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systemcomposer.importModel

Import model information from MATLAB tables

Since R2019a

Description

example

archModel = systemcomposer.importModel(modelName,components,ports,connections,portInterfaces,requirementLinks,parameters) creates a new architecture model based on MATLAB® tables that specify components, ports, connections, port interfaces, requirement links, and parameters. The only required input arguments are modelName and the components table. For empty table input arguments, enter table.empty. However, trailing empty tables are ignored and do not need to be entered. To import a basic architecture model, see Define Basic Architecture. To import requirementLinks, you need a Requirements Toolbox™ license.

archModel = systemcomposer.importModel(modelName,importStruct) creates a new architecture model based on a structure of MATLAB tables that have prescribed formats to specify model element relationships, stereotypes, and properties. For more information on the import structure, see Import and Export Architecture Models.

[archModel,idMappingTable,importLog,errorLog] = systemcomposer.importModel(___) creates a new architecture model with output arguments idMappingTable with table information, importLog to display import information, and errorLog to display import error information. All previous syntax descriptions are included.

Examples

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In System Composer™, an architecture is fully defined by three sets of information:

  • Component information

  • Port information

  • Connection information

You can import an architecture into System Composer when this information is defined in or converted into MATLAB® tables.

In this example, the architecture information of a simple unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system is defined in a Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheet and is used to create a System Composer architecture model. It also links elements to the specified system level requirement. You can modify the files in this example to import architectures defined in external tools, when the data includes the required information. The example also shows how to export this architecture information from System Composer architecture model to an Excel spreadsheet.

Architecture Definition Data

You can characterize the architecture as a network of components and import by defining components, ports, connections, interfaces and requirement links in MATLAB tables. The components table must include name, unique ID, and parent component ID for each component. The spreadsheet can also include other relevant information required to construct the architecture hierarchy for referenced model, and stereotype qualifier names. The ports table must include port name, direction, component, and port ID information. Port interface information may also be required to assign ports to components. The connections table includes information to connect ports. At a minimum, this table must include the connection ID, source port ID, and destination port ID.

The systemcomposer.importModel(importModelName) function:

  • Reads stereotype names from the components table and loads the profiles

  • Creates components and attaches ports

  • Creates connections using the connection map

  • Sets interfaces on ports

  • Links elements to specified requirements (requires a Requirements Toolbox™ license)

  • Saves referenced models

  • Saves the architecture model

Instantiate adapter class to read from Excel.

modelName = "simpleUAVArchitecture";

ImportModelFromExcel function reads the Excel file and creates the MATLAB tables.

importAdapter = ImportModelFromExcel("SmallUAVModel.xls","Components", ...
    "Ports","Connections","PortInterfaces","RequirementLinks");
importAdapter.readTableFromExcel();

Import an Architecture

model = systemcomposer.importModel(modelName,importAdapter.Components, ...
    importAdapter.Ports,importAdapter.Connections,importAdapter.Interfaces, ...
    importAdapter.RequirementLinks);

Auto-arrange blocks in the generated model.

Simulink.BlockDiagram.arrangeSystem(modelName)

scExampleImportExport_01.png

Export an Architecture

You can export an architecture to MATLAB tables and then convert the tables to an external file.

exportedSet = systemcomposer.exportModel(modelName);

The output of the function is a structure that contains the component table, port table, connection table, the interface table, and the requirement links table. Save this structure to an Excel file.

SaveToExcel("ExportedUAVModel",exportedSet);

Input Arguments

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Name of model, specified as a character vector or string.

Example: "exMobileRobot"

Data Types: char | string

Model component information, specified as a MATLAB table. The component table must include the columns Name, ID, and ParentID. To specify ComponentType as Variant, Composition (default), StateflowBehavior, or Behavior (reference components and subsystem components) and to set a ReferenceModelName, see Import Variant Components, Stateflow Behaviors, or Reference Components. To apply stereotypes using StereotypeNames and set property values to components, see Apply Stereotypes and Set Property Values on Imported Model.

Data Types: table

Model port information, specified as a MATLAB table. The ports table must include the columns Name, Direction, ID, and CompID. The Direction column can have values Input, Output, or Physical. The optional column InterfaceID specifies the interface. portInterfaces information may also be required to assign interfaces to ports.

Data Types: table

Model connections information, specified as a MATLAB table. The connections table must include the columns Name, ID, SourcePortID, and DestPortID. To specify SourceElement or DestinationElement on an architecture port, see Specify Elements on Architecture Port. Assign a stereotype using the optional column StereotypeNames. The optional Kind column can be specified as the default Data or Physical for physical connections.

Data Types: table

Model port interfaces information, specified as a MATLAB table. The port interfaces table must include the columns Name, ID, ParentID, DataType, Dimensions, Units, Complexity, Minimum, and Maximum. To import interfaces and map ports to interfaces, see Import Data Interfaces and Map Ports to Interfaces. Add a description using the option column Description. Assign a stereotype using the optional column StereotypeNames.

Data Types: table

Model requirement links information, specified as a MATLAB table. The requirement links table must include the columns Label, ID, SourceID, DestinationType, DestinationID, and Type. For an example, see Assign Requirement Links on Imported Model. To update reference requirement links from an imported file and integrate them into the model, see Update Reference Requirement Links from Imported File. Optional columns include: DestinationArifact, SourceArtifact, ReferencedReqID, Keywords, CreatedOn, CreatedBy, ModifiedOn, ModifiedBy, and Revision. A Requirements Toolbox license is required to import the requirementLinks table to a System Composer™ architecture model.

Data Types: table

Model parameters information, specified as a MATLAB table. The parameters table must include the columns Name, ID, Parent, and Value. To import an architecture model with parameters programmatically, see Import Architecture With Parameters. Add value type information to the parameter with the Units, Type, Complexity, Minimum, and Maximum columns. Promote parameters to an architecture in the hierarchy using the PromotedTo column. For more information, see Import Parameters with Parameter Value Types.

Data Types: table

Model tables, specified as a structure containing the tables components, ports, connections, portInterfaces, requirementLinks, and parameters and a field domain. Only the components table is required. Possible values for domain are the default "System" for architecture models and "Software" for software architecture models. For software architecture models, to import a model with functions, the importStruct can have a functions field that contains function information.

For more information on the import structure, see Import and Export Architecture Models.

Data Types: struct

Output Arguments

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Handle to architecture model, specified as a systemcomposer.arch.Architecture object.

Mapping of custom IDs and internal UUIDs of elements, returned as a struct of MATLAB tables.

Data Types: struct

Confirmation that elements were imported, returned as a cell array of character vectors.

Data Types: char

Errors reported during import process, returned as a cell array of message objects. You can obtain the error text by calling the getString method on each message object. For example, errorLog.getString is used to obtain the errors reported as a string.

More About

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Definitions

TermDefinitionApplicationMore 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.

model

A System Composer model is the file that contains architectural information, including components, ports, connectors, interfaces, and behaviors.

Perform operations on a model:

  • Extract the root-level architecture contained in the model.

  • 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 nontrivial, nearly independent, and 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, a 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:

Components
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.

There are different types of ports:

  • 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.

Ports
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.

Connections

Version History

Introduced in R2019a