The Start Page

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Local project

Click on this option to display the 'Select Enterprise Architect Project to Open' dialog to browse for and open an existing project file (.eap, .eapx or .feap).

Server Connection

Click on this option to display the 'Data Link Properties' dialog, from which you begin to specify a data source to connect to, on one of a number of supported repositories.

This feature is available in the Corporate, Unified and Ultimate editions.

Cloud Connection

Click on this option to open the 'Cloud Connection' dialog, which you use to specify a project held at a remote location, and to access it through the internet or web. You work on the project using the Enterprise Architect installation on your machine.

An advantage of working in this way is that you do not need to have the database drivers installed on your machine, as you would to work on projects held on a DBMS server.

Create a new project

Click on this option to create a new local (.eap or .feap) project file, and to add model structures to it using the Model Wizard.

Manage projects

Click on this option to open the 'Manage Projects' dialog, which you use to manage connections to the Enterprise Architect projects (.eap files, .eapx files, .feap files, DBMS server connections and Cloud connections) to which you have access.

<Model names>

Either:

• Click on a project name in the list to open that project in the current instance of Enterprise Architect (and close any project you already have open), or
• Ctrl+click on a project name in the list to launch that project in a separate instance of Enterprise Architect, in addition to the current project

You can also right-click on a project name in the list and display a short context menu with options to:

• Open the selected project in the current instance of Enterprise Architect (and close any project you already have open)
• Launch the selected project in a new instance of Enterprise Architect (keeping the current project open in the current instance)
• Add the model to the list of watched models that you are monitoring for various kinds of activity
• If the project is accessed via a connection string to a DBMS or Cloud repository, change the project name
• Remove the selected project from the list (which removes the link to the project, not the project file itself)

Perspective

The Perspective Portal provides a number of work Perspectives grouped by general work area. Each Perspective filters the modeling windows and dialogs to present only the modeling Patterns you might use in the work defined by the Perspective. When you select a Perspective the Model Wizard displays, showing the 'Model Patterns' tab and providing the model templates that you might use to initially create a model supporting the type of work. The Portal also includes a category for Perspectives that you have created yourself.

Workspace

The Workspace Portal provides links to the system-provided workspaces and working sets that you might use to lay out the Enterprise Architect work area, and to any working sets and workspaces that you have created yourself.

Window

The Window Portal provides links to the Enterprise Architect windows you use to navigate through, develop and manage your model.

Status

The Status Portal provides links to run searches that locate recent activities of various types across the model.

Extend

The Extend Portal lists the MDG Technologies currently active in your model, and for each one provides links to the facilities for working with those technologies within Enterprise Architect.

Execute

The Execute Portal provides a wide range of options that help you to perform Visual Execution Analysis, Simulation, Profiling and Debugging of your modeled application.

Guidebook

The Guidebook Portal provides links to the library of Enterprise Architect User Guides in PDF format. The Portal initially displays with ten categories of document, each of which can be expanded to a list of the PDF documents in that category.

Learning

The Learning Portal provides links to either the web version of the Enterprise Architect User Guide, or the locally-installed Help if you have downloaded that. The Portal also provides links to a number of useful web pages on the Sparx Systems website, such as the Tutorials, Webinars and Video Demonstrations pages.

Revisit

The Revisit Portal provides links to the diagrams, source files and system windows that you currently have open, and the diagrams and source files that you have recently opened and then closed again.