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

Working with Marker Sets

Marker sets enable you to create markers as a named group, which you can reapply to a code file for specific purposes.

You can perform certain operations from the Breakpoints & Markers window alone, but to understand and use markers and marker sets you should also display the appropriate code file in the Source Code Viewer (click on the Class element and press (F12)).

Access:    Analyzer | Breakpoints & Markers: Set Options toolbar icon

Topics:

Topic

Detail

See also

Example of Use

You might create a set of Method Auto Record markers to record the action of various functions in the code, and a set of Stack Capture markers to record the sequence of calls that cause those functions to be called

You could then create Sequence diagrams from the recordings under each set

Marker Types

Create a Marker Set

To create a marker set from the Breakpoints & Markers window, click on the drop-down arrow on the Set Options icon (VEA-BPSetOptions) and select the New Set option

The New Breakpoint Marker Set dialog displays; in the Enter New Set Name field, type a name for the set, and click on the Save button

The set name displays in the text field to the left of the Set Options icon

Alternatively, you can either:

  • Create a Class Activity marker set or
  • Select the Save as Set option from the Set Options drop-down, to make an exact copy of the currently-selected set, which you can then edit

Recording Activity for a Class

Accessing Sets

To access a marker set, click on the drop-down arrow on the text field to the left of the Set Options icon, and select the required set from the list

The markers in the set are listed in the Breakpoints & Markers window

You would normally load a marker set prior to the point at which an action is to be captured

For example, to record a sequence involving a particular dialog, when you begin debugging you would load the set prior to invoking the dialog; once you bring up the dialog in the application, the operations you have marked are recorded

 

Add Markers to Set

To add markers to a marker set, add each required marker to the appropriate line of code in the Source Code Viewer

The marker is immediately added to whichever set is currently listed in the Breakpoints & Markers window

Each marker listed on the dialog has a checkbox in the Enabled column; newly-added markers are automatically enabled, but you can disable and re-enable the markers quickly as you check the code

Set Record Markers

Storage of Sets

When you create a marker set it is immediately saved within the model; any user using the model has access to that set

However, the Default set, which always exists for a model, is a personal workspace, is not shared and is stored external to the model

 

Delete a Marker from a Set

Right-click on the marker and select the Delete Breakpoint context menu option

 

Delete a Set

If you no longer require a marker set, access it on the Breakpoints & Markers window and select the Delete Selected Set option from the Set Options drop-down list

You can also clear all user-defined  marker sets by selecting the Delete all sets option; a prompt displays to confirm the deletion

 

Notes:

  • Marker Sets are very simple and flexible but, as they are available for use by any user of the model, they can be easily corrupted; consider the following guidelines:
  • When naming a set, use your initials in the name and try to indicate its use, so that other model users can recognize its owner and purpose
  • When using a set other than Default, avoid excessive experimentation so that you don't add lots of ad-hoc markers to the set
  • Make sure you are aware of which marker set is exposed in the Breakpoints & Markers window, as you can easily inadvertently add markers to the set that are not relevant to the code file the set was created for
  • In any set, if you have added markers that don't have to be kept, delete them to maintain the purpose of the set; this is especially true of the Default set, which can quickly accumulate redundant ad-hoc markers

Learning Center topics:

  • (Alt+F1) | Execution Analysis | Recording Execution | Creating a Marker Set
  • (Alt+F1) | Execution Analysis | Recording Execution | Enable a Marker Set