You can navigate the topography of your diagrams, find elements, and relocate your view in large, complex diagrams by using several special features available from the toolbars and pop-up menus.
Consider the following window navigation features:
The following table describes the zoom features in the Diagram editor's toolbar.
Zoom Feature | Toolbar Icon | Description |
---|---|---|
Fit Diagram | ![]() |
Displays the active diagram completely within the border of its Diagram window, reducing its zoom level to fit. |
Custom Zoom | ![]() |
Lets you type a specific percent value for zooming, and lets you pick from several default zoom percentage values ranging from 400 percent to 25 percent. Also lets you zoom the diagram to fit the Diagram editor window. |
Zoom In | ![]() |
Enlarges the active diagram by a preset increment each time you select this option. |
Zoom Out | ![]() |
Reduces the active diagram by a preset increment each time you select this option. |
Zoom with Marquee | ![]() |
Lets you specify a rectangular region of the active diagram (by dragging), then zoom in on that region, displaying only that region in the Diagram window. |
Zoom Interactively | ![]() |
Lets you drag along the y-axis (vertically) to dynamically zoom in and out of the active diagram. |
Use any of the following methods to navigate your Diagram windows:
Method | Description |
---|---|
Navigating by Links in Diagrams | Makes the link's source or target element active, and centers that element in the middle of the Diagram editor. Access this method by right-clicking the link. |
Navigating Messages in Sequence Diagrams | Makes the message line's source or target element active, and centers that element in the middle of the Diagram editor. Access this method by right-clicking the message. |
Discovering and Navigating Links | Lets you click any link in any diagram and navigate immediately to one of its elements or lifelines. |
The Navigator window is a scalable window displaying a diagram in its entirety. This window gives you a quick, high-level view of your entire diagram. If some of the diagram is outside the Diagram editor, the Navigator window displays a scalable box representing your current field of view. By moving or changing the size of this box, you can change the view from the Diagram editor. You can pan through the current diagram, or you can zoom in and out of it.
For large diagrams, you might find the Navigator window more powerful and convenient than using a combination of scroll bars and zoom features.
For more information, see Using the Navigator Window.