Changing element appearance on a diagram

[Weedman]

Here is my problem I need help with.

We have multiple packages in the project, and multiple use cases in each package.
We create a use case diagram and drag various use case to the diagram from these various other packages, and have the diagram properties set to "highlight foreign objects". This is working great and shows what package the use case is located in, on the various diagrams the use case is located on. The relationships are equated to that use case correctly.

We have a need for reviewers of the generated documentation that includes a particular use case diagram, an easy means to identify which of the use case(s) in the diagram are not to be reviewed because they are not changing and are only in the diagram for context purposes. We thought that using a different color for the use case background would be the best way to go about this.

The problem is that when we change the appearance of the use case (background color) on the diagram, it changes the use case background color on every diagram in the model rather than just the diagram it was changed on. We were thinking that the appearance of that use case element was tied to the diagram and not the element.

We have tried creating an alternate image to use as a use case for our context purposes, but the name of the use case now appears below the use case on the diagram rather than in the use case element on the diagram. We could live with this but now the "highlight foreign objects" option does not work for the element with the alternate image. It appears that the "highlight foreign objects" is part of the displayed element and that when an alternate image is used the "from package name" is also overlayed.

We have also tried creating a custom stereotype with a base class of use case, and changed the background color. When we change the stereotype for the use case on the diagram to our custome use case stereotype, the color does change and the "highlight foreign objects" is displayed, but the same issue of all the diagrams that have that use case element on them changes to the custom stereotype background is now encountered.


Anyone have any other ideas for us to try, or is it a bug with changing the appearance of an element on a diagram being tied to the element rather than the diagram, or is it a bug with the use of an alternate image overlaying the highlight foreign objects text for that element?

Regards,
Jeff Weedman

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Hi Jeff,

It's my impression that EA used to let you change the appearance on an individual diagram.  I thought it was one of the first tests I did when I evaluated EA.

I note the context menu option is now described as Configure Default Appearance - I'm sure it wasn't so before.

I'm now about to embark on some new modelling where the ability to render Elements differently in different diagrams is important.

Can any other users confirm or deny that you used to be able to render elements on a per diagram basis?

Paolo

[jeshaw2]

I can't give you the confirmation you want, but I can support the need to do so.  

Rendering a state differently on state machine models is important when modeling state inheritance.  I tried to do that and was not able to make it happen.

[KP]

The "Configure Default Appearance (F4)" command will change the appearance on all diagrams. To override this on a single diagram, use the Format Tool: View | Toolbars | Format Tool.

[Paolo F Cantoni]

The "Configure Default Appearance (F4)" command will change the appearance on all diagrams. To override this on a single diagram, use the Format Tool: View | Toolbars | Format Tool.

Surely the most context specific command (I want to change this instance) should (at least also) be on the context menu?

I understand that in both cases, the objects to be altered have to be selected, but the reason a user typically wants to change the appearance is for this specific diagram.  There are many ways to change the default appearance (such as via stereotypes).  To leave out the current diagram from the context menu IS counter intuitive.

Paolo

[Edit: The "Configure Default Appearance (F4)" would be useful on the Browser.]

[darren.sampson]

I'm actually surprised there are two different dialogs for setting appearance at different levels.

One "normal" Windows way of doing this sort of thing is to have a dialog that sets appearance which has a button labeled "Make Default".  

Another example of a way this is achieved is the page setup in Word - this has a combo box to select the context of the change - whole document, this point forward, this section etc.

This seems to be another example of EA's unique (read - not like most other Windows Apps) interface design.

[Paolo F Cantoni]

This seems to be another example of EA's unique (read - not like most other Windows Apps) interface design.

And just to add insult to injury...

If you select a number of elements...  Set the default appearance using [F4] - the appearance of all the selected elements changes on the diagram, but the default appearance is NOT set - so on other diagrams it's still the old default (even after a reload).

You MUST set the default appearance one element at a time!

Paolo

[Weedman]

KP,

Thanks the view/format/tool works. Now the only problem is the colors we have to use are not the same as the default selections for the option and each time we would have to enter the specfic (red, green, and blue) values every time.

We have setup when you right click an element on the diagram and then select adjust appreance, then uncheck use default, and then select; our custom colors are displayed there.

Is there any way the two color seletion menus could use the same interface for color selection (prefer the adjust appearance)?

[peter.zrnko]

You can use style:
- format one element using Format toolbar
- use Get style (Format toolbar)
- use Save as new style (menu in the right part of Format toolbar )

- select other elements in any diagram
- set the desired style (Format toolbar)
- use Apply style (Format toolbar)

[peter.zrnko]

And just to add insult to injury...

If you select a number of elements...  Set the default appearance using [F4] - the appearance of all the selected elements changes on the diagram, but the default appearance is NOT set - so on other diagrams it's still the old default (even after a reload).

You MUST set the default appearance one element at a time!

Paolo

This works OK in EA 6.5 bild 798. The only problem is, when the first diagram is not saved. Saving the diagram changes set the default appearance (elements in other diagram are changed).