Graphical user interface for viewing or editing an executable block diagram model

A computer readable medium holding computer executable instructions for causing a computing device to display one or more attributes associated with one or more block diagram modeling components of an executable block diagram model, where at least one of the one or more attributes has one or more attribute values, said medium comprising:

• instructions for displaying an executable block diagram model in a first window, where the executable block diagram model comprises a first block diagram modeling component that includes a first attribute having one or more attribute values;
• instructions for identifying one or more hotspot regions around the first block diagram modeling component, where the instructions for identifying comprise:
• instructions for associating one of the one or more hotspot regions with the first attribute, and
• instructions for associating another of the one or more hotspot regions with a second attribute when a second attribute is associated with the first block diagram modeling component;
• instructions for receiving a first input for the first attribute or the second attribute, where the first input modifies one or more attribute values of the first attribute or the second attribute;
• and
• instructions for displaying the one or more attribute values associated with the first attribute or the one or more attribute values associated with the second attribute via a first widget in the first window, where the displaying provides updated information about the first block diagram modeling component or the executable block diagram model.

A system for displaying one or more attribute values of one or more attributes of a block diagram modeling component in an executable block diagram model, the system comprising:

• a display device that displays an executable block diagram model having one or more block diagram modeling components in a window, wherein the one or more block diagram modeling components have one or more attributes;
• a model editor that associates the one or more block diagram modeling components or regions around the one or more block diagram modeling components with one or more graphical affordances;
• an attribute value viewer that in response to activating the one or more graphical affordances in response to a cursor being proximate to the one or more graphical affordances, displays a first widget for illustrating a history of attribute values of a first attribute associated with a first block diagram modeling component;
• an input device for entering input to modify the one or more attribute values displayed on the first widget;
• and
• an updating logic that updates the display of the block diagram with the input entered using the input device.