Auto-Layout for Diagrams and Composite Symbols

Click the Auto-Layout tool in the format toolbar above the diagram to organize the symbols in your diagram. Requirements Management and Systems Modeling will try to minimize symbol overlaps, link crossings, and distances between related nodes.

You can select:
  • Linked nodes - [any or no symbol selected] Minimizes symbol overlaps, link crossings, and distances between related nodes. The following options are available:

    Option

    Description

    Direction
    Specifies the direction in which symbols should be laid out. You can choose:

    • Left to Right

    • Right to Left

    • Top to Bottom

    • Bottom to Top

    Layout sub-symbols

    Specifies to also layout sub-symbols inside composite symbols using the same options.

    Spacing

    Specifies the spacing between symbols in pixels.
    In the following example, six capabilities have many links between them. The symbols are not well aligned and the links cross many times. An auto-layout is applied with the following options:

    • Direction: Top to Bottom

    • Spacing: 20

    Original

    AutoLayout

  • Grid - [single composite symbol or no symbol selected] Lays symbols or sub-symbols out in rows or columns (up to the limit specified). The following options are available:

    Option

    Description

    Direction
    Specifies the direction in which symbols should be ordered in the parent symbol. You can choose:

    • Left to Right - Lay symbols out in rows up to the maximum specified.

    • Top to Bottom - Lay symbols out in columns up to the maximum specified.

    To a maximum of

    Specifies the maximum number of symbols allowed in a row or column.

    For example if you set Left to Right and 3 then symbols will be laid out in three columns.

    Spacing

    Specifies the spacing between symbols in pixels.

    Objects currently ordered
    Specifies the direction in which symbols are currently ordered in the parent symbol in order to guide the new layout. You can choose:

    • Left to Right

    • Top to Bottom

    If the symbols are in a single row or column, then this option has no effect.
    In the following example, the sub-symbols are aligned first in two columns and then in a single column:

    Autolayout Options

    Symbols

    Original. The sub-symbols are not well aligned

    Autolayout with options:

    • Direction: Left to Right

    • To a maximum of: 2

    • Spacing: 10

    • Objects currently ordered: Left to Right

    The children are aligned in two columns and read from left to right 1,2,3,4

    Autolayout with options:

    • Direction: Left to Right

    • To a maximum of: 2

    • Spacing: 10

    • Objects currently ordered: Top to Bottom

    The children now read from left to right 1,3,2,4 (because their previous order was specified as Top to Bottom).

    Autolayout with options:

    • Direction: Left to Right

    • To a maximum of: 1

    • Spacing: 10

    • Objects currently ordered: Top to Bottom

    The children are now aligned in one columns and read 1,2,3,4 (because their previous order was specified as Top to Bottom).