Dockable user interface

VP-UML adapts a Dockable User Interface which allows you to drag UI components around to customize your favorite working environment. You can save the environment as a perspective which you can reopen later. It allows you to use different perspectives for different purposes.

Using the dockable user interface

The Dockable User Interface is composed of a number of windows called dockable frames. A dockable frame may be standalone (floating) or docked into another container (split pane/tab pane).

You can press on the title bar of a dockable frame or press on a tab to drag it to anywhere you like.

A frame can be dragged out and dock to elsewhere

You will notice a gray outline appears while you are dragging a frame/tab. This outline tells you where the dockable frame/tab will be docked to.

Docking a dockable frame to elsewhere

By dragging out a dockable frame/tab, and move the cursor to certain position, the frame/tab will be repositioned accordingly.

If you drag the dockable frame/tab and release it over another container, the gray outline will change its shape to fit the dockable area of the container. If you release the frame/tab, it will be docked into the underlying container and also removed from its original container.

A frame docked to the right of application screen

You also can drag a frame/tab out to make it a floating window.

A frame is floating on the application screen

You can also drag a frame/tab and dock it into another tabbed pane. You will see the outline changed to a tab shape if you drag over a tab pane.

A frame docked to another frame

Auto-hiding a dockable frame

A dockable frame can be set to "auto hide", meaning it will automatically disappear when not active. To set a dockable frame to "auto hide", click on the Toggle auto-hide button on the upper right corner of the frame (the button with a pin as the icon, see figure below)

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