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Please note : This help page is not for the latest version of Enterprise Architect. The latest help can be found here.

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Kanban Options - Appearance

Using the 'Appearance' page, you can set the Kanban diagram appearance options, such as the line and font colors and use of the Hand Drawn mode.

Setting appearance options for lanes on a Kanban Diagram in Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect.

Objects on a Kanban diagram are, by default, drawn using the Info View style.

Showing a task in Info View style on a Kanban Diagram in Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect.

This style displays an icon on the top right corner of the element, representing the element type, with a triangular icon to the left of it representing the priority - red for High priority, and yellow for Medium priority. No icon shows for Low priority. The Priority, as for various other element properties, is also represented by a line of text in the body of the element. You can specify which properties are shown by selecting the appropriate checkbox from the list at the bottom of the 'Appearance' page.

Access

Ribbon

Construct > Resource Management > Kanban > (options to generate and/or open a Kanban diagram)    or

Start > Personal > My Kanban (displays personal default Kanban diagram)

     Then

Design > Diagram > Manage > Kanban > Appearance (on an open Kanban diagram)

Context Menu

In the Browser window, right-click on the diagram name | Kanban > Appearance, or

On a Kanban diagram, either:

  • Double-click on a lane > Appearance
  • Right-click on background | Kanban > Appearance

Appearance Options

Option

Action

See also

Line Color

Click on the drop-down arrow and select the color in which to display lane borders. This color does not apply to sub lane borders, which are automatically set to a pale or dark color to contrast with the lane fill color.

If the color you require is not shown, click on the More colors button and either select from a wider range of standard colors or define a custom color.

The border style is automatically set to the 'chiseled' effect to give the appearance of 3D blocks on a background, the color of the background being the line color. The effect is more obvious if you set the line to a pale color and not black.

Standard Colors Create Custom Colors

Font Color

Click on the drop-down arrow and select the color in which to display the text in the Kanban lane and sub lane headings.

If the color you require is not shown, click on the More Colors button and either select from a wider range of standard colors or define a custom color.

Create Custom Colors Standard Colors

A

Click on this button to display the 'Font' dialog, through which you define the font and the style, size and effects of the text in the Kanban lane and sub lane headings.

If you also change the text color here, it overrides the setting of the 'Font Color' field.

Set Element Font

Title Color

Click on the drop-down arrow and select the color to use across the lane heading cells (separate from the fill colors you can apply individually to each of the lanes themselves).

If the color you require is not shown, click on the More Colors button and either select from a wider range of standard colors or define a custom color.

Standard Colors Create Custom Colors

Overfilled Color

Click on the drop-down arrow and select the color with which to fill a lane heading cell if the lane contains more than the maximum number of elements. You set the maximum number of elements when you define the lanes to work with, in the 'Lanes' page.

If the color you require is not shown, click on the More colors button and either select from a wider range of standard colors or define a custom color.

Create Custom Colors Standard Colors

Underfill Color

Click on the drop-down arrow and select the color with which to fill a lane heading cell if the column contains fewer than the maximum number of elements, in other words there is available capacity. You set the maximum number of elements when you define the lanes to work with, in the 'Lanes' page.

If the color you require is not shown, click on the More Colors button and either select from a wider range of standard colors or define a custom color.

Line Width

Click on the drop-down arrow and select the line width of the Kanban lane borders - either 1 (thinnest), 2 or 3 (thickest).

Vertical Spacing

Set this to 'Small', 'Medium' or 'Large' to define the degree of vertical separation between elements in a Kanban lane.

Hide Names

Select this checkbox to hide the lane names and the column heading cells.

Bold Font

Select this checkbox to display the lane headings in bold (if their font definition does not already set them to bold).

Hand Drawn

Select this checkbox to display the Kanban lanes and the elements on the diagram in 'Hand-drawn' mode.

Configure Diagram Display

Enable Overfill Highlight

Select this checkbox to apply the 'overfilled' color to the lane header cell if it contains more elements than the defined maximum number (see New).

Enable Underfill Highlight

Select this checkbox to apply the 'underfilled' color to the lane header cell if the lane contains fewer elements than the defined maximum number; that is, if it has any spare capacity.

Highlight Hierarchies

Select this checkbox to highlight elements on the Kanban diagram that are part of the same hierarchy, by drawing a colored rectangle behind each element. If there are elements from two or more hierarchies on the same diagram, each hierarchy is represented by background rectangles of a different color to the others. In this illustration, Class 1 and Class 2 are both in one hierarchy, and Class 5 and Class 6 are both in a second hierarchy.

Highlighting elements in different hierarchies in a Kanban Diagram in Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect.

Use Kanban drawing style

Select this option if you want to apply the Kanban style to the elements on this Kanban diagram. Also, select the checkbox against each element property or characteristic to be shown in the elements:

  • Type - displays the element type
  • Status - displays the element status
  • Version - displays the element version
  • Priority - displays the element priority
  • Bold name - displays the element name in bold
  • Notes - displays element notes in the elements on the Kanban diagram
  • Capitalize Name - displays element names in capitals on the Kanban diagram
  • Shadows - displays a shadow on the right and bottom edges of each element on the diagram; this effect is not affected by the 'Element Shadows On' option on the 'Preferences' dialog
  • Stereotype - displays the element stereotype
  • Phase - displays the element phase
  • Author - displays the name of the element's author
  • Truncate name - cuts off the element name as it approaches the element border, instead of allowing it to wrap around
  • Icon - selected by default; deselecting this checkbox hides the Type and Priority icons in the top right corner of the element
  • Checkboxes - when Checklist elements are displayed on the Kanban diagram, shows the Checklist checkboxes and items; Checklist Artifacts can be bound to Priority on a Kanban diagram, and this option makes it easy to view any Checklists organized by Priority
  • Tagged Values - shows the Tagged Values of each element on the diagram, in an element compartment

The property checkboxes are directly linked to the 'Use Kanban drawing style' option. If you do not select the option, the element on the Kanban diagram has a more basic appearance with no properties shown other than the author and element names.

Showing a task not in Info View style on a Kanban Diagram in Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect.

Native Element drawing style

Select this option to render the elements on the Kanban diagram in their native, rectangular notation style, displaying any compartments the elements might have. The Resources compartment is particularly useful for Kanban elements, if compartments are to be shown. This compartment lists allocated resources, including those that are 100% complete.

Note that the element width is limited by the width of the lane the element is in, so features in compartments might be shown truncated.

Notes

  • All elements added to a Kanban diagram initially have the same height and spacing, but the height can change as displayable information is added to an element
  • In a Kanban diagram, the normal element appearance option is not operational; only the Kanban appearance options take effect

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