Selecting an Element

Dialog Structure

The Select an Element dialog is roughly split into three sections.

• Elements which can be selected
• Filter for elements which can be selected
• Buttons

Elements which can be Selected

It depends what way an element should be selected as to the precise structure of the area. There are two variations:

1st Variation

• The so-called breadcrumbs can be found top-left.
• The search box is top-right.
• The model structure's tree view is bottom-left.
• A list of elements which can be selected is bottom-right.

The breadcrumb and tree view are synchronized. The breadcrumb is a single line which shows the complete namespace of the element selected in the tree view.

The contents in the list of elements which can be selected depends on two events.

• If another element is selected in the tree view, the list shows its subelements which can be selected.
• If you carry out a search, the hits are shown in the list. A button appears to the left next to the list. You can use this button for selecting the owner of the element selected in the list in the tree view. This may change the selection in the tree view but this does not change the list.

If an element is selected in the tree view, the list only shows its direct subelements which can be selected. If an element can be selected this means that it makes sense to open the elements in the combination they were opened in in the dialog. Subelements are also shown if an element is expanded in the tree view. Only subelements which have subelements themselves which can be selected are shown. Elements shown in the tree view may be able to be selected but do not have to be. This means that completely different subelements may be shown in the tree view compared to those in the list.

Closing the dialog with OK assumes the element selected in the list. If you find the element you want in the tree view you can close the dialog with Crtl+click on this element.This saves you the job of selecting the owner from the tree view, the element from the list and closing the dialog with the OK button. This trick only works if the element clicked on in the tree view can actually be selected.

Use the search box to find elements which can be selected based on their name. The search starts with the element selected in the tree view and searches its subelements. If the search box is left empty, gray text shows which element is being searched. As soon as you enter any text, the gray text disappears and the name component you are searching for is shown. The search starts by hitting the Return key. The list then shows all elements found. The first element in the list is marked. You can change the selection in the list without the search box disappearing.Use the [Crsr Up] and [Crsr Down] arrow keys to change the selection in the list. Once you select the element you want, close the dialog with Ctrl+Return.

2nd Variation

• The search box is at the top.
• The model structure's tree view is at the bottom.

The tree view also has all elements which can be selected, unlike with the first variation.

The search box also works in a different way. A hit list is not shown when the search is started. The search looks through the tree and highlights the next suitable element. The search starts with the highlighted element. Both the branch of the highlighted element and the whole tree are searched through. If the search gets to the bottom of the tree it just starts again at the top.

Filter for Elements which can be Selected

Use the Constrain to Element Type drop-down list to limit both the tree and list to one element type.The All entry shows all element types.

Depending on the situation, another filter can be used to further constrain the selection in the tree and list.

• "Same Model and...".

  Set the search area here. You can search the current model, its neighboring models (i.e. those in the same system model) or those in the neighboring system models (i.e. in the entire Innovator model).

Buttons

As well as the usual buttons OK and Cancel, certain situations also have the New Element button. This button can be used to create a new element which can be selected.