padv.builtin.task.GenerateModelComparison Class

Namespace: padv.builtin.task
Superclasses: padv.Task

Task for generating model comparison report

Description

This class requires CI/CD Automation for Simulink Check.

The padv.builtin.task.GenerateModelComparison class provides a task that can compare models in the project to their ancestors in Git™ and publish a comparison report using the Comparison Tool. The task compares your version of the model to either the latest or previous version on the main branch in Git:

• If you make a change to a model and run the task, the task compares your version of the model to either the head of the current branch or latest version on the main branch in Git.

• If you do not make changes to a model and then run the task, the task compares the model to the previous version available on the main branch in Git.

You can use the task properties to specify different report options, filtering options, and the name of the Git branch used for the comparison.

You can add the task to your process model by using the method addTask. After you add the task to your process model, you can run the task from the Process Advisor app or by using the function runprocess.

To view the source code for this built-in task, in the MATLAB^® Command Window, enter:

open padv.builtin.task.GenerateModelComparison

The padv.builtin.task.GenerateModelComparison class is a handle class.

Creation

Description

task = padv.builtin.task.GenerateModelComparison() creates a task for comparing models using the Comparison Tool.

task = padv.builtin.task.GenerateModelComparison(Name=Value) sets certain properties using one or more name-value arguments. For example, task = padv.builtin.task.GenerateModelComparison(Name = "MyModelComparisonTask") creates a task with the specified name.

You can use this syntax to set property values for InputQueries, Name, IterationQuery, InputDependencyQuery, Licenses, LaunchToolAction, and LaunchToolText.

The padv.builtin.task.GenerateModelComparison class also has other properties, but you cannot set those properties during task creation.

Properties

The GenerateModelComparison class inherits properties from padv.Task. The properties listed in General Task Properties are padv.Task properties that the GenerateModelComparison task overrides.

The task also has properties for specifying:

• Comparison Options for comparing models by using visdiff

• Report Options

General Task Properties

Name — Unique identifier for task in process

"padv.builtin.task.GenerateModelComparison" (default) | string

Unique identifier for task in process, specified as a string.

Example: "MyModelDiffTask"

Data Types: string

Title — Human-readable name that appears in Process Advisor app

"Generate Model Comparison" (default) | string

Human-readable name that appears in Process Advisor app, specified as a string.

Example: "My Generate Model Comparison Task"

Data Types: string

DescriptionText — Task description

"This task uses the Model Comparison tool to generate a difference report with the previous version of the model." (default) | string

Task description, specified as a string.

When you point to a task in Process Advisor and click the information icon, the tooltip shows the task description.

Example: "This task uses the Model Comparison tool to generate a difference report with the previous version of the model."

Data Types: string

DescriptionCSH — Path to task documentation

path to GenerateModelComparison documentation (default) | string

Path to task documentation, specified as a string.

When you point to a task in Process Advisor, click the ellipsis (...), and click Help, Process Advisor opens the task documentation.

Example: fullfile(pwd,"taskHelpFiles","myTaskDocumentation.pdf")

Data Types: string

RequiredIterationArtifactType — Artifact type that task can run on

"sl_model_file" (default) | ...

Type of artifact, specified as one or more of the values listed in this table. To specify multiple values, use an array.

Category	Artifact Type	Description
MATLAB	"m_class"	MATLAB class
	"m_file"	MATLAB file
	"m_func"	MATLAB function
	"m_method"	MATLAB class method
	"m_property"	MATLAB class property
Model Advisor	"ma_config_file"	Model Advisor configuration file
	"ma_justification_file"	Model Advisor justification file
Process Advisor	"padv_dep_artifacts"	Related artifacts that current artifact depends on
	"padv_output_file"	Process Advisor output file
Project	"project"	Current project file
Requirements	"mwreq_file"	Requirement file (since R2024b)
	"mwreq_item"	Requirement (since R2024b)
	"sl_req"	Requirement (for R2024a and earlier)
	"sl_req_file"	Requirement file (for R2024a and earlier)
	"sl_req_table"	Requirements Table
Stateflow®	"sf_chart"	Stateflow chart
	"sf_graphical_fcn"	Stateflow graphical function
	"sf_group"	Stateflow group
	"sf_state"	Stateflow state
	"sf_state_transition_chart"	Stateflow state transition chart
	"sf_truth_table"	Stateflow truth table
Simulink®	"sl_block_diagram"	Block diagram
	"sl_data_dictionary_file"	Data dictionary file
	"sl_embedded_matlab_fcn"	MATLAB function
	"sl_block_diagram"	Block diagram
	"sl_library_file"	Library file
	"sl_model_file"	Simulink model file
	"sl_protected_model_file"	Protected Simulink model file
	"sl_subsystem"	Subsystem
	"sl_subsystem_file"	Subsystem file
System Composer™	"zc_block_diagram"	System Composer architecture
	"zc_component"	System Composer architecture component
	"zc_file"	System Composer architecture file
Tests	"harness_info_file"	Harness info file
	"sl_harness_block_diagram"	Harness block diagram
	"sl_harness_file"	Test harness file
	"sl_test_case"	Simulink Test™ case
	"sl_test_case_result"	Simulink Test case result
	"sl_test_file"	Simulink Test file
	"sl_test_iteration"	Simulink Test iteration
	"sl_test_iteration_result"	Simulink Test iteration result
	"sl_test_report_file"	Simulink Test result report
	"sl_test_result_file"	Simulink Test result file
	"sl_test_resultset"	Simulink Test result set
	"sl_test_seq"	Test Sequence
	"sl_test_suite"	Simulink Test suite
	"sl_test_suite_result"	Simulink Test suite result

Example: "sl_model_file"

Example: ["sl_model_file" "zc_file"]

IterationQuery — Find artifacts that task iterates over

padv.builtin.query.FindModels (default) | padv.Query object | name of padv.Query object

Query that finds the artifacts that the task iterates over, specified as a padv.Query object or the name of a padv.Query object. When you specify IterationQuery, the task runs one time for each artifact returned by the query. In the Process Advisor app, the artifacts returned by IterationQuery appear under task title.

For more information about task iterations, see Overview of Process Model.

InputDependencyQuery — Finds artifact dependencies for task inputs

padv.Query object | name of padv.Query object

Query that finds artifact dependencies for task inputs, specified as a padv.Query object or the name of a padv.Query object.

The build system runs the query specified by InputDependencyQuery to find the dependencies for the task inputs, since those dependencies can impact if task results are up-to-date.

For more information about task inputs, see Overview of Process Model.

Example: padv.builtin.query.GetDependentArtifacts

LaunchToolAction — Function that launches tool

@launchToolAction (default) | function handle

Function that launches a tool, specified as the function handle.

When you point to a task in the Process Advisor app, you can click the ellipsis (...) to see more options. For built-in tasks, you have the option to launch a tool associated with the task.

For the task GenerateModelComparison, you can launch the Model Comparison tool.

Data Types: function_handle

LaunchToolText — Description of action that LaunchToolAction property performs

"Compare to Ancestor" (default) | string

Description of the action that the LaunchToolAction property performs, specified as a string.

Data Types: string

InputQueries — Inputs to task

padv.Query object | name of padv.Query object | array of padv.Query objects

Inputs to the task, specified as:

• a padv.Query object

• the name of padv.Query object

• an array of padv.Query objects

• an array of names of padv.Query objects

By default, the task GenerateModelComparison gets the current model that the task is iterating over by using the built-in query padv.builtin.query.GetIterationArtifact.

OutputDirectory — Location for standard task outputs

fullfile('$DEFAULTOUTPUTDIR$', '$ITERATIONARTIFACT$','model_comparison') (default) | string

Location for standard task outputs, specified as a string.

The built-in tasks use tokens, like $DEFAULTOUTPUTDIR$, as placeholders for dynamic path resolution during run-time. For more information, see Dynamically Resolve Paths with Tokens.

Data Types: string

Comparison Options

Filter — Setting for filtering model comparison report

"default" (default) | "unfiltered"

Setting for filtering model comparison report, specified as either:

• "unfiltered" — Removes all filtering from the comparison.

• "default" — Default filtering for the comparison, which hides non-functional changes.

Example: "unfiltered"

MainBranch — Name of Git branch used for comparison

"main" (default) | string

Name of Git branch used for comparison, specified as a string.

Example: "taskBranch"

Data Types: string

Report Options

ReportName — Name of generated comparison report

"$ITERATIONARTIFACT$_Model_Comparison" (default) | string

Name of generated comparison report, specified as a string.

The built-in tasks use tokens, like $ITERATIONARTIFACT$, as placeholders for dynamic path resolution during run-time. For more information, see Dynamically Resolve Paths with Tokens.

Example: "myModel_Model_Comparison"

Data Types: string

ReportPath — Path to generated comparison report

fullfile('$DEFAULTOUTPUTDIR$', '$ITERATIONARTIFACT$','model_comparison') (default) | string

Path to generated comparison report, specified as a string.

The built-in tasks use tokens, like $DEFAULTOUTPUTDIR$, as placeholders for dynamic path resolution during run-time. For more information, see Dynamically Resolve Paths with Tokens.

Data Types: string

ReportFormat — Format of generated comparison report

"HTML" (default) | "DOCX" | "PDF"

Format of generated comparison report, specified as either "DOCX", "HTML", or "PDF".

Example: "PDF"

Methods

Specialized Public Methods

This class overrides the following inherited methods.

run	Generate a model comparison report using the Comparison Tool Note You do not need to manually invoke this method. When you run a task using the Process Advisor app or the runprocess function, the build system automatically invokes the run method for the task. The run method inside this built-in task runs on a task object obj with task input input and returns a task result taskResult. The task result is a padv.TaskResult object that can store the pass, fail, and error information. If you inherit from this built-in task, make sure to use the same method signature inside your custom task. function taskResult = run(obj, input) ... end
dryRun	Dry run the task to validate task inputs and generate representative task outputs without actually running the task. The dryRun method inside this built-in task runs on a task object obj with task input input and returns a task result taskResult. The task result is a padv.TaskResult object that can store the pass, fail, and error information. If you inherit from this class, make sure to use the same method signature inside your custom task. function taskResult = dryRun(obj, input) ... end For more information, see Dry Run Tasks to Test Process Model.
launchToolAction	Launch the Comparison Tool. Process Advisor uses this method when you open the tool associated with a task.

Examples

Add Model Comparison Task to Process

Add a task that can generate a model comparison report using the Comparison Tool.

Open the process model for your project. If you do not have a process model, open the Process Advisor app to automatically create a process model.

In the process model file, add the GenerateModelComparison task to your process model by using the addTask method.

mdlCompTask = pm.addTask(padv.builtin.task.GenerateModelComparison);

You can reconfigure the task behavior by using the task properties. For example, to use a different branch for the comparison:

mdlCompTask.MainBranch = "branchname";

Tips

• To find and compare model ancestors, this task requires that you use Git source control for your project. For information on how to add a project to Git source control, see Use Source Control with Projects.

• If you run MATLAB using the -nodisplay option or you use a machine that does not have a display (like many CI runners and Docker^® containers), you should set up a virtual display server before you include this task in your process model. For information, see Set Up Virtual Display Machines Without Displays.