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

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Insert Images, Objects and Frames

In creating your document or template, you might want to embed or display images and other objects in the text, to insert external information and/or structure the text and graphics on a page. You could insert, for example:

  • An image in the text or as background to the text
  • A link to an image
  • An Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) object, which you create and edit using an external application
  • A frame - a rectangular border within the text that can contain separate text and pictures, and that the existing text flows around
  • A drawing object - a rectangle, text box or line that can sit over the existing text
  • Another document file

Having inserted an object, you can subsequently move, edit or delete it.

Insert items

To

Action

See also

Insert a picture in the document

You can insert a picture bitmap or Windows metafile in your document as either an embedded picture or a link to the external picture file.

Position the cursor at the point at which to insert the picture, and select either:

  • 'Document-Edit > Edit > Insert > Embed Picture' (F8) or
  • 'Document-Edit > Edit > Insert > Link Picture'

A browser dialog displays, through which you select the picture to insert in the document; the picture is shown at the current cursor location.

The embedded picture is saved within the document; only the filename of the linked picture is saved with the document, which is a better option if you intend to edit the picture over time.

Embed an OLE object in the text

Position the cursor at the point at which to embed the object, and select the 'Document-Edit > Edit > Insert > OLE Object' menu option.

The 'Insert Object' dialog displays, listing the applications that are available to create the object.

When you select an application, the editor launches it and you create the object; when you save the application, the editor inserts an icon or view that represents the inserted object.

You can also use the option 'Document-Edit > Edit > Edit > Paste Special' to import OLE objects, provided that the object is available in the clipboard.

You can later edit the object using the application, by double-clicking on the object or by selecting the option 'Document-Edit > Edit > Edit > Edit OLE Object'.

Scroll, Search and Select Text

Change the size and alignment of an embedded picture

Click on the picture and select the option 'Document-Edit > Edit > Edit > Edit Picture'; the 'Edit Current Picture' dialog displays, through which you can change the height and width of the picture, in inches.

You can also align the top, middle, or bottom of the picture with the baseline of any text on the same line as the picture, or offset the bottom of the picture from that baseline by any number of twips.

Insert a background or watermark picture for the document pages (document report templates)

Select the option 'Document-Edit > File > Manage > Watermark Picture'; a browser dialog displays, through which you select the graphic file to insert as a watermark. The picture occupies the entire text area, and is displayed as a washed-out image. If you choose an image that is already washed-out, no watermark is displayed at all.

To remove the watermark image, deselect the option 'Document-Edit > File > Manage > Watermark Picture'.

Insert a document File

Position the cursor at the point at which to insert the file, and select the option 'Document-Edit > Edit > Insert > Insert RTF File'.

Embed a frame at the cursor position

Select the option 'Document-Edit > Edit > Insert > Frame'.

The border of the frame displays, with the cursor at the top left corner. You can change the size of the frame by clicking on the border and dragging the small black 'handles'.

Embed a drawing object at the cursor position

Select the option 'Document-Edit > Edit > Insert > Drawing Object'.

The 'Select Drawing Object Type' dialog displays, on which you select the radio button for either a:

  • Text Box
  • Rectangle or
  • Line

Click on the OK button; the selected object displays, overlaid on the existing document content. If required, you can change the size of the object by clicking on the border and dragging the small black 'handles'.

You can also change the appearance and the relationship of the object to the document text.

Move the frame or drawing object

Click on the outline of the frame or drawing object and then move the cursor just outside the outline so that the cursor changes to a plus-shape.

Drag the plus shape (and hence the outline) to the new position.

Edit the border, background and impact on document text of a drawing object

Select the drawing object by clicking on its outline, then select the option 'Document-Edit > Edit > Edit > Edit Frame/Drawing Object > Edit Drawing Object'.

The 'Line and Fill attributes' dialog displays.

Select the options to define:

  • Whether to display a border line and, if so, your preferred border thickness, type and color
  • Whether the object is transparent or filled and, if filled, the fill color
  • The wrapping behavior of the text outside the object:
         -  'Wrap Through' causes the document text to flow through the
            diagram object so that they overlap each other
         -  'No Wrap' causes the document text to skip over the object,
            so that the text resumes below the object
         -  'Wrap Around the Object' causes the document text to flow
            around the object, into a column on one side or the other of
            the object, or on both sides; if you move the object across the
            page, the editor tends to leave a wider margin before it starts
            to wrap text to the left of the object
  • The Z Order of the object, so that if there is an overlap the object either lies in front of the document text (Z-order = 1) or behind the document text (Z Order = >1)

Insert text into the frame, text box or rectangle

Click inside the outline and type the text at the cursor position. The text wraps at the right hand side of the box and, for a:

  • Frame, extends the bottom border of the box
  • Text box and rectangle, overflows the bottom of the box but is still associated with the box and not with the 'normal' text of the document; to enclose all lines adjust the height manually to enclose the text

If you change the width of the outline, any text inside the outline is automatically wrapped to adjust to the new width.

Rotate text to display it vertically in the frame or text box

Select the option 'Document-Edit > Edit > Edit > Edit Frame/Drawing Object > Rotate Text'. The 'Text rotation' dialog displays; select the radio button for the text direction you want to apply:

  • 'Horizontal' (default) - the text flows from the top left corner of the box across the width of the box, wrapping at the right border and scrolling downwards
  • 'Top to Bottom' - the characters are rotated through 90 degrees to flow from the top right corner of the box downward, wrapping at the bottom edge of the box and scrolling right to left
  • 'Bottom to Top' - the characters are rotated through 90 degrees to flow from the bottom left corner of the box upward, wrapping at the top edge of the box and scrolling left to right

If the text is running horizontally, you can type as much as you need - the box height increases to accommodate the text. If the text is running vertically, and it flows outside the box, you adjust the box height and width manually to accommodate your text.

Click on the OK button to apply the change.

Insert a picture into a frame or drawing object text box

Click inside the outline and either insert the picture as previously explained, or copy and paste it at the cursor position.

If the frame or text box contains only the picture, the picture size is automatically adjusted to as nearly fill the outline as possible without distorting the image.

If you change the width or height of the box, the picture is adjusted to completely fill the outline; you continue manually adjusting the outline to reduce the distortion of the image.

Lock a frame or drawing object to a point on the page

You can fix the position of the outline to a specific point so that as you enter and format the text the outline maintains its position relative to that point.

The default position is relative to the first character of the paragraph, in which case the outline moves on the page with any change that affects the position of the paragraph.

You can also fix the position relative to either the:

  • Top edge of the page or
  • Top margin of the page

In these cases, if the document text on the page is adjusted it flows past the outline.

Click on the outline and select the option 'Document-Edit > Edit > Edit > Edit Frame/Drawing Object > Vertical Base Position' menu option.

The 'Object Position' dialog displays. Select the radio button for the locking point you prefer:

  • 'Top of the Page'
  • 'Top Margin'
  • 'Current Paragraph'

Click on the OK button to apply the lock.

Delete a frame or drawing object

Click on the outline and press the Delete key.

The editor prompts you to confirm the deletion; click on the Yes button.

This deletion is reversible - press Ctrl+Z or select the option 'Document-Edit > Edit > Edit > Undo'.