Diagram Preferences


View

Grid Size
Sets the grid spacing used in diagram Views.

Margin Width
Sets the margin border width in diagram Views. Increase this value if more space is required at the edges of diagram Views. For example, if scroll bars are obscuring the edges of objects.

Palette is open when opening Views
If enabled the palette in a View will be open when the View is opened.

Show tooltips in Views
If enabled tooltips in Views will be shown.

Edit name after creating new object from Palette
If enabled when a new element is added from the Palette you can immediately edit its name.

Show Specializations in Palette
If enabled specialized concepts will be shown in the Palette. New specialized concepts can be created like any other concept from the Palette.

Alt-click on ArchiMate View opens the Quick Add popup
If enabled specialized clicking with the Alt key pressed on an ArchiMate View will open the Quick Add popup. See The Quick Add Popup for more details.


Viewpoints

Grey out disallowed concepts in the Model Tree
When this option is set any concepts that are disallowed in a Viewpoint are greyed out. For more information see Viewpoints.

Hide disallowed concepts from the Palette
When this option is set any concepts that are disallowed in a Viewpoint are not shown in the Palette. For more information see Viewpoints.

Hide disallowed concepts from the Magic Connector
When this option is set any concepts that are disallowed in a Viewpoint are not shown in the Magic Connector. For more information see Viewpoints.

Ghost disallowed concepts in a View
When this option is set disallowed concepts in a Viewpoint are "ghosted" out. For more information see Viewpoints.


Paste Special behaviour

Always paste a reference to copied element
When this option is set copied elements in a diagram always reference the original elements.

Always paste a duplicate of copied element
When this option is set copied elements in a diagram are always duplicates of the original elements.

For more information see Copying, Pasting, Selecting and Deleting Elements.


Resize behaviour

Child object positions are fixed (default)
When this option is set child objects maintain their absolute position when the parent object's top/left is resized. Resizing at the top or left will create new space in the parent object.

Child object positions are relative to parent
When this option is set child objects maintain their relative position to the parent object when the parent object's top/left is resized. Resizing at the top or left will not create new space in the parent object.


Appearance


Global

These are global settings for the application.

Word wrap style
Set the default word wrap style for ArchiMate figures.

Hard - wrapping will only occur at valid line breaks.
Soft - wrapping will always occur at the end of the available space, breaking in the middle of a word.
Truncated - wrapping will always occur at the end of available space, truncating a word if it doesn't fit.

Defaults for new ArchiMate figures

These are the defaults to use when creating a new ArchiMate figure. You can change these settings individually thereafter.

Width
Set the default width for new ArchiMate figures.

Height
Set the default height for new ArchiMate figures.

Text Alignment
Set the default text alignment for new ArchiMate figures.

Text Position
Set the default text position for new ArchiMate figures.

Default Gradient
Set the default gradient for new diagram elements. Note - gradients will not show when a diagram is exported in SVG image format.

Sketch View

Default Background
Set the default background for newly created Sketch Views.


Default Figures


Alternate default figures are provided for ArchiMate figures in Views. Click on a figure to set the default to be used when adding a new element to a View.


Legend


Defaults for new legends

These are the defaults to use when creating a new Legend. You can change these settings individually thereafter.

Sort
The sort method to use for a new legend. Options are "Name" to sort by concept name (grouped into Elements and Relations) and "Category" to sort by concept type (Strategy, Business, Application, etc) and then by name.

Colour Scheme
The colour scheme to use for a new legend's icons. Options are "None" for no colours, "Core" for the in-built ArchiMate colours, and "User" for the user fill colours defined in Preferences. Note that the user colours are stored in your local preferences and not saved in the model itself.

Rows per column
How many rows are displayed per column for a new legend.

Labels
Set custom labels for each ArchiMate concept that is displayed in a legend. Add a custom label in the table or clear it to set it to its default. Note that these custom labels are stored in your local preferences and not saved in the model itself.