systemcomposer.arch.Architecture

Architecture in model

Description

The Architecture object represents the architecture in a System Composer™ model. This class is derived from systemcomposer.arch.Element.

Creation

Create a model using the systemcomposer.createModel function and get the root architecture using the Architecture property on the systemcomposer.arch.Model object.

model = systemcomposer.createModel('archModel');
arch = get(model,'Architecture')

Properties

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`Name` — Name of architecture
character vector

Name of architecture, specified as a character vector. The architecture name is derived from the parent component or model name to which the architecture belongs.

Example: 'archModel'

Data Types: char

`Definition` — Definition type of architecture
`ArchitectureDefinition` enumeration

Definition type of architecture, specified as composition, behavior, or view.

Data Types: enum

`Parent` — Parent component
component object

Parent component that owns architecture, specified as a systemcomposer.arch.Component object.

`Components` — Child components
array of component objects

Child components of architecture, specified as an array of systemcomposer.arch.Component objects.

`Ports` — Architecture ports
array of architecture port objects

Architecture ports, specified as an array of systemcomposer.arch.ArchitecturePort objects.

`Connectors` — Connectors that connect child components of architecture
array of connector objects

Connectors that connect child components of architecture, specified as an array of systemcomposer.arch.Connector or systemcomposer.arch.PhysicalConnector 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 architecture, 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

`Functions` — Functions of software architecture
array of function objects

Functions of software architecture, specified as an array of systemcomposer.arch.Function objects.

Dependencies

Only software architectures have this property.

`Initialization` — Initialize functions of software architecture
array of function objects

Since R2024b

Initialize functions of software architecture, specified as an array of systemcomposer.arch.Function objects.

Dependencies

Only software architectures have this property.

Object Functions

`addComponent`	Add components to architecture
`addVariantComponent`	Add variant components to architecture
`addPort`	Add ports to architecture
`addFunction`	Add functions to architecture of software component
`addParameter`	Add parameter to architecture
`getParameter`	Get parameter from architecture or component
`connect`	Create architecture model connections
`setMaskImage`	Apply mask image to component
`applyStereotype`	Apply stereotype to architecture model element
`getStereotypes`	Get stereotypes applied on element of architecture model
`changeStereotype`	Change currently applied stereotype to new stereotype in its stereotype hierarchy
`removeStereotype`	Remove stereotype from model element
`batchApplyStereotype`	Apply stereotype to all elements in architecture
`iterate`	Iterate over model elements
`instantiate`	Create analysis instance from specification
`setProperty`	Set property value corresponding to stereotype applied to element
`getProperty`	Get property value corresponding to stereotype applied to element
`getPropertyValue`	Get value of architecture property
`getEvaluatedPropertyValue`	Get evaluated value of property from element
`getStereotypeProperties`	Get stereotype property names on element
`removeProfile`	Remove profile from model
`applyProfile`	Apply profile to model
`hasStereotype`	Find if element has stereotype applied
`hasProperty`	Find if element has property
`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

Examples

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Build Architecture Models Programmatically

Open Live Script

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.

Interface Editor with new data interfaces, data elements, value type, and physical interface

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.

Port interface view in the Interface Editor with the MotionData port and its elements

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");

The mobileRobotAPI architecture model after running the script

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");

Inside the Motion component architecture model

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");

Controller component linked to the referenced model 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");

The Motion variant component with two variants

Save the model.

model.save

Clean Up

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

cleanUpArtifacts

More About

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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

Version History

Introduced in R2019a

systemcomposer.arch.Architecture

Description

Creation

Properties

`Name` — Name of architecture
character vector

`Definition` — Definition type of architecture
`ArchitectureDefinition` enumeration

`Parent` — Parent component
component object

`Components` — Child components
array of component objects

`Ports` — Architecture ports
array of architecture port objects

`Connectors` — Connectors that connect child components of architecture
array of connector objects

`Parameters` — Parameters of component
array of parameter objects

`Model` — Parent model
model object

`SimulinkHandle` — Simulink handle
numeric value

`SimulinkModelHandle` — Simulink handle to parent model
numeric value

`ExternalUID` — Unique external identifier
character vector

`UUID` — Universal unique identifier
character vector

`Functions` — Functions of software architecture
array of function objects

Dependencies

`Initialization` — Initialize functions of software architecture
array of function objects

Dependencies

Object Functions

Examples

Build Architecture Models Programmatically

More About

Definitions

Version History

See Also

Functions

Objects

Blocks

Topics

systemcomposer.arch.Architecture

Description

Creation

Properties

Name — Name of architecture character vector

Definition — Definition type of architecture ArchitectureDefinition enumeration

Parent — Parent component component object

Components — Child components array of component objects

Ports — Architecture ports array of architecture port objects

Connectors — Connectors that connect child components of architecture array of connector objects

Parameters — Parameters of component array of parameter objects

Model — Parent model model object

SimulinkHandle — Simulink handle numeric value

SimulinkModelHandle — Simulink handle to parent model numeric value

ExternalUID — Unique external identifier character vector

UUID — Universal unique identifier character vector

Functions — Functions of software architecture array of function objects

Dependencies

Initialization — Initialize functions of software architecture array of function objects

Dependencies

Object Functions

Examples

Build Architecture Models Programmatically

More About

Definitions

Version History

See Also

Functions

Objects

Blocks

Topics

`Name` — Name of architecture
character vector

`Definition` — Definition type of architecture
`ArchitectureDefinition` enumeration

`Parent` — Parent component
component object

`Components` — Child components
array of component objects

`Ports` — Architecture ports
array of architecture port objects

`Connectors` — Connectors that connect child components of architecture
array of connector objects

`Parameters` — Parameters of component
array of parameter objects

`Model` — Parent model
model object

`SimulinkHandle` — Simulink handle
numeric value

`SimulinkModelHandle` — Simulink handle to parent model
numeric value

`ExternalUID` — Unique external identifier
character vector

`UUID` — Universal unique identifier
character vector

`Functions` — Functions of software architecture
array of function objects

`Initialization` — Initialize functions of software architecture
array of function objects