In System Architect, a diagram contains symbols, which have underlying definitions. A symbol is considered an instance of its underlying definition. You can rename a symbol, which causes just the symbol renamed to change, and you can rename a definition, which causes all occurrences of the definition in the encyclopedia to change.
Symbol rename
To rename a symbol, right‑click it, and then click Symbol Rename. This renames the symbol selected and "connect" the symbol to a different definition: the one with the name that you enter. All other occurrences of the symbol on the diagram and other diagrams are not affected (and remain tied to their existing definition).
A typical reason for using Symbol Rename is that if, in the course of modeling, you have drawn a number of lines between two symbols and not specified a name, or, have given them the same name. If you then change the name of one of those lines (or add a name to one of those unnamed lines), all of the other lines of the same name between those two symbols receive the new name. To rename only the selected symbol, right‑click it, and then click Symbol Rename. You will change the symbol's name, and provide it with a definition that is the same as that name.
Definition rename
To rename a definition, do one of these:
•Open the definition: Selecting a symbol on a diagram and choose Edit; or right‑click the symbol and choose Edit; or double-click the symbol.
•Open the definition from the Explorer and change the name of the definition in the name field.
•Do an in-place edit of the symbol by placing your cursor over the highlighted name in the symbol on an open diagram.
Note An in-place edit of a symbol causes a Definition rename. All other occurrences of the symbol are also renamed. The only way to rename a specific symbol is to right‑click it, and then click Symbol Rename.
Example
If, in a class diagram, you want to rename an association between two classes, open the definition of the association (double-clicking it; or right-click it, and then click Edit), and change the name of the association in its definition dialog.
If you instead right‑click the association and click Symbol Rename, you are creating a new instance of an association between the classes. You have not removed or renamed (or done anything else) the original association. A consequence of this is that if you reopen or refresh the diagram, you see two associations between the classes: the original one, and the new one you created by performing the Symbol Rename.
The same thing happens if you use “Symbol Rename” on a “Relation” on an ER diagram.