Mouse gestures

A variety of shapes and model elements can be created by sketching a path directly on the diagram pane with dragging the right mouse button to form a gesture. For your convenience and quick creation, mouse gestures allow you to execute common commands and create UML models within all diagrams.

Drawing shapes

1. To start using a mouse gesture, press the right mouse button and drag it until finished drawing a shape.
   

   Drawing clockwise rectangle

2. When the shape is done, release the mouse. After the shape is created, the action description will be shown on the top right corner of the diagram.

   Class created

Creating Class member

You can learn how to create attribute and operation within the class in the following sub-sections.

Creating an attribute

1. To create attribute, draw a line from the right to the left within the class. As a result, an attribute is created.
   _

   Attribute is created

2. If you draw the line until outside the class, an attribute with <<Property>> stereotype will be created.
   

   <<Property>> is created

Creating an operation

1. To create operation, draw a line from the left to the right within the class, an operation with protected visibility is created.
   

   Operation is created

2. If draw the line until outside the class, a public operation will be created.
   

   Public operation is created

Connecting shapes

1. Draw a line from one shape to another.
   

   Drawing from a shape to another

2. After the mouse is released, a connector is created between two shapes.
   

   Association created

Creating a new shape

1. A new shape can also be created. To do so, draw a line from an existing shape to your preferred place.
   

   Drawing to empty area

2. After the mouse is released, a pop-up menu will be shown. You can select your preferred type of connector and shape from the pop-up menu.
   

   Create generalization with class

3. The two shapes with connector are created.
   

   Class with generalization created

List of supported mouse gestures

General

Icon Description Layout diagram Open diagram specification Connect new shape Connect existing shape Close Diagram Thumbnail view

The description of general mouse gestures

Activity diagram

Icon Description Action Activity Decision Node Initial Node/Finial Node (If there is no Initial Node, an Initial Node will be created. Else if there is no Final Node, a Final Node will be created.)

The description of mouse gestures for activity diagram

Activity diagram (UML 1.x)

Icon Description Action State Sub-Activity Swimlane Horizontal Synchronization Bar Vertical Synchronization Bar Initial State/Final State (If there is no Initial State, an Initial State will be created. If there is no Final State, a Final State will be created.)

The description of mouse gestures for activity diagram (UML 1.x)

Business process diagram

Icon Description Sub-Process Pool/Task Horizontal Lane Vertical Lane

The description of mouse gestures for business process diagram

Class diagram

Icon Description Sync. to ERD Class Package Add attribute (Add an attribute to class. If mouse released outside the class, getter and setter property will be set to true.) Add operation (Add an operation to class. If mouse released inside the class, visibility will be protected, otherwise it will be public.)

The description of mouse gestures for class diagram

Communication diagram

Icon Description Sync. To Sequence Diagram Lifeline Actor Package

The description of mouse gestures for communication diagram

Component diagram

Icon Description Component Instance Specification Package

The description of mouse gestures for component diagram

Composite structure diagram

Icon Description Class Interface Collaboration Collaboration Use

The description of mouse gestures for composite structure diagram

 

Data flow diagram

Icon Description Process External Entity Data Store

The description of mouse gestures for data flow diagram

Deployment diagram

Icon Description Node Component Instance Specification Package

The description of mouse gesture for deployment diagram

EJB diagram

Icon Description Entity Bean Message-Driven Bean Session Bean Package

The description of mouse gestures for EJB diagram

Entity relationship diagram

Icon Description Sync. to Class Diagram Entity Add column

The description of mouse gestures for ERD

Interaction overview diagram

Icon Description Interaction Decision Node Initial Node/Final Node (If there is no Initial Node, an Initial Node will be created. Else if there is no Final Node, a Final Node will be created.)

The description of mouse gestures for interaction overview diagram

Mind mapping diagram

Icon Description Node

The description of mouse gesture for mind mapping diagram

Object diagram

Icon Description Instance Specification Class Package

The description of mouse gestures for object diagram

 

ORM diagram

Icon Description Sync. Classes -> Entities Sync. Entities -> Classes Class Entity Package

The description of mouse gestures for ORM diagram

Overview diagram

Icon Description Diagram Overview

The description of mouse gesture for overview diagram

Package diagram

Icon Description Package

The description of mouse gesture for package diagram

 

Sequence diagram

Icon Description Sync. to Communication Diagram Lifeline Actor Alt Loop

The description of mouse gestures for sequence diagram

State machine diagram

Icon Description State Submachine State Initial Node/Final Node (If there is no Initial State, an Initial State will be created. Else if there is no Final State, a Final State will be created.)

The description of mouse gestures for state machine diagram

State machine diagram (UML 1.x)

Icon Description State Concurrent State Submachine State Horizontal Synchronization Bar Vertical Synchronization Bar Initial State/Final State (If there is no Initial State, an Initial State will be created. Else if there is no Final State, a Final State will be created.)

The description of mouse gestures for state machine diagram (UML 1.x)

Timing diagram

Icon Description Frame

The description of mouse gesture for timing diagram

Use case diagram

Icon Description Use Case Actor Package

The description of mouse gestures for use case diagram

Related Resources

The following resources may help you to learn more about the topic discussed in this page.

• New to Visual Paradigm? We have a lot of UML tutorials written to help you get started with Visual Paradigm
• Visual Paradigm on YouTube
• Visual Paradigm Know-How - Tips and tricks, Q&A, solutions to users' problems
• Contact us if you need any help or have any suggestion