Creating diagrams to support requirements

In IBM® Engineering Requirements Management DOORS® Next, you can create diagrams that support requirements. Use the diagram editor to quickly create graphical representations of artifacts by dragging shapes from a palette onto a canvas. You can also use the diagram editor to create a graphical artifact in a module. When you create a graphical artifact in a module, you can open and edit that artifact by selecting the Open Artifact check box in the Create Artifact window.

Note: As of version 6.0.3, the graphical editor browser add-on is no longer available. However, you can create the same artifact types by using palettes in the diagram editor.

To learn about creating diagrams, see the video IBM Rational DOORS Next: Collaboration through diagramming.

About this task

You can use the diagram editor to create several different types of graphical artifacts; choose the most appropriate palette for the type of diagram that you want.

Procedure

  1. On the Artifacts page, click Create and click Graphical artifact or any artifact type with a format of diagram.
  2. In the Create Artifact window, type a name for the new diagram.
  3. Provide any optional information, such as a description, a folder, or tags.
  4. Optional: To open the new artifact in the diagram editor, select the Open Artifact check box.
  5. Click OK.
    If you selected the Open Artifact check box in the previous step, the new artifact opens in the diagram editor. You can also edit the diagram-based artifact by using the diagram editor.
  6. To create a diagram, open the graphical artifact that you created. The shapes that you can use in your diagrams are grouped in palettes.
    The list of available diagram palettes.
  7. Expand a palette and drag the shapes onto the canvas.
  8. To create connections between the shapes, select a shape, click the connector icon Connect icon and drag it to a target shape.
    To change the properties of the connection, right-click the connection, click Properties, and specify how you want the line and text to look. For example, you can choose a link style and add arrows.
  9. Use the toolbar menu or the context menus to perform the following tasks:
    • Control the look of your diagram by applying a theme. In the diagram editor, click Options > Themes.
      Screen capture of Themes modal
    • Align groups of selected shapes in different positions on the canvas.
      Align menu
    • Set shape and line properties, such as such as font, alignment, background color, line style, and rounding.
      Properties dialog box
    • Create links between shapes and other requirement artifacts.
      Add Link menu option
    • Create comments on shapes.
      Create Comment menu option
    • Download diagrams as PNG files.
      Download as PNG File menu option
    Tip: If you add links or comments to shapes in your diagram, you can display indicators to show that there are associated links or comments. To enable the comment indicators, open the Comments pane and click the Highlight All Comments icon Highlight All Comments button. To enable the links indicators, open the Links pane and click the Highlight All Links icon Highlight All Links button. For example, the following Text shape shows that one comment and one link are associated with it.
    A text box shape that has one comment and one link.
  10. To paste a link in the diagram, complete the following steps:
    1. Select the artifact in the grid and click Copy Artifact.
    2. Open the diagram in edit mode.
    3. Right-click the shape and click Paste as Link.
    The link is added to the diagram and you can see the link in the link panel in the sidebar.
    Tip:
    • You can also paste a link on shapes in a diagram.
    • If you copy multiple artifacts and paste the link on multiple shapes, multiple links are created.