A dialog is available which presents known connection rules and from which a selection can be made to trigger drawing mode for the selected line. To display this dialog, select one of these options:
•Draw > Help Me Pick A Line Type...
•Diagram context > Draw Line > Help Me Pick A Line Type...
•Symbol context > Draw Line > Help Me Pick A Line Type...
Each of the above options have a list of sub-options which define filters to pre-configure the dialog, and in some cases restrict the contents of the list. The first option is Unfiltered, the others are explained later. On the Draw menu, the main option can still be selected in its own right. It is a normal popup option in the context menu so you have to pick a sub-option.
If there are known connection restrictions that can be presented the following dialog will be presented; otherwise, a message will explain that there are no known connection rules.
This is the presentation for the BPMN Business Process diagram:
The drop-lists in the Filters section are pre-populated with the unique values from the respective column. Typing or otherwise changing selection will cause the list to be updated. Clicking in the columns will change sort order.
If there are line symbols that can be created:
•This will present a list of the details (line type, from symbol type, to symbol type, from definition type, to definition type, explicit definition type) with the user told to pick one and press OK to enter drawing mode for that symbol type. If a symbol type represents multiple explicit definition types the selected explicit definition type is taken into account.
•The drop-lists in the Filters section are pre-populated with the unique values from the respective column. Typing or otherwise changing selection will cause the list to be updated. The search is case insensitive.
•The columns can be dragged around and resized.
•The dialog can be resized with certain minimum size limits.
•Clicking in a column will toggle sorting (ascending; up-arrow indicator in column, descending; down-arrow indicator in column, unsorted; no indicator in column).
•If you cancel or press OK without making a selection, no change is made to the drawing mode.
•If you make a selection and press OK, the drawing mode is selected for that symbol type and underlying explicit type if appropriate.
If there are no line symbols that can be created (for example, on a hierarchy diagram where no line symbols appear in the Draw menu):
•You will be informed and the dialog is not shown.
For example, Organization Chart, DoDAF2 CV-02 Capability Taxonomy.
On most diagrams this will be quick to open. The information is cached so that any delay will only be seen for an individual diagram type for an encyclopedia session. If there is a delay, the status bar presents information about what is being done and the percentage of progress.
Help Me Pick A Line Type... options
Unfiltered
Always available.
From selection
Available if one node is selected.
Configures the From Symbol filter.
To selection
Available if one node is selected.
Configures the To Symbol filter.
From a to b
Available if at least two nodes are selected, hidden otherwise.
Configures the From Symbol and To Symbol filters.
From b to a
Available if at least two nodes are selected and at least two types are different, hidden otherwise.
Configures the From Symbol and To Symbol filters.
Between selected nodes
Available if there are at least two selections and at least one is a node.
If there is one selected node then that is selected in the filter control; otherwise, the list is pre-filtered and this is stated in the Filters label.
Like the selected lines
Available if any line is selected.
If there is one selected line then that is selected in the filter control; otherwise, the list is pre-filtered and this is stated in the Filters label.
