Model Compare

Comparing MathWorks® Simulink®, Stateflow®, and dSPACE TargetLink models

Model Compare finds all the changes in a model. Even large models can be compared in minutes, which would be practically impossible without tool support.

Application Areas

Automatic comparison is a must whenever you work with multiple versions of a model. Model Compare from dSPACE can be used with any TargetLink, MathWorks® Simulink or Stateflow® model, and also supports libraries. There is a broad range of use cases for Model Compare, for example:

  • Managing different model versions or model variants
  • Merging parallel development branches
  • Verifying and reviewing model changes

 

TargetLink Support

Model Compare has built-in support for all TargetLink blocks and properties. They are displayed and handled like ordinary Simulink/Stateflow elements, so you do not have to bother with TargetLink implementation details. Since the semantics of TargetLink properties are known, they are also intelligently handled by the predefined filter options.

Review Sessions and Merge Support

You can associate review comments to block and property differences found by the tool, including date/author tracing. Complex reviews with multiple participants are supported.

Detected changes can be transferred from one model to another to merge parallel development branches or manage different model variants. With easy-to-use commands, merging models this way is much less error-prone than it would be by hand. The remaining differences between the models are constantly kept up-to-date, so that you always see the current state of your work.

Interaction with Version Control Systems

Model Compare can be integrated in different version control systems (VCS), including Git and command-line interface-based version control. Furthermore, Model Compare can be used in your continuous integration (CI) pipeline, e.g., for generating diff reports for review purposes.

 

Key Benefits

Model Compare finds all the changes in a model. Even large models can be compared in minutes, which would be practically impossible without tool support. Furthermore, the optional three-way model analysis detects conflicting changes and shows how models have changed rather than only their differences. You can use filters to focus on relevant differences and ignore unimportant ones such as layout changes or simulation settings. The support for review sessions also enables reliable, safe, and controlled reviews of model changes. The merge support simplifies the synchronization of changes in different versions of a model.

Feature Description Benefit
Support for TargetLink
  • Model Compare recognizes TargetLink blocks and properties, and handles them just like built-in blocks.
  • There is no need to bother with TargetLink implementation details.
Three-way analysis with conflict detection and automatic resolution option
  • Optional analysis of a third (common ancestor) model
  • Option for automatic conflict resolution
  • Detailed information on changes of the models rather than listing only their differences
  • Different model versions can be merged without user intervention
Powerful comparison algorithm
  • Models from different Simulink® versions are compared; block correspondences are detected even if the names of the blocks have changed; parameter values are compared either in unevaluated form (e.g., “Kp”) or in evaluated form (e.g., “5.4”).
  • Conversion and upgrade problems can be addressed. You get concise comparison results even if blocks were renamed. Different workspace settings can be taken into account.
Flexible filter configuration
  • Model Compare can be configured to filter out unimportant differences, e.g., layout changes or simulation options, according to a variety of criteria. A comparison can be restricted to selected subsystems.
  • You can focus on the differences and model parts that are relevant to you. This greatly improves the efficiency of a comparison.
Convenient result display
  • The comparison results are displayed in synchronized tree views, with differences indicated by customizable color schemes. A statistics window displays the number of changed, added and removed elements.
  • You can easily see which elements correspond to each other. Added, removed and modified elements as well as the number and type of changes can be seen at a glance.
Review support
  • Comments can be associated with individual blocks and properties or with the complete comparison session.
  • Reviews are performed in a reliable, controlled and safe way. You can also use the comment function to structure your own working process.
Traceability from Model Compare to model
  • You can easily highlight Simulink and Stateflow elements by selecting them in Model Compare, and show any differences directly in the compared models.
  • It is easy to view the context of a change and all the differences in a subsystem.
Traceability from model back to Model Compare
  • You can trace model elements in Simulink back to Model Compare
  • This is helpful to identify blocks and lines in Model Compare
Merge support
  • The commands Copy to Right, Copy to Left, and Delete can be used to transfer changes from one model to another.
  • Advanced merge functions for three-way analysis
  • You can merge parallel development branches and transfer changes between distinct model variants.
  • More convenience by automatically merging and resolving conflicts

Report generation
  • Comparison results and associated comments can be saved as HTML, PDF and XML reports, model screenshots can be integrated in the difference reports.
  • The information can be archived and published.
Tool automation
  • Comparisons can be started by command line, and reports can be generated automatically. Reports can be saved in XML format for easy processing by external tools.
  • You can process multiple models automatically and incorporate Model Compare into your own tool chain.
Version control system (VCS) and continuous integration (CI) pipeline integration
  • Model Compare can be integrated in different version control systems, including Git. Furthermore, Model Compare can be used in your continuous integration (CI) pipeline, e.g., for generating diff reports for review pusposes.
  • Work efficiently with numerous model versions. Use established workflows such as a pull request workflow for your Simulink® models, as known from source file development.

  • Model Compare Product Information, PDF, English, 1553 KB
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