Displaying Signal Properties

Port/Signal Displays Menu

The Format >Port/Signal Displays submenu of the model window offers the following options for displaying signal properties on the block diagram:

• Linearization Indicators

• Port Data Types (See Port Data Types)

• Signal Dimensions (See Signal Dimensions)

• Storage Class

• Testpoint/Logging Indicators

• Signal Resolution Indicators (See Signal Resolution Indicators)

• Viewer Indicators

• Wide Nonscalar Lines (See Wide Nonscalar Lines)

In addition, you can display sample time information. If you first select Format > Sample Time Display, a submenu provides the choices of Colors, Annotations and All. The Colors option allows the block diagram signal lines and blocks to be color-coded based on the sample time types and relative rates. The Annotations option provides black codes on the signal lines which indicate the type of sample time. All causes both the colors and the annotations to display. All of these options cause a Sample Time Legend to appear. The legend contains a description of the type of sample time and the sample time rate. If Colors is turned 'on', color codes also appear in the legend. The same is true if Annotations are turned 'on'.

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Port Data Types

Displays the data type of a signal next to the output port that emits the signal.

The notation (c) following the data type of a signal indicates that the signal is complex.

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Signal Dimensions

Display the dimensions of nonscalar signals next to the line that carries the signal.

The format of the display depends on whether the line represents a single signal or a bus. If the line represents a single vector signal, Simulink displays the width of the signal. If the line represents a single matrix signal, Simulink displays its dimensions as [N₁xN₂] where N_i is the size of the ith dimension of the signal. If the line represents a bus carrying signals of the same data type, Simulink displays N{M} where N is the number of signals carried by the bus and M is the total number of signal elements carried by the bus. If the bus carries signals of different data types, Simulink displays only the total number of signal elements {M}.

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Signal Resolution Indicators

The Simulink Editor by default graphically indicates signals that must resolve to signal objects. For any labeled signal whose Signal name must resolve to signal object property is enabled, a signal resolution icon appears to the left of the signal name. The icon looks like this:

A signal resolution icon indicates only that a signal's Signal name must resolve to signal object property is enabled. The icon does not indicate whether the signal is actually resolved, and does not appear on a signal that is implicitly resolved without its Signal name must resolve to signal object property being enabled.

Where multiple labels exist, each label displays a signal resolution icon. No icon appears on an unlabeled branch. In the next figure, signal x2 must resolve to a signal object, so a signal resolution icon appears to the left of the signal name in each label:

To suppress the display of signal resolution icons, in the model window deselect Format > Port/Signal Displays > Signal Resolution Indicators, which is selected by default. To restore signal resolution icons, reselect Signal Resolution Indicators. Individual signals cannot be set to show or hide signal resolution indicators independently of the setting for the whole model. For additional information, see:

• Resolving Symbols

• Initializing Signals and Discrete States

• Simulink.Signal

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Wide Nonscalar Lines

Draws lines that carry vector or matrix signals wider than lines that carry scalar signals.

See Using Composite Signals for more information about vector and matrix signals.

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Working with Test Points

Working with Signal Groups

Related Products & Applications

• Simulink
• Control Design
• Signal Processing & Communications
• Model-Based Design
• Physical Modeling
• Verification & Validation

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