There are three types of comments and descriptions to use for symbols on diagrams, with the following effects:

To add a comment to a symbol on a diagram, right-clicking the symbol and then click Comment.

Comments added this way are not recognized by any of System Architect's facilities such as the reporting and documenting systems, import/export mechanisms or C++ code generation. These comments are generally used simply to notate symbols on the diagram. When a comment of this type is added to a symbol, System Architect notates this fact by displaying a three-circle symbol above and to the left of the symbol, with the left-most circle filled in.

Graphic comment is on the Symbol tab of a definition. The graphic comment can be displayed in a number of ways on the diagram, and it is recognized by all of System Architect’s facilities: all reporting and documenting systems, import/export mechanisms, encyclopedia merge/extract utility, and so on.

To display the graphic comment on the diagram, right-click the symbol and then click Display Mode. Select Graphic Comment. In most diagrams, the comment is displayed on the diagram workspace, close to the symbol. To connect the comment to its symbol with a line, select Format > Diagram Format > Notation, and then select Draw Line to Remote Text.

In some diagrams, particularly all of the UML variety, the default behavior is to display the comment in a note box, with a dashed line connecting the box to the symbol.

To display the graphic comment in the symbol itself, select Format > Symbol Format, Text Position. In the Text Position dialog, clear Graphic Comment choice in the Position Outside, so that the comment is positioned inside the symbol.

Description is a general textual property to describe a Definition. It is found in most every definition. Contents that you enter in the Description field are recognized by all System Architect facilities: all reporting and documenting systems, import/export mechanisms, encyclopedia merge/extract utility, code generation/import mechanisms, and so on.

Descriptions are not normally shown on the symbol or diagram. To display a description, you must change USRPROPS.TXT.