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Variant Component

Add components with alternative designs

Since R2019a

Alternative Configurations of Variant Component Block:
Variant Assembly Component

Description

Use a Variant Component block to create multiple design alternatives for a component.

Add ports to the block to connect to other components. Define an interface for the ports, add properties associated with the component using stereotypes, and define parameters.

Variant Component block

To add or connect System Composer™ components:

  • Add an architecture Variant Component block from the Modeling tab or the palette. You can also click and drag a box on the canvas, then select the Variant Component block. You can also create a variant component from a Component block or Reference Component block. Right-click on the component and select Add Variant Choice.

  • To add a port, select an edge of the component and choose a direction from the menu: Input or Output

  • Click and drag the port to create a connection. Connect to another component. You can also create a new component to complete the connection.

  • To connect Variant Component blocks to architecture or composition model root ports, drag from the component ports to the containing model boundary. When you release the connection, a root port is created at the boundary.

Note

You can add a mask icon to your component to illustrate the system represented by your component. For more information, see Add Mask Icon on Component.

To manage Variant Component choices:

  • By default, two variant choices are created when you create a Variant Component block. Right-click the Variant Component block and select Variant > Label Mode Active Choice, then select the active choice.

  • To add an additional variant choice, right-click on the Variant Component block and select Variant > Add Variant Choice.

  • Double-click into the Variant Component block to design the variants within it.

  • Use the Variant Manager to easily switch between variant choices in a complex model hierarchy. Right-click on the Variant Component block and select Variant > Open in Variant Manager. For more information, see Variant Manager for Simulink.

Ports

Input

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If you connect to a source component, the interfaces on the ports are shared.

Output

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If you connect to a destination component, the interfaces on the ports are shared.

Alternative Configurations

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Since R2023b

A Variant Assembly Component block is a template that enables you to add or remove its variant choices from external sources without modifying the model. A Variant Assembly Component block can contain Model blocks, Subsystem Reference blocks, or both as its variant choices. You specify the source of variant choices in the block parameter dialog box once and then modify the source to add or remove the variant choices from the block. Unlike Variant Component, you cannot add inline components as the variant choices inside the Variant Assembly Component block. To convert a Variant Component block to a Variant Assembly Component block, follow the steps in Convert Variant Component to Variant Assembly Component. The conversion from Variant Component to Variant Assembly Component is not supported for software architecture and AUTOSAR architecture. The Variant Assembly Component is the same as the Variant Assembly Subsystem in Simulink®.

More About

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Version History

Introduced in R2019a