Sync project browser with opened diagram

[Emilio]

Something I miss too is that when you open several diagrams and switch around them the Project Browser remains focused on the last opened diagram.

So if I open Class:Diag1 and then Requirements:Diag1 then Components:Diag1 the Project Browser selection shows the last (Components:Diag).

It is very helpful if when the user then switches to a new diagram from the opened diagram tabs (not from the P.B.) that the P.B. would then change the selected item (the branch with greyish background) to that of the CURRENT diagram. It makes it easier for the user to feel on context.

At present it just stays on the last diagram opened in the P.B.

Visual Studio has a nice feature in the solution explorer that allows the user to configure whether the solution explorer should automatically update its selected item based on the document (diagram, class, source) that you have opened in the editor.

[«Midnight»]

Worse yet is when you reload a project.

EA will navigate to the same diagram as you were on before. But the Project Browser will not retain the same state. The selected package may well be different. It may - I have not tested this much - be set to the parent package of the one that owns you diagram (i.e. the diagram's grandparent). [This might be affected by having a default diagram set for the project, I am not sure.]

If you are doing database modeling this can be a problem when you reload and then generate DDL. If you have a hierarchical model where several layers of packages contain data elements the results can be catastrophic if you don't notice the change in package focus. Something similar - but often not as serious - happens with program code generation. In either case if you use the main menu to initiate generation you will not be generating from the open diagram, but from the package selected in the project browser.

Not good, not good at all.

[Emilio]

Yes I find it utterly confusing, users almost invariably have several diagrams opened at the same time and sometimes these diagrams MAY have the same name but be on different views (Component, Class Model, etc.).

Then when you switch from one diagram to another you expect to have some orientation from the Project Browser as to WHERE you are in the model. Well, no hope there my feeling is that of total disorientation and that happens very often if you are not working with mickey-mouse designs (the simple ones).

I think this should not be a feature but a requirement in any design tool that is supposed to HELP the designer rather than confusing him. Dealing with the complexity of the design is enough.

Anyway, I hope they fix this soon.

BTW We have v7.1 but I wouldn't feel compelled to upgrade unless I see some substantial advantages and improvements.

[«Midnight»]

The behavior you report in this thread is also in builds up to 842 (EA 7.5 beta 2).