Diagram Templates

Diagram templates allow you to start from a pre-defined diagram layout. You can just edit the names and add or remove desired details. This tutorial shows how to create a custom diagram template and how to add a new diagram from the template.

Create New Diagram Template

You can create a new diagram template very easily - draw a new diagram and then use the action Create Diagram Template:

  • Ribbon / Process (tab) / Diagramming (group) / Create Diagram Template
  • Menu / Tools / Diagram Templates / Create Diagram Template
Create diagram template
Create diagram template

The Save dialog will show where you can enter the name of the new diagram template. It is saved to your user profile on your local disk, or if you are using Software Ideas Server, you can save the template to the central server repository.

Enter diagram template name
Enter diagram template name

Diagram Template Management

The Diagram Template Management allows you to browse all the diagram templates in your user profile. It shows a thumbnail for each diagram template.

The Diagram Template Management tool is available from:

  • Ribbon / Insert (tab) / Diagram Templates (gallery) / Details (button with a diagonal arrow in a frame, placed in the right bottom corner of the ribbon group)
  • Menu / Tools / Diagram Templates / Diagram Template Manager

The Diagram Template Management offers the following actions:

  • Edit - opens the selected diagram template in the diagram editor and allows you to adjust it.
  • Delete - deletes the selected diagram template. The program will always ask you for the delete confirmation as it is an irreversible action.
  • Export Diagram Template - export the selected diagram template to another file on the chosen path.
  • Import Diagram Template - import a diagram template from the chosen file into the user profile.

The diagram templates are grouped by the diagram type for which they are intended.

Diagram template management
Diagram template management

Edit Diagram Template

If you want to edit a diagram template, you have to select it in the list of diagram templates in the Diagram Template Management window and click on the Edit button in the top toolbar. The diagram template will be open in the diagram editor, where you can adjust the individual elements.

The Template context tab will appear in the ribbon when you edit a diagram template. It offers the following actions:

  • Save Diagram Template - use this action when you finish the diagram template editing.
  • Add Active Field - sets the selected field or diagram element as the next active field in the current diagram template.
  • Clear Active Fields - clears all the active fields in the current diagram template.

The active fields allow the user to easily navigate through the particular fields and elements in the diagram created by the template. After entering and confirming the value of a field, the editing of another active field in the line starts.

Insert New Diagram by Template

You can insert a new diagram with the desired template in multiple ways:

  • Ribbon / Insert (tab) / Diagram Templates (gallery)
    • the ribbon gallery offers all defined diagram templates. The templates, which are for the same diagram type as the active diagram, are displayed first.
  • Menu / Project / Add Diagram by Template
    • the submenu offers a list of defined diagram templates. After clicking on an item, a new diagram by the chosen diagram template will be added to the current project.

New Comment

Comment