Adding more properties for a symbol

Customizing the metamodel : Specifying properties for diagrams, symbols, and definitions : Specifying properties for symbol types : Adding more properties for a symbol

To add more properties for a symbol, use the following syntax:

SYMBOL symbol_type IN diagram_type
{
PROPERTY-1 <property_name>
{ <property_value> }
PROPERTY-2 <property_name>
{ <property_value> }
PROPERTY-3 <property_name>
{ <property_value> }
}

It is important that you specify the diagram type that the symbol you are referring to is contained in. A symbol may appear on many different diagram types.

Example

For example, you can make the following changes to USRPROPS.TXT:

SYMBOL "State" IN "State"
{
PROPERTY "Short Description"
{ EDIT Text LENGTH 1500 }
PROPERTY "Number" { EDIT Numeric LENGTH 4 }
}

These changes add Short Description and Number to the properties of a state symbol on a UML State diagram; Graphic Comment is always available. The modified dialog box is shown below:

Some symbol types occur on many different diagrams. Continuing with the example above, there are other types of state diagrams within System Architect that have state symbols, such as the IDEF3 Object State Transition diagram, the OV-06b Op State Transition diagram, and the State Transition Ward & Mellor diagram. If we want the Short Description and Number properties to occur on these three types, we must include the property block three times: once for each diagram type.

SYMBOL "State" IN "IDEF3 Object State Transition"
{
PROPERTY "Short Description"
{ EDIT Text LENGTH 1500 }
PROPERTY "Number" { EDIT Numeric LENGTH 4 }
}
SYMBOL "State" IN "OV-06b Op State Transition"
{
PROPERTY "Short Description"
{ EDIT Text LENGTH 1500 }
PROPERTY "Number" { EDIT Numeric LENGTH 4 }
}
SYMBOL "State" IN "State Transition Ward & Mellor"
{
PROPERTY "Short Description"
{ EDIT Text LENGTH 1500 }
PROPERTY "Number" { EDIT Numeric LENGTH 4 }
}