Apply a mask to hide the underlying blocks of a super block.
Masking is the main action from the Mask tool group. Masking hides the interior
blocks of a super block and changes the super block to appear and act like a regular
block. Additional tools let you edit, remove and restore a mask.
From a diagram, select a super block:
On the ribbon, from the Mask tool group , click the Auto Mask tool:
.
The super block is masked and behaves like a regular block. For example,
double-clicking a block or a masked super block opens a block dialog for
modifying parameters, whereas double-clicking an unmasked super block opens the
diagram associated with the super block.
Double-click the masked super block.
For the masked super block named, Controller, which contains a diagram
of a PID controller, the following block dialog appears with the parameters I, D
and P:
The values for these parameters are the input entries, I, D, and P, which
are the context variables defined in the context of the root diagram of the
Controller super block.
Navigating in Masked Super Blocks
You can navigate inside of a masked super block from the Project Browser or the context menu.
From the Project Browser,
double-click a super block.
The model display clears, and the main diagram of the super block
appears.
Note: Navigation from the Project Browser is
the same for masked and unmasked super blocks.
From the modeling window, in a diagram, right-click a
masked super block, and from the context menu, select Enter Masked
Super Block.
The model display clears, and the main diagram of the super block
appears.
To clear the display of the super-block, in the blank space around the super
block, double-click.
The super block closes and the model display returns.
Editing Masked Super Blocks
The Edit Mask tool lets you modify the parameters associated with a super block.
Select the masked super block you want to edit.
On the ribbon, from the Mask tool group, click the
Edit tool: .
A dialog appears for you to modify the mask. Modifications can include
adding or removing parameters or changing a parameter type or
description.
Removing and Restoring Masks from Super Blocks
The Remove tool lets you remove a mask from a super block so that you can access the
hidden contents of the super block. The Restore tool reapplies the mask.
From a diagram, select a masked super block.
The tools in the Mask tool group are
activated.
On the ribbon, from the Mask tool group, select the
Remove tool: .
The mask is removed from the super block and the diagrams and other
information about the super block is accessible.
After removing a mask from a super block, select the super block, and then from
the ribbon, select the Restore tool: .
A mask is reapplied to the super block and once again the super block
behaves as a regular block.
, click the Auto Mask tool:
.
The super block is masked and behaves like a regular block. For example, double-clicking a block or a masked super block opens a block dialog for modifying parameters, whereas double-clicking an unmasked super block opens the diagram associated with the super block.
.
A dialog appears for you to modify the mask. Modifications can include adding or removing parameters or changing a parameter type or description.
.
The mask is removed from the super block and the diagrams and other information about the super block is accessible.
.
A mask is reapplied to the super block and once again the super block behaves as a regular block.