Why are graphical annotations for connectors not inherited upon redeclaration? - modelica

Question

I am creating a library for System Dynamics modeling which unlike the existing free library by Cellier is making use of acausal connectors. For "Flow" - Elements I have a GenericFlow class that defines the interfaces:
partial model GenericFlow "Flow Template with replaceable ports"
replaceable FlowPort portA "Flow from/to Stock A";
replaceable FlowPort portB "Flow to/from Stock B";
end GenericFlow;
The magenta colored FlowPort connectors are declared to be replaceable - the icon in System Modeler looks like this:
For some special cases I will use different ports, a connector called SpecialFlowPort that is visualized as a red square. To give an example, below is a class called Outflow which will redeclare the connector class used for one of its ports (i.e. portA):
model Outflow "Outflow from a stock"
extends Interfaces.GenericFlow(redeclare Interfaces.SpecialFlowPort portA);
[...]
end Outflow;
Its icon will automatically show the red colored SpecialFlowPort that has been exchanged for portA (on the left side):
But, when I use this component (drag & drop) in a new model, it will be shown with two magenta ports and on hovering over the ports System Modeler will give the class name as FlowPort - not SpecialFlowPort:
The behavior of the component is done correctly though and a connection of a magenta FlowPort port with the left port shown for Outflow is prohibited.
Am I doing something wrong? Why is the graphical annotation shown correctly for the class with the redeclared connector not shown upon its use in a model?
UPDATE:
Otto Tronarp from Wolfram MathCore correctly noted that the above example is not complete since I failed to include the graphical annotations (which often make code unreadable but are rather essential in this case).
So to give a SSCCE I will include his example here:
package ConnectorsTest
partial model GenericFlow "Flow Template with replaceable ports"
replaceable FlowPort portA "Flow from/to Stock A" annotation(Placement(visible = true, transformation(origin = {-66.537, 24.02}, extent = {{-10, -10}, {10, 10}}, rotation = 0), iconTransformation(origin = {-100, 0}, extent = {{-10, -10}, {10, 10}}, rotation = 0)));
replaceable FlowPort portB "Flow to/from Stock B" annotation(Placement(visible = true, transformation(origin = {110, 0}, extent = {{-10, -10}, {10, 10}}, rotation = 0), iconTransformation(origin = {100, -0}, extent = {{-10, -10}, {10, 10}}, rotation = 0)));
end GenericFlow;
model Outflow "Outflow from a stock"
extends GenericFlow(redeclare SpecialFlowPort portA);
end Outflow;
connector FlowPort
annotation(Icon(coordinateSystem(extent = {{-100, -100}, {100, 100}}, preserveAspectRatio = true, initialScale = 0.1, grid = {10, 10}), graphics = {Rectangle(visible = true, origin = {0, 5}, fillColor = {107, 255, 252}, fillPattern = FillPattern.Solid, extent = {{-50, -55}, {50, 55}})}));
end FlowPort;
connector SpecialFlowPort
annotation(Icon(coordinateSystem(extent = {{-100, -100}, {100, 100}}, preserveAspectRatio = true, initialScale = 0.1, grid = {10, 10}), graphics = {Rectangle(visible = true, origin = {0, 5}, fillColor = {246, 114, 123}, fillPattern = FillPattern.Solid, extent = {{-50, -55}, {50, 55}})}));
end SpecialFlowPort;
end ConnectorsTest;
Using the class Outflow as defined in this package in a model diagram in WSM 4.3 will show false graphical annotations (e.g. two green instead of one red and one green connector).

Answer 1

People from Wolfram MatheCore on Wolfram Community posted that this is an issue pertaining to Wolfram System Modeler up to Version 5.1:
Thank you very much for this report. It does indeed seem like Model Center does not properly render redeclared connectors inside components. It is something we will look into.
As a work-around you could create multiple versions of your component
class with different set of connectors, and make the instances of the
component class replaceable. Not sure if this would be an acceptable
work-around for you, but it should work.