Please note : This help page is not for the latest version of Enterprise Architect. The latest help can be found here.
Package Browser
If you want to quickly create and operate on elements in a Package, you can use the Package Browser as a workbench. The Package Browser is a tabular, editable view of the elements in a selected Package, which can be displayed either in the Diagram View or as a floating window, and as either a List display or a Gantt chart. It can be particularly useful for setting up a Package for a specific purpose, such as when an Analyst creates and maintains formal requirement definitions within the model. When you have checked the contents of the Package, you can either print the list of elements or generate a document report on all or a subset of the elements.
You can open more than one instance of the Package Browser, to review different Packages at the same time. Each instance of the Package Browser is a separate tab of the window, identified by the Package name.
The Package Browser is related to, and can be used in conjunction with, the:
- Diagram List, which lists the elements in a selected diagram, and
- Specification Manager, which is a document-based interface to the Package, providing the means of creating and reviewing elements as text representations of model objects in that Package
Access Project Browser | Click on Package | Package | View as List (Ctrl+Alt+R)
Project Browser | Click on Package | Package | View as Gantt
Diagram or Project Browser > right-click Package | View As List
Diagram or Project Browser > right-click Package | View As Gantt
Features
Feature |
Detail |
See also |
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Select List View or Gantt View |
When you select one of the menu paths, above, you select either the List View of the Package Browser, or the Gantt View.
Once you have displayed one of these views, you can switch to the other by right-clicking on the display and selecting the appropriate context menu option:
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Package Browser Options The Gantt View Element View |
Switch List View Formats |
The Package Browser has a separate version of the Navigator toolbar, through which you can change the Package being investigated and, in 'List View', the content shown. In 'List View', the Package Browser has two formats that influence the use of other options on the display:
To set the format, click on the icon in the toolbar and select (for Hierarchy format) or deselect (for User Defined format) the 'Show Element Hierarchy' option. |
List Header Navigator Toolbar |
Change Standard View display |
It is possible to reorganize the information in the Project Browser in a number of ways:
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Show Elements in a Child Package |
Double-click on the child Package in the list to re-focus the display, showing the contents of that Package only. |
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Display Element Properties |
Double-click on the element line to display the element 'Properties' dialog. |
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Select Items |
Select:
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Add new items to the Package |
Click on a listed element and press or the , or right-click and select the 'Add New' option. The 'New Element' dialog displays; complete the fields and click on the .
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Add Elements Directly to Packages |
Add a child element to the selected element |
Click on the selected element and press . The 'New Element' dialog displays; complete the fields and click on the .
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Add Elements Directly to Packages |
Add elements to the Package Browser |
Drag the required elements from anywhere in the Project Browser. The element is listed in the Package Browser, and moved into the target Package in the Project Browser. You can also drag elements from the Package Browser into a Package in the Project Browser, in either List view or Gantt view. |
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Add elements to a diagram from the Package Browser |
In either List view or Gantt view, you can drag one or more elements from the Package Browser onto a diagram to immediately create an instance of each element on the diagram (and in the Project Browser for the diagram's parent Package). Click each element (pressing or for multiple selections) to select it before dragging it onto the diagram. One advantage of dragging elements from the Gantt view is that it provides the additional filter on task or resource, so that you can isolate elements to be copied to a diagram or Package specific to a task or resource. |
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Delete elements from the list |
Select the item and press . This deletes the element from all diagrams and from the model itself. In Model Hierarchy format, you cannot delete a parent element until all its child elements have been removed or deleted. |
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Include each element's notes (documentation) |
Notes are shown underneath the element. To add or edit notes, click on the item and press Notes window, in which you create or edit the note text. to transfer control to the Alternatively, right-click on the element line and select the 'Edit Notes' option. |
Package Browser Options |
Review the element's custom (advanced) properties |
Click on the item and press . The 'Custom Properties' dialog for the element displays. |
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Further Work |
You can do further work on the Package Browser using the toolbar and context menu options. |
Package Browser Options |
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