Connect Blocks Programmatically - MATLAB & Simulink (original) (raw)

To connect blocks with signal lines programmatically, the model, library, or subsystem containing the blocks must be loaded. For information about how to load models, libraries, and subsystems, see Create, Load, Open, Save, and Close Models Programmatically. To make a connection, use the Simulink.connectBlocks function. This syntax connects the source specified bysrc to the destination specified by dst.

connection = Simulink.connectBlocks(src,dst)

For example, suppose you have a model named myModel that contains a block named block1 and a subsystem named subsystem. The subsystem contains a block named block2. These commands connect the block named block1 to the block named block2 at any available ports.

src = "myModel/block1"; dst = "myModel/subsystem/block2"; connection = Simulink.connectBlocks(src,dst)

By default, the Simulink.connectBlocks function uses smart automatic line routing. Smart automatic line routing creates signal lines composed of orthogonal line segments that avoid overlapping other blocks and signal lines. If line routing is causing a significant increase in run time, consider turning off smart automatic line routing. Turning off smart automatic line routing reduces runtime, but connects blocks on the most direct route without avoiding overlap or forcing the signal lines to be orthogonal. To turn off smart automatic line routing, use this syntax.

connection = Simulink.connectBlocks(src,dst,... RoutingStyle=Simulink.Connection.RoutingStyle.Direct)

Connecting blocks using the Simulink.connectBlocks function creates signal lines and blocks. For example, connecting a block at the root level of the model to a block in a subsystem creates signal lines and an Inport block in the subsystem. You can get the type, handles, and paths of the new signal lines and blocks from the function output.

Specify Connection Source and Destination

To programmatically connect blocks using the Simulink.connectBlocks function, specify the source and destination of the connection as the first two input arguments. The source and destination can be on different levels of the model hierarchy.

To connect both blocks at any available port, specify both the source and destination as block handles, or specify both as block paths. To connect both blocks at a specific port, specify both the source and destination as port handles, or specify both as port paths. Connecting one block at a specific port and the other at any available port is not supported. For information about how to get handles and paths, see Get Handles and Paths.

The destination must be an unconnected port or a block that has at least one unconnected port. The source can be fully connected. If the source is fully connected, the signal line branches to make the connection.

The table shows examples of how to specify the source and destination of a connection.

Action	Example
Connect two blocks at any available ports.	A model named myModel contains an unconnectedIf block named block1 with two output ports and an unconnected subsystem named subsystem. The subsystem contains an unconnected Scope block named block2 with three input ports. Connect the blocks named block1 andblock2 at any viable ports.src = getSimulinkBlockHandle("myModel/block1"); dst = getSimulinkBlockHandle("myModel/mySubsystem/block2"); connection = Simulink.connectBlocks(src,dst)
Connect two blocks at specific ports.	A model named myModel contains an unconnectedIf block named block1 with two output ports and an unconnected subsystem named subsystem. The subsystem contains an unconnected Scope block named block2 with three input ports. Connect the bottom port of the block namedblock1 to the bottom port of the block namedblock2.Use the get_param function to get the handles of all ports on the block named block1. Then, use dot notation and the port name to extract the handle of the bottom output port. For more information about this step, see Specify Signal and Signal Line.allPortsBlock1 = get_param("myModel/block1","PortHandles"); src = allPortsBlock1.Outport(2);Use the same approach to get the handle of the bottom input port of the block namedblock2.allPortsBlock2 = get_param("myModel/subsystem/block2","PortHandles"); dst = allPortsBlock2.Inport(3); connection = Simulink.connectBlocks(src,dst)
Connect any port on a multi-port block to a block that has only one compatible port available for connection.	A model named myModel contains an unconnectedIf block named block1 with two output ports and an unconnected To Workspace block namedblock2 with one input port. Connect any output port on the block named block1 to the block namedblock2.Since you do not need to specify which ports to connect to one either block, you can specify the source and destination as block handles or block paths.src = getSimulinkBlockHandle("myModel/block1"); dst = getSimulinkBlockHandle("myModel/block2"); connection = Simulink.connectBlocks(src,dst)
Connect a specific port on a multi-port block to a block that has only one compatible port available for connection.	A model named myModel contains an unconnectedIf block named block1 with two output ports and an unconnected To Workspace block namedblock2 with one input port. Connect the bottom port of the block named block1 to the block namedblock2.To connect to a specific port on one block, you must specify both the source and destination as specific port handles or port paths.allPortsBlock1 = get_param("myModel/block1","PortHandles"); src = allPortsBlock1.Outport(2); allPortsBlock2 = get_param("myModel/subsystem/block2","PortHandles"); dst = allPortsBlock2.Inport; connection = Simulink.connectBlocks(src,dst)
Connect a block with only one output port to a block with only one unconnected input port.	A model named myModel contains an unconnectedSine Wave block named block1 and an unconnected To Workspace block named block2. Connect the two blocks.Since you do not need to specify which ports to connect to one either block, you can specify the source and destination as blocks handles or block paths.src = getSimulinkBlockHandle("myModel/block1"); dst = getSimulinkBlockHandle("myModel/block2"); connection = Simulink.connectBlocks(src,dst)
Branch a signal line.	A model named myModel contains a Sine Wave block named block1 that is connected to aTo Workspace block named block2. The model also contains an unconnected Scope block namedblock3. Connect the block named block1 to the block named block3.Since the source is already connected, the signal line branches to make the new connection.src = getSimulinkBlockHandle("myModel/block1"); dst = getSimulinkBlockHandle("myModel/block3"); connection = Simulink.connectBlocks(src,dst)
Connect a block to the control input port on a conditionally executed subsystem.	A model named myModel contains an If block named block1 and an If Action Subsystem block named subsystem. Connect the block namedblock1 to the control input port of the if action subsystem.allPortsMyBlock2 = get_param("myModel/myBlock2","PortHandles"); src = portsMyBlock2.Outport; allPortsMySubsystem = get_param("myModel/mySubsystem","PortHandles"); dst = portsMySubsystem.Ifaction; connection = Simulink.connectBlocks(src,dst)The third command gets the handles of all ports on the If Action Subsystem block and stores the handles in a vector. The last command extracts the handle of the control input port from the vector using dot notation and the port name. To get the port names of the control input ports of other conditionally executed subsystems, see Get Port Name.

Get Types, Handles, and Paths of Model Elements Created by Simulink.connectBlocks Function

In this syntax, connection is an object that stores the types, handles, and paths of the model elements the Simulink.connectBlocks function creates to make the connection. The model elements can be signal lines or blocks. Paths are only output for blocks.

connection = Simulink.connectBlocks(src,dst)

The table shows how you can extract the types, handles, and paths of the signal lines and blocks from the object. The commands in the table assume the object is stored in a variable named connection. For more information about these commands, seeGet Types, Handles, and Paths of Model Elements Created by Simulink.connectBlocks Function.

Delete Signal Lines

To delete signal lines, use the delete_line function. For example, suppose you have a model namedmyModel containing a Sine Wave block namedblock1 that connects to a Sum block namedblock2 and to a From Workspace block namedblock3. The table shows how to delete signal lines and branches of signal lines in the model. For more syntaxes, see the delete_line function documentation. To delete multiple signal lines or branches at once, specify the function input as a vector of line handles.

Action	Example
Delete a signal line, including all branches.	Delete the signal line that connects to the block namedblock1, including all branches.To delete a signal line with all branches, identify the block to whose output port the signal line connects, which in this example is the block named block1. Get the handles of all signal lines connected to the block using the get_param function.allLinesBlock1 = get_param("myModel/block1","LineHandles")Extract the handle of the signal line you want to delete using dot notation and the name of the port to which the signal line connects. For more information, see Specify Signal and Signal Line.hOutport = allLinesBlock1.Outport;Delete the signal line.delete_line(hOutport)
Delete one branch of a signal line.	Delete the branch of the signal line that connects to the block namedblock3.To delete a branch of a signal line, identify the block to whose input port the branch connects, which in this example is the block named block3. Get the handles of all signal lines connected to the block using the get_param function.allLinesBlock3 = get_param("myModel/block3","LineHandles")Extract the handle of the branch you want to delete using dot notation and the name of the port to which the branch connects. For more information, see Specify Signal and Signal Line.hInput = allLinesBlock3.Inport;Delete the branch.delete_line(hInput)

Delete Connection Made Using Simulink.connectBlocks Function

If you connect blocks in an open model, you can interactively undo the connection by pressing Ctrl+z. When the model is closed, the interactive undo is not supported.

You can programmatically undo a connection made using theSimulink.connectBlocks function by deleting all the signal lines and blocks created to make the connection, provided you did not delete or modify the handles of any of these model elements after making the connection.

1. Suppose you stored the output of the Simulink.connectBlocks function in a variable named connection.
   connection = Simulink.connectBlocks(src,dst)
   Use these commands get the handles of all signal lines created to make the connection. For more information about the commands, see Get Types, Handles, and Paths of Model Elements Created by Simulink.connectBlocks Function.
   transits = connection.getTransits;
   isLine = arrayfun(@(x)x.getType=="line",transits);
   lineTransits = transits(isLine);
   hLines = arrayfun(@(x)x.getHandle,lineTransits)
   isBlock = arrayfun(@(x)x.getType()=="block",transits);
   blockTransits = transits(isBlock);
   hBlocks = arrayfun(@(x)x.getHandle,blockTransits)
2. Use the delete_line function to delete all the signal lines created to make the connection.
3. Use the delete_block function to delete all the blocks created to make the connection.

Comment Out and Comment Through Blocks

You can exclude blocks from simulation without physically removing the blocks from the model by commenting out or commenting through the blocks.

• Comment out — Excludes the selected block from simulation. The signals are terminated and grounded.
• Comment through — Excludes the selected block from simulation. The signals are passed through. To comment through, a block must have the same number of input and output ports and no control or connection ports.

Note

These Simulink® blocks do not support being commented out or commented through:

• Inport
• Outport
• Connection Port
• Argument Inport
• Argument Outport
• Data Store Memory
• Goto Tag Visibility

The Signal Generator block does not support being commented through.

To view or change the commented state of a block programmatically, use the get_param and set_param functions. The table shows the commands you can use to take these actions on a block with the handle h. For information about how to get block handles, see Get Handles and Paths.

See Also

Simulink.connectBlocks | delete_line | delete_block | get_param | set_param

Topics

• Get Handles and Paths
• Search Programmatically
• Add, Copy, Replace, and Delete Blocks Programmatically
• Configure Model Layout Programmatically
• Connect Blocks