Apply Stereotypes to Extend Model Elements

Use profiles to add properties to components, ports, and connectors in System Composer™. Import an existing profile, apply stereotypes, and add property values.

In this topic, you will learn how to:

Import profiles into a model or a dictionary.
Apply a stereotype to a model element and add property values.
Remove stereotypes using the Property Inspector.

For information about profile terminology, see Extend System Composer Language Elements Using Profiles.

Import Profiles

The Profile Editor is independent from the model that opens it, so you must explicitly import a new profile into a model. First save the profile with an .xml extension. Then navigate to Modeling > Profiles > Apply To . Select the profile to import. An architecture model can have multiple profiles.

Alternatively, open the Profile Editor by navigating to Modeling > Profile Editor. You can import a profile into any open dictionaries or models.

To import profiles into Simulink^® models linked to a reference component, open the Profile Editor and select the linked model from Apply To.

Note

For a System Composer component linked to a Simulink behavior model through a Reference Component block, you must import the profile into the model before applying a stereotype to the component. Since the Simulink Property Inspector does not display stereotypes, you cannot add or edit stereotypes from Simulink.

To manage your imported profiles, open the Manage Profiles tool by navigating to Modeling > Profiles > Manage .

Manage Profiles tool with a profile linked to a model and a dictionary and with options to import, remove, and manage stereotype order

Click the Manage Stereotype Order button to change the priority order of stereotypes on imported profiles. For more information, see Change Stereotype Order Using Manage Profiles Tool.

Apply Stereotypes

Apply stereotypes to architecture model elements using the Property Inspector or the Apply Stereotypes dialog box. You can also quick-insert a new component with the stereotype applied. For information about applying stereotypes to functions in software architectures, see Apply Stereotypes to Functions of Software Architectures.

Apply Stereotype Using Property Inspector

Once the profile is available in the model, open the Property Inspector by navigating to Modeling > Property Inspector. Select a model element.

Select the stereotype from the Stereotype list. Only the stereotypes that apply to the current element type (for example, a port) are available for selection. If no stereotype exists, you can use the <new / edit> option to open the Profile Editor and create one.

Selecting a stereotype from the Property Inspector for the Sensor Data port.

When you apply a stereotype to an element, a new set of properties appears in the Property Inspector under the name of the stereotype. To edit the properties, expand this set.

Setting properties for a Data Port stereotype assigned to the Sensor Data port

You can set multiple stereotypes for each element.

Setting multiple stereotypes in the Property Inspector.

Batch-Apply Stereotypes

You can also apply component, port, connector, and interface stereotypes to all applicable elements at the same architecture level. Navigate to Modeling > Apply Stereotypes. In the Apply Stereotypes dialog box, from Apply stereotype(s) to, select Top-level architecture, All elements, Components, Ports, Connectors, or Interfaces.

Note

The Interfaces option is available only if you have defined interfaces in the Interface Editor. For more information, see Create Interfaces.

Options for applying stereotypes in the Apply Stereotypes dialog box

You can also apply stereotypes by selecting a single model element. From Scope, select Selection, This layer, or Entire model.

Scope options for components in the Apply Stereotypes dialog box

You can also apply stereotypes to data interfaces or value types. When interfaces are locally defined and you select one or more interfaces in the Interface Editor, the options for Scope are Selection and Local interfaces.

Scope options for interfaces in the Apply Stereotypes dialog box

When interfaces are stored and shared across a data dictionary and you select one or more interfaces in the Interface Editor, the options for Scope are Selection and either dictionary.sldd or the name of the dictionary currently in use.

Scope options when interfaces shared in a dictionary in the Apply Stereotypes dialog box

Note

For the stereotypes to display for interfaces in a dictionary, in the Apply Stereotypes dialog box, you must import the profile into the dictionary.

Quick-Insert New Component with Stereotype Applied

You can also create a new component with an applied stereotype by using the quick-insert menu accessed by double-clicking anywhere on the model canvas. Select the stereotype as a fully qualified name, for example, Profile.Stereotype. A component with that stereotype is created.

A new component created with a stereotype

Change Stereotypes

To change stereotypes applied to model elements on the model canvas, first create a hierarchy of stereotypes. Assign a Base Stereotype value in the Profile Editor for a given stereotype to inherit all properties from the base stereotype. For more information about base stereotypes, see Extend Stereotypes. Expand your hierarchy as needed to add detail to your system description.

Use the System Composer model canvas context menu and Property Inspector to change stereotypes, without changing shared property values. You can move one level up and down the stereotype hierarchy defined in the Profile Editor. For more information about changing stereotypes, see Change Stereotypes Based on Stereotype Hierarchy in Portable Blender Architecture.

You can also use the changeStereotype function to change stereotypes you assign to model elements by any number of levels up and down the hierarchy.

Remove Stereotypes

If you no longer need a stereotype for an element, you can remove it using the Property Inspector. Next to the stereotype, click Select, then select Remove.

Removing a stereotype in the Property Inspector.

Note

When your profile is not synchronized with your Reference Component block, you might be prompted to fix it in the Diagnostic Viewer. This option removes stereotypes that do not match the definition in the reference component.