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.

To expand all nodes, press the numpad plus sign (+). To collapse all nodes, press the numpad minus sign (-). To filter the Browser tree, start typing the name of an object that you want to find in the Filter box:

PowerDesigner monitors your local documents against the versions stored in the repository, and communicates their status using icons to the left of the document icons:

Status	No Locks	Locked by You (Green Padlock)	Locked by Other (Red Padlock)
Up to Date (Green Circle)
Local Changes (Red Checkmark)
Changes on Server (Yellow Exclamation)
Local and Server Changes

Note: You can control the display of status icons with the Display status icons in Local Browser general option (see Repository Options).

A typical hierarchy of objects in the Browser Local tab 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).

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.

The Glossary
In environments with a repository, administrators can deploy an enterprise glossary to help everyone to use the same approved terms between projects for enterprise-wide consistency. Updates to the glossary are pushed to users each time they connect to the repository or on demand. The glossary appears in the Browser Glossary tab.
The Library
In environments with a repository, administrators can deploy an enterprise library containing reference models, resource files, and other documents to share generic modeling objects between projects. Updates to the library are pushed to users each time they connect to the repository or on demand. Models and other documents appear in a special folder in the Browser Local tab.
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.
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: Modeling with PowerDesigner