Architecting and designing > Business Process Analysis (BPA) > Simulation of Process Models > Simulation tutorials > Simulation of IDEF3 Process Flows > Set Up the simulation > 1. Setting Configuration and Preferences
  
1. Setting Configuration and Preferences
Next, let us take a look at the System Architect Property Configuration dialog to see what methods, diagram types, and target languages are selected for this project encyclopedia. These can be changed at any time during the project.
Select Tools > Customize Method Support > Encyclopedia Configuration to open the System Architect Property Configuration dialog.
The encyclopedia has been configured for Entity Relation Data Modeling, Enterprise Architecture Business Modeling, and UML Object Modeling among other things. We have chosen SQL Server as the Target Database as shown below.
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Note You can change the Property Configuration at any time by selecting Tools > Customize Method Support > Encyclopedia Configuration. After making changes you must reopen the encyclopedia for the changes to take effect.
Setting Preferences
Now you are almost ready to begin the tutorial project. However, first you need to set your preferences for how System Architect will interpret to your drawing commands.
System Architect offers many optional drawing and tool behavior features. They can be turned on or off at any time with the Preferences dialog.
To set Preferences
1 From the Tools menu, select Preferences. The Preferences dialog appears.
2 Set the selections to match those shown below.
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3 Click OK to close the Preferences dialog.
Explanation of some Preferences
Preference (Auto,...)
Setting
Explanation
Associate
On
Brings up the Associative dialog whenever you draw an association line.
Define
Off
Enables you to brainstorm; in other words, place symbols on the diagram and define them later.
Name
On
Brings up the Add Name dialog whenever you draw a symbol on a diagram.
For details on the Preferences dialog, see Setting drawing preferences.
Next topic
2. Opening the IDEF3 Process Flow Diagram
Parent topic
Set Up the simulation