Shape and connector selections are moved around by grabbing the header area of any selected shape. Connectors are automatically rerouted, unless you opt for manual routing, by changing their selector positions. Default order of shape or connector items can be changed by selecting one or more items, then dragging and dropping them over another similar item of the parent element.
Move Shapes
Shapes can be moved around in diagram’s area by grabbing their header. To move a multiple selection of shapes and connectors, chose any shape in the selection and grab its header. All incoming and outgoing connectors of a shape are automatically rerouted when the shape changes its position or size.
Implementors and instantiators move automatically with their related shape. Outer shapes also move automatically with their parent nested shape. Implementors and instantiators have a default position, on top or on the left of the top-left corner of their related shape, that can be retrieved by a click on the top-left selector of their selection frame.
Reroute Connectors
Depending on its kind, a connector is by default initially straight (single-segment) or multi-segment (a combination of vertical and horizontal lines). Switch its status by a double-click on its line. This will also reposition all connector items to their default positions, one below the other close to their original shapes.
To change the default auto-routing of a multi-segment connector, select the connector, then grab one of its two default selectors and move them around. The selector becomes filled-in, sign it was manually rerouted. To switch back to auto-routing, double click on it. Straight connectors are always automatically rerouted and no operation can be performed on their selectors.
In the rare cases you need complex multi-segment connector routing and more than two selectors, click on one selector with the Ctrl key down and move it around: a new secondary selector will be generated, which will disappear if you double-click on it.
Reposition Items
Shape items can be single or multiple selected, then dragged and dropped over another item of the same shape: they will switch order. When categories are present, you cannot move items from one category to another. Category items can be dropped only over another category item, in which case they move and switch order with all their containing items.
Connector items can be single or multiple selected, then dragged anywhere in diagram’s area. When their connector is rerouted, their relative position to the connector is adjusted as well. To reposition all connector items to their default position, one below the other close to the connector and their original shapes, double-click on the connector (once or twice) to switch its straight status and perform a full reset. To switch order of connector items, select one or more items, then drag and drop them over another item of the same connector.
Practical Example
Perform the following operations on the previous diagram:
- Select all diagram elements (from the menu icon), grab DriveInfo’s shape header and slowly reposition all this selection in diagram’s area. At the end, click in an unoccupied space in the drawing area to unselect all.
- Grab DriveInfo’s shape header and move this single shape around. Its implementor and instantiator will automatically move with the shape, even if they are not selected. The connector to Int64 will eventually reroute.
- Select the implementor and click on the rectangular top-left selector of the selection frame. The implementor, and its related item, will be repositioned to the default top-left corner just above the related DriveInfo shape. Do the same for the instantiator: it will be repositioned to the default top-left corner on the left of DriveInfo.
- Double-click on the connector to Int64: its straight status will switch, and all related items will move to their default expanded positions.
- Select AvailableFreeSpace connector item, drag it and drop it over TotalFreeSpace: it will get on top and all other connector items will shift position below.
- Click on the Name shape item of DriveInfo. Then hold Ctrl key pressed and click on VolumeLabel item. They must get both selected. Click again on Name, but hold down the mouse button and drop the selection over the DriveFormat item: Name and VolumeLabel have been moved on top of DriveFormat. This is one way to switch order of shape items within the same category (Properties here), or when Categories are not set for the shape.
- Drag now the Methods category item over Dependencies item: the whole category (Methods, with GetDrives and ToString) has been moved on top of Dependencies item, switching places.
- Select the connector to Int64, with a single click on its line. Grab the selector close to Int64 and drag it on top of this shape: it will get filled-up, sign for you this was a manual positioning. Later on, to come back to automatic routing, you can double-click on this selector and it becomes empty.
- With Ctrl key pressed, click on the other selector now and slowly move the mouse somewhere else: you’ll see a new selector created from the original one, that can be later made to disappear by a double-click on it. You should rarely need more than two selectors and multi-segment connectors, but this is the way to do it.
The diagram may look now like the one below:
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