Use drag-and-drop in model trees to change the owner or for creating, copying, moving, referencing and classifying elements.
Purpose
You can use drag-and-drop to:
- Change the owner
- Copy
- Create references
- Insert in a diagram
- Assign types to a diagram element
- Insert in the result region
How to proceed
Click a node with the left mouse button, keep it pressed and move the mouse to start drag-and-drop. It is irrelevant if the node is selected before or not.
If you want to drag more than one node you need to select them all before you start drag-and-drop. Then click in this selection with the left mouse button and drag the mouse keeping the button pressed. All selected nodes are affected.
Change the Owner
Elements can be moved into another package (or below another permissible owner).
The mouse pointer shows the insert icon if you can drop the element there. You can see a shadow behind the package which the mouse pointer is hovering over. The target element becomes the new owner of the dragged element once you release the left mouse button.
You can see the elements in the lower structure content.
Moving a reference moves the original element as each reference depicts the original element.
Copy
It is possible to copy model elements. One or more elements are dragged on the element which should own the copies. This can be the same element that the originals also belong to.
When the insert icon appears and the node has a shadow behind it, press and hold the [Ctrl] key while releasing the mouse button.
Copies of the elements are inserted below the target element. You can see the elements in the lower structure content.
The actual elements are copied when copying references.
Create References
References can be created from model elements. To do this, one or more elements are dragged onto the element which should contain the references.
When the insert icon appears and the node has a shadow behind it, press and hold the shortcut [Shift]+[Ctrl] while releasing the mouse button.
The references are inserted below the target element. You can see the elements in the lower structure content.
If references of references are created, further references of the original elements are created.
Insert in a Diagram
Model elements can be inserted into open diagrams. Drag them to a free point in the diagram to do this. If insertion was allowed, all elements appear in the diagram. Multi selection is possible.
Assign Types to a Diagram Element
Most model elements have types, e.g. attributes of classes. If an element is visible in the diagram, the type can be assigned by dragging an element (e.g. a class) on the typed element. The type can also be dragged over from the model structure.
Insert in the Result Region
You can insert any selection into the result region. Elements are dragged into the result region for this. If the result region is not visible but its tab is shown this means that it can be made visible by moving the mouse pointer over the tab whilst dragging the elements.
Related Topics
