This is the first in a series of Dymola Basics that go over some basic principles and features within Dymola. This post will be describing the Component Browser feature that appears by default in bottom left of the Modelling window when Dymola is opened.
The Component Browser, shown below, gives you a list view of the components and sub-components within the model that is open, in this case the DoublePendulum Multibody example in the Modelica Standard Library (MSL).
Figure 1: Location of Component browser in Simulation Window
At the top level of the list it names the components by the name applied to them within the model that is open. It also shows what the open model is extended from, in this case Modelica.Icons.Example.
There are some Icons that are used within the component browser to help define the associated component or show how they are used within the model:
- Extends from :
- Connector :
- Replaceable Function :
In the example shown below there are examples of all these icons within the browser for the DoublePendulum example shown above.
Figure 2: Example of Opened Component Browser
The example shows that DoublePendulum is extended from Example which has the path Modelica.Icons.Example. But it can be seen that within revolute1 the component constantTorque is extended from PartialTorque that has the location path Modelica.Mechanics.Rotational.Interfaces.PartialTorque.
It can also be seen that revolute1 has 4 connectors at the top level:
- axis
- support
- frame_a
- frame_b
These connectors can be any type as can be seen below they represent both frame connectors and 1D rotational connectors.
Figure 3: Connectors within revolute1
The replaceable function gravityAcceleration was chosen to use the function in the location Modelica.Mechanics.MultiBod.Forces.Internal.standardGravityAcceleration.
While the Component Browser by default is held within the left hand tool bar below the Package Browser it can be dragged out to be in a separate window by either clicking the restore Down button (
) or clicking and dragging the top bar out.
The component browser allows navigation through the top model by double clicking the desired component that will show the component within the model but not open the model separately, similar to the Show Component when right clicking on a component within the model.
Showing components allows access to parameter dialog boxes of the sub-components to allow changes at lower levels of the model as long as they are not constrained to a higher parameter. But it does not allow any connections to be changed or made at lower levels.
Written by: David Briant – Project Engineer