Apply Auto Naming to Existing Elements

If you have set up auto-naming conventions for the names and/or Aliases of specific types of element, you can apply those conventions to all of the existing elements of those types in a selected Package, in one operation.

You apply auto-naming through the 'Apply Auto Naming to Elements' dialog. This groups the elements that have auto-naming conventions by type, and shows the effects of applying the conventions to the element names and/or Aliases. You can change all the element names in the Package, or select only certain elements to update.

Access

Context Menu

Right-click on Package | Advanced | Apply Auto Naming to Elements

Apply Auto-naming to elements

Option	Action	See also
Current Name	Initially displays a contracted group for each element type that has auto-naming conventions, showing the number of elements of that type in the selected Package. Click on the '+' symbol to expand the type group and list the elements within it by their current name, with the most recently created element first. Select the checkbox against each element to be renamed, or against the element type name to select all elements in the group. Deselect the checkbox to leave the element name and Alias at their current values.
Name Preview	Initially shows the elements' current names. When you select the checkbox against each element, the name changes to show the effect of applying the auto-naming conventions to it.
Alias Preview	Initially shows the elements' current Aliases. When you select the checkbox against each element, the Alias changes to show the effect of applying the auto-naming conventions to it.
All	Click on this button to select all elements listed on the dialog.
Clear	Click on this button to clear the checkboxes of all selected elements.
Update Name
Prefix Auto Name to Current Name	Click on this radio button to set the new element names to the auto-name text followed by the current name. That is, of this structure: MyPrefix00001MySuffix Original Name
Overwrite current Name with Auto Name	Click on this radio button to set the new element names to the auto-name text only. That is, of this structure: MyPrefix00001MySuffix
Move current Name to Notes Apply Auto Name	Click on this radio button to show the current name in the 'Notes' field in the element 'Properties' dialog (in front of any existing notes) and overwrite the element 'Name' field with the auto-name.
No change	Click on this radio button to leave the current names unchanged. That is, review what the auto-naming would look like but not apply it.
Update Alias
Prefix Auto Alias to Current Alias	Click on this radio button to set the new element Aliases to the auto-Alias text followed by the current Alias. That is, of this structure: MyPrefix00001MySuffix Original Alias
Overwrite current Alias with Auto Alias	Click on this radio button to set the new element Aliases to the auto-Alias text only. That is, of this structure: MyPrefix00001MySuffix
Move current Alias to Notes Apply Auto Alias	Click on this radio button to show the current Alias in the 'Notes' field in the element 'Properties' dialog (after any replaced element name text, but in front of any existing notes) and overwrite the 'Alias' field with the auto-Alias.
No change	Click on this radio button to leave the current Aliases unchanged. That is, review what the auto-Aliases would look like but not apply them.
Include sub packages	Select this checkbox to include elements in sub-Packages in this run of applying auto-naming (the checkbox reverts to deselected when the dialog is closed).
Configure Auto Naming	Click on this button to immediately define automatic naming conventions for an element type if: You want to change the conventions for the element type, or The element type that you want to apply auto-naming to has no conventions (and is therefore not listed on the dialog) The 'Auto Name Counters' dialog displays, on which you define your automatic element and/or Alias naming convention. When you click on the Save button on that dialog, any elements of that type in the Package are listed on the 'Apply Auto Naming to Elements' dialog.	Set Auto Naming and Auto Counters
OK	Click on this button to close the dialog and put the naming changes into effect.
Cancel	Click on this button to close the dialog and cancel any naming changes you have defined.

Notes

If you select this facility and there have never been any auto-naming conventions defined in the model, the 'Current Name' column displays the message Configure Auto Naming; click on the Configure Auto Naming button to define any conventions for any element type you need
The contents of Packages that are locked under version control will not be auto-named
Because you are applying auto-naming to existing elements, the auto-naming set up 'Apply on Creation' setting has no impact on this operation
The 'Apply Auto Naming to Elements' dialog is resizable; if you want to expand or reduce the dialog, drag its edges to the size you want