The Project Browser

The Project Browser is a window that displays Packages, diagrams, elements and element features in a tree-like structure, reflecting the arrangement of elements and Packages within your model. The Project Browser is the primary mechanism for browsing and exploring your model and is the jumping off point for many of the most important features in Enterprise Architect. You can use it to navigate through the Enterprise Architect project space and:

Review the structure, content and organization of your model
Drill down to specific elements
Drag and drop elements and Packages within the model
Copy (duplicate) whole Packages
Import/export model information
Set up version control, locking, execution analysis and many other aspects of the model tied to a particular Package
Document models
Import code, xmi and csv files, database schema and other external data sources

The Project Browser provides a range of context menus through which you can perform additional actions such as adding new Packages, creating diagrams, renaming items, creating documentation and other reports, and deleting model elements. You can also edit the name of any item in the Project Browser by selecting the item and pressing F2.

Access

Ribbon

Start > Explore > Browser or

Show > Window > Project Browser

Keyboard Shortcuts

Alt+0

Views

The Project Browser can be divided into Views, each of which contains diagrams, Packages and other elements. A default View hierarchy is described here, but you can create different Views to suit your requirements:

View	Description
Use Case View	The functional and early analysis View, containing Business Process and Use Case models.
Dynamic View	The dynamics of your system, containing State Charts, Activity and Interaction diagrams.
Logical View	The Class Model and Domain Model View.
Component View	A View for your system components. The high level view of what software is to be built (such as executables, DLLs and components).
Deployment View	The physical model; what hardware is to be deployed and what software is to run on it.
Custom View	A work area for other Views, such as formal requirements, recycle bin, interview notes and non-functional requirements.

Selective Collapse to the parent element or Package

When you are working on an expanded project in the Project Browser, you might want to locate the parent element or Package of an item, and/or collapse the structure under that parent element or Package.

Step	Action	See also
1	Position the cursor on an item within the element or Package.
2	Press (←) on the keyboard to highlight the parent.
3	Press the same key again to collapse the structure under that parent element or Package.

Learn more