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Once a diagram has been created, the elements that appear in it can be re-arranged and re-sized as desired.
To move a component in a diagram
1.Ensure that you have an existing diagram open.
2.Click-and-hold any component to move it. If the selected component has a parent, the parent component will be highlighted.
3.As the element is dragged from its parent component, and over other components, 'potential' parents will become highlighted. The colour scheme used indicates the effect the operation will have on the warnings and errors with the current project and is described in Defining and Validating Constraints. In this way, you can graphically navigate the hierarchy from a 'plan view'.
4.Release the mouse button to drop the element in its new location.
 Note
You may also use the keyboard to re-position elements on the drawing canvas. Simply select the component or free form shape you want to move and use the arrow keys located on the keyboard to move the shape to the desired place.
Note
When dragging a component with your mouse over another component, a 'potential' parent component is highlighted when the top-left corner of the component you are dragging overlaps another component. If moving a component or connection with arrow keys, you can use the enter key to change a component's parent or connect a connection.
 Tip
Freeform and Floating shapes can be ordered by right-clicking and selecting Bring to Front or Send to Back from the menu. It is important to note that component shapes can be converted to freeform shapes by right-clicking on specific component shapes and selecting Convert to Freeform (If the component is not being used outside of the diagram, you will be asked if you'd like to Delete the component).
To resize a component in a diagram
1.Ensure that you have an existing diagram open.
2.Click-hold-drag one of the component's handles and resize the shape to the desired size.
3.Alternatively to maintain the shape's aspect ratio, depress Shift + Click-hold-drag.
To move a connection in a diagram
1.Ensure that you have an existing diagram open.
2.Click-and-hold any connection to move it.
3.Release the mouse button to drop the element in its new location.
Note
You can only move connections that are not attached to any components. If they are attached, you can only move the free ends, or re-route the connection.
Tip
It is important to note that connection connectors can be converted to freeform connectors by right-clicking on specific connection connectors and selecting Convert to Freeform (If the connection is not being used outside of the diagram, you will be asked if you'd like to Delete the connection).
Deleting Components and Connections
When deleting a component or connection from a diagram, you have the option to delete it from the entire architecture. Any component that is deleted from the architecture will be automatically removed from any other diagrams where it appears. Since freeform instances only appear in one diagram, deleting them does not affect the architectural model or any other diagram.
To delete a component or connection from a diagram
1.Ensure that you have an existing diagram open.
2.Click on any associated connection or component to select it.
3.Press the Delete key to delete it from the diagram, or Shift + Delete to delete it from the entire model.
- or -
2.Right-click on any associated element or component. A context menu will appear.
3.Select Delete from View or Delete from Architecture from the context menu.
Note
If the element that you wish to delete from the view has no children and only occurs on that view, ABACUS will ask whether you want to delete the element from the repository as well.
 Caution
When deleting a component from the model that has child components, the children will also be potentially deleted according to the warning dialog.
Merging Components
You may want to merge two components existing on the same diagram (and within the architecture). This may be done for many reasons, for example, Two servers exists within a company's infrastructure- H01 and H02. These two servers are represented as two separate components within an architecture. H01 has been deemed unnecessary and thus is to be decommissioned. All existing applications running on H01 are to be shifted to H02 (still in commission). This change can then be reflected by the action of "merging" the two components H01 and H02 on the diagram (and within the architecture).
For a detailed discussion on merging please refer to the Merging Items topic here.
To merge two existing components
1.Ensure that you have an existing diagram open.
2.Right-click-hold on the component you want to merge and drag it onto the component you want to merge it with. Make sure the outline of the destination component is highlighted red to indicate that it is selected.
3.Select Merge | Preserve Destination or Overwrite Destination from the menu.
Note
The Preserve Destination option preserves the values of the destination component's properties if they exist on the originating component as well.
The Overwrite Destination option overwrites the destination component's properties with any common properties from the originating component.
Changing Connections
The connections shown in a diagram always reflect the structure as defined in the architecture itself. The Drawing Tool allows you to detach connections from components, move them, curve them, re-route them and re-attach them to other components.
To detach/attach a connection from/to a component
1.Ensure that you have an existing diagram open.
2.Click-and-hold on any connection.
3.Select the connection end (i.e. Source or Sink) that you would like to detach/attach. Note: the connection ends are indicated with small white circles and hovering over the white circle for a second will cause a 'tooltip' to appear with the respective role name (i.e. either Source or Sink).
4.Drag the connection end to a new location (either a vacant place or a component) and release the mouse button.
Note
When a connection end is placed over a valid component, the outline of the destination component is highlighted with a dashed outline. The colour scheme used indicates the effect the operation will have on the warnings and errors with the current project and is described in Defining and Validating Constraints. Once released that end of the connection and the component are automatically connected (or attached), and this is reflected in the architectural model.
To re-route a connection
1.Ensure that you have an existing diagram open.
2.Position the mouse pointer over a connection.
3.Hold the Shift key down and Click the mouse button to place a connection anchor point. Release the Shift key. You can remove the anchor point by doing the same operation.
4.Click-and-drag the anchor point to re-route the connection.
Tip
Use the Alt key instead of the Shift key to create orthogonal connections.
To curve or straighten a connection
1.Ensure that you have an existing diagram open.
2.Position the mouse pointer over a connection.
3.Right-click the connection and in the context menu that appears select Curve, Orthogonal or Straight.
Tip
All connections of a given type on the diagram can be set to Curved, Orthogonal or Straight by right-clicking the associated line for the type on the Connections tab of the Stencil window and selecting Curve, Orthogonal or Straight.
To anchor onto a specific point on the edge of a shape
1.Ensure that you have an existing diagram open.
2.Select a connection.
3.Position the mouse pointer over the 'white dot' at the end of a connection.
4.Right-click the connection end and in the context menu that appears select Anchor Endpoint to Shape. Move the connection end to the desired location on the edge of the shape.
OR
Hold the Ctrl key down and click-and-drag the connection end point to the desire location on the edge of the shape.
Note
Connections will snap to the actual intercept of their connected shape instead of the bounding box of that shape.
See Also
The Drawing Tool | Populating your architecture | Analysing your architecture
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