The Picture Symbol command allows you to place graphic symbols created outside of System Architect into diagrams. Diagram images can also be added. When placed, a picture symbol can be moved, resized, have line symbols connected to it, and have a dictionary Definition.
The Picture command is available on the Draw menu and on the diagram context menu’s Draw Node menu. The action can also be started by dragging an acceptable image file onto a diagram window.
The picture-drawing mode is indicated with a + sign on the cursor and when you click and drag a dotted box will appear to indicate the area of the diagram that will be covered. Releasing the primary mouse button will place the symbol. A new drawing action of the same mechanism with the same source image will be started so you can place another copy. To exit picture drawing mode, press the Escape key or select another option from the Draw menu or toolbar.
Several methods are available:
•Paste Accepts metafile and bitmap images. Keep in mind that not all metafile content converts to svg when using web browser interfaces, so metafile images might not present well.
•File Copy Non-SVG files are converted to a metafile or bitmap as appropriate, otherwise the image is stored in the encyclopedia with a unique P-prefixed filename. It offers the option to import the file into the encyclopedia with a prompt to replace an existing file. See File In Encyclopedia for that behavior.
•File In Encyclopedia and File Reference Will treat the file according to the detected content. This mechanism will handle Windows metafiles, bitmaps, png, jpeg and svg. For best presentation of svg content both within System Architect and in web browsers, you should use one of these last options.
•File Reference References the file wherever it is in your file system, so you need to ensure that all potential users of the encyclopedia would find the file in the same location.
•Diagram References a diagram in the encyclopedia. Selecting this option opens a browser where you can pick diagram type and name. This includes a read-only copy of the selected diagram. If the Diagram Preview window is open then this will update as you select a diagram.
Having placed a diagram picture:
This actually references the diagram’s saved image so the picture gets updated as the referenced diagram is changed. Either drag the picture or reopen the host diagram to refresh it.
If no background color is set in the referenced diagram, the image is transparent so that where there is no content (that is, whitespace), whatever is beneath will show through. To get one diagram picture to be drawn before another you should use user-controlled layering sequence.
The diagram’s WMF image is used when presenting the picture within System Architect. This is a better match with the presentation of the referenced diagram as viewed within the product.
For System Architect 11.4.10.1 and higher, the product ensures that the saved metafile has the same dimensions as the SVG. This is critical for ensuring consistency of presentation between System Architect and web content. If you encounter problems related to the position of symbols within the image with respect to what is expected, resave the referenced diagram and then reopen the diagram that is including it.
There is an option to include a margin around the area covered by the symbols. This margin has the benefit of including the area to be covered by adornments such as comment, child, link and analytic indicators. Not using a margin and then adding such an indicator at the top or left of the referenced diagram would then offset the contents of the diagram picture. This option can be found in Tools > Encyclopedia Settings accessed from SAEM.
A symbol property controls whether the picture will keep size consistent with the source. When this is ticked, the picture cannot be sized manually. This property is set for new Diagram pictures. The property is available for pictures of diagrams created in earlier versions. In SAXT, the diagram must be saved before the property will appear.
The symbol must be named for properties to be edited but the name can be hidden through Display Mode.