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The Start Page
The Start Page is the default landing page that displays when you first open Enterprise Architect. It provides a range of useful commands to create and/or access project files, connect to a server repository, or access a project via the Cloud. You can also access a set of Portals that provide the facilities, resources, links, tailored searches and reports for working in a particular task area, such as publishing or developing a model.
The facilities and commands on the Start Page are made available through the 'Open' and 'New' options, the 'Recent' and 'Pinned' lists and the 'Open a Portal' option.
Notice that when you initially open Enterprise Architect, the Browser window contains the option '<click to open project>'. This has the same effect as the 'New > Manage Projects' option, described in the New table.
Access
Opened by default on start up of Enterprise Architect.
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Ribbon |
Start > Desktop > Workspaces > Show Start Page |
Open
Option |
Action |
See also |
|---|---|---|
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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). |
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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. |
Connect to an ASA Repository Connect to an Oracle Repository (ODBC) Connect to a PostgreSQL Repository Connect to a MySQL Repository Connect to an Oracle Repository (OLE DB) Connect to a SQL Server Repository |
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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. |
Connecting Enterprise Architect to a Cloud Model |
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Custom |
If you click on this option, the 'Connection String' dialog displays. Type or paste in the server connection string to the project you want to open, and click on the . This is the same dialog that you use in the 'Manage Projects' dialog (see the 'Manage Projects' option in the next table, and the Managing Connections to Projects Help topic. |
Managing Connections to Projects |
New
Option |
Description |
See also |
|---|---|---|
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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. |
Model Wizard File Based Projects |
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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. |
Managing Connections to Projects |
Recent
This is a list of up to ten Enterprise Architect projects (.eap files, .eapx files, .feap files, DBMS server connections and Cloud connections) that you have opened most recently. The drop-down arrow in the list heading displays options to:
- Switch the list between recently-accessed models and currently 'watched' models, and
- Set up a 'Watched Model' configuration to define what projects to monitor and what actions to capture within the models (see the Model Watches Help topic)
- Change the sequence of models in the list between an alphabetical listing and a chronological listing (most recently opened at the top)
Option |
Action |
See also |
|---|---|---|
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<Model names> |
Either:
You can also right-click on a project name in the list and display a short context menu with options to:
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How to Remove Links to Recent Projects Model Watches |
Pinned
The 'Pinned' repository list allows modelers who frequently work on particular repositories to add them to a list where they can always be easily and reliably accessed. Some users might only work on a single corporate repository or a small set of project repositories, so the 'Recent' list will always provide access to these projects. However, other users such as consultants and multi-disciplinary team members often work on a large number of repositories and, in this scenario, the repositories they need to visit regularly might 'drop-off' the 'Recent' list as new repositories are visited. If these repositories are added to the 'Pinned' list they will always be available.
The 'Pinned' list shows up to ten Enterprise Architect projects (.eap files, .eapx files, .feap files, DBMS server connections and Cloud connections) that you have opened at some point in the 'Recent' list and you have 'pinned' so that they remain available for selection across all registry hives that you might use.
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)
- If the project is accessed via a connection string to a DBMS or Cloud repository, change the project name and/or the connection string
- Remove the selected project from the list (which removes the link to the project, not the project file itself; the link is not returned to the 'Recent' list)
Open a Portal
This option displays a drop-down list of the Portals available in Enterprise Architect. Click on the appropriate Portal name to display that Portal on the left or right of the screen.
Portal Name |
Description |
See also |
|---|---|---|
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Workspaces |
The Workspaces Portal provides links to the system-provided workspaces that you might use to lay out the Enterprise Architect work area, and to any workspaces that you have created yourself. The categories provided are:
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Workspaces Portal |
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Perspectives |
The Perspectives Portal provides a wide range of model Patterns from which you can generate model structures for particular areas of work. The Patterns are organized into groups within Perspectives, and presented for selection through the 'Model Patterns' tab of the Model Wizard, and through the 'New Diagram' dialog. The Portal also includes a category for Perspectives that you have created yourself, which provide the Patterns from MDG Technologies you have specified in the Perspective. |
Perspectives Portal |
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Windows |
The Windows Portal provides links to the Enterprise Architect windows that you might use. The windows are grouped under the areas of:
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Windows Portal |
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Extend |
The Extend Portal lists the MDG Technologies currently active in your model - such as ArcGIS or NIEM - and for each one provides links to the facilities for working with those technologies within Enterprise Architect. |
Extend Portal |
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Execute |
The Execute Portal provides a wide range of options that help you to:
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Execute Portal |
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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. |
Guidebook Portal |
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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. |
Learning Portal |
Notes
- You can hide the Start Page, or show it again, by toggling the 'Start > Desktop > Workspaces > Show Start Page' ribbon option; this setting persists after shut down and restart of Enterprise Architect until you explicitly toggle the option again