MATLAB: How to create layered colored boxes in a Simulink Block Diagram

simulink

I would like to annotate my model by highlighting parts with different colored boxes.

Best Answer

Colored boxes can be created in a Simulink model by placing an empty subsystem underneath an area.

Here is the answer on the layering subsystems issue. It is somewhat tricky. We order subsystems in alphabetical (ASCII) order, first by capital and then by lower-case. So the top subsystem starts with 'A' and the lowest one starts with 'z', and so on.

 Here's a good method for making the layers:
 1) Start with the top layer:
 2) Make a new subsystem.
 3) Title it 'z'.
 4) Set the background color with right click -> Background Color
 5) Hide the name with right-click -> Format -> Hide Name
 6) Open the subsystem, delete the ports.
 7) Right-click -> Mask Subsystem
 8) In the mask drawing commands write "disp('')" - this will hide the simulink symbol.
 9) Repeat for the next layer, calling it 'zz' and so on...
 You can see the attached model as an example.

Related Solutions

MATLAB: How to insert colored rectangles for highlighting in Simulink 6.3 (R14SP3)

The ability to highlight a group of blocks through a graphical interface is not available in Simulink.

To work around this limitation, create a masked subsystem for the desired group of blocks and set the background color property of the masked subsystem.

MATLAB: How to force execution of the ClickFcn callback of a Simulink annotation object every time I update the block diagram

The ability to execute a callback for an annotation object when the block diagram is updated is not available in Simulink.

Simulink.Annotation objects are data objects and do not have an InitFcn callback associated with them, as for Simulink library blocks.

In order to work around this issue, evaluate the ClickFcn code in the model's InitFcn callback, by using the Simulink.Annotation objects' ClickFcn property as follows:

annotationHandles = find_system(gcs, 'FindAll', 'on', 'type', 'annotation');  
for annotationIndex = 1:length(annotationHandles)  
annotationObject = get_param(annotationHandles(annotationIndex), 'Object');  
eval(annotationObject.ClickFcn)
end

However, note that the callback code is executed in the base workspace. Therefore, operations (such as GETCALLBACKANNOTATION) that depend on being invoked from the annotation callback do not behave as expected.

In cases where GETCALLBACKANNOTATION is used, the entire callback code must be implemented in the InitFcn callback as follows:

annotationHandles = find_system(gcs, 'FindAll', 'on', 'type', 'annotation');  
for annotationIndex = 1:length(annotationHandles)  
annotationObject = get_param(annotationHandles(annotationIndex), 'Object');  
annotationObject.Text = [gcs ' : ' annotationObject.Text];
end

Best Answer

Related Solutions

MATLAB: How to insert colored rectangles for highlighting in Simulink 6.3 (R14SP3)

MATLAB: How to force execution of the ClickFcn callback of a Simulink annotation object every time I update the block diagram

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