Symbols

PowerDesigner provides multiple tools and techniques for manipulating object symbols in your model diagrams.

• Manipulating Symbols
  You can select symbols in a PowerDesigner diagram using standard gestures. You can edit properties of the selected symbol's object or it's sub-objects, and resize the symbol by clicking and dragging on its handles.
• Manipulating Link Symbols
  You can add and remove corners to and from link symbols, and change the objects that they connect.
• Arranging Symbols Using the Symbol Menu
  The Symbol menu allows you to do many different things with your diagram symbols.
• Symbol Format Properties
  You can change the size, line style, fill, shadow, font, alignment, shape and content of symbols in the Symbol Format dialog. Some items may not be available if your modeling methodology restricts the modification of symbol format or content.
• Finding a Symbol in the Diagram from an Object List
  You can locate any object in a diagram from an object list using the PowerDesigner Find feature.
• Using Composite View to Display Sub-Objects within a Symbol
  Many objects (packages, processes, classes, activities, states, EAM objects, etc.) have the capability to display sub-objects within their symbols through one or more composite view modes. Depending on the type of object, the sub-objects can be displayed either as a static sub-diagram within the symbol or as dynamically editable symbols that you can create and arrange directly from the parent diagram.
• Browsing for Images
  The Select Image dialog lets you manage the images that you use in your model diagrams, and to insert them into your models as object symbols, diagram backgrounds, etc.
• Decorative Symbols
  Lines, ellipses, rectangles, and other decorative symbol tools available in the Toolbox have no technical meaning, but can help with readability. You can use them to surround parts of a model to, for example, distinguish domains of activity.