padv.Task Class

Namespace: padv

Single step in process

Description

This class requires CI/CD Automation for Simulink Check.

A padv.Task object represents a single step in a padv.ProcessModel process. For example, a padv.Task object could represent a step like checking modeling standards, running tests, generating code, or performing a custom action. padv.Task objects can accept project artifacts as inputs, perform actions, generate assessments, and return project artifacts as outputs. You can add a task to your process model by using the function addTask. You can specify task inputs by using addInputQueries. You can specify a dependency between tasks or a desired execution order by using either dependsOn or runsAfter. Use dependsOn when a task cannot start without another task finishing first. Otherwise, if you only want to specify a preferred execution order, you can use runsAfter instead. You can execute tasks as part of a pipeline. Use the runprocess function to generate and run a pipeline of tasks. For more information, see Overview of Process Model.

Creation

Syntax

taskObject = padv.Task(Name)

taskObject = padv.Task(___,Name=Value)

Description

taskObject = padv.Task(Name) represents a task, named Name, in a padv.ProcessModel process. Each task object in a process must have a unique Name.

taskObject = padv.Task(___,Name=Value) sets properties using one or more name-value arguments. For example, padv.Task("myTask",IterationQuery=padv.builtin.query.FindModels) creates a task object named myTask that runs once for each model.

Specify optional pairs of arguments as Name1=Value1,...,NameN=ValueN, where Name is the argument name and Value is the corresponding value. Name-value arguments must appear after other arguments, but the order of the pairs does not matter.

Properties

Name — Unique identifier for task in process

string

Unique identifier for task in process, specified as a string. When you specify the Name, you specify the Name property of the task object.

Each task in the process model must have a unique Name. After you specify a Name for a padv.Task object, you cannot change the Name.

Example: padv.Task("myTask") creates a task with the Name myTask

Data Types: string

Title — Human readable name that appears in Process Advisor app

string

Human readable name that appears in the Tasks column of the Process Advisor app, specified as a string. By default, the Process Advisor app uses the Name property of the task as the Title.

Example: padv.Task("myTask",Title = "My Task")

Data Types: string

DescriptionText — Task description

string

Task description, specified as a string.

Example: padv.Task("myTask",DescriptionText = "This is my task.")

Data Types: string

DescriptionCSH — Path to task documentation

string

Path to task documentation, specified as a string.

Example: padv.Task("myTask",DescriptionCSH = fullfile(pwd,"taskHelpFiles","myTaskDocumentation.pdf"))

Data Types: string

Action — Function that task can run

function handle

Function that task can run, specified as the function handle.

If the task is defined in a function, the build system runs the function specified by Action. If the task is defined in a class, the build system ignores the Action and runs the run method for the class instead. The built-in tasks are defined in classes, so the build system calls the run method for those tasks.

Example: padv.Task("myTask",Action = @myFunction)

Data Types: function_handle

DryRunAction — Function that task can use during dry-run

function handle

Function that task can use during dry-run, specified as the function handle.

If the task is defined in a function, the build system dry-runs by calling the function specified by DryRunAction. If the task is defined in a class, the build system ignores the DryRunAction and dry-runs by calling the dryRun method for the class instead. The built-in tasks are defined in classes, so the build system calls the dryRun method for those tasks.

Example: padv.Task("myTask",DryRunAction = @myFunction)

Data Types: function_handle

DryRunLicenseCheckout — Dry-runs check out product licenses associated with tasks in process

logical.empty (default) | true or 1 | false or 0

Dry-runs check out product licenses associated with tasks in process, returned as a numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false).

To perform a dry-run, you can specify the runprocess argument DryRun as true.

Example: true

Data Types: logical

RequiredIterationArtifactType — Artifact type that task can run on

"sl_model_file" | "m_file" | "zc_file" | ...

Type of artifact, specified as one or more of the values listed in this table. To specify multiple values, use an array.

Category	Artifact Type	Description
MATLAB®	"m_class"	MATLAB class
	"m_file"	MATLAB file
	"m_func"	MATLAB function
	"m_method"	MATLAB class method
	"m_property"	MATLAB class property
Model Advisor	"ma_config_file"	Model Advisor configuration file
	"ma_justification_file"	Model Advisor justification file
Process Advisor	"padv_dep_artifacts"	Related artifacts that current artifact depends on
	"padv_output_file"	Process Advisor output file
Project	"project"	Current project file
Requirements	"mwreq_item"	Requirement (since R2024b)
	"sl_req"	Requirement (for R2024a and earlier)
	"sl_req_file"	Requirement file
	"sl_req_table"	Requirements Table
Stateflow®	"sf_chart"	Stateflow chart
	"sf_graphical_fcn"	Stateflow graphical function
	"sf_group"	Stateflow group
	"sf_state"	Stateflow state
	"sf_state_transition_chart"	Stateflow state transition chart
	"sf_truth_table"	Stateflow truth table
Simulink®	"sl_block_diagram"	Block diagram
	"sl_data_dictionary_file"	Data dictionary file
	"sl_embedded_matlab_fcn"	MATLAB function
	"sl_block_diagram"	Block diagram
	"sl_library_file"	Library file
	"sl_model_file"	Simulink model file
	"sl_protected_model_file"	Protected Simulink model file
	"sl_subsystem"	Subsystem
	"sl_subsystem_file"	Subsystem file
System Composer™	"zc_block_diagram"	System Composer architecture
	"zc_component"	System Composer architecture component
	"zc_file"	System Composer architecture file
Tests	"harness_info_file"	Harness info file
	"sl_harness_block_diagram"	Harness block diagram
	"sl_harness_file"	Test harness file
	"sl_test_case"	Simulink Test™ case
	"sl_test_case_result"	Simulink Test case result
	"sl_test_file"	Simulink Test file
	"sl_test_iteration"	Simulink Test iteration
	"sl_test_iteration_result"	Simulink Test iteration result
	"sl_test_report_file"	Simulink Test result report
	"sl_test_result_file"	Simulink Test result file
	"sl_test_resultset"	Simulink Test result set
	"sl_test_seq"	Test Sequence
	"sl_test_suite"	Simulink Test suite
	"sl_test_suite_result"	Simulink Test suite result

Example: padv.Task("myTask",RequiredIterationArtifactType = "sl_model_file")

Data Types: string

IterationQuery — Artifacts that task iterates over

padv.Query object | name of padv.Query object

Artifacts that task iterates over, specified as a padv.Query object or the name of a padv.Query object. By default, task objects run one time and are associated with the project. When you specify IterationQuery, the task runs one time for each artifact returned by the padv.Query. In the Process Advisor app, the artifacts returned by IterationQuery appear under task title.

For example, if the IterationQuery for a task finds three models, Model_A, Model_B, and Model_C, the build system creates three task iterations under the title of the task in the Tasks column.

For more information, see Overview of Process Model and Find Artifacts with Queries.

Example: padv.Task("myTask",IterationQuery = padv.builtin.query.FindModels)

Data Types: string

InputDependencyQuery — Artifact dependencies for task inputs

padv.Query object | name of padv.Query object

Artifact dependencies for task inputs, specified as a padv.Query object or the name of a padv.Query object.

The build system runs the query specified by InputDependencyQuery to find the dependencies for the task inputs, since those dependencies can impact if task results are up-to-date. Typically, you specify InputDependencyQuery as padv.builtin.query.GetDependentArtifacts to get the dependent artifacts for each task input. For example, if you specify a model as an input to a task and you specify InputDependencyQuery as padv.builtin.query.GetDependentArtifacts, the build system can find artifacts, such as data dictionaries, that the model uses.

For more information, see Overview of Process Model and Find Artifacts with Queries.

Example: InputDependencyQuery = padv.builtin.query.GetDependentArtifacts

Licenses — List of licenses that task requires

string array

List of licenses that the task requires, specified as a string array.

Example: padv.Task("myTask",Licenses = ["matlab_report_gen" "simulink_report_gen"])

Data Types: string

LaunchToolAction — Function that launches a tool

function handle | cell array of function_handle objects

Function that launches a tool, specified as the function handle or a cell array of function_handle objects. For each action that you specify in LaunchToolAction, you must have corresponding text specified in LaunchToolText.

When the property LaunchToolAction is specified, you can point to the task in the Process Advisor app and click the ellipsis (...) and then Open Tool Name to open the tool associated with the task.

For tasks that are not built-in tasks, the task options show the ellipsis (...) and then Launch Tool.

Example: @openTool

Example: {@openToolA,@openToolB}

Data Types: cell | function_handle

LaunchToolText — Description of action that LaunchToolAction property performs

"Launch Tool" (default) | string

Description of the action that the LaunchToolAction property performs, specified as a string. For each action that you specify in LaunchToolAction, you must have corresponding text specified in LaunchToolText.

Example: "Open Tool"

Example: ["Open Tool A","Open Tool B"]

Data Types: string

Enabled — Controls if the padv.Task is enabled in the process model

true or 1 (default) | false or 0

Controls if the padv.Task is enabled in the process model, specified as a numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false).

For an example, see Disable Task in Process Model.

Example: padv.Task("myTask",Enabled = false)

Data Types: logical

AlwaysRun — Always force task to run, even if the task results are already up to date

false or 0 (default) | true or 1

Always force task to run, even if the task results are already up to date, specified as a numeric or logical 0 (false) or 1 (true).

Example: padv.Task("myTask",AlwaysRun = true)

Data Types: logical

TrackOutputs — Track changes to output files

true or 1 (default) | false or 0

Track changes to output files, specified as a numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false).

By default, the build system tracks changes to outputs files from tasks unless the files are outside the project. If you make a change to an output file, the task status are results are marked as outdated. If you specify TrackOutputs as false, changes that you make to the task output files do not make the task status and results outdated.

For more information, see Turn Off Change Tracking for Task Outputs and Exclude Files from Change Tracking in Process Advisor.

Example: false

Data Types: logical

InputQueries — Inputs to task

padv.Query object | name of padv.Query object | array of padv.Query objects

Inputs to the task, specified as:

• a padv.Query object

• the name of padv.Query object

• an array of padv.Query objects

• an array of names of padv.Query objects

By default, padv.Task does not have inputs. When you specify InputQueries, the task uses the artifacts returned by the specified query or queries as inputs. Suppose a task runs once for each model in the project and you want to provide the models as inputs to the task. If you specify InputQueries as the built-in query padv.builtin.query.GetIterationArtifact, the query returns each artifact that the tasks iterates over, which in this example is each of the models in the project.

To add an input query to an existing task object, you can use addInputQueries.

For more information, see Overview of Process Model and Find Artifacts with Queries.

Example: padv.Task("myTask",InputQueries = padv.builtin.query.GetIterationArtifact)

OutputDirectory — Location for standard outputs that the task produces

"" (default) | string array

Location for standard outputs that the task produces, specified as a string.

Built-in tasks automatically specify OutputDirectory. If you do not specify OutputDirectory for a custom task, the build system stores task outputs in the DefaultOutputDirectory specified by padv.ProcessModel.

Data Types: string

CacheDirectory — Location for additional cache files that the task generates

string array

Location for additional cache files that the task generates, specified as a string. The cache directory can contain temporary files that do not need to be either saved in the task results or archived by a CI system.

Data Types: string

CISupportOutputsForTask — Type of CI-compatible result files that task generates when skipped

"JUnit" (default) | ""

Type of CI-compatible result files that the task itself generates when skipped, specified as either:

• "JUnit" — JUnit-style XML report for task results.

• "" — None. The build system generates a JUnit-style XML report for the task instead.

CISupportOutputsByTask — Type of CI-compatible result files that task generates when run

"" (default) | "JUnit"

Type of CI-compatible result files that the task itself generates when run, specified as either:

• "JUnit" — JUnit-style XML report for task results.

• "" — None. The build system generates a JUnit-style XML report for the task instead.

Methods

Object Functions

Object Function	Description
addInputQueries	Add the input artifacts returned by inputQueries as inputs to the task represented by taskObj. addInputQueries(taskObj,inputQueries)
dependsOn	Create a dependency between a task, taskObj, and dependencies, dependencies. dependsOn(taskObj,dependencies) The build system always runs the dependencies before the taskObj. Use dependsOn when one task cannot start without another task finishing first. Otherwise, if you only want to specify a preferred task execution order, you can use runsAfter instead.
dryRun	Dry run the task to validate task inputs and generate representative task outputs without actually running the task. The dryRun method runs on the current task instance this with task inputs inputArtifacts and returns a task result result. The task result is a padv.TaskResult object that can store the results from pass, fail, and error assessments. By default, the task returns the default dry run results specified by the padv.ProcessModel property DefaultDryRunResults. If you inherit from this class, make sure to use the same method signature inside your custom task: function result = dryRun(taskObj, inputArtifacts) ... end For more information, see Dry Run Tasks to Test Process Model. Inside the dryRun method for a task, you can resolve tokens, like $ITERATIONARTIFACT$, to their absolute path by using the resolvePath method. For example, reportPath = convertStringsToChars(taskObj.resolvePath(taskObj.ReportPath));. For more information on tokens, see Dynamically Resolve Paths with Tokens.
resolvePath	Resolve path that contains tokens. resolvedPath = resolvePath(taskObj, pathWithTokens) You can only call this function during the execution of the run method or dryRun method. For more information on tokens, see Dynamically Resolve Paths with Tokens.
run	Run task represented by taskObj. taskResult = run(taskObj) If the task requires inputs, specify the inputs using inputArtifacts. taskResult = run(taskObj,inputArtifacts) Inside the run method for a task, you can resolve tokens, like $ITERATIONARTIFACT$, to their absolute path by using the resolvePath method. For example, reportPath = convertStringsToChars(taskObj.resolvePath(taskObj.ReportPath));. For more information on tokens, see Dynamically Resolve Paths with Tokens.
runsAfter	Specify the preferred execution order for tasks by specifying the tasks, predecessors, that a task, taskObj, should run after. runsAfter(taskObj,predecessors) When you run your process, the build system runs the predecessors before the taskObj when possible. But if you force run the taskObj, the build system runs that task independently. Use runsAfter for tasks that you prefer to run in a specific order, but do not have a strict dependency. If a task must run before another task to run successfully, use dependsOn instead.

Examples

Create Task Objects and Add Tasks to Process Model

You can use padv.Task to create task objects and then use the addTask function to add the task objects to the padv.ProcessModel object.

Open the Process Advisor example project.

processAdvisorExampleStart

The model AHRS_Voter opens with the Process Advisor pane to the left of the Simulink canvas.

In the Process Advisor pane, click the Edit process model button to open the processmodel.m file for the project.

Replace the contents of the processmodel.m file with this code:

function processmodel(pm)
    arguments
        pm padv.ProcessModel
    end

    taskA = padv.Task("taskA");
    taskB = padv.Task("taskB");

    runsAfter(taskB,taskA);

    addTask(pm,taskA);
    addTask(pm,taskB);
    
end

This code uses padv.Task to create two task objects: taskA and taskB.

The object function runsAfter specifies that taskB should run after taskA.

The function addTask adds the task objects to the padv.ProcessModel object.

Disable Task in Process Model

If you want to disable a task, you can set the task property Enabled to false. To disable the task for a specific process, you can set the task property inside the process model. Note that by default the build system automatically disables a task if the required licenses are not available in the current MATLAB session.

Open a project. For this example, you can open the Process Advisor example project.

processAdvisorExampleStart

Edit the process model to use the following process model instead.

function processmodel(pm)
    % Defines the project's processmodel

    arguments
        pm padv.ProcessModel
    end

    % Add built-in task for Checking Modeling Standards
    maTask = pm.addTask(padv.builtin.task.RunModelStandards);

    % Disable task
    maTask.Enabled = false;

end

This process model specifies the task property Enabled as false.

In Process Advisor, click Refresh Tasks.

The Check Modeling Standards task appears dimmed in the process and the run button is unavailable.

Turn Off Change Tracking for Task Outputs

If you do not want the build system to mark a task as outdated when you make changes to task outputs, you can turn off change tracking for those task outputs. For that task, you specify the task property TrackOutputs as false.

Open a project. For this example, you can open the Process Advisor example project.

processAdvisorExampleStart

Edit the process model to use the following process model instead.

function processmodel(pm)
    % Defines the project's processmodel

    arguments
        pm padv.ProcessModel
    end

    % Add built-in task for Checking Modeling Standards
    maTask = pm.addTask(padv.builtin.task.RunModelStandards);

    % Turn off change tracking for task
    maTask.TrackOutputs = false;

end

This process model specifies the task property TrackOutputs as false.

When you run the task, the Process Advisor I/O column shows the outputs as Untracked. If you make a change to an untracked file, the build system does not mark the task as outdated.

For your project, make sure to review untracked outputs to check that those untracked files to do not need to be tracked to maintain the task status and result information that you need for your project.