Display

R2026b

Display signal value during simulation in box with customizable appearance

Since R2023b

• 

Custom Display block

To add a block to a model, double-click the canvas and start typing the block name. Then, select the block from the list.

Libraries:
Simulink / Dashboard / Customizable Blocks

Description

The Display block connects to a signal in your model and displays the signal value during simulation. The Display block can display scalar and multidimensional signals. When you use the Display block in the Customizable Blocks library, you can customize the appearance of the block to resemble a real display in your system. Use the Display block with other dashboard blocks to build an interactive dashboard of controls and indicators for your model.

Customize Display Blocks

When you add a Display block to your model, the block is preconfigured with a default design. You can use the block with the default design or customize the appearance of the block.

To customize the appearance of the block, use design mode. After selecting the block, you can enter design mode in one of three ways:

• In the Simulink^® Toolstrip, on the block-specific tab, click Edit.

• In the Property Inspector, on the Design tab, click Edit.

• Pause on the ellipsis that appears over the block and click the Edit Custom Block button .

In design mode, you can use the toolbar above the block to customize the display. To access additional customization options or to enter exact values for design settings, use the Design tab in the Property Inspector.

Design Mode Actions

Action	Available in Toolbar	Available in Design Tab
Change the font. Choose from a list of WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) fonts that look the same on all platforms.	Yes	Yes
Change the font size.	Yes	Yes
Change the text color.	Yes	Yes
Make the text bold, italic, or underlined.	Yes	Yes
Change the position of the text within the block.	No	Yes
Display multidimensional signals in a grid and change the grid line color.	No	Yes
Upload a background image.	Yes	Yes
Set a solid background color.	No	Yes
Upload a foreground image.	No	Yes

In addition to customizing the block design using the toolbar and Design tab, you can reposition the text interactively in the canvas.

When you finish editing the design, to exit design mode, click the X in the upper right of the canvas.

Connect Dashboard Blocks

This block is a display block — a block that connects to a signal and visualizes its value.

Dashboard blocks do not use ports to connect to model elements. Instead, use connect mode. To enter connect mode on an unconnected block, pause on the block you want to connect and click the Connect button . To enter connect mode on a connected block, select the block, pause on the ellipsis that appears (…), and in the action menu that expands, click the Connect button.

In connection mode, select the signal line to which you want to connect. From the list that appears, select the signal to which you want to connect. Then, pause on the dashboard block and click the Done Connecting button . To see the dashboard block display the value of the connected signal, run the simulation.

For more information about connecting dashboard blocks, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Simulink Model.

You can also connect dashboard blocks to a Stateflow^® chart. For more information, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Stateflow (Stateflow).

This animation shows how to connect the Display block to your model.

Examples

Create a Realistic Dashboard Using Blocks from the Customizable Blocks Library

Use the Circular Gauge and Display blocks to create a realistic dashboard for your model.

• Open Model

Design Custom Displays

Design displays using the customizable Display block.

• Open Live Script

Limitations

• You cannot use the Connection table to connect a dashboard block to a block that is commented out. When you connect a dashboard block to a commented block using connect mode, the dashboard block does not display the connected value until you uncomment the block.

• Dashboard blocks in a parent model cannot connect to signals inside referenced models.

• When you simulate a model hierarchy, dashboard blocks inside referenced models do not update.

• Dashboard blocks do not support rapid accelerator simulation.

• During simulation, you cannot connect a dashboard block to Stateflow chart data or state activity.

• You cannot programmatically connect a dashboard block to Stateflow chart data or state activity.

• Some signals do not have data available during simulation due to block reduction or optimization for accelerator mode simulations. To view such a signal using a dashboard block, mark the signal for logging.

Parameters

Use the Property Inspector and the Block Parameters dialog box to specify the values of the block parameters. To set the core parameters of the dashboard block, use the Block Parameters dialog box or the Parameters tab in the Property Inspector. To customize the block, use the Design tab in the Property Inspector. To open the Block Parameters dialog box for a block, double-click the block. To open the Property Inspector, on the Modeling tab, under Design, select Property Inspector.

Parameters Tab of Property Inspector

To set the core parameters of the dashboard block, select the block, open the Property Inspector and click the Parameters tab.

Signal

Connected to — Signal to connect and display

signal connection options

This block is a display block — a block that connects to a signal and visualizes its value. Dashboard blocks do not use ports to connect to model elements. Instead, use connect mode, the Simulink Toolstrip, or the Connection table in the Block Parameters dialog box. For information, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Simulink Model.

To connect a display block to a signal using the Connection table:

1. Select the block.

2. In the Property Inspector, on the Parameters tab, click Connect or Change.

3. Select the signal line to which you want to connect.

4. In the table that appears, select the signal.

5. Click Apply.

You can also connect dashboard blocks to a Stateflow chart. For more information, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Stateflow (Stateflow).

Programmatic Use

You can programmatically connect a display block to a signal. Define a Simulink.HMI.SignalSpecification object that represents the signal. Then, set the value of the Binding parameter to the object. To set the value of the Binding parameter, use the set_param function.

For example, suppose the model named vdp contains a Circular Gauge block named myGauge and a signal named x1. To connect the block to the signal, use this code.

blockPath = "vdp/myGauge";
signalPath = "vdp/x1";

myObj = Simulink.HMI.SignalSpecification;
myObj.BlockPath = Simulink.BlockPath(signalPath);

set_param(blockPath,Binding=myObj)

Parameter:	Binding
Values:	Simulink.HMI.SignalSpecification object

Example: set_param(gcb,Binding=myObj)

Main

Format — Format for displaying signal values

short (default) | long | shortE | longE | ...

Specify a format for displaying signal values.

If You Select...	The Block Displays...
short	Scaled fixed-decimal format with four digits after the decimal point.
long	Scaled fixed-decimal format with fifteen digits after the decimal point for double values and seven digits after the decimal point for single values.
shortE	Scientific notation format with four digits.
longE	Scientific notation format with fifteen digits after the decimal point for double values and seven digits after the decimal point for single values.
shortG	Data takes the more compact format between fixed-decimal or scientific notation, with a total of five digits.
longG	Data takes the more compact format between fixed-decimal or scientific notation, with a total of fifteen digits for double values and seven digits for single values.
shortEng	Engineering notation where the exponent is a multiple of three, with four digits after the decimal point.
longEng	Engineering notation where the exponent is a multiple of three, with fifteen significant digits.
+-	Positive/negative format. +, -, and blank characters are displayed for positive, negative, and zero values, respectively.
bank	Currency format with two digits after the decimal point.
hex	Hexadecimal representation.
rat	Ratio.
Custom	Custom string format. Data is displayed in a custom string that you specify using the Format String parameter.
Integer	Data rounded to the nearest whole number.

When you connect the Display block to the signal output by a String Constant block, the format for displaying signal values is string, regardless of the value of the Format parameter. Similarly, when you connect the Display block to the signal output by an Enumerated Constant block, the format for displaying signal values is enum, regardless of the value of the Format parameter.

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter:	Format
Values:	'short' (default) | "short" | "long" | "shortE" | "longE" | "shortG" | "longG" | "shortEng" | "longEng" | "bank" | "+" | "hex" | "rat" | "Custom" | "Integer"

Example: set_param(gcb,Format="longG")

Format String — Custom string to format displayed value

'%d' (default) | string

Specify a custom string to format the displayed value. The format string consists of text and format operators, which start with a % sign and end with a conversion character. Use the format operators at the place in the string where you want the signal data to display. For more information about supported formatting operators, see the formatSpec input of the compose function.

Example: The value of pi is %.2f displays the value of the connected signal with two decimal places.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Format to Custom.

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter:	FormatString
Values:	'%d' (default) | custom string or character array to format displayed value

Example: set_param(gcb,FormatString="The value of pi is %.2f")

Label — Position of label displaying name of connected element

Hide (default) | Bottom | Top

You can display the name of the element to which the dashboard block connects in a label positioned at the top or at the bottom of the block, or you can hide the label. If you want the label to be visible, specify the position of the label. If you do not want the label to be visible, specify Hide.

Note

When the dashboard block is not connected to an element, the label is blank.

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter:	LabelPosition
Values:	'Hide' (default) | "Bottom" | "Top" | "Hide"

Example: set_param(gcb,LabelPosition="Bottom")

Lock Aspect Ratio — Option to maintain block aspect ratio

on (default) | off

Select this parameter to maintain the aspect ratio when resizing the block in the Simulink canvas.

When the aspect ratio is locked, adding a new background image changes the aspect ratio of the block to match the aspect ratio of the background image. When the aspect ratio is unlocked and you add a new background image, the image resizes to fit the block without changing the block aspect ratio.

When the aspect ratio is locked, pressing Shift while resizing a block temporarily unlocks the aspect ratio. When you release Shift, the aspect ratio locks. When the aspect ratio is unlocked, pressing the Shift key while resizing a block temporarily locks the aspect ratio. When you release Shift, the aspect ratio unlocks.

Design Tab of Property Inspector

To customize the dashboard block, open the Property Inspector, click the Design tab, and click Edit.

Display

Lock Aspect Ratio — Option to maintain block aspect ratio

on (default) | off

Select this parameter to maintain the aspect ratio when resizing the block in the Simulink canvas.

When the aspect ratio is locked, adding a new background image changes the aspect ratio of the block to match the aspect ratio of the background image. When the aspect ratio is unlocked and you add a new background image, the image resizes to fit the block without changing the block aspect ratio.

When the aspect ratio is locked, pressing Shift while resizing a block temporarily unlocks the aspect ratio. When you release Shift, the aspect ratio locks. When the aspect ratio is unlocked, pressing the Shift key while resizing a block temporarily locks the aspect ratio. When you release Shift, the aspect ratio unlocks.

Text

Font — Font

Courier Prime | DSEG7-Classic | Noto Sans | Noto Serif | Roboto | Ubuntu

Choose from a list of WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) fonts that look the same on all platforms.

Size — Font size

scalar

Choose from a list of font sizes between 8 and 72.

Text Color — Text color

[r g b] vector

Choose a text color from the palette of standard colors, or specify a custom color.

Example: [1 1 0.5]

Show grid for non-scalar signals — Option to show or hide grid lines

on (default) | off

Option to display multidimensional data with or without grid lines. Specify the color of the grid lines using the Grid Color parameter.

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter:	ShowGrid
Values:	'on' (default) | "on" | "off"

Example: set_param(gcb,ShowGrid="off")

Grid Color — Color of grid lines separating elements of multidimensional signal

color

To display grid lines between signal elements, enable Show grid for non-scalar signals. Then, choose a color for the grid lines from the palette of standard colors or specify a custom color.

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter:	GridColor
Values:	[r g b] vector with values between 0 and 1

Example: set_param(gcb,GridColor=[1 0 0])

X Offset — Horizontal offset of center of text from center of block

scalar

Specify the horizontal offset of the center of the text from the center of the block as a fraction of the block width. Relative to the position of the text when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the text left, and an offset with a positive value moves the text right.

Y Offset — Vertical offset of center of text from center of block

scalar

Specify the vertical offset of the center of the text from the center of the block as a fraction of the block height. Relative to the position of the text when the offset is 0, an offset with a negative value moves the text up, and an offset with a positive value moves the text down.

Width — Width of text bounding box

scalar

Specify the width of the bounding box of the text as a fraction of the block width.

Height — Height of text bounding box

scalar

Specify the height of the bounding box of the text as a fraction of the block height.

Lock Aspect Ratio — Option to maintain text bounding box aspect ratio

on (default) | off

Select this parameter to maintain the aspect ratio when resizing the bounding box of the text in the Simulink canvas.

Background Image

Use Background Color — Option to specify solid block background color

off (default) | on

For the block background, you can provide a background image or select a solid color. To select a solid background color, select this parameter. To provide a background image, clear this parameter.

Note

Changing the background color using the Format tab of the Simulink Toolstrip removes the background image and enables the Use Background Color parameter.

Color — Block background color

[r g b] vector

To use a solid background color, select the Use Background Color parameter. Then, choose a background color from the palette of standard colors, or specify a custom color.

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter:	BackgroundColor
Values:	[r g b] vector with values between 0 and 1 formatted as a string or character vector

Example: set_param(gcb,BackgroundColor="[1 0 1]")

Opacity — Block background opacity

1 (default) | scalar

Specify the block background opacity as a scalar value from 0 to 1.

Corner Radius — Corner radius of area with block background color

scalar

Specify the corner radius of the area covered by the block background color. The radius is a fraction of whichever is smaller, half the block width or half the block height.

Foreground Image

X Offset — Horizontal offset of left edge of foreground image from left edge of block

scalar

Specify the horizontal offset of the left edge of the image from the left edge of the block as a fraction of the block width. Relative to the position of the image without offset, a negative offset moves the image left, and a positive offset moves the image right.

Y Offset — Vertical offset of top edge of foreground image from top edge of block

scalar

Specify the vertical offset of the top edge of the image from the top edge of the block as a fraction of the block height. Relative to the position of the image without offset, a negative offset moves the image up, and a positive offset moves the image down.

Width — Foreground image width

scalar

Specify the width of the foreground image as a fraction of the block width.

Height — Foreground image height

scalar

Specify the height of the foreground image as a fraction of the block height.

Lock Aspect Ratio — Option to maintain foreground image aspect ratio

on (default) | off

Select this parameter to maintain the aspect ratio when resizing the image using the Property Inspector.

Block Characteristics

Data Types	Boolean | double | enumerated | fixed point | half | integer | single | string
Direct Feedthrough	no
Multidimensional Signals	yes
Variable-Size Signals	no
Zero-Crossing Detection	no

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation

Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Code generation ignores dashboard blocks.

Version History

Introduced in R2023b

R2026a: Block Parameters dialog box table for connecting dashboard blocks will be removed

In a future release, connecting blocks from the Dashboard library or the Customizable Blocks library using the table in the Block Parameters dialog box will no longer be supported. Use connect mode instead. For information about connect mode, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Simulink Model.

R2026a: Add blocks to dashboard panels using quick insert menu

You can now use the quick insert menu to add blocks to dashboard panels. For details, see Getting Started with Dashboard Panels.

R2026a: Programmatically switch dashboard panel tabs

Dashboard panels can have multiple tabs. You can now programmatically switch which tab a panel displays using the simulink.dashboard.switchPanelTab function. For example, you can use this capability to create a dashboard that switches tabs when you click a button by entering the simulink.dashboard.switchPanelTab function in the callback function that runs when you click the button.

R2026a: Programmatically check whether a block is a dashboard block

Dashboard blocks are blocks from these libraries:

• Dashboard library (including the Customizable Blocks sublibrary)

• Aerospace Blockset™ library

You can now programmatically check whether a block is a dashboard block using the simulink.dashboard.isDashboardBlock function.

R2024b: Unlock dashboard block aspect ratio with keyboard

If the aspect ratio of a block from the Dashboard library is locked, you can temporarily unlock the aspect ratio by pressing Shift. When you release the Shift key, the aspect ratio locks.

If the aspect ratio is unlocked, pressing Shift temporarily locks the aspect ratio. When you release the Shift key, the aspect ratio unlocks.

R2024a: Deploy dashboard panel as web app or standalone desktop app

With a Simulink Compiler™ license, you can now deploy a dashboard panel, packaged with the model to which the panel connects, as a standalone desktop app or as a web app. You can use the app to operate the controls and monitor the displays on the panel independent of Simulink.

To learn how to deploy panels, see Deploy Dashboard Panel as App.

R2024a: Dock dashboard panels

Starting in R2024a, you can dock dashboard panels to the Simulink Editor window. You can use the docked panel to monitor signals and control parameters during simulation without covering the model diagram in the canvas.

For more information, see Dock Panels.

R2024a: Display block from Customizable Blocks library can display strings

Starting in R2024a, the Display block from the Customizable Blocks library can connect to and display signals that are strings.

R2023b: Open Panel in New Window

Starting in R2023b, you can open a dashboard panel in a new window. To do so, select the panel and pause on the ellipsis that appears. In the action menu that expands, click Open in New Window .

You can minimize and restore the new window containing the panel separately from the model window. From the panel window, you can run, pause, stop, and step through the simulation. In the panel window, you can edit the panel and the blocks it contains.

To return the panel to the model canvas, in the panel window toolstrip, click Open in canvas .

For more information about opening a panel in a new window, see Open Panels in New Window.