8.3.7 Activate an Abstraction

To activate an abstraction:

• select the Activate… command from its right-click menu, or

• select the Abstraction shape in the diagram and select the Activate… command from the Abstraction menu.

The model diagram will be re-drawn to show only the abstraction and the objects within it. The title bar of the modeler will be changed to indicate that the abstraction is active and being viewed.

Important Notes:

• Only relationships between entities within the abstraction are shown, but entities outside the abstraction can be affected by changes to those within it.

• It is possible to drill down into abstractions if the abstraction themselves contain other abstractions.

• The relative positions of the entities in the abstraction may be changed once the abstraction is activated.  Entities will assume these positions whenever the abstraction is activated.

• The scope of the Build Model function is limited to those entities within the active abstraction.