Commenting on Elements

Model elements can have comments; these are designed to add more information to the element.

Essential Comment Properties

Comments are a base UML element which exist as standard for almost all model elements.

The comment can exist in the model without referring to a particular element or it can refer to one or more other elements. The comment consists of a text without predefined semantic significance.

Comments are

Possible for almost all model elements
Not influenced by the model's semantic
Unformatted text
Related to none, one or more model elements

All comments within a diagram can be shown or hidden.

Making Comments on an Element

Context

Almost all models can have comments and be connected to your model's documentation later.

You can drag the comment template from the gallery and drop it on the model element to be commented on in the diagram. You can also select the element/s to be commented on in the diagram and click on the comment template.

You can also create a comment directly in the model structure. You can place the comment in a diagram which contains the element commented on at a later stage. The comment needs to be dragged to a free spot in the diagram.

You can add text to the comment directly in the comment element with Rename (F2).

You can use the clipboard text to add a comment.

As with other model elements, you can remove comments from the diagram or permanently delete them from the model.

How to proceed

Drag a comment from the Create Diagram Content gallery and drop it onto a model element you want to comment on.

The comment is placed in the diagram and linked with the element by a dashed line. The comment's default text is selected reading for your changes.
Enter your comment and press [Enter].

The comment is shown in the diagram.

Linking a Comment with a Diagram Element

Prerequisites

Diagram with comments and diagram elements is open.

Context

You can link a comment with other diagram elements at a later stage.

How to proceed

Select the comment which you want to link with another element.
Drag the carousel's attachment icon to the diagram element to be linked.

The comment is linked with the element.

Unlinking a Comment from a Diagram Element

Context

You can unlink a comment from a diagram element by deleting the link.

How to proceed

Select the link which you want to unlink.
Select the Delete from Model menu item.

The comment is no longer linked with the element.

Removing a Comment from a Diagram

Prerequisites

Diagram with comments and diagram elements is open.

Context

You can remove a comment from a diagram. This removes the comment from the diagram but does not delete it from the model.

Comments which have been removed can be reinserted into the diagram; the original links are merely restored.

How to proceed

Select the comment that you want to remove from the diagram.
Select the Remove from Diagram menu item.

The selected comments are removed from the diagram.

Inserting an Existing Comment in a Diagram

Context

You can insert a comment which you directly created in the model structure or which you removed from a diagram into a diagram which contains the commented element at any time. The comment needs to be dragged to a free spot in the diagram.

The original links are automatically restored for comments which were previously removed if the commented elements exist in the diagram.

How to proceed

Drag a comment from the Model Structure tool window and drop it on a free point in the diagram.

The comment is then placed in the diagram. Previously linked comments are reconnected with the diagram element via a dotted line.
You can link a new comment which has been inserted in the diagram with the diagram element to be commented on (see "Linking a Comment with a Diagram Element").