Convert Diagram into Image

Help|Tutorials|Diagramming| 14 October 2022 | Dusan Rodina - softwareideas.net
A diagram is a visualization of a model part that consists of elements and relationships. In the project, it is stored as a graph of the model references. If you want to share your diagrams with others or include them in text documents, it is necessary to convert them into an image format.

Software Ideas Modeler offers several ways how you can convert a diagram into an image.

If you want to save the diagram currently open in the diagram editor in an image format, you can right-click on the diagram canvas (somewhere in an empty place without elements) and choose the "Export diagram..." option from the context menu.

Alternative ways how to access this feature are:

  • from the ribbon - Diagram tab / Process group / Export / Image
  • from the menu - Diagram / Export / Image
  • type "export image" into the quick action box (press CTRL + Q to enter the quick action box)

The action opens the Image Export Settings dialog with the various settings and options for the resulting diagram image.

Convert a diagram into an image
Convert a diagram into an image

Image Export Settings

The Image Export consists of several setting groups - Format, Export Content, Size, Background, and Output.

Image export settings
Image export settings

The Image format drop-down in the Format group offers multiple image formats you can choose from:

  • bitmap formats:
    • PNG
    • JPG
    • GIF
    • BMP
    • TIFF
  • vector formats

The Export Content settings allow you to adjust what should be included in the diagram image:

  • Export only active layer
  • Export hidden layer
  • Hops on intersections

The Size group provides fields for settings the width and height of the output image - they can be entered as absolute values or as a percentage of the default diagram resolution.

The Background group contains drop-downs for choosing the colors of the background and a checkbox that allows you two export a diagram with transparent background (if it is supported by the target image format).

The Output group offers a drop-down with the recently used folders, where you can save the diagram image. You can later choose any other folder in the Open File dialog which shows after clicking the OK button.

If you check the Open output directory on completed check box, the system file manager with the output image file will be open.

Copy Diagram Image

If you want to convert a diagram into an image but you do not want to save it to a file, you can copy the diagram image into the clipboard instead.

You can copy the diagram either as a bitmap or as a vector metafile using the following actions:

  • from the ribbon - Diagram tab / Process group / Copy /
    • Copy Diagram as Bitmap
    • Copy Diagram as Metafile
  • from the menu - Diagram / Copy /
    • Copy Diagram as Bitmap
    • Copy Diagram as Metafile

If you want to convert multiple diagrams into images at once, the batch export may be handy. The Batch Export diagram allows you to select multiple diagrams and the target image format. It saves the images into a chosen folder. This tutorial will explain how to use the Batch Export feature which is accessible from:

  • File menu / Export / Export to Image

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