Profile Editor

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

Perform operations on a model:

A System Composer model is stored as an SLX file.

An interface data dictionary is a consolidated list of interfaces and value types in an architecture and where you use them in the architecture.

You can save local interfaces on a System Composer model in an interface data dictionary using the Interface Editor. You can reuse data dictionaries between models that need to use a given set of interfaces, elements, and value types. Data dictionaries that you link to models are stored in separate SLDD files.

A profile is a package of stereotypes.

You can use profiles to create a domain of specialized element types. Author profiles and apply profiles to a model using the Profile Editor. You can store stereotypes for a project in one or several profiles. When you save profiles, they are stored in XML files.

Stereotypes provide a mechanism to extend the core language elements and add domain-specific metadata.

Apply stereotypes to core element types. An element can have multiple stereotypes. Stereotypes allow you to style different elements. Stereotypes provide elements with a common set of properties, such as mass, cost, and power.

A property is a field in a stereotype. You can specify property values for each element to which the stereotype is applied.

Use properties to store quantitative characteristics, such as weight or speed, that are associated with a model element. Properties can also be descriptive or represent a status. You can view and edit the properties of each element in the architecture model using the Property Inspector. For more information, see Use Property Inspector in System Composer.

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:

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.

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.

An allocation establishes a directed relationship from architectural elements — components, ports, and connectors — in one model to architectural elements in another model.

Resource-based allocation allows you to allocate functional architectural elements to logical architectural elements and logical architectural elements to physical architectural elements.

An allocation scenario contains a set of allocations between a source and a target model.

Allocate between model elements in an allocation scenario. The default allocation scenario is called Scenario 1.

An allocation set consists of one or more allocation scenarios that describe various allocations between a source and a target model.

Create an allocation set with allocation scenarios in the Allocation Editor. Allocation sets are saved as MLDATX files.

A data interface defines the kind of information that flows through a port. The same interface can be assigned to multiple ports. A data interface can be composite, meaning that it can include data elements that describe the properties of an interface signal.

Data interfaces represent the information that is shared through a connector and enters or exits a component through a port. Use the Interface Editor to create and manage data interfaces and data elements and store them in an interface data dictionary for reuse between models.

A physical interface defines the kind of information that flows through a physical port. The same interface can be assigned to multiple ports. A physical interface is a composite interface equivalent to a Simulink.ConnectionBus object that specifies a number of Simulink.ConnectionElement objects.

Use a physical interface to bundle physical elements to describe a physical model using at least one physical domain.

A service interface defines the functional interface between client and server components. Each service interface consists of one or more function elements.

Once you have defined a service interface in the Interface Editor, you can assign it to client and server ports using the Property Inspector. You can also use the Property Inspector to assign stereotypes to service interfaces.

Requirements are a collection of statements describing the desired behavior and characteristics of a system. Requirements help ensure system design integrity and should be achievable, verifiable, unambiguous, and consistent with each other. Each level of design should have appropriate requirements.

To enhance traceability of requirements, link system, functional, customer, performance, or design requirements to components and ports. Link requirements to each other to represent derived or allocated requirements. Manage requirements from the Requirements Perspective on an architecture model or through custom views. Assign test cases to requirements using the Simulink Test Manager (Simulink Test) for verification and validation.

A link is an object that relates two model-based design elements. A requirement link is a link where the destination is a requirement. You can link requirements to components or ports.

View links by using the Requirements Perspective in System Composer. Select a requirement in the Requirements Browser to highlight the component or the port to which the requirement is assigned. Links are stored externally as SLMX files.

A requirement set is a collection of requirements. You can structure the requirements hierarchically and link them to components or ports.

Use the Requirements Editor (Requirements Toolbox) to edit and refine requirements in a requirement set. Requirement sets are stored in SLREQX files. You can create a new requirement set and author requirements using Requirements Toolbox, or import requirements from supported third-party tools.