Chapter 3 Getting Started with the PowerDesigner Eclipse Plugin

Creating objects

You can create objects:

• Directly in your diagram, using the diagram toolbar tool (if the object can be represented in a diagram by a symbol)
• From the Model Explorer
• From an object list

Creating an object from the diagram toolbar

Ordinary objects, such as classes (in an OOM), or tables (in a PDM) can be created independently in any free space in the diagram:

To create an ordinary object from the diagram toolbar:

1. Click an object creation tool in the diagram toolbar and note how the pointer takes on the form of the selected object.
2. Click in a space in the diagram to create an object symbol there, and note that an entry for the object is displayed in the Model Explorer.
3. Click elsewhere in the diagram to create another object symbol, or right-click anywhere to release the object creation tool and return to the pointer tool.

Link objects, such as messages (in an OOM), or references (in a PDM) are drawn between two ordinary objects in the diagram:

To create a link object from the diagram toolbar:

1. Click a link object creation tool in the diagram toolbar and note how the pointer takes on the form of the selected link object.
2. Click and hold inside an ordinary object, and then drag the pointer to inside a second object. The link object is created when you release the mouse button. Note that an entry for the link is displayed in the Model Explorer.
3. Do the same again to link two other objects or right-click anywhere to release the object creation tool and return to the pointer tool.

To change the default name of a newly-created object:

1. Click the object to select it.
2. Click it again (or press F2) to enter edit in place mode. Press Enter after you have completed typing the new name.

Creating an object from the Model Explorer

To create an object in the Model Explorer:

1. Right-click the model, package or object category where you want to create the object, and select New→object_type to open a new default object property sheet (see the section "Working with property sheets").
2. Type an object name and code in the General tab of the property sheet, and then add any other relevant properties in the remaining fields of this or the other tabs.
3. Click OK to confirm the creation of the object.

The object is created in the appropriate object category in the Model Explorer, under the current model or package, and its symbol is added to the current diagram.

Creating an object from an object list

You can also create objects from the lists of your model objects available by clicking Model→object_type. For more information, see the section "Working with object lists".

Copyright (C) 2007. Sybase Inc. All rights reserved.