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Drop Elements from Browser Window
As well as creating new elements in the current diagram, you can drag existing elements (individually or as a group) from the Browser window into the diagram. To select multiple elements, click on the element names in the Browser window while pressing and holding:
- to add single items to the selection of multiple elements, or
- to select all the elements between the first and last selected items
When you drag an element onto a diagram from the Browser window, the system response depends on whether you are dragging a Package element or any other type of element. For information on dragging a Package element onto a diagram, see the Drop Package From Browser Window topic.
It is not possible to duplicate an element on the same diagram, but you can generate representations of the element at the ends of connectors, called virtual connector ends. See the Virtual Connector Ends - Represent One Element Several Times on a Diagram Help topic.
Access
Other |
Drag existing element(s) from the Browser window onto the diagram (If the 'Drop <element> from Project Browser' dialog does not display, press while dragging the elements) |
Select Paste options
Option |
Action |
See also |
---|---|---|
Drop as |
Click on the drop-down arrow and select one of the drop types:
|
Classifiers and Instances Edit Element Item Name Override Parent Operations |
Name |
If the dropped element is being added as a new element (that is, a Lifeline, Instance, Child, or Property), this field is active; type a name for the new element. |
|
Structural Elements |
If the original element has any structural elements (for example, Ports and Parts) this field contains the value 'Select'. Either:
The resulting Object element is created large enough to display the selected child elements laid out neatly within the Object border. (If the element has no structural elements, the field contains the text 'No Embedded Elements'.) |
Manage Structural Elements |
Copy Connectors |
This checkbox is enabled when you select to drop the copied element as an Instance, Property or Invocation. Select the checkbox to reproduce on the diagram any connectors between the original element and any other elements that have also been dropped into this diagram, as connectors between the instances. |
|
Select for all |
(If dragging multiple elements onto the diagram at once.) Select the checkbox to apply the dialog settings to all multiple-selected elements being dragged onto the diagram, and to add the elements together. Leave the checkbox unselected to add the elements to the diagram one at a time, with the opportunity to change the dialog settings for each element. |
|
Save selection as default |
Select this checkbox to make the current settings on this dialog the default for all drag and drop operations from the Browser window. This option also deselects the 'Auto Instance' checkbox on the 'Diagram > Behavior' page of the 'Preferences' dialog. The automatic drop operation becomes whatever you have set on the 'Drop ... from Project Browser' dialog, and is not overridden by the drop-as-Instance imposed by the 'Auto Instance' checkbox. The default setting you apply on Sequence diagrams is separate from the default for other types of diagram. Therefore, you can set the default to 'Lifeline' (if you prefer) and this does not affect or get changed by the default you might set for other types of diagram. |
Diagram Behavior Options |
Hold Ctrl to Show this dialog |
Select this checkbox to display this dialog for drag and drop operations only if you press and hold as you drag the element onto the diagram. If you select this option, you can drag elements from the Browser window without displaying the dialog; the paste operation complies with whatever settings you used the last time you opened the dialog. To change these settings, hold Ctrl as you drag an element, and edit the field values on the dialog. |
|
OK |
Click on this button to complete the drop operation and close the dialog. |
|
Cancel |
Click on this button to cancel the drop operation and close the dialog. If you have selected multiple elements, the first-selected element is not dropped, but the remainder are. |
|
Cancel All |
(If dragging multiple elements onto the diagram at once.) Click on this button to cancel the insertion of all the multiple-selected elements being dragged onto the diagram. |
Notes
- Not all drop options apply to all element types; for many types, the only option available is 'Link'
- When an element dragged from the Browser window is dropped into the diagram, its default style and size is applied rather than any alternative styles and sizes used for instances of the element in other diagrams
- If an element is dropped onto a diagram as a Link, any attached Boundary, Note, Text or Constraint elements are duplicated on the diagram
- When using the 'Drop as - Instance' option, if the Instance is the same element type as the Classifier, then any stereotype that has been applied to the Classifier will be propagated to the Instance also