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In-place Editing Tasks

This topic explains how to edit and work with some properties of an element directly in the diagram.

Use In-place Editing Options

Step

Action

See also

1

Open the diagram containing the element.

2

Click on the element, and on the item to manipulate within the element.

The item line is highlighted in a lighter shade (the default is white), to indicate that it has been selected.

A UML Class element in Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect showing an attribute selected for in-place editing tasks.

3

Edit and manipulate the items in the element, either by pressing the appropriate keyboard keys or by right-clicking on the highlighted item and choosing a task from the 'Element Items' context menu.

The available commands are listed in this table. Not all options are available for every type of item.

Options

Menu option...

Action

See also

Extensions

Display a submenu of extension products; click on one to display a further menu of operations to perform within the selected product.

Edit Selected

Change the name, scope or stereotype of the element or element item.

Shortcut: F2

Insert New After Selected

Insert a new item in the element.

Shortcut: Insert key

View Properties

Display the dialog containing details of the element.

Shortcut: Enter key

Find in Project Browser

Locate the item in the Browser window.

Open in Specification Manager

If the element is a Package element, and the selected item is a subPackage, you can select this option to open and edit the subPackage in the Specification Manager.

Using the Specification Manager

Add Attribute

Add an attribute to the element.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+F9

Add Operation

Add an operation to the element.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+F10

Add Other

Insert a feature on the specific element item, such as Maintenance features and Testing features.

Shortcut: Ctrl+F11

Delete Selected from Model

Delete the selected item from the model.

Shortcut: Delete key

View Source code

Display the source code for the element, in the default external editor.

Shortcut: F12

Editing Source Code

Visual Analyzer

Set a breakpoint on a highlighted operation (including a breakpoint, start recording marker, end recording marker or stack auto-capture marker.)

Breakpoint and Marker Management Marker Types

Set Type

Set a classifier type for the selected item.

Shortcut: Ctrl+L

Select Dialog

Navigate Diagram Selection

Navigate the diagram between elements without having to use the mouse.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+arrow

Highlight Element

Toggle element highlight option on and off.

Shortcut: Shift+Enter

Keys

Other keyboard options that are available while editing element attributes or operations in a diagram include:

Shortcut

Description

See also

Enter key

Accept current changes.

Ctrl+Enter

Accept current changes and open a new slot to add a new item.

Esc

Abort the edit, without save.

Tab key or Shift+Tab

Move the cursor between segments of a feature definition.

Shift+F10

Display the context menu for in-place editing.

Ctrl+Shift+Space

Invoke the 'Select <Item>' dialog.

Select Dialog

Ctrl+Space

Display an autocompletion list for a feature classifier.

Notes

  • Where an in-place editing menu command has a keyboard alternative, if the selected item happens to be off-screen when you press the keys, the diagram automatically scrolls to show the whole element, so that you can see what you are changing