Create Elements

Enterprise Architect provides a number of ways to create completely new elements and those derived from existing elements. The simplest of the methods for creating a new element is to drag the icon for the required type of element from the Diagram Toolbox onto a diagram, as shown.

This method creates the element according to the system standard for that element type. You can also provide alternative element definitions that the Toolbox icons reference (using the system 'Preferences' dialog, Patterns or element Templates) and add further element definitions using Profiles and MDG Technologies (either supplied with the system or developed by your project team).

Notes

• A quick way to apply the main facilities of the Toolbox is to press the Spacebar key or Insert key, displaying the 'Toolbox Shortcut' menu; using the mouse, you can also display this menu by holding the left button and clicking the right button
• If you are creating several elements of one type, after creating the first just press Shift+F3 or Ctrl+click to create the next element of that type
• Once you have created an element, you can re-use it by dragging it from the Browser window and dropping it onto your diagrams
• Sometimes it is useful to add elements directly to a Package, without adding them to a diagram; you can do this within the Browser window

Learn more

• Create elements using the Diagram Toolbox
• Create elements using the Toolbox Shortcut Menu menu
• Set Up Templates Package to generate elements from
• Drop Elements from Browser Window to create an element
• Add Elements Directly To Packages
• Create New Elements using the Quick Linker
• Create elements using the The Context Menu
• Create elements from a text file (in Create Requirements)
• Modify standard element appearances (Diagram Gradients and Background and Diagram Appearance Options)
• Use a Pattern to create a group of elements
• Create elements Using UML Profiles
• Behavioral Diagram Elements
• Structural Diagram Elements