Modelica Parameters Edition Dialog Box

The dialog box for editing of Modelica parameters and some other modifiers appears when you select Edit Modelica Parameters. You can use this command to edit the parameters and other modifiers of one component, but also to edit the parameters and other modifiers of multiselected components of the same class, at the same time.

Notes:

The dialog box for editing Modelica parameters and other modifiers displays different tabs depending on the selected component.
If components are read-only, you cannot edit the parameters and other modifiers. If read-only, the dialog box contains a Close button to close the dialog box without saving.

The command Info displays the HTML documentation of the class, if defined. If the HTML documentation for the class is not defined because of, for example, the class is copied from another class without generating new documentation, the command displays the text part of the original class.

Below are described:

Note: Other tabs may be present as well, for example, an Advanced tab for certain advanced options.

This page discusses:

General Tab

The General tab contains a number of options. For the value boxes in the Parameters and the Initialization groups, a context menu with a number of commands is also available.

GUI Options in the General Tab

The General tab contains the following options:

Component

Name: Editable box displaying the name of the component. The figure above shows the dialog box when your work with two multiselected components.
Comment: Editable box displaying a comment (if the component or connector is not read-only and provided the component/connector is at the root level in the Component Browser).

Icon

Shows the icon of the component.

Model

Path: Displays the class path.
Comment: Displays the class comment.

Parameters

Lists the parameters and some other relevant modifiers in the component. Modifiers that can be presented here are:

Normal parameters declared with the keyword parameter in the model.
Replaceable classes in the model, which can be redeclared to another class.
Hierarchical modifiers.

Values changed from the default values are considered overloaded. An overloaded value is indicated by black text in the corresponding box. Default values have light gray text.

If you work with multiselected components, and the parameter value is different for any component, the corresponding parameter box displays <<..>>. If you set a value, that value is set for all the components.

Initialization

Lists the initial values in the component, including the behavior.

You can click the small box after the parameter name to select what type of start value to use.

Values/behaviors changed from the default values/behaviors are considered overloaded. An overloaded value is indicated by black text in the corresponding box. Default values have light gray text.

Custom Parameters

This group is only displayed if any of the following variables are available:

Modifiers of non-existing variables, typically the result of deleting parameters without deleting the related modifiers. Such modifiers are displayed with a little warning sign and a button Remove to delete them.
Modified variables usually not displayed in the parameter dialog box. An example could be an input parameter of an integrator component, connected by graphical connection but also modified by adding a unit as modifier. The unit modifier appears in the Custom Parameters group.

Context Menu Commands for Parameter and Start Value Boxes

The context menu of a parameter or start value box can be displayed in two ways:

Click the small triangle after the parameter box.
Right-click the parameter box.
Note: This alternative is not available for a Boolean parameter or start value.

The context menu for the value boxes in the Parameters and the Initialization groups contains the options:

Note: Also parameter and start value boxes in other tabs may have this context menu.

Edit: This command allows hierarchical inspection and editing. The editor displayed depends on the parameter. As examples, for a matrix, a matrix editor appears; for a structured modifier, a redeclaration or a function call, a variable definition dialog box appears. See Command Dialog Boxes and Editors.
Edit Text: Edits the value of the parameter box in a line editor. This makes it possible to, for example, edit long parameter expressions and redeclarations.
Copy Default: Copies the text of the default value to the parameter box for further editing.
Edit Combined: Edits an array or calls to functions or record constructors.
View Parameter Settings: Displays a window with more information about the parameter. The origin of the default value is shown, and all modifiers applied between the original declaration and the current one.
Propagate: Propagates the parameter. See Propagating Parameters.
Propagate <parameterName>: Propagates the parameter. See Propagating Parameters.
Propagate and Edit Formula: Propagates a scalar parameter and expose it to Knowledgeware, and opens the dialog for editing formulas. See Exposing Modelica Component Parameters as Knowledgeware Parameters.
Reset display unit: Resets the display unit to default for the parameter, if changed.
final: If available and not dimmed, allows you to toggle if final should apply for the parameter. An activated check box is displayed if final is activated. A change will however not be executed until OK is pressed. If the component is write-protected, the change is not implemented.
If a modifier is final, it cannot be modified from an enclosing class. Use final if the value should not be modified. It is useful for, for example, propagating parameters.

Note: Such final parameter (with all its elements) can be modified in this package context, but cannot be modified nor redeclared once instantiated.
each: If available and not dimmed, allows you to toggle if each should apply for an array. An activated check box is displayed if each is activated. A change will however not be executed until OK is pressed. If the component is write-protected, the change is not implemented.
If an array has an activated each, each element in the array has its own value; otherwise the value is split among the array elements.
replaceable: If available and not dimmed, allows you to toggle if replaceable should be kept for a replaceable parameter in a redeclaration. An activated checkbox is displayed if replaceable is activated. A change will however not be executed until OK is pressed. If the component is write-protected, the change is not implemented.
Quote String: For string value parameters, you can quote the input by this command.
Insert Class Reference: Inserts a reference to a class in the model at the text cursor location.
Insert Component Reference: Inserts a reference to a component in the model at the text cursor location.
Insert Function Call: Inserts a function call from a browser. See Inserting a Function Call.
Select Class: Provides a class selector for redeclaration with all matching classes.
Select Record: Selects a record constructor or constant among suitable candidates.

Add Modifiers Tab

The Add Modifiers tab can be used by advanced users to add modifiers that are not covered by the settings in the dialog. An example might be to add a start value modifier for a variable.

Attributes Tab

You can use this tab to specify the attributes of the component.

The Attributes tab contains the following options:

Important: What are valid selections depend on the component. A record component gives different possibilities than an inertia component. There are in most cases no filtering for component types here, this means that you can make selections that are faulty, for example, you can set an ordinary inertia component to variability Parameter. Check the model after you have made the selections, to avoid such mistakes.

Variability of component

Select a variable type between Constant, Parameter, Discrete and Unspecified (default). By default, the unspecified option is selected and a continuous variable is created.

Properties

Final: The component cannot be modified.
Protected: The component cannot be accessed from outside the model.
Replaceable: The component can be redeclared in a modifier.
Add selector for all matching cases: If you want to use a replaceable class as a class parameter, that is, a local replaceable class, you can activate this option. An application example of a local replaceable class could be building a car model, where the class Wheel is suitable to implement as a local replaceable class (class parameter).

Constraining clause

If Replaceable is selected (see above), you can activate the option Constraining clause. This means that only components from this class are possible to select when you make a redeclare of the component. The default is the same class as the component. You can also include parameter settings in the constraints. Such parameter settings are applied to all possible components.

Dynamic Typing

Normal: The component has no dynamic type.
Inner: The component can be referenced by inner parameter/variable in nested components.
See Creating Inner and Outer Models for Context Behavior.
Outer: The component matches an outer parameter/variable in an enclosing scope.

Causality

None: The component has unspecified causality (determined during translation).
Input: The component is an input to the model.
Output: The component is calculated by the model.

Conditional component

By activating this option, you activate a conditional declaration. You can the enter a condition. If this condition is false, the component is removed when translated (including modifiers and connections to it).