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3.8 Symbol Editor

3.8.1 Symbol menu

Save saves the symbol. If there were no connection points given for an object, the system prompts the user to set them before attempting to save the symbol.

Browse Library... opens a browser dialog where the symbol library of the default project can be browsed. If you want to add a symbol from the library into the current symbol, select the appropriate symbol and press Insert in the browser view.

Add to Library... adds the current symbol to the default project’s symbol library, from which the symbol can be copied to other meta types.

New... resets the symbol editor for drawing a new symbol, deleting all existing symbol elements.

Exit quits the Symbol Editor, prompting to save or discard changes if the symbol has been modified but not saved.

3.8.2 Edit menu

Cut moves the selected objects from the drawing area to the Symbol Editor’s clipboard.

Copy puts a copy of the selected items into the clipboard.

Paste copies the items from the Symbol Editor’s clipboard to the symbol.

Delete removes the selected items.

Select All selects everything in the drawing area for further operations.

Bring to Front brings the selected object in front of any overlapping objects.

Send to Back sends the selected object behind any overlapping objects.

Set Condition... allows you to specify conditions for displaying symbol elements based on property values.

3.8.3 View menu

Zoom... is used to set the desired zoom level for the Symbol Editor. The default is 400%, at which symbol manipulation is the most accurate.

Choose Grid... sets a grid for the Symbol Editor. Note that the units of the grid are smaller than those in the Diagram Editor (4 units here correspond to one unit in the Diagram Editor).

Show Grid toggles the display of the lines of the grid.

Snap to Grid turns the functionality of the grid on or off.

Refresh clears the drawing area and redraws the symbol.

3.8.4 Colours menu

Foreground... selects the colour for the foreground (outline) of the selected shape or shapes.

Background... selects the colour for the background (fill colour) of the selected shape or shapes.

3.8.5 Align menu

Left Sides aligns the left sides of the selected shapes with the left side of the first selection.

Right Sides aligns the right sides of the selected shapes with the right side of the first selection.

Bottoms aligns the bottoms of the selected shapes with the bottom of the first selection.

Tops aligns the tops of the selected shapes with the top of the first selection.

Centres Vertically aligns the centres of the selected shapes so they are all in line vertically with the centre of the first selection.

Centres Horizontally aligns the centres of the selected shapes so they are all in line horizontally with the centre of the first selection.

Centres aligns the centres of the selected shapes with the centre of the first selection.

Left to Right aligns the left side of the rest of the selected shapes with the right side of the first selection.

Right to Left aligns the right side of the rest of the selected shapes with the left side of the first selection

Bottom to Top aligns the bottom of the rest of the selected shapes with the top of the first selection

Top to Bottom aligns the top of the rest of the selected shapes with the bottom of the first selection

Align to Grid aligns the top left corner of all selected shapes individually to the selected grid.

3.8.6 Label menu

Text Alignment... opens a dialog that allows you to set where the text originates in the property box, and whether long lines wrap to the next line or are cut off.

Font... opens the font setting tool for choosing the font, size and style of the label.

Change Contents... allows an existing property label to be changed to show the values of another property, or changes the string used in a fixed text label.

3.8.7 Connections menu

Generate Defaults generates four default connection points, between which the role lines will attach. The default points are in the corners of the outermost parts of the symbol.

Add point adds extra connection points. After selecting this command, click on the desired place in the drawing area. Note that the order of connection points is important: see Join points.

Add Point at Center adds one connection point to the middle of the merged rectangle for all the elements in the Symbol Editor.

Add Points For Selection generates connection points for the selected symbol elements, one at each selection handle.

Join points temporarily connects the connection points in order with a green line, so that you can see the polygon with which roles will intersect. Close the dialog that opens to return to normal symbol editing.

3.8.8 Help menu

Symbol Editor shows the help for Symbol Editor.

About... shows information about the number of symbol elements and connection points.

3.8.9 Symbol element pop-up menu

Each kind of symbol element has its own pop-up menu; however, many of the items in the menu are common to most elements.

Cut moves the selected element(s) from the drawing area to the Symbol Editor’s clipboard.

Copy puts a copy of the element(s) onto the clipboard.

Paste copies the contents of the Symbol Editor clipboard into the symbol.

Delete removes the selected element(s) from the drawing area.

Property and text labels have three additional menu items, as in the Label menu (see Section 3.8.6).

(Foreground/Background) Colour... sets the respective colour for the selected element(s).

Set Condition... allows you to specify a condition determining when the selected element(s) will be displayed, depending on the value of a property.

Ellipses (and thus also circles, arcs and segments) have an Arc Settings... item, which allows you to choose to show only an arc or segment of the ellipse.

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