The Browser

The Local tab of the Browser provides a hierarchical view of all the model objects in your workspace. If the Browser is not visible, select View > Browser (or press Alt+0) to display it.

You can create objects from the Browser (see Creating Objects from the Browser) and drag, drop, and copy objects in the Browser, or between the Browser and the Canvas (see Moving, Copying, and Deleting Objects).

To find the Browser entry for a diagram symbol, right-click it and select Edit > Find in Browser. To find the diagram symbol for a Browser entry, right-click it and select Edit > Find in Diagram.

A typical hierarchy of objects in the Browser may include:

Workspace - The root of every Browser tree, which contains and organizes all your models and supporting documents (see Workspaces).
Library - A folder containing enterprise models that are pushed automatically to all users when they connect to the repository (see The Library)
Projects – Act as containers for models and other documents, allowing you to save them as a single unit in the repository (see Projects and Frameworks).
Folders - Organize models and other files (see Folders).
Models - Are the basic design unit in PowerDesigner and contain one or more diagrams and any number of model objects (see Models).
Packages - Divide large models into smaller "sub-models" to avoid manipulating large sets of objects, and can be used to assign different tasks or subject areas to different development teams (see Packages).
Diagrams - Graphical views of model objects (see Diagrams).
Model objects – Include all items belonging to a model (see Objects).
Reports – Are generated to document your models (see Reports).

Note: To expand all nodes at once, press the numpad plus sign (+). To collapse all nodes at once, press the numpad minus sign (-).

The Glossary
In environments with a repository, administrators can deploy an enterprise glossary containing all the terms approved for use in your environment, which is pushed to users and appears in the Browser Glossary tab. The glossary is automatically updated whenever users connect to the repository and helps everyone to use the same terms between projects to ensure enterprise-wide consistency.
The Repository Browser
The Repository tab in the Browser displays the content of the repository to which you are currently connected.
Workspaces
The Local tab of the Browser contains a workspace to organize all your modeling and supporting files. You can create projects, models, and folders in a workspace. To add external files, drag and drop them from Windows Explorer.
The Library
In environments with a repository, administrators can deploy an enterprise library containing reference models, which are pushed to users, and appear in a special folder in the Browser Local tab. These shared models are automatically updated whenever users connect to the repository and help everyone to use the same modeling objects between projects to ensure enterprise-wide consistency.
Folders
You can use folders to organize the projects, models, and other files in your workspace. The folder structure is saved in the workspace file.
Models
Models are the basic work unit in PowerDesigner. You can create a model directly in the workspace, in a folder, or as part of a project.
Packages
A package is a piece of a model. When working with large models, you can split them into smaller subdivisions in order to avoid manipulating the entire model at once. Packages can be used to organize your model into different tasks and subject areas, and to assign parts of it to different development teams.

Parent topic: The PowerDesigner Interface