Toolbars
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By using the application toolbars you can navigate the most commonly used functionality in ER/Studio Business Architect. You can also move and dock toolbars to further optimize your workspace. ER/Studio Business Architect has the following toolbars:
Toolbar | Description |
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Contains the notation elements used when creating business process models. | |
Contains the five notation elements used when creating conceptual models. | |
Contains the icons representing the four reference objects used in ER/Studio Business Architect. | |
Contains the available data object icons that represent different types of data. | |
Contains drawing shapes, text labels, lines and annotation elements. | |
Commands used to interface with the ER/Studio Enterprise Repository, such as logging in and logging out of the Repository, and checking in and checking out workspaces and objects. | |
Commands used to format elements in the Diagram View. | |
Commands used to align and layout elements in the Diagram View. | |
Contains the standard application tools such as saving, printing, and undo-redo. |
Contents
Business Process Objects Toolbar
You can use the commands on this toolbar for placing business process elements in a diagram. These commands are also available on the Palette which is available when you create a new diagram or open an existing diagram.
You have the ability to show and hide this toolbar using the View main menu. By default, the Business Process Toolbar appears in the application once you have created a diagram. Do the following to hide this toolbar:
- Note: Not all objects appear on the toolbar. A drop-down arrow appears to the right of the element icon, indicating that additional selections are available.
- On the main menu, click View > Toolbars.
- From the pull-right menu, select Business Process Objects. The toolbar is now hidden.
The table below lists each command, its representative icon, and a brief description of each command.
Command | Icon | Description |
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Start Event |
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Starts a process flow. In terms of Sequence Flow, the Start Event starts the flow of the Process, so it won’t have any incoming Sequence Flows. Click the drop-down arrow to gain access to the Start Event trigger that indicates how the Process starts: Message, Timer, Rule, Link, or Multiple. |
Intermediate Event |
This event happens during the course of a process event. Click the drop-down arrow to gain access to the Intermediate Event trigger that indicates how the Process proceeds: Cancel, Compensation, Error, Link, Message, Rule, or Timer. | |
End Event |
This event ends a process flow. Click the drop-down arrow to gain access to the End Event trigger that indicates how the Process ends: Cancel, Compensation, Error, Link, Message, or Terminate. | |
Task |
This is an activity that is performed within a business process. Click the drop-down arrow to gain access to additional tasks: Loop Task, Parallel Multiple Instance Loop Task, and Sequential Multiple Instance Loop Task. | |
Embedded Sub-process |
An Embedded (or nested) Sub-process is an activity that contains other activities (a Process). The Process within the Process depends on the parent Process for instigation and has visibility to the parent’s global data. No mapping of data is required. Click the drop-down arrow to gain access to additional Embedded Sub-processes: Embedded Sub-Process (Collapsed), Loop, Parallel Multiple Instance, Sequential Multiple Instance, Ad Hoc, Compensation, Transaction, and Event. | |
Reusable Sub-process |
A Reusable (or independent) Sub-process is an activity within a Process that calls to another Process that exists within a business process definition diagram. Click the drop-down arrow to gain access to additional Reusable Sub-processes: Loop, Parallel Multiple Instance, Sequential Multiple Instance, and Transaction. | |
Call Activity |
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A Call Activity is an activity within a Process that calls to a global Process or Task. Click the drop-down arrow to gain access to additional activities: Call Task, Call Sub-Process, and Call Process. |
Gateway |
This symbol displays decisions, merges, forks and joins in the process flow. They control how Sequence Flows interact as they converge and diverge within a process. You can set the Gateway Control Types of a gateway and change the logic specified by it. Click the drop-down arrow to gain access to additional gateways: Complex, Data-Based, Event-Based, Inclusive, and Parallel. | |
Choreography |
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Allows you to indicate tasks that include multiple participants in order to complete that task. Click the drop-down arrow to gain access to additional Choreographies: Call Choreography, Sub Choreography, and Call Sub Choreography. |
Initiating/Non-Initiating Message |
Used in Choreography, Messages are communications between two Participants transmitted through a Message Flow. The first contact in a conversation is the Initiating Message while replies are considered Non-Initiating Messages. | |
Conversation |
Conversations can be thought of as an informal description of a Collaboration diagram in that it provides an overview of which entities interact on which tasks. Click the drop-down arrow to gain access to additional Conversations: Call Conversation, Sub Conversation, Call Sub Conversation, and Conversation Link. | |
Sequence Flow |
A Sequence Flow shows the sequence of processes in an organization. You can use the sequence flow lines to connect events, tasks, activities, and gateways in pools or lanes. Click the drop-down arrow to gain access to additional Sequence Flows: Conditional, Default, and Exception. | |
Message Flow |
Shows the order of processes between organizations (i.e. between pools). | |
Association |
An Association is used to associate information and artifacts with events and activities. Click the drop-down to gain access to additional Associations: Association from Target, Association to Target, and Association to/from Target. | |
Pool (Horizontal) |
This pool is drawn as a rectangular region placed horizontally and a lane is a subpartition within a pool and extends the entire length of the pool. A pool represents an organization, function, application, class, or an entity. When you place a process in a pool or lane you specify who is doing what. If you place an event in a pool or lane you specify where that event occurs. When you place a gateway in a pool or lane you specify where a decision is made or who makes it. | |
Data Object |
Data objects provide information about how documents, data, and other objects are used and updated in a Process. They represent data so are defined by a combination of entities or classes. | |
Pool (Vertical) |
This pool is drawn as a rectangular region placed vertically and a lane is a subpartition within a pool and extends the entire length of the pool. A pool represents an organization, function, application, class, or an entity. When you place a process in a pool or lane you specify who is doing what. If you place an event in a pool or lane you specify where that event occurs. When you place a gateway in a pool or lane, you specify where a decision is made or who makes it. | |
Lane |
A lane is a subpartition within a Pool and extends the entire length of the pool, either vertically or horizontally. Lanes are used to organize and categorize activities. | |
Nested Lane |
Lanes can be nested within lanes. | |
Group |
Use the Group symbol to visually organize activities. | |
Annotation |
Textual annotation allows you to provide additional facts and details about an element. | |
Off-Page Connector |
This is a graphical object that you can use to indicate to the reader of the diagram to move to the next page. |
Conceptual Objects Toolbar
The table below describes the available shapes. Not all objects appear on the toolbar. A drop-down arrow appears to the right of the element icon, indicating that additional selections are available.
Element | Toolbar Icon | Description |
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Subject Area |
A subject area can be a model object or a grouping mechanism containing business entities. Examples of a subject area are a Customer Relationship Management system, or a Point of Sale system. | |
Business Entity |
Elements of a business or organization containing other business entities or elements. Examples of an entity would a customer or a product. | |
Business Attribute |
A business attribute is the property of a business entity. Examples of attributes would be a customer address or an employee identification number. | |
Interaction |
This is the relationship between two elements representing an action, process, or transaction. | |
Relationship |
Displays relationships between two objects representing a loose coupling. The relationships are between two like object types. Click the drop-down arrow to gain access to additional relationships types: many-to-many, many-to-one, and one-to-many. | |
Group |
Use the Group symbol to visually organize activities. |
External Data Objects Toolbar
The table below describes the objects available on this toolbar.
Element | Toolbar Icon | Description |
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Entity |
Distinguishable objects that can be represented in a database | |
Table |
A set of data in a database. | |
Data Store |
A data store is a repository for data. | |
Data Feed |
A shell for data containment. | |
Report |
This is a text file. | |
Flat File |
A flat file is a file containing records, one record per line. Fields may have a fixed width with padding, or delimited by white space or tabs or commas (CSV) or other characters. There are no structural relationships. |
Drawing Shapes Toolbar
Drawing Shapes are used to provide additional information about the Process. There are nine drawing shapes, a text label, a line, and an annotation. The table below displays the available shapes.
Element | Toolbar Icon | Description |
---|---|---|
Rectangle |
Rectangle is drawn as a box with 90 degree angles. Can be resized. | |
Rounded Rectangle |
Rectangle drawn with rounded corners. | |
Circle |
Drawn as 360 degree circle. Can be resized to an oval. | |
Triangle |
Drawn as a standard isosceles triangle. | |
Diamond |
Standard diamond shape. | |
Pentagon |
Standard five-sided pentagon. | |
Hexagon |
Standard six-sided hexagon. | |
Octagon |
Standard eight-sided octagon. | |
Cylinder |
Standard cylinder. | |
Text Label |
A text label is a non-BPMN object that is pure text, without a tail or bracket. You can add borders to the label, and change the color and width of those borders. | |
Line |
A line can be used between two drawing shape objects. The line is automatically elbowed. | |
Annotation |
Textual annotation allows you to provide additional facts and details about a shape. |
Repository Toolbar
You can use the commands on the Repository toolbar to log in and out of the Repository, and check in and out workspaces, diagrams, and objects. The table below lists each command and its representative icon, and provides a brief description of each command.
- Note: The commands on the Repository toolbar will be unavailable until you log in to the Repository.
Element | Toolbar Icon | Description |
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Log In |
Logs you into the Repository specified in Window > Preferences > Repository. Users must be defined in the Repository. For information on creating users, see the “Administrator’s Reference Guide” in the ER/Studio User Guide. | |
Log Out |
Logs you out of the Repository. When you are not using Repository commands you should log out. | |
Add Workspace |
Copies the local open workspace to the Repository and changes the permissions of the open workspace to read-only. | |
Get Workspace |
Copies the latest version of a workspace in the Repository to local storage. Opens a dialog where you can browse through the Repository for the desired workspace. | |
Get Latest Version |
Updates the local copy of the workspace with the copy that is in the Repository. | |
Check Out Workspace |
Changes the permissions of the workspace to read-write and records in the Repository that this workspace has been exclusively checked out. Other users cannot check out the same workspace simultaneously. | |
Undo Check Out Workspace |