You can change the way your diagram looks by adding gradient fills to your symbols and smoothing out the lines that you have drawn for your diagram.
Note These features apply to System Architect version 11.4.0.3 and later.
These gradient effects make your diagram appear cleaner and smoother overall. You can control the gradient effects on your diagrams in the Session Options Editor dialog. Select Tools > Session Options. The following options are available:
▪GraphicEffectsGradientOn overrides all gradient fills.
▪GraphicEffectsGradientScale sets the fade on all gradient fills.
▪GraphicEffectsLineSmoothingOn overrides all smooth lines.
▪GraphicEffectsLineSmoothingWMFOn overrides smooth lines on WMFs embedded in the diagram.
▪GraphicEffectsOn overrides all enhanced graphics in System Architect.
You must restart System Architect in order for these changes to take affect.
Note Anti-aliased (smoothed) lines do not display when working through Remote Desktop or Citrix servers. This is a bandwidth saving feature of GDI+ and is not controlled by System Architect. Changes to Session options do not affect the svg created for diagrams. Svg considers only the diagram property Use Automatic Gradient Fill.
There are some restrictions on where and how the gradient effects can be seen. The gradient effects and line smoothing do not appear in the following:
▪Diagram Preview pane
▪MS Word Reports generated from System Architect
▪WMF files (because they are not based on simple shapes)
▪Diagram editing in System Architect XT does not show gradients while editing.
Gradient Fill is not applied for WMF symbols. Some examples are:
▪Class type symbols in class diagrams
▪Component & Interface type symbols in component diagrams
▪Component & Interface type symbols in Deployment diagrams
▪DODAF Encyclopedia with SV 01 diagram for Communication node symbol
▪DODAF Encyclopedia with SV 04b diagram for external service symbol
▪MODAF Encyclopedia with SOV-01 diagram for external service symbol
▪MODAF Encyclopedia with SV02a diagram for resource port symbol
▪MODAF Encyclopedia with SV04b diagram for external service symbol
Example
A diagram with Gradient Fill turned off for symbols is shown below.
A diagram with Gradient Fill turned on for symbols is shown below.
