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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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Auto Names and Counters

When you create a new element in your model, you have different options for naming the element depending on how you are creating it. If you create the element:

  • On a diagram, the system applies a default naming convention of the element type plus the increment of the number of elements of that type in the same Package - for example, Actor4; you can change this to any other name by editing the 'Name' field on the element's 'Properties' dialog
  • Within the Browser window, the system prompts you to type the element name into the 'New Element' dialog

You can also set up your own, automatic, naming and numbering convention for elements of the same type, so that:

  • On a diagram, it is your naming/numbering convention that is automatically applied to the new element (which you can still change if you need to, as before)
  • Within the Browser window, the 'New Element' dialog Auto button applies the naming convention to your new element

This is an example of the Auto Name Counter window showing an example name and counter for new Requirements.

If you have existing elements in a Package, and you want to apply the new naming convention to them, you can make this change very easily to all elements of the same type in the Package at once.

You define a naming convention for the element type as a model setting. At the same time, you can also optionally define a naming/numbering convention for the 'Alias' field and/or for a stereotype for elements of that type.

Access

Ribbon

Settings > Reference Data > Settings > Auto Names and Counters

Set up Auto Naming for an Element Type

Option

Action

See also

Type

Click on the drop-down arrow and select the element type to which to apply auto naming/auto numbering.

Stereotype

If you want to apply the naming convention to a particular stereotype of the element type, click on the Browse. button to the right of the field, and locate and select the stereotype name using the Stereotype Selector dialog.

Note that you can apply one naming convention to the base element type (such as a Class) and a different naming convention to a stereotype of that element (such as a SysML Block).

 Stereotype Selector

Name Prefix

Type a prefix for the new names (optional).

Name Counter

Type the counter value; use as many 0's as required to pad the number.

Name Suffix

Type a suffix for the new names (optional).

Name Apply on creation

Select the checkbox to apply auto naming to each new element of the specified type, on creation.

If you do not select the checkbox (but click on Save), the autonaming details for the specified element type remain defined in the dialog, but are not applied to new elements of that type. The default element naming convention takes effect (<element type><n>).

Alias Prefix

Type a prefix for the new Aliases (optional).

Alias Counter

Type the counter value; use as many 0's as required to pad the number.

Alias Suffix

Type a suffix for the new Aliases (optional).

Alias Apply on creation

Select the checkbox to apply Alias auto naming to each new element of the specified type, on creation.

If you do not select the checkbox (but click on the Save button), the Alias autonaming details for the specified element type remain defined in the dialog, but are not applied to new elements of that type. The default element naming convention takes effect (<element type><n>).

Save

(The default highlighted button.) Click on this button to preserve the values you have entered, and leave the dialog open for further chabnges.

New elements of this type now have an automatically-generated name and/or Alias with an incrementing counter value.

  • If the user creates an element on a diagram, such as from the Diagram Toolbox or Quick Linker, the element is automatically assigned the defined name and/or Alias
  • If the user creates an element outside a diagram (such as in the Browser window) using the 'New Element' dialog, they can click on the Auto button next to the 'Name' and/or 'Alias' field on the appropriate dialog to apply the auto-generated text
  • If the user already has some text in the 'Name' or 'Alias' field, it is over-written by the auto-counter text

If an Alias is active, to view the Alias in a diagram requires that the option 'Use Alias if Available' is selected in the 'Properties' dialog for the diagram.

 Add Elements Directly To Packages Configure Diagram Display

Save & Close

Click on this button to preserve the values you have entered, and close the dialog. The button has the same effects on element names as the Save button.

Close

Click on this button to close the dialog and cancel the values you have entered, leaving element auto-naming unchanged.

Notes

  • Automatic numbering - whether system default or user-defined - does not increment across Package levels; if you have an element called Actor1 in Package A, and you create an Actor element in a child Package of Package A, that Actor will also be Actor1

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