty(componentSensor,'GeneralProfile.physicalComponent.Cost','200');
setProperty(componentSensor,'GeneralProfile.physicalComponent.Weight','450');
setProperty(componentPlanning,'GeneralProfile.projectElement.ID','002');
setProperty(componentPlanning,'GeneralProfile.projectElement.Description', ...
    'Planning computer');
setProperty(componentPlanning,'GeneralProfile.softwareComponent.develCost','20000');
setProperty(componentPlanning,'GeneralProfile.softwareComponent.develTime','300');
setProperty(componentMotion,'GeneralProfile.projectElement.ID','003');
setProperty(componentMotion,'GeneralProfile.projectElement.Description', ...
    'Motor and motor controller');
setProperty(componentMotion,'GeneralProfile.physicalComponent.Cost','4500');
setProperty(componentMotion,'GeneralProfile.physicalComponent.Weight','2500');

Set the properties of connections to be identical.

connections = [c_sensorData c_motionData c_motionCommand c_Command];
for k = 1:length(connections)
    setProperty(connections(k),'GeneralProfile.standardConn.unitCost','0.2');
    setProperty(connections(k),'GeneralProfile.standardConn.unitWeight','100');
    setProperty(connections(k),'GeneralProfile.standardConn.length','0.3');
end

Add Hierarchy

Add two components named Controller and Scope inside the Motion component. Define the ports. Connect the components to the architecture and to each other, applying a connector stereotype. Hierarchy in an architecture diagram creates an additional level of detail that specifies how components behave internally.

motionArch = componentMotion.Architecture;

motionController = motionArch.addComponent('Controller');
controllerPorts = addPort(motionController.Architecture,{'controlIn','controlOut'}, ...
    {'in','out'});
controllerCompPortIn = motionController.getPort('controlIn');
controllerCompPortOut = motionController.getPort('controlOut');

motionScope = motionArch.addComponent('Scope');
scopePorts = addPort(motionScope.Architecture,{'scopeIn','scopeOut'},{'in','out'});
scopeCompPortIn = motionScope.getPort('scopeIn');
scopeCompPortOut = motionScope.getPort('scopeOut');

c_planningController = connect(motionPorts(1),controllerCompPortIn);

For output port connections, you can specify the destination data element.

c_planningScope = connect(scopeCompPortOut,motionPorts(2),DestinationElement="Rotation");
c_planningConnect = connect(controllerCompPortOut,scopeCompPortIn, ...
    "GeneralProfile.standardConn");

Save the model.

model.save

Arrange the layout by pressıng Ctrl+Shift+A or using this command.

Simulink.BlockDiagram.arrangeSystem("mobileRobotAPI/Motion");

Create Model Reference

Model references can help you organize large models hierarchically and define architectures or behaviors once that you can then reuse. When a component references another model, any existing ports on the component are removed, and ports that exist on the referenced model will appear on the component.

Create a new System Composer model. Convert the Controller component into a reference component to reference the new model. To add ports on the Controller component, you must update the referenced model mobileMotion.

referenceModel = systemcomposer.createModel("mobileMotion");
referenceArch = referenceModel.Architecture;
newComponents = addComponent(referenceArch,"Gyroscope");
referenceModel.save

linkToModel(motionController,"mobileMotion");

Save the models.

referenceModel.save
model.save

Make Variant Component

You can convert the Planning component to a variant component using the makeVariant function. The original component is embedded within a variant component as one of the available variant choices. You can design other variant choices within the variant component and toggle the active choice. Variant components allow you to choose behavioral designs programmatically in an architecture model to perform trade studies and analysis.

[variantComp,choice1] = makeVariant(componentMotion);

Add a variant choice named MotionAlt. The second argument defines the name, and the third argument defines the label. The label identifies the choice. The active choice is controlled by the label.

choice2 = addChoice(variantComp,{'MotionAlt'},{'MotionAlt'});

Create the necessary ports on MotionAlt.

motionAltPorts = addPort(choice2.Architecture,{'MotionCommand','MotionData'},{'in','out'});

Make MotionAlt the active variant.

setActiveChoice(variantComp,"MotionAlt")

Arrange the layout by pressıng Ctrl+Shift+A or using this command.

Simulink.BlockDiagram.arrangeSystem("mobileRobotAPI/Planning");

Save the model.

model.save

Clean Up

Run this script to remove generated artifacts before you run this example again.

cleanUpArtifacts

More About

Definitions

Term	Definition	Application	More Information
architecture	A System Composer architecture represents a system of components and how they interface with each other structurally and behaviorally.	Different types of architectures describe different aspects of systems. You can use views to visualize a subset of components in an architecture. You can define parameters on the architecture level using the Parameter Editor.	Compose Architectures Visually Author Parameters in System Composer Using Parameter Editor
root	A root is at the top of an architecture hierarchy. A root architecture has a boundary defined by its architecture ports that surround the system of interest.	The root architecture has a system boundary surrounding your architecture model. You can add architecture ports that define interfaces across the boundary.	Compose Architectures Visually
model	A System Composer model is the file that contains architectural information, such as components, ports, connectors, interfaces, and behaviors.	Perform operations on a model: Extract root-level architecture. Apply profiles. Link interface data dictionaries. Generate instances from model architecture. A System Composer model is stored as an SLX file.	Create Architecture Model with Interfaces and Requirement Links
component	A component is a replaceable part of a system that fulfills a clear function in the context of an architecture. A component defines an architectural element, such as a function, another system, hardware, software, or other conceptual entity. A component can also be a subsystem or subfunction.	Represented as a block, a component is a part of an architecture model that can be separated into reusable artifacts. Transfer information between components with: Port interfaces using the Interface Editor Parameters using the Parameter Editor	Compose Architectures Visually
port	A port is a node on a component or architecture that represents a point of interaction with its environment. A port permits the flow of information to and from other components or systems.	Component ports are interaction points on the component to other components. Architecture ports are ports on the boundary of the system, whether the boundary is within a component or the overall architecture model. The root architecture has a boundary defined by its ports.	Compose Architectures Visually
connector	Connectors are lines that provide connections between ports. Connectors describe how information flows between components or architectures.	A connector allows two components to interact without defining the nature of the interaction. Set an interface on a port to define how the components interact.	Compose Architectures Visually

Term	Definition	Application	More Information
variant	A variant is one of many structural or behavioral choices in a variant component.	Use variants to quickly swap different architectural designs for a component while performing analysis.	Create Variants
variant control	A variant control is a string that controls the active variant choice.	Set the variant control programmatically to control which variant is active.	Set Variant Control Condition

Version History

Introduced in R2019a