This section presents a summary of drag-and-drop operations for models managed in local file system repositories. To learn more, refer to the step-by-step instructions for each model type in the Syndeia Tutorials document (see section 3.2 for details).
# | Drag This | To This | With Connection Type | And This Will Happen |
L1 | Anything from the System Model Panel (or Repository Panel) | Anything in the Repository Panel (or System Model Panel) | Reference | Reference Connection will be created but nothing will be generated. |
L2 | SysML Block | Folder | Model Transform | User will be presented three options: - Generate Excel Workbook and Table – If selected, this will generate Excel workbook (.xlsx file) in the folder, a new sheet in the workbook, and a new table in the sheet—all with same names as the block. Columns corresponding to the value properties of the block will be generated in the Excel table. A model transform connection will also be created between the SysML block and Excel table for downstream compare and sync.
- Generate NX CAD Model – If selected, this will generate a NX CAD model in the folder. The model will include a part structure based on the SysML block structure. A model transformation connection will also be created between the SysML block and NX CAD part for downstream compare and sync.
- Generate Simulink Model – If selected, this will generate a Simulink model in the folder. The Simulink model will include blocks, ports, and lines generated from the internal block structure (part properties, flow ports, and connectors) of the SysML block. A model transformation connection will also be created between the SysML block and Simulink model for downstream compare and sync.
|
Excel |
L3 | SysML Block | Excel Workbook | Model Transform | - A new sheet and a table in the sheet—both with same names as the block—will be generated in the workbook. Columns corresponding to the value properties of the block will be generated in the Excel table.
- A model transform connection will be created between the SysML block and the Excel table.
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L4 | SysML Block | Excel Sheet | Model Transform | - A new table in the context of the sheet will be generated with columns corresponding to value properties of the SysML block.
- A model transform connection will be created between the SysML block and the Excel table.
|
L5 | Excel Table | SysML package | Model Transform | - A new SysML block will be generated with value properties corresponding to columns of the Excel table.
- A model transform connection will be created between the SysML block and the Excel table.
|
L6 | SysML Block | Excel Table | Data Map | - A new row will be generated in the table with column values corresponding to the default values of the value properties of the SysML block ONLYIF a model transform connection exists between a parent block (supertype) of the given block and the Excel table (such as by operations L2 - L5).
- A data map connection will be created between the SysML block and the Excel table row.
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L7 | SysML Block Instance | Excel Table | Data Map | - A new row will be generated in the table with column values corresponding to the slot values of the SysML block instance ONLYIF a model transform connection exists between the classifying Classifying block is the block that was instantiated to create the given block instance. block of the instance and the Excel table (such as by operations L2 - L5).
- A data map connection will be created between the SysML block instance and the Excel table row.
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L8 | Excel Row | SysML package | Data Map | - User will be asked to select one of the two options: (1) generate a block instance (default option), or (2) generate a specialized (subtype) block.Â
If the first option is selected, a SysML block instance will be generated with slot values corresponding to the columns values of the given row. This block instance will be an instance of the block that has a model transform connection to the table. If such a block does not exist, then a new block will also be generated with a model transform connection to the Excel table (same as operation L5). If the second option is selected, a SysML block will be generated with value properties (and default values) corresponding to the columns values of the given row. This block will be a child (subtype) of the block that has a model transform connection to the table. If such a block does not exist, then a new block will also be generated with a model transform connection to the Excel table (same as operation L5). - A data map connection will be created between the SysML block instance (or specialized block) and the Excel table row.
|
NX |
L9 | NX Part | SysML package | Model Transform | - Generates a SysML block structure from NX CAD part structure.
- Refer to section 4.4.5 for step-by-step instructions
|
L10 | SysML Block | Folder | Model Transform | - See L2 above
- Refer to section 4.4.5 for step-by-step instructions
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Creo |
L9 | Creo model | SysML package | Model Transform | - Generates a SysML block structure from Creo model structure.
- Refer to section 4.4.6 for step-by-step instructions
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L10 | SysML Block | Folder | Model Transform | - See L2 above
- Refer to section 4.4.6 for step-by-step instructions
|
Simulink |
L9 | SysML block | Folder | Model Transform | - See L2 above
- Refer to section 4.4.7 for step-by-step instructions
|
L10 | SysML Activity | Folder | Model Transform | - Same as L9 above
- Refer to section 4.4.7 for step-by-step instructions
|
L11 | Simulink model | SysML package | Model Transform | Users will be presented with 2 options: - Generate SysML block – Generates a SysML block structure (part properties and ports from Simulink model structure).
- Generate SysML activity – Generates a SysML activity structure (call behavior actions and activity parameter nodes).
- Refer to section 4.4.7 for step-by-step instructions
|
| L12 | SysML State Machine | Folder | Model Transform | Generates a Simulink model (as L2 above) with a statechart subsystem corresponding to the SysML state machine. |
| L13 | Simulink statechart subsystem | SysML package | Model Transform | Generates a SysML state machine (in the package) corresponding to the statechart |
Creating connections between existing model elements
The drag-n-drop operations listed in the table above generate models. Starting with this release, Syndeia can also create model transform and data map connections between existing model elements without generation. You can then perform a compare and sync operation on these connections to sync the models. The following drag-n-drop operations are available between existing model elements:
- SysML Block < – > Excel table (Model Transform)
- SysML Block < – > Excel table row (Data Map)
- SysML Block Instance < – > Excel table row (Data Map)
- SysML Block < – > NX CAD model (Model Transform)
- SysML Block < – > Creo model (Model Transform)
- SysML Block < – > Simulink model (Model Transform)
- SysML Activity < – > Simulink model (Model Transform)
- SysML State Machine < -- > Stateflow Statechart (Model Transform)
Additional Notes on SysML and Excel drag-n-drop operations
- Column names in the Excel table (header row) must be alpha numeric (white spaces and underscores are allowed) so that they can be used to generate block value properties.
When generating SysML block / instances from Excel data, or when synchronizing Excel > SysML, the following data mapping rules are followed.
Excel data type | SysML value type |
String | String |
Numeric | Real |
Boolean | Boolean |
When generating Excel tables and rows from SysML elements, or when synchronizing SysML > Excel, the following data mapping rules are followed.
Note: Excel does not distinguish between integers and real numbers, so they are both mapped to Numeric type.Â
SysML value type | Excel data type |
String value type | String |
Real value type | Numeric |
Integer value type | Numeric |
Boolean | Boolean |
- Ensure that the Excel file is closed before any drag-n-drop or sync operations from SysML to Excel. If not, the information will not be written to Excel.
- Rhapsody stores the default values of values properties of a block as a String object, even if the value is a number, and hence when the value is written to an Excel table row, it is written as a String and not a Numeric object.
- The Syndeia profile for Rhapsody provides the following additional value types—String, Integer, and Boolean. These value types are not available with the default SysML profile in Rhapsody.