Please note : This help page is not for the latest version of Enterprise Architect. The latest help can be found here.

Edit Menu

When working in a diagram or view, you often need to operate on the elements as units rather than, at one extreme, changing the internal properties of the elements or, at the other extreme, changing the properties of the diagram. For such work, you can select from a range of functions.

Access Edit

Editing Options

Option

Action

See also

Open Source File

Open any type of external source file (code, XML, DDL) for editing.

A file browser displays, through which you locate and open the file in the default viewer/editor for the language. This could be an external source code editor or the internal Source Code viewer.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+O

Compare Editors

Search in Model

Search for elements containing particular text strings, in the Find in  Project view.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+A

Model Search

Search in Files

Search for text in code files and scripts, in the Find in Files window.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+Alt+F

Search In Files

Find a Package

Select this option to display the 'Find Package' dialog, which shows the full hierarchy of Packages (and only Packages) in the model.

Use the dialog to locate and select a specific Package. Selecting a Package sets the Package pathname in the address field of the Package Browser toolbar, and highlights the Package in the Project Browser.

Navigator Toolbar

Find a Diagram

Select this option to display the 'Select a Diagram' dialog, which initially shows the full hierarchy of Packages that contain diagrams in the model. Use the dialog to locate and select a specific diagram. When you select a diagram, the system:

  • Sets the owning Package pathname in the address field of the Package Browser toolbar
  • Opens the diagram and
  • Highlights its name in the Project Browser

You can restrict the list to show only Packages containing one of the types of Interaction diagram - Sequence, Communication, Timing or Interaction Overview. Click on the drop-down arrow in the 'Visible Diagram Types' field and click on the appropriate type of diagram.

You can also expand and collapse the displayed total hierarchy, by clicking on the Expand All button and Collapse All button.

Copy  

  1. Copy selected elements to the MS Windows clipboard. (To paste the selected elements use the 'Paste as Link' or 'Paste as New' options.)
  2. Copy an image of selected elements to the clipboard. If no elements are selected, the entire diagram is copied.

The image can be saved as a bitmap or a metafile; you set the format on the 'Options' dialog.

Shortcut: Ctrl+C

General Options

Paste as Link

Paste copied element(s) into the diagram as an element-hyperlink to the original element(s).

Shortcut: Shift+Insert

Paste Elements

Paste as New

Paste copied element(s) into the diagram as a new instance of the original element(s).

The 'Paste Element(s) as New' dialog displays.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+V

Paste Image From Clipboard

Paste the element in the Enterprise Architect clipboard into the same diagram, or a different diagram, as a metafile (that is, a definition of the element) as many times as is necessary.

If you paste the element into a different diagram, its classifier identifies the source diagram for the element.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+Insert

Undo

Undo the last action performed; note that some actions cannot be undone.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Z

Undo Last Action

Redo

Re-apply the last undone action.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Y

Redo Last Action

Repeat Element

Generate an element of the same type as the one last created, in the Project Browser and - if a diagram is open - in the diagram.

The element 'Properties' dialog also displays, so that you can define a name and properties for the new element.

Shortcut: Shift+F3

Repeat Connector

Generate a connector of the same type as the one you have just created, when you drag between two elements.

Shortcut: F3

Manage Project Clipboard

Add copied elements to, or clear copied elements from, the Enterprise Architect clipboard; select the appropriate sub-option:

  • 'Add to Project Clipboard' - Add the currently-selected element to the clipboard
  • 'Clear Project Clipboard' - Clear the  clipboard

Shortcut: Ctrl+Space

Select All

Select all elements concurrently on the current diagram.

Select By Type

Specify a particular type of element to select on the diagram.

Clear Selection

Deselect all elements.

Bookmark Selected

Bookmark the selected element(s).

If the selected element is already bookmarked, this option removes the bookmark.

Shortcut: Shift+Space

Manage Bookmarks

Clear All Bookmarks

Clear bookmarks from any bookmarked elements in the current diagram.

Delete Selected Element(s)

Delete the selected elements from the diagram (but not from the model).

Shortcut: Ctrl+D