EA14 Special action / Properties dialog

[Guillaume]

When I right click on a class from a diagram to open the properties popup, I need to go to Properties > Special action...
Looking at the DESIGN ribbon > Element > Properties, the matching command is called Properties Dialog which makes sense.

It would be best to rename this Special Action with Properties Dialog.

[ootjersb]

I am having trouble that the Special Action (or properties dialog) does not even show when selecting this menu option from the Project Browser. When pressing Alt-Enter it does show.

[Suresh Jayakumar]

You will not get special Action feature in  the project browser. Directly right click on the element to access the properties.

[ootjersb]

The special action option is available via the Project browser. See screen shot:
https://i.imgur.com/9aRRJ0D.png

Nothing happens when I click this.
The properties option in the menu shows the Element Properties window. This is something different (confusing...)

[Suresh Jayakumar]

Yes you are correct . However,will tell you a option to check the property window. In element properties ,you will find a drop down on top,choose element properties from that drop down, it takes you to the property window.Refer the link.
https://imgur.com/a/RjXskpP

[ootjersb]

Thanks, didn't know that

[RoyC]

I hope I can clarify a few things here.

The Properties WINDOW is a dockable window that allows you to view and edit the properties of the selected modeling object - element, connector, diagram, attribute or operation. You are most likely to open the window at the start of a work session and leave it there as you work across your model. Whatever object you click on, the window immediately shows its properties.

The Properties DIALOG is a free-floating dialog box that helps you to view and edit a smaller range of object characteristics but a wider range of features, in that you can edit Notes, Requirements, Constraints, Scenarios, Tagged Values, Attributes etc. from within the dialog (these are not in the Properties WINDOW but have their own WINDOWS). The Properties dialog is specific to the selected object - you select the object, open the dialog for that object, do your work in it and then close it; you cannot move on to another object while the dialog is open.

Talking about elements (I have not gone over all the other object types yet) the options could be more consistent, but while one Properties option might just be 'Properties', there should always be another that states whether it is for the WINDOW or for the DIALOG.

Now, 'Special Action' - a number of element types have special characteristics or behaviours. For those elements, the 'Special Action' option opens a different dialog to define those special characteristics or behaviours. If the element is not a special case, then the option opens the Properties DIALOG. It basically means 'this option opens a dialog that is specific/special to the element you have chosen' whilst the associated 'Properties' option means 'this option opens a window that can show the properties of any object'.

HTH