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.

With each of the following tools, click and hold to draw, and release to complete the shape. To resize a completed shape, click it and drag a handle.

Tool

Description

Insert an area where you can write free notes

Draw either a graphical link between free symbols, a note link between a note and an object, or a traceability link between objects (see Creating Traceability Links)

Title - A diagram title box retrieves from the model properties and displays such information as: the model and the package to which the diagram belongs, the name of the diagram itself, the author and version of the model and the date of modification.

If no Author is specified in the model property sheet, the user name specified in the Version Info page is used.

You can choose to display the repository version number of the model or a user-defined version number on the Title display preferences page.


text.gif

Text - You can insert free text in your model independently of any shape, and can select and move it like any symbol.

Line

Arc

Rectangle - Press Ctrl while drawing to create a square.

Ellipse - Press Ctrl while drawing to create a circle.

Rounded Rectangle - Press Ctrl while drawing to create a rounded square.

Polyline - Release the mouse button at each point where you want to create a corner. Right-click to finish.

Polygon - Release the mouse button at each point where you want to create a corner. Right-click to finish and close the polygon.

Note: To add text to the symbol, double-click it to open an editor window. Lines and polylines support the display of text at their center, source, and destination (see Text Editor Tools).

To change the format of the symbol, right-click it and select Format (see Symbol Format Properties).