Conceptual Modeling Formatting

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This is where you can set global preferences for conceptual Data Modeling elements. The following preferences can be set: Font and Color Options, Horizontal Alignment, Vertical Alignment, Rendering, Diagram Display Options, Shape, and Line Display Options. The availability of the formatting elements depends on the element you select.

Font and Color Options

You can change the font style, font size, and font colors. You can also change the fill and line colors of a selected element in the Fonts and Colors portion of the Formatting dialog.

Command	Icon	Description
Front Style		Select a new font style from the drop-down list.
Front Size		Select a new font size from the drop-down list.
Bold		Applies bold formatting to the label text.
Italics		Italicizes the label text.
Underline		Underlines the label text.
Strikeout		A line is drawn through the label text.

You can also change the font color, element outline color, and element fill color.

Command	Icon	Description
Change Font Color		Opens the Color dialog. You can select an existing color or create a custom color for the color of the label font.
Change Line Color		Opens the Color dialog. You can select an existing color or create a custom color for the border of the element.
Change Fill Color		Opens the Color dialog. You can select an existing color or create a custom color for the background of the element.

Horizontal Alignment

You can change the justification setting for the text label in an element.

Command	Icon	Description
Left Justify Text		Justifies the text on the left side of the text box.
Center Text		Centers the text in the text box.
Right Justify Text		Justifies the text on the right side of the text box.

Vertical Alignment

You can change the top to bottom alignment settings for the text label in an element.

Command	Icon	Description
Top		Places the text in the top portion of the element.
Center		Centers the text within the element.
Bottom		Places the text in the bottom portion of the element.

Rendering

There are two commands available that affect the appearance of elements in the Diagram View:

Command	Description
Gradient	When this option is selected, the element has a gradient shading. If it is not selected, the element is a solid color. The Gradient option is the default setting.
Shadowed	When this option is selected, the element has a slight shadowed background. The Shadowed option is the default setting.

Diagram Display Options

You can set the global preferences for the objects. Not all options are available for all objects.

Command	Description
Show Name on Creation	The Show Name on Creation option displays an element’s name when that element is placed on a diagram. Applies to all Conceptual Modeling elements.
Show Unique Identifier	You can show or hide the Unique Identifier indicator (#) on Business Attributes.   For a Relationship, you can control whether or not to display the unique identifier source decorator by default.
Show Expansion Control	This preference can be set for the Business Entity and Subject Area only. Select this option to display the “+” or “-” indicator in the element. This option is not selected by default.
Show Business Attributes	Displays the Business Attributes in a Business Entity element. This preference applies only to the Business Entity element.
Align Attributes to Top	As you add attributes they are stacked at the top of the Business Entity. If this preference is not selected, attributes are added from the bottom up. This preference applies only to the Business Entity element
Show Optionality	If an Optionality type is set for a Business Attribute, you can set the preference to always show the indicator This preference applies only to the Business Entity element.

Note: This only applies to newly created elements on a diagram. Existing elements are not updated when you click the Apply to Diagram button.

Shape

You can change the shape for a Subject Area element.

Command	Description
Oval	Element appears as an elongated circle in the Diagram View.
Rectangle	Element appears as a rectangle in the Diagram View.

Line Display Options

You can set the line display preferences for the Business Entity, Subject Area, Interaction and Relationship objects.

Command	Description
Line Width	This preference sets the width of a border on an element, or an interaction or relationship in a diagram. Select 1 through 5 pixels from the drop-down list box.
Line Style	This preference sets the line style of an interaction or relationship in a diagram. You can select from one of five different styles from the drop down list. The list includes solid, dash, dot, dash-dot, and dash-dot-dot.
Source Decorator	Set the preference for the beginning or source of an interaction or relationship connection in a diagram. Your five options are None, Arrow, Diamond, Crows Feet, Triangle, or Hollow Circle.
Target decorator	Set the preference for the end or target of an interaction connection in a diagram. Your five options are None, Arrow, Diamond, Crows Feet, Triangle, or Hollow circle.
Target Decorator Size	You can set the size of the target decorator for the Interaction element.