Hide attributes/operation

[pingo28]

I just downloaded the trial version of EA and as a unhappy Rational Rose user I'm quite impressed by this software.

If I hide the attributes and operations of a class I see an empty class  on the diagram with the same size as if these things are shown. If you do this in rose, the class is shrinked to it's minimal size just showing the class name.  Is this also possible with EA? We often use this to visualize the relationships between a bunch of classes where the names of attributes and operations is not important. If the class symbols keep the same size as with operations/attributes visible there is no reason to hide them ?!

[Eve]

The classes don't automatically resize, but if you select multiple classes then you can press Alt+Z and they will resize for you.

Simon

[AshK]

Also, there are 3 other commands of interest in the Tools->Customize->Commands->Element list: Width, Height, Both.  

These commands make a selection of elements have the same width and height of the element with the selection mask.

Ash

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Also, there are 3 other commands of interest in the Tools->Customize->Commands->Element list: Width, Height, Both.  

These commands make a selection of elements have the same width and height of the element with the selection mask.

Ash

Ash,

These look very useful, but what is a selection mask?  I couldn't find a reference in the Help.

Quizzically,
Paolo

[thomaskilian]

I guess it is the last element selected. I use these and others regularly. The last selected element is always used as reference (hence selection mask).

[Paolo F Cantoni]

I guess it is the last element selected. I use these and others regularly. The last selected element is always used as reference (hence selection mask).

Thomas,

I did a Ctrl-A (Select All) on a Diagram then Element|Make Same...|Both

I guess the one it picked was "pot luck"?    Do you have any further insight into which one might be picked in this situation?

For this diagram, it seemed to do what I wanted...

Cheerz,
Paolo

[thomaskilian]

Just unselect and reselect the "leading" element after the CTRL-A and then do the alignment/resize operation. Took me some time to get used to it but it's much better than powerpoint where these operations are always based on an arbitrary element

[Eve]

I made an intuitive guess about what would happen in your situation Paolo.  EA would select all the elements based on z-order.  So, your last added element becomes the last selected.  (This actually corresponds to the front element)

Simon

[Paolo F Cantoni]

I made an intuitive guess about what would happen in your situation Paolo.  EA would select all the elements based on z-order.  So, your last added element becomes the last selected.  (This actually corresponds to the front element)

Simon

Hi Simon,

Just to clarify,

1)  You made an intuitive guess - which you confirmed by a review of the code.

2)  If I want to use a specific shape for this process, I make it the front element, by using the z-oder operations and then select all.  The front element will then be used as the mask.

Thanx,
Paolo

[Eve]

1)  You made an intuitive guess - which you confirmed by a review of the code.

Not quite.

I made an intuitive guess then opened up a diagram and tested it to confirm my hypothesis.  (I guess my statements are therefore from the perspective of a user)

I wouldn't make the recommendation you specify in point 2.  (As z-order is primarily used for other purposes)  Instead I would select the relevant elements and right click on the element I wanted as the mask then select the operation I want from the context menu.

Simon

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Not quite.

I made an intuitive guess then opened up a diagram and tested it to confirm my hypothesis.  (I guess my statements are therefore from the perspective of a user)

I wouldn't make the recommendation you specify in point 2.  (As z-order is primarily used for other purposes)  Instead I would select the relevant elements and right click on the element I wanted as the mask then select the operation I want from the context menu.

Simon

Thanks Simon for the clarification.

I tried the z-order method and it didn't seem to work.

So, the process is as you suggest, whichever shape I right click on becomes the selection mask.  This seem s to work.

However, what happens if I come via the Element menu?

The reason why we ask about the code is that you have access to it, we don't...  Can you confirm what happens in the latter case?

Paolo