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

Model Search

project_browser

The Model Search generates a report list that you can view in the main workspace. It lists each object in the Project Browser that meets the search criteria you specify within the search terms and search type.

For more information on conducting searches see the Use the Model Search topic.

When you have generated your search results, you can print them or generate an RTF report on them.

To access the Model Search:

  • Select the Edit | Model Search menu option
  • Click on a package in the Project Browser and press either [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[A] or [Ctrl]+[F].

The Model Search tab displays.

SearchReportView

Sorting and Selecting

In the Model Search you can:

  • Sort the items by any column value in ascending or descending order, by clicking on the column header
  • Display element or diagram properties, by double-clicking on the item
  • Select:
  • An element or diagram by clicking on it
  • Several individual elements or diagrams by holding [Ctrl] as you click on them
  • A range of elements or diagrams by holding [Shift] as you click on the first and last in the range
  • All elements or diagrams in the list by pressing [Ctrl]+[A].

The Options Button

The Options button displays the Search Options submenu, which enables you to display the search results as a tab of the Output window[****]rather than in the Model Search View. An advantage of moving the search results to the Output window is that you can select items from the search results and drag them onto a diagram, which you cannot do when the results are in the Model Search View. If you select the Dock in Output Bar menu option, when you next display the menu this option becomes Dock in Main View.

The Search Options submenu also provides the means of performing advanced searches on your project, and displaying project metrics. The arrow button to the right of the Options button also enables you to perform advanced searches.

SearchOptionsMenu

The Toolbar

The Model Search toolbar enables you to quickly select a number of operations on the search list as a whole, or selected items.

ModelSearchToolbar2

The options are, from left to right:

  • Edit Notes ([Ctrl]+[Spacebar]) - For the selected item, opens the Notes window (if it is not already open) so that you can edit the text of the notes.
  • Delete ([Ctrl]+[D]) - For a selected item or group of items, deletes them from the model; refresh the project to check that the items have been deleted.
  • Print - Prints the complete set of search results.
  • Rich Text Report - For a selected item or group of items, generates and prints an RTF report.
  • View Notes - Displays a short menu that enables you to select whether, for all items, to:
  • Hide any Notes text from display in the search results
  • Display the first few words of the Notes text in the search results
  • Display the full Notes text in the search results.
  • Help - Displays the Enterprise Architect Help, starting with the Model Search Help topic.

 

The View Header

SearchViewToolbar

The View header defines the columns of information that are presented by the Model Search, and the order in which data items are presented. By right-clicking on the header you display the Field Chooser context menu option, which in turn displays the Field Chooser dialog. This enables you to add columns from the output. Between them, the View header and Field Chooser dialog show the full range of column headers available.

FieldChooser

 
To add a column heading to the View header, drag it from the Field Chooser dialog onto the header, to the position you want the column of data to display. When you have selected the column headings you require, click on the red cross in the top right corner of the Field Chooser dialog to close it.

To remove a column from the output, drag the column heading downwards out of the View header. A black cross displays on the heading as you move it, and then both heading and cross disappear when you release the mouse button.

You can also change the sequence of columns, by dragging column headers left or right.

You can organize the reported data hierarchically according to the value of one or more of the column categories. For example, you could organize the data by Type, and within each Type by Status. If you then click on any of the other column headings, the data within this grouping is further sorted with the values of the selected column (for example, Created) in ascending or descending order.

To set up the hierarchical grouping, drag the column heading representing the primary grouping (such as Type) onto the Drag a column header here to group by that column field. Then drag the column heading for the next level of grouping (such as Status) to the right of the first heading. The two heading titles display as connected blocks, as shown below.

ReportHierarchy

You can, if required, add further levels of grouping by dragging other column headings onto the hierarchy, and restructure the hierarchy by dragging existing or additional headings into the level you want them to hold. For example, you could make Type the secondary grouping by dragging it to the right of Status, or extend the hierarchy by dropping Object between Type and Status.

To remove a grouping level, drag the appropriate column heading out of the hierarchy and below the View header. Any subordinate groupings move up a level.