Simulink®

Changing a Block's Appearance

Changing the Orientation of a Block

By default, signals flow through a block from left to right. Input ports are on the left, and output ports are on the right. You can change the orientation of a block by selecting one of these commands from the Format menu:

• The Flip Block command rotates the block 180 degrees.

• The Rotate Block command rotates a block clockwise 90 degrees.

The following figure shows how Simulink^® orders ports after changing the orientation of a block using the Rotate Block and Flip Block menu items. The text in the blocks shows their orientation.

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Resizing a Block

To change the size of a block, select it, then drag any of its selection handles. While you hold down the mouse button, a dotted rectangle shows the new block size. When you release the mouse button, the block is resized.

For example, the following figure below shows a Signal Generator block being resized. The lower-right handle was selected and dragged to the cursor position. When the mouse button is released, the block takes its new size.

This figure shows a block being resized:

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Displaying Parameters Beneath a Block

You can cause Simulink to display one or more of a block's parameters beneath the block. You specify the parameters to be displayed in the following ways:

• By entering an attributes format string in the Attributes format string field of the block's Block Properties dialog box (see Block Properties Dialog Box)

• By setting the value of the block's AttributesFormatString property to the format string, using set_param

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Using Drop Shadows

You can add a drop shadow to a block by selecting the block, then choosing Show Drop Shadow from the Format menu. When you select a block with a drop shadow, the menu item changes to Hide Drop Shadow. The following figure shows a Subsystem block with a drop shadow:

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Manipulating Block Names

All block names in a model must be unique and must contain at least one character. By default, block names appear below blocks whose ports are on the sides, and to the left of blocks whose ports are on the top and bottom, as the following figure shows:

Note   Simulink commands interprets a forward slash, i.e., /, as a block path delimiter. For example, the path vdp/Mu designates a block named Mu in the model named vdp. Therefore, avoid using forward slashes (/) in block names to avoid causing Simulink to interpret the names as paths.

Changing Block Names

You can edit a block name in one of these ways:

• To replace the block name, click the block name, double-click or drag the cursor to select the entire name, then enter the new name.

• To insert characters, click between two characters to position the insertion point, then insert text.

• To replace characters, drag the mouse to select a range of text to replace, then enter the new text.

When you click the pointer anywhere else in the model or take any other action, the name is accepted or rejected. If you try to change the name of a block to a name that already exists or to a name with no characters, Simulink displays an error message.

You can modify the font used in a block name by selecting the block, then choosing the Font menu item from the Format menu. Select a font from the Set Font dialog box. This procedure also changes the font of any text that appears inside the block.

You can cancel edits to a block name by choosing Undo from the Edit menu.

Note   If you change the name of a library block, all links to that block become unresolved.

Changing the Location of a Block Name

You can change the location of the name of a selected block in two ways:

• By dragging the block name to the opposite side of the block.

• By choosing the Flip Name command from the Format menu. This command changes the location of the block name to the opposite side of the block.

For more information about block orientation, see Changing the Orientation of a Block.

Changing Whether a Block Name Appears

To change whether the name of a selected block is displayed, choose a menu item from the Format menu:

• The Hide Name menu item hides a visible block name. When you select Hide Name, it changes to Show Name when that block is selected.

• The Show Name menu item shows a hidden block name.

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Specifying a Block's Color

See Specifying Block Diagram Colors for information on how to set the color of a block.

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Working with Block Parameters

Displaying Block Outputs