Every symbol represented on a diagram in System Architect has an underlying definition. More than one symbol can share a definition, for example, an Initial State symbol in a UML State diagram, a State symbol in a UML State diagram, and a State symbol in an OMT State diagram share the same definition, OO State. This separation enables a symbol to have instance‑specific (symbol) properties, as well as global (definition) properties.
In addition, Symbols have properties independent of Definition properties. In System Architect, Symbol properties appear on the last tab of a symbol’s definition.