Navigate Model Hierarchies

Model components, such as subsystems and referenced models, allow you to create a hierarchical model composed of many layers. You can navigate this hierarchy by opening model components in the current tab, new tabs, and new windows.

For information on the types of model components, see Choose Among Types of Model Components.

Open Model Component in Current Tab

To navigate among model components in the current tab, perform any of these actions:

Double-click a block that corresponds to a model component in the Simulink^® Editor. For example, double-click a Subsystem or Model block.
Click a block name in the Model Browser.
To open the Model Browser, click the Hide/Show Model Browser button at the bottom left corner of the window. Expand a node to see the children of a component.
In the explorer bar that appears above the Simulink Editor canvas, click the name of a component.
Use the Back, Forward, and Up to Parent arrows .

A referenced model is open in the current tab.

The address bar provides the path from the top model in the hierarchy to the component you have open. In this example, the address bar shows the top model (sldemo_mdlref_depgraph) followed by the Model block (outdoor temp) and its referenced model (sldemo_mdlref_outdoor_temp).

When you navigate up to a parent subsystem or model, the model component from which you navigated is highlighted.

Open Model Component in New Tab

To open a model component in a new tab, press Ctrl while double-clicking the block or clicking the node in the Model Browser. Alternatively, right-click the block in the Simulink Editor or the block name in the Model Browser. Then, select Open In New Tab.

A referenced model is open in a new tab.

Open Model Component in New Window

To open a model component in a new window, press Shift while double-clicking the block or clicking the node in the Model Browser. Alternatively, right-click the block in the Simulink Editor or the block name in the Model Browser. Then, select Open In New Window.

A referenced model is open in a new window in the context of its parent model.

Open Referenced Model as Top Model in New Window

To open a referenced model as a top model in a new window, click the Open As Top Model badge on the Model block. To open a referenced model that does not have a visible Model block, right-click the block name in the Model Browser, and select Open As Top Model.

A referenced model is open in a new window as the top model in the model hierarchy.

The top model in the new window is sldemo_mdlref_outdoor_temp, not sldemo_mdlref_depgraph. The Model Browser shows the models in the current model hierarchy.

When you select Run in the toolstrip, the sldemo_mdlref_outdoor_temp model hierarchy simulates.

When you edit the sldemo_mdlref_outdoor_temp model, the changes affect the same model file regardless of whether the model is open as a referenced model or top model.