Diagramming Toolset
Create and maintain business and engineering diagrams with Visual Paradigm cutting edge visual modeling toolset such as resource-centric interface, mouse gesture, sweeper, magnet, styles and layer.
Create turning points when create shape
Save diagramming time by create connecting objects with multiple turning points at once.
- Bending connectors during creation
Tutorial
Resources-centric modeling interface
Drawing diagram in traditional diagramming tool is a tedious work, as modeler need to go back and forth between diagram and toolbars for performing different tasks. Visual Paradigm introduces resource-centric modeling interface, which increase the productivity and make a lot of fun in diagramming. Let's see resource-centric in action in the following movie. The first part of movie shows how to create classes using resource icon. The second part shows how to use resource to connect classes with different type of relationship. Part 3 and 4 show how to use group resource and structure resource in class diagram and activity diagram. Part 5 shows how "Quick Connect" resource helps in drawing large sequence diagram. The final part shows how to use generic resource to create any type of shapes and relationship.
Project management properties
Specify status, difficulty, priority, version, iteration, phase and discipline of each model element for project management purpose.
Annotating diagram
UML, BPMN, SysML and ERD are good graphical notation for describing engineering and business concepts. Having text annotation in diagram increases the readability of the diagram. Agilian support various annotation options. The following movie shows you how to use UML note, callout shape and freehand shape to annotate diagrams and diagram elements.
Voice documentation
Express your thought and detail with voice documentation feature. Voice documentation lets you records or link any audio recording to all model elements in your project.
- Documenting your model with voice
Tutorial
Diagram navigation
Search and locate diagram and model element is a critical feature when project and diagrams are growing bigger and bigger. Agilian provides a lot of navigation functions for modeler to search and locate diagrams and model elements in a project. These navigation functions include jumping to diagram, jumping to shape, finding alternative views of model element, bookmark shapes and navigating between relationship ends.
Reference to internal and external resources
Agilian provides a reference feature for linking internal and external resources with model elements. Internal resources include diagrams and shapes. External resources include any type of document (e.g. MS Word, PDF...) and website URL. Modeler may open the linked resource by opening the reference dialog box or by using the reference resource-centric icon attached to each shape. The following movie shows reference feature in action.
Selection facilities
Selection function is a crucial function of drawing tool but people usually not aware good selection function can save a lot of time in diagramming. Visual Paradigm has invented a lot of selection function to increase the usability. The following movie shows some advanced selection functions. They include general shape selection, inverse selection, select same type of shapes, handi-selection and set selectable on and off.
Mouse gestures
The mouse gestures function is designed for modeler to create and connect shapes in diagram with simple mouse cursor movements. The mouse gestures function can be used with mouse (Windows: dragging with right mouse button down, Mac OSX: dragging with Cmd button down and Linux: dragging with Ctrl button down). The following movie shows mouse gestures in action.
Reclaiming and eliminating spaces with sweeper and magnet
Modeling is not just about creating diagrams but also the ease of refinement. Good visual modeling tool allows modeler to create and manipulate diagrams in effective way. Agilian provides sweeper and magnet functions for expanding and compacting diagram without messing up the layout. Please see how sweeper and magnet in action in the following movie.
Split diagram
Compare different portions of a very big diagram is troublesome. Agilian can split diagram vertically or horizontally for viewing different parts of diagram without scrolling back and forth. The following movie shows you how to split diagram view in action.
Automatic expand diagram margin
Automatic expand diagram base on the growth of design. Margins can be defined visually. The following movie shows you how automatic expansion of diagram margin works in class diagram.
Layout facilities
Agilian provides several semi-automatic and automatic layout functions. Semi-automatic layout functions include aligning shapes in different directions, making shapes in same width/height, and distributing shapes evenly. Agilian also supports automatic layout function to tidy up reverse engineered diagrams.You may check out the effects of circular, organic and orthogonal style automatic layout below.
| Before layout | After layout | |
|---|---|---|
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Package header
Showing deep level of packages may make the diagram very difficult to read and be modified. Agilian provides a package header to present deep level package in single-lined header. Package header saves a lot of space and increase the readability of diagram. Please see the package header screenshot below.
Model element name completion
Agilian allows reusing same model element in different diagrams. This function called multiple views of single model element. You may drag a model element from model explorer tree to diagram, or use the completion popup when creating the shapes.
Pinnable connector end
Agilian allows temporary or permanently pinning the connector end of connector. The following movie shows you how to use the temporary and permanent pin function.
Handy association editing
Specify all association properties once without going through deep dialog boxes.
Model organization
Organize diagrams and model elements systematically is important when modeling middle to large scale projects. The Model Explorer in Agilian provides a flexible tree structure to organize diagrams and model elements. The "Model" acts like a folder in file system for organizing project contents. Model explorer allows creating unlimited number and levels of model. A well structured project can increase the performance of the tool significantly. The following movie shows you how to create and manage model, create diagram and shapes under model and share same model element in different diagrams.
- Organize Sequence Diagram with Model
Tutorial
Multi-language spell checking
Spell check:
Agilian supports spell checking and suggestion for English, Brazilian, French, German and Spanish.
Remember expanded and collapsed connection points
Remember expanded and collapsed connection points:
Automatic restore connection end point between expanded and collapsed shapes.
Support URL for all shapes
Every element in VP project has a unique URL. You can send the URL to your colleagues to locate the target elements easily.