Control appearance of Simscape block based on the component
annotations [Id1,Id2] : ExternalAccess=value; UILayout = [UIGroup("Title 1",p1,p2) UIGroup("Title 2",p3)] Icon = 'filename'; [port1,port2] : Side=value; [param1,param2] : UnitDropdown = common end
annotations begins the annotations section, which is terminated by
an end keyword. The annotations
section in a component file lets you provide annotations that control various cosmetic
aspects of a Simscape™ block generated from this component.
Use the annotations section to:
Define conditional visibility of component members, such as parameters,
variables, nodes, inputs, and outputs, in block icons and dialog boxes. Possible
values are: modify, observe, and
none.
Specify block interface layout by defining titled groups of component
parameters, the order of these groups, and the order of parameters in each
group. When you deploy the component as a custom Simscape block, these groups translate into dialog box tabs (and into
Property Inspector tree nodes). UILayout is
a class-level annotation, meaning that it can appear only once per component
file. For more information, see Group and Reorder Block Parameters Using Annotation.
Specify a custom block icon and change it based on the block variant.
Control port location by placing it on a specific side of the block icon.
Ports on a block icon correspond to nodes, inputs, and outputs declared in the
underlying component file. Possible values are: left,
right, top, and
bottom.
Prepopulate a unit drop-down list for a parameter in the block dialog box with commonly used units.
The following example hides inapplicable parameters from the block dialog box based on the control parameter value.
component MyPipe
parameters
circular = true; % Circular pipe?
d_in = { 0.01, 'm' }; % Pipe internal diameter
area = { 1e-4, 'm^2' }; % Noncircular pipe cross-sectional area
D_h = { 1.12e-2, 'm' }; % Noncircular pipe hydraulic diameter
end
if circular
% Hide inapplicable parameters
annotations
[area, D_h] : ExternalAccess=none;
end
equations
% First set of equations, for circular pipe
end
else
% Hide inapplicable parameter
annotations
d_in : ExternalAccess=none;
end
equations
% Second set of equations, for noncircular pipe
end
end
[...] % Other parameters, variables, branches, equations
end
The next example exposes a thermal port H and changes the customized block icon based on the control parameter value.
parameters
thermal_effects = false; % Model thermal effects?
end
nodes (ExternalAccess=none)
H = foundation.thermal.thermal;
end
if thermal_effects
% Use icon with additional thermal port
annotations
H : ExternalAccess=modify;
Icon = 'pipe_thermal.jpg';
end
end
The following example customizes the names and locations of block ports. The block contains two electrical ports, labeled + and -, located on the left and right sides of the block icon, respectively, and a thermal port H, located on the top side.
nodes
H = foundation.thermal.thermal;
p = foundation.electrical.electrical; % +
n = foundation.electrical.electrical; % -
end
annotations
H : Side = top;
p : Side = left;
n : Side = right;
end
Note
You cannot conditionally switch port sides, that is, include
Side annotations in branches of a conditional statement. For
more information, see Control Port Locations Using Annotations.
The next example specifies that the drop-down list for the Gain parameter includes a list of common units, such as those available in the Simulink-PS Converter and the PS-Simulink Converter block dialog boxes.
annotations
Gain : UnitDropdown = common
end
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