Managing shapes

These topics help you better manage shapes in Unified Modeling Language (UML) visualization diagrams to examine and design your Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE), Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE), and database applications.

You can add related shapes to an existing shape in a diagram, lay out shapes within a diagram, and specify the appearance of shapes to meet your examination and design needs.

Customizing default settings for shapes
In UML visualization, you can customize the default settings for shapes.

Managing the appearance of shapes
In UML visualization, you can change the font, font color, and background color for shapes, apply the appearance of a shape to other shapes, specify stereotype styles for shapes and shape compartments, and specify visibility styles.

Making shapes the same size
In UML visualization, you can change multiple shapes to make them the same height and width, same height, or same width, to improve the readability and organization of a diagram.

Changing the order of shapes in stacks
In UML visualization, shapes can be stacked on top of each other in layers. You can change the order of shapes in stacks to better visualize and view your applications.

Repositioning shapes
In UML visualization, you can arrange all shapes or selected shapes, align shapes with other shapes, resize shapes, and move shapes in diagrams.

Managing shape compartments
In UML visualization, you can show or hide shape compartments, show or hide compartment titles, resize compartments, and collapse compartments.

Filtering and sorting compartment items
In UML visualization, you can filter and sort compartment items in ascending or descending alphabetical order to reduce the complexity or increase the level of abstraction in diagrams.

Adding notes to shapes
In UML visualization, you can add notes to diagram shapes to provide additional information.

Attaching notes to shapes
In UML visualization, you can attach a note to one or several shapes in a diagram to indicate that the information is about the attached shape or shapes.

Adding geometric shapes to diagrams
In UML visualization, you can add non-Unified Modeling Language (UML) geometric shapes to diagrams to provide additional information and add visual interest.

 

Parent topic

Managing UML visualization diagrams

 

Related tasks

Managing diagrams
Managing connectors