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Quick Linker Example

If you want to create a Quick Linker definition, the easiest way is to set it up in a spreadsheet, with each menu item definition constructed across a row, as in this example:

The first row of the example is a comment line identifying the column headings. The subsequent lines define the connector/target element options for a Class element with the stereotype «quick». When a connector is dragged away from an element of this type, you want the user to create a Dependency either to or from a Component element. When they drag a connector onto an existing Port or Component element, you want a Dependency either to or from the Component or, in the case of a Component, you want the user to be able to create an embedded Port element.

These requirements are defined in eight records in the Quick Linker definition file:

  1. Dependency to new Component
  2. Dependency from new Component
  3. Dependency to existing Component
  4. Dependency from existing Component
  5. Dependency to existing Port
  6. Dependency from existing Port
  7. Dependency to existing Component, create new Port
  8. Dependency from existing Component, create new Port

The records save to this CSV file:

//Source Element Type,Source ST filter,Target Element Type,Target ST Filter,Diagram Filter,New Element Type,New Element ST,New Link Type,New Link ST,New Link Direction,New Link Caption,New Link & Element Caption,Create Link,Create Element,Disallow Self connector,Exclusive to ST Filter + No inherit from metatype,Menu Group,Complexity Level,Target Must Be Parent,Embed element,Precedes Separator LEAF,Precedes Separator GROUP,DUMMY COLUMN

Class,quick,,,,Component,,Dependency,,to,,Dependency to,TRUE,TRUE,TRUE,TRUE,Component,0,,,,,

Class,quick,,,,Component,,Dependency,,from,,Dependency from,TRUE,TRUE,TRUE,TRUE,Component,0,,,TRUE,,

Class,quick,Component,,,,,Dependency,,to,Dependency to,,TRUE,,TRUE,TRUE,,0,,,,,

Class,quick,Component,,,,,Dependency,,from,Dependency from,,TRUE,,TRUE,TRUE,,0,,,TRUE,,

Class,quick,Port,,,,,Dependency,,to,Dependency to,,TRUE,,TRUE,TRUE,,0,,,,,

Class,quick,Port,,,,,Dependency,,from,Dependency from,,TRUE,,TRUE,TRUE,,0,,,TRUE,,

Class,quick,Component,,,Port,,Dependency,,to,,Dependency to,TRUE,TRUE,TRUE,TRUE,Port,0,,TRUE,,,

Class,quick,Component,,,Port,,Dependency,,from,,Dependency from,TRUE,TRUE,TRUE,TRUE,Port,0,,TRUE,TRUE,,

If you want to test the effect, you can create this Profile and cut and paste the CSV lines into the QuickLink Document Artifact element.

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