Edit Models

The following sections provide an overview of the functions needed for editing models in the graphical editor.

Open Model

In order to open a model:

• Double-click the model in the Model Catalogue.

The model opens in the graphical editor.

In order to open a model with specific settings, proceed as follows:

• Select the model you want to open in the Model Catalogue.

• Right-click the model, point to Open, and then click either Model or Table.

The graphical editor ("Model") lets you design, modify and update models. The tabular editor ("Table") is ideal for the large-scale editing of attributes.

Search in Model

You can search for objects in the graphical editor.

Execute Search

In order to execute a search in the active model:

• Click the More button in the menu bar of the open model, and then click Search in model   .

• Enter the search string into the input field.

As you type, ADOIT will start highlighting objects that contain the search string in their name. The first search result will be focused.

Move Focus to the Next Search Result

In order to move the focus to the next search result:

• Press <Enter> or click the Search icon ().

Close Search Box

In order to close the search box:

• Click the icon .

Cut/Copy/Paste/Delete Objects in the Graphical Editor

The manipulation functions Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete are available in the graphical editor:

• Press <Ctrl> + <X> to cut an object.

• Press <Ctrl> + <C> to copy an object.

• Press <Ctrl> + <V> to paste an object.

• Press <Del> to remove an object from the model.

• Press <Shift> + <Del> to remove an object from the model and the Object Catalogue.

Special Case: Insert Object between Two Connected Objects

Often it is necessary to insert an object between two connected objects. For this purpose, the graphical editor contains a function that automatically connects the new object to the model structure:

• Click the connector in question when placing the object. When positioned correctly, the connector is highlighted.

ADOIT splits the connector up automatically and connects the new object to the neighbouring objects.

Special Case: Delete Object with Incoming and Outgoing Connectors of One Type

When you delete an object that has exactly one incoming and one outgoing connector of one type, a connector is drawn from the preceding object to the following object (auto heal function).

The auto heal function can also be applied to multiple objects at once. When deleting a set of two or more objects with exactly one incoming and one outgoing connector of one type and connectors of the same type running through the set, a connector from the previous to the following object is drawn.

Connector Functions

The following sections provide an overview of the functions needed for editing connectors.

Model Bendpoints

Connectors can be modelled with any number of bendpoints. In order to do this, proceed as follows:

• When drawing a connector, click consecutively on all free spaces of the drawing area where you want the connector to bend.

Create New Bendpoint

• Click on the connector at any free spot.

• Drag it into a new position.

note

If rectangular connectors are enabled, this function is not available.

Move Bendpoint

• Click on the bendpoint.

• Drag it into a new position.

note

If rectangular connectors are enabled, this function is not available.

Delete Bendpoint

• Drag the bendpoint to a place where the two adjacent connector lines form a straight line. As soon as the mouse button is released, the bendpoint is deleted.

• As an alternative, select only the bendpoint and press <Del>.

note

If rectangular connectors are enabled, this function is not available.

Merge Multiple Bendpoints

• Drag one of two bendpoints over the other.

note

If rectangular connectors are enabled, this function is not available.

Parallel Translation of Connectors

Horizontally or vertically drawn straight connectors can be moved as a whole:

• Select the connector.

• Move it in parallel by drag and drop.

You can also move individual segments of rectangular connectors in this manner.

Reallocate Connector

• Select the connection point.

• Drag it to the new object.

Delete Connector

Unnecessary connectors can be easily deleted.

• Select the connector (click an area of the connector edge without a bendpoint) and press <Del>.

• As an alternative, from the context menu of the connector, select Delete.

Align Objects

ADOIT allows you to automatically align objects in the graphical editor. In order to do so:

1. Select the objects you want to align.

2. Right-click the objects, point to Align, and then select an alignment option.

Additionally, you can align all objects within a container object (e.g. a Swimlane).

• Right-click the container object, point to Align, and then select an alignment option.

Alignment Options

The following alignment options are available:

• Center vertically

  Align the objects vertically

• Center horizontally

  Align the objects horizontally

• Distribute horizontally

  Evenly distribute the objects horizontally

• Distribute vertically

  Evenly distribute the objects vertically

• Align right

  Align the right side of the objects with the right edge of the right-most object

• Align left

  Align the left side of the objects with the left edge of the left-most object

• Align top

  Align the top side of the selected objects with the top edge of the top-most object

• Align bottom

  Align the bottom side of the selected objects with the bottom edge of the bottom-most object

Change Modelling Direction: Vertical/Horizontal

The modelling direction can be set to horizontal (modelling is done from left to right) or vertical (modelling is done from top to bottom).

note

The default modelling direction for each model type is defined in the Administration Toolkit.

You can change the modelling direction for a specific model in the graphical editor. The objects on the drawing area are automatically rearranged.

The following options are available:

Change Direction: Vertical

To place the objects in the model from top to bottom instead of from left to right:

• Click the More button in the menu bar of the open model, and then click Change direction: vertical.

Change Direction: Horizontal

To place the objects in the model from left to right instead of from top to bottom:

• Click the More button in the menu bar of the open model, and then click Change direction: horizontal.

note

When using the Hover Modelling Assistant, the modelling direction determines where the next object is placed:

• Horizontal: To the right of the selected object

• Vertical: Below the selected object

Check Spelling

ADOIT can look for and correct misspelled words in text fields. Spell checking is available, for example, when editing text attributes, in search boxes, during translation etc. Misspelled words are marked with a wavy line.

In order to correct a misspelling:

• Right-click the misspelled word, and then replace it with a suggested word from the list.

This feature uses native spell checking capabilities provided by the browser. Spell checking is available in Internet Explorer 11, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Safari.

note

You can configure your browser to support multiple languages if desired. To find out how to install additional languages, please refer to the browser documentation.

Add/Remove Empty Space

In the graphical editor, you can add or remove any size of empty space between objects. In order to do so:

1. Click the Add/Remove empty space button at the top of the modelling bar (1).

2. Click the desired location of the drawing area (= where you want to add or remove space).

Now do one of the following:

• Insert Horizontal Empty Space

  Drag the bold vertical line (2) to the right (→). When you release the mouse button, all objects that were located to the right of the original position will be moved further to the right.

• Insert Vertical Empty Space

  Drag the bold horizontal line (3) down (↓). When you release the mouse button, all objects that were located below the original position will be moved further down.

• Remove Horizontal Empty Space

  Drag the bold vertical line to the left (←). A dashed line indicates the border of the area that can be removed (4). When you release the mouse button, all objects that were located to the right of the original position will be moved further to the left.

• Remove Vertical Empty Space

  Drag the bold horizontal line up (↑). A dashed line indicates the border of the area that can be removed. When you release the mouse button, all objects that were located below the original position will be moved further up.

Update All Relations

In the graphical editor, relations between repository objects are often represented as connectors. This applies to models that you have created yourself, but also to views that you have saved as a model etc.

When you modify these relations in the Notebook of an object, the model may contain incorrect or outdated information. In order to update relations:

1. Open the model in the graphical editor.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To update all relations in the model, click the More button in the menu bar of the open model, and then click All objects: update all relations.

   • To update relations of specific objects, right-click the objects, and then click Selected objects: update all relations.

Outdated connectors are removed (= the relation has been deleted from the Notebook) and new connectors are drawn (= a new relation has been created in the Notebook).