Create Signal

Create signal in Live Editor

Since R2022b

Description

The Create Signal task lets you create numerical, logical, and enumeration data. The task automatically generates MATLAB^® code for your live script.

Using this task, you can interactively draw and refine numerical data values for vectors, timeseries, timetables, and data arrays using:

• Pointer

• Keyboard

• Touchscreen

By default, the live task creates a timeseries or timetable workspace variable, createdSignal. You can use the createdSignal timeseries or timetable object data in Simulink^® or MATLAB. Examples include Root Inport Mapper, Signal Editor, Simulink source blocks, or any application or live task that works with timeseries or timetable objects.

For general information about Live Editor tasks, see Add Interactive Tasks to a Live Script.

Open the Task

To add the Create Signal task to a live script in the MATLAB Editor:

• On the Live Editor tab, select Task > Create Signal.

• In a code block in the script, type a relevant keyword, such as create signal, vector, timeseries, timetable, input, signal, or source. From the selected completions, select Create Signal.

Examples

Create Signals Using Live Editor Task

This example shows how to use the Create Signal Live Editor task to create numerical data by drawing an arc. By default, Create Signal creates a variable named createdSignal in the workspace with a numerical signal type and outputs data in the timeseries format.

In the Create signal values section, click , then left-click and drag to create a line of data points.

To the right of the window, observe the time and data points that result from the drawing.

To view a plot of the line, in the Display results section, click Plot. The plot displays to the right.

To see the code that this task generates, expand the task display by clicking at the bottom of the task parameter area.

You can use the createdSignal timeseries object data in many of the cases where you want to input data, for example, to import to Root Inport Mapper or to work with source blocks. To save this task, save the live script.

Create Signals Using Live Editor Task for Input Port

This example shows how to use the Create Signal Live Editor task to create numerical data for an inport port in a model by drawing an arc. By default, Create Signal creates a variable named createdSignal in the workspace with a numerical signal type and outputs data in the timeseries format.

In the Create signal values section, click , then left-click and drag to create a line of data points.

To the right of the window, observe the time and data points that result from the drawing.

To view a plot of the line, in the Display results section, click Plot. The plot displays to the right.

At the bottom of the live task, add the code to open the CreateSignalInport model, set the createdSignal variable to the input, load the input from the workspace, and simulate the model.

In the live task, click Run.

In the model, open the Scope block.

Move Signal Points in Create Signal Live Task

This example shows how to move one signal point, two signal points, or an entire plot in a Create Signal live task.

Move One Point

On the Live Editor tab, select Task > Create Signal.

Create a plot. In the Create signal values section, click , then left-click and drag to create a line of data points.

Click the Select and Move point(s) button. This action persists until you select another action.

Click a point. The move icon appears on top of the point.

Drag the point to another area of the plot.

Tip: You cannot drag the point horizontally past adjacent points.

Move Two Points

On the Live Editor tab, select Task > Create Signal.

Create a plot. In the Create signal values section, click , then left-click and drag to create a line of data points.

Click the Select and Move point(s) button. This action persists until you select another action.

Click a point. To select another contiguous point, you can:

• Click anywhere on the line between the two contiguous points.

• Drag to the other point on the same line.

The move icon appears on top of the points.

Drag the points to another area of the plot.

Tip: You cannot drag the points horizontally past adjacent points.

Move Entire Plot

On the Live Editor tab, select Task > Create Signal.

Create a plot. In the Create signal values section, click , then left-click and drag to create a line of data points.

Click the Select and Move point(s) button. This action persists until you select another action.

Select the entire plot. Alternatively, double-click anywhere on the plot.

The move icon appears on top of the plot.

Related Examples

• Add Interactive Tasks to a Live Script

Parameters

Select type of signal — Type of data to create

Numerical | Logical | Enumeration

Type of data to create, specified as Numerical, Logical, or Enumeration.

Select output format — Type of created data

Timeseries (default) | Data array | Timeseries | Timetable | Vector

Data type of the created data, specified as Timeseries, Data array, Timeseries, and Timetable.

Create signal values — Options to interactively create signals

palette of mouse and touchscreen actions

Interactively create signals using the palette of mouse and touchscreen actions. The interactively created data is plotted in the plot area. You can refine this data or create new data by:

• Editing the data in the Time Data table using the keyboard

• Manipulating the points in the plot using the pointer or touchscreen

Action	Keyboard	Pointer	Multi-Touch
Insert point	Ctrl+P	Click	Tap
Insert line	Ctrl+L	Click	Pan and pinch
Select a point	Ctrl+T	Click , then click and select point or area To select all areas, double-click	Pan and pinch To select all areas, double-tap
Move a point	Ctrl+M	Click and drag	Tap and move
Continuously delete points on a line		Click
Draw		Click	Pan
Zoom in, zoom out		Click or .
Home		Click .
Pan in x-axis, y, and x- and y-axes		Click .
Expand along x-axis	Ctrl+pointer pan		Touch and drag along the x-axis in opposite directions
Expand along y-axis	Shift+pointer pan		Touch and drag along the y-axis in opposite directions
Snap X or Y to tick
Snap X or Y to grid

Set advanced properties — Advanced properties for data

Row | Column | variable name | time unit | enumeration

Set up the properties for your data. The data properties depend on the Select type of signal and Select output format settings. Depending on these settings, you can set properties such as:

• Vector type

• Data type

• Variable names

• Time units

Plot — Option to plot data

off | on

To plot the data, select the Plot check box. The plot displays to the right.

Version History

Introduced in R2022b

R2024a: Move Signal points in Create Signal Live Task

The Create Signal Move button has been replaced by the Select and Move point(s) button . The move action is now combined with the select action. This button enables you to select and move one signal point, two contiguous signal points on the same line, or the entire plot. In releases prior to R2024a, the Move button enabled you to move only the entire plot.