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Slider Switch

Change parameter or variable value using switch with customizable appearance

Since R2021b

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  • Slider Switch block

Libraries:
Simulink / Dashboard / Customizable Blocks

Description

Use the Slider Switch block to change the value of the connected variable or parameter before or during simulation. When you use the Slider Switch block in the Customizable Blocks library, you can customize the appearance of the block to look like a real switch in your system. You can configure the switch with any number of states to customize the behavior. For example, you could design a three-way toggle switch or a gearbox. Use the Slider Switch block with other dashboard blocks to create an interactive dashboard for your model.

A real slider switch has multiple settings. The Slider Switch block treats these settings as different states. A state pairs a state value with an image, a click area, and a state label that is displayed on the click area.

To activate a state during simulation, click the click area of the state. To activate a state when the simulation is not running, select the Slider Switch block, and then click the click area of the state. When you activate the state, the state value is assigned to the Simulink® block diagram element to which the Slider Switch block connects.

Note

Double-clicking a connected Slider Switch block during simulation does not open its dialog box. Clicking a connected Slider Switch block to select the block, and then double-clicking the block also does not open its dialog box. To edit the block parameters in these cases, use the Property Inspector or right-click the block and select Block Parameters from the context menu.

Customize Slider Switch Blocks

When you add a Slider Switch block to your model, the block is preconfigured with a default design. You can use the block with the default design or customize the appearance of the block.

To customize the appearance of the block, use design mode. After selecting the block, you can enter design mode in one of three ways:

  • In the Simulink Toolstrip, on the block-specific tab, under Design, click Edit.

  • In the Property Inspector, on the Design tab, click Edit.

  • Pause on the ellipsis that appears over the block and click the Edit Custom Block button .

In design mode, you can use the toolbar above the block to customize the slider switch. To access additional customization options or to enter exact values for design settings, use the Design tab in the Property Inspector.

Customizable Slider Switch block in design mode with the toolbar and the Design tab in the Property Inspector visible.

When you customize a Slider Switch block, you configure the block appearance for each state. To select a state to customize, use the drop-down list in the toolbar. Alternatively, on the Design tab, select the States component, and then select from the Select State list. To add a state, in the toolbar, click the Add State button . To delete a state, click the Remove State button .

Design Mode Actions that Customize the Selected State

ActionAvailable in ToolbarAvailable in Design Tab

Specify the state value.

NoYes

Specify the state label text and color.

NoYes

Upload a state image that defines the appearance of the block in the state.

YesYes

Change the size of the state image and click area.

NoYes

Change the position the state label, state image, and click area.

NoYes

In addition to customizing the block design using the toolbar and Design tab, you can also resize and reposition components interactively in the canvas. To resize a component specific to a state, such as the state image, select the state in the toolbar, and then resize or reposition the component.

Design Mode Actions that Apply to All States

ActionAvailable in ToolbarAvailable in Design Tab

Upload a background image.

NoYes

Set a solid background color.

NoYes

Upload a foreground image.

NoYes

When you finish editing the design, to exit design mode, click the X in the upper right of the canvas.

Connect Dashboard Blocks

Dashboard blocks do not use ports to connect to model elements. To connect a dashboard block, use connect mode. To enter connect mode on an unconnected block, pause on the block you want to connect and click the Connect button . To enter connect mode on a connected block, select the block, pause on the ellipsis that appears (…), and in the action menu that expands, click the Connect button.

To connect a control block to a parameter in your model or to change the connection of a control block, enter connect mode. Select the block to whose parameter you want to connect. From the list that appears, select the parameter to which you want to connect. Then, pause on the dashboard block and click the Done Connecting button .

The control block cannot connect to a parameter defined by a variable until you update the model diagram. To connect to a parameter defined by a variable or to modify the value of a variable that defines the value of a connected parameter when the simulation is not running, update the model diagram by pressing Ctrl+D.

You can connect to a parameter with a scalar value or to an element of a matrix or structure. For more information, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Simulink Model.

You can also connect dashboard blocks to a Stateflow® chart. For more information, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Stateflow (Stateflow).

This animation shows how to connect the Slider Switch block to your model.

An unconnected Slider Switch block connects to a Constant block.

Parameter Logging

Tunable parameters connected to dashboard blocks are logged to the Simulation Data Inspector, where you can view the parameter values along with logged signal data. You can access logged parameter data in the MATLAB® workspace by exporting the parameter data from the Simulation Data Inspector by using the UI or the Simulink.sdi.exportRun function. For more information about exporting data using the Simulation Data Inspector UI, see Export Data to Workspace or File. The parameter data is stored in a Simulink.SimulationData.Parameter object, accessible as an element in the exported Simulink.SimulationData.Dataset.

Examples

Design Custom Rocker, Slider, and Toggle Switches

Design Custom Rocker, Slider, and Toggle Switches

Design switches using the customizable Rocker Switch, Slider Switch, and Toggle Switch blocks.

Limitations

  • Except for the Dashboard Scope block and the Display block, dashboard blocks can only connect to real scalar signals.

  • You cannot use the Connection table in the Block Parameters dialog box to connect a dashboard block to a block that is commented out. When you connect a dashboard block to a commented block using connect mode, the dashboard block does not display the connected value until the you uncomment the block.

  • Dashboard blocks cannot connect to model elements inside referenced models.

  • When you simulate a model hierarchy, dashboard blocks inside referenced models do not update.

  • Dashboard blocks do not support rapid accelerator simulation.

  • When you connect a dashboard block to a variable or parameter during simulation, the data for that variable or parameter is not logged to the Simulation Data Inspector. To log variable and parameter data to the Simulation Data Inspector, connect the dashboard block to the variable or parameter prior to simulation.

  • When you simulate a model in external mode with the Default parameter behavior set to Inlined, dashboard blocks can appear to change parameter and variable values. However, the change does not propagate to the simulation. For example, Gain blocks display changes made to the Gain parameter using the dashboard blocks, but the Gain value used in the simulation does not change.

Parameters

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Use the Property Inspector and the Block Parameters dialog box to specify the values of the block parameters. To set the core parameters of the dashboard block, use the Block Parameters dialog box or the Parameters tab in the Property Inspector. To customize the block, use the Design tab in the Property Inspector. To open the Block Parameters dialog box for a block, double-click the block. To open the Property Inspector, on the Modeling tab, under Design, select Property Inspector.

Parameters

To set the core parameters of the dashboard block, open the Property Inspector and click the Parameters tab.

Connection

Dashboard blocks do not use ports to connect to model elements. To connect dashboard blocks to parameter values in your model, use connect mode, the Simulink Toolstrip, or the Connection table in the Block Parameters dialog box. You can connect to a parameter with a scalar value, or to an element of a matrix. For information about connect mode and how to connect using the toolstrip, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Simulink Model.

To connect a control block to a parameter with a scalar value or change the connection of a control block to a parameter with a scalar value using the Connection table:

  1. Select the block.

  2. To connect the block, in the Property Inspector, on the Parameters tab, click Connect. To change the connection of the block, click Change instead.

  3. Select the block to whose parameter value you want to connect.

  4. In the table, select the parameter to which you want to connect.

  5. Click Apply.

The control block cannot connect to a parameter defined by a variable until you update the model diagram. To connect to a parameter defined by a variable or to modify the value of a variable that defines the value of a connected parameter when the simulation is not running, update the model diagram by pressing Ctrl+D.

You can also connect dashboard blocks to a Stateflow chart. For more information, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Stateflow (Stateflow).

Programmatic Use

To programmatically connect a dashboard block to a tunable parameter, use a Simulink.HMI.ParamSourceInfo object. The Simulink.HMI.ParamSourceInfo object contains four properties. Some properties apply to connecting dashboard blocks to parameters defined by values, and some apply to connecting dashboard blocks to parameters defined by variables. Not all fields have a value for a connection because a given dashboard block connects to either to a parameter defined by a value or to a parameter defined by a variable.

Block Parameter: Binding
Type: Simulink.HMI.ParamSourceInfo
Default: []
Main

You can display the name of the element to which the dashboard block connects in a label positioned at the top or bottom of the block, or you can hide the label. If you want the label to be visible, specify the position. If you do not want the label to be visible, select Hide.

Note

When the dashboard block is not connected to an element, the label is blank.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: LabelPosition
Type: character vector
Values: 'Hide' | 'Bottom' | 'Top'
Default: 'Hide'

Select this parameter to maintain the aspect ratio when resizing the block in the Simulink canvas.

When the aspect ratio is locked, adding a new background image changes the aspect ratio of the block to match the aspect ratio of the background image. When the aspect ratio is unlocked, adding a new background image does not change the aspect ratio of the block, but instead changes the aspect ratio of the background image to fit the size of the block.

When the aspect ratio is locked, pressing the Shift key while resizing a block temporarily unlocks the aspect ratio. When you release the Shift key, the aspect ratio locks. When the aspect ratio is unlocked, pressing the Shift key while resizing a block temporarily locks the aspect ratio. When you release the Shift key, the aspect ratio unlocks.

Each state pairs a State Value with a State Label. When the block is in a given state, it assigns the State Value for that state to the connected variable or parameter. You can use the State Label to display the value assigned to the connected variable or parameter on the block or to provide a descriptive text label.

By default, the switch has two states, one corresponding to each switch position:

  • In the Off state, the block assigns the connected variable or parameter a value of 0.

  • In the On state, the block assigns the connected variable or parameter a value of 1.

You can use a customizable switch block to design a switch with any number of states greater than or equal to 1. To add a new state, click the + button. To delete the current state, click the - button.

Tip

You can configure a variety of other parameters for a state besides the value and label in design mode. For example, you can select an image that will appear on the switch when it is in the state. To configure parameters in design mode:

  1. Enter design mode. In the Property Inspector, on the Design tab, click the Edit button.

  2. On the Design tab, open the States component, expand the Select State section, and select the state that you want to configure from the drop-down menu.

  3. Configure the parameter values for the selected state, either using the toolbar above the block, or in the States component on the Design tab in the Property Inspector.

Programmatic Use

To configure the States for the block programmatically, specify the value of the States parameter as a structure array containing two elements with fields:

  • Value — Scalar double value for the state.

  • Label — String or character array to use as the label for the switch position.

leftState.Value = 0;
leftState.Label = 'Off';
rightState.Value = 1;
rightState.Label = 'On';
switchStates = [leftState rightState];
Block Parameter: States
Type: two element array of structures

Design

To customize the dashboard block, open the Property Inspector, click the Design tab, and click Edit.

Switch

Select this parameter to maintain the aspect ratio when resizing the block in the Simulink canvas.

When the aspect ratio is locked, adding a new background image changes the aspect ratio of the block to match that of the background image. When the aspect ratio is unlocked, adding a new background image does not change the proportions of the block but instead stretches or scales the background image to fit the size of the block.

When the aspect ratio is locked, pressing the Shift key while resizing a block unlocks the aspect ratio. When you release the Shift key, the aspect ratio locks. When the aspect ratio is unlocked, pressing the Shift key while resizing a block locks the aspect ratio. When you release the Shift key, the aspect ratio unlocks.

States

Each state pairs a State Value with a State Label. When the block is in a given state, it assigns the State Value for that state to the connected variable or parameter. You can use the State Label to display the value assigned to the connected variable or parameter on the block or to provide a descriptive text label.

By default, the switch has two states, one corresponding to each switch position:

  • In the Off state, the block assigns the connected variable or parameter a value of 0.

  • In the On state, the block assigns the connected variable or parameter a value of 1.

You can use a customizable switch block to design a switch with any number of states greater than or equal to 1. To add a new state, click the + button. To delete the current state, click the X button.

To configure a state, in the States component, expand the Select State section and select the state.

You can configure the value, label text, and a variety of other parameters for the selected state in the States component on the Design tab in the Property Inspector. For example, you can select an image that will appear on the switch when it is in the state.

All changes that you make to parameter values in the States component are applied only to the selected state. To configure a different state, in the Select State section, select the state in the drop-down menu. Then, configure the parameter values of that state in the States component.

Tip

Alternatively, you can:

  • Configure the parameters for the selected state using the toolbar that appears above the switch block in design mode

  • Configure the values and label text of the states for the block using the Parameters tab in the Property Inspector

Programmatic Use

To configure the States for the block programmatically, specify the value of the States parameter as a structure array containing two elements with fields:

  • Value — Scalar double value for the state.

  • Label — String or character array to use as the label for the switch position.

leftState.Value = 0;
leftState.Label = 'Off';
rightState.Value = 1;
rightState.Label = 'On';
switchStates = [leftState rightState];
Block Parameter: States
Type: two element array of structures

Each state pairs a State Value with a State Label. Specify the State Value that activates the state selected in the Design tab.

Each state pairs a State Value with a State Label. Specify the text for the State Label of the state selected in the Design tab.

Choose a font color for the label text from the palette of standard colors, or specify a custom color. The color is applied to the label text for the state that is selected in the Select State section of the States component on the Design tab.

Specify the horizontal offset of the center of the State Label from the left edge of the block as a ratio of the block width. Relative to the position of the text when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the text left, and an offset with a positive value moves the text right.

Specify the vertical offset of the center of the State Label from the top edge of the block as a ratio of the block height. Relative to the position of the text when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the text up, and an offset with a positive value moves the text down.

Specify the horizontal offset of the left edge of the image from the left edge of the block as a ratio of the block width. Relative to the position of the image when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the image left, and an offset with a positive value moves the image right.

Example: 1

Specify the vertical offset of the top edge of the image from the top edge of the block as a ratio of the block height. Relative to the position of the image when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the image up, and a positive value moves the image down.

Example: 1

Specify the image width as a ratio of the block width.

Example: 0.5

Specify the image height as a ratio of the block height.

Example: 0.5

Enable this option to maintain the aspect ratio when resizing the image using the Property Inspector.

Specify the horizontal offset of the left edge of the click area from the left edge of the block as a ratio of the block width. Relative to the position of the image when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the image left, and an offset with a positive value moves the image right.

Example: 1

Specify the vertical offset of the top edge of the click area from the top edge of the block as a ratio of the block height. Relative to the position of the image when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the image up, and a positive value moves the image down.

Example: 1

Specify the click area width as a ratio of the block width.

Example: 0.5

Specify the click area height as a ratio of the block height.

Example: 0.5

Background Image

For the block background, you can provide a background image or select a solid color. To select a solid background color, select this parameter. To provide a background image, clear this parameter.

Note

Changing the background color using the Format tab of the Simulink Toolstrip removes the background image and enables the Use Background Color parameter.

Example: on

To use a solid background color, select the Use Background Color parameter. Then, choose a background color from the palette of standard colors, or specify a custom color.

Tip

You can also specify the Background Color in the Format tab of the Simulink Toolstrip.

To specify the color of the block text, use the Font Color parameter.

Programmatic Use

Specify the BackgroundColor parameter for the block as a 1-by-3 [r g b] vector with values between 0 and 1 that is formatted as a string or a character vector.

Block Parameter: BackgroundColor
Type: string | character vector
Values: [r g b] vector

Specify the block background opacity as a scalar value from 0 to 1.

Example: 0.5

Specify the corner radius of the area covered by the block background color as a ratio of half of the smaller of the two block dimensions, width or height.

Example: 0.25

Foreground Image

Specify the horizontal offset of the left edge of the image from the left edge of the block as a ratio of the block width. Relative to the position of the image when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the image left, and an offset with a positive value moves the image right.

Example: 1

Specify the vertical offset of the top edge of the image from the top edge of the block as a ratio of the block height. Relative to the position of the image when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the image up, and a positive value moves the image down.

Example: 1

Specify the width of the foreground image as a ratio of the block width.

Example: 0.5

Specify the height of the foreground image as a ratio of the block height.

Example: 0.5

Select this parameter to maintain the aspect ratio when resizing the image using the Property Inspector.

Block Characteristics

Data Types

double | half | integer | single

Direct Feedthrough

no

Multidimensional Signals

no

Variable-Size Signals

no

Zero-Crossing Detection

no

Tips

  • When you want to design a circular switch that distributes the state labels and the click areas that cause state transitions on an arc, consider using the Rotary Switch block.

  • To design a control that applies values to a connected variable or parameter from a continuous range, use the Knob, Horizontal Slider, or Vertical Slider blocks.

Extended Capabilities

Version History

Introduced in R2021b

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See Also

Blocks

Tools

Topics